***** Mrs. Smokeys Real Pit Bar-B-Q, 1460 10th Street, Lake Park, Florida 33403, (561) 318-5137.

This past Saturday afternoon…Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “attended” the PGA National Resort & Spa Second Annual Craft Beer Festival & Burger Bash…2,000 people/all kinds of burgers-specialty sandwiches/all kinds of beer/rock n roll band/great weather/outstanding PGA staff coordinating things—and I gotta tell you, we had an absolute blast. Do yourself a favor, plan on attending the Third Annual Craft Beer Festival & Burger Bash next year.

As I said 3 seconds ago, there were all kinds of burgers-specialty sandwiches…not to go into the “gory” details, but both Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats really pigged-out. Just so you know, I personally made it my business to “try” every food item that was served-up—for sure there were one or two clinkers in the batch, but all-in-all the food was dynamite. Based on this outing, I now have a list of joints that I -plan on checking out… and down the road you’ll get the reports.

Anyway…

I just wanted to tell you guys that one of the vendors—Mrs. Smokeys a Lake Park “mom & pop” bbq joint blew both Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats away with its beef brisket sandwich (beef brisket/coleslaw/bbq sauce/toasted biscuit)…no fooling around here, one of the most delicious brisket sandwiches we have ever eaten. The sandwich was so good, that Jeff Eats had 2 -Mrs. Jeff Eats had 2 and she took 2 home…Hey! I told you that we pigged-out, didn’t I? By the way, the sandwich I’m raving about- won the “Best Alternative Burger” category at the Bash.

To wrap this up…

You guys do know that Jeff Eats is a “shy guy” who talks to anyone who is still breathing. Just guessing here, but I must have spoken to at least 20 “locals” who told me that Mrs. Smokeys restaurant was an absolute must try…they told me that- if I thought that its brisket was terrific–I would go nuts for “her” bbq ribs, bbq chicken, pulled pork, mac n’ cheese and home made apple pie. For you fancy-schmancy types, (from what I heard) Mrs. Smokeys probably won’t work for you…order at the counter/delivered to your table—something like 20 seats inside and 14 outside, drive-thru-window…and tee shirt/shorts ensembles “almost” mandatory dress.

Now, Jeff Eats might be going out on a limb here, but based on that beef brisket sandwich alone– I think that you guys should definitely give Mrs. Smokeys a try…

You can check Mrs. Smokeys menu/prices/photos at www.mrssmokeys.com. The joint is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm, closed on Sunday.

***** Shula Burger (Delray Beach)

Back on May 21, 2013 Jeff Eats did a “story” about the Shula Burger which at that time was under-construction in the Delray Marketplace in Delray Beach. The story is reprinted below and an “UPDATE” has now been added–which covers a Jeff Eats “meal” at the fast-food hamburger joint (it opened 6/10/13). The “comments” which the original column generated are not included, so if you want to read them you’ll have to go back and check the initial May 21, 2013-date…
*****
Posted on May 21st, 2013
Let’s do this one together…
In recent months- Jeff Eats has been “watching” Shula Burger being built at the Delray Marketplace in Delray Beach….this burger chain is “fronted” by Don Shula who was the Miami Dolphins’ quarterback in 1970-1973…strike that, Bob Griese and Earl Morrall were the quarterbacks and Shula was the head coach.
Anyway…
This guy Shula- who incidentally was born on Januray 30, 1930 currently has his name on a “ton” of different restaurants here in South Florida and around the USA. In addition to the aforementioned (the lawyer in me) Shula Burger, Shula is involved with Shula’s Steak House, Shula’s 2, Shula’s 347 Grill, Shula’s Bar & Grill and Shula’s On The Beach. For the researchers out there, you can check www.shula.com for details/menus/locations about the Shula restaurant empire.
Now back to Shula Burger which currently has 4 locations…Tampa, Kendall- Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Islamorada-Florida Keys…and a new location scheduled to open on June 10, 2013 in the Delray Marketplace, Delray Beach, Florida..
Now nothing for nothing…although Shula Burger has 4 locations, Jeff Eats has never eaten in one, nor met anyone who has eaten in one, nor met anyone who has talked about plans to eat in one.
Now to the point…
This afternoon, I stopped by the Delray Marketplace and took a close look at the physical layout of the almost finished restaurant. It’s– a you order at the counter/they bring it to the table deal. The store looks absolutely dynamite with inside and outdoor patio seating. The menu features burgers with all kinds of toppings, fries, hot dogs, salads, shakes, beer & wine. Take a look at www.shulaburger.com for menu/prices/locations/photos–this way you’ll know what Jeff Eats considers a dynamite-look, because you may not—different strokes for different folks!
Anyway…here’s the plan.
1. For those of you who have already eaten in a Shula Burger, please give Jeff Eats the skinny on it (before June 10, 2013 would be nice).
2. Jeff Eats is gonna try #5 right after it opens.
3. For those of you who haven’t eaten at a Shula Burger, either eat at one of the first-4 or try #5 right after it opens on June 10, 2013.
4. We all meet back here on June 15, 2013 to compare notes.
And…should you be captured, Jeff Eats will deny any knowledge of this mission.
One final note…since Coach Shula will soon be celebrating his 84th birthday to give you some perspective, I thought you guys would like to know that the first White Castle opened in 1921, the first MacDonald’s opened in 1940, the first Burger King opened in 1954, the first Sonic Drive-In opened in 1953, the first In-N-Out opened in 1948 and the first Wendy’s opened in 1969…and you thought that Jeff Eats was just another pretty face.

***** Update-June 14, 2013 *****

The new Shula Burger in the Delray Marketplace opened for business on June 10, 2013. Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats gave it a “shot” last night (6/13/13).

As Jeff Eats’ “original” article indicated- the joint is a very handsome-modern looking fast-food restaurant…there is both inside and outdoor patio seating. You order at the counter/servers bring the food to your table.

Shula’s menu is loaded with burgers/toppings, a couple of sandwiches, a hot dog, a handful of salads and sides, shakes, beer/wine. You can check menu/prices at www.shulaburger.com

The skinny—Jeff Eats had a Shula Burger ($6.49-American cheese/shaved lettuce/tomato/pickle)—Mrs. Jeff Eats had a turkey burger ($7.99-turkey patty/baby greens/tomato/red onion/herb mayo)…we shared an order of French fries ($2.49), sweet potato tots ($3.99), onion rings ($4.29)…every item was real good/timely-delivered/hot.

Let me wrap this one up for you this way…

Shula Burger can definitely hold its own against most of South Florida’s fast-food burger players (not going to list them, but you guys know who they are). For sure, Jeff Eats thought that $4.29 for 3 onion rings was a bit to pricey–but then again-Shula’s French fries ran circles around the crinkle cut fries that Jeff Eats recently had at Shake Shack’s Boca Raton outpost. Look! I could sit here all-day and nit-pick things about every player in this space…suffice it to say, I would definitely eat at Shula Burger in the Delray Marketplace-again.

Nothing for nothing…

Since this is a Jeff Eats “story” you do “know” that my inner-self is saying…”Hey Jeff Eats, the Delray Marketplace is going to be a fiasco-white elephant, can Shula Burger really make-it there? To my inner-self… For right now, let’s leave it- that if things are based solely on food, Shula Burger should be just fine!

* JUMP THE SHARK

From Wikepedia:
“Jump the shark” redirects here. For the TV series episodes, see Jump the Shark (The X-Files) and Jump the Shark (Supernatural).
Look up jump the shark in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Fonzie on water skis, in a scene from the Happy Days episode “Hollywood, Part Three of Three”, after literally jumping over a shark
Jumping the shark is an idiom created by Jon Hein that was used to describe the moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery, which is usually a particular scene, episode, or aspect of a show in which the writers use some type of “gimmick” in a desperate attempt to keep viewers’ interest.
In its initial usage, it referred to the point in a television program’s history when the program had outlived its freshness and viewers had begun to feel that the show’s writers were out of new ideas, often after great effort was made to revive interest in the show by the writers, producers, or network.[1][2][3]
The usage of “jump the shark” has subsequently broadened beyond television, indicating the moment when a brand, design, or creative effort’s evolution loses the essential qualities that initially defined its success and declines, ultimately, into irrelevance.”

*****
I don’t know about you guys, but Jeff Eats thinks that self-serve yogurt stores, gourmet fast food burger joints, cupcake stores have all “jumped the shark.”

Maybe- I’m being way too cynical here…but I really-believe that most people couldn’t give a rat’s ass when a new yogurt/burger/cupcake joint opens. The novelty, the newness, the freshness of these store-openings is GONE! I don’t care if it’s a Shula Burger, Five Guys, BurgerFi, Yogurtland, Menchies, Auntie Anne’s—“we” Americans are tired of cookie-cutter fast food businesses. For sure, there will always be exceptions to the rule, like Shake Shack in Boca Raton where there are daily lines—but that’s the rare bird!

Not trying to be a philosopher here or nothing…but Jeff Eats thinks that it’s time that America’s “fast food” entrepreneurs opened “one-off” joints that get the public’s juices flowing again…

If you guys think that Jeff Eats is wrong here—how “excited” would you get if I told you that a brand new Five Guys was opening 2 minutes from your home, or that a brand new Yogurtland was opening 3 minutes from your home? Get my point?

Now I don’t have all of the answers, but Jeff Eats thinks that America is “over franchised”—and I really believe that the recent huge success/growth of the FOOD TRUCK industry indicates that people want innovative fast food concepts. The trick here, is to see if these original one-off concepts can successfully convert into brick and mortar joints.

I’ll leave you with one last thought…

Guy Fieri and Adam Richman’s have huge tv show-followings/ratings because they “find” one-off joints that people are literally dying to try…you’ll notice, Fieri and Richman don’t visit the Wendy’s, Burger Kings, McDonald’s, Checkers, Quiznos, Subways that dot America’s landscape.

As it now stands, America’s fast food industry has “jumped the shark.”

* Harlem Shake–Talk About Timing

Talk about tremendous timing…a couple of weeks ago, a retro-50’s burger joint named Harlem Shake opened at 100 West 124th Street, New York, New York 10027. As a matter of fact its Grand Opening Party is scheduled for tomorrow June 13, 2013. You can check menu/photos at www.harlemshakenyc.com. For those of you who aren’t into checking, think Johnny Rocket’s and you’ll know exactly what the joint looks like.

Anyway…

From what Jeff Eats can tell, Harlem Shake was “well underway” construction-wise long before the current Harlem Shake internet dance craze hit the airways…

Talk about “lucky” timing and amazing free publicity…

Sometimes things just happen and that’s what “most” of life is all about.

***** PS 561 (Food Truck).
Real fast one…

Jeff Eats recently caught-up with food truck– PS 561 which specializes in grilled hot dogs…

Printed below is what PS 561 says about itself (www.ps561.com):

“Reminiscent of an old public school bus up north, Ps561 is a mobile food truck catering to the hungry “kids” of South Florida. Described as the perfect hot dog, the one you remember growing up, Ps561 dogs start with 100% all beef, all natural New York style Sabrett hot dogs (straight outta’ the Bronx, baby!) and all soy “Smart” brand veggie dogs, then we throw them into an expertly buttered and grilled New England style hot dog roll (ya know, like ya use for a lobstah roll!) and top them with the freshest, most eclectic, and unique toppings you’ve ever seen! These dogs are truly “too good for the lunch line!”

Browse our sweet new website to see the menu, latest blog postings, and where and when you can track us down. Ps561 specializes in casual event catering from birthday parties to major festivals and offers an array of pricing and menu options to accommodate the appetites and wallets of any and all event planners. For custom menu and pricing for your next dog-worthy shindig, contact us and and provide us with any event info such as type of event, guest head count, and your personal dog budget.

Find Ps561 at the coolest events and locations all over the area, or just casually parked on the side of a busy street somewhere. Keep up with the latest by adding Ps561 on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll see you on the street!
Like PS561 on Facebook!
Follow PS561 on Twitter!
Get in touch with PS561!
Stalk us down and find out when PS561 will be slinging delicious dogs near you!
Stalk us down and find out where PS561 will be slinging delicious dogs today!
Stalk us down and find out when PS561 will be slinging delicious dogs near you!”

*****
Sorry guys–you’re gonna have to figure-out as to exactly where PS 561 will be hanging-on any given day down here in sunny South Florida.

All that Jeff Eats can tell you–is that this joint’s grilled hot dogs are DELICIOUS!

Just so you know, PS 561 has all kinds of toppings for its “dogs”…that said, Jeff Eats being the purist that he is- does his dogs…mustard/sauerkraut.

By the way, when you visit PS 561’s site, check-out the blog that its owner Aaron writes. The guy has some real good restaurant picks and opinions on assorted other stuff.

Last but not least, for you non-former New Yorkers out there…in NYC—PS stands for Public School (just so you know- in case we ever go on the Newlywed Game Show together, Jeff Eats went to PS 179)…and Sabrett Hot Dogs is the “legendary” brand that almost every NYC hot dog push-cart carries—That’s your NYC Tutorial for today! Oh! I almost forgot- a New Yorker never-puts ketchup on a hot dog unless there is something definitely wrong “upstairs.”

***** A REAL ROOKIE JUDGE *****

This morning, Jeff Eats read this “story” in the ‘New York Post’ and saw the same “story” on several South Florida/National tv news programs…

In part from the New York Post:

“Fort Lauderdale, Fla.–This former NFL wide receiver just couldn’t keep his hands to himself. A furious judge tossed former Pro Bowler Chad Johnson in jail for 30 days yesterday because he slapped his lawyer’s behind during a court hearing. The one-time Cincinnati Bengal is also known as Chad Ochocinco…He was in court for violating his probation–he head-butted his reality-TV-star wife Evelyn Lozada, last August–and had arranged a no-jail with prosecutors that included community service and counseling. But that all crumbled when Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh asked Johnson if he was satisfied with his lawyer Adam Swickle. Johnson, 35, responded by giving the lawyer a light swat on the rear–as football players routinely do to each on the field…”I don’t know that you’re taking this seriously…”

***
Talk about something being absurd…

A defendant who is a pro athlete pats his lawyer’s rear (by the way the lawyer is a “he”) and the female judge throws out a deal worked out by defendant’s counsel/prosecutor of “no jail time” and gives the guy 30 days.

Are you kidding me!!!!

Football players, basketball players, baseball players all pat each other on the behind. Don’t believe me?..just go and watch any pro football/basketball/baseball game. Hey, I’ll even go one step further, go and watch any little league game, college game or street pickup game…

All this guy Johnson did, was what he has done his whole life. Jeff Eats would go as far- as to call a “tush-pat” as a “reflex” action.

There is something very-very wrong with this JUDGE.

Now- for the tie in with Jeff Eats which is basically a food blog…some South Florida county now in theory-has to feed this guy for 30 days. That’s the tie in.

Finally, didn’t this Judge ever hear about “wasting the taxpayers’ money” or “prison over-crowding”…I guess not!

A REAL ROOKIE JUDGE!

Now nothing for nothing, Jeff Eats’ money says that later today this REAL ROOKIE JUDGE reverses her ruling on this 30 day-sentence. All I know is that if I was the judge, I wouldn’t want to be the laughing-stock of the legal profession.

***** Your Pie, 3650 Federal Highway, Lighthouse Point, Florida 33064, (954) 532-1531.

If you guys do some checking, back on December 29, 2011 Jeff Eats did a story “Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint”…the jist of the story, that you should be on the lookout for a new fast food concept— “design your own” pizza joints.

Well- it (the concept) took awhile to get to South Florida—yesterday afternoon in Lighthouse Point Jeff Eats “saw-tried” Your Pie a franchise operation which currently has 11 in Georgia, 2 in South Carolina, 1 in Tennessee, 3 in Florida. The Light House joint has been open for something like 3 weeks.

This article isn’t going to dwell on the business feasability of the “design your own” pizza industry…personally, Jeff Eats thinks that wannabee players in this sector ought to think long and hard about how similar fast food concepts like —yogurt by the ounce, design your own hamburger are doing- before getting into this business.

Anyway…

Your Pie is the first fast food “design your own” pizza joint that Jeff Eats has actually eaten in.

At this stage of the discussion, take a look at www.yourpie.com—for menu/prices/photos.

The concept is real easy, think Subway and you’ll be on the right page. The customer picks the dough and toppings and the counter person “makes” a 10″ pizza which is baked in a brick oven. At Your Pie, you order at the counter and your pie is delivered to your table…mine took about 10 minutes to get to me—by the way there were 4 other people eating in the joint at the time. Your Pie’s basic cost is $7.49 with most of the toppings being thrown into the deal—certain ones cost an extra buck.

In addition to pizzas, Your Pie has bread bowl salads, panini and gelato.

The taste test– the plain margherita pizza I ordered–had a nice thin crust and a very tasty sweet sauce. Jeff Eats also had a pistachio gelato which was very good.

When you guys go to You Pie’s site, you’ll find a handful of pictures. For quick reference, a handful of booths all with flat screen tvs, handful of tables/chairs both inside and outside…and of course there is the counter where you order—and the showcase of toppings which you pick from.

Your Pie looks like a “small” neighborhood sports bar.

Your Pie is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.

* SKUNK SPRAY *

Recently read the “below” article on internet site Dailymotion…

It seems that the Isareli government has created a spray called SKUNK SPRAY for use in crowd control. Since SKUNK SPRAY is “drinkable” and Jeff Eats after-all is a food-site, I thought you guys might like to know about SKUNK SPRAY!
***
“Israel has unveiled a new type of crowd control. Skunk Spray. This new “weapon” is fired from a water cannon type platform and will soak the target in an absolutely gut wrenching putrid smell. Non-toxic and harmless apparently you can even drink the fluid and it will cause you no harm, although reporters who have caught even a whiff of the smell say that it immediately makes you want to vomit. Although the Israeli / Palestinian conflict is nothing to admire, surely you cannot help but be impressed by such a device which allegedly will disperse a crowd in an instant with no physical harm done to the target.”

***** Mr. M’s Sandwich Shops, 1975 Stirling Road, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, (954) 925-6400.

First told you about Mr. M’s way-back on August 5, 2010. Let’s call this one an “out of sight out of mind” joint. Hadn’t been back since that original write-up first appeared…

Mr. M’s Sandwhich Shops…real good sub-joint in Dania.

Jeff Eats recently did a lunch at Mr. M’s and I gotta tell you this joint makes some absolutely delicious subs…”tested” tuna salad, chicken salad, chicken parm, turkey club were all right on the money.

Mr. M’s is sorta like a Dania institution…the joint has been around for something like 34 years—and if you check YELP, TRIP ADVISOR and other review-web sites you’ll literally find legions of reviewers who swear by Mr. M’s. Now–unless all these “guys” are shills…Jeff Eats’ thinking is–the joint must be doing something right!

At this stage of the game you can check www.mrmssubs.com for menu/prices/photos. For you guys who aren’t into the checking game, Mr. M’s got all kinds of hot/cold 6″ and 12″ subs, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups—price points $4.79-$10.99 on the subs/wraps/sandwiches.

Okay–time to wrap (pun intended) Mr. M’s up…

In his day- Jeff Eats has eaten his fair share of subs, heroes, grinders (insert your “regional” preference) and I kinda think I know when top quality stuff is being served…with that in mind, if I was a betting man–my money would say, that Mr. M’s Sandwhich Shops used top-shelf ingredients/freshly baked breads to make the delicious subs that I recently scarfed down.

Now, for the $64,000 Question:

Why is the joint called Mr. M’s Sandwich Shops?

If Jeff Eats got his facts straight, in the 34 years that Mr. M’s has been around, it has only-had one location…so where does the “s” in Shops come from? Now I wasn’t that strong in junior high school English, but Jeff Eats was taught that an “s” on the end of a word like SHOP makes the word plural…

Anyway…give Mr. M’s a shot—its subs are really good.

Mr. M’s is open Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 11am-6pm.

***** Otentic Restaurant, 710 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, (305) 531-1464.

Every so often Jeff Eats gets a Roseanne Roseannadanna kinda e-mail that goes something like this…”Hey Mr. Jeff Eats, what do you got against French restaurants?” To which Jeff Eats always replies, “Hey______(named filled in) Jeff Eats got nothing against French restaurants.” To prove the point, Jeff Eats recently had dinner at a terrific Miami Beach “hole in the wall” French restaurant named Otentic Resaurant. Just so you know, Jeff Eats didn’t count the tables/booths/bar seating- but I’m thinking maybe 20 people at a time–thus the hole-in-the-wall designation.

At this stage of the dialogue you can check www.otentic-restaurant.com for menu/prices/video tour.

Before I tell you what was consummed, Otentic does breakfast, lunch and dinner…

Otentic is open Sunday-Thursday 9am-1am and Friday-Saturday 9am-5am—so, you now know where you can satisy your late night cravings for duck pate and chicken/ham crepes.

Like Jeff Eats said about 11 seconds ago—dinner was absolutely terrific. The French onion soup ($8.50) was one of the best that I’ve ever had—the filet mignon ($15.40) that I had and the roasted chicken ($13.50) ordered by Mrs. Jeff Eats were also delicious. A side of Otentic Linguini ($12.95–bacon/ham/mushrooms/heavy cream/egg yolk/grated cheese) was totally off-the chart–and for all these years, Jeff Eats had thought linguini was an Italian pasta—silly me, live and learn! The chocolate mousee dessert ($8.50) was magnifique (didn’t know Jeff Eats was tri-lingual, did you?)

French Schmench!…

Otentic Restaurant is a dynamite restaurant…

The joint’s got plenty of breakfast stuff, sandwiches, crepes, appetizers, meat/chicken/seafood entrees..so even if you still believe that linguini is an “Italian” pasta- you’ll find what to eat.

Jeff Eats loved Otentic and by the way—your tee shirt/shorts ensemble will definitely work there.

Bon Appetite!