*****  Offerdahl’s Cafe Grill, 17940 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, Florida 33496 (561) 995-7355.

For the the “uneducated,” Offerdahl’s Cafe Grill is owned by Johnny Offerdahl who played for the Miami Dolphins in the 1990s. While playing, Johnny started a retail bagel store business which was fittingly called Offerdahl’s Bagels…In 1995 Johnny retired from football and also sold his 10 Offerdahl’s Bagels stores to Einstein Bagels. Fast forward to the year 2000 and Johnny  now decides to get back into the “bagel business” and opens a new joint called Offerdahl’s Cafe Grill, which is a bagel store that not only does bagels/breakfast but lunch and dinner salads/soups and hot entrees…Today, Johnny has 9 locations in South Florida. Check Offerdahl’s website at www.offerdahls.com for menu/locations.

You know what a “just okay” joint is?…well, Offerdahl’s is just that. Think a minature Panera Bread and you got Offerdahl’s. Your favorite neighborhood bagel joint has better bagels…better breakfasts…better everything. Like I said two seconds ago, think a smaller version of Panera Bread and you know the whole story here…the food is okay but nothing that you have to run-out for.

So…why is old Jeff Eats giving Offerdahl’s the revered *****?…because old Johnny was one of hell of a middle linebacker and old Jeff Eats is a Dolphins’ fan.

Finally, some of the inquisitve folks out there may just be wondering why Johnny Offerdahl decided to get back into the bagel business (2000) in the first place. Now don’t hold me to this, but I suspect that somewhere along the line Einstein’s Bagels defaulted on some part of its original buyout deal, which then allowed Johnny to get back into the game, I mean bagel business…or, Johnny had a 5 year non-compete agreement with Einstein’s which expired in 2000…Anyway, Johnny is back.

*****  Jumbo’s Restaurant, 7501 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33150 (305) 751-1127.

Jumbo’s is a “Southern” diner….it has been around since 1955 (still looks like it’s 1955). Jumbo’s is open 24 hours a day–7 days a week.  The joint has both booth and counter-seating.

Great place for breakfast, burgers and other “diner standards.”Jumbo’s is known for its fried chicken, fried shrimp, collard greens and catfish…I  told you that it was a “Southern” diner…As for prices, not quite 1955’s numbers, but borderline cheap.

Just a drop of history…when you are eating that fried chicken drumstick…this joint is in the history books as one of the first Miami restaurants to integrate in the 1960’s

*****  Jimmy’s Eastside Diner, 7201 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida 33138 (305) 754-3692.

Jimmy’s Eastside “all booths there are no tables and chairs” Diner is about as close as “us” former New Yorkers will come to a real “neighborhood” diner down here in South Florida. I got a beef with Jimmy’s…it isn’t open 24 hours a day and it isn’t in my neighborhood. Other than than, great place for breakfast and lunch (the joint is open 6:30am-4pm 7 days a week).

If anyone is feeling homesick…this is the place for you.

       Mario’s of Boca, 1901 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 392-5595.

Before we start, take a look at Mario’s wesbite at www.mariosofboca.com. Gorgeous place, great menu, reasonable prices…it is all “spelled out” for you on the website…WRONG!!!

Mario’s has been a Boca Raton “fixture” for something like 23 years…this Southern Italian joint literally owned (notice I said “owned” not “owns’) the Boca Raton market with lines continuously out the door. Well something happened (and I don’t know exactly what it was) to Mario’s changing it from a great joint into a mediocre second rate joint…kiss the lines goodbye.

I’ll make this as simple as can be…over the past 3 months I have had dinner at Mario’s twice…each time the food was horrendous and the service even worse, if that’s possible. Both times, the joint was literally being run by high-school kids ( no insult intended to the youth of America, but you know what I mean). Just so you know, I “sampled” veal parmigiana, veal chop milanese, chicken parmigiana, chicken scarpiello and shrimp scampi…they were all lousy…by the way, the veal parmigiana was in the same league as eating the sole of your Reebok sneaker…Just so we are straight, the people that I ate with all agreed, that the food was terrible and that the service amateurish. There was one redeeming thing…Mario’s garlic rolls are still terrific.

One final thought…when I was a kid, the big player in the premium ice cream business was Good Humor…the big player in coffee shops was Chock full o’ Nuts…the big player on the highways for hotels/food was Howard Johnson’s…everyone of them failed to stay at the top and are just bit players today. Mario’s was the kingpin.

*****  Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant, 6390 Indiantown Road, Jupiter, Florida 33458 (561) 743-2330.

Giuseppe’s is a red-sauce “mom & pop” Southern Italian joint located in a strip-center. Giuseppe’s food is absolutely delicious…excellent pizza, pastas, chicken-fish-veal-meat entrees. This joint is a big favorite with Spring Training players. Giuseppe’s prices are neighborhood pizza joint prices. Giuseppe’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

*****  Black Canyon Grill, 12041 Southern Boulevard, Royal Palm Beach, Florida 33470 (561) 296-1147.

You are now going to become a member of a very exclusive club…I am going to tell you about a new joint, Black Canyon Grill which opened about 1 week ago in Royal Palm Beach…so, you and only a handful of others for right now, know about a terrific new (let’s call it) a “Mexican/Southwestern-American-BBQ-Steakhouse” joint.

Readers of Jeffeats know that one of my favorite bbq joints in all of South Florida was Bucky’s BBQ which had a location in Boca Raton and another in Fort Lauderdale…rather than rehashing old-history,  Bucky’s is no-more. I have to tell you, that Bucky’s made some of the best baby-back ribs, beef ribs and bbq chicken that I have ever tasted…not to mention great french fries and baked macaroni & cheese.

Anyway…yesterday I found out that one of Bucky’s owners, Andy Fox had opened a joint named Black Canyon Grill…based on my Bucky’s “experience” I drove 24 miles to Royal Palm Beach and had dinner at Black Canyon Grill.

Black Canyon’s decor is “easy Mexican”…just enough wall and table decorations to tell you that this is a Mexican-Southwestern joint…put away the wall/table treatments and a few spices/ingredients and the joint looks/tastes like a BBQ joint or an “almost-upscale” steakhouse. There is a small full-bar area, booth/table seating and an open kitchen.

Now for the important stuff…the food is sensational. In addition to a ton of new dishes, Andy has all of  Bucky’s signature dishes…last night I had an order of bbq beef ribs with sides of french fries and macaroni & cheese…I was like a pig in seventh heaven. I also “sampled” pan fried snapper, honey glazed snapper and chimichurri steak salad…all terrific.

Black Canyon’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, flatbreads, entrees,sides and desserts. Just so you, those bbq beef ribs (which could feed 2 people) comes with 2 sides and goes for $23… appetizers run between $7-$13, salads $7-$15, flatbreads $10, entrees $14-25.

Like I said before, Black Canyon has only been open for something like 1 week…I was absolutely amazed at how efficient the “new” kitchen and wait-staff were, until I learned that most of the kitchen-staff were formerly with Bucky’s…and that almost the entire wait-staff  had come en mass to Black Canyon from the Original Steakhouse which closed about 2 weeks ago in Boca Raton…based on the food and service, you would swear that this joint has been up and running for years, not literally days.

Call Black Canyon Grill whatever you want…Mexican/Southwestern- American-BBQ-Steakhouse…it all fits and its all terrific. This joint is open for dinner 7 days a week for dinner…it also has a brunch on Sunday from 8am-2pm.

For the bbq beefs alone…you got to try Bucky’s…I mean… Black Canyon Grill. Too bad this joint isn’t closer to my home. By the way, although it is an attractive upscale looking joint, tee shirt/shorts fit right in.

*****  Nick’s Italian Restaurant, 3496 North Ocean Boulevard (A1A), Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33308 (954) 563-6441.

Nicks is a red sauce-Southern Italian joint…it has been around since 1974. Take a look at Nick’s website at www.nicksitalianonline.com for menu/pricing/details. Nick’s has 2 floors…the 1st floor is a restaurant…the 2nd floor is a bar/lounge where on Friday-Saturday  nights live bands/entertainment perform… the 2nd floor is also used for private parties.

Nick’s food is very good. Nick’s service is very good. Nick’s prices are neighborhood pizza joint prices. When you visit Nick’s website, take a look at the photographs…that should give you some idea of what an attractive joint Nick’s really is. Amazingly, tee shirt/shorts are right at home in this joint.

So…you now have a real good place for pizza, pasta, fish-meat-veal-chicken entrees 7 days a week for dinner…and you also have a joint where you can eat and listen/dance to various bands/entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights for no extra charge.

*****  La Veranda, 2121 East Atlantic Boulevard, Pompano Beach, Florida 33433 (954) 943-7390.

La Veranda is a white-table-cloth Southern Italian joint that isn’t full of itself. I am not sure how long La Veranda has been in business, but I am going to guess 20+ years. Just so you know, indoor/out door patio seating- full liquor bar area.

La Veranda’s food is delicious…Over the years I have eaten in this joint something like 10 times…lobster fra diavlo worth killing over. The veal parmigiana, chicken marsala and the shrimp scampi ain’t bad either. Very good wait-staff. No more expensive than your favorite neighborhood red sauce joint.

Like I said, this is a white-table-cloth joint…but your tee shirt/shorts/flip flop “outfit” works!

La Veranda is open Tuesday-Sunday for dinner. It has an absolutely enormous following, so be smart and make a reservation.

*****  Carrabba’s Italian Grill, 6909 SW 18th Street, Boca Raton, Florida 33433 (561) 544-8838.

Unless you have been living under a stone, you know that Carrabba’s Italian Grill is a national-chain with locations all over the United States. Check Carrabba’s website at www.carrabbas.com for menu/pricing/locations…Trust me on this, if you live in South Florida, there is a Carrabba’s joint close to where you live or work. For those that like to know their facts, Carrabba’s is owned by the same parent-company which owns/operates Outback Steakhouse, Bonefish Grill and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Last week I ate dinner at the Carrabba’s Boca Raton location. This particular restaurant has indoor/patio seating…an open kitchen…full bar area…and is done-up in dark woods…very attractive looking joint, yet tee shirt/shorts fit in beautifully here.

The menu has six categories…Antipasti, Zuppe & Insalte, Brick-Oven Pizza, Wood-Burning Grill, Pasta Specialties and Family Classics. You will definitely find something to eat in this joint.

Last week I “sampled”…fried zucchini, crab cakes, minestrone soup, chicken marsala, griilled salmon, linguine with claims, chicken parmigiana and lasagna…don’t be a wiseguy…I know what you are thinking…there were 3 of us.

Anway…I have to tell you that the food and service were very-very good. I would rate Carrabba’s right up there with some of my favorite neighborhood “mom and pop” red sauce joints. As for price…no more expensive than what the local joints get.

Like I said before, the Boca Raton location has indoor/outdoor patio seating…this location must be doing something very right, as both areas had people waiting for tables…the nice thing about the Boca joint is that the outdoor patio overlooks a beautiful man-made-lake and on the evening that I was there, a 2-man combo was playing some very pleasant background music…Now, “your” Carrabba’s may not be set-up like this…but the menu/service are probably identical to what my party had.

Carrabba’s is open Monday-Saturday for dinner…Sunday for lunch-dinner.

Give Carrabba’s a try.

       First Watch, 21210 Saint Andrews Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33433 (561) 544-8875.

First Watch is a breakfast/lunch chain. It has a ton of stores in Florida, Missouri, Virgina, West Virgina, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Think…IHOP and PERKINS and you pretty much got First Watch’s story. The Boca Raton joint, reminds me of the coffee shops which are attached to many of the motels in the Disney World area.

There is absolutely nothing special or very good about First Watch’s food/service/pricing. Check its website at www.firstwatch.com for details.

No need to try this place. Your favorite neighborhood bagel joint is better. If you don’t have a favorite bagel joint, then your favorite IHOP or PERKINS will suffice.