***** Canton Palace Chinese Restaurant, 7980 Southwest 8th Street, Miami, Florida 33144, (305) 264-9444.

Now I’ve seen it all…a Chinese restaurant that “translates” its English menu into Spanish…I’ve been in Chinese joints where wontons are “called” kreplach but last night was the first time that I ever encountered…pan fried dumplings (empanadas fritas)—egg rolls (rollitos de huevo). If you like, you can guess what– carnaribes en salsa de frijoles negros and carne con cebollas y pirrento are.

Anyway…the point of this discussion—Canton Palace Chinese makes some of the best Chinese food that I’ve had down here in South Florida. Last night’s dinner had me doing, wonton soup, pan fried pork dumplings, egg rolls, roast pork fried rice, shrimp with black bean sauce, pepper steak, honey garlic chicken, mu shu pork. This is a “mom & pop” operation—if you are over the age of 2, you know exactly what the joint looks like. You also know that there all kinds of specials—soup-appetizer-main dish-white rice-dessert for 9-10 bucks. For you dim sum eaters, dim sum is served all day.

No fooling here…Canton Palace Chinese is really good. You can check menu/prices at Urbanspoon (a great restaurant review source) www.urbanspoon.com.

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

***** Antonio’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant, 619 East Dania Beach Boulevard, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, (954) 923-5151.

I love good—pizza, shrimp scampi, veal parmigiana, baked manicotti, fettuccini alfredo and meat lasagna…so I’m gonna tell you about Antonio’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant in Dania Beach.

Antonio’s is a really good-reasonably priced “mom & pop red sauce” joint. Perfect for your tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble. The joint’s menu has the full-boat of appetizers, calzones, pastas, pizzas, hot & cold subs, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. You know the game, the entrees come with soup or salad-pasta side-garlic rolls…the shrimp scampi was $18.95…the lasagna went out at $11.95…the veal parmigiana ran me $17.50…the baked manicotti set me back $10.50…the fettuccine alfredo was $13.95…and the the 16″ pizza goes for $17. Like I said before, the food is really good. I especially liked the lasagna and manicotti.

Now—if we live in West Palm Beach or Wellington are we gonna make a special trip to eat at Antonio’s? I don’t think so. But—if we live or work in or near Antonio’s Dania Beach neighborhood we now have a real good joint to eat at or takeout from.

Antonio’s Pizzeria is open Tuesday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday noon-11pm, Sunday 3pm-10pm. The joint is close on Monday.

***** Lucarella’s, 4165 North Dixie Highway, Oakland Park, Florida 33334, (954) 630-8855.

Lucarella’s is a red sauce Italian takeout “pizzeria-deli-bakery”…don’t let the joint’s “dumpy” storefront scare you off—trust me on this one– some of the best pizzas, calzones, hot/cold subs, salads, pastas, meat/chicken/seafood dishes, baked goods that you will ever bring home.

Check Lucarella’s menu/prices at www.lucarellas.com.

I recently did… 18″ plain pizza ($12.99), chicken parmigiana calzone ($5.25), 6″ sausage-peppers-onion sub ($6.50), 6″ chicken salad sub ($6.50), caprese salad ($8.99), meat lasagna dinner (includes entree, garlic roll, house salad, pasta side $9.99), large chocolate cannoli ($3.95) and the stuff was absolutely delicious.

For you speed-readers out there…THIS IS A RED SAUCE TAKEOUT JOINT. If “mom & pop” stuff is your game (it’s mine)– you gotta give Lucarella’s a shot.

Lucarella’s is open Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

***** Sweeter Days Bake Shop, 1497 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304, (954) 396-3979.

Well it’s that time of the year…when Publix, Costco and Walmart “start” the HURRICANE SEASON…if you’ve been down here in old-South Florida for any length of time, you know exactly what I’m talking about…all of a sudden the weathermen start talking about this possible– tropical depression and this possible tropical storm and this possible hurricane—and us-guys run out to Publix-Costco-Walmart and loadup on bottle waters-batteries–candles–and God only knows what else…

Anyway…this year, I’m “doing it” another way…when the weathermen start talking–I’m going to Sweeter Days Bake Shop and loadup with some absolutely delicious cupcakes-cookies-cakes-brownies–gelato…and get ready to ride the weather-out.

A recent outing to Sweeter Days Bake Shop had me “doing” a chocolate chocolate fudge cupcake, a boston cream cupcake and key lime cupcake (they run $2.95 each)—and I gotta tell you, it’s real easy to get hooked on these freshly baked creations.

Take a look at www.sweeterdaysbakeshop.com for menu/prices.

Now I know, some of you out there are “wondering”…What happens if you take home gelato–put it in the freezer and a storm really does hit and you lose power?

Anyway…Sweeter Days is open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and is closed on Sunday.

***** Mr. M’s Sandwich Shops, 1975 Stirling Road, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, (954) 925-6400.

Mr. M’s…order at/prickup at the counter sub shop…plenty of indoor seating.

Mr. M’s Sub Sandwich Shops makes outrageously delicious subs. Check www.mrmssubs.com for menu/prices.

A recent outing had me “doing” tuna salad sub, chicken salad sub, philly cheese steak ,chicken parmesan sub…like I said, outrageously good. The joint has the full gamut of hot and cold subs– sandwiches and salads.

This is one of the best sub shops that I’ve been to- down here in South Florida.

Mr. M’s is open Monday-Saturday 8am-8pm and Sunday 11am-6pm.

***** Shake Shack, 1111 Lincoln Road, Miami, Florida 33139, (305) 434-7787.

Shake Shack…”order at/pickup at counter…burgers, fries, hot dogs, custard, shakes.

There are 5 Shake Shacks in New York City…1-in Saratoga, New York…1-in Miami, Florida.

This is “fast food” at its best.

Check www.shakeshacknyc.com for menu/prices/locations/pictures.

The next time you are down in South Beach, this joint is an absolute-must-try…Just so you know, Shake Shack has a cult-like-following…so don’t be surprised by some heavy duty crowds and lines.

Shake Shack is open Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-midnight, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-1am.

***** Confucio Express Gourmet, 1810 Southwest 3rd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33129, (305) 860-7747.

Confucio Express is “basically” a takeout Chinese joint…they got some outside seating, but takeout-delivery is the real game here.

I did a “basic” Brooklyn taste-test on this one…wonton soup, egg rolls, bbq ribs, fried dumplings, roast pork fried rice, sweet & sour pork, pepper steak, shrimp with broccoli—you can check www.confucio-express.com for menu/prices.

The verdict—Confucio is one of the best Chinese TAKEOUT joints that I’ve tried down here in South Florida. Good food. Reasonable prices. Huge portions. By the way, I thought that the egg rolls, roast pork fried rice and pepper steak were absolutely delicious.

Just so you know, since I’m not from the hood…I ate at one of its outside tables—and took a ton of left-overs home.

The joint is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday noon-11pm, Sunday noon-10pm.

***** 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.