***** Strathmore Bagels, 4095 State Road 7, Wellington, Florida 33467 (561) 357-0044.

Strathmore Bagels is one of the best “bagel-deli” joints in South Florida.

Before we go any further, this review is about the Strathmore Bagels located in Wellington. There are other Strathmore–South Florida locations…I have not tried any of those. Not sure of the exact details, but the Welligton store is owned/operated by Strathmore’s founder Jerry Steuerman–the other locations are franchise-operations.

A recent outing had me trying, potato pancakes ($6.95), challah french toast ($6.95), western omelette ($8.95), tuna salad platter ($9.95), chicken salad platter ($9.95), corned beef on rye ($8.95), pastrami on rye ($8.95), brisket on rye ($8.95), “everything” bagel”–“sesame bagel”–“pumpernickel bagel”…like I said before, Strathmore is one of the best bagel-deli joints down here—the food is right on the money.

Just so we are straight, the deli meats are not–I repeat–not in the same league as the stuff that you get at “full-time-real” delis like Pastrami Queen, Pomperdale’s, Ben’s…but in all fairness, I will tell you, that Strathmore is putting out a nice product at real reasonable prices.

You can check www.strathmorebagels.com for menu/prices/photos.

Strathmore Bagels is a winner.

The joint is open 7 days a week 6:30am-2:30pm for eat-in and 3:30pm for takeout.

***** Mr. G’s Ristorante, 207 North State Road 7, Margate, Florida 33063, (954) 972-2230.

Mr. G’s is an “Italian-Seafood” joint…it has been around in one form or another since 1970…the current owners, John & Jeannie Francis have been running the show since November, 2001.

Over the past 19 years, I must have driven by Mr. G’s free standing building something like 250 times…each time saying to myself “Hey Jeff, you ought to try that joint out”…well, last week, I finally stopped and gave Mr. G’s a shot.

Take a look at Mr. G’s website www.mrgsristorante.com for menu/prices/photos.

My recent outing had me trying entrees– veal parmigiana ($15.50), chicken francese ($14.50), lasagna ($14.40), norweigan salmon ($16.50) and appetizers–crab cake ($9.50), lobster raviloi ($9.50). The verdict: not sure what Mr. G’s was like before John & Jeannie took over, but the food that they are currently “preparing” is delicious and priced right. Service is pleasant and the joint has the “feel” of a real neighborhood mom & pop…where they care about their customers and do everything to please them.

Mr. G’s has a nice menu of appetizers, salads, Italian and seafood dishes. The joint is open for dinner only, Tuesday-Sunday 4:30pm-9pm.

I really enjoyed Mr. G’s. Give this one a shot.

***** Bagel Snack Restaurant & Deli, 1237 South Powerline Road, Pompano Beach, Florida 33061 (954) 974-4564.

Got a really good “NY STYLE BAGEL DELI” joint for you…Bagel Snack in Pompano Beach. Check menu/prices at www.lauderdalemenus.com.

Bagel Snack’s menu is loaded with real good– breakfast stuff, salads, sandwiches, lox-deli meats…and absolutely terrific– bagels and bialys.

You know and I know, that bagel-deli joints are a dime-a-dozen down here in South Florida…Bagel Snack is definitely one of the best ones.

Nothing more to say, except…the joint is open 7 days a week-6:30am-3pm.

***** h Restaurant, 17608 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160, (305) 931-9106.

h Restaurant is a “mom & pop” French restaurant located in Sunny Isles Beach. You can get menu/prices/loads of photos at www.thehrestaurant.com.

Let me cut right to the chase…you gotta try this joint–the food is terrific and reasonably priced. Let’s call the menu eclectic—h Restaurant calls itself a FRENCH RESTAURANT–but in addition to all kinds of French “dishes”–its got pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salads, meat-seafood-chicken entrees, which have nothing to do with France. Which reminds me of the old joke…Why is the Avenue des Champs Elysees lined with huge shade oak trees? Because—they don’t want the marching German troops to get overheated…badom!

h Restaurant is open 7 days a week and does breakfast-lunch-dinner. I recently did dinner… in no particular order–onion soup, cheeseburger, pizza, chicken marsala, veal piccata, seafood au gratin, shrimp & scallops provencal. Like I said before, the food is top-notch. Every dish that I tried was delicious, with the onion soup being one of the best that I have had in a very-very long time.

Try this joint, it is really good.

***** New York Bagel Deli, 6456 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33141 (305) 865-2522.

Got a good (with one caveat) “bagel-deli” for you…New York Bagel Deli located on Collins Avenue. From what I understand, this 34 seat “hole in the wall” has been around since 1996–and currently has 4 additional Miami Beach locations in development. You can get menu/prices/future locations at www.newyorkbageldeli.com.

N.Y.B.D. is an ORDER AT THE COUNTER–PICKUP AT THE COUNTER joint. Big bagel selection. All types of cream cheeses–salads–sandwiches–juices–smoothies–coffees. I tried an “everything” with chicken salad–“poppy” with tuna salad–“plain” with cream cheese, western on a “sesame”…the “toppings” were absolutely delicious. The bagels were fair-a bagel is suppose to be “hard” on the oustside with a soft inside, not a totally soft product.

Got one other major problem with this joint…$8.95 for chicken or tuna, $2.75 for a shmear, $5.95 for a western on a bagel…

Nothing for nothing…New York Bagel Deli has been around for something like 14 years…has 4 stores in development—so I could be wrong, but those prices are a bit testy for me.

New York Bagel is open 7 days a week 7am-6:30pm.

***** Bella Napoli Restaurant & Pizzeria, 1443 Alton Road, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, (305) 672-1558.

You want good–cheap “mom & pop” red sauce Italian?..checkout, Bella Napoli in Miami Beach.

A recent outing had me doing—chicken parm sub ($5.95), veal parm sub ($6.50), sausage & peppers sub ($4.75), large 16″ plain pizza ($10.50), linguini with clams-white sauce ($7.50), garlic rolls (1 dozen $3.00). The stuff is GOOD and DIRT cheap. Special mention goes to the garlic rolls–loved them–loaded and I do mean loaded with garlic and oil… and the pizza which was thin crusted-sweet sauce. Operative words on Bella, GOOD & CHEAP.

This is a no-frills joint. Like I said before, good stuff, real cheap…very pleasant staff. You can check menu/prices at www.bellanapolisouthbeach.com.

Bella Napoli is open Monday-Friday 11am-11pm and Saturday-Sunday noon-11pm.

***** Uncle Louie G, 330 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 (561) 429-6925.

Let’s see…assuming that our recent cold-spell is over—–I got a really good “ices-ice cream” joint that you might want to checkout…Uncle Louie G in West Palm Beach.

Uncle Louie G is a “small chain”– with something like 30 stores in NY-NJ-CT-NC-MD…I think that the Clematis Street joint is its first Florida location…it’s been open for about 3 months… Order at-Pickup at Counter.

Absolutely delicious ices and ice cream…Recently “sampled” pistachio ices/vanilla chip ices/lemon ices…cookies n cream ice cream/strawberry ice cream/coconut ice cream…I wish that this joint was closer to my house, because I would be a regular.

Check Uncle Louie G’s website www.unclelouiegee for flavors/locations.

Uncle Louie G is open Sunday-Wednesday 11:30am-8pm, Thursday-Saturday 11:30am-11:30pm.

***** Pasquale & Son’s Pizza Company, 5609 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs, Florida 33076 (954) 510-0703.

Pasquale & Son’s is a “red sauce” Italian “order-at the counter/pickup-at-the-counter” joint. It is a very modern looking restaurant, with flat screen tvs with plenty of table and booth seating.

Before we go any further, the same guys who own Pasquale & Son’s have another joint, Pasquale’s Pizza & Subs, 10337, Royal Palm Boulevard, Coral Springs, Florida 33065 (954) 341-0707…same concept/menu/prices/hours/website (pasqualeandsons.com).

Pasquale & Son’s is my kind of joint. Take a look at its website www.pasqualeandsons.com for menu/prices/photos—and you’ll get some idea of what I am yapping about. Straight-up…real casual, good stuff, reasonable prices.

The other night I did—chicken parm sub ($7.95), penne ala vodka ($12.95-comes with 4 garlic rolls and side salad), large plain pizza ($15.95), sicilian pizza ($18.95), calzone ($8.50 mozzarella & ricotta), stromboli ($8.50 mozzarella-pepperoni-sausage-peppers-onion) and I gotta tell you, the food is right on the money. Like I told you before, you are your “own” waiter/waitress (got to be politically correct here)…this is one-easy going-casual joint. I have to single that stromboli out for- special kudos, sorry- I didn’t order a large one for $18.50, it was really that good.

Pasquale & Son’s is open Sunday-Thursday 10am-11pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-midnight.

***** Randazzo’s, 7456 Royal Palm Boulevard, Margate, Florida 33063 (954) 975-0029.

You guys know that there are probably 1,012,576 “mom & pop” red sauce Italian joints in South Florida…and that I have eaten in a ton of them. Some of them are good, others not so good, some outstanding (very few of these) and others absolutely stink. If you get a “GOOD” from old Jeff Eats, you are doing just fine.

Well…I’m gonna give Randazzo’s a GOOD…I did veal parmigiana ($16.95), sausage & peppers ($12.95), veal marsala ($16.95), shrimp oreganata ($16.95), penne alla vodka ($13.95)…entrees come with–surprise surprise, garlic rolls-soup or salad–pasta side. I enjoyed the food. I enjoyed the Randazzo Family who own the joint… I will definitely be back for another meal.

Randazzo’s is a casual joint…menu– loaded with appetizers, subs, pizzas, pastas, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. Nice sized portions. Early bird specials. Reasonable prices. Pleasant wait staff. You can check the joint’s website www.randazzosrestaurant.com for menu/prices/photos.

Randazzo’s is open Tuesady-Friday 11am-10pm, Saturday 4pm-10pm, Sunday 4pm-9pm, closed on Monday.

***** Rock N Roll Ribs, 4651 State Road 7, Coral Springs, Florida 33073 (954) 345-7429.

Rock N Roll Ribs is a “bbq joint”…it opened about 3 months ago…one of its co-owners is Nicko McBrain, the legendary drummer of the metal-band Iron Maiden…by the way, Nicko lives in Boca Raton. So, you now know— how “it” probably got the name Rock N Roll Ribs. The joint, has videos of bands playing, records on the wall, hanging guitars and a drum set as its decor. Rock N Roll Ribs is located in a shopping center on State Road 7…I think there are more empty stores than going businesses. Personally, I think that the spot stinks, but hey, it ain’t my dime! The joint isn’t all that big, maybe 80 seats. From what I understand, although Nicko is one of the owners and hangs out there- when he is in “town” (he wasn’t there, last night), it is run by “Moby” Rick Baum who according to the joint’s “pr” has an extensive background in developing/opening/running restaurants—the guy also plays guitar in Nicko’s (other band) McBrain Damage… What I can tell you, based on last night’s meal, this guy Moby Rick knows his bbq.

At this stage of the concert, check www.rocknrollribs.org for menu/prices/photos.

Now let’s talk food…tried- baby back ribs, bbq chicken, pork sandwich, cheese burger, french fries, garlic toast—this is some of the best bbq that I have had “down here” in South Florida. This joint’s bbq is not heavy-smokey, but rather “sweet” grilled stuff, that is right on the money.

On the pricing front—very reasonable…a full rack of baby back ribs with garlic toast and 2 sides goes for $15.95…a 1/2 chicken with garlic toast and 2 sides $12.95.

On the service side—very pleasant and efficient waitstaff.

Like I said before, 80 seats, looks better than a Hard Rock Cafe, real good food, real good prices, real good service, lousy location. Hey! Nicko and Rick, you got a great concept here…I just hope that people “find” you.

One final thought, you might like to check www.ironmaiden.com and www.myspace.com/mcbraindamge and read about Nicko and Rick’s music and bandmates. Just so you know, Nicko-is considered by many, to be one of the top rock drummers of all-time.

I really enjoyed Rock N Roll Ribs.

The joint is open 7-days a week 11am-10pm.