***** Top Burger, 109 Northeast 1st Avenue, Miami, Florida 33132, (305) 379-3100.

Top Burger…small- hole in the wall fast food burger joint in Miami. Handful of formica tables and counter seating.

Top Burger opened in August, 2012…you can check menu/prices/photos at http://topburger.com.

Let me make this one real short and real simple…the grilled top cheeseburger/french fries were delicious.

Like Jeff Eats mentioned a few seconds ago, the joint has been in business for only a few months… nothing “original” going on here—burgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken breast sandwiches, shakes.

You know and I know that eventually this game of fast food burgers “musical chairs” is gonna end real-badly for most of the joints in this space. Only time will tell if Top Burger can successfully carve out a niche for itself.

Top Burger is open Monday-Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 11am-10pm, closed on Sunday.

***** Marla Schultz *****

Got something real-good for you guys.

One of America’s funniest “young” female comics…Marla Schultz is working this coming Friday & Saturday night (10/19-10/20) at the New York Comedy Club in Deerfield Beach (Deerfield Beach Country Club, 50 Fairway Drive, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441).

Trust me on this one, Jeff Eats has seen Marla in action and you will “piss” your pants- laughing during her fast past set about growing up on Long Island….she really is that good!

Just so you know, the New York Comedy Club has 1-show Friday night and 2-shows Saturday night. If you call in advance (561–470-6887), you can catch some FREE TICKETS and all you gotta do, is eat or drink two items when you are there. I usually do a Coke and cheeseburger/fries.

For further information check the New York Comedy Club’s website www.nyccflorida.com. You can also catch some of Marla’s “act” at www.marlaschultz.com.

***** New Taste of CityPlace *****

Got a pretty cool “night out” event for you…”New Taste of CityPlace”—on Thursday-October 18, 2012 from 5:30pm-9:30pm.

Take a look at this $25 ticket “deal” that gets you food and drink while strolling CityPlace in West Palm Beach.

The official event press release:
*****

CITYPLACE GIVES A ‘TASTE’ OF NEW RESTAURANTS AND OLD FAVORITES AT INAUGURAL DINING EVENT

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (October 17, 2012) — CityPlace residents and visitors will have the chance to sample some of the best menus in South Florida – and preview a few still on their way – during the “New Taste of CityPlace” event on Thursday, Oct. 18. The inaugural strolling dinner tour will treat guests to a selection of cocktails and cuisine pairings from the property’s participating restaurants, entertainment destinations and food-focused shops.

Twenty restaurants are participating, where patrons can nosh on signature menu items from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. One of the highlights of the event will be its introduction of some of the restaurants opening soon at CityPlace, including Brio Tuscan Grille, Mellow Mushroom, Mojito Latin Cuisine & Bar, Pampas Grille and Revolutions Bowling · Bar · Grille. “Tastes” include sushi and sake from Thai Jo, pork sliders and Blues Brew from B.B. King’s Blues Club, dim sum from Sweet Ginger Asian Bistro, ice cream samples from Sloan’s, and a Palm Beach Passion drink at The Harriet Himmel Theater. Other hot spots for light bites, beer, entrées, wine, specialty cocktails and dessert are Blue Martini, Brewzzi, City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill, City Pizza, Il Bellagio, ITALY Fast Quality Food, Muvico IMAX Theater, The Olive Tap, Sugar Chef and Taverna Opa.

New Taste of CityPlace guests can purchase advance tickets for $25 at CityPlace guest services or online at cityplace.com/info/tastecityplace. Student passes are $20. On-site passes will be available for $30 at the ticket booth on the plaza the day of the event. In addition to the vouchers for tastings that evening, tickets also include a bounce-back pass that can be used for 10 percent off the check price at many of the participating restaurants, enabling guests to come back for a full, delicious meal.

“Taste” sponsors include the CityPlace, SunFest, 97.9 WRMF and the Palm Beach State College Foundation.

For more information about CityPlace, please visit CityPlace.com or call CityPlace Guest Services at (561) 366-1000.

About CityPlace

CityPlace’s Italian-inspired architecture and menu of 100 destination shopping, dining and entertainment options positions the 72-acre property as a signature component of Downtown West Palm Beach. The open-air, mixed-use center offers more than 100 shops and restaurants; close to 600 private homes, and luxury condominiums; a restored 1920s church adapted to serve as a multi-purpose cultural center; a 20-screen Muvico IMAX cinema complex; a stellar lineup of free weekly entertainment; plus a spectacular show fountain in the center of the main plaza. For more information about CityPlace, please call (561) 366-1000 or visit cityplace.com

***** Explain This One For Me *****

After watching last night’s Presidential Debate…

Jeff Eats got to thinking- that one of the great mysteries of the 21st century has to be…How did MSNBC give a guy like Al Sharpton his own tv show?

Can someone–anyone…explain this one for me?

Thanks!!!

***** Di Piazza Italian Restaurant, 1408 West 49th Street, Hialeah, Florida 33012, (305)558-8412.

Di Piazza Italian Restaurant…really good “mom & pop” red sauce Italian joint in Hialeah.

Let me start by saying, that Di Piazza Italian Restaurant is my kinda joint…

For the historians out there, Di Piazza Italian Restaurant is owned and operated by the Di Piazza family (that makes sense!)–it’s located in your-“standard” strip-center and has been in business since 1975—that’s 37 years for the mathematicians out there.

Regular Jeff Eats’ readers know or should know by now, that over the years–I’ve eaten in a ton of South Florida “mom & pop” red sauce joints—and there are six degrees of separation between the best of breed and worst of breed…for those who don’t know what the hell I’m talking about—very little separates the best joints from the lousy joints. When I do-red sauce “mom & pop” I’m looking for big portions of decent food, tons of garlic rolls, endless Coca Cola refills, easy going owners-waiters-waitresses, reasonable prices, no food poisoning and minimal late night indigestion. For what it’s worth, some joints get the job done better than others…very rarely does Jeff Eats find a joint that is a total failure–but in all fairness, there are a few.

Anyway…I, Mrs. Jeff Eats and another couple gave Di Piazza a try the other night…and I’m gonna rank Di Piazza right up there with the best of breed. The “sampled” dishes included—veal parmigiana, sausage & peppers, large plain pizza, ziti alla vodka, snapper francaise. Like I said two seconds ago, “best of breed”…absolutely positively some of the best “red sauce” mom & pop stuff Jeff Eats has had down here in South Florida. A bit of color for you guys who like color, the pizza was outstanding…sweet sauce, thin crust. The beautiful thing about the pizza—when the slice was folded and pointed down, oil dripped onto the plate—that’s exactly what “us” transplanted New Yoorkers want our pizza to do–drip! The joint also makes garlic rolls, that were drenched in oil and loaded with big chunks of garlic—perfectomente (anyone got spell-check?). Jeff Eats could go on-and-on… just trust me, this joint knows how to make real-good “red sauce” mom & pop veal parm/sausage & peppers etc.

At this stage of the game you can check www.dipiazzarestaurant.com for menu/prices/pictures. For those of you too lazy to type, the menu is loaded with appetizers, pastas, pizzas, subs, meat/chicken/seafood entrees…a large pizza is gonna run you $14.75 and the veal parmigiana entree fetches $15.25. A drop more color…Di Piazza looks like the New York pizza joints, that I use to eat in — back when I had a 34-waist and 15 1/2 neck.

To make a long story short—Di Piazza is a huge-winner.

The joint is open 7 days a week 11am-11pm.

***** Joe’s Pizza & Pasta, 1410 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs, Florida 33071, (954) 757-9090.

Yesterday, Jeff Eats gave “red sauce”- Joe’s Pizza & Pasta in Coral Springs a shot…for the record, Joe’s also has a joint in Pembroke Pines and another one in Miramar.

Absolutely- positively nothing fancy going on here. Last night, I didn’t spot even one person in long pants.

Those of you over the age of 1 month, know exactly what Joe’s decor looks like…the menu has the expected appetizers, pizzas, pastas, subs, chicken/meat/seafood entrees. A no brainer here, entrees come with soup or salad and loads of garlic rolls. You can check www.joespizzaandpastaonline.com for menu/prices/photos.

Now to be perfectly straight with you guys..I’ve done Joe’s before. Well actually, until last night I’d never been in Joe’s Pizza & Pasta—but, I’ve eaten in tons of joints “identical” in decor/menu/prices. If you are confused, let’s just leave it that yesterday was my first time at Joe’s.

Anyway…Jeff Eats “tried”— plain pizza, veal parimigiana, chicken cacciatore, meat lasagna, shrimp scampi, ziti marinara, minestrone soup, house salad, garlic rolls. Let me play judge and jury here…I really liked Joe’s food. Are we talking best of breed. Nope!–but Joe’s Pizza & Pasta definitely got the job done. Good- solid red sauce stuff (try and say that one 10 times real fast), big portions, good prices, pleasant wait-staff. If I had to single out one item for a shoutout, the large 16″ plain pizza at $13.55 gets the call—it was just right… thin crust and a real delicious sweet sauce.

Joe’s Pizza & Pasta is open every day 11am-10pm, except Friday when it closes at 11pm.

Finally, if you check Joe’s website it has a whole bunch of discount coupons.

***** Mandolin Aegean Bistro, 4312 Northeast 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33137, (305) 576-6066.

Got an absolutely terrific casual-reasonably priced Greek/Turkish-joint for you…Mandolin Aegean Bistro in Miami.

Before I get going here, take a look at www.mandolinmiami.com for menu/prices/photos.

Mrs. Jeff Eats, I and another couple gave Mandolin a shot the other night…just so you know, there is inside and outdoor patio seating…the decor will have you “thinking” that you are in the Greek Isles. Real cool and relaxing!

The “sampled” items included…fried calamari, arugula salad, gyro, moussaka, grilled lamb chops, chicken kebab, french fries, orzo pilaf…now you gotta trust me here—the food was delicious. A special shoutout to the fried calamari and the gyro…by the way, the tzatziki that came with the dishes was worth the price of admission alone.

Let me wrap Mandolin Aegean up this way…if you are looking for a real-easy going lunch/dinner in a beautiful setting—you gotta try this joint.

Mandolin Aegean Bistro is open Monday-Saturday noon-11pm and Sunday noon-10pm.

***** The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro, 5310 Lenox Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32205, (904) 394-0860.

The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro…let’s call this one a “soul food” cafeteria-joint.

You guys can check menu/prices/photos at www.thesoulfoodbistro.com.

Let me start by saying, Jeff Eats absolutely loved The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a huge-fan of “cafeteria style” setups….maybe it takes me back to P.S. 179 in Brooklyn circa 1956—I just don’t know…but I really enjoy the whole business of sliding/picking-up food with a tray. Now I know- that some of you guys maybe thinking that I’ve totally cracked-up…but I loved the whole tray “vibe” of The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro.

For the record, Jeff Eats “sampled”…fried chicken, roasted chicken, baked tilapia, smothered pork chops, mac & cheese, corn bread, candied yams, collard greens, sweet potato pie, peach cobbler. Trust me on this one, every item was delicious and the prices were dirt cheap.

Look! I was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1949. The Ocean Parkway Jewish Center was 5 blocks from my apartment building. Waldbaum’s and Bohack were the supermarkets of choice. The point—Jeff Eats wasn’t exactly “raised” on southern soul food. As a “kid” the closest I got to the stuff was Raynors Cabin in Baldwin, Long Island—and I think the owners of that joint were Irish.

Anyway… based on the above “personal history”…I’m telling you, that The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro makes fabulous southern-soul food.

The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro is open Saturday-Sunday, Wednesday 10:30am-6pm, Tuesday Thursday-Friday 10:30am-8pm, closed on Monday

***** Beach Road Chicken Dinners, 4132 Atlantic Boulevard, Jacksonville, Florida 32207, (904) 398-7980.

Gonna make this one short and sweet…

Beach Road Chicken Dinners makes some of the best fried chicken that Jeff Eats has ever eaten.

The joint has been in business since 1939.

You can check www.beachroadchickendinners.com for menu/prices/photos.

Beach Road Chicken Dinners is open Sunday,Tuesday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-8:30pm, closed on Monday.

***** Kostas Pizza Italian, 1053 Park Street, Jaclksonville, Florida 32204, (904) 355-3820.

If you check Webster’s Dictionary– under “mom & pop–red sauce–dirt cheap– Italian joint” you should find a picture of Kostas Pizza Italian-located in Jacksonville, Florida. For the non-regular Jeff Eats’ readers, I’m making believe here, so don’t go running to your bookcase or nothing!

Kostas Pizza Italian (go figure, the owner Gus Margaridis is Greek) bangs out some of the most delicious- dirt cheap “red sauce” stuff you ever tasted… You can check www.pizzaitalian5points.com for menu/prices/history/photos.

Kostas has been around for something like 40 years and its menu has the expected appetizers, salads, pastas, pizzas, subs, meat/chicken/seafood entrees. Jeff Eats just recently found this joint, but I’d bet you a buck. that the outside and inside “decor” hasn’t been changed since Day One.

Now let me see if YOU are a careful reader or not? Now be honest, how many of you guys picked up on my using the term DIRT CHEAP?

Anyway, to the point…

If you check Kostas’ menu, I think you will find that the most expensive dinner (entree/salad/garlic bread) runs $9.50, with many dishes in the 5s and 6s…a large 15 inch pizza goes for 9 bucks.

Now, I know if you are reading Jeff Eats, you probably aren’t stupid, then again–…so we are all are gonna agree, that just maybe the “finest” veal isn’t in that $8 veal parm dinner. Capice!

I absolutely loved and I do mean loved, the veal parm patty, sausage & peppers, meat lasagna, tortellini alfredo that I “sampled”…the joint’s garlic bread was also delicious.

Just so we are straight, sometimes Jeff Eats likes to “play” that he is back at Ithaca College- 1966 “eating” with my friends. You guys do remember Saga Foods don’t you?

If you like nostalgia as much as I do, give Kostas Pizza Italian a shot…you’ll swear that your 18 all-over again.

Kostas is open Monday-Thursday 11am-8pm, Friday 11am-9pm, Saturday 11am-8pm, closed on Sunday.