Random Taste for Thursday 3/30/17

And so it continues ... a brand new set of tastes for 2017 ...

 here's the TWELFTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

(coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!

REDEMPTION ROUND!

Establishment:  Miller's Ale House 
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Dr. Pepper (still no Coke :(  )
Appetizer:  Soup of the day (oops -- I forgot the name but it was basically Clam Chowder with a kick)
Main:  Ossobuco
(Marinated pork shank slow cooked until fabulously tender)
Side(s):  Baked Potato and Broccoli
Dessert:  n/a
Server:   Lucas
Website:  https://millersalehouse.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Millers-Ale-House-181208372285760/
Original Taste:  https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/2016/09/random-taste-for-thursday-9816.html

With excitement, we bring you the FIRST of four special tastes for 2017 -- what we're calling our "redemption round".  Each quarter, we'll return to an eating establishment that was reviewed in 2016 -- and that scored then in the 70's (the lowest set of scores we've offered to date).  Perhaps we'll discover that the low score was well-earned ... or perhaps we'll find out that it was just an off day and the rating should have been higher.  Good news -- the FIRST of these four ended up *improving* their Troy-score, as detailed below:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (the first time, the score was a 9 and the point lost was because there were more TVs than customers at lunch [although it *was* lunch on Labor Day, so that might have been a partial explanation] ... this time, the expectations of what it would be like inside were known, but the score still ended up as a 9 ... with a point lost on this visit because we were seated in a booth [yay!] too close to a pool game that was underway [oops!] and we were asked to move and we ended up directly behind a family of screaming kids [boo!])

FOOD:           7/10 (the first time, the score was a 6 with penalties for zingless "zingers" [their signature product], fries not cooked all the way, a bad ratio of zinger to fry and the lack of Coke products ... this time, we went for another one of their featured pics and everything was amazing -- that pork shank was tender and juicy and plentiful [and perfectly presented], with a healthy portion of broccoli and an unhealthy portion of a baked potato ['cause they let me load it ALL the way up -- with a big ole bucket of butter to put on it] ... and the soup of the day was extra special as it was basically a clam chowder with a kick ... the point deductions come from a baked potato skin that was a touch too well done [and this guy eats the skin 'cause that's where all the nutrients are], the need for more of that delicious sauce at the base of the shank and the fact that they still don't have Coca-Cola)

SERVICE:      9/10 (the first time, the score was a 9 and the point was lost because the server free-refilled my Dr Pepper with a Pepsi [which, as a Coke drinker in the first place, is an egregious act] ... this time, it's still a 9, but not for the fact that everyone tried hard to make our experience enjoyable [with random employees stopping by to inquire about the success of our meal] but because we waited too long for the check to arrive after the meal was clearly over)

BACON:         9/10 (the first time, the score was a 9 and the point was lost because there weren't enough crumbles on the dish that was ordered ... this time, it's also a 9 because, let's be honest -- that baked potato could have used a bit more bacon)

BONUS:         10/10 (the first time, the score here was just a 6 ... this time, it's a +3 for providing so much food that I couldn't eat it all on site [something that is rare for me], +3 for the prime rib special of the night [as pictured], +3 for having a Batman game next to the Golden Tee [as pictured, although not a great photo], and +1 for being a place to which we will return [although not on Tuesdays 'cause that's kid's night] primarily because they successfully redeemed themselves -- and because the dessert options look great should I ever have room for one of them)

TroyScore:  44 out of 50 -- aka 88, a B

Random Taste for Thursday 11/3/16

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

Establishment:  Duffy's Sports Grill
Location:  Plantation
Meal:  (Gametime) Dinner
Drink:  2for1 Guinness
Appetizer #1:  New England Clam Chowder
Appetizer #2:  Smoked Fish Dip
Crispy flatbread, fresh vegetables, grilled Naan bread
Appetizer #3:  Loaded Potato Skins
Bacon, scallions, jack & cheddar cheese, sour cream
Appetizer #4:  Sesame Tuna Tostado
Seasoned and seared Ahi Tuna, served cold on a crisp tostone with homemade tzatziki, Sriracha and scallions
Appetizer #5:  Open Faced Meatball Sliders
Our homemade meatballs with a blend of ground Certified Angus Beef® and Heritage Farms Cheshire Pork® simmered in marinara sauce and served on slices of toasted baguette with Parmesan cheese.
Main:  Bacon Mushroom Cheeseburger
1/2 lb burger with onions and pickles
Side(s):  Parmesan Truffle Fries
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Carissa
Website:  https://www.duffysmvp.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/DuffysPlantation/

Back to back sports bars -- courtesy of a night Penn State game last week, and a World Series game 7 this week -- and in both cases, it was a delight to be eating in restaurants that placed a healthy emphasis on the food they were serving instead of it being an afterthought to all the alcohol.  And a quick note about the feast on display ... this was a viewing party, so all of the apps (except the soup) were shared amongst four of us, and the main was split between two.  *Together*, we cleaned those plates ... and this is how the establishment fared in the score:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (lots of TVs and outdoor seating was available [we love a place with outdoor seating], with comfortably sized booths [we hate a booth where four people feel crowded] made this place "home" for the night ... plus there were a cast of characters at the bar that were entertaining to observe during the commercials ... just a point lost 'cause it was a bit loud, all things considered [and not just when we were bellowing out Cubs cheers])
FOOD:            8/10 (there was a lot to sample, which is a double edged sword in this rating because that means there were more opportunities to maybe miss something ... but the burger [juicy!] and fries [flavorful!] matched the menu pics and tasted great, the clam chowder had huge chunks of clam and was super creamy, and those meatball sliders were just the right touch ... the smoked fish dip was smoky enough but not anything amazing, although serving it with naan was nice ... the points come off for the tuna tostadas [with an overwhelming splash of Sriracha] and the loaded potato skins that could have used a bit more potato and a bit more things loaded on to them)
SERVICE:      7/10 (our server took it in stride when we explained we had moved in for the night to watch the whole game, and that we were going to order in stages ... and the staff was quick to change the channels on the TVs upon request so that everyone had a good view of the World Series ... but a point lost for a bathroom that was unattended [no paper towels and urinals with standing urine on the floor around them] and another lost for being a sports bar that was closing down before the final game of the World Series had ended -- strictly at midnight, right in the middle of a 10th inning rain delay ... and a final point lost because it was a super long wait for the first of the many dishes to arrive [and that was just fish dip])
BACON:         10/10 (it's on the menu in all the right places -- added to the chicken sandwiches, to the burgers and to the salads ... plus it was part of what made the skins almost loaded)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 because the Cubs won the freaking World Series [later, after we got home], +3 for BOGO beer all night long, and +1 for being a place to which we will return, because I saw some desserts walk past our table that looked amazing)

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

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 9/8/16

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

NOTE:  This establishment qualified for the REDEMPTION ROUND in 2017.   

Look for the updated "taste" here:  

https://50tastesofflorida.blogspot.com/2017/03/random-taste-for-thursday-33017.html

Establishment:  Miller's Ale House
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Lunch on Labor Day
Drink:  Dr. Pepper and two sips of a Pepsi
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Zinger® Mountain Melt
medium garlic Zingers® piled over crispy fries and smothered with melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon and green onions.Side(s):  Ranch Dressing
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Corey
Website:  https://millersalehouse.com/locations/ft-lauderdale/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Millers-Ale-House-181208372285760/

Full disclosure -- this was the FIRST time I set foot inside this particular (mostly) Florida chain of ale houses (as is required to be included in this series), but with 75 locations now all over this state and a few others, it is also very likely that I was once inside one of the Orlando editions of this business (because I'm pretty sure it's down the road from our corporate call center where I met a work colleague for appetizers a few years ago).  I was tempted by the menu to order the OssoBuco (pic below), but then the more I looked at it, the more it reminded me of a human heart, so I had to pass.  See here for how the food I DID order led to the score below:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (I like walking in a place and the first impression I get is how I had no idea it would be soooo big and this was one of those places, with a big big bar in the middle and full dining rooms on either side of it ... as a sports bar, it had the requisite team things hanging all around ... and I was especially happy to see booth after booth after booth [I love me a booth] ... and there was a mini-arcade with a pool table and a Golden Tee to help promote the "bar" side of the "bar" restaurant ... a point lost for there being more TVs than customers [although the holiday might have had something to do with that)
FOOD:            6/10 (in the spirit of that full disclosure I mentioned above, this meal was eaten after a night out of bar crawling, so that may have affected my taste buds ... but a point lost for a registered item called a zinger [breaded chicken strips] that, quite simply, didn't have any "zing" ... another point lost for fries that just didn't seem like they were cooked all the way through [especially those underneath the zingers] ... a third point lost for there not being more zingers on the dish ... and a final point lost because you're always going to lose a point with me if you chose to serve Pepsi [boo!] over, Coke [yay!]
SERVICE:      9/10 (we actually met the server at the door, which he held open for us ... and I'm not sure if that was protocol or just coincidence and he was checking the weather right when we walked in ... for someone having to work on the holiday, he was very friendly and very smiley and joked about pulling up a plate to join us so he only gets a point docked because he free-refilled my Dr. Pepper with a Pepsi ... of note, when I pointed out the error, he immediately apologized and fixed it)
BACON:         9/10 (I found seven references on the online menu ... and I appreciate that the place is very versatile with its uses ... on top of fries, added to burgers and sprinkled on salads .. just a point lost because, as you can see from the picture of my main dish, it could have used a bit more of those applewood smoked bacon crumbles)
BONUS:         6/10 (+3 for keeping the pesky kids away from the pool table [only those 21 and over are permitted to play, according to a sign on the wall] and a +3 for having helpful checks that included the total of the bill divided by the number in your party so you didn't have to do any math)

TroyScore:  39 out of 50 -- aka 78, a high C

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 3/24/16

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

Establishment:  Bru's Room
Location:  Coral Springs
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Guiness (with one 'n', see sign below -- although it tasted like the real thing)
Appetizer:  Chicken Noodle Soup
Main:  Mahi Tacos (3)
Blackened Mahi, Guacamole, Lettuce, Bruschetta Tomaotes, Sriracha Ranch in Flour Tortillas, with Chips & Salsa
Side(s):  Buffalo Chips
Seasoned, spiral-cut, potato chips
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Jules
Website:  http://brusroom.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BrusRoomSportsGrill

Who knew?  The FTL has 'burbs!  A trip into reclaimed Everglades marshland that was citified back in the sixties was part of the plan once Bru posted on Bru's facebook earlier this month that Bru had a limited supply of a Maple BACON Coffee Porter (sadly, a VERY limited supply, as explained in the score sections) ... and the Coral Springs location (Bru has 10 of these "rooms", all over the area) was the one chosen because friends live in town and vouched for the place.  With a nod to the fact that it was basically a higher quality of bar food ... expectations were exceeded.  More details by category:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (it's huge, with a number of different rooms, and big indoor and outdoor bars plus a separate veranda area with booths and tables far enough from the bar that trivia night didn't overtake our party's meal conversation ... and although it's actually an outparcel of a mall, it's so well landscaped that you don't really realize it until you get in the car to leave the parking lot ... as a sports bar, there are TVs every three feet and even they weren't intrusive ... just one point lost for being so far out in the 'burbs!)
FOOD:            8/10 (everything was very good with tacos that tasted very fresh and a soup that was quite flavorful [and I do love me some ribbon noodles and big chunks of chicken in my chicken noodle soup], but there's a point lost for some missed opportunities with seasoning [especially in the chips and the mahi before added the sriracha ranch])
SERVICE:      8/10 (our main server was friendly and attentive, and she took the time to explain the absence of the beer that actually brought us to this place [see above and below] ... but her "helpers" are hurting in this category and causing some docked points -- one for them just throwing down the silverware and napkins for the whole table in front of me and a second one for them not taking empty dishes when delivering the main meal plates)
BACON:         9/10 (that's actually one point for every reference to bacon on the menu ... and Bru's boys aren't afraid to add it to nachos and salads and homemade pizza and chicken sandwiches and, of course, multiple burger offerings ... so even though there was no bacon in the choices I made [shocking I know], the place deserves points EXCEPT for the fact that they were out of the maple bacon coffee porter that we saw on the facebook earlier in the month)
BONUS:         10/10 (all the possible bonus points for having a little arcade room for the kiddies [with maybe four games] that included ... wait for it ... a Batman themed 'whac-a-mole' game ... boom, drop the mic!)

TroyScore:  44 out of 50 -- aka 88, a high B