***** Ally’s Comfort Cafe, 13674 West State Road 84, Davie, Florida 33325, (954) 476-4343.

Ok-Davie!!! Here’s a real good “mom & pop” diner for you guys…Ally’s Comfort Cafe. Maybe 40 seats (handful of booths/handful of tables). You can check menu/prices at www.allyscomfortcafe.net.

Ally’s Comfort is open Monday-Friday 7am- 2pm, Saturday 8am-2pm, closed on Sunday.

As for the menu, breakfast stuff galore, burgers, sandwiches, salads.

Recently did–western omelette, chocolate chip pancakes, bacon cheeseburger, chicken salad on rye toast, turkey club—everything right on the money. A special shout out to–the chicken salad—chicken salad aficianados won’t be disappointed.

Look, America’s “mom & pop” diners aren’t trying to cure cancer…joints like Ally’s Comfort Cafe bring “neighborhood” back into the eating equation.

If, like me- you are into the “diner” concept, you will definitely enjoy Ally’s Comfort Cafe.

***** OpenTable *****

Got a really cool company/site for you guys to check-out…OpenTable– www.opentable.com.

Now, I know that most of the joints that Jeff Eats frequents or shall we say peruses-wouldn’t know a “reservation” from a basketball, however, every now and then, one of these joints does require that you call-in-advance to make sure that when you get there-they have a table for you–what a novel idea!

To that end, you might like to check-out OpenTable. The Company’s site allows you to book reservations online. The site covers restaurants all over the United States, with a fair dosage of joints in South Florida. In addition to the booking of tables, there are coupons and deals…there are also loads of readers’ comments and other good stuff–that may point you in the right direction and end up with you eating some really good food.

***** Football Sandwich Shop, 8484 Northeast 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33138, (305) 759-3602.

Gonna let you guys in on a little secret…I’ve never met a “sub” that I didn’t love. Now for sure, there are varying degrees of love, some passoniate beyond belief and others where it’s a borderline love-hate relationship. You do know that I’m trying to be clever here, but for some reason it ain’t working…

So, let me tell you about Football Sandwich Shop in Miami…order at the counter/pickup at the counter–indoor and outdoor seating. The joint’s menu has loads of hot/cold subs, sandwiches and salads. The other day I “did” a meatball sub, chicken salad sub, philly cheesesteak sub, chicken parmesan sub and I’m going on- record right here and now, Football’s subs are right-up there with the best I’ve had in South Florida. For those who might be interested-various football terms and Miami Dolphin players’ names find their way into the sandwiches’ nomenclature. For those who might also be wondering “Did Jeff Eats eat all 4 subs?”–There were three of us and I ate the whole meatball sub and sampled the others.

Getting back to that “love” thing I started out with…I absolutely loved Football’s subs.

Football Sandwich Shop is open Monday Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, closed on Sunday.

***** Red Fox Diner, 3650 North Federal Highway, Lighthouse Point, Florida 33064, (954) 783-7714.

If you like “mom & pop” neighborhood diners, you will definitely want-to-try the Red Fox Diner in Lighthouse Point. For sure, the joint must be doing something right-as its been around for something like 40 years. You can check menu/prices/loads of photos at www.redforxdiner.com.

Regular readers know, that “diners” like this hold a special place in old Jeff Eats’ heart. For some reason, joints like the Red Fox take me back to a time when America wasn’t so complicated. Maybe I’m getting old, but I kinda think that the America of the 50’s without all of the big box stores, shopping malls, McDonald’s, cable stations and facebooks—was a much nicer place to live…You do recall ABC, CBS, NBC, WOR, WNEW, WPIX (for you New Yorkers out there) and that was about it, don’t you?

The Red Fox Diner does breakfast/lunch. The joint is open Monday-Friday 6am-3pm and Saturday-Sunday 6am-2pm.

Over the years, I must have eaten in the Red Fox Diner something like 10 times. The joint’s menu has loads of breakfast stuff, sandwiches, salads, burgers, meat/chicken/fish entrees. Absolutely nothing fancy going on here…I will tell you, that the Red Fox’s 1/2 lb cheeseburger is one of the best “diner” burgers I’ve had- same goes for the joints’ chicken philly cheesesteak sub.

The Red Fox Diner is located “in-line” in a non-descript Lighthouse Point strip center. Some of you guys may disagree, but I find sitting outside at one of its three outdoor tables–to be far more enjoyable than people watching from some uptown joint’s patio on West 73rd Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan on a sunny day.

If you are looking for the way breakfast and lunch use to be and should still be, you gotta checkout the Red Fox Diner.

***** Zio’s, 14860 Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida (561) 865-9333.

I’m on a roll (pun intended)…just had lunch at Zio’s- a “hole in the wall” fast food joint in Delray Beach. Order at/pickup at counter…burgers, subs, panini, gyros, wings, wraps, salads, shakes & malts. The joint has 17 seats inside and 1 table/2 seats outside. No website, Zio’s is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday noon-8pm.

Never noticed Zio’s until this afternoon despite the fact that its been around for something like 8-years–is right next door to Jack’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant (review- July 8, 2008)–and it’s located in an end cap of a nice sized Delray Beach shopping center that has a Bed Bath & Beyond…but I did!

Anyway, let’s talk food…I “tried” a philly cheesesteak sub with cheese wiz, cheeseburger, fresh off the bone turkey sub, roast beef sub, tuna salad wrap, french fries. Everything and I do mean everything was right on the money. For those of you “spoiled” by joints that make fresh cut french fries, Zio’s are of the frozen variety–but somehow, I managed to finish a large order drenched in ketchup.

Let me sum Zio’s up this way. I’m sorry I didn’t find this joint sooner.

***** Center Street Nook, 223 Center Street, Jupiter, Florida 33458, (561) 745-7477.

If you want to see what a “hole in the wall” diner really looks like–checkout Center Street Nook in Jupiter.

Right up front, I recently did a breakfast and lunch at this maybe 35 seater and loved the joint. You can check menu/prices at www.centerstreenook.com.

To make what could be a long story a short one…delicious raisin bread french toast and belgian waffles—also really enjoyed the bacon cheeseburger and philly cheesesteak sub–they call it a hoagie, but I’m from New Yooork!

You regular readers know, I love the “mom & pop” diners of the world. If you’re like me, you will really enjoy Center Street Nook.

Center Street Nook is open Monday-Saturday 7am-9pm, Sunday 7am-2pm.

No kidding around, it just dawned on me why this joint’s name has the word NOOK in it!

***** China Star Chinese Restaurant, 1430 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs, Florida 33071, (954) 341-0088.

China Star Chinese Restaurant—actually the name should be, China Star Chinese Takeout Only…so don’t plan on spending a leisurely evening eating at the joint, ’cause you can’t.

The other night I “got” wonton soup, bbq ribs, fried dumplings, egg rollds, roast pork fried rice, general tso’s chicken, sweet & sour pork, pepper steak, shrimp in lobster sauce. Applying my-Brooklyn-Jewish circa 1950’s taste test—I’m gonna rate the food very good. If this one was closer to my house, I’d be a regular there. Just so you know, I thought that the egg rolls and general tso’s chicken were extra-good.

For you guys who live or work in China Star’s neighborhood–if you didn’t already know, now you know- about a really good Chinese takeout joint. You can check menu/prices at www.coralspringschinastar.com

China Star is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday noon-10pm.

***** Pellegrino’s Ristorante, 3360 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 368-5520.

Back on July 7, 2008 I did a “review” on a terrific Italian restaurant—Pellegrino’s Ristorante located in Deerfield. Here’s the original story…

Pellegrino’s Ristorante (Deerfield Beach)
Posted on July 7th, 2008 · Deerfield Beach Italian ·
***** Pellegrino’s Ristorante, 847 SE 8th Avenue, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 418-0611.

Pellegrino’s Ristorante is a white table cloth-hole in the wall Italian joint located in a non-descript Deerfield Beach strip shopping center. This is one of the best Italian Restaurants in South Florida, so make sure that your GPS system is working…so that you can find it.

Take a look at Pellegrino’s website at www.pellegrinosrestaurant.com for menu details. Also take a look at the joint’s history and picture gallery. In the “history” you will find that Bobby Pellegrino (Pellegrino’s owner) is a nephew of the owners of Harlem’s world-famous Rao’s Restaurant. Folks who have eaten at Rao’s have told me that the Pellegrino’s and Rao’s food is very similar as is the total dining decor/ambiance. All I can tell you (having never eaten at Rao’s) is that Pellegrino’s sets the right mood, that being that you are eating at a family run NYC Italian joint circa 1950 by having an old juke box playing doo wop records when you enter the joint.

I have eaten in Pellegrino’s exactly 4 times. The food is absolutely terrific… delicious veal chop valdostano, veal parmigiana, shrimp scampi, zuppa di pesce.

Like I said before, this joint is a hole-in-the-wall, so you are going to need a reservation. As for pricing, this joint ain’t cheap…but “you get what you pay for.”

Pellegrino’s is open Tuesday-Sunday for dinner…closed on Monday.
————

Let me update this one for you guys.

Pellegrino’s which originally opened in Deerfield in 1999 closed in April, 2010. About a week ago-the joint re-opened finding a new home in Boca Raton. Last night, I gave the “Boca” Pellegrino’s a try. The only difference between the “versions” is locations and the fact that the Boca spot is a drop larger and has a nice sized outdoor patio for dining. The food like before- was delicious, the service was good, the prices are still a “drop” on the high side–but nothing that’s gonna kill anyone or chase you away. The old juke box wasn’t there, but Bobby Pellegrino assuerd me that in coming days it was going to be installed.

Let me sum this one up for you, Pellegrino’s is one of the best Italian restaurants in South Florida.

Like I said a few seconds ago, Pellegrino’s has only been open a week or so (as a matter of fact, its website www.pellegrinosofboca.com is still basically under-construction)—for sure it’s got a few bugs to workout, but the bet here–there will soon be lines trying to get in.

Pellegrino’s is open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner, closed on Monday.

***** Whole Foods Market, 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 447-0000.

It just dawned on me, that although I have referenced Whole Foods Market in several “joint” writeups, I’ve never done a writeup on Whole Foods Market. Play along with me, because I seriously doubt that any of you guys don’t know what Whole Foods Market is all about…

The best way that “I” can describe Whole Foods Market is- a national chain of specialty supermarkets…that does an absolutely incredible job-of-marketing its products. The reason I make the “marketing” comment, because give or take a handful of items, Whole Foods’ prices are ridiculously HIGH…for example, a quart of fresh squeezed tangerine juice at Whole Foods $3.99, while a similar quart at The Boy Farmers Market in Delray Beach goes for $2.49. The folks behind Whole Foods Market are real smart—they successfully carved out a niche in the organic food/product business—and you do know, don’t you, that many Americans are really into this holistic/organic/healthy/climate control lifestyle. Personally, I still believe that hiding under my desk at PS 179 in Brooklyn/1955 was enough protection from a Russian nuclear attack.

Just so we are straight, every so often I buy stuff at Whole Foods Market. The primary reason, my local Publix doesn’t carry the item…that fresh tangerine juice is an example.

Let me leave you with this thought. When I was a kid, my parents would let me and my brother “look” at the toys at FAO Schwarz in Manhattan…they- then bought us “our” toys at Toy R Us or a local store in Brooklyn for much less. For sure, every so often FAO Schwarz had a unique toy here and there, but then again my parents weren’t buying me a $1,000 battery powered car to drive on the sidewalks of East Flatbush—for some perspective here, in 1955 (just to pick a year!) pizza was $.15 a slice, a gallon of gas ran $.26, a small Coke went for a nickel and a haircut was 50 cents

Whole Foods Market is open 7 days a week 8am-10pm. You can check store details at www.wholefoodsmarket.com.

***** Cupcake Cottage, 11051 Southern Boulevard, Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33411, (561) 793-5110.

You regular readers-know by now, that I consider the “retail” cupcake store business to be a FAD…One of these days, like the home-video-rental business, many of these mom & pop ventures aren’t going to be able to pay their rent…same also goes for the yogurt by-the-ounce guys out there. Simply put, there are just way too many stores for what I think are relatively limited markets.

With that in mind…Cupcake Cottage makes some of the most delicious cupcakes that you have ever eaten. Take it from a guy who was raised on Hostess Cupcakes, Twinkies and Ding Dongs—this joint’s stuff is amazingly good.

Cupcake Cottage www.cupcakecottage.net is open Tuesday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-9:30pm, Sunday 11am-6pm, closed on Monday.