***** China Gourmet, 1098 Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 428-8888.

China Gourmet…very good Chinese joint in Deerfield Beach, operative words here, VERY GOOD

Not sure if this is a trend—but I am finding that more and more South Florida Chinese joints—now. also have Japanese menus. So I guess, that China Gourmet is a “trendsetter” because it offers both Chinese and Japanese food. You can check both menus/prices at www.chinagourmet.info.

China Gourmet has been around for something like 40 years…kinda surprised that I hadn’t heard about it until 3-weeks ago…Anyway, using my “Jewish-Brooklyn” circa 1950 taste-test of- wonton soup, pan fried dumplings, bbq ribs, egg rolls, roast pork fried rice, sweet & sour chicken, pepper steak, General Tso’s chicken, shrimp in black bean sauce, vanilla ice cream, fortune cookie—I am happy to report, that China Gourmet’s food is very good.

Let me sum China Gourmet up for you—now follow me here…I enjoyed every dish that I had. With that in mind, no-one item totally knocked my socks off, like Bamboo Wok’s (review: 5/7/10) boneless ribs or pan fried dumplings…or Wingloon’s (review: 1/18/11) garlic chicken did. “Solid” is the best way to describe this joint. By the way, don’t let the GOURMET part of China Gourmet’s name throw you off, this is a neighborhood–mom & pop–combination plate specials galore- joint.

One final note, I didn’t try the Japanese stuff, afterall—this is really a Chinese restaurant.

China Gourmet is open Monday-Thursday 11:30-10pm, Friday 11:30am-10:30pm, Saturday 1pm-10:30pm, Sunday 3pm-10pm.

***** Bagel Wit A Schmear, 4251 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 416-2900.

Can’t believe I got done-in by a 10 year old kid last night. Was talking to this kid while waiting to pickup food and I asked him…”How many 4 cent stamps are there in a dozen?—and the kid says to me, “Is that a standard dozen or is that a baker’s dozen?”

Got a really-good bagel-deli joint for you—Bagel Wit A Schmear in Boca Raton. Talk about the consummate hole in the wall—one “card table” for 4 and 8 window counter stool seats, a couple of display cases, open baking/prep area…that’s the whole megillah—under construction, an outdoor patio that seats 16.

At this stage of the proceedings check www.bagelwitaschmear.com for menu/prices.

Bagel Wit A Schmear has been around for something like 1-year. It is owned/operated by husband/wife team, Jim & Patti Higgins—she runs the counter, he runs the back of the house.

Let’s talk food.

The joint has 7,000 different types of bagels…which are “made” the correct way, that being boiled and then baked. A recent taste test had me “doing” an- everything, sesame, garlic, onion, pupernickel, cheese (asiago) and french toast. All of them were A-OK…special shout-out to the french toast bagel—toasted at home with a drop of butter and maple syrup, off the chart.

In addition to bagels, bialys, flagels…Bagels Wit A Schmear bakes its own breads and muffins. The joint’s menu is loaded with various cream cheeses, breakfast dishes, salads, sandwiches, deli meats, soups. Just so you know, I “sampled” the chicken/tuna/whitefish salads—they were absolutely delicious.

Like I told you before, Bagel Wit A Schmear is a hole in the wall. There is very limited indoor seating…so don’t plan on bringing grandma, grandpa, Aunt Rosie, Uncle Saul, your wife (or husband) and your 3 kids there tomorrow for Mother’s Day. Then again—you could order stuff and eat at home.

You now know about a really good bagel-deli joint.

Bagel Wit A Schmear is open Monday-Saturday 7am-3pm and Sunday 7am-1pm.

One final note, a baker’s dozen of bagels runs $9.50.

***** The X Factor *****

Got an interesting deal for you guys.

If you “follow” American Idol—you know that this past season, judge Simon Cowell left the show. You also know, that this coming FALL on Fox, he is introducing his new show, The X Factor-a singing competition. This show has been getting a huge buzz…Run a search on The X Factor and you will find tons of articles about this show, Cowell and everything in-between. This tv-show is already a major hit in Europe and FOX is betting that the U.S. version will be a ratings blockbuster.

Anyway…on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 1pm and 6pm at the BankUnited Center, 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, Cowell and cast are going to tape two-episodes.

Now, if this kinda stuff is you game, you can get up to four- FREE tickets to attend each of the tapings. All you gotta do, is go to On Camera Audiences at www.on-camera-audiences.com and enter an order.

***** Mugs Sports Grill, 2671 East Oakland Park Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33306, (954) 566-7782.

Mugs Sports Grill… decent food, booze, reasonable prices, flat screen tvs galore.

You can check menu/prices/photos at www.mugsbar.com.

Mugs is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-2am, Friday-Saturday 11am-3am.

***** Ho Ho Restaurant, 6592 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33446, (561) 498-9266.

Ho Ho Restaurant is a neighborhood-no frills Chinese-Japanese joint located in Delray Beach. Its menu is divided into two-parts, Chinese and Japanese. You can check menu/prices at www.hohochineserestaurant.com.

Absolutely-positively nothing fancy here. Decent enough food at reasonable prices…plenty of combination dishes.

Of note, back in Brooklyn circa 1950s-1960s (if memory serves me correctly), there were no combo-restaurants…there were loads of Chinese joints, but to be perfectly honest with you, can’t recall-even one Japanese joint. Today, it’s a whole other story—sushi etc. are in vogue and Japanese joints are all over the place. In the Ho Ho case, I’d bet, that the owners are Chinese and that the Japanese menu is a-way to play both markets.

Now back to the food—applying the “Jewish-Brooklyn” Chinese taste-test– Ho Ho would not have been a major player in my Brooklyn neighborhood. Like I said before, decent enough food, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Just so you know, I did wonton soup, egg rolls, fried dumplings, bbq ribs, roast pork fried rice, General Tso’s chicken, lobster in black bean sauce, sweet & sour chicken. Everything was ok…but my neigborhood takeout joint does them-all better. On the Japanese side of the ledger, miso soup and shrimp tempura roll. Like its Chinese bretheren, ok—but nothing great.

To sum it up…Ho Ho is a neighborhood joint. The food is ok.

Ho Ho is open 7 days a week 11am-10pm.

***** Dragon City Mandarin House Restaurant, 6708 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Florida 33024, (954) 894-8393.

I love good “Brooklyn Jewish” Chinese food. Old Jeff Eats was born in Brooklyn (1949)—with that in mind… to me, a perfect Chinese meal includes dishes “like” wonton/egg drop combo soup, egg rolls, fried dumplings, bbq ribs, roast pork fried rice, sweet & sour pork, General Tso’s chicken, lobster in black bean soup, pepper steak, pistachio ice cream, fortune cookie. Not really into—“real”-“authentic”-Chinese food like, jellyfish, eel, duck tongues, shark fins…Like I said, Brooklyn Jewish is my game.

The other night I had dinner at Dragon City in Hollywood. This joint has dynamite Brooklyn Jewish. It also has real-authentic stuff…so everyone can play here. Just so you know, Dragon’s got TWO menus. One for us Brooklyn guys and one for–shall we say, the adventurous crowd.

If you are looking for fancy schmanzy forget about it. This is a neighborhood Chinese joint. It’s kind of run-down looking…but don’t be a-scared, the food–at least–the Brooklyn Jewish stuff was delicious. To be perfectly honest with you, I couldn’t find even one-dish to bitch about. Sorry can’t comment on the jellyfish or eel because…not my game.

This joint is a homerun.

I’m gonna assume that the “real-authentic” dishes are as good as the phony-Chinese stuff that I stuffed my face with.

Dragon City is open Monday-Friday 11am-3am, Saturday 11am-2am, Sunday noon-2am.

***** Flip Burger Bar, 1699 Northeast 123rd Street, North Miami, Florida, 33181, (305) 741-3547.

Let me make this one short and simple…I absolutely loved Flip Burger Bar located in North Miami.

Think- burgers, fries, hot dogs, wings, 2,000,000 types of beers, flat screen tvs
and you’ll have the picture.

My bacon cheeseburger/sauteed onions/mushrooms (8oz-$9.75) and fries (small-$3) were delicious. Nothing fancy-schmantzy in what is essentially a neighborhood “bar.”

Check menu/prices at www.flip-burgerbar.com.

One quick observation, “upscale burger” joints are-now the latest American craze. Eventually this “business” or shall we call it a fad, is going to play musical chairs and a ton of these outposts are gonna fail. As a huge burger-fan, old Jeff Eats will enjoy the game for as long as it lasts…knowing-that no matter what happens, the Five Guys 3-minutes from my house will be around for a very-long time.

Flip Burger Bar is open Tuesday-Wednesday 5pm-10pm, Thursday-Friday 5pm-11pm, Saturday noon-11pm, Sunday 1pm-10pm, closed on Monday.

***** House of Bagels & Bialys, 14449 South Dixie Highway, Miami, Florida 333176, (305) 251-8666.

House of Bagels & Bialys is a “bagel-deli”—the joint is located in Miami—House is open Monday-Saturday 6am-6pm and Sunday 6am-4pm…maybe 10 counter-stools inside-outside maybe 6 tables.

The joint’s menu– breakfast stuff, sandwiches, knishes, salads, NY style deli pastries.

As expected, something like 20 million types of bagels. Absolutely loved the “everything” and “onion.” The joint also makes a real-nice bialy. As for the “tested” pastrami, corned beef, chicken salad—pretty standard goods!

***** Shinju Japanese Buffet, 7875 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, (561) 488-4040.

Shinju Japanese Buffet…small-chain currently with outposts in Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Davie, Pembroke Pines and Miami. Check www.sushishinju.com for menu/locations.

Recently tried its newest location– which opened about 1-month ago in Boca Raton. Terrific assortment of Chinese/Japanese soups, hot/cold dishes, sushi-sashimi, desserts…habatchi and stir fry stations.

Now-I know that this “is” a Japanese buffet—but, I gotta tell you, that the wonton soup was absolutely delicious and the bbq ribs were some of the best that I’ve had in a very long time. I’ll even go as far and say, that these 2 items alone, make the price of admission (figure 20 bucks a head for dinner) worth the price. Just so you don’t think I’m a shill for this joint, the sesame chicken was just passable, same goes for the teriyaki chicken.

All in all… Definitely one of the better Japanese/Chinese buffets that old Jeff Eats has tried.

Shinju is open Monday-Sunday for lunch 11:30am-3:30pm, Sunday-Thursday for dinner 5pm-10pm, Friday-Saturday 5pm-10:30pm.

***** 16 Handles, 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 672-7649.

With the understanding that old Jeff Eats considers the “self-serve” yogurt business a FAD…let me tell you about 16 Handles which recently opened in Boca Raton.

For starters, 16 Handles is a a “small chain” which currently has 10 locations (1-Florida, 2-Maryland, 2-New Jersey, 5-New York). 16 Handles= 8 machines each with 2 handles/flavors, thus a total of 16 yogurts—plus a selection of fresh fruit/candy toppings.

A recent taste-test had me “trying”…cookies and cream, pistachio, green tea tart, strawberry. Now, I’m not a big yogurt fan– as I’d rather be-eating a Heath Bar Chocolate Blizzard, but I will tell you, that every flavor was delicious. Just so you know, the Boca joint gets 49 cents an ounce—so you gotta watch what you put in the-cup, or you’ll be facing something like a $5 number for the outing.

Kudos go out to the franchise owners of the Boca location. ASSUMING that you folks got a decent rent deal, the location is terrific. This particular joint is located in University Commons which is right across the street from FAU and Boca Raton High School—throw-in center-mates, J. Alexander’s, PF Chang’s, Whole Foods, Jamba Juice, Nordstrom’s, Barnes & Nobles and you guys got a “mix” of folks who will probably-adore your yogurt concept.

You can check flavors/locations at www.16handles.com.

So—if self-serve yogurt is your game, you now know about 16 Handles which serves-up some delicious stuff.

16 Handles is open Monday-Thursday noon-11:30am, Friday-Saturday 11am-12:30am, Sunday noon-10pm.