Seasons 52, 2300 Northwest Executive Center Drive, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 998-9952.

Seasons 52 is an “American Style” joint…that serves a  limited menu of appetizers, salads, flatbreads, meat/chicken/seafood entrees and desserts. The game here… nothing on the menu has more than 475 calories.

Just so you know, my wife and kids love this joint…As for me, Seasons 52 isn’t my kind of joint. When I eat-out, I like to E A T  O U T.  I have absolutely no interest in a restaurant that serves… small portions of just ok food  but charges “full portion” prices. Now,  I could be wrong here as Seasons 52 currently has 5 Florida locations and 3 outside of Florida…but I found the food  at the Boca Raton location to be nothing special and the portion-size beyond ridiculous. This a great place IF you want to be on a forced diet.

Let me send you to Seasons 52’s website www.season52.com for menu/prices and photos which will give you some idea of what I am babbling about here.

One side note…the Boca joint has a piano bar. On the night that I was there, Jamie “King” Colton the renowned bluesman was tinkling the ivories. From what I understand, Jamie, a Boca Raton resident has a steady evening gig at Seasons 52, when he is not on tour with his band or touring with folks like Dion DiMucci or some other famous rocker. Checkout Jamie “King” Colton on “You Tube” and “MySpace” and you will find that this guy plays something like 29 instruments, has recorded/performed with the “who’s who” of rock/blues music and had numerous hits as a recording artist with Motown Records.

All I can say, is Jamie “King” Colton would be the only reason why I would eat at Seasons 52 again.

Seasons 52 is open Sunday-Friday 11:30am-10pm and Saturday 11:30am-11pm.

*****  Boca BBQ Express, 9704 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33496 (561) 482-3227.

Wanna know about a terrific bbq joint before anyone else?…say hello to Boca BBQ Express which has been open for something like 10 days.

For sure, this eat-in/take-out joint is still working-out the kinks…but no question in my mind, the food is right on the money. Unlike many joints, “smoke” ain’t the game here and that’s just fine with me. The grilled 1/2 bbq chicken and rack of babyback ribs I sampled were excellent. I also thought that the sweet potato mash, french fries and corn muffins were A-OK.

Boca BBQ’s menu isn’t enormous…but,  I assure you that you will find enough appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, chicken-meat-seafood entrees  to keep you plenty busy. As for price…that full rack of babybacks with 2-sides will set you back 20 bucks and that 1/2 bird with 2-sides goes for $13.

Like I said before, “no smoke” here…the stuff is grilled and then basted with 1-of-3 sauces…the joint has a “house bbq”…a spicy/sweet bbq…and a tropical pineapple bbq. Just so you know, I tried the house and spicy/sweet sauces (to my delicate palate they tasted the same) and I loved the flavor…think Bobby Rubino’s, Shorty’s or Tony Roma’s and you’ll know where I am coming from.

BBQ is a tough call…that’s why there isn’t a national bbq chain. Every region likes “their” ribs prepared a different way.  My preference, gas grilled ribs slathered in a sweet bbq sauce.

If you are on the same-page as I am, you will want to give this joint a try.

Boca BBQ Express is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm.

*****  South Florida Dines (www.southfloridadines.com)  *****

If you like to save money and who doesn’t…got a great site for you to checkout, www.southfloridadines.com  This site has something like 150 restaurants listed where you can purchase “discount money”…you know the game, $25 gets you $50, $12.50 gets you $25 etc…which can be used in listed restaurants.

The site is 100% legit.

Just so you know, every listed restaurant has a video-menu-review…This site provides great “info”…but keep in mind that South Florida Dines is a business, so everything written is “just honky-dory.”

Anyway…the list of restaurants constantly changes and there are a number of really good ones listed.

*****  Two Georges Waterfront Grille, 728 Casa Loma Boulevard, Boynton Beach, Florida 33435 (561) 736-2717.

The first thing that you guys got-to-do…check Two Georges’ website www.twogeorgesrestaurant.com for menu/prices…there also loads of pictures which “alone” should convince you to give this “American-Style” joint a shot.

Let’s call Two Georges a “package deal”…The joint, which has been around since 1957 is an open-air bar-restaurant located on the Intracoastal…DECENT FOOD. DECENT SERVICE. DECENT PRICES. DYNAMITE AMBIANCE/LOCATION/TIKI DECOR.

Two Georges menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, meat/chicken/seafood entrees. Like I said before, the food is just-OK…so don’t expect gourmet stuff. This joint is a tee shirt/shorts ensemble place. This is the type of restaurant where you go for a casual meal when you are feeling real-easy.

Two George’s is open 7 days a week 11am-2am.

One final thought…Two Georges has a gigantic following. Parking stinks, so think-valet.

*****  Worstpizza.com  *****

I like to share…check-out www.worstpizza.com these guys run around South Florida and elsewhere trying to find great-pizza.

I enjoy this website and have gotten some great “places” to chow-down on some really decent pizza. Most of the time, the recommendations are spot-on.

Enjoy!!

*****  Cardello’s Italian Restaurant, 1447 10th Street, Lake Park, Florida 33403 (561) 848-0123.

Cardello’s is my kind of a joint…

Just so you know, we are not talking gourmet stuff here. We are talking, in no particular order…  LOTS OF RED SAUCE, HUGE MENU, LARGE PORTIONS, CHEAP PRICES, GREAT HELP, LARGE BAR, SUPER CASUAL, LOTS OF RED SAUCE (I think I already listed this one), WEEK-DAY BUFFET, DECENT ENOUGH FOOD.

 Imagine the PERFECT ITALIAN JOINT for a college-town…and you got Cardello’s. Appetizers, pastas, subs, pizzas, meat-chicken-seafood entrees.

Cardello’s is open Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 10:30am-10pm. The bar area, with a full menu is open 7-days a week to 2am.

*****  The Burger Beast  *****

Got a great website for you guys to check-out… www.burgerbeast.com.

The folks who run this site… literally, run all-over South Florida and elsewhere, eating burgers-fries-you name it…and post some great photos and restaurant reviews. It’s one of my favorite blogs.

These guys have turned-me on to some dynamite joints…

*****  Coco’s Cafe, 1236 East Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33483 (561) 279-9328.

Let’s call Coco’s Cafe a “hole in the wall” diner.

This terrific joint is open 7 days a week from 7am-10pm. Its menu is packed with breakfast-stuff, burgers, subs, hot dogs, sandwiches, salads…not to mention, 24 gelato flavors. Delicious food. Very reasonable prices. Extremely pleasant service. The joint even has a couple of outdoor tables, if dining al fresco is your bag.

If you wear anything but tee shirts/shorts, you are going to be over-dressed.

*****  Hot Tomatoe Italian Wine Bistro, 626 South Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 785-5058.

Got a real-good “mom & pop” Italian joint for you…Hot Tomatoe Italian Wine Bistro in Deerfield Beach. Personally, I think that this joint’s name stinks, but that’s the only complaint here. Hot Tomatoe serves really good stuff and yes, it has a nice-sized list of Italian-wines.

Check Hot Tomatoe’s website www.hottomatoe.com for menu/prices.

A recent “taste test” of chicken marsala, veal parmigiana, veal piccata, zuppe di pesce and cheese ravioli was right on the money. Just so you know, Hot Tomatoe’s pastas, breads and mozzarrella are all made-in house. Nice sized portions. Very pleasant wait-staff. Neighborhood pizza joint prices.  The joint’s decor is a “step above” pizza  joint-formica. Your tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble will work.

I really enjoyed this joint. Unlike most “mom & pop” joints…the stuff here isn’t massed produced. Everything is made to order. The menu is a-bit limited, but you will definitely find something to eat.

Hot Tomatoe is open for lunch, Monday-Friday 11am-2pm and for dinner, Monday-Thursday 5:30pm-10pm, Friday & Saturday 5:30pm-10:30pm and Sunday. One final thought, Hot Tomatoe has a very-loyal following…so, on Friday and Saturday nights, I would book a reservation.

*****  Positano, 4400 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 391-2120.

Positano is an Italian joint located in Boca Raton.

Check-out www.positanoristoranteitaliano.com for menu/prices…there are also loads of photos which will give you some idea as to what this restaurant looks like.

Real fast…indoor and out-door patio dining.  A recent “taste-test” of shrimp oreganata, veal parmigiana, chicken cacciatore and gnocchi sorrentino…found everything just fine. The food is probably as good as your favorite neighborhood-Italian pizzeria joint. Very nice looking joint, and its white table cloths won’t preclude your wearing a tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble. Wait-staff very friendly and competent. As for prices, maybe a buck-or two more than neighborhhod pizza joint prices.

I really enjoyed my meal at Positano. Good food…nice ambiance…good service…reasonable prices. A very nice change from the “standard” neighborhood booth joints.

Positano is open Monday-Thursday & Sunday 5pm-10 and Friday-Saturday 5pm-11pm.