* Madisons New York Grill & Bar (Boca Raton)

There is an old saying…”5 Times The Charm”—or something like that!

Anyway, yesterday Jeff Eats did some checking–on a new “American Style” joint that is being “built” in Boca Raton—Madisons New York Grill & Bar. Thought that you guys might like to “share” the e-mail I received from Madisons’ PR firm (it’s printed below)…

Just so you know, the “Boca” location that Madisons is going into-has previously been the home to a Pizza Restaurant, New York Style Deli, BBQ Ribs-Chicken Restaurant and a French Restaurant…just maybe, 5X is the charm!

Jeff Eats is going to “follow” Madisons and as soon as it opens (plans call for December, 2013) I’ll give you the skinny on food/decor. Just so you know, I did some checking on Madisons with a couple of Canadian acquaintances and they swear by this “Canadian” chain—they compare it to being in the same league as Houston’s but with “lower” price-points…they said that it is very-family friendly with loads of flat screen tvs and a real casual atmosphere.

Anyway…Jeff Eats is putting Madisons on “our” calendar and will report back to you guys after it opens.

You can check www.madisonsnewyork.com for menu/prices and other pertinent info.

*****
Good afternoon,
Nice speaking with you. Per our conversation, attached you will find information thus far regarding Madisons New York Grill, a Canadian-based restaurant group set to debut TWO new locations in South Florida in the next few months. Since 2004, Madisons has experienced incredible success with their 14 locations throughout Quebec and is now announcing its grand arrival to South Florida and the U.S., bringing a warm atmosphere, spectacular cuisine and extraordinary service to Boca Raton in December 2013 and Pompano Beach in 2014.
At Madisons, South Florida guests immediately identify with the outstanding New York-inspired menu and heightened dining experience featuring a welcoming bar area ideal for enjoying quality time with friends, family and colleagues. All amidst a magnificent setting, Madisons offers unique ambiance designed to complement the homemade cuisine and top-notch service.
I will certainly keep you in mind once we open and create tasting events.
Thanks!

* Best Kosher Restaurants

Care to share your favorite South Florida Kosher Restaurants?

***** Chef Eddie’s, 3214 Orange Center Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32805, (407) 505-6802.

Let’s call Chef Eddie’s a “soul food” diner…the joint does breakfast/lunch/dinner Tuesday-Sunday 8am-8:30pm and absolutely blew Jeff Eats away with some of the most delicious fried chicken & waffles, fried shrimp, crab cakes, bbq ribs, mac & cheese, hush puppies—that this East-Flatbush Boy has ever eaten.

No fooling around…Chef Eddie’s food is dynamite.

You can check Chef Eddie’s menu/dirt cheap prices at www.chfeddies.com—there are also a whole bunch of photos/videos for your consideration.

Let Jeff Eats close by saying–every so often I come across a joint that is an aboslute home-run…well, this one is a grand slam!

* Bobby Collins (Mardi Gras Casino, Lake Worth Playhouse).

Just a heads-up…

Bobby Collins-one of America’s funniest “clean” national comics—has three 2013 South Florida appearances scheduled.

Wednesday-November 7th at the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach (www.mardigrascasinofl.com).
Thursday-November 8th at the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach (www.mardigrascasinofl.com).
Friday-November 9th at the Lake Worth Playhouse in Lake Worth (www.lakeworthplayhouse.org).

Nothing for nothing, over the years- Jeff Eats has seen Bobby Collins something like 4 times—and I am telling you, FUNNY!

Do yourselves a big solid and go see the guy…

You can buy tickets at the above cited websites.

* GROUPON

Jeff Eats can’t begin to tell you how many e-mails he receives on a daily basis—so! I won’t.

Just wanted to mention, that every morning—GROUPON sends an e-mail with its latest discount-deals. Jeff Eats is gonna assume that you guys aren’t from Mars and know what GROUPON is…for you Martians, you buy a coupon from GROUPON for let’s say 20 bucks and it gets you 40 bucks worth of merchandise from a “chosen” vendor.

Anyway…

Jeff Eats in recent months has been noticing that a number of really good South Florida restaurants and events have been using-GROUPON to promote themselves. So-Check www.groupon.com…

* There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute!

I just finished reading a “Bloomberg” article as to how self-serve frozen yogurt company-Orange Leaf is looking for acquisition candidates (other food areas)—as the company readies an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of its common stock for sometime in either 2014 or 2015.

Jeff Eats will say no more…

***** Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant, 11557 North Kendall Drive, Miami, Florida 33176, (305) 274-6799.

Who in a million years would’a figured…Kendall has one of the best Chinese restaurants in all of South Florida!

Now nothing for nothing…Jeff Eats is talking “1950’s Brooklyn-Jewish stuff” and not the “authentic” Chinese (whatever the hell that is?) that many of you food experts fancy…no seasoned squid or spiced jelly fish for this 1966 Erasmus Hall High School alumnus.

Jeff Eats is talking…wonton soup, egg rolls, pan fried dumplings, spare ribs, roast pork fried rice, pepper steak, sweet & sour pork, shrimp with black bean sauce, chicken chow mein, honey garlic chicken, vanilla/chocolate/strawberry ice cream, pineapple chunks dessert.

The other night, Jeff Eats, Mrs. Jeff Eats and another couple gave Chef Chen a shot for dinner…Like I said 19 seconds ago, some of the best Chinese food that Jeff Eats has eaten in South Florida.

Just so you know, everything we had was delicious…That said, knowing my crowd- I know that some of you need a pecking-order…let’s just say, that if-when– you eat at at Chef Chen’s. make sure you get the ribs and shrimp with black been sauce…hope that helps you out!

Neighborhood Chinese restaurant prices and service…Your shorts/tee shirt/sneaker ensemble will work well there.

Just a quick comment, many YELPERS out there have to learn, that limited knowledge of a foreign language (in this case English) doesn’t necessarily mean that the Chinese “help” is indifferent, rude, nasty—it just means, that the “person” can’t be as engaging or witty or endearing as your 25 year old minds think they should be!

You can check menu/prices at www.chefchenchinese.com.

Chef Chen Chinese Restaurant is open Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-10:30pm.

* Valentine’s Day Doo Wop/ Oldies Concert—2014

Got a terrific Doo Wop/Oldies idea for “some” of you guys…a Valentine’s Day Doo Wop/Oldies Concert at the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium—Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton.

Take a look (printed below) at a PR piece which Jeff Eats just received…real-good lineup of acts-including one of Jeff Eats all-time favorites, The Duprees.

You can order tickets on-line at FAU’s website…www.fauevents.com

Nothing for nothing, Jeff Eats has recently seen all of the scheduled doo wop/oldies “acts” live (now! it would have been quite a trick to have seen them perform- dead!) and I gotta tell you-everyone of them sounded great.

Just so we are straight…Jeff Eats knows that a load of readers couldn’t give a rat’s ass about this type of music…Jeff Eats also knows, that a ton of you guys are huge doo wop/oldies’ fans—so as “they” say, act accordingly…
*****
Date: February 14, 2014
Time: 8:00 PM
Venue: Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium

Enjoy an evening of the greatest love songs of all time with the stars who made your favorite hits. The Duprees (“You Belong to Me”), The Dixie Cups (“Chapel of Love”), Emil Stucchio & The Classics (“Till Then”), The Knockouts (“Darling Lorraine”) and, back by popular demand, The Platters’ former lead singer Sonny Turner (“Only You”). As always, expect surprise guests singing their hit records. VIP tickets include a private reception with the stars.

This concert is part of a 3-show “Pop, Rock & Doo Wopp Live!” series featuring the top artists of the 50’s and 60’s. For discounted 3-show subscription packages, please call 1-800-564-9539.

* HELP DAVE OUT!

Got this e-mail from reader Dave…maybe you guys can help him out.

From: Dave
Subject: Happy Hour
Message Body:
How about asking the question “Who has the best happy hour prices and food
deals?”
I don’t consider Duffy’s a deal by any stretch with their drinks always being
“two for one” because of how much they charge for the first one

***** Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, 1 North Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401, (561) 833-8787.

Back on September 19, 2011–Jeff Eats did a writeup on Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria located in Palm Beach Gardens. For your convenience, that original review is printed below.

Let me make this “one” real short and simple…

Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzera makes absolutely awesome salads, pizzas, calzones and desserts. Since that 2011 review, Jeff Eats has been to the Palm Beach Gardens’ location something like 5 times and each and every outing was terrific.

Now, if you’re still with me…since that 2011 review appeared, Grimaldi’s opened a second location in West Palm Beach—Jeff Eats hasn’t been to that location, but I’m kinda thinking that it’s probably playing at the same level as the Palm Beach Gardens’ location is—anyway, last week out of the blue- Jeff Eats was contacted by West Palm Beach’s marketing coordinator who invited Jeff Eats to give the restaurant a shot and also “sent” Jeff Eats a $25 GIFT CARD so that one of you guys could try Grimaldi’s out, as well. Jeff Eats will eventually “get” to Grimaldi’s for the taste test—

Now, if you want the $25 gift card…send Jeff Eats an e-mail/comment—I’m not going to publish your e-mails/comments, but the 14th one that comes in, is the winner—I’ll contact the winner by e-mail and snail-mail the gift card. One other thing, one e-mail per reader—don’t forget Jeff Eats “sees” all the IP addresses, so you Bill Gates out there–play this game straight.

Just in case, I don’t get 14 e-mails/comments by October 8th at 9am, number 13-12-11-10 etc, will be the winner. If I don’t get even one e-mail/comment, Jeff Eats is the winner!

If you don’t understand the rules of the game, tough noogies!

Here’s the “original” review Jeff Eats wrote back in 2011…

***** Grimaldi’s Coal-Brick Oven Pizzeria, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410, (561) 625-4669.

Grimaldi’s Coal-Brick Oven Pizzeria is a “coal oven” pizza chain…there are currently locations in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Texas. For our purposes, there is currently 1-location in South Florida (Palm Beach Gardens) with announced plans to open a second spot at 1 North Clematis Street, West Palm Beach.

You can check menu/prices/locations at www.grimaldispizzeria.com.

Over the years, I’m gonna guess- that I have eaten in the Brooklyn location 10 times and the Tucson joint 8…Last night, I had dinner at Palm Beach Garden’s restaurant…same menu, same delicious pizza. The only problem I have with Grimaldi’s is that its menu is extremely limited…like try- pizza, a handful of salads, handful of calzones, handful of desserts…end of story. So–if pizza and salad ain’t your bag, you’re in for a serious problem while the rest of your party stuff their faces.

The Palm Beach Gardens’ joint is located in DOWNTOWN AT THE GARDENS…a gorgeous white elephant outdoor mall, which has more empty stores than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook.

Grimaldi’s pizza is outstanding…it’s right up there with the best of breed. The joint’s caesar and caprese salad are also delicious. The Palm Beach Garden’s joint has a full bar, indoor and outdoor patio seating.

So what we got here…one of the best coal fired pizza/salad joints in South Florida albeit with a very limited menu…great looking indoor wood decor/outdoor patio seating…full bar—in a huge ghost town complex.

Grimaldi’s is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.