Random Taste for Thursday 2/8/18

Here we go again for the 3rd year ... a brand new set of tastes for 2018 ...

 here's the FIFTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

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

Establishment:  Over Easy Cafe
Location:  Oakland Park (Wilton Manors)
Meal:  Brunch
Drink:  Orange Juice
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  The Waffle Slam
1 Belgian Waffle, 2 Eggs (I chose scrambled), 2 Bacon, 2 Sausage
Side(s):  n/a
Dessert:  n/a
Server:   Michael
Website:  http://www.overeasy.me/home.html
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/The-Over-Easy-Cafe-76681947405/

How many times have I stepped foot inside the local UPS store to ship something somewhere?  Probably a dozen, since making the big move here back in 2014.  How many times did I notice that a few doors down in the same complex was a diner (and you *know* we love diners in this series)?  Zero.   But thanks to a google search on a Sunday when we woke up wanting brunch, 
we were able to find this place that's been around since 1995.  It advertises itself as being family owned and I have a sneaking suspicion that every single employee (from the greeter to the grill guy) might just be related.  Below is how this family fared in the Troy-score:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (sure it's small and cute and basic, with only a handful of booths and just over a dozen stools around a counter ... but that's exactly what you'd expect from a Florida strip mall eating establishment [*everything* down here is in a strip mall] ... they effectively use the old giant mirror trick to make it seem like it's bigger than it is ... and the sea decorations painted right on the wall were just the right amount of kitsch ... the problem comes in that it's so small, that the customers inadvertently get involved in the diner drama [see home-fries-gate below] or in the diner business [we got "trained" along with the new girl because we couldn't escape hearing that back and forth])

FOOD:           8/10 (I am happy to report that this diner had spreadable butter [frequent readers know that I have a pet peeve at breakfast/brunch when the butter pats are all but frozen] and that they trusted me with a whole bottle of syrup instead of a tiny carafe ... and while things didn't look all that amazing, they tasted just fine -- even those simple looking eggs -- although a point is still coming off the top because of the plain plain waffle that arrived [how's about a little dusting of powdered sugar or something? ... the first photo is how it landed on the table, and the second one is after I helped it be a little more camera-ready] ... a second point is also deducted because that plain plain waffle tasted like it might have sat in the iron a touch too long) 

SERVICE:      8/10 (the whole experience ended without issue, but it began a bit awkwardly due to home-fries-gate ... aka that time where we were told that they were out of home fries, and so we asked for alternatives, and then accidentally ordered home fries again, which was greeted with an exasperated sigh, an Anderson-Cooper-talks-to-Kelly-Anne-Conway style eye-roll and more attitude than was deserved for that "offense" -- only to find out later that they apparently were never out of home fries after all ... first impressions really really count -- so it's double the deduction)

BACON:         9/10 (if I only hadn't been in the mood for breakfast that day, then most surely I would have ordered the "inside out bacon" "cheddar burger" [quotes shown as printed in the menu], which was described thusly:  2/3 lb Burger Stuffed with Bacon & Cheddar and Topped with Bacon & Cheddar served on Toasted Challah Roll [caps shown as printed in the menu] ... that item alone shows a proper respect for the pig-candy and is almost worth all the points ... just one point is being deducted because that breakfast bacon could have been a little bigger/thicker/tastier)

BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for the menu option being bacon AND sausage instead of bacon OR sausage, +3 for what my tablemate ordered [picture below] of some southern style sausage gravy served over sausage and biscuits, and +1 for being a place to which we will return 'cause that "inside out bacon" "cheddar burger" is calling my name)

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

Random Taste for Thursday 5/4/17

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

 here's the SEVENTEENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

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

Establishment:  El Guanaco
Location:  Oakland Park
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Sangria (red)
Pre-Appetizer:  Warm chips and salsa
Appetizer:  Salvadoran Combination #1
(chicken tamale, sweet corn tamale, pupusa, fried yuca, salvadoran cream and cheese, pickled cabbage, red sauce and spicy salsa verde on the side)
Main:  Grilled Salvadoran Steak/Carne Asada
(served with pico de gallo)
Side(s):  Rice, black beans and sweet plantains
Side (that was supposed to be an appetizer):  Chicken Soup/ Sopa de Pollo 
Dessert:  n/a
Server:   Gabriella
Website:  http://www.elguanacooaklandpark.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/www.elguanacorest.net/

Not for nothing, but eating here was a year in the making.  El Guanaco was on the list of places to try in the first set of 50 tastes based on an episode of 'Check Please' here in SoFlo on the PBS, and we even had dinner plans in May of 2016 that were changed at the last minute because they were on a Wednesday ... and this place is closed every Wednesday.  Luckily, though, it was not forgotten when it came time to find a latin inspired eatery for a Cinco de Mayo celebration for the second set of 50 tastes.  This place prides itself on both its Mexican AND Salvadoran food preparations and so despite the "holiday", we went mostly Salvadoran in our choices, and that led to the Troy-score detailed below:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (there's no getting around it ... this place is on the small side -- but cute all the same ... and although it's not exactly a communal set up [see photo], your table is almost always going to hear the conversation at the tables nearby during the meal [on our night, that meant listening to a discussion on superhero movies amongst what I assumed to be a group of fleet-week boys], so a point lost because that can be a bit of a "luck of the draw" scenario when it comes to "shared ambiance")

FOOD:           9/10 (there was an overabundance of deliciousness as the size of the main dish plus the appetizers quickly upgraded this to a feast ... warm chips at the start with a dark and spicy salsa to set the mood and that extra flavorful steak with tasty rice that wasn't too sticky were the highlights ... the feeling of authenticity came from that appetizer plate which featured the traditional Salvadoran papusa ... and that chicken noodle soup that arrived late [see below] was uniquely unexpected in its size, in its preparation with a huge chunk of bone-in chicken and a mini corn on the cob smack dab in the middle of it and in its inclusion of chayote ... just half a point deduction for the fact that I wanted my papusa filling to be a little wetter or sauced or something not so dry and a second half a point deduction for the fact that the beans were 'meh'-flavored)

SERVICE:      8/10 (we were lucky to get the last table at the time we arrived which was by the front door ... sadly, our attempts to switch to a booth along the wall once one opened up and before the food had arrived were denied by our server [one point off] and there was a rather long wait for the apps [a second point off] -- so long in fact that the chicken noodle soup that should have been served early on in the meal didn't even arrive until after the main plate [the final point deduction] ... a few smiles and a bit of friendliness at the *end* of the meal earned a point back)

BACON:         7/10 (being such a fan of bacon as I am -- so much so that it gets its own category in the score calculation such that a place can go from a 100 to an 80 just by not offering it anywhere on the menu, I have grown to be sensitive to cultures that might not feature any bacony goodness ... especially if they are being authentic to the dishes from their countries ... as I don't doubt the authenticity of these Mexican and Salvadoran culinary creations, I have to award half the points just out of respect to their culture ... and then two more -- one because the papusa we chose had pork filling [the closest to bacon I had that night] and one because those beans likely had some pork product flavor influencers)

BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for that sweet sweet sangria though, +3 for the quantity and quality of the food in the feast far outpacing the cost, +3 for that unexpected chicken noodle soup and +1 for being a place to which we will return if only because I talked myself out of getting the beef tongue steak and now I feel like I might have missed out on something)

TroyScore:  43 out of 50 -- aka 86, a B

Random Taste for Thursday 4/6/17

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

 here's the THIRTEENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

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

Establishment:  Rendez-vous Bakery and Bistro 
Location:  Oakland Park
Meal:  Lunch
Drink:  Coke (in a can) with a slice of Lemon (on the glass)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Poulet Cordon Bleu Panini
(Breaded chicken, ham, swiss cheese, mustard a la ancienne spread)
Side(s):  Bag o chips
Dessert:  n/a
Server:   We didn't get his name ... 'cause he kind of abandoned us (see more below)
Website:  http://rdvbakery.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RDVBakery/

Counting the original 50 Tastes from 2016, in 62 meals at (mostly) SoFlo eating establishments, we've never ever eaten at a place that scored a D.  Sadly, number 63 was that place -- and all because it was the worst service we experienced since this all started (in that category, we've never ever given less than a 7 ... until now).  To share in our disappointment, see below for this record-breaking (in all the worst ways) Troy-score:    

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (giving credit where credit is due -- the place is pretty darn cute ... from the outside where it kind of looks like a fancy barn in the countryside to the different sections inside where it seems like they might have expanded over time to a patio area for outdoor bistro-ing ... and you might be able to see it in the accompanying photo, but the pièce de résistance is the pastry bin and dessert cooler underneath the shingles that serve to transport the indoor customer to a market booth in the old country).

FOOD:           9/10 (it was lunchtime in a bistro, and I chose chips instead of salad or fries [the latter of which I could have gotten for a four dollar upcharge -- so I'm guessing that maybe they call in the night shift for extra help when that side gets chosen during the day?], so I guess I can't complain too too much about the bag of chips thrown on the plate ... but I'm still going to deduct a point for the financial disincentive regarding the "french" fries ... as for the panini, though, it was perfectly crispy on the outside and perfectly gooey on the inside, and those chicken tenders made it perfectly meaty for a healthy hearty lunch)

SERVICE:      2/10 (there was a sign on the door when we arrived that said something to the effect that the management was hiring servers, and I have to hope that the one we got on our lunch visit was either so brand new that he hadn't completed training yet OR that he was waiting to leave employment as soon as his replacement was hired ... of course, it might have been that he was just super chill and super laid back or super not into lunch shifts, but he was a super disappointment ... our order was taken and our food was delivered after a bit of a lengthy wait, so the bare minimum expectations were met [hence the 2 points in this category] -- but the food took forever to arrive and we were ignored at the end of the meal ... after saying he'd return with the check, we waited a good 15-20 minutes while he did side-work in front of us and ignored us, prompting us to get up and say how "we'd really like to leave but we'd also like to pay first" ... our "honey badger don't care" waiter was so ingrained in not caring, that it was only when we made a small scene in front of the other diners [of which there were only two or three other tables, so it wasn't that things were crazy busy or anything] that the other server on staff that day helped us get a check so we could pay and leave) 

BACON:         6/10 (bacon appeared to be on the lunch menu three times in various dishes -- a hot sandwich, a panini and a pasta dish ... but can you imagine how much better my Poulet Cordon Bleu Panini would have tasted if I could have added bacon [although I probably would have been shocked at the upcharge based on how they calculated the cost of dropping some potato pieces in the fryer ...])

BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for acknowledging that maybe we should have focused on the bakery and dessert items ... or come for dinner instead of lunch, +3 for the guests with whom we shared this experience [the long lost nephew and the mother were both in town and joined in on this meal], and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return because surely better servers have been hired by now and this low score can be redeemed in the future)

TroyScore:  34 out of 50 -- aka 68, a D

Random Taste for Thursday 10/20/16

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

Establishment:  Blue Willy's BBQ
Location:  Oakland Park
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  can of Coke
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  2 Two Plate Combos (shared)
pulled pork and chicken on one and brisket and sausage on the other)
Side(s):  Greens and Slaw PLUS Pit Smoked Beans and Mac N Cheese AND pickles and onions AND Aunt May's Corn Bread
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Keesha (sp?)
Website:  not applicable
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Blue-Willys-Bbq-411201845667321/

Who knew BBQ was a Ft. Lauderdale thing?  This is the *third* such spot in this series ... but there would be many more if the "rules" weren't that we have to eat at places where we haven't eaten before to be included.  Another note -- it's well documented that the only way to eat at a place like this is to take extra people so that you can sample (almost) every type of meat and (almost) every side, which explains the two full meals in the photos.  One last note -- this place is known for being in a pastrami war with another bbq place previously reviewed, but it's only offered once a week, and it wasn't on the night we were there.  To see how it fared in the overall bbq scheme of things, see below:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (this particular location is relatively new, and it still shows ... and I've previously stated that I'm a fan of the limitless paper towels right on your picnic bench concept [see photo below] ... the music playing on the loudspeaker was an Eagles-ish kind of band that fit the environment [sadly there was no shazam to know exactly who it was] ... also it was actually a nice touch to be able to see one of the workers in the back room making the sides as we ate, confirming that they are indeed fresh) 
FOOD:            8/10 (here's the way it often works for these bbq joints ... they have to work extra hard in order to win across the board with meats, sides AND sauces ... here, the sides were the stars, and the meats were worthy companions [with great portion sizes all around] -- with a special shout out to the chicken skin -- but the sauces were a bit 'meh', so a point lost ... and not to beat a bad sauce down, but there was a white one that just didn't quite make sense [a little watery and a little too vinegary]  -- which is a second point lost)
SERVICE:      8/10 (as a counter service place, there's not a lot of interaction, but what there was was direct and to the point ... although there is a point docked because rib tips were the special of the day but they weren't allowed to be chosen as a meat on the combo plate, which made me sad ... and a second point lost because they ran out of the original specialty soda that my meal partner ordered)
BACON:         7/10 (bbq places and bacon don't always go together, although several previous bbq places on this countdown have found ways to score points in this category ... I kind of wished the greens HAD had some bacon in them, but I don't think they did ... all that said, there's a lot of the pig represented on the menu in other ways, so there are some points to be awarded in this oh so important category)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for the design of mistmatched chairs all along the picnic tables instead of benches, +3 for a really delicious corn bread that wasn't too sweet and didn't crumble when you ate it [corn bread pet peeves of mine], +3 for how quickly the food was served, and +1 for being a place to which we will return, because we can't stay away from those bbq establishments!)

TroyScore:  43 out of 50 -- aka 86, a solid B

Random Taste for Thursday 10/6/16

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

Establishment:  Funky Buddha Brewery
Location:  Oakland Park (Oktoberfest)
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  should have been a Buddhafest, but they ran out, so it was some craft brewed Blonde instead (not pictured)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main #1:  Grilled Bratwurst
a funky buddha specialty, beer-braised then grilled and served with our brewer's cabbage, doc brown ale mustard, and caramelized onions on a fresh baked poppy seed bun
Main #2:  Chicken Schnitzel
hefweizen marinated chicken cutlets pounded thin and served with doc brown ale mustard and beer pickles
Side(s):  Kartoffelpuffer
shallow pan fried potato pancakes with muy bonita applesauce, sugar and cinnamon
Dessert:  Tap Room Pretzel
our famous pretzel is made with spent grain from floridian hefweizen and the beer itself, served with whole grain doc brown ale mustard and fuhgeddaboudit red ale beer cheese
Server:  Name unknown
Website:  https://funkybuddhabrewery.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FunkyBuddhaBrewery/

This was a doubly unique stop on the tastes of Florida tour.  The rules state that it has to be a place to which we've never been ... and we've been to the Oakland Park Oktoberfest celebration each year since the big move to Florida in 2014 -- however, this year, the food supplier from years past was *replaced* with the Funky Buddha, and that was a place at which we had never eaten (although we did poke our heads in the door to use the bathroom during a pet event they sponsored).  Secondly, it was a festival as opposed to a sit down meal in the establishment.  However, as you'll see below, that had no affect on the score tabulation:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (it was an oompah-oompah party, with emphasis on the oompah and double emphasis on the party, so it was an ambiance that couldn't quite be beat ... just one point lost for the band playing the chicken dance song -- probably to get more people out on the dance floor than were going out for the traditional polkas -- which took me out of the Oktoberfest spirit)
FOOD:            9/10 (it's an outdoor festival ... so normally the expectation would need to be lowered ... but I have to say that there wasn't a single dish that disappointed ... now that I've reviewed the descriptions and realize that almost every dish had a doc brown ale mustard component, maybe it's just that I'm a big fan of that being added to any food, but every single thing was super flavorful ... and the brats were good and juicy, as was the chicken schnitzel ... plus that pretzel, though [as the kids say] ... just a point lost because the potato pancakes could have been a little thicker)
SERVICE:      9/10 (the lady who took the order originally informed us that there would be no pretzels, but after I insisted that we had just the number of tickets to get exactly what we wanted, she double checked and the order was fulfilled after all ... the food, once ordered, came quickly [and hotly] by the well coordinated crew behind the order taker ... the only complaint was that the lines were soooo long, which was a sign that the food was soooo good, but still it was an annoyance)
BACON:         5/10 (so I didn't see any bacon on the menu ... but I'm also not exactly sure that bacon and Oktoberfest are traditionally companions ... as such, I'll split the difference and chalk it up to cultural sensitivity [as I do for the Mexican restaurants in this countdown])
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for being such a difference in quality of food from the restaurant that supplied the meals in years past, +3 for an amazing soft/hard pretzel, +3 for the funnel cake [not pictured and not from this restaurant, but also available at the festival] and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return [if not at next year's Oktoberfest {our fourth in a row}, then for sure in the main restaurant some other time])

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B (it would have been higher had they found a way to work in some Speck into the dishes ...)

Random Taste for Thursday 7/14/16

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

Establishment:  Char Hut
Location:  Oakland Park
Meal:  Dinner
Drink: Cherry (Coke+Sprite)
equal parts Cherries Coke and Sprite from a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine
Appetizer:  Truffle Mac & Fries
our signature white cheddar special, drizzled with white tru ffle oil.
Main:  Big-Bite Burger
1/2 pound steak burger prepared from a special chef’s blend with select cuts of brisket on a Kaiser roll -- with toppings of bacon, cheese, mushrooms, mayo, bbq and lettuce
Side(s):  Rosemary Fries
crispy, golden Char-Fries drizzled in olive oil with rosemary
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Counter service but Mo took the order
Website:  http://www.charhutinc.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CharHutOaklandPark/

It's true.  I do love a burger (which you could have figured out by now what with how many photos of burgers already appear in this series).  As such, when looking for another burger option in the area, this local chain that started in Miami way back in 1976 that is looking to ramp up its franchising became the next choice.  It is counter service -- and fast casual -- and it reminded me at times of Subway (with its "you tell me what toppings you want" section) and Noodles and Company (with its mac and cheese side) and even my favorite Eat-a-Pita place back in Chicago (where I regularly had pita stuffed burgers).  Their motto is "one bite says it all" ... so I'll echo them and say that "one score says it all":

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was a quiet night ... which was probably good since the made-to-order concept would likely create a bit of a bottleneck on the ordering line were it busy ... but the dining room was welcoming and the supplies and add-ons [like straws, lids, condiments, etc] were well stocked ... and although it was too hot to eat outside that evening, there was a patio area shared with a smoothee shop and a dunkin donuts as an option -- speaking of which, one point is lost for the workers tearing down the outside a full hour before they closed as we were wrapping up our meal inside and another point lost for some dirt on the floor, as sweeping it might have been a better use of their time)
FOOD:            7/10 (kudos for having so many options as burger toppings and for being made to order to your temperature request right in front of you AND for offering the burger on a pita as a choice ... but a point lost for too much powder on the outside of that pita and another one lost for the excess rosemary sprigs on the fries [including one that got stuck in my teeth] and a final point lost for those flavored fries because they were missing basic salt)
SERVICE:      7/10 (as much as I appreciated Mo, who knew her menu in and out and was friendly as friendly as could be, there are two points lost for two different colleagues interrupting her twice during the order taking and a final point lost for breaking down the shake machine an hour before they closed, robbing us of our raspberry shake dessert)
BACON:         10/10 (when the menu says add bacon to anything for 80 cents ... that's an invitation to add bacon to ANYTHING for a very reasonable price ... my only regret -- and this is my fault -- I should have done it to the fries and the mac and cheese)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for Mo caring about her job as much as she did [I really can't say enough about her and her pleasant attitude], +3 for the pita option and +3 for the Coke freestyle machine [really, everyone should have one of these contraptions by now])

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

Random Taste for Thursday 5/5/16

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

Establishment:  Tequila Sunrise Mexican Grill
Location:  Oakland Park
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita with salted rim
Appetizer:  Chips and Salsa (and Guac)
Main:  Chicken And Steak Fajita
sauteed onions, green and red bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes with chicken and steak 
Side(s):  Tortillas, Cheese, Sour Cream and Pico de Gallo
Dessert:  Fried Ice Cream
Server:  Ali
Website:  http://tequilasunrise.us/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TequilaSunriseMexicanGrill/

Funny thing ... up until the afternoon of the day our party ate here (actually on cuatro de Mayo ... knowing full well that the post would show up on cinco), we were planning to eat at a different place (which may yet show up as one of the fifty, so I won't jinx it by naming it yet) only to find out that the other place was closed on Wednesdays (the day we were all meeting and eating).  And it's a good thing that happened, because this eating establishment ended up with one of the top three scores to date.  Here's how it got to that number:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (one of the great things about the place is that it filled up quickly, and yet it never felt crowded with it's bar, tables around it, a separate dining room area AND outdoor seating ... and it had [almost] everything you'd expect to find as decorations [except a Mexican blanket, which was a topic of the conversation at one point and so we were hoping to locate one hanging from the rafters] ... 
FOOD:            10/10 (my go-to at Mexican restaurants is the fajitas [what can I say?  I'm addicted to the sizzle] and the combo was well seasoned and extra tasty and there was enough to go around to fill FIVE tortillas ... then came the dessert, which I shared with the other three in our group [although they were restricted to just one spoonful apiece] ... I don't think a single person in our group left a morsel on their plates, which says a lot)
SERVICE:      10/10 (there's nothing but good things to say about the young woman who played the role of server ... seventeen weeks in to this series, and she's in the running for one of the best of the year so far ... she came across like she *wanted* to be there and that she *enjoyed* her job ... with a smile every step of the way, she hung back at the beginning to allow our party time to reconnect, was right on top of every step of the order taking process, stopped back just often enough during the meal, and chatted personally with our group for a few minutes at the beginning and the end of the experience without any sense of rushing)
BACON:         5/10 (this is the second Mexican restaurant in this series, and I'll say here what I said for the last one:  "it's a tricky category, as traditional authentic Mexican food is more about the fresh ingredients ... and although the menu includes many references to pork and carnitas and such, the reality is that I didn't see a single reference to bacon on the menu ... out of sensitivity to the culture and because of the high scores in all the other categories, I'll put a few points on the board") 
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 again for the hospitality the server showed, +3 for having big-sized booths that comfortably fit four adults, +3 for the alcohol and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return)

TroyScore:  45 out of 50 -- aka 90, a low A (one of only three As given to date ...)