* Yard House, The Capital Grille, Darden Restaurants- Terrible Customer Service!

Here’s a story for you guys…

As witnessed by Jeff Eats’ write ups dated 1/28/08 and 1/14/11–I’d been a huge fan of the “sports bar” Yard House chain since 2008…suffice it to say, Jeff Eats is no longer a fan. Printed below is a copy of an e-mail which I sent on January 1, 2014 to the General Manager of Yard House’s Boca Raton location in Mizner Park. To date, Jeff Eats has not received the courtesy of a reply from either the GM or from Yard House’s corporate office.
*****
Subject: Poor Service/Food
Brandon:
As you may recall, last night I and five others were in Yard House around 10:15pm. The reason why you may remember is that you and I exchanged business cards when you came over to our table. Just in case you don’t, Jeffrey Richman of Jeff Eats www.jeffeats.com.
Suffice it to say as the editor of one of South Florida’s leading food blogs, I’ve literally been to and reviewed hundreds of restaurants. If you check Jeff Eats’ site you will find a past- extremely favorable Yard House review. I just wanted to tell you, that last night’s outing was lousy and that your actions as GM on the same level.
The facts are real simple.
We arrived around 10:15pm to a half empty restaurant. We were seated and waited quite awhile for a waiter to appear. He took the beverage order which was real simple- hot tea, two hot coffees, three iced coffees. Once again extremely slow in filling the order, which when delivered found the three iced coffees with no ice and watered down and the two hot coffees barely warm, the tea was okay. The waiter left the table failing to supply straws for the beverages or spoons. When he returned to take the food order, he was told that the hot coffees were unacceptable and after requesting same he supplied straws and spoons. The food order was taken which was basically six cake items topped with ice cream. Sometime thereafter the waiter returned with hot coffees. Before the desserts were delivered, you stopped by the table and saw what was going on. Now unless the six of us are hard of hearing, you said that you would do something to compensate us for this really unacceptable outing. The desserts were delivered, a couple too sweet and one with ice cream that had already started to melt. Suffice it to say, we finished and I had to physically get up and search for the waiter to get a check. As you know, I never found him and I got you to run the check which totaled $60 with no discount or anything else. We left $75 in cash on the table and left the restaurant. I will tell you, that on the way to our cars, we discussed what a crappy operation Yard House was and what a piss poor choice we had made.
Now, I and my wife have eaten in Yard House many times and have always enjoyed the food and service. As for the two other couples this was their first visit to a Yard House and I’d bet they will never set foot in one again. They were amazed at how poorly it was run.
What I am really pissed off about is your behavior. I’ve been around along time and for you to have failed to “correct” this matter, is as if you played me.
If you would like to “correct” things, let me know and I’ll arrange for the other couples to be engaged. I’ll put my latest-planned Yard House review -as well as the email that I have written for Yard House’s Home Office on hold until January 5, 2014.
Thanks,
Jeff Richman
561 *******
www.jeffeats.com
_______________

Here is an observation…

Way-back on 10/30/09 Jeff Eats did a review of The Capital Grille in Miami. If you check, you’ll find that it was not a favorable story. To update that review, to date The Capital Grille neither on the local or corporate level ever took any action to “address” Jeff Eats’ concerns about a terrible dining experience. To go even one step further, The Capital Grille never communicated with Jeff Eats after an initial promise to make contact.

For the record, The Capital Grille chain was/is owned by publicly traded Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) who coincidentally also owns the Yard House chain having acquired it in July 2012. Just may-be there is a pattern here…that being, that Darden couldn’t give a rat’s ass about customer complaints. I will tell you, Jeff Eats has eaten a ton of meals and has done business with a ton of mom & pops and chains–and Darden’s behavior 2x in not responding to a customer’s complaint is very strange in an industry that literally lives or dies on being customer-friendly.

Now nothing for nothing, but Jeff Eats has been reading and hearing that 2 of Darden’s other chains aren’t doing too-well, namely Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Just maybe, Yard House and The Capital Grille’s failure (as evidenced by Jeff Eats) to address customer issues are systemic to the entire Darden operation!

Suffice it to say, Jeff Eats won’t be doing business with Darden Restaurants anymore. No reason to support a business who couldn’t give a damn about me!

***** Villa Rose Pizza, 1114 State Road 7, Hollywood, Florida 33021, (954) 983-7660.

Can’t Explain it!

For years, Jeff Eats has been hearing some terrific things about Villa Rose Pizza (its been around since 1957) and the fabulous pizza that it makes—yet in all those years, I never got over there to try its pizza or food. Like I just said, can’t explain this!

Anyway, last night Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats were doing a “takeout” from Spadini’s Pizzeria in Boca Raton and while waiting for our order, we-got to talking with a lovely couple with two young children…blah blah blah and business cards were exchanged. Later that evening, Jeff Eats received the “below” e-mail from Chris Florea who we had spoken with earlier that evening. As you’ll read, he is a HUGE fan of Villa Rose Pizza.

Chris has now got Jeff Eats’ juices pumping…and I plan to get down to Villa Rose sometime in the next 30-days.

If you have been to Villa Rose, drop me a note on the joint…if you haven’t, Jeff Eats’ “gut call” says Villa Rose is a must-try.

You can check www.villarosepizza.com for menu/prices/other stuff.

Villa Rose Pizza is open Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-11pm.

*****
Update, January 7, 2014…

Last night, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “finally” made it down to Villa Rose Pizza and suffice it to say–the pizza was spectacular…thin crust, dynamite cheese with a sweet sauce. In addition to the pizza we also ordered Greek salad, -veal parmigiana sub, penne ala vodka–and I gotta tell you like the pizza, delicious–not “spectacular” delicious but neighborhood “mom & pop” red sauce-delicious.

For you Fancy Dans out there, Villa Rose is definitely not for you…this is the consummate “hole in the wall” with a handful of tables, small eat at bar-counter and a decor that has to date back to when the joint first opened in 1957…

Villa Rose Pizza is a homerun…can’t believe I didn’t get to it sooner!

*****
From: Chris Florea
Subject: Best Ultra Thin Crust Pizza
Message Body:
Hey Jeff , met you tonight at Spadinis pizza in Boca Raton. You were taking out
and I was with my girlfriend and kids. Have to tell you about Villa Rose and the
incredible little gem of a pizza joint it is. Its right up your alley, trust me
on this one. The place is located in Hollywood Florida on 441 ( SR7) just north
of Hollywood Blvd. They have been in the same hole in the wall location for over
50 years and I have been enjoying that pie for at least a third of that time
whenever I am down that way! I have gone there for one thing and one thing
only!! Their signature ultra thin crust pizza, which in my opinion is the best
around! I havent found anything close to the quality of that pie! Especially
for a conventional oven baked pizza. The pizzas come to the table round and cut
in squares. The pie has a tangy/sweet delicious sauce and topped with quality
mozzarella. I prefer cheese with green pepper, onion, and pepperoni ( never
never and never soggy or wilting). The pie is
just incredible, especially when partnered with an icy cold pepsi or coke. The
plain pie is also delicious. I am not able to fill you in on the rest of the
menu because the pizza is all I ever eat there. You HAVE to try this pie!!!
Every single person I sent packing down to Hollywood to try this out has raved
about it afterward. I hope you give a whirl and I look forward to reading your
posts about it!! Happy Eating, Chris

***** Madisons New York Grill & Bar, 2066 Northwest Executive Center Circle, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 994-0808.

Last night, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats and a couple of friends gave “American-Style” Madisons New York Grill & Bar in Boca Raton a shot–and I gotta tell you, the joint literally blew our socks-off. No fooling around here…Madisons food and service were terrific!

Real quick, Madisons is a Canadian based restaurant chain that currently owns/operates 14 restaurants in Quebec, 1 in Boca Raton and has 1- under construction in Pompano Beach. If you think–Houston’s, J. Mark’s and J. Alexander’s you’ll be on the right décor page. The Boca Raton joint opened about 1-week ago, in a completely renovated building that at one time or another housed California Pizza Kitchen, Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House, Copper Canyon Grill and Stephane’s Steak & Seafood. The restaurant has both indoor/outdoor patio seating and a separate full-bar area with something like 9 flat screen tvs.

As I mentioned 16 seconds ago, Madisons’ food and service were terrific…no ifs or buts, but the guys who own Madisons-know how to run a restaurant. Every dish that hit our table was exactly as ordered, glasses were continuously refreshed by Dave “The” Waiter-and during the evening we were “visited” by GM-Charles, Front Of The House Manager-Juan and Owner-Steve. Just so you know, Jeff Eats’ eagle eye caught- that every table in our section got the exact-same management treatment.

Let’s talk food…

Real simple menu–8 appetizers ($8-17), 6 meal salads ($15-$20), 5 sandwiches/burgers ($14-$18), 12 entrees ($16-$37), handful of salads/sides ($4-$8), handful of desserts ($5-$8).

Our table “had”–Three Cheese Garlic Bread, House Salad, Mykonos Style Greek Salad, Quinoa Caprese Salad, Cheeseburger With French Fries, Crab Cake Sandwich, Baby Back Ribs, Key Lime Pie, Brownie With Vanilla Ice Cream…everything was delicious. Just so you know, the garlic bread appetizer easily fed 4-people, the salads and desserts large enough for 2-people to share.

For you-guys who like more “review detail”…the French fries weren’t as delicious as everything else–but Owner-Steve told me, that fresh-handcut fries would soon be replacing the frozen product being used. I must tell you-that the garlic bread appetizer topped with melted Monterey Jack/cheddar/parmesan cheese was off-the-chart. To be perfectly honest, 2-orders of that garlic bread with a 2-liter bottle of ice-cold Coke and Jeff Eats could do some serious damage to himself…a definite must order.

Look! I could go on and on–as to how the ribs were basted with a delicious sweet bbq sauce, or how the crab cakes were loaded with crab (what else?) with virtually no filler, or how the cheeseburger which came on a lightly toasted bun-was topped with shredded lettuce/tomato slice/pickles spears and a mustard/ketchup/mayo dressing, but I won’t.

At this stage of the game, you may want to check www.madisonsnewyork.com for menu/prices.

The truly amazing thing about Madisons was that the service was impeccable…to be honest with you, Jeff Eats went into this thing-thinking a hiccup or two, afterall it was a brand new joint…but au contraire (hey! I told you that the chain is out of Quebec!)—the food and service couldn’t have been better.

Let me wrap this all up for you,

Madisons is going to be a huge winner. Mark these words–perfect for the business lunch crowd–perfect for the happy hour crowd–perfect for both Boca Raton’s young families and its 55+ crowd.

No question in Jeff Eats’ mind, Madisons can definitely hold its own against local “American Style” players–The Cheesecake Factory, Houston’s and J. Alexander’s.

A cursory “menu-look” found Madisons’ price-points $2-$5 lower than its “next door” neighbor Houston’s…..Hey! I already told you- The guys who own this joint know how to run a restaurant.

One final thought, a little bird told Jeff Eats that Madisons owns the Boca Raton property/building–so, to paraphrase poet Ernest Henley – Madisons is the master of its fate, captain of its soul (I know, I know a bit dramatic).

Madisons is open Monday-Sunday 11am-11pm.

***** Abbe’s Donut Nook Shop, 13625 Tamiami Trail, North Port, Florida 34287, (941) 426-5758.

Got a story for you…

This morning (Friday) around 10:15-Jeff Eats’ front door house bell rang–and standing there was an old “cop” friend and his wife…know these folks since 1971–from back in the day when I was a law clerk in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office (for those who don’t know, Kings County is also known as Brooklyn, New York). No fooling, unannounced they decided to visit Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “checking in” until Sunday. Bearing belated hanukka gifts and 2-dozen assorted donuts from Abbe’s Donut Nook Shop, they were greeted with open arms. Just in case you are wondering how a retired New York City Detective ended-up in North Port, that’s a story for another day, but try something like you do 20 in NYC and 20 in North Port and then pension-out (you retired NYC cops and firemen know what I’m yapping about).

Anyway…

As just mentioned, our “guests” brought us 24 (that’s 2 dozen) assorted donuts from Abbe’s Donut Nook Shop located in North Port…for the record (after-all this is a cop story) until this morning, Jeff Eats had never heard of Abbe’s Donut Nook Shop…but what I can tell you, this joint makes some of the most amazingly delicious apple fritters, glazed, cake donuts that I have ever eaten. Since these were a “gift” it would have been so -declasse to ask how much they cost, but Jeff Eats did learn that Abbe’s has been around for something like 35 years–is a “hole in the wall” with a handful of tables, only takes cash and opens daily at 5:00am.

You now know as much as Jeff Eats knows about Abbe’s Donut Nook Shop in North Port, Florida.

* Hotel Minibar!

Recently caught the “below” article on AOL.com.

This hotel minibar story got Jeff Eats thinking about…how dirty hotel/motel rooms must really be. Now I know that you guys got real good imaginations—carpet, bedspread, headboard, tv remote…kinda endless, don’t-you think?

Now if we take this cleanliness theme just a drop further, after-all Jeff Eats is basically a food-blog…maybe you-all (you do know that Florida is a southern state!) should start investing in drinking straw companies.

Just something to think about!
*****
“According to a recent survey by TripAdvisor.com, the hotel minibar was ranked the least important amenity for travelers in the U.S.

Only 21 percent of travelers ranked the minibar as an important amenity. What matters most to people? Free in-room wifi. Free Internet was ranked most important by 89 percent of people who were surveyed.

As KTLA hosts point out, the minibar can often be more trouble than it’s worth. ‘With four kids, what’s the first thing I say when we walk in? ‘See that? Don’t touch it! Everything costs money,’ one reported laughed.

Though the minibars seem wildly overpriced, the hotels aren’t making much off of them.

‘There is little financial reason to keep minibars,’ Hugo Martin of the LA Times writes. ‘Hotel consulting firms estimate that minibars generate no more than 0.24% of total hotel revenue, with much of that eaten up by the cost to check and restock the bars.’
Similarly, hotel staffers are tired of fighting with guests about whether or not they took anything from the bar.

Will you miss the minibar if it vanishes? Tell us in the comments below.”

* Worst Pizza In South Florida 2013!

Not really!!!

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite South Florida food-blogs is Worst Pizza.Com—www.worstpizza.com.

Just like Superman’s “Bizzaro World”—things work backwards and in reverse at Worst Pizza.Com—the guys there- are really looking- for the best pizza not the worse pizza. By the way, if “you” don’t know what Bizzaro World was/is all-about, you are not very well-read!

Anyway…

Worst Pizza.Com just published its “BEST PIZZA IN SOUTH FLORIDA-2013” list…and I thought that you guys might enjoy reading its picks. When you have some free time, compare Jeff Eats’ and Worst Pizza’s reviews for the same pizza joints—I think that you’ll find that brilliant minds often think alike…but not all the time and– that’s why there is and always be ONLY ONE-Jeff Eats!

*****
Best Pizza In South Florida-2013
It seems almost daily I get emails asking me where the Best Pizza in South Florida is. Readers who ask this question do not realize how subjective pizza tastes are and that just because I like one style at a specific pizzeria doesn’t mean they will feel the same way. After a lot of consideration we finally decided to put out the definitive guide of the where to get the best pizza in South Florida.
Please keep in mind we have not tried every single pizza place in the South Florida area, but we have gotten to a good majority of them. Places like Stanzione 87 haven’t been tried yet, and I am aware they might be considered for this list if I had tried it already. Many times if a place is just awful we choose not to write a scathing review, since it is not our objective to put these places out of business. We are in search of the best pizza and telling you where to find it. Also it should be noted that we usually get our pizza plain so that we can compare it fairly at the thousands of places we try.
I am sure many of you will be insanely upset that we missed a place, or that you hated a place we chose, but we stand by our choices.
Without further ado……
Best Overall Pizza is Pizzeria Oceano in Lantana, FL
Best Wood & Coal Oven Pizza is Tucci’s Pizza in Boca Raton, FL
Best Coal Oven Pizza is the Craig Pizza at Nick’s New Haven Pizza in Boca Raton, FL (yes named after the guy you think).
Honorable mention goes to Esposito’s Pizza in Davie, Anthony’s Coal Fire Pizza in Plantation, Grimaldi’s Coal Brick Oven Pizzeria in West Palm Beach.
Best Neapolitan Pizza is Scuola Vecchia in Delray Beach, FL
Honorable mention goes to Fratelli La Buffala in Miami Beach
Best Wood Oven Pizza is Kitchenetta in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Honorable mention goes to Spritz Pizza in Coral Gables, Osteria Acqua & Farina in Fort Lauderdale, Sicilian Oven in Lighthouse Point.
Best Sicilian Slice is Kings County Pizza in North Miami Beach
Honorable mention goes to La Pizzeria in Pompano Beach, Frankie’s Pizza in Miami, Dominic’s I Pizza in Boca Raton.
Best Regular Slice is Mauro’s Pizza in Hollywood, FL
Honorable mention goes to Steve’s Pizza in North Miami, Times Square Pizza in Fort Lauderdale.
Best Off the Menu Pizza is the thin upside down grandma pie at Nino’s of Boca in Boca Raton, FL. It could take 30-40 minutes to make this pie!
Honorable mention goes to Nick’s New Haven Pizza for their Craig Pie as mentioned above.
Best Detroit Style Pizza is Grande Pizza in Boca Raton, FL
Honorable mention goes to Augy’s Pizza in Boca Raton.
Best Deep Dish Pizza is NONE. No Place. Order Lou Malnati’s pizza frozen and have it in your South Florida house.
Best Brick Oven Pizza is Andiamo Brick Oven Pizza in Miami, FL
Best Somewhat Healthy Pizza is the Crossfit pie at Giotto Pizza in Miami Beach, FL
Best Upside Down Sicilian is Spadini’s Pizza in Boca Raton, FL
Best Thin Slice Personal Pizza is Joey’s Pizza In Wynwood Miami, FL
Favorite Newcomer is Blocks Pizza in Miami Beach, FL

* Happy Together Tour 2015.

This “tour” in one form-or-another has been around since 1984.

If this “one” interests you- Keep an eye on pollstar.com- for Florida concert- schedule.

Jeff Eats isn’t going to tell you who is favorite act on the bill is…let’s just say I’d Wait A Million Years- to see them!

***** Nuts About Candy, 2900 West Sample Road (Festival Flea Market), Pompano Beach, Florida 33073, (954) 984-8908.

Call me a wild and crazy guy (I know-Steve Martin), but this morning I woke-up craving some chocolate Bonomo Turkish Taffy. Sounds nuts but Jeff Eats ain’t playing you here.

Anyway…

After a handful of telephone calls, Jeff Eats found a joint named- Nuts About Candy located in the Festival Flea Market that had chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, blue raspberry, wild cherry and banana bars in stock. For the historians out there, Bonomo Turkish Taffy has been around since 1912 and the original flavors were chocolate, vanilla, banana and strawberry–and if Jeff Eats forgets about the cost of 6-teeth implants, is one of the greatest candies ever created.

Anyway…

To make a long story short, this afternoon Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats took a ride and found Nuts About Candy (Booths #3327 & 3331) at the intersection of Carnival & Bourbon Street…and I gotta tell you that this flea-market “store” in addition to Bonomo Turkish Taffy had a great selection of reasonably priced nuts/chocolates/candy/nostalgia candy. Now for the craziest part of the story (well at least to Jeff Eats it is)-is that although Nuts About Candy has been in the Festival Flea Market for something like 26 years, Jeff Eats (who has shopped at the Festival for years) had not even once-consciously noticed it…maybe subconsciously, but definitely not consciously. You gotta admit, that’s pretty crazy!

Let me wrap Nuts About Candy up (pun intended) for you…I hate this store-because by 3:30 this afternoon, Jeff Eats’ New Year’s resolution to lose 25 pounds ended as I downed huge chunks of chocolate Bonomo Turkish Taffy-at least 12 inches of button candy and something like 11 Mary Janes. Oh well, 2015 is fast approaching!

Nuts About Candy is a no-frills operation. Guess that’s how it’s able to sell its stuff at prices something like 1/2 of what competitors in the area are getting. By the way, the joint is owned by a real pleasant mother & daughter team Marilyn and Wendy–and in addition to selling packaged candy/nuts, candy/nuts by the lb.-also makes/ships some really cool candy/nuts trays and baskets.

Nuts About Candy’s website www.floridanutsaboutcandy.com is currently down-getting a facelift…but should be up real soon so you can check-out all of its stuff/prices.

The joint is open Monday-Friday 9:30am-5pm, Saturday and Sunday 9:30am-6pm.

* Price Ain’t Right!

Jeff Eats just heard about a woman who won $160,000 in merchandise-prizes and $10,000 in cash on the day-time version of TV’s “The Price Is Right.”

Do you guys have any idea, what the tax-bill is on those $170,000 in winnings? Well I do, and unless this lady is made of money, I seriously doubt that she will even bother to “collect” on her winnings.

Which brings me to the subject “at hand.”—The ridiculous prices that some South Florida joints charge on New Year’s Eve.

Now I’m not gonna name names, but don’t you think that $250 per person (tax and tip included) is a bit much for a Country Club party-featuring a buffet dinner, 8 piece band and an open bar? You guys can do the simple math, but that’s $500.00 a couple.

Now I’m not gonna name names, but some of those South Beach “Hotspots” are getting $30,000-$100,000+ for a table of 10.

Now I’m not gonna name names, but some Italian/Steak joints are fetching $225 a person (tax and tip included) for a 5-course meal, party favors and a champagne toast.

Now I’m gonna name names out of South Florida–just Google the “prices” that TIMES SQUARE- TGI Fridays, Applebees, Ruby Tuesday, Bubba Gump are getting. Jeff Eats knows, location-location-location, but high-way robbery is still high-way robbery!-and to boot, we ain’t exactly talking the Four Seasons here!

Now just maybe Jeff Eats is “out of the loop” but don’t you think that this type of celebratory-spending may-be sending the wrong message to all of those Chinese folks over in China who own all of those US bonds?

Happy New Year To ALL!!!

Jeff Eats will be at home watching the Times Square-Ball Drop!

One final thing, best wishes to you NYC guys with your new mayor, because I think you’re really gonna need it!

* Wanna Read Something Really Stupid?

Reuters, Just put out a story as to the people Americans most admired in 2013…

Take a look at the some of the names on the list. I don’t know about you, but most of those listed, wouldn’t be on Jeff Eats’ list!

*****
(Reuters) – Americans named President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the world’s most admired living man and woman in 2013, according to a Gallup poll released on Monday.
Obama topped the annual list for the sixth consecutive year, a typical ranking for a sitting U.S. president, the polling organization said.
But the percentage of those surveyed who choose him as the most admired man fell to 16 percent this year, down from 30 percent in 2012.
The president’s job approval rating has dropped during a year marked by a botched healthcare rollout and stalled legislative initiatives at the start of his second term.
Clinton earned the top spot among most admired women for the 12th consecutive year and 18th time overall, more than any other woman in the poll’s history.
Fifteen percent of Americans surveyed gave the former first lady and U.S. senator the highest ranking, down from 21 percent who named her as the most admired woman last year, the poll showed.
Gallup said its data came from a poll of 1,031 adults between December 5 and 8, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Other men named to the list included former U.S. presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; Pope Francis and the Reverend Billy Graham; actor and director Clint Eastwood; Microsoft Corp co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates; U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and former Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.
The women who finished behind Hillary Clinton included talk show host Oprah Winfrey, first lady Michelle Obama, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and actress Angelina Jolie.
Also on the list were Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban for demanding education for girls; German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Ian Simpson and Vicki Allen