***** Green’s Pharmacy
151 North County Road
Palm Beach, Florida 33480
(561) 832-0304

Let me start by saying, THAT YOU HAVE TO TRY GREEN’S PHARMACY.

Green’s Pharmacy has been in business since 1938. If you check the history books, you will find that during the 1920s-1960s America’s landscape was dotted with drugstore-diner combinations (bet you didn’t know that I could sound so poetic). Rather than beating around the bush, Green’s is a “throw-back” in time with the same decor/combination it had when it opened 68 years ago.

Green’s is open 7 days a week for breakfast & lunch, Monday-Friday 7am-4pm, Saturday 7am-3pm & Sunday 7am-2pm.

Just so you know, Green’s is not just a “great photo shoot.” Terrific breakfasts, burgers, sandwiches, salads and ice-cream are the “real attraction” here. Personally, I enjoy “dining” at its 30 seat counter, but its 20 or so tables will allow “you” to spread-out a bit, if that’s your preference.

Green’s is a great place. Just imagine, that after you have eaten a delicious well-done cheeseburger, ketchup-soaked french fries and a chocolate milkshake, you can also buy your choice of Tums, Rolaids, Pepcid Complete, Alka Seltzer or Mylanta to “complete” a perfect meal.

Don’t miss this joint. It is worth a special trip.

***** Tom’s Place
1225 Palm Beach Boulevard
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
(561) 832-8774

Yesterday, I told you “guys” about a terrific joint named Betty’s Soul Food Restaurant & B-B-Q. If you haven’t read Betty’s “story,” take a minute “so that” you can “follow” what I am now going to tell you about Tom’s Place.

In the 30+ years that I have been visiting/and or living “full time” in South Florida, there has seemingly always been a Tom’s Place to eat at. My earliest recollection of eating at Tom’s, was at a location (small free-standing building) at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Glades Road in Boca Raton (by the way, Bucky’s Bar-B-Que now occupies the same location). Now, I am not sure as to the exact dates, but after years at the Dixie/Glades spot, Tom’s relocated to a much larger free-standing building located on Federal Highway in Boca Raton and spent a number of years “packing the joint.” Now, I am not sure as to how long Tom’s was at the second location, but I do recall that about 3-4 years ago it closed “for no apparent reason.” To bring you up to date, Tom’s then re-opend in the Summer of 2005 at the West Palm Beach location listed above.

Tom’s Place is a BBQ-Soul Food restaurant. Tom’s is open for lunch-dinner, Tuesday-Thursday 11:30am-9:30pm, Friday 11:30am-10pm and Saturday noon-10pm.

Now for the “hook” to Betty’s ( I have been so busy “yapping” about Tom’s locations etc. that I almost forgot Betty’s altogether).

Betty’s is what I would call a real BBQ-SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT. Betty’s location, its outdoor/indoor decor, its menu and its food are the REAL McCOY.

Tom’s Place is “also” a bbq-soul food restaurant. Tom’s menu is similar to Betty’s, but not a “clone.” Let me put it to you this way, the fact that Tom’s was located in Boca Raton for almost 30 years and has ” located-relocated” 3 times, each time to a bigger and better location, “should tell” you, that Tom’s may just be a bit more “commercialized” than Betty’s is.

If you want to learn what really good Southern BBQ-Soul Food is all about, Tom’s or Betty’s are the places to go. That said, in comparing the two joints, Betty’s would be Yale and Tom’s would be Staten Island Community College.

*****  Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida, (561) 395-0781.

Fran’s makes some of the best fried chicken that you have ever tasted. This joint has been around something like 40 years and is an absolute hole in the wall. Basically a take-out joint, there are a few tables and a counter for those who want to “dine in.” FRIED is the word here…shrimp, corn, french fries, onion rings. Everything is absolutely delicious.

Don’t tell your cardiologist about this joint.

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

Silver Pond
4285 North State Road 7
Lauderdale Lakes, Florida 33319
(954) 486-8885

I got a “project” for you.

I want you to “Google” Silver Pond which is a Chinese Restaurant located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. After you find some sites, read a handful of the “many-many” favorable reviews that this joint has gotten over the years. Please pay especially “close” attention, to the reviews that rate this as one of the best Chinese restaurants in South Florida and on “par” with restaurants in New York City’s Chinatown, blah, blah, blah. Then I want you to go and try this joint and report back to me, as to how you rate the food. End of project. By the way, Silver Pond is open every day for lunch and dinner, except on Tuesday.

Just so you know, I think that Silver Pond is one of the crappiest Chinese joints that I have ever eaten in. As for the numerous Chinese patrons who frequent this restaurant, they obviously don’t know #@$^ about what good Chinese food is all about.

Waiting to read the ” final results” of your project.

***** La Mia Focaccia
6303 Powerline Road
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
(954) 772-9499

You 562guys know, that I “just” love little-hole-in-the-wall joints. Say hello to La Mia Focaccia! Primarily, a take-out/catering place, this 10 “seater” has to be placed on your “must try” list.

For the “uneducated” out there, focaccia is “flat bread” which is usually topped with various spieces and other prodcuts. It is “sort of” like pizza. As you can see, I don’t know what the hell I am talking about, so be smart and “Google” focaccia and find sites that really “define” this item.

Now that you know or don’t know what focaccia is, let me tell you that “in the hands” of La Mia Focaccia, some of the most delicious sandwiches in all of South Florida are being made. Rather than going into detail, suffice it to say, that this “mom & pop” operation has 7 different (toppings) focaccia which are then stuffed with some of the most delicious “things” that you have ever tasted. I am telling you, that the roasted peppers or baked chicken cutlets or sausages, that find their way into the 6-inch focaccia are absolutely fabulous. The last time I checked, this joint had 19 different “sandwiches” and 10 different salads/which come with a side order of focaccia.

Rather than my belaboring the point, run a MapQuest on La Mia Focaccia or better yet, call the joint, so that you will know as to exactly where it is located. La Mia Focaccia is open Monday-Friday 10:30am-2:30pm. By the way, those focaccia “things” are going to run you about $7 each.

I am telling you, to make a trip for this one.

***** Bagel Works
8177 Glades Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33434
(561) 852-8992

If you want bacon with your eggs, or bacon with your cheeseburger, or a BLT, then you “can’t” eat at Bagel Works. Bagel Works is a bagel-joint. Bagel Works is not a kosher-bagel-joint. I will leave it to you, to ask the owner or the “powers that be” when you are there, as to why: Bacon is not served? By the way, I know Bagel Work’s reason, but I ain’t telling.

Bagel Works has been serving some of the best New York Style Deli “stuff” in South Florida for over 15 years. This joint is open 7 days a week for breakfast & lunch, 6:30am-4pm. Bagel Works’ eat-at-counter and tables are always jammed and its take-out /appetizing counter always has a line.

Try this joint, it is a winner. By the way, don’t forget to ask about the “bacon.”

***** Cheeseburger Baby
1505 Washington Aveue
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
(305) 531-7300

If you like cheeseburgers (and who doesn’t), I got a little-hole-in-the wall joint that you “don’t want to miss.” Before I go any further, I think that calling a “hole-in-the-wall” little, is an oxymoron, but anyway…

Cheeseburger Baby has counter seating and a few-high-tops and that’s it. This joint makes some of the best burgers that you will ever taste. The “stars” of the menu are the 1/2lb burger ($5.50), the 1/2lb cheeseburger ($6.50), the 2.5oz burger ($2.00) and the 2.5oz cheeseburger ($2.50) which are superbly grilled and then “placed” in an egg-bun. I am not talking good “here.” I am talking “terrific.”

Cheeseburger Baby has other “stuff” on its menu, like wings and chicken breast sandwiches. That said, when a joint is called CHEESEBURGER BABY, you should be smart enough to know what to order.

Cheeseburger Baby is open Monday-Wednesday noon-4am, Thursday-Saturday 11am-6am and Sunday 11am-4pm. The way to “play” this one, is to order a 1/2lb bacon-cheeseburger with grilled onions, a side of french fries ($3.00) and a Coke and you will be in 7th-heaven (well, I was anyway).

This joint’s “odd-hours” in the past, have drawn such “notables” as, P. Diddy, Fat Joe, Beyonce and JeffEats.

***** Master’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
1720 Alton Road
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
(305) 672-2763

Boy-oh-Boy have I got a good one for you.

Master’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria (which has been around since 1979), serves some of the most delicious “budget-priced” Southern Italian soups, salads, pastas, pizzas, subs and meat-fish dishes in “all” of South Florida. If you can’t find something to eat on this joint’s menu, there is definitely “something” wrong with you. There are literally, “tons” of salads, hot/and cold subs, main dishes and as for pizzas, fuggetaboutit!

Terrific food, priced right. Just so you know, if you wear anything but a tee-shirt/shorts, you are going to look “kinda” silly. Another “beautiful” thing about this joint, is that it is open 7 days a week from 11am (now catch this) to 1am.

The Miami Beach-ians have had this one to themselves, for way too long. You will love this joint.

***** Ruby’s Pizza
620 Glades Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33431
(561) 368-4050

I guarantee you, that unless you “MapQuest” or call Ruby’s for directions, you will never-ever find this pizza joint on your own. Ruby’s is “hidden” in a shopping center on Glades Road in Boca Raton and is literally “invisible” from the road.

Ruby’s has seating for maybe 10 people. A few booths, that’s it.

Ruby’s makes a great slice of New York Style Pizza. The rest of its “stuff” (pasta, meat and fish) is okay, but nothing to write home about.

The next time that you are “around” FAU or Boca Community Hospital (now you know the “basic” area where this joint is located), think about stopping in this joint for a couple of slices and a Coke. Just a “heads-up,” at lunch-time, noon-1:30pm (Monday-Friday) this joint is absolutely packed with college kids, docs, nurses and other medical “types” eating in or taking stuff out.

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

Tempura House
9858 Clint Moore Road
Boca Raton, Florida 33496
(561) 883-6088

Tempura House serves both Japanese and Chinese food.

Now, let me tell you a little story.

Every year, Spanish River High School which is located in Boca Raton, holds an auction to raise funds for various school activities. Members of the PTO (Parents-Teachers-Organization) literally spend months “going” to various merchants in the “area” requesting merchandise and services as donations for the AUCTION. I recently learned “first hand,” about one student’s mother who (last year) “went” to Tempura House (which by the way, is frequented by many families who have children at Spanish River High School) seeking a “gift certificate” and was told by the “same man” on 3 different occasions that, “She should come back when the owner was in.” Let’s make this story “short. Suffice it to say, the mother never got a gift certificate and the “same man” was in fact Tempura’s owner.

Now I ask you: Do you really want to eat in this joint? I know that I don’t.

End of story.