***** Trattoria Bella Cibo, 5801 Margate Boulevard, Margate, Florida 33063, (954) 969-1100.

Got an absolutely terrific Italian restaurant for you…Trattoria Bella Cibo, located in a “bombed-out” Margate shopping center. I ate dinner there last Saturday night and I am telling you, that you gotta try this casual–reasonably priced–red sauce joint. For what it’s worth, I am going to rank Trattoria Bella Cibo right up there with the best that I had over the past 19 years down here in old South Florida.

Trattoria Bella Cibo- seats maybe 165 inside and another 150 outside in a canopied patio. The joint looks like something right out of New York City’s Little Italy…loads of string-lights and the right amount of tackiness to make it really–cool. A full bar and a humongous flat screen television add to the decor.

Like I intimated before, Trattoria Bella Cibo’s food is outrageously good. Last night, I “did” meatball appetizer ($11), fried calamari ($11), caesar salad, house salad, veal parmigiana ($18), shrimp picatta ($21), tuscan swordfish ($23), eggplant rollatini ($16), baked lasagna ($16), penne ala vodka ($16), linguine white clam sauce ($17), cheese cake ($8)… I seriously doubt that your favorite “mom & pop–red sauce” joint can touch Trattoria’s food. The portions are enormous…all of the dishes were good for 2 maybe even 3 people. Nothing for nothing, but my money says that this joint bakes its own bread and cakes, mixes its own salad dressing—there is nothing “commerical” about Trattoria Bella Cibo. Just so you know, entrees come with soup/salad–pasta side–and loaves of hot fresh Italian bread that you can dip in a delicious garlic/olive oil.

For footnote purposes, other than a small ice cream display freezer—the joint doesn’t have another freezer. When I was there, owner/chef Tommy was all-over the floor– he seems to enjoy meeting-feeding his customers. On the service front, my party had an excellent waiter-Matt. The guy knew every dish cold and never let water or drink glasses “get” empty.

At this stage of the game, do yourself a favor and check Trattoria’s website www.trattoriabellacibo.com for menu/prices. By the way, the joint also has a real-nice entertainment schedule of singers, bands, poker, comedy acts—when I was there, Frank Wilson, the terrific lead singer of Motown Philly Express was entertaining the crowd with hits from 1950s-1970s.

Another beautiful thing about Trattoria Bella Cibo–your tee shirt/shorts ensemble works here.

You now know about a “must try” Italian joint that’s got you covered with pizzas, pastas, calzones, to gourmet-class— meat/seafood/chicken entrees.

Trattoria Bella Cibo is open, Sunday 4pm-9pm, Monday 11am-9pm, Tuesday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm.

***** Buena Vista Deli, 4590 Northeast 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33137, (305) 576-3945.

Let’s- start this one off, with you guys checking this American/French-deli’s website www.buenavistadeli.com for menu/prices. Go ahead, I’ll wait!

Just so we are straight–although it calls itself a D E L I…Buena Vista is not like the typical schmendrick deli-joints that dot the South Florida landscape. If chocolate bobka, pastrami on rye, potato knishes, chopped liver with onions-are your game—Buena Vista is not your bag.

For our purposes, we’re gonna call this joint a YUPPIE-DELI-WITH A FRENCH FLAIR… Although Vista’s menu is somewhat limited, there are enough breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, panini, breads/pastries–so no-one is gonna go home starving. A recent outing had me doing—chicken quiche ($4.95), turkey/swiss on French baquette ($6.95), roast beef panini ($7.95), chocolate almond crossiant ($3.50), coffee eclair ($3.50). I enjoyed everything, with a special shout-out to the crossiant and eclair.

Like I said before, something different from the “standard” bagel-deli game. Buena Vista has both indoor and patio seating.

It’s good to be a YUPPIE now and then.

Buena Vista is open 7 days a week 7am-9pm.

An Open Letter To All Favorably Reviewed Restaurants

Dear Owner:

Over the years, Jeff Eats has reviewed numerous restaurants.

As you know, Jeff Eats “has” no advertising.

At this time, Jeff Eats makes the following offer to each and everyone of you.

*****If you contact Jeff Eats- and agree, that from December 1, 2010 – December 31, 2010 to give “Jeff Eats” readers a 20% discount off their tab (tax and alcoholic beverages excluded) when presented with a copy of “your” restaurant’s review, Jeff Eats will “re” recommend your restaurant on this site. Jeff Eats thinks this is what as known as a “WIN WIN” situation. Jeff Eats looks forward to hearing from you. All you have to do is “use” the CONTACT tag to send Jeff Eats a message. By the way, Jeff Eats has to hear from you by November 30, 2010 because that’s the date the re-recommendations will be published.

Sincerely,

Jeff Eats

***** American Pop 60’s *****

If you like 60’s Rock N Roll, I got something for you…American Pop 60’s, a terrific 4-piece 1960’s cover band based in Orlando, Florida. The group does absolutely perfect renditions of American hits from 1960-1969. The band also has a big kicker…namely, lead singer Mark Dawson…who also- happens to be the current lead singer of the lengendary 1960’s-1970’s band, The Grass Roots who have sold over 20,000,000 records worldwide…with hits such as–Let’s Live For Today, Sooner Or Later, Where Were You When I Need You, Temptation Eyes, Midnight Confessions. Two Divided By Love, Wait A Million Years, The River Is Wide.

Like I said before, if you like 1960’s American Rock N Roll…you will absolutely love American Pop 60’s. In addition to a “mini” Grass Roots concert, American Pop 60’s performs hauntingly accurate versions of gold & platinum hits by groups– The Buckinghams, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Three Dog Night, The Doors,The Rascals, just to name a few.

I recently saw American Pop 60’s at a private party…they blew me away. They are sensational.

Look for this band- to start making the rounds of South Florida’s residential communities, country clubs and concert venues…www.ap60.bandzoogle.com.

***** Yeung House, 1747 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33305, (954) 561 1888.

Yeung House is a “takeout only” Chinese joint.

The best way to describe Yeung House… Yeung- got the job done. Was the wonton soup, bbq ribs, egg rolls, pan fried dumplings, roast pork fried rice, sweet & sour chicken, pepper steak, honey garlic chicken the best takeout that I’ve had? N O P E…But as I said before, Yeung-got the job done.

You can check menu/prices at www.yeunghouse.com.

For those that live or work in Yeung’s neighborhood, you could do far worse than this Chinese takeout.

Yeung is open Monday-Saturday 11am-11pm and Sunday 1pm-11pm.

***** Vinny’s Pizza, 6671 West Indiantown Road, Jupiter, Florida 33458, (561) 575-5445.

Got a real good-reasonably priced “mom & pop–red sauce” Italian joint for you…Vinny’s Pizza in Jupiter, Florida.

Vinny’s menu has all of the “expected stuff”…pizzas, pastas, calzones, hot & cold subs, meat/seafood/chicken dishes (dinners–include salad, pasta side, garlic knots).

A recent dinner outing had me doing…large 16” pizza ($12.20), penne alla vodka ($10.50), meat lasagna ($11.25), veal parmigiana ($14.50). Keeping in mind, that joints like Vinny’s aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel—I can, without hesitation tell you that-Vinny’s food was terrific. Definitey one of the best NYC styled pizzas that- I’ve had in a very long time. The pie was thin-crispy-with an amazingly-perfect sweet sauce. As for the penne, lasagna and veal parm—I know joints that get double the price and can’t hold a candle to Vinny’s food.

Vinny’s is a winner. This is NOT and I repeat NOT—some hack joint, just turning out passable food. Do have one huge problem with Vinny’s…it’s 86 miles (round-trip) from my house.

Vinny’s Pizza is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday noon-9pm.

***** Bozo’s Sub & Sandwich Shop, 601 Southwest 12th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312, (954) 763-2352.

Bozo’s Sub & Sandwich Shop…order at the counter—pickup at the counter—seating outside. Real simple menu…sandwiches, hot/cold subs, handful of salads.

At this juncture, I could discuss how Willard Scott way back when-played Bozo in the Washington, DC area (you do know that Larry Harmon, Bozo’s creator, franchised the Bozo the Clown concept all over the country) and that Willard, shall-we-say, “morphed” the Bozo look into Ronald McDonald—but I won’t.

Anyway…I recently tried Bozo’s—steak/onions/peppers sub ($7.75), chicken salad sub ($5.95), patty melt (grilled meat patty-grilled onions-provolone cheese -toasted rye bread-$4.95)…now for a play on words, THIS JOINT AIN’T CLOWNING AROUND. The food was delicious. A special shoutout to that patty melt, right on the money.

If there is one criticism, Bozo’s menu could be bigger. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll definitely find something to eat…but a few more items couldn’t hurt.

Bozo’s is open Monday-Thursday 10am-4pm, Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-4pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

***** Fountain Plaza Diner, 2150 North University Drive, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024, (954) 432-4900.

Got a real good one for you…Fountain Plaza Diner in Pembroke Pines. You can check menu/prices at www.fountaindiner.com.

Let’s jump into this thing…you may be wondering how this “diner” stacks up with the players in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania—first of all, Fountain is open Sunday-Thursday 7am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 7am-11pm and we all know that northern haunts are usually 24-hour joints. On menu/prices, Fountain holds its own on this one. The joint has the requisite huge list of breakfast stuff which is served all day, salads, burgers, sandwiches, Greek dishes, meat/seafood/chicken entrees, desserts and “specials.” Now let’s talk how Fountain’s food does—I tried this joint once for breakfast and again for dinner—doing, western omelet ($5.95), 3 pancakes with sausage ($5.95), corned beef hash ($4.85), waffles ($3.95)—(dinners- include soup or salad–vegetable or potato or pasta-cake or ice cream-coffee) meatloaf ($10.95), full rack of bbq babyback ribs ($14.95), baked tilapia ($13.95), cheesebuger (with fries $6.25). THE FOOD IS DINER FOOD. As you regulars may know, in a former life, I must have been a long-haul truckdriver, because I love diners and their huge menus. Everything was just fine–but on my next outing I won’t be ordering those ribs, if you get my drift.

Now for the kicker—On Saturday nights, from 7pm-11pm the joint has free entertainment (usually, rock bands). I will tell you, on the night that I was there, Fountain had Viva Rock & Roll Band- which is one of the best 1950s-1980s cover bands in South Florida (there must have been at least 100 people eating/dancing/singing along with Viva that evening). You can check the entertainment schedule at Fountain’s website.

So, you now know about a DINER—decent enough food, really reasonable prices, pleasant service—free entertainment. What’s bad!!!

***** Jan’s Place, 1897 Northeast Jensen Beach Boulevard, Jensen Beach, Florida 34957, (772) 334-9598.

Jan’s Place is a “neighborhood diner.”

Jan’s Place is open 7 days a week 7am-3pm.

Now, for some color…Great selection of breakfast stuff, salads, burgers, wraps, burritos, sandwiches. A recent outing had me checking-out…western omelette ($9.49), chicken salad club ($9.99), sausage-onion-pepper burrito ($8.99), bacon cheeseburger ($7.99). The food was delicious. The service, as pleasant and friendly as can be.

I loved Jan’s.

If you live in Jan’s neighborhood, this is one really terrific joint for a great breakfast or lunch. Real small-town.

***** Leo’s Pizza, 6720 Coral Way, Miami, Florida 33155, (305) 661-4285.

Pizza-Pasta-Salads-Subs…check prices/menu at www.pizzaleos.com.

Leo’s is a “hole in the wall—red sauce–pizza” joint…but, you already knew that. Leo’s has been around for something like 35 years. A recent outing had me “sampling”—meatball sub– pizza–baked ziti–chicken caesar salad–garlic rolls. Let’s just say, I found everything delicious, with special honors going out to those garlic rolls.

If this joint was in my neighborhood, I would be a regular eat in/takeout customer.

Leo’s Pizza is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.