***** Joseph’s Italian Pastry Shop, 788 South Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441, (954) 571-7747.

Yesterday, I told you guys about Gran Forno Las Olas…a terrific Italian Bakery in Fort Lauderdale.

Now let me tell you about Joseph’s Italian Pastry Shop, another terrific Italian Bakery in Deerfield Beach.

Just so you know, both joints make absolutely delicious cakes, breads, cookies, pastries…the big difference between the two—Gran Forno Las Olas is playing the Starbucks/Panera Bread decor card…while, Joseph’s looks like an Italian bakery circa NYC 1960…both are really cool, but throw-off totally different vibes. Now don’t “holler” at me, but Gran Forno- on LAS OLAS is a YUPPIE-GENERATION X version of Joseph’s- which is just a plain old “mom & pop” neighborhood bakery.

I am telling you, if you want outrageously delicious cannolis, rum cake, cookies—you gotta give Joseph’s a shot.

You now know about two joints…to get some heavy duty delicious Italian baked goods.

Joseph’s is open Tuesday-Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 9am-3pm. Joseph’s is closed on Monday.

***** Gran Forno Las Olas, 1235 East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301, (954) 467-2244.

Let’s start with a point of reference…I was born in 1949 and until 1975 lived at 811 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn New York 11218. The neighborhood bakery was Steinhardt’s Bakery owned by Arnold Steinhardt (my mother always called him Mr. Steinhardt) and the joint made the most delicious onion rolls, butter rolls, challah, rugalah, bobka- known to mankind. For sure, during those “formative” years, I ate plenty of pizza, meatballs & spaghetti and had my fair share of Italian ices, cannolis, tartufos and spumoni…but my “expertise” was in deli and Jewish style baked goods.

With all that in mind, let me tell you about Gran Forno, an Italian Bakery located on East Las Olas Boulevard. Now, not claiming to be an expert on Italian baked goods, I’m gonna take a shot here and tell you, that Gran Forno makes some absolutely delicious- breads, cookies, cakes, ciabitti, focaccia, biscotti, pastries, filone, pizza, sandwiches.

Since those Brooklyn days, I’ve kinda broadened my taste-field…and I want you to know, that Gran Forno has to rank up there with the best Italian bakeries I have been in. Just so you know…there are a handful of tables, so you can eat-in, if that’s your game.

You can check menu/prices at www.granforno.com.

Gran Forno is open every day 7:30am-7pm except Monday when it’s closed.

***** Poppy’s Pizza and Subs, 4379 North University Drive, Sunrise, Florida 33351, (954) 749-1117.

You now know about a very good pizza-sub joint in Sunrise.

Poppy’s is open Monday-Wednesday 11am-10pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday noon-10pm.

***** It’s All Greek To Me! Grill, 17 South Pompano Parkway, Pompano Beach, Florida 33069, (954) 973-4655.

It’s All Greek To Me! Gril…pretty original name, NOT! Right up there with, Jimmy The Greek—there must be 10,000,022 joints in North America using that one.

Anyway, if you want some absolutely delcious–very reasonably priced–order at the counter Greek food…give, It’s All Greek To Me! Grill a shot. You can check menu/prices/photos at www.itsallgreektome-grill.com.

A recent outing had me “sampling”- pork souvlaki pita ($4.99), gyro pita ($4.99), grilled lamb chops ($16.99), mousaka (9.95)…like I said before, delicious stuff. A special shoutout to that gyro!

It’s All Greek To Me! Grill is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

***** Spanky’s Cheesesteak Factory, 309 North State Road 7, Margate, Florida 33063 (954) 973-2170.

Every time I drive by Spanky’s Cheesesteak Factory I ask myself…Who came first, The Cheesecake Factory or The Cheesesteak Factory?

Spanky’s is located in a “dumpy” (what else?) freestanding building. The joint has a menu loaded with fast-food… hot/cold subs, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, wings. Inside seating and a handful of seats outside.

Over the years, I must have eaten in Spanky’s something like 15 times. They make a delicious philly cheesesteak sub. That said, Spanky’s spicey fried chicken sandwich with blue cheese on a kaiser roll is something that you gotta try…The joint also has some of the best sweet potato fries going.

For sure, Spanky’s Cheesesteak is a cardiologist’s nightmare. Now, we all know that you only go-round once, so I’m also going to recommend, their onion rings, fried shrimp and sweet fried corn nuggets.

Jeff Eats has to rate Spanky’s as one of the best “fast-food” joints in South Florida….Spanky’s manages to do “everything” just right.

Spanky’s is open Monday-Thursday, Saturday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Sunday noon-9pm.

***** Two Guys Pizzeria, 9515 South Dixie Highway, Miami, Florida 33156 (305) 667-1761.

Two Guys Pizzeria is a ” neighborhood-mom & pop–red sauce” Italian joint.

Let me make this one short and simple, Two Guys Pizzeria food is decent enough…that said, the odds are, your favorite “momma & poppa” has better stuff. Now don’t get me wrong, the thin crusted pizza, veal parmigiana, garlic rolls, baked ziti, meat lasagna were just fine…but nothing reached “boy, that was delicious” status.

Two Guys is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries, 21077 Powerline Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33433, (561) 482-1561.

Just got back from Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries…a fast food burger joint (surprise, surprise!) that literally just opened for business in Boca Raton…actually, it opened yesterday—and I gotta tell you, that Five Guys (one of my favorites) better watch out—because this miniscule chain (they currently got something like 8 stores in 6 states-Boca is the only Florida location) makes terrific burgers and fries. Throw in some salads, wraps, chicken items, hot dogs, milk shakes and desserts—and this joint may convert some of Five Guys’ legendary fans. Like Five Guys-the grill is in the open and there is no drive-thru, but the Boca location, in addition to indoor seating–has a great looking outdoor eating patio.

From what I can tell, based on the “open kitchen”–price points–daily delivered fresh hamburger meat–handcut french fries–Boardwalk plans to go head to head with Five Guys. Like I said before, for right now Boardwalk only has 8 stores…that said, the owner of the Boca franchise, Irene Jung, told me, that she plans on opening 50 Florida stores over the next “few” years and that a second joint is scheduled to open in Orlando later this week.

Now you and I know, that restaurants come and restaurants go. Only time will tell, if Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries will actually develop into a large national chain. What I do know, is that the cheeseburger & fries that I had this evening were as good as the stuff that Five Guys makes.

Not sure if it is fair or not, to compare Boardwalk to Five Guys…but, my gut tells me, that the guys who created the Boardwalk concept spent many hours studying the Five Guys’ playbook. These guys think that they have a more diversified mouse-trap…

You can check www.boardwalkfreshburgersandfries.com for menu/locations.

Let me wrap this one up this way…I thought that the food was delicious.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries is open Monday-Sunday 11am-10pm.

***** Bagel Bar East, 1990 Northeast 123rd Street, North Miami, Florida 33181, (305) 895-7022.

Got a very good “bagel-deli” joint for you…Bagel Bar East located in North Miami. If you are over the age of 2—you know exactly what the decor of this Monday-Sunday 6:30am-3pm joint looks like. You can check menu/prices at www.bagelbareastmiami.com.

Rather than telling you about the delicious—toasted everything with a schmear and pastrami omelette that I had, let’s turn our attention to a more immediate and pressing matter…Is there a Bagel Bar West?

***** FX REAL ESTATE & ENTERTAINMENT *****

Every so often, I like to “give” you guys a stock-situation that I am looking at. That said, you might like to take a gander at FX REAL ESTATE & ENTERTAINMENT INC. (FXRE: $.21 (bid)–$.28 (ask)).

As I always tell you, YOU GOT TO DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE.

Just so you know…I recently bought shares in this “pennystock”…my average price is about $.27 a share.

The primary reason I like this company…it is controlled by Robert FX Sillerman. Do some homework on this guy…sometimes he wins and sometimes he loses.

To get you started, FX REAL ESTATE & ENTERTAINMENT INC apparently is going into the ferris wheel business. I know it sounds “nuts”…but, the way I see it, a multi-millionaire like Robert FX Sillerman may see-something that common folks don’t.

Anyway…FX REAL ESTATE & ENTERTAINMENT INC is what I call a “trades by appointment” stock—which means, there is usually very little daily trading action in the stock…so if liquidity is your game, this one may not be for you.

***** ChicBerry, 1689 Southwest 107 Avenue, Miami, Florida 33165, (305) 227-6792.

There is an old saying…”When it rains, it pours.” Got ANOTHER–self-serve yogurt joint for you, ChicBerry in Miami. The drill is simple, 12 “rotating” flavors and a topping bar—you fill your cup and it gets weighed. This joint gets 49 cents an ounce…

Regular readers know that old Jeff Eats sees FAD written all over the self serve yogurt business. Gonna be a nasty ending for most of the “players” in this arena. Best guess here, this game of musical chairs is going to end sometime during the next 2 years.

The other day I gave ChicBerry a shot. Tried green tea, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry…In defense of that 49 cents an ounce which is expensive for self-serve stuff—the yogurt was absolutely delicious. Not really a big fan of yogurt, that said, the flavors- matched up against the stuff that most of the “other” joints are selling is far superior.

You can check menu/flavors at www.chicberryusa.com.

I suspect, actually I know—in coming weeks and months, we’ll be “talking” about other self-serve yogurt joints. You do remember the “mom & pop” video store craze of a few years ago, don’t you? Seemingly, a video store or two on every corner. You also know how that one ended. Even a guy like Blockbuster collapsed. No question in my mind, same-thing is coming for the self serve folks.

Well—until the game ends, with maybe a handful of survivors…we’ll enjoy this latest fast food craze.

ChickBerry is open, Monday-Friday noon-11pm and Saturday-Sunday 1pm-11pm.