***** Our Place, 2901 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 750-9745.

Got an “American-style” joint for you…Our Place, in Boca Raton. Now don’t get nervous or nothing…but the joint is located in the Boca Raton Plaza Hotel & Suites. Now, I can just imagine what’s going through your mind…not exactly the Ritz Carlton in Manalapan.

Anyway…Our Place is a good-casual joint. The menu is limited, but there are enough appetizers-burgers-sandwiches-entrees…so nobody is going to go hungry. Take a look at the joint’s website www.ourplaceboca.com for menu/prices/photos–this way, you’ll know what you are getting yourself involved with.

I gave Our Place a shot the other night and I enjoyed it…Real reasonable prices and the bacon cheeseburger– chicken cordon blu sandwich–philly cheese steak sandwich–baby back ribs…were A-Ok… better than the stuff most of the sports bars down here serve.

Absolutely-positively nothing fancy here. Lookup “casual” in Webster’s and this joint’s picture is probably there.

This is my kind of a joint. Good food. Good service. Good prices…and tee shirts and shorts are the dress of the day. The joint also has tv sets and an outdoor tiki-bar…what’s bad!!

Our Place is open 365 days a year 7am-2am. The kitchen closes at midnight.

***** Anna’s Kitchen, 19635 State Road 7, Boca Raton, Florida 33498 (561) 482-2323.

Anna’s Kitchen is a “mom & pop” red sauce Italian joint, which opened for business in Boca Raton something like 1 week ago. I just got back from eating dinner and I gotta tell you that Anna’s has a good shot of “making it” although it is located in a crappy-spot in a crappy strip center called Boca Greens Shopping Center. The reason I say this, is because– the food is good–and the fact that Anna, a middle aged Italian lady, personally visits every table making sure that everything is 100% Tonight’s “taste test” was simple… house salad, garlic rolls, pizza, eggplant parmigiana, meatballs and chicken scarpariello. Everything was just fine…I especially enjoyed the thin-crispy-sweet sauce-cheesey pizza, garlic rolls and the meatballs.

Now for sure…Anna’s which has the full compliment of expected appetizers, soups, subs, pizzas, pastas, meat-seafood-chicken entrees–has some mighty good local competition…Nino’s, Dominick’s, Augy’s (these 3 Boca players immdediately come to mind)–but, based on its 1-week outing, the joint has a real shot to develop a nice following of it own.

Just so you know, I got a couple of bones to pick with this joint. First, I found the portions on the chicken scarpariello and eggpalnt parmigiana to be a bit on the skimpy side. Next, if I have this Anna’s figured correctly, before opening, the menus of other joints were “reviewed” and Anna’s tried to price most of its entrees a buck or two cheaper…that said, Anna’s entrees come with garlic rolls and a pasta side…while the other players’ entrees come with garlic rolls, soup or salad and pasta side…so, if you do the math, if you order a house salad at Anna’s, you are roughly paying the same price as the other neighborhood joints are getting.

Anna if you are reading…make the portions BIGGER…and also include soup or salad with your entrees.

Anyway…you can check Anna’s website www.annakitchenboca.com for menu/prices.

The joint is open 11am-10pm 7 days a week.

***** Tommy’s Italian Restaurant, 4777 South University Drive, Davie, Florida 33328 (954) 680 0113.

I know, I’ve already used this one…there are more “mom & pop” Italian restaurants in South Florida than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook. That said, all mom & pop joints are not equal …they rank terrible-fair-good-very good-outstanding.

I recently had dinner at a 12-table joint…Tommy’s located in Davie. This one has to be ranked OUTSTANDING. A taste test of shrimp scampi, eggplant parmigiana, sea scallops oreganata, veal marsala, fried calamari, Italian wings, linguine with meat sauce…everything absolutely delicious.

There really isn’t too much more to say, except… casual-reasonable prices-very pleasant waitstaff…an absolute must try.

Tommy’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

***** Waterway Cafe,2300 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 (561) 694-1700.

Let’s see…October 7, 2009…so your “northern” relatives will soon be inviting themselves down for the holidays etc.

Got a real good-casual- moderately priced “American-style-on the Intracoastal” joint to take them to, to make them jealous…Waterway Cafe in Palm Beach Gardens. Checkout the joint’s website www.waterwaycafe.com for menu/prices/photos/entertainment schedule.

The Waterway Cafe has been around for something like 23 years. The joint has indoor and outdoor seating…personally, outdoor is the way to go, amazing view. The menu is loaded with soups, appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, chicken-meat-seafood entrees. On the weekends, local bands entertain…A recent outing had me trying cheeseburger, crab cake, lamb chops, orange chicken and broiled lobster tail. Gourmet stuff?..now let’s not be silly here…GOOD FOOD. Combine good food-outdoor dining-great water views-reasonable prices-shorts & tee shirts and you got a homerun and some very jealous relatives.

I highly recommend Waterway Cafe…joints like this, are what South Florida is all about.

Waterway is open for lunch 11:30am-4pm Monday-Saturday, 11am-4pm Sunday… and for dinner Monday-Thursday 4pm-10pm and Friday-Sunday 4pm-11pm.

***** Pizza Kitchen, 12715 South Dixie Highway, Miami, Florida 33156 (305) 256-9459.

Pizza Kitchen is a “hole in the wall.”…a few inside counter seats and 2-tables outside. Not sure, but it’s probably been around for something like 1,000 years.

Let’s make it real simple…one of the best slices in South Florida. Thin-crispy-cheesey-sweet sauce.

If you live in Pizza Kitchen’s area, you probably already know about this joint. Always-always busy with pickups. If you don’t live in the area, too bad…because this is a great pizza joint.

By the way, the chicken parm and sausage & peppers subs are no slouches either.

Pizza Kitchen is open 7 days a week.

***** Tijuana Taxi Co., 440 South University Drive, Davie, Florida 33328 (954) 472-5008…901 North University Drive, Coral Springs, Florida 33071 (954) 344-9201.

If Tijuana Taxi Co. was a movie, it would be called “Tex Mex meets TGIF’s.”

Tijuana with Davie and Coral Spings locations, is decorated “all Mexican like” and has a menu loaded with the expected tacos, tamales, nachos, fajitas…the menu is also loaded, with salads, burgers, sandwiches, ribs, wings, meat-seafood-chicken entrees that are usually found north-of-the border. If you check Tijuana’s website www.tijuanataxico.com for menu/prices/photos you’ll appreciate as to exactly what I am yapping about.

Anyway…the combination works…The food is good..priced right. If you are looking for a “mom & pop” joint with home-made-stuff, Tijuana Taxi isn’t the place. Like I said before, think TGIF’s “done” with a Mexican accent.

Tijuana Taxi in Davie is open Monday 11am-midnight, Tuesday-Sunday 11am-2am…Tijuana Taxi in Coral Springs is open Sunday-Monday 11am-midnight, Tuesday-Saturday 11am-2am.

***** South Shores Tavern & Patio Bar, 502 Lucerne Avenue, Lake Worth, Florida 33460 (561) 547-7656.

Got a really cool- very-casual “American-Style” joint for you…South Shores Tavern & Patio Bar located in Lake Worth…tons of tv sets, pool tables, outdoor dining patio, bands—and a menu loaded with reasonably priced appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, wings, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. Take a look at South Shore’s website www.southshorestavern.com for menu/prices/photos/entertainment schedule.

A recent outing had me “taste testing” bacon cheeseburger ($7.25), grilled pork chops ($10.95), Philly cheese-steak sandwich ($6.95), shrimp scampi ($13.95)…all were A-Ok.

This is a great joint to spend an evening at. Good food and a lineup of some of the best blues-rock-soul-beach musicians in South Florida.

South Shore is open 7 days a week from 11:30am-2am.

***** Cannoli Kitchen, 2001 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (561) 338-2929…22191 Powerline Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33433 (561) 955-8880…7720 West Commercial Boulevard, Lauderhill, Florida 33351 (954) 741-3939.

Cannoli Kicthen is “basically” an Italian takeout joint (very limited indoor-outdoor seating). It currently has three locations, 2-in Boca Raton, 1-in Lauderhill. Just so you know, over the years I must have taken-food out from the Boca stores something like 25 times…I have not been to the Lauderhill location.

At this stage of the game, let’s check Cannoli’s website www.cannolikitchen.com for menu/prices/photos.

Cannoli Kitchen’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads, subs, pizzas, pastas, meat-seafood-chicken entrees. Now get this…Cannoli’s food is probably as good if not better than your favorite “mom & pop” red-sauce joint….pricewise—(now don’t forget we are talking takeout here)probably cheaper than your local favorite’s numbers…for example a veal parm dinner with pasta side -garlic bread is $12.95 and a chicken parm dinner goes for $9.95.

Like I said before, over the years…my family has been a steady customer of the Boca joints. I love Cannoli’s pizza…the veal parm and chicken parm subs are also excellen, same goes for the caesar-chicken salad. Let’s put it this way, this joint has never disappointed.

Let’s call Cannoli Kitchen a niche player…So if real-good “red sauce” Italian takeout is your game, you now know about a joint that is open 7 days a week 11am-10pm for limited eat-in, pickup, or delivery

***** VIVA *****

Last Saturday night (9/26/09) I attended a private “Woodstock” party at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton, something like 280 people were there. The dance music was provided by VIVA a Miami based quartet that covers the hits from the 1950’s-today. Good, would be an understatement. In my day, I have seen a number of legend-tribute-cover rock bands…these guys are right up there with the best. I am telling you, that when they did Joe Cocker, if you closed your eyes, you’d swear that old Joe himself was there. Absolutely amazing Beatles-Rascals-Dion & The Belmonts-Jefferson Airplane-Four Seasons covers. These guys can play anything and play it well.

If this type of music is your bag, I would suggest that you check Viva’s website www.vivarockband.com (for gig-schedule) as they play numerous bars, clubs, restaurants, resorts in South Florida.

***** Taso’s Greek Taverna, 14802 South Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida 33484 (561) 637-7671.

Let me be up front with you guys…Greek food isn’t exactly “up there” on my-must-eat-list. That said, every so often to keep peace with the family or friends, I’ll do a Greek joint.

The other night I “did” Taso’s Greek Taverna in Delray Beach. Think–Greek diner look with a small outdoor eating patio and you got the decor. Check the joint’s website www.tasosgreektaverna.com for menu/prices/photos/info.

Like I said, not a big fan of this kind of stuff…Taste-test of grilled chicken pita, pork souvlaki pita, grilled sausage pita…not bad, not bad at all…actually, the stuff was quite good. Taso’s menu has loads of appetizers, salads, pitas, wraps, platters.

Just so you know, thankfully, Taso’s isn’t a “table top dancing” joint…nor a “throw the plate on the floor” joint. That’s good…I hate forced-fun. Taso’s is a straight up–no frills– Greek joint with very reasonable prices and very-very pleasant service.

I enjoyed my dinner. Like I said before, I’m not the “go to guy” on Greek joints…don’t care for the cheeses used, most of the sauces used, the over-use of lemon in dishes.

Taso’s is open for lunch Monday-Saturday 11am-3pm and dinner Monday-Sunday 5pm-9pm.