* Bette Midler.

Not Jeff Eats’ fault if you don’t go-to see one of the greatest entertainers of all-time!

***** Nana’s Diner, 1230 Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409, (561) 640-2922.

Got a real good “diner” for you guys…Nana’s Diner in West Palm Beach.

Let Jeff Eats start by saying that I absolutely loved Nana’s.

As you regular-readers know or should know by now, I’m a huge diner “fan”-and I must tell you- Nana’s is the real deal. Although- Nana’s has only been around for something-like 2 years its got the “diner formula” down-pat…counter-booth-table-outside patio seating…full liquor license. On the menu front, DINER- loads of breakfast stuff, appetizers, salads, Mexican/Greek/Italian dishes, sandwiches, burgers, meat/fish/chicken entrees, desserts…trust Jeff Eats when I tell you-everyone in your party will find-what to eat.

The other day, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats did breakfast…strawberry banana Belgian waffle ($7.75), western omelette/home fries/toast ($8.95), multi-grain pancakes ($7.95) and I gotta tell you-everything was right on the money…throw in super friendly wait-service and delicious coffee (per Mrs. Jeff Eats A/K/A Juan Valdez Eats) makes- Nana’s a big time winner in Jeff Eats’ book.

Like I said 4.2 seconds ago, I loved the joint. I highly recommend that if you live or work in Nana’s neighborhood that you give it a shot!

Nana’s hours are Sunday-Thursday 6am-10pm, Saturday-Sunday 6am-11pm.

* The Habit Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:HABT).

On August 16, 2012 Jeff Eats did a “story” on California based “burger” chain-The Habit Burger. That story-is reprinted below.

Just wanted to mention that its parent company, The Habit Restaurants, Inc. went public about a week ago (NASDAQ: HABT) at $18 a share. As Jeff Eats types, its stock is currently trading around $34.

Keep an eye on this Company, based on the restaurant operation I saw and- what I “read” in the Company’s Offering Prospectus- this chain has a real shot to- develop into a HUGE national player.
*****

August 16, 2012
***** The Habit Burger

Burgers-Burgers-Burgers…

You guys know South Florida’s fast-food burger players—like Five Guys, BurgerFi, Shake Shack, Smashburger, Elevation—not to mention the giant chains like Burger King, Wendy’s- McDonald’s. To paraphrase the late great Soupy Sales, “There are more fast food burger joints in South Florida than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook. You and Jeff Eats both know, that one day the giant game of fast food burgers musical chairs is going to end very-very badly for most of the players. For sure a number will be left standing, but seriously folks, do we really need a fast-food burger joint literally on every other corner? You know we don’t- but seemingly there are many “entrepreneurs” who obviously don’t.

Anyway…I recently came across The Habit Burger chain which has been around since 1969. For right now it has 60 units mostly in California with a handful in Arizona. You can check www.habitburger.com for menu/prices/locations. Betcha right about now, you are saying “Hey Jeff Eats, I never even heard about this one.” Jeff Eats will also bet you a nickel that most of you have heard about the legendary burger chain In n Out Burgers but have never been in one. I’m right aren’t I?

Now, nothing for nothing…but I would seriously “match” The Habit Burger’s char-flamed cheeseburger, french fries, onion rings that I recently had against the stuff made by any of the guys listed above.

Just imagine for a minute– how many fast food burger joints South Florida could really have if guys like In n Out, The Habit, Hardees decided to expand into our neighborhoods. It would be the greatest and largest game of musical chairs to watch.

In closing, the next time you are in California or Arizona…check The Habit Burger out. The food is dynamite!

* What’s Wrong With This Picture?

ANY SENSIBLE PERSON KNOWS WHAT’S WRONG…

Al’s straw still has part of its paper wrapper on it…Hey! This is a food blog, isn’t it?

* Roman Brand Italian Sausage & Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce.

Jeff Eats plays Chef Jeff Eats…

1. Buy yourself a package of Roman Brand Mild Italian Sausage. I usually get mine (5-pack=1lb.) at Publix-for $5.09.
2. Buy yourself a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce. I usually get mine (28oz.) at Publix-$2.99.
3. Coat-Cover-Drown sausage(s) with sauce, bake at 375 for 60 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes.
4. Put sausage(s) in your favorite fresh- sub, hero, hoagie, whatever you call it-bread.
5. You are now good to go.

Try it, you’ll like it!

If you are kosher-forget everything Chef Jeff Eats just said- the pork sausage ain’t gonna work!

By the way, Roman Brand (romanbrand.com) and Sweet Baby Ray’s (sweetbabyrays.com) respectively- have all different kinds of sausages and barbecue sauces…Jeff Eats, I mean Chef Jeff Eats gives you permission to experiment!

***** Lucille’s American Café, 2250 Weston Road, Weston, Florida 33326, (954) 384-9007.

This is what you might call an “out of sight, out of mind” story…

Way back on June 27, 2008 Jeff Eats told you guys about a terrific- American Style joint named Lucille’s American Café in Weston. For our purposes, the operative word in the last sentence is WESTON…nothing for nothing, trust me, Weston is a “big” ride from the Eats’ Boca Raton residence…thus the “out of sight, out of mine” tag.

Anyway, yesterday-after a tough day of shopping with Mrs. Jeff Eats at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, we ate dinner at Lucille’s American Café which is about 10 minutes south. Suffice it to say, Lucille’s is the same terrific joint that it was back in 2008…I’m telling you, that if Lucille’s was closer to my home-Jeff Eats would be a real-and I do mean-real steady customer. But what is, is!

You guys who live or work in Lucille’s neighborhood- have a winner on your hands…if you haven’t eaten there, make it your business to catch lunch or dinner…my money says you won’t be disappointed.

You can now read Jeff Eats’ 7/27/2008 writeup, but before you do…

Lucille’s is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9;30pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10:30pm, Sunday 10am-9pm.

You can check its menu/prices at lucillescafe.com.
*****
June 27, 2008
***** Lucille’s American Cafe, 2250 Weston Road, Weston, Florida 33326, (954) 384-9007.

Before I start yapping about Lucille’s American Cafe, do yourself a favor and check its website at www.lucillescafe.com for menu/pricing and other details about this 1940’s style diner.

This joint is terrific. It looks like a real 1940’s in-line diner. It has all of the “blue plate specials” that 1940’s diners had plus a “million” other things. It has great food. Large portions. Terrific wait-staff. Very reasonable prices. I absolutely love this joint’s meatloaf, chicken pot pie and country fried steak.

Lucille’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

* JERSEY WISEGUYS.

If you like THE FOUR SEASONS- and I don’t mean Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring…you’ll like- the JERSEY WiSEGUYS.

Jeff Eats has seen this- South Florida based The Four Seasons’ “tribute” band and it is real-strong. In addition to great Seasons’ covers, the 5-member band has a playlist of 50s, 60s, 70s hits that makes it more than a 1-trick pony!

You can checkout the band for yourself at… jerseywiseguys.com.

Free Outdoor Concert on 12/15/14…Meatball Room usually starts its shows around 8pm!

Just so you know how Meatball Room works its FREE CONCERTS…the shows are held on a large outdoor patio which is adjacent to the restaurant. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EAT, DRINK, BUY- ANYTHING to watch the show…of course, Meatball Room is “hoping” that you sit at one of its outdoor tables or outdoor bar and “order”-but like I just said, you don’t have to EAT, DRINK, BUY- ANYTHING to watch the show.

* Ellen DeGeneres Show Slot Machines.

Lucy, maybe you can ‘splain to me-why slot players need Ellen DeGeneres’ Slot Machines?

Over the past weekend- Jeff Eats was at the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino-and saw a couple of these- recently installed machines.

What does she do, tell you- some jokes or something while you’re losing?

* Peter, Paul and Mary.

I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…I have been in love with Mary Travers since 1962.

This morning, South Florida’s public tv stations (PBS)- started airing the 2 hour documentary “50 Years With Peter, Paul and Mary”- unquestionably, one of America’s greatest singing groups. Three phenomenal lead singers- some of the most gorgeous harmonies- that this boy has ever-ever heard.

Jeff Eats could care less-as to how old you are-this documentary is a must see… It’s the story of 60’s AMERICA- the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War…50 years -fighting for the underdog.

Like I said before, I’ve been in love with Mary since I was 13- unfortunately she passed in 2009 but luckily for me, I got to see Peter, Paul and Mary-live three times and personally met them in 1998.

Printed below is an article that appeared yesterday in Forbes Magazine (Forbes.com) “describing” the documentary,

Please, do yourself a big favor and don’t miss it…when you see the program I think you’ll know why I have loved Mary for over 50 years.

*****
50 Years Of Peter, Paul And Mary Celebrated With New Documentary, Album And Book
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The artistic legacy of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary is being celebrated in a new PBS documentary, “50 Years With Peter, Paul and Mary,” premiering tomorrow night, December 1.

Their collaboration is also the subject of a new coffee-table book, Peter, Paul and Mary: 50 Years in Life and Song, published earlier this month. And a new album of their music, Discovered: Live in Concert, was also released earlier this month.

Made up of Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers, who died in 2009, the trio began performing at clubs in New York in 1961 and released its first album in 1962. With hits including “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “If I Had a Hammer” and “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” it was popular and politically active in the 1960’s, but disbanded in 1970. It reunited in 1978 at a benefit opposing nuclear power, and toured after that, often performing in support of political causes.

The new book uses photographs and writings by all three members of the trio to tell its inside story, while music on the new album is, with one exception, all tracks that have not been released before.

The new documentary features rare and previously unseen television footage, including footage from a BBC program from the early 1960’s and footage from Travers’ memorial, which was held at Riverside Church in New York in September 2009; attended by former Sen. George S. McGovern, singers Pete Seeger and Judy Collins, and comedian Whoopi Goldberg, among others; and addressed by then Sen. John Kerry.

Interviewed last week, Yarrow said the documentary was unlike other television programs the trio had done, since it is not a concert, though “there’s a lot of music in it.”

He said the public “had never seen people talk about us, our children talk about us.”

“It’s startling to see how amazingly beautiful and charismatic Mary was in those years, not on YouTube,” he added.

***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday- 11/3014)

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items…

BANANA SPLIT
$11.25

Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlor & Restaurant
128 South Federal Highway
Dania Beach
(954) 923-4445
jaxsonsicecream.com
Last Reviewed: 4/24/08

Jaxson’s is an absolutely amazing ice cream parlor/restaurant. The joint has been around since 1956 and makes some of the most delicious home-made ice cream that I’ve ever eaten. Jaxson’s menu is also loaded with salads, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, wraps, entrees- not to mention a huge selection of penny candies. Jeff Eats “singled” out the banana split-but trust me, everything that Jaxson’s makes is absolute dynamite. A word to the wise, the joint’s portions are enormous-so don’t over-do it in the ordering department.

Just in case you go on Jeopardy or something…Jaxson’s was opened by-Monroe Udell- his father’s name was Jack-thus the name- Jaxson’s.