***** Georgia Pig Barbeque & Restaurant
1285 Southwest 40th Road (SR 7)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33317
(954) 587-4420

Last year, I “gave” you Betty’s Soul Food Restaurant (12/25/06) and Tom’s Place (12/26/06) as SOUTHERN SOUL FOOD-BBQ JOINTS that you might like to visit. Here’s another joint in the same category, Georgia Pig.

Georgia Pig has been around since 1953. I seriously doubt, that the exterior-interior decor of this joint has changed one iota since it first opened. This joint seats 40 and is as informal as it gets. To be perfectly honest with you, if you re-read Betty’s write-up, you will know exactly what Georgia Pig is all about. the two joints are very-very similar.

Georgia Pig like Betty’s, is open Monday-Saturday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you “feel” like doing some more “re-reading,” after Betty’s writeup, read the one that I did on Tom’s Place. In Tom’s writeup, I said that both joints were worth trying, but that a comparison of the two, would have Betty’s as “Yale” and Tom’s as “Staten Island Community College.” Just so you know, Georgia Pig would be the University of Wisconsin. Now that I have you “totally” nuts and worrying about the SATs…

Just a heads-up, Betty’s and Georgia Pig are “real” SOUTHERN SOUL FOOD- BBQ JOINTS. Tom’s to put it “politely,” is more of a “commercial” SOUTHERN FOOD-BBQ JOINT. You decide where you want to be educated.

La Villetta
4351 North Federal Highway
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
(561) 362-8403

If you want to see what an “overpriced-make believe” fancy Southern Italian Restaurant looks and tastes like, then La Villetta is the joint for you.

During the past 15 years, I have “dined” in this joint twice. The first time, was in 1991 and the second time was a few months ago. The one thing that I have to compliment La Villetta on being is “consistent.” Both times, the staff was “overly impressed with itself,” “the prices were too high,” and the food was “fair at best.”

There is an old saying, ” Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.” Trust me, there won’t be a third time for La Villetta.

In all fairness to La Villetta, it has been in business for at least 15 years (that I know of), so “somebody” has to be eating there. In addition, on the two occasions that I was there, the joint was packed, which leads me to conclude, that either I am “dead wrong” about this joint, or there are a whole lot of people who are easy to “fool.” Personally, I think it’s the latter. No, come to think of it, I know it’s the latter.

La Villetta is open 7 days a week for dinner 5:30pm-10:30pm.

***** Charley’s Frozen Custard and Tropical Treats
2919 Military Trail
West Palm Beach, Florida 33409
(561) 683-0075

Charley’s Frozen Custard is a joint that you have to try. It is an ice-cream store which has a “Coney-Island” motif. The operation is simple. You order, pick-up your order and then sit down and “enjoy” some of the most delicious “custard” that you have ever eaten.

Charley’s Frozen Custard makes its custard FRESH EVERY DAY. Unlike most ice cream stores, “stuff” doesn’t sit around in large “tubs” waiting for a customer. Charley’s makes 4 flavors every day. There are the standard vanilla and chocolate. Then there is a sugar free flavor. Then there is the “special flavor” of the day.

Charley’s is open 7 days a week, Monday-Saturday noon-10pm and Sunday 3pm-10pm.

***** Lindburgers
9834 Glades Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33434
(561) 218-5557

Let me start by telling you, that Lindburgers (at last count) had 9 locations in South Florida. and 1 in Penfield, New York. I can’t give you an exact “break-down,” but this “chain” has both company owned and franchised stores. The “original” Lindburgers is located in Delray Beach and has been around since 1983.

If you like hamburgers, Lindburgers is a terrific place for lunch or dinner. This joint’s “hook” is that its menu features 50 “different” hamburgers. I suspect that “if you name it” Lindburgers can prepare the “exact” burger that you want. This joint’s menu is also loaded with a huge assortment of appeitizers (my favorite is the fried zucchini), salads, sandwiches and other “casual dining-fare.”

Personally, if it wasn’t for the burgers, I wouldn’t exactly be running to Lindburgers. When a place calls itself LIND BURGERS, you should be “smart enough” to know that B U R G E R S are what you should be ordering from the menu.

Over the years, I have eaten at Lindburgers at least 15 times (4 different locations). The burgers are very good. The fries are very good. The onion rings are very good. The prices are very reasonable.

Lindburgers decor is “early airplane hangar.” Very cute. From what I can tell, all of the locations use the same “motif” and have identical menus.

If you are in the mood for a good hamburger and fries, Lindburgers should absolutely positively be on your radar screen. If you wear anything “more” than a tee-shirt/shorts, you are going to look silly sitting in this “airplane hangar” eating that thick juicy burger.

This joint is open 7 days a week. The one in West Boca Raton is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm. Check Lindburgers website at www.lindburgers.com for a joint near you.

***** Odyssey Diner
15200 Jog Road
Delray Beach, Florida 33446
(561) 638-9393

The Odyssey Diner is the “closest thing” that you will find in South Florida, to a New York Style diner. As a matter of fact, if I “plunked” this store-front diner down in any-one of the 5-boroughs, you would think that Odyssey had been there for years.

This joint has “terrific diner” food. Large portions. Friendly/competent wait-staff. “Bargain” prices. Odyssey is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Over the years, I must have eaten at least 10 breakfasts and 15 dinners at this joint. Odyssey Diner is always packed for dinner. When you eat in this joint, just be careful not to trip over the “walkers” that are parked all over the place. Enough said!

***** CKX Inc.

Let me start by saying, that I am absolutely “hooked” on American Idol. Now this going to sound “really”scary,” but I haven’t missed one single show since Idol first aired. Call me a “sicko,” I don’t care, THIS IS MY SHOW. That said, how Ruben ever beat Clay is beyond me. In addition, Taylor’s “gyrations” do absolutely “nothing” for me.

Anway, as many of you probably know, Idol’s “latest” season started this past Tuesday and based on the ratings that I saw, it appears that this tv show is as “popular” as ever.

CKX is a publiclly traded media company. It trades on the NASDAQ under the symbol CKXE and is currently $12.25 a share. CKX was “created” from a pennystock “shell” company a couple of years ago. Do some Due Diligence and you will find that CKX’s founder is a certifiable multi-millionaire, if not a billionaire, who in the past, created several major media companies. Apparently CKX is his latest “venture.”

CKX “owns” American Idol. CKX also owns almost “all” of Elvis. CKX also owns almost “all” of Muhammad Ali.

Like I said before, you have to do your own Due Diligence here. CKX’s stock may have a very “big” future ahead of it. Decide for yourself, if you want to own a piece of American Idol, Elvis and Ali.

One final “tidbit.” I own a black-velvet Elvis painting and have a collection of Ali “bobbleheads.” Just thought you might like to know all of the “facts.”

***** Outback Steakhouse
6030 Southwest 18th Street
Boca Raton, Florida 33433
(561) 338-6283

Earlier today, I did a “writeup” on Olive Garden which is an Italian-chain with locations all over the United States. If you read my thoughts on Olive Garden, you know that I rated it “pretty good.” Anyway, I “got to thinking” about other chains that dot our South Florida area and decided to tell you about Outback Steak. If you don’t know about this chain (in a nutshell), it is a mid-price steakhouse which has the full “gamut” of other stuff like seafood and pastas. I am sure that sometime during the past 10 years-or-so, you have heard or seen an Outback commercial which has annoying actors with “heavy duty” Australian accents chatting-up the food. Nothing for nothing, but everytime I hear an Outback commercial I think of that (now late) crocodile guy who was always annoying the crap out of some animal on tv.

Anyway, over the years I have eaten in at Outback Steak more than 10 times. If you check, I am sure that you will find an Outback “somewhere” close to your home. Just so you know, those 10 “dinners” were split between the Outbacks in Boca Raton, Coral Springs and Delray Beach.

Outback’s food is not bad. Actually, for the price the steaks, seafood, appetizers, salads etc., are a very good value. The only problem that I have with this joint and IT IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM, is that literally every item on the menu is over-seasoned with SALT. When I eat at this joint, I make it my business, to tell the wait-staff to MAKE SURE THAT MY FOOD IS NOT OVER-SALTED.

If you like SALT…Outback is for you. If you don’t like SALT and are not inclined to tell the wait-staff your “preference”…Outback is not for you.

Outback Steak is open 7 days a week for dinner.

***** Olive Garden Restaurant, 22161 Powerline Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33433, (561) 750-0786.

I am going to assume that everyone “here” knows what an Olive Garden Restaurant is. For those who don’t, Olive Garden Restaurant is an enormous ITALIAN RESTAURANT CHAIN which has “tons” of locations in South Florida, not to mention the United States.

Olive Garden has something for everyone. It has soups, salads, appetizers, pastas, pizzas, fish/meat entrees etc. This joint is a “budget shop,” where you get lots-of-food at very reasonable prices. This joint is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

I recently had dinner at the Olive Garden Restaurant located on Powerline Road in Boca Raton, Florida and I “must” tell you, that the food was “pretty damn good.” Gourmet stuff? Now let’s not get “stupid” here. That said, the lasagna, meatballs, fettucine Alfredo, chicken parmigiana and shrimp primavera that I “sampled,” were not bad…not bad at all.

I usually don’t recommend chain-joints, but I am going to make an exception for Olive Garden. The next time you feel like having a nice, casual Italian lunch/dinner, without “going for your lungs, keep Olive Garden in mind.

***** Cucina Rosano
16950 Jog Road
Delray Beach, Florida
(561) 499-9419

South Florida has more Italian Restaurants than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook. Seemingly, every strip-center down here, has some “type” of Italian joint as a tenant. In previous writeups, I have told you about “mom & pop” joints, “upscale gourmet” joints, “small-chains” and “big chains.” The point being, that South Florida has enough joints to satisfy everyone’s taste and pocketbook.

Now let me tell you about Cucina Rosano which is “part” of a small chain (3 locations). In addition to Cucina Rosano, the husband and wife team that own the chain, also have Bistro Rosano in Coral Springs and Villa Rosano in Boca Raton.

Although all three joints have similar menus and decor, for some unknown reason, Cucina Rosano is terrific, while the other two are just fair. I have eaten in all three joints (5 times in Cucina, 3 times in Villa and 3 times in Bistro) and have always found Cucina Rosano’s food and service to be real solid, while the other two seemingly always miss on the food-front and have dis-jointed/confused service.

Just so you know, Cucina Rosano is a “red sauce” joint. The food is far from being gourmet stuff, but for what is basically a “mom & pop” chain, the pastas, pizzas, fish and meat entrees are heads above the stuff you usually get in this kind of neighborhood joint. The prices and portion size are “what you would expect” from this type of local joint. Trust me, you won’t go to the poor-house.

Give Cucina Rosano a try. As for Villa and Bistro, let’s just say, there are better places around. Cucina is open 7 days a week, Monday-Saturday 11:30am-2:30pm (lunch) and 5pm-10pm dinner, Sunday 5pm-10pm.

***** Fra Diavolo
5444 North University Drive
Lauderhill, Florida 33351
(954) 746-3132

Over the years, I have eaten in Fra Diavolo (Southern Italian) at least 5 times. I have never had a “bad” meal. My wife has never had a “bad” meal. Friends that have eaten there have never had a “bad” meal. Therefore, all things being equal, if you eat at Fra Diavolo you will not have a “bad” meal.

Fra Diavolo is a very cozy (but upscale looking) joint. You will feel right at home “all dolled up,” or in a tee-shirt/shorts. Fra Diavolo’s prices are no more expensive than the neighborhood “mom & pop” joints that dot the South Florida landscape. Fra Diavolo’s food, runs circles around the pastas, meat and fish entress that most of the mom & pop/small chains serve-up.

Give this joint a try. Like I said before, I never “heard” of anyone (myself included) ever having a bad meal at this joint.

Fra Diavolo is closed on Monday. Fra Diavolo is open for dinner, Sunday-Thursday 4:30pm-10pm and Friday-Saturday 4:30pm-11pm.