***** Junior’s Pizza & Subs, 1787 North Congress Avenue, Boynton Beach, Florida 33426, (561) 374-9099.

Junior’s Pizza & Subs…casual–reasonably priced–mom & pop–red sauce–handful of flat screen tvs—Italian joint, in Boynton Beach.

If you live or work anywhere near this joint…you gotta give it a try. The pizza is terrific (thin-sweet sauce)–same goes for the wings, penne alla vodka, veal parmigiana sub, sliced steak pizzaiola sub, fried calamari marinara.

Junior’s menu has the full boat of appetizers, salads, hot/cold sub, pastas, pizzas, calzones, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. You can check menu/price details at www.juniorspizzabar.com.

Junior’s is heads and shoulders above most of the pizza joints which dot the South Florida landscape.

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

Cup ‘N Saucer Restaurant, 6169 Jog Road, Lake Worth, Florida 33467 (561) 966-4997.

Just had Sunday breakfast at Cup ‘N Saucer– a “mom & pop” breakfast- lunch diner located in Lake Worth.

Based on the breakfast that Jeff Eats had…how this joint has managed to stay in business for something like 20 years is beyond me.

My order was quite simple…western omelet/hashbrowns/plain toasted bagel. The omelet was so salty that it was borderline inedible… The hasbrowns were undercooked, with the potatoes being nearly raw. The bagel tasted like a piece of whitebread. This was probably the worst breakfast that I’ve had down here in South Florida. By the way, my friend Mike who joined me for breakfast had a farmers omelete (sausage,onions, peppers, tomatoes & cheese) found his omelet to be oversalted-the hasbrowns undercooked and his english muffin to be tasteless. Just for the record, both Mike and I left something like 90% of our breakfasts untouched…22 bucks down the drown.

Look, I’m no cook…what I do know, is that over the years I’ve eaten tons of omelets and the “things” that we were served- were bad-news. I wasn’t back there when they were being cooked, but I suspect that the “cook” making these things, scrambled a few eggs and then shoveled the filings between the folded eggs. That’s not how omelets are suppose to be made. Rather than playing Julia Child and waste everyone’s time here, trust me on this one…the omelets were disgusting—same for the potatoes—same for the english muffin and bagel. I believe the rule is 3-strikes and your are O U T.

One of my favorite things, is a “leisurely” Sunday breakfast…you know what I’m talking about—when you go to a diner and just take your sweet time eating a large-breakfast. Well, this morning—Mike and I couldn’t get out of this joint fast enough.

If breakfast was any indication of what this Monday-Friday 6:30am-2pm, Saturday-Sunday 7am-3pm breakfast-lunch joint is all about…how it has stayed in business for 20 years should rank as the “Ninth Wonder Of The World.”

To be fair. The joint is clean—and service was pleasant and competent. I must also tell you, that at 10:15 am the joint was very busy. Could I be wrong here? NOPE— the food was atrocious!

***** Relish Burger Bar, 401 Northwood Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33407, (561) 629-5377.

Got a big-time winner for you guys… Relish Burger, an upscale/fast food/order at-pickup at counter burger joint—in West Palm Beach. Not really too much to say about Relish, other than it makes absolutely delicious burgers, fries, wings, shakes,— has something like 1,000,000,000 burger toppings—and has turkey, buffalo, tuna, mahi mahi, veal, crab, lobster, shrimp- burgers for the folks who gotta be “fancy”…You can check this joint’s website www.relishburger.com for menu/prices.

A recent outing had me doing…cheeseburger with sauteed onions ($6.28), french fries ($2.49), raspberry bbq grilled chicken wings (6-$5.59), chocolate truffle shake ($4.69)…no fooling around here—this is about as good as it gets in fast-food land.

Like I said before…Relish is a winner.

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

***** The Lodge Beer & Grill, 200 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33342, (561) 392-5003.

Got something interesting here for you guys…The Lodge in Boca Raton–a hole in the wall wine/beer- bar/restaurant. Check the joint’s website www.thelodgeboca.com for menu/prices/photos.

The Lodge has something like 37 different beers –a half dozen, give or take- wines…and a menu, with maybe a dozen appetizers, one salad, one chicken sandwich and five burgers. You beer drinkers out there will be like pigs in sh@t! Old Jeff Eats isn’t a drinker…I’m an EATER, so when I walked into The Lodge and read the menu, I was concerned.

Outrageously good and I mean OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD…steak sliders, fried chicken sliders, bacon cheeseburger, french fries, onion rings.

The Lodge is open Monday-Friday 4pm-2am, Saturday 11:30am-2am, Sunday 12:30pm-2am.

***** Chef Carlin Restaurant, 6941 Sunset Strip, Sunrise, Florida 33313, (954) 749-7472.

Chef Carlin- is a real good, casual, very reasonably priced, “mom & pop” Cuban joint, located in Sunrise, Florida. Check www.chefcr.com for menu/prices. The website also has a short video that gives a nice-tour around the restaurant.

Now, despite what you might think, Jeff Eats is far from being an expert on Cuban food…I know it’s hard to believe, but what is, is! I think, that my aversion to Cuban and other “forms” of Latin food—goes back to those “D’s” in Spanish, that I got at Brooklyn’s J.H.S. 62 & Erasmus Hall High School. Actually “aversion” maybe too strong of a term…let’s just say, that Latin food wouldn’t be on my “last meal” list.

Anyway…sometimes compromise is in order—so when friends wanted to try Chef Carlin… diplomat-Jeff Eats acquiesed.

Now…if I wasn’t- biased, I would tell you, that the black bean soup ($1.95), chicken noodle soup ($1.50), breaded steak ($8.50), shrimp creole ($9.95), roast chicken ($7.95), flan ($2.00)—were absolutely delicious…by the way all entrees come with, rice-black beans-sauteed plantains.

If Cuban food is your bag, you’re gonna love Chef Carlin.

Chef Carlin is open Monday-Saturday 11am-8pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

***** C. R. Chicks, 2240 Northwest 19th Street, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 33431.

C. R. Chicks is a takeout/eat in “rotisserie chicken” joint…if you do some checking, on October 1, 2008- I gave this South Florida chain an absolutely rave-review. Back then C.R. had 7 locations—in about 8 hours-32 minutes a Boca Raton store will be added to the lineup.

Last night, C.R. Chicks’ Boca joint held a “Private Grand Opening Party” where a chance to try EVERY item on the menu was there for the taking…and I took! In no particular order—chicken, meatloaf, potato pancakes, mashed potatoes, brown rice, chocolate chip cookies, primavera linguine, apple pie, chocolate banana cream pie, caesar salad, bbq pulled chicken sandwich, brown rice, cole slaw. I was like a pig that died and went to heaven.

Let me make this “update” as simple and short as possible—C. R. Chicks makes terrific rotisserie chicken–in addition, there are delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, sides, desserts—and a meatloaf that will make you forget the one that your mom made/makes (I’m assuming she made/makes a real-good one).

You can check menu/prices/photos/locations at www.crchickswpb.com.

For those of you out there who swear by Costco’s rotisserie chicken…GET REAL!

C.R. Chicks is a winner!

C.R. Chicks is open 11:30am-9pm–7 days a week.

***** Racks Downtown Eatery & Tavern, Mizner Park-402 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-1662.

Just had dinner at Racks Downtown Eatery & Tavern…a terrific-casual-moderatley priced American-Style joint, which opened in Mizner Park about 3-months ago. Based on this first outing…I will definitely be back for another go-round. Now if you-can…think The Cheesecake Factory with-shall we say–s t y l e…and you got Racks. Better yet, check www.grrestaurant.com for menu/prices/pictures and you’ll get a real good feel for what’s going on at this joint.

First things first. Racks has indoor and outdoor patio seating. There is a full bar and the guys who own this joint—must have spent a fortune decorating inside and outside. Check the photos on its website and you’ll see what I’m belly-aching about.

This evening, Phil was our waiter…and the guy was good. He knew the menu cold—and took our order without writing down one single item…and yes, everything ordered, showed up—cooked right and on time. He also made sure that water glasses, soda glasses, coffees were always filled.

A taste test-in no particular order-of… garden salad, caesar salad, bacon cheeseburger, french fries, crabcakes, macaroni & cheese, wood oven roasted chicken, filet mignon, key lime pie—like I said, I will definitely be back. The food was delicious…absolutely nothing to complain about—-EXCEPT…Racks should know better—the ketchup & mustard which were served in “old” fashioned yellow and red plastic squeeze bottles were COLD. I don’t know about you… but this Brooklyn boy knows…that french fries are suppose to be drowned in room temperature ketchup not COLD ketchup. I also know that sauerkraut on a Nathan’s hot dog is suppose to be hot and that no one in their right mind would ever put ketchup on a hot dog!

I really enjoyed Racks… stylish, yet casual. It’s got a great vibe, but be forewarned, someone in the cd-department loves to play Led Zeppelin and The Romantics…to that someone, you are playing the “music” way and I do mean way—too loud.

Racks is open 7 days a week 11:30am-2am.

***** Jacky Lee’s Chinese Cuisine, 10422 West Atlantic Boulevard, Coral Springs, Florida 33071. (954) 227-8988.

Jacky Lee’s is a takeout-only Chinese joint in Coral Springs.

Based on a recent takeout order…I’ll bet you a buck, that Jacky Lee’s food is better than the stuff- you pickup/get delivered from most of your favorite haunts.

A taste test of… wonton soup, egg rolls, fried dumplings, bbq ribs, honey garlic chicken, shrimp with lobster sauce, roast pork egg foo young—brought me to the above stated conclusion.

Jacky Lee’s is one of the best Chinese joints that I’ve gotten food from down here in old South Florida.

Jacky Lee’s is open 7 days a week.

***** Costello’s Trattoria & Pizzeria, 1209 Main Street, Jupiter, Florida 33458, (561) 776-5448.

Costello’s Trattoria & Pizzeria is a good-casual-reasonably priced- Italian joint…located in the Abacoa Town Center…it has both indoor and outdoor patio seating.

Check menu/prices/photos at www.costellostrattoria.com.

A recent outing had me “doing”– large plain pizza (16″ $12.95), veal parmigiana ($16.95), chicken marsala ($15.95), penne alla vodka ($13.95). By the way, Costello’s menu is loaded with appetizers, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, subs, calzones, meat/seafood/chicken entrees.

The verdict…Costello’s food is good, but nothing, shall we say- was any better than the stuff that most of the Italian joints down here in sunny South Florida serve…This is a good neighborhood joint. Just so you know, Costello’s entrees play -the soup or salad, pasta side, garlic rolls game.

Costello’s is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday noon-8:30pm.

***** Cadillac Ranch All American Bar & Grill, 921 Silks Run Road, Hallandale Beach, Florida 33009, (954) 456-1031.

Got a really good one for you…Cadillac Ranch All American Bar & Grill…located in Hallandale Beach. Just so you know, this American Style joint is located in a huge- new retail complex being built at Gulfstream Racing & Casino–the official name is The Village At Gulfstream Park. So far…the development looks dynamite, but, as I see it– as long as the Seminole’s have a monopoly on table games, casinos like the one at Gulfstream really don’t have a chance…so this retail complex will probably never reach its full potential, because the gaming “draw” just isn’t going to materialize. Politics aside…check www.cadillacranchmiami.com for menu/prices/pictures. To add a bit more color here, Cadillac Ranch is a chain operation…there are currently 11 locations—Hallandale Beach for right now, is the only Florida spot.

I loved this joint…think upscale steakhouse, meets The Cheesecake Factory. meets LongHorn Steakhouse, meets EVERY SPORTS BAR that you’ve ever been in…throw in a mechanical bull to ride—and you should have the picture. The joint has 30 flat screen tvs, 4 bars, indoor and patio seating. Cadillac’s menu is loaded with appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, meat/seafood/chicken entrees, desserts.

A recent outing had me doing—chesseburger & fries ($10.95), full rack of babyback ribs & fries ($24.95), 1/2 roasted chicken with vegetable and fries ($13.95), philly cheesesteak sub & fries ($11.95)…no complaints here. I especially enjoyed the cheeseburger which was served on a kaiser roll and the thick hand-cut fires. All of the “sampled” stuff, was as good, if not better, than the food served by the best sports bars down here in old South Florida.

The beautiful thing about this wild-west decor joint, is that if you want, you can wear your tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble…and after you eat, you can ride the mechanical bull and play-anorexic.

I’m telling you, if you enjoy sports bars–casual dining…you will really enjoy this joint.

Cadillac Ranch is open 11:30am-4am 7 days a week.