*****The Gypsy’s Horse Pub, 12794 West Forest Hills Boulevard, Wellington, Florida 33414, (561)333-3700.

Last Friday night, I had dinner at The Gypsy’s Horse Pub. If you go to http://www.gypsyshorse.com you will find this joint’s menu, pictures and entertainment schedule.

This is an an Irish Pub that has indoor and outdoor seating for drinking/eating. To be perfectly honest with you, the food is just fair. There are plenty of appetizers, soups, burgers, entrees and desserts to choose from, but liked I said, the food is just fair. Menu/drink prices are reasonable and the service is friendly and competent.

You must be now wondering why I am recommending this joint, if the food is just fair?

The Gypsy’s Horse Pub on Friday and Saturday nights has some of South Florida’s  best local bands playing. There is no cover charge, so for the price of a dinner or a drink, you can “sit” all night and attend one hell of a great party. Last Friday night, The Hot Rod Show (which is a Rod Stewart tribute act) kept the joint hoppng all night. I am telling you, it was like going to a private party with 200 hundred of your closest friends. By the way, there is absolutely no pressure by the wait-staff to make you buy food or drink…

Do yourself a big favor and check this joint’s entertainment schedule…bands on Friday and Saturday nights and djs and karaoke other nights.

The food is fair…mind you, it isn’t terrible, but personally I wouldn’t pick this joint based on its food alone…that said, combine the food with great entertainment, a fun crowd and a great staff and The Gypsy’s Horse Pub is a terrific place to spend an evening.

Give this joint a try. I would suggest making a reservation. As for the age of the crowd…try all ages. On Friday night there were both 20 & 30 year olds partying with Hot Rod as well as 60 year olds.

The Gypsy’s Horse Pub is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

*****  Mississippi Sweets BBQ Co., 2399 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida (561) 394-6779.

A long story made short…

When I first moved down here, I use to literally eat at Mississippi Sweets all the time. I thought that its bbq  baby back ribs, bbq chicken, bbq beef, bbq pork, french fries and fried sweet potatoes were terrific. For some reason(s) that now escapes me,  after a number of years, I decided that Mississippi Sweets wasn’t that good and stopped going there. Now don’t quote me on this, but until this evening, I don’t think that I had been in the joint for something like 3-4 years. Tonight I ate at Mississippi Sweets and the bbq baby back ribs, bbq chicken, bbq beef, bbq pork, french fries and fried sweet potatoes were terrific.

Now…before I change my mind, put this joint on your list of “must tries.”

Mississippi Sweets is open 7 days a week for dinner and Monday-Friday for lunch. By the way,  in addition to the Boca Raton location, there  are two other locations….6604 Hypoluxo Road, Lake Worth, Florida (561) 432-8555…& 9859-29 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, Florida (561) 642-4748.

*****  Primanti Bros. 516 Oakland Park Boulevard, Oakland Park, Florida 33334, (954) 565-7100…&…901 North Fort Lauderdale Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304, (954) 565-0605.

 You folks from Pittsburgh already know all-about Primanti Bros. which has something like 13 joints in Pittsburgh…Thus far there are 2 Primanti spots in South Florida.

Imagine the most laid-back neighborhood pizza joint in the whole world that not only makes great pizza, but great subs, Italian dishes, burgers, wings, and deli sandwiches…and you got Primanti Bros.

Over the past 3 years, I have eaten in the Oakland Park location at least 20 times, the last time being lunch yesterday. I am telling you, the food at this joint is absolutely incredible and dirt cheap. One of my favorite “items” is the peppers/onions/sausage/melted parmigiana sub that goes for a measely $5.95.

Just so you know, the Oakland Park joint is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner…The Fort Lauderdale joint is open 24-hours a day.

Great food. Great prices. Large portions. Great service. Tee shirt/shorts is the dress of the day.

Do yourself a big favor and check the Primanti website at www.primantibrothers.com for menu and assorted details.

This joint is an absolute homerun. Don’t miss it.

       Cafe Bellino, 180 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 393-2844.

A few years ago, I ate dinner at this Southern Italian joint and thought that the food was mediocre at best. Last night, I gave it another shot and have to report that the food is still overpriced and second rate. The service is also horrendous. Rather than going into gory detail about the meal, suffice it to say that I won’t be giving Bellino a third chance.

Just in case you don’t believe me on this one, Cafe Bellino is open 7 days a week for dinner.

The joint’s website is at www.cafebellinoristorante.com. Don’t be fooled by the quaint and attractive European style decor and out-door dining patio…your favorite neighborhood pizza joint has better food, better prices and better service…actually, it has better everything.

A total waste of time and money.

*****  Scarfone’s Coal Fired Pizza, 6240 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs, Florida 33076, (954) 345-3888.

Regular Jeff Eats’ readers know by now, that coal fired pizza/chicken wings are two of my favorite dishes. Over the past few years, I have reviewed such joints as Anthony’s, Coal Mine, Carolina’s, Red Rock and Giovanni’s in my “quest” to eat as much coal fired pizza/wings as humanly possible.

Now, thanks to reader Mike Powell, I found another great coal fired pizza joint…SCARFONE’S COAL FIRED PIZZA to tell you about.

This evening I “dined” at Scarfone’s and I have to tell you that the coal fired pizza/wings were absolutely delicious. Throw in the obligatory Italian salad which was also right on the money and I had a meal fit for a king.

Scarfone’s is a great looking retro-joint done up in a red, black and white color scheme. In addition to salads, pizza and wings, the joint also features 6 regular dishes like meatballs and ricotta, meatballs and spaghetti, cheese ravioli, egg plant rollatini, sausage with peppers/onions and spaghetti with butter or marinara sauce.

Do yourself a favor and check www.Scarfones.com for menu, pricing and pictures.

Scarfone’s has been open since August, 2007. If you live in the Coral Springs’ area this is a great place to know about. The joint is tee shirt/shorts friendly and is open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner.

*****  Hurricane Grill & Wings, 3438 West Hillsboro Boulevard, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442, (954) 596-5990.

If you like wings…then I got a terrific joint for you…HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS which recently opened in Deerfield Beach.

Hurricane Grill is a small chain that currently has something like 25 locations in Florida, one in Georgia and three in Las Vegas. The company’s website indicates that in the coming months a number of additional stores will be opening in South Florida and other states. Check the website at www.livewithflavor.com for locations and menu.

Last night, I ate dinner at the Hurricane Grill in Deerfield and  the food was terrific. Although the joint is only about 2,200 sq. feet in size, it has a menu loaded with appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, salads and of course wings.

The name of the game at this joint is WINGS…they are grilled and are available with 40 different sauces. Last night, I “sampled” teriyaki glaze, honey mustard, garlic & parmesan, lemon pepper glaze and cajun…all were terrific.

The pricing is what you would expect from a wing joint…10 pieces $8; 15 pieces $12; 20 pieces $15; 50 pieces $35…The rest of the menu is also very reasonable, with burgers-sandwiches-salads in the $7-9 range.

Tee shirts/shorts are the dress of the day.

Hurricane is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Like I said before, if you like wings, this joint is a winner.

*****  Mootz’s Italian Ice, 19585 State Road 7, Boca Raton, Florida 33498, (561) 4857-2822.

Italian Ices are one of  my favorite “food things.”

There is a joint in Boca Raton named Mootz’s Italian Ice which has something like 60 flavors which include both water and cream ices. Mootz’s also has about a half- dozen sugar free choices.

Mootz’s doesn’t make its own ices. Mootz’s is a distributor for Flava Shack Italian Ice which is one of the top manufacturers in the United States.

Like I said, something like 60 flavors. I have to tell you, that the vanilla chip and pistachio cream ices were absolutely terrific and the cherry water ice reminded of my kid-days back in Brooklyn. Mootz’s even has the old-fashioned “push-up” cups to enhance the experience.

If you don’t like Italian Ices, don’t go to this joint. If you like Italian Ices this is a great place to know about.

Mootz’s is open 7 days a week.

Delray Beach

*****  Big Al’s Steaks, 450 East Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33483, (561) 819-1888…&…5607 Regency Lakes Boulevard, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073, (954) 480-8550.

First let me give you this joint’s website…www.bigalssteaks.com.

Big Al’s has 2 South Florida locations. Big Al’s is basically a take-out, but a few outdoor tables are available.

This joint’s name says it all…Big Al’s Steaks—Authentic Philly Steak Sandwiches.

When you bite into one of Big Al’s steak hoagies you’ll swear that you are in  South Philadelphia eating at  the lengendary Pat’s  King Of Steaks or Geno’s Steaks. The sandwiches are incredible.

Big Al’s Coconut Creek location  is open 7-days a week from 11am-10pm.

Big Al’s Delray Beach location is open 7 days a week…Sunday-Wednesday 11am-Midnight…Thursday 11am-2am…Friday-Saturday 11am-3am. 

Figure that a steak hoagie is going to run you something like 7-8 bucks. Big Al’s also has other types of hoagies, but the game here is STEAK.

Don’t miss this one.

*****  Carolina’s Coal Fired Pizza & Pasta, 9 S.E. 7th Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33483, (561) 278-1913.

As most of you know, over the past 3-4 years COAL FIRED PIZZA JOINTS have been popping up all over South Florida… joints like Anthony’s, Red Rock, Coal Mine, Vic & Angelo’s and Giovanni’s immediately come to mind.  Rather than going into esquisite detail, the usual  menu game at these joints is family style salads-coal fired pizza-coal fired chicken wings covered in carmalized onions/garlic-individual bottles of soda. For sure, almost everyone of these joints has some sort of variation on the above theme, but all-in-all, the pizzas and chicken wings are the stars of the game.

Readers of jeffeats know that I love good coal fired pizza/wings. Past rave revues for Anthony’s, Red Rock and Giovanni’s should convince “you” of that love.

Now let me tell you about…Carolina’s Coal Fired Pizza & Pasta.

Last night I ate dinner at Carolina’s which is located in Delray Beach. The joint is housed in a “house” and seats about 60 inside and 60 on an out-door patio. Like the other joints previously mentioned, Carolina’s is in the coal fired pizza business….however, there isn’t a chicken wing  in sight. Carolina’s spends as much time on its pastas and salads as it does on its pizzas…coal fired pizza is just one of many dishes….Anyway, last night 5 of us “dined” at Carolina’s. We had pizza, salad,  fried zucchini appetizer, 3 family sized pasta dishes and 5 sodas (no bottles) unlimited refills… I have to tell you that everything was absolutely delicious.

Now I am not looking to “have” any hard feelings here, but I have to tell you, that the coal fired pizza I had last night, was the best I have eaten since I have been down here in South Florida. As a matter of fact, it is as good as some of the “famous” pies that I had in New York City’s  John’s of Bleeker Street  and Coney Island’s Totonno’s Pizzeria. The pastas and salad are equally top-notch and are as good as any I have eaten in South Florida. As for the fried zucchini, Matteo’s makes the best (as far as I am concerned), but Carolina’s was a close runner-up.

Carolina’s is a tee shirt/shorts joint. I am telling you that the food is great. By the way, the bill for 5 and there was plenty of food, was $110 (tax and tip included). Carolina’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

You don’t want to miss this joint…it really is that good.

*****  Wowies Sports Grill, 7036 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33433, (561) 392-5040.

 As everyone knows, South Florida’s landscape is literally covered with sports bars…there is this Ale House and that Ale House…this Duffy’s and that Duffy’s… this Hooters and that Hooters…now let me tell you about WOWIES SPORTS GRILL which puts these other joints to shame.

Wowies which opened in March 2008 is located in Boca Raton. The joint has the obligatory “usual” 25 giant flat screen tvs, juke box, large bar and cute waitresses dressed in referee shirts & short shorts. Wowies also has live bands/DJs “performing” on weekend evenings. The joint also has a  canopied out-door dining patio.

 WHAT SEPARATES WOWIES FROM THE COMPETITION IS ITS FOOD…TONS OF APPETIZERS, PIZZAS, SALADS, SOUPS, SANDWICHES, PASTAS, FISH-MEAT-CHICKEN ENTREES, DESSERTS. Now get this…the food is absolutely terrific. Wowies doesn’t serve “bar food.” Wowies’ food is quality stuff, on the same level as The Cheesecake Factory and Houston’s Restaurant.

 Just so you know, Wowies’ prices are exactly what you would expect from a neighborhood sports bar…let’s call them extremely reasonable.

Do yourself a favor and visit www.wowiessportsgrill.com and take a look at this joint’s menu, daily food/drink specials, entertainment schedule and growing photo collection.

Wowies is not your typical sports bar. It really is a great restaurant that just happens to be themed as a sports bar. Wowies is open 7 days a week for dinner…lunch is served Monday-Friday.

You now know about a relatively new joint that has yet to be discovered by the “masses.”  If you are wondering what type-age crowd  Wowies draws, a recent Friday night had ages 18-90. The juke-box covered the latest hits and cover band  1 Trac Mind did fantastic versions of “Heat Wave-White Rabbit-Ticket To Ride-American Band-Brown Eyed Girl” just to name a few.

 One final note… Wowies has a dessert that you absolutely-positively must try…ZEPPOLES which basically are fried dough-balls covered in confectioner’s powdered sugar. Every order is made fresh. Zeppoles are normally found at fairs and carnivals not in restaurants. Wowies goes out of its way, to differentiate itself from the run-of-the-mill joints.

Try Wowies…it is a terrific place!!!