***** Mike’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant, 4254 Southwest 152nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33186 (305) 551-2040.

Recently had dinner at a Kendall “mom & pop–red sauce” Italian joint…Mike’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant.

Did pizza, veal parmigiana, chicken milanase, eggplant parmigiana—food was A-okay, fairly priced.

If I lived in the neighborhood, I’d definitely consider it for eat-in/takeout.

You can check its website www.mikespizzaonline.com for menu/prices/photos.

Mike’s is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm.

***** South Garden Chinese Restaurant, 10855 Southwest 72nd Street, Miami, Florida 33173.

Got a good Chinese joint for you…South Garden Chinese Restaurant in Miami.

Check www.southgardenrestaurant.com for menu/prices.

A recent outing had me doing some of my “Brooklyn” favorites…wonton soup, egg rolls, bbq spare ribs, sweet & sour chicken, pepper steak, general tso’ chicken, roast pork fried rice, shrimp with black bean sauce—like I said before, GOOD. For sure, some dishes were better than others, with the sweet & sour chicken and general tso’s chicken being dishes that I would definitely order again…the rest of the stuff, was ok-but definitely nothing to get nuts over. For you dim sum fans, the joint has a real nice cart-selection…the bbq pork buns and fried shrimp buns were very good.

On the price front…South Garden has plenty of “specials”– so you soup-egg roll-roast pork fried rice-entree players won’t be disappointed.

Let’s sum this one up this way—better than most “neighborhood” joints…

South Garden is open Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 10:30am-9:30pm.

***** Smoke’t Southern Kitchen & Tap, 1450 South Dixie Highway, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, (305) 669-8338.

I’m now gonna tell you about a great and I do mean great “bbq” joint…Smoke’t Southern Kitchen & Tap located in Coral Gables.

First things first…check the joint’s website www.smoketbbq.com for menu/prices/photos. Trust me on this…the food tastes as good as the menu “reads.” Service is real good. Prices are reasonable.

A recent outing had me eating like a pig… just so you know entrees come with 2-sides—-rack of baby backs ($23.95)—bbq beef ribs ($14.95)—1/2 bbq chicken ($13.95)—pulled chicken/pulled brisket/pulled pork sliders (3 sliders with fries are gonna run you $9.95)—1/2 fried chicken ($12.25)— french fries—sweet potato fries…

I am telling you, the food is outrageously good. The bbq dishes are smoked, but not overly smoked…trust me, you’ll love this stuff. The fried chicken was absolutely dynamite…same goes for the sliders, each was on a nice soft bun-meat/chicken piled high/onion strings–side of french fries.

Let me do it this way…Smoke’t is one of the best bbq restaurants going. Cool decor, full bar, live music—terrific food.

Smoke’t is 7 days a week for lunch 11:30am-5:30pm and for dinner Sunday-Tuesday 5:30pm-1pm and Wednesday-Saturday 5:30pm-11pm.

***** Grande’s Bella Cucina, 4580 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 (561) 932-0840.

I think that the best way to begin Grande’s Bella Cucina’s review is for you guys to go to www.grandesitalianrestaurants.com. Checkout this joint’s menu/prices/photos.

Personally I got mixed feelings about this “upscale” Italian joint. For sure, the “sampled dinner” linguini with white clam sauce ($23)–chicken milanase ($26)–grilled veal chop ($39)–fried calamari ($12) were all just fine…but when I was eating at Grande’s with its fancy dining room, in-house bakery store, indoor/outdoor patio seating—I kept thinking LEONARD’S OF GREAT NECK…Now you New Yorkers out there will know exactly what I’m talking about here…for you–others, checkout www.leonardscatering.com for details.

Like I said before, the food is decent enough- as is the service…the prices although a drop-high are also okay…but something about this joint says to me “it’s all staged”—whatever that means.

Grande’s is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 9am (breakfast)-9pm.

***** Jim’s Place Restaurant, 901 West Indiantown Road, Jupiter, Florida 33458 (561) 746-6216.

“Hole In The Wall” breakfast-lunch joint.

Jim’s is open Monday-Friday for breakfast & lunch- 6am-1:30pm…Saturday for breakfast only- 6am-noon…Sunday for breakfast only-7am-noon.

Jim’s is my kind-a of joint…good solid breakfast and lunch stuff…absolutely nothing fancy here.

Recently did…western omelet, cheeseburger, french fries, meat loaf on texas toast, philly cheese steak, texas toast french toast. This is real diner food…and I loved it.

You can check Jim’s website jimsplacerestaurant.com for menu/prices.

***** Manzo’s Italian Deli, 2260 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409, (561) 697-9411.

I love a great “sub”…please feel free to insert- “hoagie”–“hero”–“grinder” if you like. Anyway…I got an absolutely terrific sub-joint for you—Manzo’s Italian Deli in West Palm Beach. You can check the joint’s website www.manzositaliandeli.com for menu/prices.

Can’t exactly describe it, but Manzo’s “hero bread” is outrageoulsy good. Recently did, a chicken parm ($7.95)–philly cheese steak ($8.45)–sausage/peppers/onion ($7.95)–chicken salad ($7.45) sub-hoagie-hero-grinder and like I said before, absolutely delicious.

Manzo’s Italian is an order-at/pickup-at counter joint.

Manzo’s is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.

***** Bagel Boyz, 11300 Legacy Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 (561) 296-2917.

Think Einstein Bros. Bagels…and you got Bagel Boyz which has 3 locations–2 are in Palm Beach Gardens and 1 is in Jupiter. Squint your eyes—and the decor/menu of this order at/pickup at the counter “bagel-deli” joint will have you thinking that you are in an Einstein’s store. ***For those of you who have never been in an Einstein Bros. forget what I just said.

Take a look at www.bagel-boyz.com for menu/prices/locations.

Personally, I go for the “mom & pop” sit down-order from the waitress- bagel-deli concept…not too keen (with an exception here and there) on the fast-food bagel concept. That said, loads of people love Einstein (Mrs. Jeff Eats included) so just maybe there is something to be said for steamed bagels and McDonald’s type service…like I just said, not really my cup of tea.

I recently tried the Bagel Boyz on Legacy Avenue…did an “everything” bagel with cream cheese, “rye” bagel with lox cream cheese, “western omelet,” french toast—let’s call the stuff OK! Reasonable prices, quick-pleasant service.

Bagel Boyz is open Monday-Friday 6:30am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 7am-3pm.

***** Strathmore Bagels, 4095 State Road 7, Wellington, Florida 33467 (561) 357-0044.

Strathmore Bagels is one of the best “bagel-deli” joints in South Florida.

Before we go any further, this review is about the Strathmore Bagels located in Wellington. There are other Strathmore–South Florida locations…I have not tried any of those. Not sure of the exact details, but the Welligton store is owned/operated by Strathmore’s founder Jerry Steuerman–the other locations are franchise-operations.

A recent outing had me trying, potato pancakes ($6.95), challah french toast ($6.95), western omelette ($8.95), tuna salad platter ($9.95), chicken salad platter ($9.95), corned beef on rye ($8.95), pastrami on rye ($8.95), brisket on rye ($8.95), “everything” bagel”–“sesame bagel”–“pumpernickel bagel”…like I said before, Strathmore is one of the best bagel-deli joints down here—the food is right on the money.

Just so we are straight, the deli meats are not–I repeat–not in the same league as the stuff that you get at “full-time-real” delis like Pastrami Queen, Pomperdale’s, Ben’s…but in all fairness, I will tell you, that Strathmore is putting out a nice product at real reasonable prices.

You can check www.strathmorebagels.com for menu/prices/photos.

Strathmore Bagels is a winner.

The joint is open 7 days a week 6:30am-2:30pm for eat-in and 3:30pm for takeout.

***** Mr. G’s Ristorante, 207 North State Road 7, Margate, Florida 33063, (954) 972-2230.

Mr. G’s is an “Italian-Seafood” joint…it has been around in one form or another since 1970…the current owners, John & Jeannie Francis have been running the show since November, 2001.

Over the past 19 years, I must have driven by Mr. G’s free standing building something like 250 times…each time saying to myself “Hey Jeff, you ought to try that joint out”…well, last week, I finally stopped and gave Mr. G’s a shot.

Take a look at Mr. G’s website www.mrgsristorante.com for menu/prices/photos.

My recent outing had me trying entrees– veal parmigiana ($15.50), chicken francese ($14.50), lasagna ($14.40), norweigan salmon ($16.50) and appetizers–crab cake ($9.50), lobster raviloi ($9.50). The verdict: not sure what Mr. G’s was like before John & Jeannie took over, but the food that they are currently “preparing” is delicious and priced right. Service is pleasant and the joint has the “feel” of a real neighborhood mom & pop…where they care about their customers and do everything to please them.

Mr. G’s has a nice menu of appetizers, salads, Italian and seafood dishes. The joint is open for dinner only, Tuesday-Sunday 4:30pm-9pm.

I really enjoyed Mr. G’s. Give this one a shot.

***** Bagel Snack Restaurant & Deli, 1237 South Powerline Road, Pompano Beach, Florida 33061 (954) 974-4564.

Got a really good “NY STYLE BAGEL DELI” joint for you…Bagel Snack in Pompano Beach. Check menu/prices at www.lauderdalemenus.com.

Bagel Snack’s menu is loaded with real good– breakfast stuff, salads, sandwiches, lox-deli meats…and absolutely terrific– bagels and bialys.

You know and I know, that bagel-deli joints are a dime-a-dozen down here in South Florida…Bagel Snack is definitely one of the best ones.

Nothing more to say, except…the joint is open 7 days a week-6:30am-3pm.