***** Grande’s Bella Cucina, 4580 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 (561) 932-0840.

I think that the best way to begin Grande’s Bella Cucina’s review is for you guys to go to www.grandesitalianrestaurants.com. Checkout this joint’s menu/prices/photos.

Personally I got mixed feelings about this “upscale” Italian joint. For sure, the “sampled dinner” linguini with white clam sauce ($23)–chicken milanase ($26)–grilled veal chop ($39)–fried calamari ($12) were all just fine…but when I was eating at Grande’s with its fancy dining room, in-house bakery store, indoor/outdoor patio seating—I kept thinking LEONARD’S OF GREAT NECK…Now you New Yorkers out there will know exactly what I’m talking about here…for you–others, checkout www.leonardscatering.com for details.

Like I said before, the food is decent enough- as is the service…the prices although a drop-high are also okay…but something about this joint says to me “it’s all staged”—whatever that means.

Grande’s is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 9am (breakfast)-9pm.

***** Jim’s Place Restaurant, 901 West Indiantown Road, Jupiter, Florida 33458 (561) 746-6216.

“Hole In The Wall” breakfast-lunch joint.

Jim’s is open Monday-Friday for breakfast & lunch- 6am-1:30pm…Saturday for breakfast only- 6am-noon…Sunday for breakfast only-7am-noon.

Jim’s is my kind-a of joint…good solid breakfast and lunch stuff…absolutely nothing fancy here.

Recently did…western omelet, cheeseburger, french fries, meat loaf on texas toast, philly cheese steak, texas toast french toast. This is real diner food…and I loved it.

You can check Jim’s website jimsplacerestaurant.com for menu/prices.

***** Manzo’s Italian Deli, 2260 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409, (561) 697-9411.

I love a great “sub”…please feel free to insert- “hoagie”–“hero”–“grinder” if you like. Anyway…I got an absolutely terrific sub-joint for you—Manzo’s Italian Deli in West Palm Beach. You can check the joint’s website www.manzositaliandeli.com for menu/prices.

Can’t exactly describe it, but Manzo’s “hero bread” is outrageoulsy good. Recently did, a chicken parm ($7.95)–philly cheese steak ($8.45)–sausage/peppers/onion ($7.95)–chicken salad ($7.45) sub-hoagie-hero-grinder and like I said before, absolutely delicious.

Manzo’s Italian is an order-at/pickup-at counter joint.

Manzo’s is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.

***** Bagel Boyz, 11300 Legacy Avenue, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 (561) 296-2917.

Think Einstein Bros. Bagels…and you got Bagel Boyz which has 3 locations–2 are in Palm Beach Gardens and 1 is in Jupiter. Squint your eyes—and the decor/menu of this order at/pickup at the counter “bagel-deli” joint will have you thinking that you are in an Einstein’s store. ***For those of you who have never been in an Einstein Bros. forget what I just said.

Take a look at www.bagel-boyz.com for menu/prices/locations.

Personally, I go for the “mom & pop” sit down-order from the waitress- bagel-deli concept…not too keen (with an exception here and there) on the fast-food bagel concept. That said, loads of people love Einstein (Mrs. Jeff Eats included) so just maybe there is something to be said for steamed bagels and McDonald’s type service…like I just said, not really my cup of tea.

I recently tried the Bagel Boyz on Legacy Avenue…did an “everything” bagel with cream cheese, “rye” bagel with lox cream cheese, “western omelet,” french toast—let’s call the stuff OK! Reasonable prices, quick-pleasant service.

Bagel Boyz is open Monday-Friday 6:30am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 7am-3pm.

***** Strathmore Bagels, 4095 State Road 7, Wellington, Florida 33467 (561) 357-0044.

Strathmore Bagels is one of the best “bagel-deli” joints in South Florida.

Before we go any further, this review is about the Strathmore Bagels located in Wellington. There are other Strathmore–South Florida locations…I have not tried any of those. Not sure of the exact details, but the Welligton store is owned/operated by Strathmore’s founder Jerry Steuerman–the other locations are franchise-operations.

A recent outing had me trying, potato pancakes ($6.95), challah french toast ($6.95), western omelette ($8.95), tuna salad platter ($9.95), chicken salad platter ($9.95), corned beef on rye ($8.95), pastrami on rye ($8.95), brisket on rye ($8.95), “everything” bagel”–“sesame bagel”–“pumpernickel bagel”…like I said before, Strathmore is one of the best bagel-deli joints down here—the food is right on the money.

Just so we are straight, the deli meats are not–I repeat–not in the same league as the stuff that you get at “full-time-real” delis like Pastrami Queen, Pomperdale’s, Ben’s…but in all fairness, I will tell you, that Strathmore is putting out a nice product at real reasonable prices.

You can check www.strathmorebagels.com for menu/prices/photos.

Strathmore Bagels is a winner.

The joint is open 7 days a week 6:30am-2:30pm for eat-in and 3:30pm for takeout.

***** Mr. G’s Ristorante, 207 North State Road 7, Margate, Florida 33063, (954) 972-2230.

Mr. G’s is an “Italian-Seafood” joint…it has been around in one form or another since 1970…the current owners, John & Jeannie Francis have been running the show since November, 2001.

Over the past 19 years, I must have driven by Mr. G’s free standing building something like 250 times…each time saying to myself “Hey Jeff, you ought to try that joint out”…well, last week, I finally stopped and gave Mr. G’s a shot.

Take a look at Mr. G’s website www.mrgsristorante.com for menu/prices/photos.

My recent outing had me trying entrees– veal parmigiana ($15.50), chicken francese ($14.50), lasagna ($14.40), norweigan salmon ($16.50) and appetizers–crab cake ($9.50), lobster raviloi ($9.50). The verdict: not sure what Mr. G’s was like before John & Jeannie took over, but the food that they are currently “preparing” is delicious and priced right. Service is pleasant and the joint has the “feel” of a real neighborhood mom & pop…where they care about their customers and do everything to please them.

Mr. G’s has a nice menu of appetizers, salads, Italian and seafood dishes. The joint is open for dinner only, Tuesday-Sunday 4:30pm-9pm.

I really enjoyed Mr. G’s. Give this one a shot.

***** Bagel Snack Restaurant & Deli, 1237 South Powerline Road, Pompano Beach, Florida 33061 (954) 974-4564.

Got a really good “NY STYLE BAGEL DELI” joint for you…Bagel Snack in Pompano Beach. Check menu/prices at www.lauderdalemenus.com.

Bagel Snack’s menu is loaded with real good– breakfast stuff, salads, sandwiches, lox-deli meats…and absolutely terrific– bagels and bialys.

You know and I know, that bagel-deli joints are a dime-a-dozen down here in South Florida…Bagel Snack is definitely one of the best ones.

Nothing more to say, except…the joint is open 7 days a week-6:30am-3pm.

***** h Restaurant, 17608 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160, (305) 931-9106.

h Restaurant is a “mom & pop” French restaurant located in Sunny Isles Beach. You can get menu/prices/loads of photos at www.thehrestaurant.com.

Let me cut right to the chase…you gotta try this joint–the food is terrific and reasonably priced. Let’s call the menu eclectic—h Restaurant calls itself a FRENCH RESTAURANT–but in addition to all kinds of French “dishes”–its got pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, salads, meat-seafood-chicken entrees, which have nothing to do with France. Which reminds me of the old joke…Why is the Avenue des Champs Elysees lined with huge shade oak trees? Because—they don’t want the marching German troops to get overheated…badom!

h Restaurant is open 7 days a week and does breakfast-lunch-dinner. I recently did dinner… in no particular order–onion soup, cheeseburger, pizza, chicken marsala, veal piccata, seafood au gratin, shrimp & scallops provencal. Like I said before, the food is top-notch. Every dish that I tried was delicious, with the onion soup being one of the best that I have had in a very-very long time.

Try this joint, it is really good.

***** New York Bagel Deli, 6456 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida 33141 (305) 865-2522.

Got a good (with one caveat) “bagel-deli” for you…New York Bagel Deli located on Collins Avenue. From what I understand, this 34 seat “hole in the wall” has been around since 1996–and currently has 4 additional Miami Beach locations in development. You can get menu/prices/future locations at www.newyorkbageldeli.com.

N.Y.B.D. is an ORDER AT THE COUNTER–PICKUP AT THE COUNTER joint. Big bagel selection. All types of cream cheeses–salads–sandwiches–juices–smoothies–coffees. I tried an “everything” with chicken salad–“poppy” with tuna salad–“plain” with cream cheese, western on a “sesame”…the “toppings” were absolutely delicious. The bagels were fair-a bagel is suppose to be “hard” on the oustside with a soft inside, not a totally soft product.

Got one other major problem with this joint…$8.95 for chicken or tuna, $2.75 for a shmear, $5.95 for a western on a bagel…

Nothing for nothing…New York Bagel Deli has been around for something like 14 years…has 4 stores in development—so I could be wrong, but those prices are a bit testy for me.

New York Bagel is open 7 days a week 7am-6:30pm.

***** Bella Napoli Restaurant & Pizzeria, 1443 Alton Road, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, (305) 672-1558.

You want good–cheap “mom & pop” red sauce Italian?..checkout, Bella Napoli in Miami Beach.

A recent outing had me doing—chicken parm sub ($5.95), veal parm sub ($6.50), sausage & peppers sub ($4.75), large 16″ plain pizza ($10.50), linguini with clams-white sauce ($7.50), garlic rolls (1 dozen $3.00). The stuff is GOOD and DIRT cheap. Special mention goes to the garlic rolls–loved them–loaded and I do mean loaded with garlic and oil… and the pizza which was thin crusted-sweet sauce. Operative words on Bella, GOOD & CHEAP.

This is a no-frills joint. Like I said before, good stuff, real cheap…very pleasant staff. You can check menu/prices at www.bellanapolisouthbeach.com.

Bella Napoli is open Monday-Friday 11am-11pm and Saturday-Sunday noon-11pm.