***** Joe’s Riverside Grille, 125 North Riverside Drive, Pompano Beach, Florida 33062 (954) 941-8499.

Joe’s Riverside Grille is a casual–very good–moderatley priced SEAFOOD RESTAURANT that overlooks the Intracoastal…if seafood is NOT your game—this joint ain’t for you. While- the menu is loaded with seafood appetizers and entrees, it has a VERY LIMITED selection of meat-chicken items.

A recent outing had me “sampling”, baked onion soup, baked clams oreganato, snapper francaise, blackened tuna, shrimp scampi, almond crusted snapper and filet mignon. This joint’s food is very good. On the price front, the seafood entrees run something like 25-27 bucks a piece, the clams fetch 6 for $10, the onion soup 4 bucks, and the filet mignon $31. You can check Joe’s website www.joesriversidegrille.com for menu/prices.

Like I said before, this a casual joint and the food is very good. You can eat inside or outside overlooking the water.

Joe’s is open Sunday-Thursday 5pm-10pm and Friday & Saturday 5pm-11pm.

***** Romeo’s Restaurant & Pizza, 4917 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33415 (561) 471-9695.

As the famous poet lauerate Soupy Sales once said, “Watch your weight, or you’ll have more chins than there are in a Chinese phonebook”…that said, “mom & pop—red sauce” Romeo’s Restaurant & Pizza is the kinda joint that I could eat at everyday. Real simple…good food…really cheap prices. Don’t believe me on the ” really cheap” part?…how about veal parmigiana dinner $12.95—chicken marsala dinner $12.95—shrimp parmigiana dinner $15.95—stuffed shells dinner $9.95—large pizza $12.50…by the way, the dinners come with garlic knots, choice of soup or salad and pasta side—and the portions ARE NOT SKIMPY.

Checkout Romeo’s menu/prices at www.romeospizzawestpalm.com.

Gourmet food? Now let’s not be stupid here. This is a red sauce joint, but I am telling you, the food is good and the prices are right. Absolutely nothing fancy here…just solid-good food priced right.

Romeo’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Whiskey Tango, 1903 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Florida 33020 (954) 925-2555.

I recently gave Whiskey Tango a shot… and I have to tell you, that I really enjoyed this very casual “American Style” sports bar. Good “bar food”–Reasonable prices–TVs–Rock Bands on the weekend–Indoor and outdoor patio. Check Whiskey’s website www/whiskeytangofl.com for menu/prices/photos.

Whiskey Tango is a very casual joint, your tee shirt and shorts will work here. The joint’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. A recent outing had me doing–in no particular order…a bacon cheeseburger, bbq babyback ribs, shrimp scampi, “chicken thumbs” which are chicken fingers fried and coated with Cap’n Crunch Ceral, Philly cheese steak wrap—and I gotta tell you, for BAR FOOD the stuff is real-good…

Like I said before, I really enjoyed this joint. If you are looking for “fancy” this joint ain’t for you…but if you are looking for decent enough food, real casual atmosphere, some rock n’ roll music—just a plain old good time, I think you will really enjoy this joint.

Whiskey Tango is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Renzo’s Cafe & Pizzeria, 1906 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33496 (561) 994-0170.

In Boca, there are a handful of joints that have the name RENZO’s in their “title.” Just so there is no misunderstanding here—I’m talking about the Renzo’s Cafe & Pizzeria that’s right across from Calusa Elementary School on Clint Moore Road.

Okay…you can eat in (there a handful of tables inside and outside)–but, this is basically a takeout pizza joint. A “what you’d expect” red-sauce menu—appetizers, soups, salads, subs, pastas, calzones, pizza, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. You can check the menu/prices at www.renzoswest.com.

Tried this joint the other night and it is really good. “Sampled” a plain old large pizza, veal parm, chicken marsala, linguini-white clam sauce…like, I said really good—especially enjoyed the pizza which was thin-crispy-sweet sauce.

This is a neighborhood joint.

So you WEST Bocaratonians- now know about a really good joint for eat-in/takeout…that is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Sequenom Inc.

When Jeff Eats started, I told you guys that every so often I would mention a stock situation that might be of interest to you. We all know what happened to the “market” over the past 2 years…that said, you might like to look at Sequenom Inc (NASDQ: SQNM: $3.82).

YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE…this company which is involved in medical-gene diagnostic tests has been under a huge and I do mean huge cloud of bad-news.

Now no promises or guarantees here…but my research tells me, that 2010 could be a huge-year for this stock, as the cloud of bad news finally passes.

***** That Cool Cafe, 19048 Northeast 29th Avenue, Aventura, Florida 33180 (305) 931-9244.

Let me be up front…That Cool Cafe is NOT my kinda joint—that said, Mrs. Jeff Eats and Daughter Jeff Eats found this yogurt-panini-wraps-coffee-cereal-salad-smoothies-juice bar-joint to be absolutely dynamite.

When you come from a Brooklyn-background circa 1950s-60s where corner–candystores-delis-24 hour diners-pizza joints- were a-way of life, these “healthy” yogurt-panini-wraps-coffee-cereal-salad-smoothies-juice bar joints are a strange animal. Personally, I’d rather have 2 slices and a large Coke, or 2 Nathan’s hot dogs with a large FF any day, than a cup of low fat-low calorie yogurt topped with strawberries–or a large scoop of tuna salad surrounded by a bed of lettuce—but then again, each to their own.

Anyway…if you are “into” eating—–HEALTHY or whatever the pitch is, That Cool Cafe is for you. Like I said, Mrs. and Miss Jeff Eats absolutely loved this order at/pickup at the counter breakfast-lunch-dinner joint. You can check That Cool Cafe’s menu/prices at www.thatcoolcafe.com.

By the way, I kinda liked that vanilla-almond yogurt that they make…but trust me, it’s no match for a DQ chocolate heath bar “Blizzard”…

Lucky Palace Chinese Restaurant, 21659 State Road 7, Boca Raton, Florida 33428 (561) 487-33428.

Lucky Palace Chinese Restaurant is a “mom & pop” joint located in Boca Raton. Let me make this real simple, I found the food to be second-rate. Over the years down here in South Florida, I have eaten my fair share of Chinese food…this was not a good outing.

Yesterday I did..spare ribs, lobster in black bean sauce, steamed dumplings, moo shoo pork—very disappointing to say the least.

The spare ribs were covered in a “sauce” that was absolutely horrendous… the bbq sauce tasted like catsup diluted in water…to be perfectly honest with you, the ribs had no flavor whatsoever. The lobster was fair, nothing I would be running back for. The dumplings were ok…but the moo shoo was beyond terrible…just imagine moo shoo pork floating and I do mean floating in a sea of tasteless sauce.

This joint is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

BAD News!

***** Johnnie Brown’s, 301 East Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33483 (561) 243-9911.

Back on May 26, 2009, I told you guys about Johnnie Brown’s…at that time, Johnnie Brown’s was “under-construction” and was expected to open in October, 2009. Well!…Johnnie’s didn’t make the October date, but did open this past Wednesday (December 9, 2009). Do me a favor and read that original “review” so I don’t have to waste time typing the same background info…

Last night I ate at Johnnie Brown’s and I will bet you anything, that this “American Style–Roadhouse–Make Believe Biker Bar” joint is a major homerun. This joint has outdoor covered patio seating and indoor seating…to say that this is an easy going joint would be an understatement—your tee shirt/shorts/flip-flops ensemble is perfect. At this juncture, take a look at Johnnie’s website www.johnniebrowns.com for menu/prices.

Johnnie Brown’s has a full outdoor patio bar…a menu loaded with reasonably priced appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, wings, bbq ribs. Last night I did—house salad, beef sliders, bbq ribs, grilled chicken breast, onion rings, french fries, sweet potatoes fries, jalepeno corn bread—trust me on this one, the food is outrageously good. The only item that I didn’t care for– was the jalepeno corn bread which came with the ribs, thought it was kinda bland tasting…the sweet potato fries were easily some of the best that I’ve ever eaten–and over the years, I’ve eaten my fair share of sweet potato fries. On the service side, now remember the joint was only open 3 days, was excellent. Our waitress, Rhonda knew the menu inside and out…the food came out right on time, beers, sodas and waters were constantly attended to—this joint was operating as if it had been opened 30 years.

Johnnie Brown’s “looks-like a biker-bar” (think Pee Wee Herman!)…neon signs—great ambiance. So—great decor—great food—great service—reasonable prices—and live-bands playing nightly and you got HOMERUN.

Don’t miss Johnnie Brown’s which is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Mondo’s American Bistro, 713 US Highway #1, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408 (561) 844-3396.

Mondo’s American Bistro…let’s call this joint an “American-style” restaurant…very handsome, dark woods, full bar, very reasonable prices. Checkout its website at www.mondos.com for menu/prices/loads of decor pictures.

Mondo’s has been around since 1991 and has a great menu—loads of appetizers, soups, salads, wings, burgers, pizzas, pastas, Mexican stuff, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. As I said before, very reasonable prices, including early-bird and other specials.

I loved this joint…great looking, huge menu, pleasant waitstaff… On this outing, I did a sesame crusted snapper, roast chicken, seafood linguine, bacon cheeseburger, shrimp scampi…all delicious.

Let me make this real simple…this joint is a winner.

I highly recommend that you give this joint which is open Monday-Friday 11am-10pm, Saturday 4pm-10pm, Sunday 4pm-9pm a shot.

***** Aunt Mary’s Bagels, 12189 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33025 (954) 432-3339.

Aunt Mary’s is a “bagel-deli” joint…handful of tables. Decent enough bagels, breakfast stuff, sandwiches, deli meats, appetizing.

Let’s call Aunt Mary’s which is open Monday-Saturday 6:30am-3pm and Sunday 7am-1pm a “decent enough” LOCAL-NEIGHBORHOOD bagel deli joint.