*****  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.

*****  Teddy’s Wing Shack, 1632 South Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida 33415 (561) 642-7067.

Got a really good–really casual–really reasonably priced “wing” joint for you…Teddy’s Wing Shack in West Palm Beach. Check Teddy’s website www.teddyswingshack.com for menu/prices…there are also loads of pictures that will give you some idea as to what this joint’s decor is all about.

Teddy’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, meat-seafood-chicken entrees…the joint’s wings come either grilled or fried and 20-different “flavors” are available.

Teddy’s doesn’t do “hard” liquor but has beer and tv sets…there is also patio seating.

Teddy’s is my kind of a joint…like I said before, real-casual…so your tee shirt and shorts will do just fine. When you check Teddy’s menu, take a look at all of the “specials” that it has… like a 1/4 lb hamburger for $3.95 or 1 lb of bbq ribs & 2 sides for $14.95. The food is real good…a recent “sampling” of grilled honey-mustard wings, cheeseburger, waffle fries, onion rings, bbq ribs, sauteed mussels, grilled mahi was A-OK. The service is as pleasant as can be.

Nothing fancy here, but I think that you will really enjoy this one…

Teddy’s is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-midnight and Friday-Saturday 11am-1am.

*****  Brimstone Woodfire Grill, 14575 SW 5th Street, Pembroke Pines, Florida  (954) 430-2333.

Let’s start this review by sending you to Brimstone’s website www.brimstonewoodfiregrill.com for menu/prices. This joint is an “American-style” restaurant which has enough appetizers, flat-breads, soups, salads, sushi rolls, burgers, sandwiches and meat-seafood-entrees to keep you busy.  As for decor…squint and you will think that you are in a Houston’s…dark woods, dark lighting. Brimstone has been open since August, 2008 and from what I have heard, has been a home-run for its owners. The joint seats 367 inside/outside, which in the restaurant game is an enormous joint.

Like I said before, the menu has a real nice selection of stuff…that said, I found the price-points on a “handfull” of items to be a drop too high…kobe-shobe, three mini-burgers (appetizer) shouldn’t cost $13…nor should a 10 ounce bacon cheeseburger with french fries run you $14. On the whole…you won’t need a second job to pay the dinner bill and this joint’s $10-12 “lunch-specials” are priced just right.

Enough about the prices…Great looking joint. Excellent service. As for the “taste test”…those mini-burgers are absolutely delicious…the same goes for the roasted chicken ($20)-sauteed snapper ($32) and 16 ounce bone-in ribeye ($42) entrees.

Brimstone is open Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm and Friday-Saturday 11:30am-11pm.

*****  De Napoli, 523 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 (561) 835-8522.

De Napoli is a “mom & pop” neighborhood red-sauce Italian joint. Operative word here. NEIGHBORHOOD…like, if you work or live in the neighborhood this joint is for you.

A recent “taste test” of chicken marsala (12.95), veal francais ($12.95), clamari marinara ($11.95) and sphagetti bolognese ($10.95)…very good. You know the drill in this type of joint…soup or salad, pasta side, garlic knots, entree. As you would expect, the menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, hot-cold subs, pastas, pizzas, calzones, strombolis and meat-chicken-seafood entrees.

De Napoli is a real-good place to know about…the food is very good and the prices more than reasonable. You can check-out menu/prices at www.de-napoli.com.

The joint is open Monday-Thursday 11am-11pm…Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight…Sunday 4pm-11pm.

*****  Tutto Pasta, 1751 SW 3rd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33129 (305) 857-0709…Tutto Pizza, 1753 SW 3rd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33129 (305) 858-0909.

Let me get some details out of the way…Tutto Pasta and Tutto Pizza are owned by the same guy…Tutto Pasta and Tutto Pizza are right next-door to each other…Tutto Pasta and Tutto Pizza are open Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10:30pm and Friday-Saturday 11:30am-11pm. Now stay with me, Tutto Pasta is closed on Sunday and Tutto Pizza is open Sunday 2pm-10:30pm.

Let’s talk food… but first do me a favor and check these joints’ website www.tuttopasta.com for menu/prices…there are also a handful of photos that will tell you as to exactly what these joints look like.

Both joints are real casual-moderately priced Italian restaurants. The best way to describe them…Tutto Pasta “concentrates” on the pasta and meat-seafood-chicken entree stuff and Tutto Pizza “concentrates” on the salads-pizza-desserts stuff.

The food in both joints is dynamite…Tutto Pasta’s veal ravioli, spaghetti bolognese, veal parmigiana and grilled salmon…&…Tutto Pizza’s caesar salad and margherita pizza were all right on the money.

*****  Jupiter Corners Ocean Bar & Grill, 71 East Indiantown Road, Jupiter, Florida 33477 (561) 7474-1161.

Jupiter Corners Ocean Bar & Grill is a surf-nautical themed- indoor/outdoor sports bar…located in Jupiter, Florida. Check the joint’s website www.jupitercorners.com for menu/prices/entertainment schedule.

Let’s make this short and simple…Jupiter Corners’ menu is loaded with appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches and seafood-chicken-meat entrees. A recent outing netted me (pun intended) sliders, prime rib sandwich, bbq chicken & ribs combo, steak quesadilla, grouper rueben, french fries…and I got-to-tell you, the food ain’t “run-of-the-mill” sports bar stuff…everything was delicous.

Good food. Sports bar prices. Very pleasant service. TV sets. Entertainment including live bands (check schedule)…just what the doctor ordered.

Jupiter Corners is open Tuesday-Sunday 11:30am-3am.

*****  Palm Beach Grill, 340 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach, Florida 33480 (561) 835-1077.

Palm Beach Grill is a “semi-upscale” American-style joint. So…you can sound smarter than your friends, Palm Beach Grill is owned/operated by the Hillstone Restaurant Group which also owns/operates Houston’s. The joint’s website www.hillstone.com has menu/prices…there is also a photo which will give you some idea of what Palm Beach Grill looks like. Like I said, “semi-upscale” but you don’t have to get all dolled-up to eat in this joint.

As for the menu…kind of limited. As for prices, a tad too pricey for me…a cheeseburger & french fries will set you back 15 bucks…a hot dog runs $12, bbq ribs $28 and grilled snapper $35…sides are $6 and desserts $9. As for the service, excellent.

I really enjoyed Palm Beach Grill’s overpriced food. Now…I don’t know if it was because I already KNEW, but while eating…the joint reminded me of Houston’s with a slightly different menu.

Palm Beach Grill is open for dinner 7 days a week.

*****  Bahia Cabana Restaurant & Patio Bar, 3001 Harbor Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (954) 524-1555.

Let me start by telling you, that this American-style joint is located in the Bahia Cabana Beach Resort, which is a Days Inn. Let me send you to the hotel’s website www.bahiacabanaresort.com for menu/prices…there are also a handful of photos which will “tell” you that this indoor-outdoor restaurant is real casual and overlooks a yacht basin…eat outside, the view is absolutely great.

Now you know and I know, that most hotels try and rip your eyeballs out when it comes to food…not this joint. Very reasonably priced. No more expensive than your favorite sports bar. Bahia Cabana does breakfast-lunch-dinner 7 days a week.

Now let’s talk food. A recent lunch had me taste-testing…caesar salad, bacon cheeseburger, french fries, onion rings, crabcakes, conch fritters, baby-back ribs, philly cheese steak…Everything was right on the money and like I said before, you won’t go for your lungs here.

Cabana Bahia’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, meat/chciken/seafood entrees. Full bar. Very pleasant service.

I am telling you, this is a real-good place for a casual lunch…or for that matter, a breakfast or dinner. Nothing fancy, just easy-going South Florida.