***** Fountain Plaza Diner, 2150 North University Drive, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024, (954) 432-4900.

Got a real good one for you…Fountain Plaza Diner in Pembroke Pines. You can check menu/prices at www.fountaindiner.com.

Let’s jump into this thing…you may be wondering how this “diner” stacks up with the players in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania—first of all, Fountain is open Sunday-Thursday 7am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 7am-11pm and we all know that northern haunts are usually 24-hour joints. On menu/prices, Fountain holds its own on this one. The joint has the requisite huge list of breakfast stuff which is served all day, salads, burgers, sandwiches, Greek dishes, meat/seafood/chicken entrees, desserts and “specials.” Now let’s talk how Fountain’s food does—I tried this joint once for breakfast and again for dinner—doing, western omelet ($5.95), 3 pancakes with sausage ($5.95), corned beef hash ($4.85), waffles ($3.95)—(dinners- include soup or salad–vegetable or potato or pasta-cake or ice cream-coffee) meatloaf ($10.95), full rack of bbq babyback ribs ($14.95), baked tilapia ($13.95), cheesebuger (with fries $6.25). THE FOOD IS DINER FOOD. As you regulars may know, in a former life, I must have been a long-haul truckdriver, because I love diners and their huge menus. Everything was just fine–but on my next outing I won’t be ordering those ribs, if you get my drift.

Now for the kicker—On Saturday nights, from 7pm-11pm the joint has free entertainment (usually, rock bands). I will tell you, on the night that I was there, Fountain had Viva Rock & Roll Band- which is one of the best 1950s-1980s cover bands in South Florida (there must have been at least 100 people eating/dancing/singing along with Viva that evening). You can check the entertainment schedule at Fountain’s website.

So, you now know about a DINER—decent enough food, really reasonable prices, pleasant service—free entertainment. What’s bad!!!

***** Jan’s Place, 1897 Northeast Jensen Beach Boulevard, Jensen Beach, Florida 34957, (772) 334-9598.

Jan’s Place is a “neighborhood diner.”

Jan’s Place is open 7 days a week 7am-3pm.

Now, for some color…Great selection of breakfast stuff, salads, burgers, wraps, burritos, sandwiches. A recent outing had me checking-out…western omelette ($9.49), chicken salad club ($9.99), sausage-onion-pepper burrito ($8.99), bacon cheeseburger ($7.99). The food was delicious. The service, as pleasant and friendly as can be.

I loved Jan’s.

If you live in Jan’s neighborhood, this is one really terrific joint for a great breakfast or lunch. Real small-town.

***** Leo’s Pizza, 6720 Coral Way, Miami, Florida 33155, (305) 661-4285.

Pizza-Pasta-Salads-Subs…check prices/menu at www.pizzaleos.com.

Leo’s is a “hole in the wall—red sauce–pizza” joint…but, you already knew that. Leo’s has been around for something like 35 years. A recent outing had me “sampling”—meatball sub– pizza–baked ziti–chicken caesar salad–garlic rolls. Let’s just say, I found everything delicious, with special honors going out to those garlic rolls.

If this joint was in my neighborhood, I would be a regular eat in/takeout customer.

Leo’s Pizza is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.

***** Smokehouse Grille & Wingery, 2257 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 391-9110.

Smokehouse Grille & Wingery is a “wings-bbq” joint that opened in Boca Raton about 6 weeks. Don’t have the time to hash out all of the details, but the location for something like 20 years, was the home of Boca Wings & Ribs- which served decent enough wings and ribs, but nothing that anyone would go nuts over. The new owners, remodled the joint and “revamped” the menu. More importantly, Smokehouse turns out some heavy duty delicious grilled-smoked-fried wings, bbq chicken, bbq ribs, burgers.

Check menu/prices at www.smokehouseboca.com.

Now, Smokehouse isn’t exactly a “hole in the wall”- it has about 65 seats…then again, it isn’t a big joint ala Tony Roma’s or Bobby Rubino’s. Very reasonable prices. Huge portions. Pleasant and competent service. AND…some really good food. A recent outing had me doing, 10 teryaki wings ($8.25), bbq chicken & rib combo (1/2 chicken, 1/2 rack. 2 sides–$15.95), hamburger ($7.95)…trust me on this one—the stuff was right on the money. If you are a Jeff Eats’ regular, you know that SMOKED bbq ribs aren’t exactly one of my favorite eating-items. Just so you know, Smokehouse, smokes its ribs…but, the rack that I had, “weren’t too hot and weren’t too cold, but were just right” (courtesy- The Three Little Pigs). Based on the bbq that I had, the guys running Smokehouse appear to have this “smoking” thing correctly figured-out.

I am telling you, this one is a winner.

From what I can tell, Smokehouse is still “flying” under the radar. The joint is in a nondescript strip-center. If I wasn’t on the “prowl” for new restaurants to try, I probably would have passed this one by, because you don’t even notice it from the road. The bet here, is that the crowd that frequents “goldmine” next-door strip center- bbq joint- Mississippi Sweets, will soon be beating Smokehouse’s doors down…and then you’ll have to wait on line to stuff your face.

Smokehouse is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.

***** The Frieze Ice Cream Factory, 1626 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, (305) 538-0207.

I know “good” ice cream and ices…Don’t believe me? Well, I’ll have you know, that in 1950’s, I did my undergraduate studies at Good Humor College and graduate work at the University of Bungaloo Bar. Based on the above referenced credentials, I can unequivocally state, that The Frieze Ice Cream Factory, with joints in Miami Beach and Plantation, makes top-notch delicious ice cream and sorbet.

Just, so you appreciate what I’m telling you here…The Frieze Ice Cream Factory M A K E S its own stuff. Just for the record, nothing and I do mean nothing- will ever beat that 10 cent-Good Humor Chocolate Eclair but, The Frieze Ice Cream Factory’s coffee, chocolate chocolate chip and pistachio flavors are homeruns none the less.

You can check flavors/prices at www.thefrieze.com.

To sum this one up, The Frieze Ice Cream Factory isn’t your father’s Dolly Madison or Breyers.

The joint is open Monday-Thursday noon-midnight and friday-Sunday noon-1am

***** Hunan City, 9101 Lakeridge Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33496, (561) 488-8989.

Hunan City is strictly a takeout-delivery Chinese joint.

A recent order had me taking home…wonton soup, pan fried dumplings, bbq ribs, egg rolls, sweet & sour chicken, roast pork fried rice, shrimp chop suey. The food is okay…but nothing out of the ordinary. Your favorite neighborhood joint is probably better.

That’s basically all that I have to say about Hunan City…except, you can check its menu/prices at www.chinesedeliverybocaratonflorida.com…and, the joint is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm and Sunday 5pm-9pm.

***** Corelli’s Pizza & Pasta, 256 Commercial Boulevard, Lauderdale By The Sea, Florida 33301, (954) 229-1947.

Corelli”s Pizza & Pasta is a…”mom & pop–red sauce–hole in the wall”–Italian restaurant that has maybe 30 seats…the cool thing about this joint, the restaurant-is smack dab-in the middle of a “mom & pop–hole in the wall”–Italian market-deli. Absolutely, nothing fancy going on here…so your tee shirt/shorts ensemble will work quiet nicely. Didn’t get all the players, but the whole shooting match is run by mom-pop-grown kids.

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

Let me start by saying, I absolutely loved this joint. Corelli’s has a great vibe…not to get all mushy here, but when you eat there, it’s like eating in a neighborhood Brooklyn Italian deli circa 1950. Let’s call it a time-warp outing.

Corelli’s has the full boat menu of pizzas, subs, pastas, salads, meat/seafood/chicken entrees.
A recent visit, had me doing…veal parmigiana, penne alla vodka, pizza, sausage and peppers, shrimp scampi. Absolutely no complaints here. By the way, the joint makes delicious garlic rolls, serves huge portions and gets pizza joint prices. Bet you a buck, Corelli’s food is probably as good if not better than your favorite neighborhood mom & pop haunt.

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

***** Antonio’s Italian Delicatessen & Meat Market, 14137 US Highway 1, Juno Beach, Florida 33408, (561) 625-6544.

The beautiful thing about joints like Antoino’s Italian Delicatessen & Meat Market…their names tell you exactly what business they are in.

If you live or work in Juno Beach, you gotta give Antonio’s a shot. This “mom & pop” joint turns out some absolutely delicious —hot/cold subs-sandwiches and Italian dinner/lunch entrees. Antonio’s also “carries”-meats, salads, cakes/pastries/cookies and wines–and has a handful of tables, so if-you-want, you can eat right in the middle of the joint.

A recent outing had me doing a veal parmesan sub ($7.50), sausage-peppers-onions sub ($6.75), meatball sub ($6.95)—suffice it to say, delicious.

This one is a big time winner. Like I said before, if you work or live in Antonio’s Juno Beach neighborhood…try it!!

Antonio’s is open Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

***** Riverside Market Cafe, 608 Southwest 12th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312, (954) 358-8333.

Got an absolutely dynamite joint for you…Riverside Market Cafe. Best way to describe Riverside…a convenience store that was converted into a “cafe” that serves breakfast stuff, subs, sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, salads and daily meat-seafood-chicken “specials.” The joint’s walls are lined with upright refrigerators (just like those used in convenience stores) and are filled with something like 250 different types of bottled beer and a huge number of specialty sodas.

Now let’s talk food. A recent outing had me doing…flatbread 12″ pizza ($12), Italian seafood salad ($8), 12″ turkey sub ($9). Trust me on this one, the food is really good.

Check www.theriversidemarket.com for menu/prices.

So…we got a real casual–relatively inexpensive- breakfast-lunch-dinner joint, that beer and soda drinkers alike, will love.

Riverside Market Cafe is open Saturday-Thursday 8am-9pm and Friday 8am-10pm.

***** Direct From Philly, 1201 South Military Trail, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442, (954) 428-7035.

I am now going to tell you guys about an absolutely terrific sub joint…Direct From Philly, which is located in Deerfield Beach. Nothing for nothing, I guarantee you, that unless I told you about Direct From Philly, in 100 years, you’d never-ever find it. This joint is located in a Chevron Gas Station.

Check Direct From Philly’s website www.directfromphilly.com for menu/prices.

But, I digress–don’t really have time to go into detail…suffice it to say–there are two rival subs shops in Philadelphia that for years have battled it out, as to who makes the best Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich…namely Pat’s King of Steaks www.patskingofsteaks.com and Geno’s Steaks www.genosteaks.com. If you GOOGLE these guys you will find tons of articles about the “battle.” I have eaten at both and both joints make a great Philly cheese-steak sandwich.

Anyway…Direct From Philly in addition to a load of breakfast sandwiches, salads, hot-cold subs—does a great job- in shall we say, replicating the sandwiches that Pat’s makes and that Geno’s makes…I tried both of Direct Philly’s “versions” and they were absolutely delicious. As good as the originals? A very-very close call. I think the only difference between the sandwiches that Direct From Philly makes and those that Pat’s and Geno’s serve-up- is what we call ambiance…not much ambiance eating in your car at a Chevron Gas Station…

You now know about a tremendous sub joint.

Direct From Philly is open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm and Saturday 8am-7pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

*****October 25, 2013 UPDATE:
From: Stephen Rao
Subject: Direct From Philly has moved.
Message Body:
Jeff,
How are you? I decided to move my shop from the gas station into the kitchen at City Pub at 956 S. Federal Highway in Deerfield Beach, 33441.
Will you please update our location so it shows on your site?
Call me at (561)716-0140 if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Steve Rao