*****  Josephine’s Italian Restaurant, 5751 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33487 (561) 988-0668.

Before I start, please read my writeup on Nino’s Restaurant & Pizzeria. I’ll wait.

Nino’s is a terrific neighborhood Southern Italian joint…as a matter of fact, it is one of the best ones in South Florida. Now for the hook… The owner of Nino’s is Josephine’s husband…or to put it another way, Josephine is the wife of the guy who owns Nino’s.

Anyway, Josephine’s is a “white-tablecloth” version of Nino’s. Checkout this joint’s site at www.josephines.net for menu/other details…you will also find a number of photos that will give you an idea as to what Josephine’s Italian Restaurant looks like.

The joint has been in business something like 10 years and is a very intimate-upscale looking place done-up in Italian columns (like I said before look at the website for (“Italian column photos”).

Like Nino’s food, Josephine’s food is very good. The service is very good. The prices are decent.

If you want to “see” what Nino’s would be like if it was a white-table-cloth joint, give Josephine’s a try…and…if you want to see what Josephine’s would be like if it was a neighborhood pizza joint, give Nino’s a try…

Josephine’s is open 5pm-10pm 7 days a week for dinner.

*****  The Whale’s Rib Raw Bar, 2031 NE Second Street, Deerfield Beach, Florida (954) 421-8880.

The Whale’s Rib is located one-block from Deerfield Beach. If you go to its website www.whalesrib.com you will find everything you need to know about this joint. This is basically a neighborhood pub that “specializes” in fish/seafood…it also has meat/chicken dishes, but like I said, fish/seafood is the game here. By the way, this isn’t gourmet “cooking”…The Whale has more fried this and fried that-than you can shake a stick at. The dresscode is bathing-suit…tee shirt/shorts is considered formal wear.

The Whale is an easy going–casual joint. Decent food…decent prices. It is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner…it is always packed.

*****  Miller’s Jupiter Ale House, 126 Center Street, Jupiter, Florida 33458 (561) 746-7620

Miller’s owns and operates a “ton” and I do mean a “ton” of sports-bars/ale houses in South Florida. Its website is www.millersalehouse.com . Check the site for locations/menu/pricing/hours.

Miller’s joints all take on a local name…in Boca Raton, the joint is the Boca Ale House…in Jupiter the joint is the Jupiter Ale House…in Coral Springs the joint is the Coral Springs Ale House…so on and so forth.

Over the years, I have eaten in a number of Miller’s South Florida locations…my most recent meal being in the Jupiter Ale House 3 weeks ago. All of the Ale Houses look alike…big bar area,  tvs galore, small game room, wood booths. The menus are the same…tons of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and entrees…something for everybody. Just so you know, the food is okay- not great…(operative word) OKAY… The prices are cheap…that’s the game…like a 20 oz. bone-in porterhouse steak with french fries for something like 10 bucks.

I have to tell you, that every so often, I really enjoy a grizzly-steak covered in grilled onions and french fries drenched in ketchup that costs $9.99…Sort of reminds me of Tad’s Broiled Steaks (you- New Yorkers know what I am talking about) circa 1960.

The Ale Houses are open 7 days a weekfor lunch and dinner. Like I said, okay food priced perfectly.

By the way…some of you may not know, but Tad’s Broiled Steaks currently has a location at 152 West 34th Street, New York, New York 10001 (212) 630-0318…those were the days.

*****  Bagel Twins, 5130 Linton Boulevard, Delray Beach 33484 (561) 499-1925.

The guy who owns Bagel Twins is a smart guy.

A few years ago,  when Bagel Twins was getting ready to open in a shopping center directly across the street from Poppie’s Restaurant & Delicatessen (see review- 7/11/08) literally a Delray landmark… I remember commenting to a group of people that, Bagel Twins a bagel-deli joint would have no chance against Poppie’s and would die a fast death…Well low and behold, it’s now years later and Bagel Twins not only survived, but is one of the most popular bagel-deli joints in the area.

Since it opened, I have eaten at Bagel Twins at least 5 times…it does both breakfast and lunch. The joint does an enormous eat-in and take-out business. Its stuff is real good.

Just so you know, Bagel Twins is located in a shopping center which is right next to Delray Medical Center (Delray Hospital)…I got a sneaking suspicion that many of the doctors/nurses/workers employed by the hospital/or have offices in the shopping center and their patients are “supporting” Bagel Twins. I never figured, that crossing a little street named Military Trail (that’s what separates Bagel Twins and Poppies) was such a big deal, but I guess that it was/is.

Give Bagel Twins a try…the guy who owns it, makes some good stuff and is real smart.

*****  Poppie’s Restaurant & Delicatessen, 4900 Linton Boulevard, Delray Beach, Florida 33445 (561) 498-4900.

Poppie’s is a New York “kosher style” deli. Poppie’s “plays” in the same South Florida  market as Too-Jays, 3G’s Deli, Gourmet Deli (just to name a few)… not to mention every neighborhood bagel joint.

Poppie’s is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Poppie’s in addition to its sit-down business, does a tremendous amount of take-out and catering.

 I am sure that you have a favorite South Florida– New York “kosher style” deli joint…

Trust me on this, Poppie’s is right up there with the best of them. Very good food…Very good prices…Terrific menu selection…Large/attractive looking joint with an excellent appetizing department.

*****  Nick’s Tomatoe Pie, 1697 West Indiantown Road, Jupiter, Florida 33458 (561) 744-8935.

For the past 20 years, the folks in Jupiter have been stuffing their faces at Nick’s Tomato Pie. The joint is packed almost every evening…The takeout business is virtually non-stop.

Nick’s is a red sauce Southern Italian joint, that does a great job in the pasta, pizza, sub, meat/veal/fish/chicken dish arena. Super family friendly…priced right…individual or family style portions…great selection of desserts.

Nick’s runs circles around the typical “mom and pop” Italian joint.

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

    
www.rhythmcafe.cc . for menu/pricing/hours.

The  “dinner” food is just fair. The “dinner” prices absurd…a 6 oz. duck breast is $28.95… The service neither here nor there.

Rhythm does have  one redeeming thing going for it …its dessert menu is terrific…homemade ice creams, pies, cakes…and unlike the dinner menu, the desserts are nice size portions and fairly priced. I had a pistachio ice cream that was awesome.

 Rhythm Cafe…dinner an absolute no-no-no…dessert an absolute yes-yes-yes.

*****  Shortys-Bar-B-Q, 9200 South Dixie Highway, Miami, Florida 33156 (305) 670-7732.

Shorty’s is a South Florida bbq-chain…Its original location on South Dixie Highway has been around since 1951…Shorty’s website is www.shortysbbq.com …check the site for locations/menu/pricing.

Shorty’s Bar-B-Q is a terrific-casual restaurant… the menu is loaded with delicious appetizers, sides and top-notch pork/beef/chicken bbq…big portions at really reasonable prices. In the South Dixie joint, “you” sit at long tables next to total strangers…at the other 6 locations,  Shorty’s gives “you” your own table or booth…that’s called progress.

Over the years, I must have eaten in the Dixie Highway location at least 10 times. Most recently, I have been eating in Shorty’s Deerfield Beach store which opened about 1 year ago. Same delicious food…same portions…same prices…booth and table seating…By the way, the Deerfield Beach joint (if I have read all of the locations’ menus correctly) is the only Shorty’s that has bbq beef ribs…I have to tell you, that those beef ribs are not just good, but are fantastic…why Shorty’s doesn’t have them in its other stores is beyond me.

Like I said before, Shorty’s is a casual joint…be prepared to get really messy in this joint, because the bbq sauce is all over the place…Shorty’s has plenty of paper towels…

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

*****  DiSalvo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant, 4190 N. 46th Avenue, Hollywood, Florida (954) 962-1115.

DiSalvo’s is a family-operated/small chain of red sauce Southern Italian joints. There are currently 4 South Florida locations…2 in Hollywood, 1 in Coral Springs and 1 in Plantation. The joint at 4190 N. 46th Avenue in Hollywood is where I first “met” the the DiSalvo family something like 16 years ago.

Just a bit of history…when I first started going to the DiSalvo’s in Hollywood, the DiSalvo family was getting ready to open a steak joint named Kansas City Steak on University Boulevard in Davie, Florida. Over the next few years, I must have eaten in the Kansas City restaurant at least 10 times…the food was great…the service was great…the prices were fair…and it was  a very family friendly joint. The DiSalvo’s eventually sold Kansas City Steak…  Although I haven’t been to Kansas City Steak in a number of years, I understand that the joint is still doing a big business and is still terrific…One of these days I’ll get down to Kansas City Steak and checkout the food for you guys…Anway, the point of this not so short story…I learned 16 years ago, that the DiSalvos know how to run a restaurant…make great food…price it right…and treat their customers in a manner which makes them feel comfortable and right at home.

Over the past 16 years I must have eaten in their joints a combined total of maybe 15 times. I will tell you, that I have been in all the locations and the menu/service is identical at all 4 spots. Take a look at DiSalvo’s website at www.disalvosmenu.com for menu/pricing/locations.

As you all know, South Florida has its fair share of small Southern Italian chains…Actually, South Florida has way too many small chains, but that’s a story for another day.

DiSalvo’s does a very good job in the pasta, pizza, subs and meat-fish-veal-chicken entree departments. The food is priced right. The service is efficient. The garlic rolls are sensational.

If there is a DiSalvo’s in your neighborhood, give it a shot. It is as good as your favorite “mom and pop” joint, probably even better.

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

       Tramonti Ristorante, 119 East Atalantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida  (561) 272-1944.

Restaurants come and restaurants go, especially on Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue…as soon as one goes out of business, another seems to take its place.

Tramonti has been around for several years. I have walked/driven by this white table cloth Italian joint something like 50 times and its indoor/outdoor tables were always/and still are jammed…Obviously, Tramonti must be doing something very-very right.

I have eaten at Tramonti exactly twice, once when it first opened and most recently two weeks ago. The food (chicken scarpariello and steak pizziaola) at best was just “fair” and overpriced…the service unprofessional/borderline horrendous.

Many people rave about this joint. I am going to let you in on a little secret, Tramonti is “full of itself” and has bamboozled its fans into believing that it is a top-notch Italian Restaurant.

Do me a favor and go to Tramanti’s website www.tramantidelray.com where you can get menu/prices/and other details about this joint. Notice how its owners play up their relationship with the world famous Angelo’s of Mulberry Street which first opened for business in New York City in 1902….There is absolutely nothing special about Tramonti’s food, service or prices. What Tramonti is…is a place where people go to “see and be seen”…capice! I suspect that the Angelo’s “connection” is what triggered the star-status currently enjoyed by Tramanti.

I believe that someone once said, “I knew Jack Kennedy…and you are no Jack Kennedy.” Well…I have eaten at Angelo’s of Mulberry Street and Tramonti Ristorante is no Angelo’s of Mulberry Street.

Anyway…I could be 100% wrong about Tramonti, so if you want to decide for yourself the joint is open for lunch/dinner Monday-Saturday and dinner only on Sunday.