*****  Pizza Stop, 8242 Wiles Road, Coral Springs, Florida 33067 (954) 344-4900.

Let’s talk turkey here…actually garlic knots. You know and I know, that there are more “mom & pop–red sauce Italian” joints in South Florida than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook. There are good ones, there are lousy ones and there are great ones. You know the game, soup or salad…garlic knots…side of pasta…entree.

Let’s make this review  real-simple…Pizza Stop is one of the “good ones.” The menu as you would expect, is packed with appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas, subs, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. Prices are neighborhood pizza joint prices…with loads of lunch and dinner specials. Service is as pleasant as can be. A recent “taste-test” netted me chicken scarpariello, shrimp francese, veal parmigiana, chicken marsala, pizza…everything was A-Okay…and the garlic knots were delicious.

You now know about a good “mom & pop” joint. Pizza Stop is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm…Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 11am-10pm, Sunday 1pm-10pm.

Famous Uncle Al’s Hot Dogs & Grille, 4861 Coconut Creek Parkway, Coconut Creek, Florida 33063 (954) 975-6226.

Famous Uncle Al’s is a “hot-dog, burger, french fries” joint located in Coconut Creek…This afternoon… I tried Famous Uncle Al’s 1/2 lb. cheeseburger ($6.45)–onion rings ($4.99)–french fries ($2.25)–hot dog ($2.50)…let’s just say, cute place, piss-poor location…OK onion rings, OK “grilled Sabrett” hot-dog, lousy french fries, horrendous cheeseburger.

Just so you know, Famous Uncle Al’s is a small chain which currently has 8-9 locations, with 3 of them in Florida. The Coconut Creek joint has been in business something like 2-months. The problem with this concept which features waiter-service is, that the food isn’t very good. Like I said before, the hot dog and onion rings were OK, but nothing great…while the french fries and cheeseburger were absolute disasters. The cheeseburger that I was served, was perfectly “formed” just like the stuff you buy frozen in Publix or Costco’s. The french fries had an oily after-taste, “like” when the oil in the fryer hasn’t been changed for some-time. It is absolutely beyond me, how Famous Uncle Al’s thinks that it can compete with guys like Five Guys who serve fresh-burgers and hand-cut french fries.

 Anyway, I wish the owners well, but I won’t be back.

*****  Coconuts, 429 Seabreeze Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (954) 525-2421.

This “American-Seafood” joint should be featured by the Florida Chamber of Commerce…after looking at Coconut’s website www.coconutsbahamagrill.com I challenge you to give me even-one good reason (forgetting hurricanes) why someone wouldn’t want to live in South Florida…in addition to menu/prices, there is a handful of photos of this real-casual, indoor/out-door patio joint which is located right on the Intracoastal.

Just so you know, Coconuts’ menu “features” SEAFOOD…that said, there are enough meat-chicken items, so “nobody” is going to starve. Service is good. As for prices, not exactly cheap, but nothing that will require a second-job. The menu changes daily…with various specials.

A recent “taste-test” had me sampling conch fritters, crab cakes, teriyaki chicken, lobster roll, hamburger…all very good.

Coconuts has been in business since 1980. If memory serves me correctly, the folks now-running the joint are not the original owners…in any event, Coconuts is a terrific-casual joint for lunch or dinner. By the way, if you wear anything more than a tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble you will be over-dressed.

Got an idea for you…bring your “out of town” guests to Coconuts and while dining, ask them how their Mayor Bloomberg is doing.

*****  Home Burger USA, 949B SE 15th Street, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 (954) 696-7979.

Got an interesting “fast-food” joint for you…Home Burger USA. The best way to describe Home Burger is…Five Guys with a French Canadian twist. If you take a look at this joint’s website www.homeburgerusa.com you’ll see what I mean…the tip-off, in addition to the expected hamburgers, hot dogs and french fries, Home Burger has poutine (french fries covered in cheese and gravy)…which is a big favorite of French Canadians.

Anyway…let’s talk food. If you check Home Burger USA’s menu you will find stuff like…hot dogs, burgers, french fries, poutine, spaghetti, salads, smoked meat sandwiches. I tried the hamburger, onion rings and poutine…delicious. The joint which has been open something like 6-weeks, looks like Five Guys but with a “presidential theme.”

By the way, I am assuming that you know what Five Guys is…if you don’t, check my writeup of November 2, 2006 and Five Guys website www.fiveguys.com for information.

If you live or work in Home Burger USA’s neighborhood, it is definitely worth a try. Like I said before, it’s sort of like a French Canadian Five Guys. The joint is open Sunday-Wednesday 11am-8pm and Thursday-Saturday 11am-9pm.

*****  Little Menna’s Pizzeria, 1619 SE 3rd Court, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 482-0914.

Got a good neighborhood “hole in the wall” Italian joint for you…Little Menna’s Pizzeria located in Deerfield Beach. Maybe, the joint has a half-dozen tables inside and 2-outside. Based on what I can tell, everything is “made to order”…which may explain the some-what “limited menu.” Don’t worry, you won’t starve…but the list of appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, pizzas and meat-chicken entrees is not exactly what I would call huge. Service is as pleasant as can be. As for prices (now get this), maybe a buck or two cheaper on the entrees than your favorite neighborhood joint.

Let’s talk food…pizza, chicken parmigiana, lasagna and penne a la vodka, all good…not gourmet stuff, but you will definitely enjoy your meal.

Little Menna’s is a good neighborhood joint…which is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm. and closed Sunday.

*****  Dom & Louie’s N.Y. Pizza, 3930 Hypoluxo Road, Boynton Beach, Florida 33436 (561) 868-4883.

Read about Dom & Louie’s in the “Sun Sentinel” on February 26, 2008..based on the positive-review, I decided to give it a shot. Just so you know, this is a neighborhood-pizza joint where you order at/pick-up at the counter…check Dom & Louie’s website www.domandlouiespizza.com for menu/prices. There is also a photo of the joint, which will give you some idea of what this “no frills” joint looks like.

Dom & Louie’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas. subs and meat/seafood/chicken entrees. Pizza joint prices.

A “taste-test” of pizza, veal marsla, chicken parmigiana and shrimp fra diavolo was just fine. Gourmet food? Now let’s not get stupid here. This is a good NEIGHBORHOOD joint. So…if you live in Dom & Louie’s neighborhood, you now know about a good joint to eat-in/take-out from. The joint is open 7 days a week 11am-9pm.

*****  Sara’s Kitchen, 210 East Ocean Avenue, Lantana, Florida 33462 (561) 540-2822.

Google says, that this is the first review on Sara’s Kitchen…a breakfast-lunch joint in Lantana. So here goes.

Sara’s is a small breakfast-lunch joint that seats 47 inside and something like 35 outside. Sara’s menu is loaded with tons of breakfast-dishes, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Sara’s food is absolutely terrific. A recent-outing had me sampling…pancakes, Spanish omelette, french toast, waffles, hash browns, bacon cheese burger, dijon chicken salad. Trust me on this, this joint runs circles around your favorite neighborhood bagel-joint/diner. Portions are over-sized and beautifully presented, service is as friendly as can be, prices are neighborhood bagel-joint prices.

Sara’s, which opened about 5 weeks ago, is open 7 days a week…7am-4pm.

*****  China Van Chinese Cuisine, 3639 Woolbright Road, Boynton Beach, Florida 33436 (561) 737-7785.

I read about this Chinese joint in both the “Palm Beach Post” and “Sun Sentinel” on February 26, 2009. They  really-liked the food. They  really-liked the prices. Sooo…I decided to give this joint a shot.

Let’s do it this way…China Van is a NEIGHBORHOOD-Chinese joint. Like, it is a good place to know about, if you live or work in the neighborhood. Would I make a special-trip to eat there, NOPE!!! Now don’t get me wrong, the food is good, not great. My money says, that your favorite neighborhood joint is as good if not better.

My taste-test netted me… wonton-soup, egg rolls, pan fried dumplings, sweet & sour chicken, spare ribs, pepper steak and chicken lo mein. Like I said, everything was good…but nothing outstanding here.

My money also says, that you know exactly what this neighborhood joint looks like…and  that you know that “specials” include, soup-egg roll-rice-entree-dessert, all for $!0.95-$12.95.

Would I go back to China Van? Sure, if I lived or worked in the neighborhood.

The “Palm Beach Post” and the “Sun Sentinel” really-liked this joint…I thought it was just okay…

China Van Chinese Cuisine is open 7-day a week for lunch and dinner.

*****  Bellante’s Pizza & Pasta Buffet, 2693 Forest Hill Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406 (561) 967-0005.

This is a real simple story…for $5.49 you get a pizza-pasta-salad-soup-dessert buffet. Gourmet food? Now let’s not get stupid here…I will tell you, this joint gives you a real-nice selection of stuff…and it isn’t half bad. By the way, kids eat for something like $2.99…

Just so you know, I have eaten in the West Palm Beach joint twice. I assume, that the menu/prices are the same in  the other listed locations.

Bellante’s is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.

*****  Nunzio’s Italian Ristorante, 11433 Bird Road, Miami, Florida 33165 (305) 221-6091.

Got an absolutely GREAT “mom & pop” Italian joint for you…Nunzio’s Italian Ristorante in Miami. No fooling, this restaurant is absolutely terrific. Old family photos on the wall…casual…no more expensive than your current favorite hangout.

Just so you know, tons of people already know about  Nunzio’s…the family that owns this joint has been serving top-notch stuff for something like 35 years down here in South Florida…they started out in a Westchester “hole in the wall” and progressed to the current Bird Road “bigger hole in the wall location.” Anyway…just a heads-up, the joint is always packed for dinner.

Let’s talk food…dynamite. Nunzio’s got loads of appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, pizzas and meat-seafood-chicken entrees and desserts…before I go any further, make sure that you finish your meal off with Nunzio’s “ZUPETTA”  a home made-tiramisu like concoction, absolutely incredible.

A recent outing had me doing a “basic” food taste…you know, pizza, lasagna, baked zita, gnochhi, veal parm…this stuff is terrific. I am telling you, YOUR favorite “mom & pop” joint doesn’t come even close to Nunzio’s stuff.

Nunzio’s is open for lunch Tuesday-Thursday noon-2pm and dinner 5pm-10pm…for dinner Friday-Saturday 5pm-10:30pm…and for dinner Sunday 5-9:30pm.