*****  The Cheesecake Factory, 600 East Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301 (954) 463-1999.

I’ m gonna go out on a limb here…and guess that you guys know what The Cheesecake Factory “is”…for those that don’t, a “Casual American-Style” joint.

The Cheesecake Factory has been around for something like 30 years and has restaurants all over the United States…for the record, there are 14 in Florida. Just off the top of my head, I know that within the past 2-years I have eaten in Cheesecakes in Aventura, Boca Raton, Coconut Grove, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens and Miami. My latest “outing” was last night at the Las Olas location.

I call The Cheesecake Factory the “go to place.”…like when you need a real good meal–real good prices–real good portions–real good service. Take a look at this joint’s website www.thecheesecakefactory.com for menu/prices/photos/locations. The menu is something like 12-million pages long and trust me on this, you will absolutely positively find something to eat…appetizers, salads, sandwiches,  pastas, pizzas, meat/seafood/chicken entrees, desserts. Your 5 year old, your teenager, your 97 year old grandma…will all enjoy eating in this joint.

Unless I am getting senile here…the decor in all locations is identical (Mayan Indian meets Inca Indian meets Horoscope)…same goes for the menu. How they do it is beyond me, but the waiters/waitresses are the most competent and pleasant group going. Let’s put it this way, The Cheesecake Factory is one of the “top” players in the casual-dining sector.

Over the years, I have eaten sliders, chicken pot stickers, meat loaf, grilled chicken, fried cheese,  cobb salad, eggs…and of course cheesecake. This is just a partial-list…and let’s just say, I have never had a bad meal.

If you have eaten in The Cheesecake Factory…you know that I “speak the truth” when I tell you, that this a terrific restaurant. Big meal-small meal, dessert…this joint has you covered.

Like I said before, my last Cheesecake outing was last night at 6pm at the Olas location…had tickets for  the 8pm performance of  The Jersey Boys at the Broward Center. Great sliders and pot stickers with a Fresca. By the way, you don’t want to miss that-show.

The Cheesecake Factory is open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-11:30pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-12:30am and Sunday 10am-11am.

*****  TooJay’s Gourmet Deli, 3013 Yamato Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33496 (561) 997-9911.

TooJay’s is a “New York Style” deli…which has 27 locations in Florida. If you check its website www.toojays.com in addition to menu/prices you will find a listing of locations.

Just so we are straight…TooJay’s is not a top-notch deli in the same vein as joints like Pastrami Queen, Ben’s Kosher Deli or Pomperdale Deli. Simply put, TooJay’s serves decent enough food at very reasonable prices. Nothing great, but nothing terrible.

Over the past 16 years, I must have eaten in/taken-out from  a TooJay’s something like 25-30 times…let’s just say, that convenience more than anything else was the “reason why”…as there are 3- locations all within 5 minutes of my home.

Let’s sum this one up…NY style deli, loads of appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, meat/chicken/fish entrees and desserts…decent food…reasonable prices. When I “think” TooJay’s I think white bread…not rye bread.

TooJay’s is open 7 days a week for breakfast-lunch-dinner.

*****  Burger King, 1280 West Sunrise Boulevard (Sawgrass Mills), Sunrise, Florida 33323 (954) 846-9023.

Now, I don’t want to get all nostalgic with you…but as a kid and teenager growing up in Brooklyn I was literally raised on Nathan’s hot dogs and french fries…and White Castle’s sliders. Before I go any further, nobody and I mean nobody makes french fries as good as Nathan’s…

Now, Let’s talk about Burger King.

Yesterday, I was “shopping” in Sawgrass Mills…actually, my wife was shopping and I was trying to kill 2 1/2 hours between the food court and sleeping/reading at Books A Million. To make a long story short…I gave Burger King a shot, trying its new product “BURGER SHOTS” which are sliders that come 2-to a package for $1.39 and $1.64 with cheese. Not bad, not bad at all. I ordered 4  cheese-burgers covered in ketchup/mustard and topped with a pickle slice and like I just said, they were pretty decent.

Just so you know, until yesterday I couldn’t even hazard a guess as to the last time I’d eaten in a Burger King or for that matter a McDonald’s or Wendy’s…I will tell you, that for years I had “wondered” why these 3 chains never added sliders to their menus…the same goes for hot dogs.

One other quick thought…the reason why White Castle’s sliders are square and have little holes in them…to save grill space and the holes allow the slider to cook-through without turning it over.

The next time you want a good-cheap slider…think Burger King.

The Burger King in Sawgrass Mills is open Monday-Saturday 10am-9:30pm and Sunday 11pm-6pm.

*****  Mona Lisa Coal Oven Pizza, 2009 Northeast 2nd Street, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 420-5644.

Let me start by saying that…Mona Lisa Coal Oven Pizza is a  “must try.”

Last night, four of us ate dinner at this casual Deerfield Beach coal oven joint…and I got to tell you, that the food is absoluetly off the charts. For menu/prices check www.menuking.com.

Mona Lisa has both indoor (70) and outdoor patio (60) seating. Inside, the walls are lined with old 1930’s-40’s  gangster photos and mug shots…this joint has a real-Mulberry Street feel to it. When you see the outdoor lighting, you’ll know what I am talking about.

Mona Lisa’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads. pizzas, sandwiches and desserts. Just so you know, this joint is an “off shoot” of the world famous Mona Lisa Pastry Shop which has been feeding Brooklyn faces for something like 80 years. This is grandson Steve’s baby…and last night, I noticed how he and his wife, Theresa visited every-table. This is strictly a “family affair”…and the personal touch shows in the top ingredients used and the relaxed-friendly atmosphere.

Let’s talk food…my “taste test” had me devouring… antipasto platter, caprese salad, roasted wings, roasted peppers, broccoli rabe & sausage, margarita pizza, bianco pizza…I’ll “discuss” the desserts later. Like I said before, the food is terrific…I am telling you, this joint’s food is top-notch and the pizza and chicken wings were some of the best that I have eaten anywhere. Not being a total-pig, I did not “sample” one of the ten-listed ciabatta bread sandwiches, but did “spot” a customer downing a grilled chicken-mozzarella-roasted red peppers-broccoli rabe…the sandwiche’s look-alone, was worth the price of admission.

I am usually not a “big” dessert eater…however, based on the fact that this joint makes its own breads, pastries and cakes in-house… I went for the whole ball of wax…absolutely delicious, tiramisu, cannolis, chocolate cheesecake…Mona Lisa also makes a flaky-crisp “lobster” shapped pastry that is-not-to-be-missed. This thing is filled with either French or cannoli creme…incredible.

Let’s talk service…pleasant, easy going.  Let’s talk price…no more expensive than your favorite pizza-joint hangout.

Mona Lisa is 1-block from Deerfield Beach. Parking is usually a “horror”…just between me and you, Mona Lisa has its own customer parking lot right behind the out-door patio.

Mona Lisa is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.

This joint is a winner.

*****  City Bar B Que Place, 1901 Northeast 163rd Street, Miami, Florida 33162 (305) 354-4747.

Got a terrific “fast food” bbq joint for you…City Bar B Que Place in Miami. Order at/Pickup at…the counter. Checkout its website www.citybbqplace.com for menu/prices.

This joint has two things going for it…(1) real good food…(2) dirt cheap prices.

A recent “taste-test” of 1/2 roast chicken ( garlic bread & 2 sides $7.95), 1/2 rack of ribs ( garlic bread  & 2 sides $8.95), pulled pork sandwich ( french fries & coleslaw $5.95) was right on the money. Just so you know, the sides sampled were fries, corn bread, collard greens and coleslaw.

Nothing fancy here. This is a fast food joint. The ribs and chicken are as good, if not better than, the stuff served by most of the full-service bbq joints down here in South Florida.

City Bar B Que Place is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.

*****  Cactus Jack & The Cadillacs  *****

This past weekend, Cactus Jack & The Cadillacs one of America’s top-rated Frat Rock–Rock N’ Roll bands played 2-shows at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton. If 1960’s rock n’ roll is your “bag”…this band was made for you, covering  artists like Elvis, Bruce Chanel, The Swingin’ Medallions, The Stones, The Shadows of Knight, The Beach Boys, The Beatles and  BTO. This 6 man band which has been around for something like 25 years,  features  Randy Lobeck the renowned sax player who was a member of Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band from 1964-1973. These guys are “regulars” at  Disney World, Universal Studios and Orlando’s Hard Rock Live…not to mention, that they  are one of the hottest acts on the FSU-UF fraternity circuit.

I caught them in action at the Woodfield Country Club. Checkout the band’s website at www.bopper.com  for performance schedule.

*****  Cugini Steakhouse & Martini Bar, 270 East Atlantic Avenue, Boca Raton, Florida 33444 (561) 274-6244.

In previous reviews, I told you guys that Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach is not my “scene”…too many overpriced-crappy restaurants ripping off tourists and us natives.

Anyway…although Cugini Steakhouse is located on the aforesaid Atlantic Avenue, it is not one of the aforesaid overpriced-crappy-ripoff joints. In fact, this “American-style” semi-upscale restaurant serves some really delicious-reasonably priced stuff.  A recent outing had me downing 20 oz. bone-in ribeye steak ($38) and blackened mahi mahi ($22)…each entree came with 2-sides. In the service department…competent and extremely pleasant.

Like I said before, let’s call this joint “semi-upscale”…but your tee shirt/shorts’ ensemble is gonna work here. The joint has both inside and outside seating…so if people watching or car watching or whatever-watching is your game, Cugini has you covered. 

Take a look at Cugini’s website www.cuginigrilledelray.com for menu/prices/and tons of photos.  Just so you know, the menu isn’t gigantic, but you’ll find something to eat. One other thing, for 20 bucks the joint has an “early dinner” which gets you salad-entree-dessert.

You now know about an “exception to the rule”…that being a really good-moderately priced-no “bs” Atlantic Avenue restaurant. Cugini is open Sunday-Thursday 4pm-10:30pm and Friday-Saturday 4pm-midnight.

*****  The Palm Beach Steakhouse 33480, 191 Bradley Place, Palm Beach, Florida 33480 (561) 671-4333.

I absolutely HATE overly pretentious-Upscale steakhouses…you know the joints where you have to wear pants–entrees cost an arm & a leg–entrees come with no sides– side dishes cost more than a set of new tires—the waitstaff treats you like crap–and most of the time, the food is just ok.

Anyway, other than the “wearing of pants” part…The Palm Beach Steakhouse 44380 is none of the above.

First things first, checkout this joint’s website at www.thepalmbeachsteakhouse.com for menu/prices/details.

The Palm Beach Steakhouse is a terrific “white tablecloth upscale” restaurant. A recent outing had me “sampling” a 20-oz bone-in ribeye steak ($41), crab cakes ($32), lamb chops ($32), grilled shrimp ($35). All of the entrees came with 2- sides…and the food was dynamite. The service was friendly and professional, no “airs” whatsoever.

This joint is a winner…The Palm Beach Steakhouse 33480 is open Sunday-Thursday 4pm-10pm and Friday-Saturday 4pm-midnight.

*****  Zo’s Off The Hook Sports Grille, 2861 East Commercial Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308 (954) 689-6757.

I ‘m gonna go-out on a limb here…but my money says, that Alonzo Mourning owns a “piece” of this sports-bar. For those who don’t know, or who could care-less…Zo just retired from the Miami Heat.

Now let’s talk about Zo’s Off The Hook Sports Grille…GREAT!! Every sports bar should be like this one. Great decor. Tons of flat screen tvs. Huge bar. Terrific food. Live entertainment. Great service. Reasonable prices.

At this juncture, you should check Zo’s website: www.zosoffthehooksportsgrille.com for menu/prices/entertainment schedule/tons of photos of the joint.

Zo’s menu is loaded with appetizers,  salads, burgers, sandwiches, meat-chicken-seafood entrees. Something for everyone.

Like I said before, Zo’s is terrific. A recent outing had me “dining” on coconut shrimp, crab-cakes, grilled salmon, cheeseburger, rib-eye steak, babyback ribs,  french fries…and I gotta tell you, the food is excellent. Now…you and I both know, that most sports bar’s stuff is  usually… shall-we-say, one step above “micro-wave.”  Au contraire, Zo’s food, is right up there with Houston’s-Cheesecake Factory–quality. Throw in those tv sets and entertainment by guys like Rod Stewart impersonator George Orr (www.hotrodlive.com ) and you got one terrific joint.

If casual-sports bars are your game…you have to try this one.

Zo’s is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 11:30 am-midnight…Tuesday 11:30 am-11 pm…Friday & Saturday 11:30 am-1 am.

*****  Menu King (www.menuking.com)  *****

Got an interesting site for you to checkout…Menu King www.menuking.com

This site has tons of  South Florida restaurants  listed…for that matter, it has listings for restaurants all over the United States.

The site has reviews, menus, photos…in addition, the site also “sells” restaurant-discount money. You know the game, $10 gets you $20 and $25 gets you $50 etc. Totally legit site. One other nice thing, the Menu King also has a load of FREE DISCOUNT COUPONS that can be used at  listed restaurants.

Just one final note…keep in mind, that there are NO NEGATIVE REVIEWS…afterall, Menu King’s business is to generate business for the listed restaurants.