Random Taste for Thursday 12/29/16

On the first Thursday of the year, I announced that I would be starting something new ... getting a taste of fifty different restaurants in the local area in Florida ... and on the last Thursday of the year, I can happily say that I was successful -- so much so that the whole thing will repeat in 2017 (but on its own dedicated site).  More to come on that next week ... for tonight it's time to award THE BEST OF 2016 with regards to the 50 Tastes of Florida.

First -- some numbers.  19 of the 50 got perfect scores for ambiance and 14 did the same for service and for bacon (because it can't be a score of mine without a separate category for pig candy).  70% of them earned the final +1 bonus point designating that we'd gladly return.  Almost half (23) of the eating establishments had a Ft. Lauderdale address ... and the most popular types were burger joints (7), diners (6) and sports bars (5).  Grades were awarded from a high of 98 (to 2 places ... more on that below) on down to 70, with a grade distribution as follows:  12 As, 23 Bs and 15 Cs.

And before we get to the specific categories, four entries earned perfect 10s in the food category, and deserve to be called out:  Howie's Top Dog, Smoke BBQ, The Spillover and Tequila Sunrise Mexican Grill.

Now ... the BEST OF 2016 (with what was said in the original post in the quotes):

BEST AMBIANCE ... The Alchemist:  "one of the big reasons to find this little corner of the world is for the people-watching and the surroundings-watching -- where you can look every which way and see something new and interesting with every glance ... it's exactly what you want an outdoor brunch spot in sunny Ft. Lauderdale to be". 

Honorable Mention ... World Famous Parrot Lounge: "outdoor seating ... with multiple TVs in sight ... just a block or two from the beach ... and a bucket of brew ... plus almost everyone -- customers and staff included -- dressed in your team's shirts (it's a Penn State bar!)"

BEST SERVICE ... Linda at The Floridian:   "the server was excellent at her job, making every stop at the table seem like we all were just picking up a multi part conversation ... and, in many ways, we were, as we got to talk to her about her frequent trips to Chicago and other recent fun of hers".

Honorable Mention ... Annie at Grampa's Bakery and Restaurant:  "'hey guys' was the greeting by the kind of waitress you expected to see at a place named Grampa's ... personable and professional and so much on her game that she seemed to float past the tables in her section passing out things that you didn't even know you needed yet while she was infecting folks with smiles and her good attitude."

BEST DRINK ... deconstructed hot chocolate at The Alchemist:  "who cares about the food when the hot chocolate arrives as steamed milk and a swiss roll type hunk of chocolate that you make yourself by dunking it into the mug while you wait for it to melt (the longer you wait, the more your patience is rewarded because the chocolatey-er it gets)".

Honorable Mention ... the mead flight at The Spillover:  "every sip was delicious ... [including] the variety of additives in the honey-sweetened mead drinks".

BEST APPETIZER ... gator ribs at The Spillover:  "the sauced up ribs of the alligator -- which our party ordered as an appetizer and shared, because the chalkboard countdown told us that there were still some available, what with only 15 being prepared daily".

Honorable Mention ... zucchini planks at Primanti Bros.:  "for putting those zucchinis in planks -- I've had sticks and circles and fries ... but never planks"!

BEST SIDE ... special brussels sprouts at Temple Street Eatery:   "the menu description wasn't available, but there were apples and red onions mixed in".

Honorable Mention ... fries at The Burning Oak BBQ:  "the special seasoning on those thick cut fries --  the secret was disclosed to me, but I'm not sure that I want to ruin the pleasant surprise for anyone visiting next".

BEST MAIN ... brunch sampler at BC Cafe:  "[one of] the ten 'outrageous' brunches in the area.  This particular place was deemed 'outrageous' because it permits its customers who can't decide which dish to order ... to get ALL of them (in half-portion size, for a reasonable price for parties of two)".

Honorable Mention ... the tray of food at Smoke BBQ:  "from cornbread to meats to tater tots, everything was fresh and hot and tasty ... rubbed just right and cooked to perfection with straightforward sides that didn't try too hard to be something they weren't ... and the best part may have been the chicken, which had the extra taste of being quickly deep fried and was chopped up in just the right pieces ... plus, while walking to the car afterwards, I realized that I had a pleasant tingle on my lips from all the flavor".

BEST BACON ... the bacon chocolate manhattan at ROK BRGR:  "bacon infused makers, aztec chocolate bitters sweet vermouth and a splash of maple syrup served on the rocks". 

Honorable Mention ... the candied bacon at The Burning Oak BBQ:  "any non-breakfast place that is smart enough to put bacon as a side in the same spot on the menu as the vegetables is MY kind of place ... plus that candied bacon (that I got as dessert instead) was on my loaded chips and was also available for other dishes".

BEST DESSERT ... the s'more sundae at Bonefish Mac Sports Grille:  layers of graham crackers, chocolate ice cream, warm marshmallow sauce and hot fudge topped with mini-marshmallows and a fudge graham cookie

Honorable Mention ... Mrs. McHugh’s banana créme pie at The Spillover:  homemade crème pie made with vanilla beans, a walnut and graham cracker crust, topped with bananas, whipped cream, caramel sauce and dusted with bittersweet chocolate

BEST OVERALL ... as previously mentioned, there were two locations that earned the highest scores of 98 ... Bonefish Mac Sports Grille and The Burning Oak BBQ.  Their complete reviews are provided in the links below/to follow;

Congratulations to all of the winners and a special thanks to all 50 of the Tastes for this inaugural year.  Here's to 50 more in the year to come!

Random Taste for Thursday 12/15/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FORTY-NINTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR APPETIZER
HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR DRINK
HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR DESSERT

Establishment:  The Spillover
Location:  Coconut Grove
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  A Mead Flight
one each flavored with fig, coffee, chili and "blod"
Appetizer (see below):  BBQ Gator Ribs
two (or three) fall-off-the-bone gator ribs from Clewiston, Florida, slow roasted for 2 1⁄2 hours then finished on the grill with our soon to be famous honey BBQ sauce, served with brussel sprouts and asparagus
Main:  Bababooey Burger (yes, *that* bababooey, as you can see in the photo below)
ground in-house beef burger topped with brie, caramelized apples, cinnamon butter, grilled onions, crispy bacon and honey mustard, served on a challah bun
Side(s):  Fries
Dessert:  Mrs. McHugh’s Banana Créme Pie
homemade crème pie made with vanilla beans, a walnut and graham cracker crust, topped with bananas, whipped cream, caramel sauce and dusted with bittersweet chocolate
Server:  Tina (whom I believe was officially Christina, according to the receipt)
Website:  http://spillovermiami.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/spillovermiami/

When I started this series at the beginning of this year, I set the expectations that most of the establishments would be in the tri-county area (defined as Palm Beach, Broward and Dade), but the reality has been that the overwhelming majority of places have been immediately in and around the FTL here in Broward.  Recently, I finally faced the unknowns of Miami (will I95 be drivable?  where will I park?  will the restaurant be too "hip" for this middle aged eater?) ... and I'm most certainly glad that I did.  Full disclosure:  for this meal, I was the guest of the sister of one of the owners, as the sister was a former college classmate of mine in town on vacation -- a factor which did NOT influence the high Troy-score, as you can see below:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (options make the world go round ... and this establishment had multiple choices ... an outdoor patio type set up out in an open mall courtyard environment, tables in the front near the bar, and a few privacy tables further back the hallway [which is what our party chose to advance our main goal of conversating] ... the feature of our area was a large floor to ceiling reproduction on the wall that kept us guessing throughout the meal as to its origin [the answer to which was that it was a still from the first bilingual seventies TV show 'Que Pasa', quite fitting for the Miami area])
FOOD:            10/10 (where to begin ... seeing as how every bite [and every sip] was delicious ... from the variety of additives in the honey-sweetened mead drinks [as pictured] to the sauced up ribs of the alligator [which our party ordered as an appetizer and shared, because the chalkboard countdown told us that there were still some available, what with only 15 being prepared daily] to the juicy burger with a surprisingly sweet combination of ingredients that came together like a gourmet applesauce as a condiment to the fries with their surprise secret coating [I promised not to tell -- but it *wasn't* ranch dressing mix, like the other entry in this series with a surprising fry taste] to that bananarific dessert ... note that I got to taste my tablemates' dishes of crab cakes and jumbalaya, so they are also pictured)
SERVICE:      10/10 (extra bubbly, super cheerful, and well informed -- for what more could one ask? ... we apparently managed to order just about everything that was also her favorite ... at one point in the process, the cynic in me did wonder if she was just practicing good server protocol in endorsing whatever decisions the guest made, but the final verdict as discussed by our group was that she was being sincere and it was just a coincidence ... PLUS every single employee who passed by the table did so with a smile and, as appropriate, with a polite request to clear any items)
BACON:         8/10 (bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon ... that's one mention for each of the *four* times my favorite ingredient was listed on the menu -- including on my burger ... that being said, it wasn't necessarily presented in any exciting or inventive ways, so this category will be the only one without a perfect score)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for the way those meads made me happy, +3 for that dessert of Mrs. McHugh's [purportedly shared, but I don't think anyone else at our table really had more than one forkful], +3 for urinal cakes with Justin Bieber's face on them [not pictured in this blog ... although they were posted on the FB the night of the meal] and +1 for being a place to which we will return the next time we venture toward Miami -- and by that time, this growing empire might just include more establishments than the three currently in existence)

TroyScore:  48 out of 50 -- aka 96, a high A

Random Taste for Thursday 11/17/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FORTY-FIFTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR SIDE

Establishment:  Temple Street Eatery
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  fountain Sproke (half Sprite, half Coke)
Appetizer:  Wonton Tacos
poached shrimp, guacamole, lettuce, gochujang cream, pineapple salsaAppetizer 2:  Buddha Mix (one of each dumpling)
ground chicken, onion, napa cabbage AND ground pork, napa cabbage AND minced shrimp, house seasoning AND edamame, carrot, vermicelli noodle, baby bok choy, tofu
Main:  Bibimbap Rice Bowl
choice of rice, inari, mushroom, pickled vegetables, scallion, marinated bean sprout, fried egg, gochujang sauce
Side(s):  Brussels Sprouts
(it was the special, so the menu description wasn't available, but there were apples and red onions mixed in)
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  the order taker's receipt says Jeff L, but I doubt that was *her* name
Website:  http://templestreeteatery.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TempleStEatery

The older I get, the more I love me a Buddha ... not for any religious reasons, but because there's something about the smiling bald big-eared round face that reminds me of ... ME!  This particular establishment offers up affordable options with Chinese, Vietnamese and Latin influences and is a companion to the well known long established Christina Wan's "four star" dining nearby.  To see how what is only the second Asian influenced taste fared in the Troy-score, see below:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (outdoor seating was an option [even if it was next to a busy parking lot], and the interior was clean and bright and welcoming and full of nice touches like the Buddha faces everywhere and the happy cat with the waving paw at the drink station ... and the best part may have been how busy it was [without a slowdown in service], because there's nothing more encouraging than knowing you are eating somewhere loved by many)
FOOD:            8/10 (the place has a mission statement of bringing "comfort foods ... with the affordability of street food" and every bite made me feel more and more comfortable at the choice we made for this particular taste ... and although there were little things that I wish would have been different [the edges of the brussels dish were cold, the dumplings were delicious but so small, the fried egg didn't ooze like we wanted], the flavors were so strong and tasty on each item that I'll lump my mini critiques all into representing just one point lost ... and a second point is lost because I was excited to eat my first bibimbap, but disappointed because I thought a key identifier was a crunchy crusty fried rice bottom that wasn't a part of this particular presentation) 
SERVICE:      9/10 (with it being a counter service location, there are usually limited opportunities to interact with staff, but I do believe we managed to see almost every employee ... from the order taker to the food deliverers [items came out as they were ready, so we had three rounds -- each from a different person], and every employee was happy and smiley and friendly and able to answer questions ... just a point lost because they use one of those modern ipad programs that pushes the tip a little too hard during the checkout process, which seemed out of place for a counter service style that had a giant tip jar right next to said machine -- which is where I tipped, btw)
BACON:         9/10 (even though the word bacon wasn't on the menu ... the next best thing *was* AND it's visible as items added on to the bibimbap in the main photo -- so there's three points a piece awarded for those delicious pork belly chunks)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for the variety of all the sauces, +3 for a quick turnaround from the kitchen despite it being busy, +3 for taking the time to present the food attractively and +1 for being a place to which we will return as there are more menu items to try and because everyone loves a little comfort every now and then)

TroyScore:  46 out of 50 -- aka 92, a low A

Random Taste for Thursday 10/27/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FORTY-SECOND of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR AMBIANCE

Establishment:  World Famous Parrot Lounge
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  (Gametime) Dinner
Drink:  Bucket o Beer
(half Bud Light and half Yuengling Lager)
Appetizer(s):  Mozzarella Sticks; Chicken Quesadilla
sticks:  made here and breaded here; quesadilla:  a blend of jack and cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla
Main:  Philly Cheesesteak (on an Amoroso roll)
choice top round, sliced in house -- add 'shrooms and mayo
Side(s):  homemade kettle chips
Dessert:  soft pretzel AND a blue jello shot for each TD!
Server:  Amber
Website:  http://www.parrotlounge.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/World-Famous-Parrot-Lounge-138197609213/

In 2001, we moved from PA (where we grew up) to Chicago, where we lived for a dozen years.  We quickly discovered that one of the ways to beat the homesickness was to spend Saturday afternoons in the fall glued to the Penn State games -- and it helped that the BigTenNetwork had launched.  That tradition of becoming insta-fans of the team continued with the big move from Chicago to the FTL in early 2014.  Which is all the preamble to say that finding a place by the beach that is known as THE place to see all the games and getting to watch a night game there was extra special.  For it to have been the game where PState beat OState in an upset was extra *extra* special!  See how the establishment scored below:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (outdoor seating ... with multiple TVs in sight ... just a block or two from the beach ... and a bucket of brew ... plus almost everyone -- customers and staff included -- dressed in your team's shirts [it's a Penn State bar!] ... what's not to like? ... well, other than the one old man who came up and introduced himself and asked us to watch his bag that he abandoned under the window while he disappeared for a bit [not cool, Anthony man, not cool -- it's the terrorist era and you dare not do that] ... so just one point lost for having to deal with old beach drunks [note that no one was harmed in this story, as the abandoned bag was reclaimed and did NOT blow up])
FOOD:            8/10 (what with eating while watching the game, this turned into a progressive meal of sorts, with something ordered after each quarter along the way ... and although it's a bar, the "bar food" was elevated -- with special kudos to the cheese stix ["homemade" and not just out of the bag] and the soft pretzel [reminding me of the Hills snack bar of my youth], an honorable mention to the philly steak sandwich [with fresh 'shrooms] ... not as successful were the queadillas [crunchy yes but melty cheese not so much] and the kettle chips [normally a favorite for me but they seemed a bit stale like maybe they were made the day before] -- so a point off for each of those)
SERVICE:      9/10 (there is none so worthy as the server who pulls the shift during the big game that has to deal with every kind of drunk ... and ours smiled the whole time, from kickoff to surprise win ... and her helpers stopped by once or twice to check in [and to deliver more ice to the beer bucket] and her busboy [who looked like he was ON the team a year or two ago] worked in the background without getting in the way ... just a point lost because of the "free" jello shots that were followed up shortly after by someone looking for donations [not that there's anything wrong with raising funds, just that the concept wasn't explained up front])
BACON:         9/10 (it's on the menu in all the right places -- added to the chicken sandwiches, to the burgers and to the salads ... for a perfect score in this category, why not add it to the list of possible additions to the philly cheese steaks and really start something special)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for bringing the Penn State pride, +3 for being so close to the beach, +3 for that bucket o beers money saving concept and +1 for being a place to which we will return, quite possibly for another night game in just a few weeks!)

TroyScore:  45 out of 50 -- aka 90, a low A

Random Taste for Thursday 9/15/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-SIXTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR APPETIZER

Establishment:  Primanti Bros.
Location:  Wilton Manors
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  (Bottomless) Coke
Appetizers:  Fried Half Moon Mozarella, Two Spicy Meatballs with Marinara Sauce and Fried Zucchini Planks
Main:  Chicken Parmesan
Primanti style breaded chicken breast baked with tomato sauce and cheese
Side(s):  Salad (with Balsamic Dressing), Butter Bread and Pasta with Sauce
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Eric
Website:  https://www.primantibros.com/locations/wilton-manors/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Primanti-Brothers-Pizza-Grill-of-Wilton-Manors/113491555350976

For two weeks in a row, I'm taking advantage of a loophole of sorts to stay true to this concept.  Primanti Brothers, based in Pittsburgh but apparently being franchised all over the country (a concept that drew complaints from some of my PA based FB friends when I checked in on social media), also has a pizza stand here in the FTL at the beach ... and once, while on vacation (aka drinking), I'm pretty sure that I stopped by for a slice or two of pizza.  But I had never set foot inside one of their bigger restaurant locations until this particular taste, so this feast will be allowed to count for this series.  And to see how that feast scored, see what follows:  

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it's a pizzeria ... that looks like a pizzeria -- so that's a good thing ... and this spot has a bar area, family tables AND booths so it's got a little bit of everything for everyone ... a few TVs help pull off the sports bar vibe ... and you can watch the food as it's being made [or just watch the guy working the pizza ovens all night long] ... it's a Pittsburgh based company, so the picture of QB Ben R on the wall makes sense, but a point has to be deducted for each of those sexual assault charges of his that are implicitly endorsed by featuring his photo)
FOOD:            7/10 (the more you feast, the more food you try, so the more likely you'll experience some variety in the quality ... starting at the high end of that continuum, there are the meatballs [so tasty and somehow so light and airy], the zucchini planks  [planks I say!] and the homemade bread ... more middling were the deep fried mozarella moons that were good enough, but about which I was expecting a gooey full half-a-cheese-ball instead of what arrived [so a point lost] and the chicken parmesan dinner, which seemed to contain chicken pieces about the same size as the chicken parm hoagie would have had [so another point lost as I expected *more* being a dinner portion ] -- plus a final point lost because the butter pads weren't spreadable [an established pet peeve of mine])
SERVICE:      8/10 (the server was friendly and kept very busy, making a point to stop by the table every time he passed, and the best part of the evening may have been when the other server dropped off some of the food and said, "you guys eat like I do" -- which I think meant that we ordered a LOT of food -- but there is a point lost for the timing of the delivery of all that food [I would have liked to have finished my salad before the apps arrived] and a second one lost due to the policy of charging $.75 for extra dressing [really?  are the customers *really* abusing requests for condiments and putting the business at risk?])
BACON:         8/10 (somehow none of the dishes on which we feasted included bacon, but it was listed on the menu a few times in a few ways [on salads, fries, sandwiches AND as a pizza topping], which means that there are points to be awarded in this category for sure)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for putting those zucchinis in planks [I've had sticks and circles and fries ... but never planks!], +3 for being the type of place where we almost expected to be referred to as 'you'uns', +3 for those meatballs [they *would* go out of business if they ever turned those into an all-you-can-eat special] and +1 for being a place to which we will definitely return [so as to taste the PA style hoagies if nothing else!])

TroyScore:  41 out of 50 -- aka 82, a low B

Random Taste for Thursday 8/25/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-THIRD of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR SERVICE

Establishment:  The Floridian
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Brunch
Drink:  A Poinsettia and a Coke
split of champagne to mix with cranberry juice
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  222 Special
two eggs, two pancakes & sausage or bacon
Side(s):  Bacon (once as a side to supplement the main, and once again because of an unforeseen bacon accident [see below])
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Linda
Website:  http://thefloridiandiner.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Floridian/122004887809606

This establishment is a Ft. Lauderdale landmark ... and so it was only a matter of time before we ended up there (actually, it was *almost* taste #28, until a last minute change of plans that night).  And full disclosure, the fact that I spilled not one but TWO drinks ... and that I had to defend my bacon against the fork of the other person in my party such that a piece ended up on the floor ... will barely play a role in this review.  To see why it ended up being the typical diner (not bad ... but not great), here are the score-components:

AMBIANCE:   7/10 (mirror walls make a place seem bigger than it is, and since this place is long but not wide [a few rooms side by side but none too deep], that trick worked ... with chandeliers and art of celebrities along the top of the walls, it gave off a diner "plus" kind of vibe ... a point lost because the celebrities weren't celebrities pictured eating at the diner, a second point lost because all the advertisements have an artistic rendering of the store front with white chairs lined up outside -- all of which seem to have been replaced by new tables that turned that area into outside eating instead of classic outside seating, and a final point lost because the flash of the camera taking a picture of the lost bacon [see below] disclosed a pretty dirty floor)
FOOD:            7/10 (let's start with the things at brunch that make me happy [besides bacon, which has its own category] -- butter that is spreadable and not frozen, and jam/jelly choices of more than just two ... plus super fluffy scrambled eggs and yuuuuge pancakes ... and cheers for selling coke instead of pepsi ... other than that, it was diner food [so not bad ... but not great] ... a point lost for serving it on a plate where my syrup ran into those scrambled eggs [in my humble opinion, pancakes and waffles and such deserve their own dish], a point lost for naming a meal the 2-2-2 and then making you choose bacon OR sausage [it should have been BOTH meats, instead of making me order one as a side, because that's what two means] and a final point lost because those yuuuuge pancakes were a little heavy by the time it got to the last bite)
SERVICE:      9/10 (similar to the experience about which I raved at Bonefish Mac's earlier this month, the server was excellent at her job, making every stop at the table seem like we all were just picking up a multi part conversation ... and, in many ways, we were, as we got to talk to her about her frequent trips to Chicago and other recent fun of hers ... just a point lost for waiting a touch too long for our check at the end of the meal)
BACON:         8/10 (a place that has 35 references to it on their menu ... and that even uses it to add some extra goodness to a classic diner dish [liver and onions AND bacon, says the menu] is going to score all the points ... EXCEPT for the fact that one of my pieces ended up on the floor [my fault] and that, as we left, we saw more bacon abuse outside on the sidewalk [not my fault], so a point has to be docked for each in memory of those lost pieces)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for the fancy office chairs at the "executive" table [see picture below], +3 for an alcoholic brunch drink I had not heard of before [mimosa, I knew ... poinsettia was new to me] and +3 for the aforementioned mirrors, because we caught the teenage busser checking himself out in them as he passed a few times)

TroyScore:  40 out of 50 -- aka 80, a low B

Random Taste for Thursday 8/4/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTIETH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER (TIE) BEST OF 2016 FOR OVERALL
WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR DESSERT

Establishment:  Bonefish Mac's Sports Grille
Location:  Lighthouse Point
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Guinness (and a water)
Appetizer:  Crab'cargot
button mushroom caps in garlic butter
white wine sauce stuffed with [our] famous
crabcake mixture and topped with melted
Havarti and Mozzarella cheeses.
Main:  Salmon BLT
blackened salmon fillet, bacon, lettuce, tomato and [our] tasty tarragon mayo on toasted foccacio bread
Side(s):  Fresh (homemade) Potato Chips 
Dessert:  S'more Sundae
layers of graham crackers, chocolate ice cream, warm marshmallow sauce and hot fudge topped with mini-marshmallows and a fudge graham cookie
Server:  Lori
Website:  http://www.bonefishmacs.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BonefishMacs/?ref=page_internal

Giving credit where credit is due, this week's choice came about because a repeat of PBS' 'Check Please' was on Monday night and featured this particular establishment.  And boy was that a gift to us.  It's another one of those "local Florida chains" with four in the area, and it's not to be confused with the national chain Bonefish Grill (which ironically is right around the corner).  To see how it's in the running for one of the best places in this series this year, take a look at how its score came together:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (according to the aforementioned episode, the owners wanted to offer a place for everyone -- a game room for kids, a healthy beer selection for the guys, and many many salad choices for the ladies -- and they succeeded ... it's a big open plan with different sections [including one outside] ... and, being a sports grille, it's full of TV screens and other signage [including the fact that it's a Steelers bar, and as someone who grew up in central PA, that made me feel right at home])
FOOD:            9/10 (when it's as good as it was, it's even better when the portion sizes are supersized because that means there's even more of the goodness to go around ... from the very flavorful appetizer to the perfectly cooked salmon BLT [with an amped up mayo] to the side of homemade chips [also with a tasty dipping sauce] to that dessert [oh my that dessert], everything was delicious ... and I spied on every dish that passed by our table being delivered to others, and each one looked as mouth-watering as the next ... if there's a point to be lost, it's for the excess "grease" from the garlic butter white wine sauce/melted cheeses on the appetizer mushrooms)
SERVICE:      10/10 (our server set a new standard for excellence, and here's why -- every time she stopped by the table to check in, from beginning to end, it was as if we were just picking up on our ongoing conversation ... so casual yet also so proficient ... and although it was clearly busy, we never felt any of that stress ... she was knowledgeable and friendly and made a person feel happy to be there the whole time)
BACON:         10/10 (the interwebs say that there are 31 references to bacon on their menu ... 31! ... and you might not be able to see it from the picture since the bacon and the salmon had the same hue, but there was certainly no stinginess about putting it on my BLT ... I counted at least three, maybe FOUR long pieces)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for having tables that were on individual swinging platforms [even inside!], +3 for that s'mores sundae, +3 for the size of the portions of all of their dishes and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return because, after all, there are dozens of other dishes to be tried)

TroyScore:  49 out of 50 -- aka 98, the highest score granted in this series (this being only the second time that happened)

Random Taste for Thursday 7/7/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the TWENTY-SIXTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER (TIE) BEST OF 2016 FOR OVERALL
HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR SIDE
HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR BACON

Establishment:  The Burning Oak BBQ
Location:  North Lauderdale
Meal:  Mid Year's Holiday Dinner
Drink:  Fountain Sproke (half Sprite/half Coke)
Appetizer:  Hand Cut Potato Chips
blue cheese dipping sauce (see note below), diced tomato, scallions, candied bacon
Main:  Brisket Burger
lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, kaiser roll
Side(s):  French Fries (see note below)
Dessert:  Candied Bacon
Server:  Counter service but Deena took the order ... after another young girl gave us a tour of the menu ... after we met Ahmed who was running the kitchen ... and after a gentleman (manager?  owner?) helped approve a special order for the other person in our party
Website:  not applicable
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BurningOakBBQ/

Being as much of a fan of New Year's Eve as I am, it was only a matter of time before I created a sequel of a holiday.  And so, two years ago, Mid Year's Day was born.  One of the first decisions about the new celebration was that the traditional meal for Mid Year's Day was always to be BBQ.  After seeing this place in the 'burbs of the FTL highlighted in the local paper and after reading about the burger that you see in the main picture, going here for the 2016 version of the new holiday was a given.  Little did I know of the experience that was in store ... here's how the visit was quantified:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (this was yet another relatively new establishment ... and it showed in how everything was crisp and clean ... with wall decor that let you know the folks were serious about their cuts of meat ... and a personal roll of paper towels at each table [I judge the quality of my bbq places with how many paper towels I have to use during my meal, and this was a five-paper-towel dinner] ... plus see the SERVICE section below because how well we were treated helped elevate the mood)
FOOD:            9/10 (those loaded chips, though!  [delicious!] ... and, in a happy accident, they were out of blue cheese that night, and since I don't like blue cheese, they were even better than they might have been for me on a regular night ... the side of fries [it was the double the potato night for me] were thick cut and the perfect mix of crunchy on the outside and hot and mushy on the inside [plus look for bonus points below about them] ... and then the burger ... combining the best of their smoked meats lightly sauced on top of a juicy hunk of beef and a toasted bun -- I am docking one point for there being too much red onion for my taste, although I do have to say that I was asked during the ordering process if I wanted everything on it and said yes ... so that was partially my fault)
SERVICE:      10/10 (as we wandered in and started reviewing the menu, we were greeted with a question:  "first time here?" followed by an exclamation:  "YAY!" and that admission on our part entitled us to a tour of the menu offered up by one of the younger very articulate employees behind the counter and a brief introduction to the man running the kitchen ... that level of attention and welcoming spirit continued when the other person with me asked [and was approved] to create a special combo plate [one of the smartest decisions of the night because that introduced us to the smoked turkey {not pictured}] ... on through to the expectation setting during the ordering process [when I was warned that my burger was made to order and that this place was "not like Burger King"] ... and then to the delivery of the food and to the check-ins while we were eating and to the final goodbye:  "come back next week!" ... you would have thought we were family in for a visit with how friendly every employee was)
BACON:         10/10 (any non-breakfast place that is smart enough to put bacon as a side in the same spot on the menu as the vegetables is MY kind of place ... plus that candied bacon [that I got as dessert instead] was on my loaded chips and was also available for other dishes)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for how welcoming *everyone* was, +3 for the special seasoning on those thick cut fries [the secret was disclosed to me, but I'm not sure that I want to ruin the pleasant surprise for anyone visiting next], +3 for the best smoked turkey ever eaten at a bbq establishment [so good that we felt so bad putting some leftovers in the doggie bag knowing full well that the doggies wouldn't get any of it] and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely be returning)

TroyScore:  49 out of 50 -- aka 98, a nearly perfect score and the highest one earned so far!

Random Taste for Thursday 6/16/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the TWENTY-THIRD of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR MAIN

Establishment:  BC Cafe
Location:  Davie
Meal:  Sunday Brunch
Drink:  Bellini (not pictured)
prosecco sparkling wine and peach purée or nectar.
Dish 1:  bananas foster french toast (bottom left)
Dish 2:  chicken and waffles sliders (bottom right)
fried chicken, cheddar waffle, topped with cayenne maple syrup
Dish 3:  breakfast ramen (middle)
topped with pork belly, sausage, scallion pancake and sunny side up egg
Dish 4:  steakhouse eggs benedict (top left)
filet, creamed spinach, fried onion rings, black pepper bernaise
Dish 5:  breakfast burger (top right)
homemade beef patty, sweet potato pancake, fried egg, cheese, bacon
Server:  Oops ... didn't catch the name of the order taker or food deliverer (it was kind of counter service-ish)
Website:  http://www.bctacos.com/cafe/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BCTacos/

What can I say ... brunch works well for this series!  After sampling one of the award winning "best" last week, it was great timing to see a current New Times article promoting the ten "outrageous" brunches in the area.  This particular place was deemed "outrageous" because it permits its customers who can't decide which dish to order ... to get ALL of them (in half-portion size, for a reasonable price for parties of two).  As luck would have it, Sunday errands had us out in that part of the world, and so it was a perfect match to sample this location that ALSO has a well known food truck pushing tacos and burgers out and about.  Here's how and why they scored well:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (bright and colorful, with plenty of seating and parking [it is in the 'burbs, after all] -- it attracted a good mix of college kids, family folk coming right after church and a few of the drunks from the night before ... I can't think of a reason to dock a point)
FOOD:            7/10 (having the sampler, we got to taste half portions [those are only HALF portions!] of each of their five special brunch dishes ... which means I can actually consider all of them ... ranked, in order from super to oops:  the french toast [2 points!], the steakhouse eggs benedict [2 points!], the chicken and waffles [2 points!], the breakfast burger [1 point!] and the ramen [0 points!] ... the ramen might have been better except for a strange flavoring in the excessive broth, and the burger needed just a little more of "something something"
SERVICE:      9/10 (ordering at the counter and paying in advance as was the set up, there wasn't as much traditional service provided although, for sure, the person behind the counter was smiling and happy the whole time, and the person delivering the food seemed the same way ... just a point lost for a bussing incident at the table next to us when a guy took one of his children to the bathroom and his wife took the other child outside ... so the busser cleaned the table and discarded the fresh hot coffee the guy had just gotten ... the bin was literally steaming)
BACON:         9/10 (it may have only officially been in one of the five brunch dishes [the breakfast burger] ... but that ramen included pork belly ... which is like the forefather of all bacon ... and I confirmed that this place has several bacon options on its regular menu ... just a point lost because that pork belly was in the least successful of the dishes)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for all the smiles, +3 for the dessert goodies display, +3 for offering up a sampler platter for people like me and mine and +1 for being a place to which we will return -- if only to sample all the main dishes at non-brunch time)

TroyScore:  45 out of 50 -- aka 90, a low A