***** Pollo Campero, 750 North Congress Avenue, Boynton Beach, Florida 33426 (561) 738-2662.

Pollo Campero is a “fast food” chicken joint. This chain’s first store opened in Guatemala in 1971 and currently has stores all-over Latin America, Spain, China and is now making a-heavy-duty push into the United States. For right now, South Florida has 3 locations.

Order at the counter…food delivered to your table. Take a look at the joint’s website at www.campero.com for menu/prices/pictures/locations.

Gave the Pollo Campero in Boynton Beach a shot last night…the menu is as simple as can be…fried or grill chicken…sides, like french fries, mashed potatoes, black beans, rice, black beans. The joint looks like your standard McDonald’s-Burger King…the food is served on heavy-duty plastic plates and stainless-silverware is used. The prices are super-reasonable…a family of four can easily be fed for under 20 bucks and that includes soft-drinks.

Last night I had both the fried and grilled chicken…Now I’m gonna assume that you know what a Chicken Kitchen is (it’s a grilled chicken fast food chain)… well, Pollo’s grilled chicken is just like Chicken’s…not bad at all, moist with a nice grilled taste…On the fried chicken, hope you know what Shake N’ Bake is-was…because that’s what Pollo’s tastes like…kind of bland-not very crispy…personally, Popeye’s stuff runs circles around this dry-stuff. As for the sides, absolutely nothing special here.

So…we go to Pollo for grilled chicken, we don’t go to Pollo for fried chicken.

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

***** Tom Jenkins’ Bar B-Q, 1236 South Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (954) 522-5046.

Not really sure how long this “bbq” joint has been in business…I’m gonna guess 500 years. It’s located in a free-standing building on Federal Highway and everytime that I have been there it it has been absolutely packed. If you are looking for fancy…don’t even think about ths joint. Order at the counter and “hope” that you find someplace to sit…figuring on sharing a table with total-strangers.

Take a look at Tom’s website www.tomjenkinsbbq.com for menu/prices/photos.

Just so you know, this ain’t Tony-Roma’s, Bobby Rubino’s…sweet tasting “chain” bbq stuff. This is the real McCoy. To try and explain the taste would be like trying to explain the Theory of Relativity…let’s just say this is real-smoked stuff.

Regular readers know, that old Jeff kinda leans to sweet-stuff and is really not that keen on smoked-goods…I will tell you, that I make an exception for Tom Jenkins’ bbq chicken, bbq ribs, pulled pork…not to mention its baked beans,macraroni & cheese. This place knows what it is doing…the food is absolutely delicious. Let’s just say, this joint’s food isn’t over-whelmed by smoke.

The long lines and jammed parking-lot says it all. Tom Jenkins’ is a joint that you absolutely-positively want to try. By the way, after eating, you will “smell” like bbq for the rest of the day.

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

***** The Pita Bar, 209 Southeast 1st Avenue, Boca Raton, Florida 33432 (561) 361-1518.

In a nutshell…The Pita Bar is a “do-it-yourself” fast-food pita, salad, wrap joint. Checkout its website www.thepitabar.com for menu/prices.

Real simple…you “build” your own thing…For example, you order a pita with grilled chicken…you get a pita with grilled chicken strips (that figures) then you go to a very-ample salad bar and fill the pita with everything-anything that your little heart desires…

If this “concept” floats your boat…my 26 year old daughter and wife absolutely loved the joint…you know where The Pita Bar is located. Personally, I am a burger-french fries-Coke kinda guy…but I can see how many-folks would love this “healthy-alternative” fast-food joint.

The Pita Bar is open Monday 10:30am-10pm, Tuesday-Thursday 10:30am-midnight, Friday 10:30am-3am and Saturday 11am-3am, closed on Sunday.

***** The 17 Best “Regular” Pizza Joints In South Florida *****

Despite what many of you guys believe…South Florida has some really good “regular” pizza joints. By REGULAR…I mean, no woodfire, brick-oven or coal fired pizza…

Anyway…I got a list here for you…they are all good…it really is tough to put them in-some-kind-of order, but here goes…

1. Original Frankie’s Famous Pizza (Miami) 4/23/08.
2. Nino’s Pizzeria & Restaurant (Boca Raton & Delray Beach)–3/20/08.
3. Primanti Bros. (Oakland Park)–6/11/08.
4. Brooklyn Boys Pizza & Pasta (Boca Raton)–2/12/08.
5. Steve’s Pizza (North Miami) 10/30/08.
6. Thick & Thin (Boca Raton) 8/11/08.
7. Ralph & Rosie’s Restaurant/Lounge (Boynton Beach) 4/30/08.
8. Pizza Time (Coral Springs) 6/30/08.
9. Big Anthony’s & Guido (Coral Springs) 2/7/08.
10. Master’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (Miami Beach) 12/7/06.
11. Umberto’s Pizza & Clam Bar (Pompano Beach) 4/25/08.
12. Times Square Pizza (Fort Lauderdale) 10/24/08.
13. Pizza Time (Boca Raton) 11/24/08.
14. Pizza Roma Restaurant (Aventura) 12/11/08.
15. Frank’s Restaurant & Pizza (Pompano Beach) 4/27/08.
16. Mario The Baker (Sunrise) 7/1/08.
17. Perrini’s Pizzeria (Boca Raton) 8/12/08–the joint is now Stella’s.

Like I said before, they are all-good.

***** To The Moon Marketplace, 2205 Wilton Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33305, (954) 564-7987.

Got something different for you…To The Moon, which is like a “general store” with merchandise from something like 60 countries.

The joint has all kinds of nostalgic candies, chocolates, licorice, greeting cards, gag gifts…all kinds of crap (in the good sense).

Check out the joint’s website www.tothemoonmarketplace.com for products/tons of photos/details.

I am telling you…you will have an absolute blast shopping at this joint

To The Moon is open Monday-Thursday 10am-11pm, Friday 10am-1am, Saturday 11am-1am and Sunday 11am-11pm.

***** Pete’s A Place, 3417 Davie Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312 (954) 791-3613.

If you look up the phrase “hole in the wall” in Webster’s Dictionary…you will find a picture of Pete’s A Place, located on Davie Boulevard. No inside seating…a pickup-window–two old benches outside- if you want to eat “there.”

Take it from this Brooklyn-Boy…some of the best pizza, pasta, subs and other “red sauce” Italian stuff that you’ve ever tasted…for cheap mone!

I got nothing else to say about this joint…except that it is open 7-days a week.

*****  Bare Bones Grill & Brewery, 4817 Southeast Dixie Highway, Stuart, Florida 34997 (772) 286-35353.

Bare Bones Grill & Brewery is a  casual-moderately priced “American-style” joint. There is both indoor seating–and water-view patio seating (the joint is located on a waterway in the Manatee Pocket).

Bare Bones Grill is “what” Florida is all about…great looking restaurant (the water view alone, is worth the price of admission)…throw in real-good food, good prices, good service…and this place is a winner. You can check Bare’s site at www.barebonesflorida.com for menu/details.

The other night I did some heavy-duty taste-testing. In no particular order, onion loaf, crab cake, bbq ribs, bbq chicken, teriyaki chicken on a kaiser roll, frenh fries. This joint makes real-good stuff. You gotta try the ribs—super good.

Bare Bones’ menu has the full boat of appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, meat/seafood/chicken entrees…just so you know, this ain’t a sport-bar…this is a “real” restaurant with a “real” chef.

Bare Bones is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday & Sunday 11am-11pm and Sunday 11am-9pm.

*****  The Association  *****

Got a great idea for you, assuming you like 1960’s Rock N’ Roll…

On July 4, 2009 The Association will be the featured act at the City of Deerfield Beach’s July 4th celebration. The Association which had such monster-hits as Cherish, Windy, Never My Love and Along Comes Mary is set to perform from 7:30pm-9pm at the Main Beach Parking Area, Ocean Way & SE 1st Street, Deerfield Beach, Florida.

THE SHOW IS FREE.

For further info, you can contact the City of Deerfield Beach at (954) 480-4433.

*****  Pizza Stop Pasta, 911 Village Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409 (561) 712-1671.

First things first…back on March 9, 2009 I did a writeup on Pizza Stop located in Coral Springs. Pizza Stop Pasta…different joint…different owner.

Pizza Stop Pasta is a “mom & pop” red-sauce Italian joint. Unless you’ve been on Mars for the past 20 years, you know exactly what Pizza Stop’s decor looks like…what its menu is all about…what its prices are. Check Pizza Stop’s www.pizzastoppasta.com for info–that you may not know.

Let’s call this a NEIGHBORHOOD joint…like if you live or work in Pizza Stop’s neighborhood. Decent enough pizza, veal parm, chicken parm, veal marsala, shrimp scampi, garlic knots. Nothing amazing…but ok-stuff.

Pizza Stop Pasta is open 7 days a week 11am-10pm.

*****  Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill, 1821 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (954) 768-8990.

Got a real good “mom & pop” American-diner joint for you…Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill.

The menu is not large…but has enough soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, grilled items and desserts…so nobody’s gonna starve. A recent outing netted me a cheeseburger, bbq ribs and a philly cheesesteak sandwich…everything was delicious and priced just right. Nothing fancy here, just real good food. Take a look at the joint’s website www.gilberts17thstgrill.com  for menu/prices/details.

Gilbert’s is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.