* Manhattan Joe’s Pizzeria

I need you-guys’ help on this one! Not to sound conceited or nothing, but because of Jeff Eats wit, good taste and style, Jeff Eats has kinda-large readership. No-bull, every day, Jeff Eats receives a number of e-mails “inviting” him to try this restaurant or that one…believe it or not, there are only so many hours in a day, bucks in Jeff Eats’ wallet and gallons of gas in his car—I just can’t get to “all of them”—but I do my best, for you guys.

Anyway…

A few months ago, Manhattan Joe’s Pizzeria- a “hole in the wall” pizza joint opened at 5030 Champion Boulevard in Boca Raton, (561 ) 995-6563. To date, Jeff Eats hasn’t had a chance to try the joint -out. From what I understand, Manhattan Joe’s Pizzeria is an order at/pickup at the counter operation…14 different pizzas, 6 different salads, 6 different subs, handful of other items like calzones and chocolate cake. Handful of tables inside/handful outside. The joint does slices during the day/full pies at night.

Do me a favor and check this one out for me. I promise, I’ll eventually get to it…Just so you know, this past weekend- 3 different people mentioned the joint to me—and all three raved about how delicious the pizza/salad/subs were. By the way, —one of the “ravers”- I think, really knows his pizza and if he says it’s a dynamite New York slice–then, the joint is probably making a dynamite New York slice.

Like I said a few seconds ago, Jeff Eats has Manhattan Joe’s Pizzeria on its “to do list.” Based on the real possibility that this joint may-be a “homerun”—I owe it to you guys to get you there, ahead of others.

***** SEMINOLE CASINO COCONUT CREEK DECEMBER 2012 BAND SCHEDULE *****

Jeff Eats just got his hands on the Seminole Casino’s December 2012 band schedule…all of the performances are FREE.

Check the list, there are some really good bands working!!!

*****

MUSIC CALENDAR LISTING **

DECEMBER 2012

Media Contacts: Britta Schlager, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, (954) 283-2812, cell (954) 895-3783, Britta.Schlager@stofgaming.com

Brittany Elder, Bitner Goodman, (954) 714-7893, cell (954) 815-8274, brittany@bitnergoodman.com

Legends Lounge at NYY Steak

Dec. 1 Boombox (iconic ‘60s music), 10 p.m.

Dec. 6 Magic Bus (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 7 Sarah Packiam (pop), 8 p.m.

Dec. 8 Solid Brass (soul), 8 p.m.

Dec. 13 The Livesays (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 14 Sarah Packiam (pop), 8 p.m.

Dec. 15 The Castaways (nostalgia rock/memorable oldies), 8 p.m.

Dec. 20 Panic Disorder (alternative rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 21 Sarah Packiam (pop), 8 p.m.

Dec. 22 The Livesays (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 27 Jamie Rasso Band (rock/pop/folk), 8 p.m.

Dec. 28 Sarah Packiam (pop), 8 p.m.

Dec. 29 Nicole Hart (soul), 8 p.m.

Nectar Lounge

Dec. 1 Cassie Taylor and the Soul Cavalry (blues), 9 p.m.

Blue Audio (‘80s rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 6 JC Crossfire (blues), 9 p.m.

Dec. 7 Raiford Starke (rock/blues/country/folk), 9 p.m.

On The Rocks (rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 8 Nick Clemons (special guest), 9 p.m.

Black Rose (rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 13 Panic Disorder (alternative rock), 9 p.m.

Dec. 14 Boombox (iconic ‘60s music), 9 p.m.

Sucker Punch (alternative rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 15 Devon Allman (rock), 9 p.m.

Sound Junkies (alternative rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 20 The Bob Miller Band (blues), 9 p.m.

Dec. 21 Big City with Roach Thompson (blues), 9 p.m.

Chain Reaction (hard rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 22 Far From Grace (rock/pop/country/rap), 9 p.m.

Driven (rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 27 The Flyers (rock/r&b/blues/soul), 9 p.m.

Dec. 28 The Crush (alternative rock), 9 p.m.

Amped (hard rock), 12:30 a.m.

Dec. 29 Bonefish Johnny’s Roots Revue (blues/R&B/calypso/reggae), 9 p.m.

Fuse (hard rock), 12:30 a.m.

Sunset Grill

Dec. 1 The Castaways (nostalgia rock/memorable oldies), 8 p.m.

Dec. 5 Glenn Govot (classic rock/pop), 7 p.m.

Dec. 6 Furious George (rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 7 The Bob Miller Band (blues), 8 p.m.

Dec. 8 The Rodeo Clowns (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 12 Glenn Govot (classic rock/pop), 7 p.m.

Dec. 13 Magic Bus (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 14 The Rodeo Clowns (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 15 Left on Red (folk), 8 p.m.

Dec. 19 Glenn Govot (classic rock/pop), 7 p.m.

Dec. 20 JC Crossfire (blues), 8 p.m.

Dec. 21 Raiford Starke (rock/blues/country/folk), 8 p.m.

Dec. 22 The Baron Sisters (acoustic/folk/alternative), 8 p.m.

Dec. 26 Glenn Govot (classic rock/pop), 7 p.m.

Dec. 27 The New Planets (rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 28 Magic Bus (classic rock), 8 p.m.

Dec. 29 Big City with Roach Thompson (blues), 8 p.m.

About Seminole Casino Coconut Creek

The all-new Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is South Florida’s hottest place to play. With its recent $150 million expansion, the entertainment destination now features 65 table games of live Blackjack, Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Let it Ride and Spanish 21 plus a High-Limit area and lounge on a 100,000-square-foot casino floor. The new second floor non-smoking Stax Poker Lounge offers high stakes no-limit action including Texas Hold ‘em, 7-Card Stud and Omaha Hi Lo tournaments. More than 2,300 Las Vegas-style slots include Wide-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Three new restaurants – the upscale NYY Steak, Sorrisi Italian Restaurant and the New York-style 1st Street Deli – join the award winning Fresh Harvest, Nectar Lounge and Sunset Grill. Taking total guest enjoyment to a new level is The Pavilion, a 1,200-seat concert venue, and the revolutionary Player’s Club showcasing an innovative and immersive experience eliminating wait times. An environmentally friendly garage with solar energy and green art technology offers 2,400 covered parking spaces. An adjacent transportation hub is outfitted with valet service and a bus lounge for ultimate comfort and guest convenience. Open 24/7, 365 days, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located at the corner of U.S. 441 (State Road 7) and Sample Road at 5550 NW 40 Street. For more information, call 954-977-6700, visit us online at www.seminolecasinococonutcreek.com or www.facebook.com/seminolecasinocococreek. Follow us on Twitter @SemCasinoCoCo.

# # #

Alina Maria Quintana

Production Manager

Bitner Goodman, Inc.

701 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 204

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309

Office: 954.730.7730 ext: 133

Direct Line: 954.703.7933

Fax: 954.730.7130

Bitner Goodman is a founding partner

in the Worldcom Public Relations Group

=

***** UPSCALE STEAKHOUSES *****

Tell Jeff Eats–your best “upscale steakhouses” in South Florida.

***** Mizner Plaza Pizza, 134 Northeast 2nd Street, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 826-7123.

Got a real good, “mom & pop” red sauce” Italian joint for you…Mizner Plaza Pizza in Boca Raton.

If you wanna talk “hole in the wall”…talk, Mizner Plaza Pizza. The joint is located in a strip center-right across the street from Mizner Park—maybe the joint has 6 tables inside and 4 tables outside. For a bit of color—I think this crap location had two other pizza joints before Mizner Plaza decided to test its luck in the spot.

At this stage of the game–you can check menu/prices at www.miznerplazapizza.com.

Let’s talk food…

The other night- Jeff Eats, Mrs. Jeff Eats and another couple tried Mizner Plaza Pizza out for dinner. We ordered a chopped salad, large plain pizza, veal parm sub, meat lasagna, sausage/peppers/onion sub—everything was right on the money. I will tell you, that the pizza which was thin/crisp/sweet sauce was absolutely delicious.

Just so we are straight with each other, Mizner Plaza Pizza is a “pizza joint.”…Nothing fancy going on here—so your shorts/tee shirt ensemble is the dress of the day.

Let me wrap this one up for you, Jeff Eats really enjoyed Mizner Plaza Pizza. The food was very good. The prices were neighborhood pizza joint prices. The no frills atmosphere was cool.

Mizner Plaza Pizza is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9:30pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10:30pm, Sunday noon-8:30pm.

The Office, 201 East Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33444, (561) 276-3600.

The Office…casual American-Style joint in Delray Beach.

Yesterday, Jeff Eats and Son Jeff Eats had lunch at The Office in Delray. Let me start by saying, that it’s a great looking- modern- cool-joint with both inside/outdoor seating. It has a full bar, with loads of beers on tap–the bar is two sided/you can sit inside or outside. You can check menu/prices/photos at www.theofficedelray.com.

The Office’s menu is far from being huge…that said, it has enough appetizers, salads, burgers, entrees, desserts to get the job done.

Look! Let me get this off my chest—I thought that The Office was an absolute RIP-OFF. 1 cheeseburger and 1 bacon cheeseburger (both came with french fries) and a 10 oz bottle of Coke (no refills) shouldn’t cost $46 with the tip. Trust me, Jeff Eats is- no cheapskate…but when we left, I was really annoyed that I had just got bagged. As for the food, Son Jeff Eats thought that his cheeseburger was delicious-same for the fries, while Jeff Eats thought that the bacon cheeseburger was ok-but nothing special and that the fries were pretty decent.

Jeff Eats can’t render an opinion on “other” menu items…because I didn’t try them. Based on the burgers/fries at “tourist” prices—Jeff Eats in all good conscious can’t recommend this joint to you.

Maybe I’m getting old or something, but I was actually offended by the “check.”

If you don’t offend as “easily” as Jeff Eats does or have cash to burn…or your a tourist…

The Office is open Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-11pm.

***** What’s The Best Greek Joint In South Florida? *****

Give Jeff Eats your best picks.

***** SWEET DREAMS *****

Literally— just got the following press release from the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino…looks like a real-fun charity event on Friday-December 7, 2012/Saturday-December 8, 2012. Tickets go for either $25 and $35.

*****
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 11.20.12
CONTACTS:
Elizabeth Kelley Grace | 561.702.7471 |elizabeth@thebuzzagency.net
Julie Mullen | 561.779.2516 | julie@thebuzzagency.net
Britta Schlager | 954.283.2812 | Britta.Schlager@stofgaming.com
Brittany Elder | 954.714.7893 | Brittany@bitnergoodman.com

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek to Host 6th Annual ‘Sweet Dreams’
Holiday Dessert Extravaganza

Event benefits local charities; features live entertainment, carolers, desserts, and more

COCONUT CREEK, FL (November 20, 2012) – The Seminole Casino Coconut Creek’s Pavilion will transform into a sugary winter wonderland during its 6th annual Sweet Dreams festival on Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8, from 6-10 pm. VIP tickets are $35 per person, and General Adult tickets are $25 per person. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Ronald McDonald House and the Broward Health/Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund.

Sweet Dreams will feature a variety of dreamy dessert stations, wine, beer and spirits, and live music from The Rat Pack (www.ratpackisback.com), a Las Vegas sensation tribute group on Friday; and Deana Martin (www.deanamartin.com), daughter of music legend Dean Martin, on Saturday. A backdrop featuring spectacular decorations and strolling carolers will add to the holiday ambiance.

Three Olives Vodka and Patrón are sponsoring the open bars. Guests can indulge in everything from Mexican Brownies, to cake pops, mini Bundt cakes, Key Lime fudge, cupcakes, crepes, candies, nitrogen ice cream, cookies, cotton candy, and a spectacular chocolate fountain. Participants include A Chocolate Affair, A Flair for Fudge, Benvenuto Restaurant, Cake Delirium, Cakes by Ruthie, Cantina Laredo Modern Mexican Food, III Forks Prime Steakhouse, Cold Stone Creamery, Cookies by Design, Corner Bakery Café, Crepeteria, Cuatro Leches, Extraordinary Sweets, Gelato Petrini, Jodi’s Cupcakes, Melting Pot, Mizner Productions, Palm Beach Cakes, Potions in Motion, Restaurant Beverage Service, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Suckers for Dessert, We Take the Cake, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek Catering, and more.

Sweet Dreams is strictly for guests age 21 and over and will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8 at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek. VIP tickets are $35 per person and include an open bar, and General Adult tickets are $25 per person and include beer and wine only. Guests are invited to make a night of it and enjoy all the casino fun following the Sweet Dreams event.

Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com http://www.ticketmaster.com/Sweet-Dreams-tickets/artist/1799519?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name

Sweet Dreams benefits two charities, the Broward Health/Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House. The Broward Health/Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund which was founded to screen women within the Coral Springs community who were financially unable to obtain screening mammograms and advanced high quality breast imaging and biopsies. For more information visit: http://www.browardhealth.org/lisaboccardfund .

The Ronald McDonald House (www.rmhc.org) provides housing for family members of children who are receiving hospital care. Sometimes when a child gets sick they have to go to a hospital far from their families. And parents want to be with their child every second during such a difficult time. In fact, many would trade places with them if they could. Since they can’t, they can at least be by their side. That’s exactly why there’s RMHC. We have places where families can be together, because we believe children heal faster when they’re with loved ones. For the past 38 years, RMHC has provided hope, healing and the gift of togetherness for families in their greatest time of need.

About Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
The all-new Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is South Florida’s hottest place to play. With its recent $150 million expansion, the entertainment destination now features 65 table games of live Blackjack, Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Let it Ride and Spanish 21 plus a High-Limit area and lounge on a 100,000-square-foot casino floor. The new second floor non-smoking Stax Poker Lounge offers high stakes no-limit action including Texas Hold ‘em, 7-Card Stud and Omaha Hi Lo tournaments. More than 2,300 Las Vegas-style slots include Wide-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Three new restaurants – the upscale NYY Steak, Sorrisi Italian Restaurant and the New York-style 1st Street Deli – join the award winning Fresh Harvest, Nectar Lounge and Sunset Grill. Taking total guest enjoyment to a new level is The Pavilion, a 1,200-seat concert venue, and the revolutionary Player’s Club showcasing an innovative and immersive experience eliminating wait times. An environmentally friendly garage with solar energy and green art technology offers 2,400 covered parking spaces. An adjacent transportation hub is outfitted with valet service and a bus lounge for ultimate comfort and guest convenience. Open 24/7, 365 days, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located at the corner of U.S. 441 (State Road 7) and Sample Road at 5550 NW 40 Street. For more information, call 954-977-6700, visit us at www.seminolecasinococonutcreek.com or www.facebook.com/seminolecasinocococreek. Follow us on Twitter @SemCasinoCoCo.

###

Mario’s Osteria, 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 239-7000.

I gotta ask you guys to pleasssse indulge me…do me a favor and read Jeff Eats’ Mario Of Boca (7/21/08) and Bova Cucina (6/6/09) reviews—it’ll save me a whole lot of explaining.

Anyway…this guy Mario is now back with a new Italian joint…Mario’s Osteria in Boca Raton. For you folks who want to know about Mr. Bova’s restaurant career- check the Sun Sentinel and you’ll find loads of details…you’ll also find the hows?/whys?/whens? concerning his unfortunate business relationship with Scott Rothstein Esq—Florida’s own “Bernie Madoff.”

Now let’s talk about the “dinner” that I just did…

First, the good news… Mario’s is “one” gorgeous looking semi-upscale Italian joint.

For color—Just a hunch here, but my gut tells me that “Mario” has some partners “here”—don’t know any details, but I suspect someone ELSE is bankrolling this joint…but I’m just guessing here (wink wink wink!). For the record, I’m assuming that you folks know the story how “Mario” lost a ton of money–getting crooked by Rothstein. If you don’t, some of you might find it an interesting read.

Second, the not so good news…the large pizza, meatball sub, chicken parm sub, garlic knots, French fries—were all LOUSY. An absolute waste of money. The pizza had no taste and the crust was a soggy mess…the meatballs tasted like something out of an Army rations can…Sorry I stand corrected, the rations’ stuff tastes better.

Let me wrap this one up real fast…don’t waste your time.

Wait! I was just thinking, let me give you guys an early Thanksgiving gift…here’s the 2-”Mario” reviews I mentioned at the top of this rant…

***

Mario’s of Boca (Boca Raton)

Posted on July 21st, 2008 · Boca Raton Italian

Mario’s of Boca, 1901 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 392-5595.

Before we start, take a look at Mario’s wesbite at www.mariosofboca.com. Gorgeous place, great menu, reasonable prices…it is all “spelled out” for you on the website…WRONG!!!

Mario’s has been a Boca Raton “fixture” for something like 23 years…this Southern Italian joint literally owned (notice I said “owned” not “owns’) the Boca Raton market with lines continuously out the door. Well something happened (and I don’t know exactly what it was) to Mario’s changing it from a great joint into a mediocre second rate joint…kiss the lines goodbye.

I’ll make this as simple as can be…over the past 3 months I have had dinner at Mario’s twice…each time the food was horrendous and the service even worse, if that’s possible. Both times, the joint was literally being run by high-school kids ( no insult intended to the youth of America, but you know what I mean). Just so you know, I “sampled” veal parmigiana, veal chop milanese, chicken parmigiana, chicken scarpiello and shrimp scampi…they were all lousy…by the way, the veal parmigiana was in the same league as eating the sole of your Reebok sneaker…Just so we are straight, the people that I ate with all agreed, that the food was terrible and that the service amateurish. There was one redeeming thing…Mario’s garlic rolls are still terrific.

One final thought…when I was a kid, the big player in the premium ice cream business was Good Humor…the big player in coffee shops was Chock full o’ Nuts…the big player on the highways for hotels/food was Howard Johnson’s…everyone of them failed to stay at the top and are just bit players today. Mario’s was the kingpin.
—-
Bova Cucina (Boca Raton)

Posted on June 6th, 2009 · Boca Raton Italian

Bova Cucina, 1901 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 392-5595.

You know…if you dress a monkey in a $2,500 suit (in this case the suit is a great looking restaurant), it’s still a monkey.

Do me a favor and read my review for Mario’s of Boca (July 21, 2008)…it wasn’t very favorable.

Well the owners of Mario’s, recently changed the joint’s name to Bova Cucina and started a “dinner-promotion”…last month it was $8.95, this month it’s $9.95…the “deal”…soup or salad, garlic rolls, entree, pasta side and they throw in a cannoli for dessert.

Well, it’s still the same monkey dressed in the “$2,500 suit”…and the food is still mediocre.

The other night the joint was jammed with “bargain hunters”…trust me on this, the portions are small and like I said before, the food isn’t very good… your favorite neighborhood “mom & pop” serves better stuff.

Fool me once, shame on you…fool me twice, shame on me.

***** Ovenella, 499 Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 672-7553.

Got a real-good semi-upscale Italian joint for you…Ovenella in Boca Raton.

You can check menu/prices/photos at www.ovenella.com. Just so we are straight, Ovenella isn’t a “red sauce” stuff your face– “$14.95” soup or salad/entree/pasta side/garlic knots’ joint…that said, Jeff Eats found it to be really-cool, modern decor, really easy going, great vibe and not taking itself too seriously.

Jeff Eats recently did dinner–“tried” fried calamari, veal marsala, chicken parmigiana, 12″ wood-oven margherita pizza, meat lasagna, gnocchi, frutti di mare, tiramisu—everything was A-OK. On the price front, like I said before, you ain’t gonna get away for $14.95 in this joint, but nothing too terrible. The pizza fetched 14 bucks, the veal marsala $26, the chicken parm $19…

Before I hop, Ovenella has a full bar and the wait-staff knew their stuff.

Let me wrap this one up-this way—Jeff Eats really enjoyed Ovenella. Every so often, it’s nice to get away from– Joe’s, Leo’s, Bobby’s, Tony’s, Vinny’s (you can insert your favorite red sauce name) where every meal is like a scene out of that movie “Groundhog Day.” To all the red sauce joints out there, please know–that Jeff Eats still loves you, just making an “editorial” point–so don’t go spitting in my food or nothing the next time I’m in!

Ovenella is open Monday-Friday 11:30am-10pm, Saturday 5pm-10pm, closed on Sunday.

Panda Gourmet Chinese Restaurant, 13900 South Jog Road, Delray Beach, Florida 33446, (561) 638-9022.

The other day Jeff Eats got the following e-mail from long time reader Bill from Delray:

From: Bill from Delray
Subject: Great new Chinese Restaurant in Delray
Message Body:
Jeff,
Wife and I have been to the Panda Gourmet restaurant in Delray twice now. The last visit was the acid test… taking my 91 year old mother-in-law with us. The food is fresh and first quality, the prices crazy low and they’ve been publishing 50% off the second entree (including early bird) in the Sun Sentinel a couple of times a week for a while.
The earlybird, by the way, includes soup, egg roll or spring roll and ice cream. Three of us ate for $34 plus tip and the entree size was not reduced because of the earlybird.
Looking forward to seeing what you have to say about this little family run hole in the wall place.
Bill
***
Bill from Delray:
Based on your recommendation I gave Panda Gourmet a “shot” this evening.

Jeff Eats “sampled” wonton soup, egg rolls, fried pork dumplings, bbq ribs, general tso’s chicken, moo shu pork, roast pork fried rice. Now- no kidding around here, EVERY ITEM had absolutely no taste whatsoever. No question about it, some of the blandest Chinese food I’ve ever eaten in South Florida. Now nothing for nothing, but I’m thinking that just maybe the early-bird coupon deals colored your opinion—because this stuff was in no way, shape or form even remotely close to being good.

Well Bill!…That’s what Jeff Eats thinks and based on my maiden voyage, I definitely won’t be returning even though the super-pleasant owners gave me a handful of “coupons” on my way out.

For those of you guys who want to make up your own “mind”…

Panda Gourmet is open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-9:30pm, Friday 11:30am-10pm, Saturday noon-10pm, Sunday noon-9:30pm.