***** Rick St. James *****

If you like Rod Stewart’s music- I got something that you might want to checkout…

About 3-4 months ago, one of America’s top rated-Rod Stewart tribute artists moved to South Florida. The guy’s name is Rick St. James and based on recent performances at B.B. Kings and Meyer Amphitheatre both in West Palm Beach, you’d swear that Rod Stewart in-the-flesh was on the stage.

Do a bit of GOOGLING and you’ll find a ton of ‘You Tube’ on this guy- as well as various talent agency-sites that book his dates.

From what I understand, Rick St. James works all over the United States…that said, he does have a number of up-coming South Florida gigs pay/free scheduled.

Like I said, if Rod Stewart is your bag, you’ll really enjoy Rick St. James’ tribute show.

***** Chuck Burger Joint, 4665 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418, (561) 629-5191.

Got a really-good “upscale” fast-food burger joint for you to try…Chuck Burger Joint in Palm Beach Gardens. A shout-out to HerbK who alerted me to this one…hadn’t heard about this one until he emailed with details. You can check menu/prices at www.chuckjoint.com.

As mentioned in previous reviews, this “upscale” fast food hamburger thing- has literally taken America by storm. It seems like every day or so, another joint opens–for business. Suffice it to say, J. Wellington Wimpy would be in all his glory based on this development.

Now let’s discuss Chuck Burger Joint…

If as suggested, you check the joint’s website, you’ll find a-couple of photos of this ultra-modern really cool looking restaurant. Though it’s a matter of taste, I thought that the decor was right-up there with the best that I’ve seen in the burger-fast food segment. On the menu front…burgers, hot dogs, crinkle cut fries, sandwiches, custard, draft/bottled beer, wine. Price-wise…nothing that would kill anyone- the “sampled” stuff ran as follow, double cheeseburger–$6.75, french fries–$2.70, Hebrew National hot dog with mustard/sauerkraut–$3.45, chocolate milkshake–$5.15. Like J. Wellington Wimpy, I’ve never really met a hamburger/fries that I didn’t like and I’m glad to report that Chuck’s burger/fries and other items were right on the money. I’m not gonna bore you and try to “rate” Chuck Burger’s offerings with let’s say 5 Guys, BurgerFi, Shake Shack, Best Damn Burger, CG Burgers, Between The Bun, Smashburger, Charm City…I’d get dizzy trying to figure it all out—suffice it to say, I really enjoyed Chuck Burger Joint and definitely would eat there again–as I would all of the joints that I justed listed.

One of these days, the upscale fast food burger industry is gonna witness a massive “there are too many players” shakeup…with that said, there is absolutely no reason why you and I can’t stuff our faces with delicious fast food until the day of reckoning comes.

Chuck Burger Joint is open 7 days a week 11am-10pm.

***** Damn Good Burger, 20 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida 33132, (305) 718-6565.

You know–when in rains it pours!!

Video stores, self serve yogurt stores, cupcake stores…the newest “get in the business”– upscale fast food hamburger joints. Say hello to Damn Good Burger, an upscale fast food burger joint which opened in June 2011. As Bush Sr. would say, “Not gonna do it.”—or maybe it was Dana Carvey doing Bush Sr.—not gonna give you guys a lecture on musical chairs and how one-of-these-days many of these fast food burger joints are gonna find that there isn’t enough business to go-round.

So, while the game is still on, let me tell you about Damn Good Burger.

Damn Good Burger does burgers, hot dogs, french fries, onion rings, handful of salads/sandwiches. In the decor departtment, retro 50’s-60’s look with a cool red drapery thing going on. You can check menu/prices at dgbmiami.com. Really didn’t spend time figuring out the numbers, but off the top of my head- DGB’s prices seem a drop higher than 5 Guy’s and the others in the class. That said, you won’t end up in the poorhouse eating there, so no big worry. I tried a double patty cheeseburger, waffle french fries, onion rings and a grilled mahi sandwich and everything was right on the money. I will tell you, the mahi sandwich was really-really good…so “we” now know a joint where us men can eat burgers & fries smothered in ketchup in peace, while the females have “something” to eat, that they think won’t adversely affect their figures.

Damn Good Burger definitely gets the job done.

You now know about “another” player in the upscale burger fast food business.

Damn Good Burger is open 7 days a week from 11am-11pm.

***** Junior’s Diner, 2920 Corrine Drive, Orlando, Florida 32803, (407) 894-8871.

Junior’s Diner…”mom & pop”–cash only–booth/counter seating diner in Orlando.

I love neighborhood-diner joints, like Juniors. Nothing fancy, just good solid breakfasts, burgers, fries, sandwiches—what makes these joints special is–that they have personality. Unlike chains like IHOP and Perkin’s, the Junior’s of the world have a down-home style and personal touch that only local-owners can generate.

Now, we all know that Orlando is a tourist “mecca”—I seriously doubt, that there are any national restaurant chains without at least one Orlando outpost. If you want to eat where the “locals” eat…you gotta try Junior’s Diner. The joint is open Monday-Saturday 6:30am-2pm and is closed on Sunday.

***** Keke’s Breakfast Cafe, 4192 Conroy Road, Orlando, Florida 32839, (407) 226-1400.

Keke’s Breakfast Cafe is a “small” breakfast-lunch chain. It currently has 2-Orlando stores and another in Winter Park. You can check menu/prices/locations at www.kekes.com.

For discussion purposes, think IHOP and Perkin’s and you’ll have a pretty good idea as to what Keke’s is all about. That said, based on a recent breakfast “sampling” of chocolate chip pancakes, apple cinammon waffles, western omelte, french toast—I think that if Kekes, IHOP and Perkin’s were lined-up in a row…I’d pick Kekes. Notice-I didn’t include Denny’s in that list. For what it’s worth, Denny’s in my humble opinion, is an absolute disaster. Over the years, I have never had a meal at a Denny’s where “something” wasn’t wrong. How Denny’s continues to survive in a piss-poor economy is absolutey amazing. Then again, its rock-bottom prices maybe the reason-that people will voluntarily eat there.

Now let’s be straight with each other, Kekes is a “commercial” joint…it gets the job done in the food department—but it is missing, shall we say, the ambiance and style of the “mom & pop” joints that make eating breakfast really-really special. This mom & pop vibe-thing maybe an “intangible”—but you know it- when you are eating your food and talking to your waiter/waitress.

Assuming that you haven’t been totally spoiled by your favorite “local” diner–I think that you will enjoy Keke’s.

Keke’s bottomline…good food, good service, reasonable prices.

Keke’s is open for breakfast-lunch 7 days a week 7am-2:30pm.

***** Grimaldi’s Coal-Brick Oven Pizzeria, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410, (561) 625-4669.

Grimaldi’s Coal-Brick Oven Pizzeria is a “coal oven” pizza chain…there are currently locations in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Texas. For our purposes, there is currently 1-location in South Florida (Palm Beach Gardens) with announced plans to open a second spot at 1 North Clematis Street, West Palm Beach.

You can check menu/prices/locations at www.grimaldispizzeria.com.

Over the years, I’m gonna guess- that I have eaten in the Brooklyn location 10 times and the Tucson joint 8…Last night, I had dinner at Palm Beach Garden’s restaurant…same menu, same delicious pizza. The only problem I have with Grimaldi’s is that its menu is extremely limited…like try- pizza, a handful of salads, handful of calzones, handful of desserts…end of story. So–if pizza and salad ain’t your bag, you’re in for a serious problem while the rest of your party stuff their faces.

The Palm Beach Gardens’ joint is located in DOWNTOWN AT THE GARDENS…a gorgeous white elephant outdoor mall, which has more empty stores than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook.

Grimaldi’s pizza is outstanding…it’s right up there with the best of breed. The joint’s caesar and caprese salad are also delicious. The Palm Beach Garden’s joint has a full bar, indoor and outdoor patio seating.

So what we got here…one of the best coal fired pizza/salad joints in South Florida albeit with a very limited menu…great looking indoor wood decor/outdoor patio seating…full bar—in a huge ghost town complex.

Grimaldi’s is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.

***** Shiver’s BBQ, 28001 South Dixie Highway, Homestead, Florida 33033, (305) 248-2272.

Let’s play Southerner…got a great bbq joint for you, Shiver’s BBQ in Homestead. Shiver’s has been around for something like 50 years. Just so you know, we are talking “smoked goods” here—so, if the sweet sauces of Tony Roma’s or Bobby Rubino’s are your game–come prepared! Personally, I’m not a huge smoked-fan…but Shiver’s like the Three Pigs, has the formula for Just Right. You can check menu/prices at www.shiversbbq.com.

Shiver’s got a cute idea going…you eat at long picnic tables which line the joint. So in theory, you “could” be eating with strangers. Over the years, I’ve seen this seating thing done at other joints—Shorty’s B-B-Q in Miami (9200 South Dixie Highway) which has been around since 1951, has a similar setup (see review 7/10/08)…I also remember eating in a few Amish joints in Lancaster, Pennsylvania—they had “group” seating, but also had family style portions—but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

A recent outing had me doing…corn nuggets, macaroni & cheese, cornbread souffle, french fries, babyback ribs, bbq chicken, pulled pork. Let me make this real-simple…Shiver’s BBQ is right-up there with the best bbq joints that- this originally from Brooklyn boy has ever eaten in. Everything was outrageously delicious.

Y’all–Shiver’s is a homerun.

Shiver’s BBQ is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.

***** I Love Pizza, 7501 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33141, (786) 439-3969.

I Love Pizza…self serve pizza joint in Miami Beach—indoor/outdoor seating…pizzas, handful of salads and desserts. You can check menu/prices at www.ilovepizzanow.com.

Let’s make this short and simple, one of the best thin crusted/semi-sweet sauce pies I’ve had in a very long time. Too bad this one isn’t in my neighborhood, because I’d be a huge weekly fan. All pies are 16 inches and run about 16 bucks…a bit pricey, but worth the extra coin. Also tried the caprese and caesar salads—good, but not in the league of the pizza.

If you live or work in I Love Pizza’s neighborhood—you now know about a real good pizza joint. By the way, I Love Pizza has a second location in South Beach on the drawing board.

I Love Pizza is open Monday-Friday 11am-11pm and Saturday-Sunday 11am-midnight.

***** Smashburger *****

Smashburger is a “national” fast-food hamburger chain.

For right now, you CAN’T eat in a Smashburger in South Florida, because-they haven’t yet opened a single store in this region. That said, if you check the company’s website- www.smashburger.com you will find that 3-South Florida stores are set to open real soon…1 in Coral Springs, 1 in Kendall and 1 in Miami.

During the past 2 months, I ate in Smashburgers in Phoenix and Dallas…absolutely delicious burgers, fries, hot dogs. As a point of reference, don’t think plebian joints like McDonald’s, Burger King or Wendy’s… but rather, the upscale players like 5 Guy’s, CG Burgers, Shake Shack, BurgerFi and you’ll “know” what market Smashburger is playing in.

I really enjoyed Smashburger. The joint’s prices are in the same-ballpark as 5 Guys (and the others mentioned)…Smashburger’s menu has the requisite burgers and fries—you’ll also find a handful of salads and shakes.

If really good fast food burgers and fries float your boat- keep an eye out for Smashburger.

Manchu WOK, Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida 33123, (305) 876-0633.

Manchu WOK is a “national” fast food Chinese chain. Manchu WOK’s locations are primarily located in mall-airport food courts. For our purposes, there are 2 locations in Miami International Airport and 1 location in the Westland Mall in Hialeah. You can check locations/menu at www.manchuwok.com.

Let’s make this one a real quickie…DON’T! Yesterday, I was at Miami International Airport. Tried Manchu WOK and the 4-items I “had” ranked right-up there with the worst Chinese stuff I’ve eaten. The stuff…orange chicken, sweet & sour pork, chicken & mushrooms, egg rolls was absolute crap.

Look…I’ve been eating “American” Chinese food for something like 61 years…my first outing, was back in 1950 at Joy Fong’s on Avenue J in Brooklyn, New York. Trust me on this, the stuff I ate yesterday was absolute garbage. The orange chicken and pork were soggy messes–in addition, the sauces that they were in, almost defy description. The pork-sauce tasted like cherry juice and the chicken sauce tasted as if it was gooey orange juice …the chicken & mushrooms based on my “tastebuds” were msg masterpieces. The egg rolls—tasteless.

Be smart…if you see one of these joints in an airport or mall…pick Subway, Sbarro’s, etc. instead.