***** Erica’s Breakfast & Lunch, 4953 Chalet Boulevard, Boynton Beach, Florida 33426 (561) 364-7044.

Erica’s is a “breakfast & lunch” diner located in Boynton Beach. This bare-bones decorwise- 55 seater is open 7 days a week 6:30am-2:30pm.

This morning I did breakfast at Erica’s, sampling…western omelette (6.39), sausage & cheese omelette ($6.39), blueberry pancakes ($3.39), hash browns, oatmeal–good diner food. I also had an everything bagel and a pumpernickel bagel–Just so you know, Erica’s also sells bagels “by the dozen” for $7.99…that said, Erica’s doesn’t make its own bagels—and the everything & pumpernickel bagels that I had were just passable.

Erica’s menu has the usual breakfast suspects—eggs, pancakes, french toast… 8 cold sandwiches… 9 hot sandwiches…6 salads…3 blue plate specials. The most expensive item on the menu is its BLT sandwich which goes for $7.89.

Like I said before, absolutely nothing fancy here.

I love the Erica’s of this world. Good food. Good prices. Super pleasant owner (Chuck) and waitstaff. If this joint had better bagels it would be a homerun.

A very nice joint for a good inexpensive breakfast or lunch.

***** Slainte Irish Pub, 1500 Gateway Boulevard, Boynton Beach, Florida 33426 (561) 742-4190.

Slainte Irish Pub is an “Irish pub” (that figures) located in Boynton Beach. I’m gonna figure that you know what joints like this look like, so I won’t bore you with the fine-details. You can check menu/prices at www.slaintepubs.com.

I recently did a Saturday night dinner at Slainte…and I got to tell you, the food is real good. Just so you know, I sampled hamburger sliders ($6.95), grilled chicken sliders ($6.95), roast beef sliders ($7.95), shepherd’s pie ($13.95), fish & chips ($14.95)—everything was just fine.

When you check Slainte’s website, check its entertainment schedule…every night there is live music—featuring some of the best up-and-coming South Florida bands…the waitstaff at this joint is as pleasant as can be—and seemingly isn’t pressured to turn tables, so enjoy the music during and after the meal.

Slainte is a homerun—good food & good music The joint is open 7 days a week from 11:30am-2am.

***** Eco Yogurt Lounge, 1200 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33431.

I guess when it rains it pours…on April 12, 2010– I told you guys about a “self serve” yogurt joint, Orange Leaf which had recently opened in Boca Raton. Real simple concept, get an empty cup, you-fill it with yogurt and toppings…cup gets weighed and you pay by the ounce. Well, low and behold, another “one” of these self-serve type joints, Eco Yogurt Lounge opened last week on Yamato Road in Boca Raton. Exact same concept, something like 12 flavors, toppings, cups, scale. According to its website www.ecoyogurtlounge.com this joint is owned and operated by 2-medical doctors.

Anyway…I really-only wish these two MDs well, but they really should stick to practicing medicine. Unlike Orange Leaf, Eco isn’t a franchise…and apparently these two folks designed this store all on their own…All I can say, WHAT A MESS. The joint is “all white” with white leather couches for seating–the yogurt machines are- stuck all the way in the back of the store…let’s put it this way, when you walk in the joint, it looks like an upscale martini bar that you would find in South Beach, not a yogurt-ice cream store.

I tried the vanilla-yogurt. Nothing special one way or the other.

Eco Yogurt is open 7 days a week 11am-11pm. Like I said before, I wish the owners well, but the store’s decor “to me” is an absolute turnoff-from the get-go.

***** Piccola Italia, 1692 Coral Way, Coral Gables, Florida 33145 (305) 856-7744.

Piccola Italia is a “brick oven” takeout only—pizza joint in Coral Gables. This joint has an amazing long–very reasonably priced menu packed with pizzas, pastas, salads, sandwiches. You can check www.piccolaitaliapizza.com for menu/prices.

Like I just said, this is a takeout joint…so don’t plan on sitting down for a leisurely lunch or dinner.

Let’s talk food…I absolutely loved the 16″ thin crusted-sweet sauce pizza that I had for $12.99. I also thought that the meat lasagna ($9.95), 14″ chicken parmigiana sub ($8), tortellini alfredo ($9.50) that I had was delicious. This takeout’s food is probably as good as the stuff served by your favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint. Just so you know, I picked up–and reheated my stuff when I got home to Boca.

Got one problem with this joint…that being it’s not in my neighborhood.

If you live or work near Piccola Italia, you now got a great takeout joint to get stuff from. Piccola is open Tuesday-Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday noon-11pm and Sunday 1pm-11pm…the joint is closed on Monday.

***** Blue Stone Circle *****

Last night I attended a private party at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton. The Club sponsored event “Summer Kick-Off” was held in the main ballroom and was attended by 315 guests.

The evening’s entertainment was provided by BLUE STONE CIRCLE a 6-member band based in Orlando, Florida. This was one of the best party-bands that I have seen in South Florida. Just so you know, Blue Stone Circle is the “house band” at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaretiville at Citywalk-Universal Studios. Blue Stone Circle has played there, Tuesday-Saturday nights for the past 7 years. Prior to its current gig, the band worked Disney’s Pleasure Island for 5 years.

Blue Stone Circle is a terrific cover band…great versions of Shout-Good Loving-Sweet Caroline-Brick House. The band’s playlist is loaded with hits from the 1950s-2010. Check the band’s website www.bluestonecircle.com for video.

The next time you are in Universal’s neigborhood, check Blue Stone Circle (5 guys and 1 gal) out…they really are that good!!

One final thought, if you need a great party band…this band should be on your short list. I am telling you, they really are something very special.

***** Bruegger’s, 2146 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 391-7993.

Bruegger’s is a “self serve” franchise bagel joint…according to its website www.brueggers.com there are currently 290 locations in 24 states.

For a point of reference…think Einstein Bros. Bagels or Offerdahl’s Cafe Grill—and you pretty much got the menu–price points–decor-of Bruegger’s. The above website has full menu details…to shortcut it for you, all types of bagels & cream cheeses, breakfast/and other sandwiches, soups, salads.

A recent outing had me “sampling”…asiago parmesan bagel, everything bagel, pumpernickel bagel—very very good, soft on the inside and just crispy enough on the outside. I also did, a western omelette on a toasted onion bagel and a 4-cheese broccoli soup—each was quite good.

To be perfectly honest with you, I like the “action” of the NY style- bagel-deli joints–you know— formica tables, sassy waitresses, loud countermen…that said, Bruegger’s ” mid America white bread” approach to the bagel business was a real nice outing.

Bruegger’s does breakfast and lunch 7 days a week.

***** Orange Leaf Self Serve Frozen Yogurt, 16950 Jog Road, Delray Beach, Florida 33446.

This is an easy one…Orange Leaf Self Serve Frozen Yogurt—is a “self serve frozen yogurt” joint. If you check www.orangeleafyogurt.com you will find that this a franchise operation which currently has joints in Arizona, California, Hawaii and a whole bunch of other states …and that the Delray Beach store, which opened about 3 weeks ago, is the chain’s first spot in Florida. Just so you know, there are plans to open a second location in Mizner Park in Boca Raton. The website will also give you flavors and toppings.

The concept is simple…something like 13-14 different flavors. Tons of toppings. You get a cup and fill it all by yourself with all of the yogurt and toppings that you want. Then the cup is weighed at the front register and you pay by the ounce…figure something like 33 cents an ounce.

I was in there the other day and I really like the concept. I have seen other “versions” of the-help yourself concept- in Tucson and Los Angeles, namely “By The Ounce” and “Yogurtland”… That said, if you “got a heavy hand” those 33 cents really pile on, so out of nowhere a cup of yogurt could cost you 4-5 bucks a pop….soooo— go easy filling those cups.

Now you regular readers know that old Jeff Eats isn’t the biggest fan when it comes to yogurt…I’m more a Dairy Queen, Carvel, kinda guy and I love Italian ices. Anyway…Mrs. Jeff Eats and Daughter Jeff Eats loved the stuff and my “personal” sampling wasn’t all-that unpleasant. Between the three of us we “had” pistachio, oreo cookie, snickers, strawberry banana. Like I said, figure with toppings you are gonna spend $4+.

Now something for the franchisee of this joint. Personally, I think that your Jog location stinks. From what I can tell, you spent a nice penny on your build-out, but the strip center that you are in has absolutely no foot traffic whatsoever. Take it from me, you need a ton of people at 4 bucks a pop to make a go of a yogurt/ice cream store down here in South Florida. After the novelty wears off, I think that you will find it really rough sledding based on the location. As for your second spot in Mizner Park…I think before you sink your hard earned cash into that location, that you think it over again real hard. Mizner EXCEPT for weekend nights is DEADSVILLE. Feel free to drop me a line anytime and I’ll be more than happy to give you a list of what I think are far superior locations.

Orange Leaf is open 7 days a week.

***** Biddy Early’s Irish Restaurant, 3419 North Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 (954) 567-1990.

Biddy Early’s is an “Irish Pub”…you know what these joints look like, so we won’t waste time discussing the decor.

I recently had dinner “sampling”…philly cheesesteak sandwich ($7.95), cheeseburger ($7.95), shepherds pie ($9.50), chicken pot pie ($9.50), fish n chips ($10.95)…the food is just fine—that said I found the menu a bit skimpy in the selection department…like I said, the food is okay, nothing special, just decent enough pub food.

You can check www.biddyearlysflorida.com for menu/prices/photos. By the way, Biddy’s got the requisite dart night, poker night, live music night…

I’m gonna call this a NEIGHBORHOOD joint…like, if you live in the neighborhood, it’s worth a shot.

Biddy Early’s is open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-1am, Friday 11:30am-2am, Saturday 9:30am-2am, Sunday 11am-1am.

Buffalo Wings & Rings, 4443 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073 (954) 978-9688.

Buffalo Wings & Rings is a “sports bar”…playing the wings & curly french fries card. I recently did dinner at the Buffalo Wings in Coconut Creek which has both indoor and patio seating. From what I understand, another location is under construction at 1501 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach. Just so you know, Buffalo Wings is a chain operation…according to its website it has 50 locations in 13 states. You can check locations/menu/photos at www.buffalowingsfl.com.

Buffalo has a nice menu…plenty of appetizers, soups, salads, wings, sandwiches, burgers…I did boneless wings and curly fries. The wings were lightly breaded and there was something like 45 different sauce combinations. I mixed it up and did garlic parmesan, sweet & sour, teriyaki—the wings were fair…sauces were bland, same-fair goes for the curly fries. I also did a bacon cheeseburger and a pulled pork sandwich—also–just fair.

Let me be blunt…for a joint that supposedly specializes in WINGS…Buffalo didn’t get the job done.

Like I said before, this is a “sports bar”…booths, real casual, full bar, tv sets galore. You know the drill.

The joint is open, Monday-Saturday 11am-2am and Sunday 11am-midnight.

***** Nexxt Cafe, 700 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida 33139 (305) 532-6566.

This afternoon (Good Friday), I was down in South Beach- playing “tourist” with my wife and two visiting kids…Lincoln Road was absolutely packed. Anyway…I gave Nexxt Cafe an “American style diner with a full bar” a shot…think Cheesecake Factory with indoor and huge-outdoor patio seating and-you got the picture. Check www.nexxtcafe.com for menu.

Nexxt’s menu is loaded with “everything” that your little heart could desire…appetizers, salads, pizza, pastas, mexican stuff, burgers, sandwiches, meat/seafood/chicken entrees. The prices aren’t bad. Service is good. The food is very good. The portions are very-very generous.

For lunch, I sampled…burger sliders (4 for $9.95), orange chicken ($18.95), caesar salad with grilled chicken ($14.95), beef stir fry salad ($13.95). All 4 dishes were very good. I will tell you, that the orange chicken which came on a bed of white rice, was one of the best “orange chicken” dishes that I have had in recent memory. The sauce was extremely tasty and the chicken had a super thin crust. Let me also mention, that the orange chicken dish can easily feed 3 people, samething for the caesar salad, absolutely humongous. The beef stir fry is good for 2 people.

Now, you and I both know, that much of South Beach is nothing but a “tourist trap”…well, Nexxt Cafe gives tourists and “us” locals a great meal for the money.

Just a heads up…a 15% gratuity is automatically applied to parties 5 and under and 18% is applied to parties 6 and over…

The joint is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-11:30pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-12:30am.