***** Stephen’s Restaurant & New York Style Deli. 1000 East 16th Street, Hialeah, Florida 33010, (305) 877-8863.

Let me make this one short and simple…

Stephen’s with its formica tables–and formica counter seating has been around for something like 60 years. Sort of like entering a timewarp…NYC diner/NYC deli circa 1950’s-60’s.

Stephen’s which is open Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm has the full gamut of breakfast dishes, sandwiches, burgers, deli meats-plates, “blue plate specials” like meatloaf–but only on Tuesdays.

I recently did lunch “trying” pastrami on rye, corned beef on rye, brisket with potato pancakes…and I gotta tell you, if I squint my eyes, I’m at… Sam’s Candy Store & Deli, Cortelyou Road & East 7th Street, Brooklyn, New York— 1957. I absolutely loved the food and “the place.”

I don’t know about you, but joints like Stephen’s hold a special place in old Jeff’s heart (now I’m going all sentimental on you)…

***** Azteca Mexican Restaurant, 8800 State Road 84, Davie, Florida 33324, (954) 474-5226.

Azteca Mexican Restaurant is a “Mexican” restaurant (that figures) located in Davie, Florida. This is a small chain…last count– something like 35 joints, with 30 of them in Washington, 2 in Oregon and 3 in Florida…don’t ask me, because I have no idea—Why the concentration on Washington? Maybe it’s because Washington shares a common border with Mexico, or something!

At this stage check www.aztecamex.com for menu/prices…you can also check locations, so when you are in Washington or for that matter Oregon, you’ll know where this chain’s joints are.

As you regular Jeff Eats’ guys know, I’m not a huge fan of Mexican food. Not really sure, but I think that my “feelings” about this type of food might be–shall we say colored– by all of the Ds that I got in Spanish at JHS 62 and Erasmus Hall HS way-back when in Brooklyn, New York.

Anyway…last night I did dinner at Azteca, by the way, the other Florida locations are in Orlando and Winter Haven…and I “had” steak fajitas ($15.25), arroz con pollo ($13.50), grilled skirt steak ($15.95), chicken breast sandwich ($8.25), chicken soup ($8.95). I really enjoyed the steak fajitas and grilled skirt steak (delicious marinaded steak with terrific carmalized onions), the two chicken dishes were okay, but nothing stupendous…as for the chicken soup, let’s just say that my Grandma-Anna’s would wipe the floor in a head-to-head contest with Azteca’s soup.

As I said before, Mexican food isn’t on my-most-favorite things to eat list. That said, I enjoyed the food, the casual decor and the very pleasant service.

If you like Mexican food…you’ll enjoy this joint.

Azteca is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm.

***** Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine, 212 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 361-4000.

Yesterday, I did lunch at Anatolia…a “mom & pop–mediterranean” joint in Boca Raton. Talk about mom & pop…the wife runs the floor and the husband can be seen cooking-away in the open kitchen…now, if they have a kid(s) that makes them a mom & pop…no kid(s) “husband & wife…in any event, if you like pita bread, gyros, gozleme (think quesadilla), pide (like a calzone), lahmacun (pizza), feta cheese, grilled chicken-lamb-beef, health salad—you will really enjoy this joint.

Very casual. Reasonable prices. Very pleasant and helpful service.

Yesterday’s lunch had me doing…one of those lahmacuns which had a delicious thin crust topped with ground lamb-peppers-tomato ($8.50), one of those pides which had feta cheese-parsley-scallion ($9.50), roasted beef gyro ($5), roasted grilled chicken gyro ($8). Everything was delicious…now I know why Hillary travels to Turkey–so often. Off, topic, bet you a buck– she challenges Obama for the 2012 nomination.

As I mentioned above, this is a very casual restaurant, so your tee shirt-shorts’ ensemble will work quite well here. The wife-mom works the floor and the husband runs the open-kitchen. If you didn’t know better, from the “look” of the kitchen, you’d swear you were in a “pizza joint” with the same type of standard stainless-steel oven being the centerpiece of the kitchen. The joint has indoor seating– there is also an outdoor dining patio located directly behind the restaurant…a pizza joint behind Anatolia shares that patio. You can “buy” wine-liquor, but Anatolia allows you to BYOB and there is no charge for “using” its glasses.

Check www.anatoliamediterraneancuisine.com for menu/prices.

Anyway…Anatolia is open 7 days a week for lunch 11:30am-3pm, Monday-Thursday 3pm-10pm and Friday-Sunday 3pm-11pm for dinner.

***** Joe’s American Bar & Grill, (The Mall at Wellington Green) 10300 West Forest Boulevard, Wellington, Florida 33414, (561) 798-7433.

Got a rare bird for you…an “American Style Grill” that has delicious food, reasonable prices, great decor, excellent service—Joe’s American Bar & Grill located in The Mall at Wellington Green—a few feet from the food-court.

Just so you know, Joe’s is a “chain operation” with a handful of locations in CT, MA, NH, NJ, RI—the Wellington joint is its only Florida location. You can check menu/prices/locations at www.joesamerican.com.

The other day I did lunch at Joe’s…mac & cheese ($7.99), cobb salad (12.75), plain wood-fired pizza ($9.99), 1/2lb hamburger w/fries ($8.95), babyback bbq ribs w/fries & cole slaw (1/2 rack $13.50–full rack $17.99)—I am telling you, whoever is “running” Joe’s has the game figured-out—the food was delicious. Assuming you haven’t checked the lunch-dinner “menus” yet, Joe’s which has a full bar–dark wood decor has loads of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, meat-seafood-chicken entrees, desserts.

Over the years, I have eaten in my fair share of– sports-bars, American grills, diners, steakhouses down here in South Florida…I am telling you, Joe’s is one of the best joints that I have tried. Another beautiful thing about Joe’s, it’s super casual so your tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble will work there day or night.

Like I said before, Joe’s is located in a mall–that said, when the mall is closed, there is a separate entrance that allows Joe’s to keep different hours than the mall schedule. There is also an outside patio, so if that’s your game, Joe’s has you covered.

This joint is a winner. If TGI Friday’s, Houston’s, J. Alexander’s, Ruby Tuesday, “You Name In Sports Bar” are some of your haunts, I think that you will really enjoy Joe’s American.

Joe’s American Bar & Grill is open 7 says a week for lunch 11am-4pm and dinner 4pm-11pm.

***** Johnny G’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, 12247 Sheridan Street, Cooper City, Florida 33026 (954) 437-1333.

For you Cooper City folks, I got…”red sauce- mom & pop” Italian joint— Johnny G’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzera. Nothing fancy here. Good food–Reasonable prices.

I recently did dinner at Johnny G’s, “trying” penne alla vodka ($13), shrimp scampi ($13.75), baked cheese ravioli ($11), large plain pizza ($14.50), veal parmigiana ($16)…you know the South Florida drill—soup or salad, garlic rolls, entree, side of pasta…Not bad at all. Is this the best “mom & pop” stuff that I have eaten? Nope…but it’s good and afterall–this is just a neighborhood joint. To be perfectly honest with you, including the garlic rolls, nothing in particular was a homerun item…but on the other hand, I enjoyed all of the dishes.

You can check www.JohnnyGs.net for menu/prices.

Johnny G’s is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9:30pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 2;30pm-9pm.

***** Lock Stock and Barrel, 3208 Forest Hills Boulevard, Palm Springs, Florida 33406 (561) 649-4545.

Lock Stock and Barrel reminds me of “The Three Bears”…not too hot, not too cold, but just right… best way to explain Lock Stock– an “American Style Grill” that fills the niche between upscale steakhouse & neighborhood non-chain sports bar. Now that you are totally confused, check www.lockstockandbarrelrestaurant.com for menu/prices/photos which might clarify matters a bit. Just so we are straight, absolutely nothing fancy here. Your tee shirt-short ensemble will work well in this joint.

I recently did dinner. I really liked the food and casual-pleasant service. That said… I found the menu a bit on the skimpy side in the selection department. For sure, you’ll find “something” to eat, but a handful of additions to the appetizer and entree columns wouldn’t hurt.

My outing netted me, almondine filet of sole ($23.95), 23oz porterhouse steak ($27.95), broiled sea scallops ($17.95), NY strip steak (23.95)…entrees come with potato or rice and vegetable. Whoever (or is it whomever? whatever?) is cooking- “knows” exactly what he-she is doing.

Lock Stock and Barrel does lunch Monday-Friday 11am-3pm and dinner 7-days a week 4pm-9pm.

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

Yesterday’s mission, to find a really good “red sauce–mom & pop” Italian joint in a non-descript strip center in South Florida. Figured, what the heck…just got some $2.65 gas in Deerfield, so I made a run down to Hialeah…based on the recommendation of a really pleasant clerk that I had met at Books A Million last Sunday afternoon at Sawgrass Mills…by the way, Bloomingdales later this month is taking Books’ location and Books is moving to a much smaller spot in the mall.

Di Piazza Pizzera is a “red sauce–mom & pop” Italian joint located in Hialeah…by the way, it is in a non-descript strip center. This joint’s menu has the full boat of appetizers, pastas, calzones, subs, pizzas, meat-seafood-chicken entrees.

To make this story short, that Books A Million clerk really hit the ball out of the park…one of the best plain pizzas (large $14.75) that I’ve had down here in South Florida…delicious sweet sauce, crispy-thin crust, delicious cheese, oil perfectly dripped out when a slice was pointed–down. Now for the kicker here– the veal parmigiana ($15.25), shrimp scampi ($16.50), chicken marsala ($15.25), penne alfredo ($14.25) were delicious…nothing gourmet here (whatever “gourmet” means)—but as good as most of the “better” mom & pop joints that I frequent. Before I forget, real good garlic rolls…Only- got one big problem with Di Piazza, it’s too far from my home…

Di Piazza is a winner. Real good food. Pizza joint prices. Big portions.

Di Piazza is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10:30pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-11:30pm.

Authentic Brooklyn Pizza, 1367 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33486 (561) 368-1168.

On July 8, 2010 Jeff Eats got the following email…

“Hi Jeff, I was hoping I could get u 2 do a review? I have reviews from worstpizza.com, Urbanspoon, Boca Magazine, we where on channel 12 news and many others. If u have any questions u can call me Alan 305-747-6330.”

About an hour ago, I gave “mom & pop–red sauce” pizza joint, Authentic Brooklyn Pizza a shot. Authentic’s menu is loaded and I do mean loaded with all kinds of special pizza combinations. In addition there are calzones, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. When I arrived, the restaurant was busy with 6 booths filled and my table for 2. As I waited for my large plain pizza to arrive, I “noticed” some real- nice looking subs, calzones and pizzas coming out of the kitchen.

Based on the extensive menu, the fact that the joint was busy, the dynamite review that my pals at www.worstpizza.com had given this joint’s pizza and the “visual”— I thought that I would soon be devouring some outrageously good pizza…but au contraire—the pizza that I got was nothing special. The sauce was kinda bland–the crust wasn’t crispy and was flakey like a croissant.

Based on the pizza “alone”- I wouldn’t be running back to this joint so fast.

As I mentioned, prior to my sojourn to Authentic Brooklyn Pizza–I did some checking and took a look at www.worstpizza.com…I also checked-out Urbanspoon and Boca Raton Magazine and the “reviews” on these sites were good for this joint.

So it only goes to show, “different strokes for different folks.” Just maybe I caught an “off day”…but that’s the way this review game is played.

Alan, (the owner): For now, that’s the best I can do for you in the review department. Feel free to write- me and tell me what “i might be missing.”

***** Subs On The Run, 2801 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127, (305) 638-4646.

Got a terrific “sub shop” for you…Subs On The Run in Miami. Order at the counter/pickup at the counter/indoor seating.

Huge menu of hot-cold subs which come in two sizes…6″ and 12″. Recently did a handful of 6 inchers…chicken salad ($3.99), chicken fajitas ($4.85), tuna ($3.99), steak & onions ($4.49).

Subs On the Run “makes” some of the best subs that I’ve eaten. Great bread, terrific food, huge portions, lovely counter-people. In addition to the “run of the mill subs’ selection, this joint has a menu of breakfast subs and burger subs. For the ladies out there, Subs On The Run also has a handful of salads, so if bread ain’t your game, you’ll be just fine.

Subs On The Run is a winner.

The joint is open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday 8am-5pm, closed on Sunday.

***** CLASSIC GOLD MUSIC AWARDS *****

If you like 1960s-1980s music, I got an upcoming event that you might like to attend…CLASSIC GOLD MUSIC AWARDS, which will be held August 27-August 30, 2010 at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, Florida 33314 (954) 866-502-9529.

At this point of the discussion, I would suggest that you go to www.classicgoldmusic.com for info/tickets.

From what I understand, this 4-day charitable event will feature Rock N Roll workshops, seminars, parties, celebrity dinner-concert…with artists such as– Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad, Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals, Larry Hoppen of Orleans, ConFunkShun, Bar-Kays.

I just heard about this event…and I’m getting my “facts” together…but it sure looks like the Hard Rock for 4-days in late August is going to be a happening place—for you rockers out there.

You do your homework and I’ll do mine…I’ll be back to “talk” about this event later.