Lilly’s New Cuisine, 451 East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 362-0208.

Lilly’s New Cuisine is an Italian-semi upscale joint…Lilly’s has been around for something like 21 years and has an extremely loyal following…don’t believe me?– try and get a table on a Friday or Saturday night. Lilly’s has both indoor and patio seating.

I have been hearing about how terrific Lilly’s is since 1991. For some strange reason, last week’s dinner was my first “try” of this joint.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t know what all the screaming was-is about. I found–snapper franchese ($20.95), veal parmigiana ($24.95), zuppe di pesce fra diavlo ($28.95), chicken-ziti-broccoli ($18.95) to be okay, but nothing that I couldn’t get at almost any half-way decent Italian joint down here. For sure Lilly’s is a pretty place…it’s got that European chalet look (whatever that is), but like I said, okay food, but nothing to get nuts about. On the service front, okay, but don’t expect some 50 year old guy with an Italian accent to be taking your order—think, waitresses at Cheesecake Factory and you’ll be in the ballpark.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my meal, but it wasn’t “anything” that I would go running back-for.

Lilly’s is open Monday-Friday 11:30am-3pm and 7 days a week for dinner 5pm-10pm.

***** Outrageous Bagel Company, 8843 Southwest 107th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33176 (305) 595-0188.

Order at the counter—Pickup at the counter.

Outrageously (pun intended) good bagels, spreads, breakfast stuff, sandwiches…fancy-schmancy coffees and smoothies. Think bagel…this joint’s 24 (types) bagels are twice the size.

Recent outing had me doing… “everything” with tuna salad, “pumpernickel” with chicken salad, “onion” with egg salad. Like I said before, outrageously good stuff.

Check www.outrageousbagels.com for menu/prices.

The joint does breakfast and lunch 7 days a week.

Rosarios Ristorante, 145 Southeast Mizner Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 393-0758.

In one word…DON’T.

This Italian joint use to be called La Viola…it’s now called Rosarios, but the owner is the same guy, Rosario Lanza. Not going to go into the history of Rosarios but it started out as La Viola, got sold and the old owner is now back with a new name for the joint.

Tried… house-salad, rigatoni alla vodka, grilled chicken, filet of sole francese and eggplant parmigiana. Other than the sole and house salad which were good, the food is second rate. The chicken-pasta-eggplant were as bland as could be. Your local pizza joint serves better stuff—much better stuff. Rosarios serves 1/2 portions (for one person) and full portions (for two people)…portions are very skimpy and everything is ala carte. Some soggy-shoe leather garlic bread comes with the meal. On the pricing front—rigatoni-$13.95-$22.95, chicken (only full portions available)-$29.95, filet of sole-$18-$30.95, eggplant-$12.95-$20.95. The house-salad only comes in full-portions at $13.95 a pop.

Let’s talk service…HORRENDOUS. Food was ordered at 7:35pm and the salad arrived at (approximately) 8:15pm and everything else at 9:05pm. ***Our waiter blamed the slow food-delivery on the “kitchen” telling our party that the restaurant was very busy. What absolutely amazes me about lousy waiters is that they don’t understand that the customer couldn’t give a rat’s ass about why the meal is a disaster. All I know… I “pays” my money and I “wants” my food…and the waiter’s problems, the owner’s problems, the kitchen’s problems, shouldn’t be my problem. I personally had to ask the waiter 6 times for a water-refill, before “mission accomplished.” My requested ice-tea refill, despite 3 requests…never appeared. Dirty dishes, were left to pile-up.

This joint is bad news. You can check www.rosariosristorante.com for menu/price/photos but you really would be wasting your time.

***** A Chef’s Burger, 330 Northwest 29th Street, Miami, Florida 33127 (786) 344-5825.

Wanna eat an absolutely-delicious burger?…then you gotta try, A Chef’s Burger which makes its stuff in a truck-located at 330 Northwest 29th Street. There are 2 chairs outside to sit on, so figure on eating standing-up, in the car, or taking the burger-to-go. The fries are also pretty good, but not in the burgers’ league. I am telling you, one of the best cheeseburgers I’ve eaten.

A Chef’s Burger is open Monday-Saturday 11am-3:30pm.

***** Park Avenue BBQ Grille, 1198 North Dixie Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 416-7427.

On April 29, 2008 I told you guys about Park Avenue BBQ Grille…a small-casual-very reasonably priced-Florida based “bbq-chain.” Last night, I had dinner at Park Avenue’s newest location (#9) which just opened in Boca Raton…and the food is terrific.

Park Avenue’s newest spot—is located in the free-standing building formely occupied by Bucky’s BBQ. From what I can tell, other than hanging a few new signs and decorations, the joint has the same interior as Bucky’s had…and I gotta tell you, the cozy 98 seat dark wood table/ booth–dimly lit–small bar decor is great looking. For those of you not familar with this chain’s other 8 locations–they seat close to 150, have large bar areas and are brightly lit. Although the Boca location “looks” different than its brethren…the food is exactly the same, delicious.

Do me a favor and read my original 4/29/08 review…it will save me from doing some typing. You can check Park Avenue’s BBQ website www.pabbqgrille.com for menu/prices.

Park Avenue is one of the best bbq-joints in South Florida…The joint is open 7 days a week 11am-10pm.

***** Pelican Cafe, 612 US Highway 1, Lake Park, Florida 33403 (561) 842-7272.

Let’s call Pelican Cafe a “a cozy-neighbborhood American-style” joint…which serves breakfast-lunch and dinner. If you check its website www.the pelicancafe.com you will find menu/prices/photos so you’ll know what this joiint is all about. Let me get this out of the way, Pelican has indoor & outdoor patio seating and is closed on Monday–serves breakfast Tuesday-Saturday 8am-11:30am, lunch Tuesday-Saturday 11:30am-2:30pm, dinner Tuesday-Sunday 5pm-9:30pm, Sunday brunch 9am-2pm—these guys got more-schedules than the Long Island Railroad.

Anyway…the other day, I did breakfast at Pelican Cafe and this joint is a winner. Just so we are straight, I didn’t do lunch or dinner or brunch…but based on breakfast, I’m gonna go out on a limb and think-that lunch and dinner are also going to be real strong.

I have never really mentioned this, but old Jeff Eats is a sucker for a good donut…well, Pelican makes “home-made” donuts– plain, powdered, apple cider cinnamon, chocolate frosted, blueberry—and Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Creme better watch out…the chocolate frosted and plain were outstanding.

As for my breakfast “sampling”…banana & pecan waffles, challah french toast, western omelet—right on the money.

Like I said before, I only did breakfast—but I definitely would like to give this joint a shot for lunch and dinner. In reviewing the menus, the dinner menu is heavy on Italian stuff, which is even more reason for me to get to Pelican Cafe because I love Italian food…then again, I also love Chinese food, burgers, wings, ice cream.

Pelican Cafe…the donuts alone are worth the price of admission.

***** The Boulevard Restaurant & Gourmet Deli, 10961 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 (561) 776-8700.

You can thank me later for this one…

The Boulevard is a 7 days a week 6:30am-3pm table, booth and counter seating “diner” which for a lack of a better word is GREAT. If you eat-like-I-eat…you will absolutely love this joint. Breakfast is served all-day and the menu is loaded with all kinds of appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, entrees. For menu/prices/photos check The Boulevard’s website www.boulevardgourmetdeli.com.

The Boulevard is a throw-back to the diners which dotted the American landscape in the 1950s-60s. This is a real neighborhood joint. In no particular order, a recent outing had me “sampling” potato pancakes, western omelette, challah french toast, off the frame turkey on rye, chocolate chip pancakes, pastrami & chopped liver on a toasted everything bagel. The old diner atmosphere–The decor–The diner food…I loved the whole shooting match.

Don’t miss this one.

Like I said before, The Boulevard is open 7 days a week 6:30am-3pm.

***** China Taste Inn, 12189 US Highway 1, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408 (561) 627-8081.

Not going to waste my time describing this “mom & pop” Chinese joint’s decor for you…because, if you are over the age of 2 you already know what joints like this look like. For that matter, I’m also not going to tell you about the crappy shopping center location-menu-service, because you’ve already been there and done that. You also know that 8-14 bucks is going to get you soup-appetizer-main dish-rice-dessert, so I won’t mention that either.

Let’s get to the heart of the matter…China Taste is one of the best Chinese joints in South Florida. Not sure what’s doing in my old Brooklyn neighborhood these days, but China Taste would have been packed on Sunday nights back in the 1950s-1960s.

A recent outing had me doing… wonton soup, bbq ribs, fried wontons, egg roll, sweet & sour pork, pepper steak, general tso’s chicken, shrimp with lobster sauce—and I am telling you, the stuff is good–real good.

China Taste Inn is open for lunch Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm, for dinner Sunday-Thursday 4:30pm-10pm and Friday-Saturday 4:30pm-11pm.

***** Heart Stoppers Sports Grill, 1100 Linton Boulevard, Delray Beach, Florida 33444 (561) 276-2554.

Yesterday, I had lunch at Heart Stoppers a “diner” joint in Delray Beach. A great review in BurgerBeast www.burgerbeast.com turned me on to this restaurant which has been open about 1-month. By the way, NYC’s “Daily News” did an article about the joint on January 8, 2010 and I understand that NBC’s “Today Show” will be filming an in-store segment on Januray 27, 2010.

The best way to describe Heart Stoppers, is a neighborhood lunch-dinner DINER which is themed with “hospital equipment.” There are blood pressure machines, wheel chairs, bed pans, etc…The waitresses are pretty young ladies dressed as nurses wearing fishnet stockings… but, trust me on this, owner Iggy Lena is running a “wholesome” joint, as the costumes leave everything to the imagination. Let me put it to you this way, dads will enjoy the view and the little tots-will be just fine.

At this stage of the game take a look at Heart Stoppers’ website www.the hearstopper.com for menu/prices.

Heart Stoppers’ menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, subs, wings, desserts. Yesterday, I sampled in no particular order…sliders, french fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries, philly cheese steak sub, chicken wings, fried twinkies/oreos.

Now let’s talk turkey…I thought that the “hospital theme” was cute, but a bit on the gimmericky side …then again, it was the theme– that caught the Daily News and Today Show’s attention—Now let’s talk food. I enjoyed everything that I tried…the food is very good and reasonably priced. The fried twinkies/oreos topped with whipped cream are worth the price of admission alone. By the way, the three nurses on duty were extremely competent and from what I saw, kept the food “rolling” (hospital carts are used to deliver orders) out of the kitchen…owner, Iggy is a super host.

Just so you know, Heart Stoppers is located in-line in a large crappy-shopping center on Linton Boulevard…so you may want to set the old GPS or get driving instructions before venturing out.

Heart Stoppers is a lunch-dinner joint. It is real casual— and has a bar area (beer) with plenty of flat-screen tvs.

I really enjoyed Heart Stoppers…its menu is right up my alley—loaded with stuff that give cardiologists nightmares…then again, you only go-round once.

Heart Stoppers is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Carlo of Boca, 7491 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33487, (561) 988-9699.

Last night, dinner at a very good–very reasonably priced– 96-seat Italian joint…Carlo of Boca.

Carlo has been open for something like 1 1/2 years…on March 27, 2009 the Sun Sentinel gave the joint 3 1/2 out of 4 stars. You can check menu/prices at www.carloofboca.com.

Carlo of Boca is probably as good, if not better than your favorite “mom & pop” red sauce Italian joint…and a whole lot better looking. The decor is upscale–no pizza joint counter (by the way, Carlo doesn’t make pizza), but your tee shirts/shorts will work quite well here.

Last night, I did minestrone soup, veal parmigiana, shrimp scampi, penne alla vodka, chicken marsala, penne with marinara sauce, tartufo. All entrees come with soup or salad, pasta side, garlic bread. To give you a point of reference, that veal parm entree was $18.95. Just so you know, I thought that the minestrone was one of the best that I have had in recent years…I also ranked the tartufo as being right up there.

Carlo’s food is very good. Like I said before, it is probably better than most of the “mom & pop” joints which dot the South Florida landscape. Throw in the no-pizza joint look, very professional wait-staff and owner Luis Bolivar Sr. charmingly-visiting every table in the joint–and you got a real good place for lunch or dinner.

Carlo of Boca has one heavy duty drawback…it is located in one of the crappiest shopping centers-going…you know the kind of center, where half the stores are vacant, another being a “Christmas” store–and you can’t see Carlo unless you are already in the center. Absolute–horrendous location. Simply put, if this joint was in a good location, I’d bet that the lines would be out the door to get in. Thus far, Carlo is making-it on “word of mouth.”

I’m gonna rate Carlo a “must try.” I really enjoyed the food. Found the prices just right…and I enjoyed the attentive and professional service by Luis and his wait staff

Carlo of Boca is open for dinner 7 days a week 4pm-10pm…Carlo also serves lunch Tuesday-Friday 11am-3:30pm.