Boca Raton

***** Japango, 3011 Ymato Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, (561) 33434.

This review is about Japango an “Asian Fusion” joint which opened a couple of weeks ago in Boca Raton…there is another Japango located in Parkland, same owner, same menu, same prices…but I haven’t been to that one.

At this stage of the game, let’s go to Japango’s website www.japangomenu.com for menu/prices/photos.

This is a very easy review to write…Japango has delicious-moderatley priced food. Last night I “sampled” in no particular order—bbq ribs, chicken teriyaki, stir fried noodels, fried rice, miso seafood soup, shrimp tempura…like I said before– delicious. I will tell you, that the bbq ribs and fried rice were as good if not better, than the top stuff I have eaten down here in Chinese restaurants.

Japango is an upscale looking joint, but the tee shirt-shorts ensemble works. The menu has a great combination of Japanese, Chinese, Thai items…so if you aren’t a sushi eater, you are covered.

Word of mouth…I have heard that the Japango in Parkland is also a dynamite restaurant—always packed. that joint is located at 7387 North State Road 7, Parkland, Florida 33073, (954) 345-4268.

Japango is open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday 11:30am-10:30pm, Saturday 4:30pm-10:30pm, Sunday 4:30pm-9:30pm.

***** Palm Springs Pizza & Restaurant, 3087 Forest Hills Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 (%61) 964-3500.

Palm Springs Pizza is a good–reasonably priced “red sauce” joint. Absolutely– nothing fancy here. A recent outing had me “sampling”…pizza, veal parmigiana, lasagna baked manicotti—like I said, good stuff.

This is basically a neighborhood joint—so if you live or work in the neighborhood, you now know about a good joint for pizza, subs, calzones and the “standard” entree dishes.

You can check Palm Springs’ website www.palmspringspizza.net for menu/prices/photos.

Palm Springs is open Monday-Thursday & Saturday 11am-11:30pm, Friday 11am-midnight, Sunday noon-10pm.

***** Tutti Fratelli Italian Restaurant, 3275 North Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, Florida 33064 (954) 245-8208.

Here’s a New Year’s gift…Tuitti Fratelli Italian Restaurant in Pompano Beach.

Tutti is located in a real-small strip center on Federal Highway. Maybe it’s got 12-13 tables. The menu is limited, but you will definitely find something to eat. Dirt and I do mean dirt cheap prices…like veal parmigiana ($13.95), chicken marsala ($12.95), eggplant parmigiana ($13.95), eggplant rollantini ($14.95), penne ala vodka ($12.95)—entrees come with garlic rolls, soup or salad.

The food is very good.

If you live in the area…give this joint a shot.

Tutti is open 7 days a week 5pm-2am.

***** Paquito’s Mexican Restaurant, 16265 Biscayne Boulevard, North Miami, Florida 33160 (305) 947-0096.

Paquito’s is a casual- reasonably priced Mexican joint located in North Miami. You can check its website www.paquitosmiami.com for menu/prices/and tons of photos. Paquito’s has a full bar.

By now, you regular Jeff Eats’ guys probably know that Mexican food is not one of my favorite past-times…maybe it has something to do with that “D” that I got from Mr. Cohen in 11th grade Spanish at Erasmus Hall High School, anyway, sometimes I gotta eat in joints to appease the “cravings” of others.

Paquito’s menu is loaded with tacos, burritos, tamales, enchiladas, etc. In a recent outing I tried–grilled steak, beef fajita, chicken fajita, chili con carne and broiled shrimp…and I have to tell you, the food was very good. Like I said before, I am not a Mexican-food fan…that said, Paquito’s was one of the better Mexican joints that I have eaten in.

Paquito’s is open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-11pm, Friday-Saturday noon-midnight, Sunday noon-10pm.

If Mexican food is your bag, this is a good one.

***** Joe’s Riverside Grille, 125 North Riverside Drive, Pompano Beach, Florida 33062 (954) 941-8499.

Joe’s Riverside Grille is a casual–very good–moderatley priced SEAFOOD RESTAURANT that overlooks the Intracoastal…if seafood is NOT your game—this joint ain’t for you. While- the menu is loaded with seafood appetizers and entrees, it has a VERY LIMITED selection of meat-chicken items.

A recent outing had me “sampling”, baked onion soup, baked clams oreganato, snapper francaise, blackened tuna, shrimp scampi, almond crusted snapper and filet mignon. This joint’s food is very good. On the price front, the seafood entrees run something like 25-27 bucks a piece, the clams fetch 6 for $10, the onion soup 4 bucks, and the filet mignon $31. You can check Joe’s website www.joesriversidegrille.com for menu/prices.

Like I said before, this a casual joint and the food is very good. You can eat inside or outside overlooking the water.

Joe’s is open Sunday-Thursday 5pm-10pm and Friday & Saturday 5pm-11pm.

***** Romeo’s Restaurant & Pizza, 4917 Southern Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33415 (561) 471-9695.

As the famous poet lauerate Soupy Sales once said, “Watch your weight, or you’ll have more chins than there are in a Chinese phonebook”…that said, “mom & pop—red sauce” Romeo’s Restaurant & Pizza is the kinda joint that I could eat at everyday. Real simple…good food…really cheap prices. Don’t believe me on the ” really cheap” part?…how about veal parmigiana dinner $12.95—chicken marsala dinner $12.95—shrimp parmigiana dinner $15.95—stuffed shells dinner $9.95—large pizza $12.50…by the way, the dinners come with garlic knots, choice of soup or salad and pasta side—and the portions ARE NOT SKIMPY.

Checkout Romeo’s menu/prices at www.romeospizzawestpalm.com.

Gourmet food? Now let’s not be stupid here. This is a red sauce joint, but I am telling you, the food is good and the prices are right. Absolutely nothing fancy here…just solid-good food priced right.

Romeo’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Whiskey Tango, 1903 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Florida 33020 (954) 925-2555.

I recently gave Whiskey Tango a shot… and I have to tell you, that I really enjoyed this very casual “American Style” sports bar. Good “bar food”–Reasonable prices–TVs–Rock Bands on the weekend–Indoor and outdoor patio. Check Whiskey’s website www/whiskeytangofl.com for menu/prices/photos.

Whiskey Tango is a very casual joint, your tee shirt and shorts will work here. The joint’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. A recent outing had me doing–in no particular order…a bacon cheeseburger, bbq babyback ribs, shrimp scampi, “chicken thumbs” which are chicken fingers fried and coated with Cap’n Crunch Ceral, Philly cheese steak wrap—and I gotta tell you, for BAR FOOD the stuff is real-good…

Like I said before, I really enjoyed this joint. If you are looking for “fancy” this joint ain’t for you…but if you are looking for decent enough food, real casual atmosphere, some rock n’ roll music—just a plain old good time, I think you will really enjoy this joint.

Whiskey Tango is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Renzo’s Cafe & Pizzeria, 1906 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33496 (561) 994-0170.

In Boca, there are a handful of joints that have the name RENZO’s in their “title.” Just so there is no misunderstanding here—I’m talking about the Renzo’s Cafe & Pizzeria that’s right across from Calusa Elementary School on Clint Moore Road.

Okay…you can eat in (there a handful of tables inside and outside)–but, this is basically a takeout pizza joint. A “what you’d expect” red-sauce menu—appetizers, soups, salads, subs, pastas, calzones, pizza, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. You can check the menu/prices at www.renzoswest.com.

Tried this joint the other night and it is really good. “Sampled” a plain old large pizza, veal parm, chicken marsala, linguini-white clam sauce…like, I said really good—especially enjoyed the pizza which was thin-crispy-sweet sauce.

This is a neighborhood joint.

So you WEST Bocaratonians- now know about a really good joint for eat-in/takeout…that is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Sequenom Inc.

When Jeff Eats started, I told you guys that every so often I would mention a stock situation that might be of interest to you. We all know what happened to the “market” over the past 2 years…that said, you might like to look at Sequenom Inc (NASDQ: SQNM: $3.82).

YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE…this company which is involved in medical-gene diagnostic tests has been under a huge and I do mean huge cloud of bad-news.

Now no promises or guarantees here…but my research tells me, that 2010 could be a huge-year for this stock, as the cloud of bad news finally passes.

***** That Cool Cafe, 19048 Northeast 29th Avenue, Aventura, Florida 33180 (305) 931-9244.

Let me be up front…That Cool Cafe is NOT my kinda joint—that said, Mrs. Jeff Eats and Daughter Jeff Eats found this yogurt-panini-wraps-coffee-cereal-salad-smoothies-juice bar-joint to be absolutely dynamite.

When you come from a Brooklyn-background circa 1950s-60s where corner–candystores-delis-24 hour diners-pizza joints- were a-way of life, these “healthy” yogurt-panini-wraps-coffee-cereal-salad-smoothies-juice bar joints are a strange animal. Personally, I’d rather have 2 slices and a large Coke, or 2 Nathan’s hot dogs with a large FF any day, than a cup of low fat-low calorie yogurt topped with strawberries–or a large scoop of tuna salad surrounded by a bed of lettuce—but then again, each to their own.

Anyway…if you are “into” eating—–HEALTHY or whatever the pitch is, That Cool Cafe is for you. Like I said, Mrs. and Miss Jeff Eats absolutely loved this order at/pickup at the counter breakfast-lunch-dinner joint. You can check That Cool Cafe’s menu/prices at www.thatcoolcafe.com.

By the way, I kinda liked that vanilla-almond yogurt that they make…but trust me, it’s no match for a DQ chocolate heath bar “Blizzard”…