* A Christmas Story by Jeff Eats.

Just read the below-story on Newser (newser.com).

I’m thinking that somewhere in Walmart’s Employee Handbook- there is something that’s gonna get Jenny Karpen fired (or at least reprimanded)-for being a nice person.

How come the article doesn’t have Jenny’s manager saying something like…”There should be more people like that in the world. We just need to clone Jenny. Walmart is so proud of Jenny that we have issued her a $500 Walmart gift card along with a check for $40. Walmart has also issued a $500 Walmart gift card to Mrs./Mr.________________the customer who offered to reimburse Jenny $40″?

Guaranteed, Walmart isn’t as thrilled- with Jenny’s actions-as you and I are!

Am I wrong?
*****
Newser) – She may have been new, but she knew just what to do. Jenny Karpen, who had only recently started working at a Walmart in Rotterdam, NY, was helping check out an elderly customer when she realized he didn’t have enough cash on hand to pay for his whole order, News10 ABC reports. “He was like, ‘Is it enough?'” she says. It wasn’t. The man started to remove items to put back when Karpen’s heart went into overdrive.

“I didn’t want him to go home and not have something that he really needed to eat,” she says. So she used $40 from her own wallet to complete the sale, a kind act that didn’t go unnoticed by the next customer in line, who offered to pay Karpen back; she refused to accept it, citing company policy against accepting money. Karpen’s manager, meanwhile, seems pleased with his new hire. “There should be more people like that in the world,” he tells News10. “We just need to clone Jenny.”

* Farmhouse Kitchen.

American-Style joint that opened in Boca Raton a couple of months ago…

Jeff Eats hasn’t had a chance to “try” it- yet!

Just got the below flyer…since Farmhouse Kitchen isn’t-serving Chinese food, I’m not comfortable eating there-on either Christmas Eve of Christmas Day.You do know that old habits die hard, of course you do!!

Got this restaurant on my list to “do” in 2015, in the meantime you guys can check famerhosekitchenboca.com for menu/prices.

If you get there before I do, let Jeff Eats know what you think.

* NYY STEAK HOSTS THE AL CAPONE TEMPLETON RYE WHISKEY DINNER.

Got something a little different for you guys, a dinner with Al Capone’s grand-niece Deirdre Capone- on Saturday Night, January 17, 2015 at 7pm…at NYY Steak located at the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino in Coconut Creek (with a name like that where else would it be?).

The press-release with “dinner” details is printed below.

First things first…the food/service at NYY Steak is terrific (2/15/12 review reprinted down below). Just a quick update on NYY Steak- Jeff Eats, Mrs. Jeff Eats, Son Jeff Eats, Daughter Jeff Eats and Boy-Friend of Daughter Jeff Eats ate at NYY 2-weeks ago. The food was dynamite, the service was dynamite and all-in the bill was $480…doing the math, that’s 96 bucks a-head. No fooling around here, NYY Steak is right up there with the best ofSouth Florida’ steak restaurants.. By the way, I don’t recall what everybody ate, but I had a 26oz.bone in ribeye that was off-the chart.

Now, back to Deirdee’s dinner…

For the $125 ticket, you get a ton of food and booze, an autographed copy of Deirdre’s book “Uncle Al Capone” and a chance to “chat” about one of the most famous gangsters in American history. By the way, Jeff Eats read a ton of stuff/reviews on “Uncle Al Capone” and it seems that Deirdee or should I call her Ms. Capone- wrote a really good-interesting book.

Anyway, my pencil to-napkin calculations tell me-that for a buck and a quarter-you aren’t getting ripped off. Really don’t have time to go into the exact figures, but the menu/booze/book combination (taking Amazon’s discounts/shipping etc. all into consideration)-adds up to a fairly priced-outing.

Like I said at the start of this essay, something a little different for you.

The bet here, is that a whole lot more people than you would have thought… are gonna show-up to celebrate what would have been Al’s 116th birthday!
*****
December 16, 2014
Deirdre Capone, author of the book, Uncle Al Capone, the only remaining Capone family member with first-hand knowledge of the family’s legacy, will host a birthday dinner celebration on January 17th at NYY Steak. The four course dinner will feature Capone’s favorite whisky, Templeton Rye, which he called, “The Good Stuff.” Guests will receive a copy of Deirdre Capone’s book.

NYY STEAK HOSTS THE AL CAPONE TEMPLETON RYE WHISKEY DINNER

Coconut Creek, Fla. (December 16, 2014)- NYY Steak and the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek are celebrating Al Capone’s birthday on Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. with a four-course dinner paired with wine and Capone’s favorite whiskey, Templeton Rye, which he called, “The Good Stuff. “ Limited seating tickets are available for $125.

Deirdre Capone, the only remaining Capone family member with first-hand knowledge of the family’s legacy, will host the dinner. All guests receive a signed copy of Deirdre’s book, Uncle Al Capone.

Guests will start the dinner with NYY Steak crab cakes paired with Conundrum White 2012 from Rutherford, CA followed by a baby green salad. The main course is a bone-in filet Oscar topped with Alaskan king crab and paired with Midwest Manhattan. Dessert includes a NYY Steak chocolate trio paired with JUSTIN Obtuse 2011 from Paso Robles, CA.

The event also includes a pre-dinner cocktail reception featuring a Chicago Typewriter cocktail, and an after dinner birthday cake celebration at The Legends Lounge with live swing jazz music.

Space is limited. To reserve your tickets, call NYY Steak at (954) 935-6699.
*****
February 15, 2012
***** NYY Steak, Seminole Casino 5550 Northwest 40th Street, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073.

Go figure!

One of the best-“upscale steakhouses” in South Florida is located at the Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek…That’s right, the casino where you-gotta wear an oxygen mask because the cigarette smoke is so brutal—as part of a recently completed $150,000,000 renovation/expansion has opened an absolutely georgeous looking steakhouse with fabulous food and service. You can check www.seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com for menu/prices/photos. By the way, NYY is a joint venture–Seminole Indians/New York Yankees (there is another NYY at Yankee Stadium).

NYY…New York Yankees, get it? All kinds, of New York Yankee black/white photos, autographs…no dark wood–or dim lights here…but rather, a great looking open kitchen, light oak woods, bright lights, plenty of glass. Like I said before, an absolutely gorgeous looking joint.

When you check NYY’s menu, try not to get sticker-shock…no question about it- that $51.75 24oz bone in ribeye is “high” even for an upscale steakhouse–Now, I maybe going out on a limb here, but I think- that casino-joints like NYY get a ton of customers using their casino “PLAYER’S CLUB” rewards/points to pay the bill. If I’m right—the restaurant can charge more than what most folks would consider “normal”- because many customers aren’t using real-money. So, if you go there, I think you will find that many of the “diners” are eating on-the-arm.

At this juncture of the discussion, let me tell you that NYY looks totally out of place at the Seminole Casino. Nothing for nothing, but the Seminole Casino isn’t in this boy’s opinion–an upscale looking property. Now, there may-be something more developing at the Seminole Casino that’s gonna get it looking more like the Hard Rock operation in Hollywood-so NYY may eventually make sense, but for right now, NYY looks like a fish out of water. Personally, I don’t see non-casino players making special plans/reservations to eat at NYY, despite the fact that its food is absolutely dynamite.

A recent dinner had me “doing” the aforementioned 24oz ribeye, 28oz porterhouse ($54.75), veal chop milanase ($44.50), roast chicken ($28.50), lemon pepper halibut ($31.50), steak fries ($9.50), lobster mac & cheese ($11). Every item was delicious. On the service front, excellent without the “snotty” know-it-all attitude you find at many upscale steakhouses.

There are two ways to play NYY Steak. You can gamble your heart out…and accumulate points to spend or you can just fork over cash or your credit card at the end of the meal.

NYY Steak is a homerun…pun intended!

NYY Steak is open Monday, Thursday-Sunday 5pm-11pm. The joint is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

***** Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza Parlor, 2793 South State Road 7, Wellington, Florida 33414, (561) 328-6401.

Real simple concept going on here at…Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza- order at the counter/food delivered to your table. The joint seats 60.

Jimmy Brooklyn’s is a relatively new-player in the Wellington pizza arena…its only been around for something like 3- months.

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats recently did dinner and I gotta tell you, we really enjoyed the joint. First things first, the décor is real-cool, with all kinds of NYC-Brooklyn flavored decorations. If you ain’t from Brooklyn/NYC- not too much that I can say, but hey!-the joint is called Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza Parlor with the operative word here being BROOKLYN’S.

Anyway,

Jimmy Brooklyn’s menu has the expected full-boat of appetizers, pizzas, salads, subs, pastas, meat/chicken entrees/desserts. You can check jimmybrooklynpizza.com for menu/prices/info.

Like I said 3.8 seconds ago, you order at the counter-they bring the food to your table.

The meal…Caesar salad (large-$7.95), meatball roll (mozzarella/romano cheese-$9.50) tortellini alfredo (2 garlic rolls-$11.50), slice of cheese pizza ($2.00), Sicilian slice of pizza ($2.50)–everything was A-OK! Second things second, Jimmy Brooklyn’s does slices- so, if pizza is your game, you can order a bunch of slices with different toppings-instead of getting stuck with a whole pie etc. etc. etc!

Let Jeff Eats wrap this up for you,

Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza Parlors’ food is as good- as that served-up by most of the “mom & pop” red sauce joints-that dot South Florida’s dumpy strip center landscape. Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza Parlors’ prices are comparable to the “mom & pop” joints- but for the same money, the “mom & pop” joints- give you full service-and “more” food in the pasta/entrée department (ie, unlimited garlic rolls and soup/or salad)- on the other hand, Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza Parlor kinda limits your “tip” exposure.

Like I said before, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats enjoyed the joint…it’s definitely worth a try!

Jimmy Brooklyn’s Pizza Parlor is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, closed on Monday.

* The Shirelles.

Jeff Eats has known Beverly Lee-one of the original-founding members of The Shirelles since I was 23 years old…let me do the math for you, that’s 42 years! A nicer, classier, more talented lady- you won’t meet.

Beverly and her “Shirelles” have 2 very rare-upcoming South Florida dates…all I can tell you, is that if you want to see a great show-you gotta go see The Shirelles.

For you history buffs out there…there were 4 original Shirelles- Micki, Doris, Beverly, Shirley. Micki and Doris have passed and it would be fair to say that Shirely and Beverly haven’t spoken no less worked together in years. Beverly owns The Shirelles’ trademark, while Shirley is allowed to perform under the name-Shirley Alston Reeves former lead singer of The Shirelles. So you now know who is who. Both “originals” have their own “backup Shirelles.” Jeff Eats has seen both groups perform- same songs…totally different show-styles. Nothing for nothing, both ladies put on great shows-stylistically, they are night and day–It’s kind of hard to describe their respective productions, but personally I just enjoy Beverly’s more. Just so you know, like Beverly I’ve also known Shirley 42 years and she’s an absolute doll and a phenomenal performer. Trust me when I tell you, you don’t get into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame-on good looks alone…both ladies are LEGENDARY PERFORMERS!

Now to the point…there are two ways that you can get to see Beverly…your choice! Then again, you could see her twice…

The Shirelles Starring Beverly Lee
Back to Calendar
When:April 18, 2015 @ 7:30 pm
Where:Coral Springs Center for the Arts
2855 Coral Springs Drive
Coral Springs,FL 33065
USA
Tickets: online- coralspringscenterforthearts.com ($50.52-$79.02 all fees/taxes included)
Categories: Cabaret Series – The RRazz RoomThe Shirelles Starring Beverly Lee @ Coral Springs Center for the Arts | Coral Springs | Florida | United StatesROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES!
AMERICA’S ORIGINAL DREAM GIRLS!
THE SHIRELLES
Starring Original & Founding Member BEVERLY LEE
All The Great Hits LIVE …
SOLDIER BOY, WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW

* Light Up The 8th Night Of Chanukah.

No fooling, at first Jeff Eats thought the “flyer” said, that- The Sammy Hagar Band was appearing, gotta get the old eyes checked! Laugh! Not so crazy, after all David Lee Roth is Jewish…and while Jeff Eats is on the subject of Chanukah- what’s with all of the different spellings for this holiday? Christmas is Christmas but why it’s a national holiday is something I just can’t get my head wrapped around!

Anyway…

This Light Up The 8th Night Of Chanukah sounds like a real- nice family event…and it’s free- (don’t even think of going there and I’m not talking about the event)!

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have this-one on our calendar…

***** 2 Chef’s Souparee, 6338 Lantana Road, Lake Worth, Florida 33463, (561) 432-2477.

Just got this email from reader Norman D.

Jeff,
Just finished reading your review of the show ‘When You’re In Love The Whole World is Jewish.’ Sounds like a cute show.
I love Jason Alexander. His George on Seinfeld was classic. I note your ‘No Soup For You’ reference, that Soup Nazi character on Seinfeld was also classic. Just wondering with all of this recent cold weather, as to whether or not you got a good place for takeout soups?
*****

Norman D:

Not exactly sure as to where you live-here in sunny freezing cold South Florida…that said, the soups at 2 Chef’s Souparee in Lake Worth are off the chart. Jeff Eats loves this joint’s stuff.

Just an observation, every restaurant I know that has soup, can make it to go…based on your Seinfeld references I’m thinking that 2 Chef’s is more in-line with what you are looking for.

By the way, the guy who owns 2 Chef’s is a whole lot nicer than the Soup Nazi- so don’t be a-scared to ask for a few taste- samples!

Printed below is Jeff Eats’ 7/16/11 review…

***** 2 Chef’s Souparee, 6338 Lantana Road, Lake Worth, Florida 33463, (561) 432-2477.

I know that it’s something like 103-out there…but you absolutely-positively gotta try 2 Chef’s Souparee that makes some of the most amazingly delicious- soups, salads, sandwiches, dinner entrees and desserts that you have ever tasted. 2 Chef’s is basically a takeout, but it does have indoor seating for about 16…order at/pickup at counter.

2 Chef’s menu has 17 soups, 4 dinner salads, 8 sandwiches, 6 dinner entrees, 6 desserts. From what I can tell, only the breads and rolls are not home-made.

I recently tried mushroom barley soup (bowl-$4.90), french onion soup (bowl-$4.90), chicken pot pie soup (bowl-$5.90), new England clam chowder (bowl-$5.90). Let me state unequivocally that all of the soups—were outstanding. On the sandwich front, chicken salad and tuna salad ($6.90) were dynamite…same for the sirlon patty melt ($6.90). Dinner entrees “sampled” ($11.90–come with bread. soup or salad, potato or pasta) “sampled”… meatloaf–chicken parmigiana–1/2 roast chicken…All were delicious.
On the dessert front- the chocolate cake and peanut-butter chocolate cake—were definitely worth the calories

Every so often old Jeff Eats “stumbles” upon a homerun. 2 Chef’s Souparee is a grand-slam!

2 Chef’s is open Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

One final piece of business, if “discount coupons” are your game…www.southfloridadines.com has a $7.50 gets you $15.00 deal going.

***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday- 12/14/14)

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items…

CHICKEN PARMIGIANA SUB
$6.99

Bella Nonna Gourmet Pizza
7400 North Federal Highway
Boca Raton
(561) 989-8870
bellanonnapizzeria.com
Latest Review: 12/28/13

Just so you know, Jeff Eats “just” picked Bella Nonna’s chicken parmigiana sub-to get the conversation going. This hole in the wall Italian joint…has the full boat of appetizers, pizzas, subs, burgers, pastas, meat/chicken/seafood entrees, desserts and I am telling you, everything it makes is right on the money! If you’re looking for fancy-schmancy forgetaboutit- Bella Nonna’s eat-in is about as bare-bones as it gets. Before I let you go, if you like garlic rolls, you gotta try Bella Nonna’s- delicious.

* Annual Holiday Car Show.

Over the years Jeff Eats has been to a handful of these Festival Flea Market Mall Car Shows-between you and me, a great way to kill some time on a Sunday afternoon- assuming that the weather cooperates! Just so you know, old-cars and looking under some hood-ain’t my game- but I do enjoy seeing “what” makes other folks tick…and the food trucks that dot the parking lot landscape-make walking around all that more enjoyable.

Next show is scheduled for Sunday, December 14, 2014- from 10am-4pm.

The Festival’s Holiday Car show is the LARGEST Semi-Annual CAR SHOW in South Florida. OVER 600 Registered cars attended last year’s Holiday Show. This is an ‘Open Show’ for all types of cars – Classic, Foreign, Rods, etc. are all welcome. You don’t want to miss this MEGA show. Music, Fun, Food and Lots and Lots of GREAT CARS. Oh, by the way, GREAT SHOPPING for you, your friends and your family both outside at the car show and inside the mall. Over 300 Indoor Air-Conditioned Shops.

* When You’re In Love the Whole World Is Jewish.

Last night Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “attended” the SRO opening of- When You’re In Love The Whole World Is Jewish the music/comedy revue directed by Seinfeld’s Jason Alexander at the Mizner Park Cultural Center…I know, fancy shmancy…Now, I’m no Clive Barnes, but I gotta tell you that the cast of 6 -backed by a 4-piece “orchestra” through a series of sketches, had the crowd in stitches for 90 solid minutes. For sure, I had heard a number of the “punchlines” before- as the revue features some of the greatest Jewish comedy bits-of all time…but I still cracked-up as the actors’ accents and mannerisms turned-great “jokes and bits” into living color.

As you can see from the above, Jeff Eats is no- Clive Barnes, so I’m gonna quit while I’m ahead…

All I can tell you, is that if you are Jewish or even if your’re not…you gotta go see this show!

Finally, for those of you who might care, George, I mean Jason was there…and after the show-graciously fielded tons of “No Soup For You” questions, photo/autograph requests…Jeff Eats can’t resist- the man is a real mensch!

When a young Jewish boy decides he wants to marry his very gentile girlfriend, who knows nothing about Jewish customs or culture, he seeks the help of his Rabbi. The learned man then acts as a guide, taking the couple on a ride through the Jewish way of life, as a way of educating the young girl. This laugh-filled journey, incorporating twenty-five legendary comedy sketches and songs, covers every facet of Jewish life, from business and travel, to marriage and family, and is sure to appeal to all, because as the title of the show says, “When You’re In Love, The Whole World Is Jewish.”