Random Taste for Thursday 6/23/16

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

ADMIN NOTE:  This location is now closed.

Establishment:  Spring Chicken
Location:  Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner (although they called it Supper, 'cause they're Southern like that)
Drink:  Cherry (Coke+Sprite)
equal parts Cherries Coke and Sprite
Appetizer:  Mama's Biscuit
Our Yardbird Award-Winning Homemade Biscuit, Baked Fresh Daily (with Honey Butter and Strawberry Jam)
Main:  The Yardbird Sandwich
Award-Winning Crispy Chicken Thigh, House Pickles, Southern Sauce, Served on a Toasted Potato Bun
Side(s):  House Fries AND the "add a drumstick" option
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Kayla (although it is counter style, so she was more of just an order taker)
Website:  http://eatspringchicken.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/eatspringchicken

There are chicken places for those pinching pennies (KFC) and there are chicken places for those of a particular demographic (Popeye's and Church's).  There are chicken places for those looking to send a portion of their personal budget by way of franchise fees to bigots (yep, we have a Chick Fil A in town) ... and NOW, in southern Florida, there are chicken places inspired by local restaurants.  Such is the Spring Chicken franchise (spun off from the Yardbird), and such is the place that JUST opened up here in town.  For the first time in this series ... a score at a BRAND NEW eating establishment ... a score that breaks down as follows:

AMBIANCE:   7/10 (when we first moved to town a year and a half ago, it was a bank ... and now it's one of what will be four fast casual locations down here ... the grand opening was just a few weeks ago, and the place looks bright and beautiful, crisp and comforting... so bright, there's a point lost for not installing shades for the setting sun that hits the seating area right at meal time [I ended up wearing my sunglasses to eat] ... and a second point lost for a parking lot where the people who drew up the lines partitioning cars forgot to account for the fact that a car door has to open after it is in its spot ... and a third point lost for serving blue plate dinners on blue melamine plates as shtick, but re-using them, which seems odd in a fast casual setting)
FOOD:            7/10 (I don't think there is any dispute that the chicken itself was "quality" but it really comes down to how I *wanted* to like it much more than I actually did ... although the sandwich was tasty enough, specifically there's a point lost for honey butter served cold so it couldn't be spread on the flaky biscuits [a pet peeve of mine] ... a point lost for a breading I just didn't enjoy on that drumstick [no offense to Llewellyn, but I wanted it firmer and crispier and I got it a little soggy and overly peppered] and a point lost overall for failing the adage about how if you pay more, you're going to get a better meal)
SERVICE:      8/10 (because it's a counter service construct, our "server" was really our order taker ... and God bless her ... although she was polite and efficient, she was stuck on auto-pilot and even apologized for "listening, but not really listening" -- for which a point is deducted ... and, because we forgot to order the biscuits the first time, I went back in line and got her again and even though having just ordered a few moments before, she didn't remember we had been through the line until I brought it up when I said I didn't need another "pager" -- for which a second point is deducted)
BACON:         5/10 (it IS on the menu, but only once ... maybe it wouldn't be staying true to the place's authentic southern roots ... but I know my sandwich could have done a lot better with a little bit of bacon love)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for those award winning biscuits though, +3 for having a make-your-own-Coke machine and +3 for that sauce station in the photo replete with homemade sauces)

TroyScore:  36 out of 50 -- aka 72, a low C

Random Taste for Thursday 6/9/16

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

Establishment:  Bull Market (American bar and kitchen)
Location:  downtown Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Sunday Brunch
Drink:  Bullberry Lemonade
smirnoff citrus, smirnoff blueberry, orange liqueor, lemon-lime soda
Round 1:  fried chicken, sausage and biscuits and breakfast meats
Round 2:  fried chicken, home-fried potatoes, bacon and eggs and fresh pineapple
Round 3:  wafles and syrup, bacon, fresh watermelon and s'mores doughnut
Round 4:  bonus s'mores doughnut
Server:  Me!  ('cause it was buffet style!)
Website:  https://www.bullmarketbar.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/bullmarketfl/

For the second time in this series, it's buffet time!  So it seemed only right to visit an award winner for Best Brunch 2015 (although my comments below suggest that I clearly wasn't on the committee handing those out).  It reminded me a lot of Duffy's in Chicago (my most recent hometown for the last dozen years) -- in both good and bad ways.  Don't be alarmed by all the rounds -- the plates were on the small side (the better to control the hungry masses, I'm sure).  And once we get the whole bathroom controversy around the country worked out, let's next tackle the sexist drink specials, as seen in the shot from the menu.  As for the score, here's how things shook out: 

AMBIANCE:   6/10 (it's a fun area, is that Himmarshee Village ... with lots of people-watching opportunities ... plus with an outdoor seating option, we could get up close to all the interesting types and colorful characters passing by [and their little dogs too] ... a point lost for that 'hood being so hot and hip that parking is a challenge ... a second point lost for the douche parade [a bunch of people on loud bikes who seemed to get joy out of setting off all of the car alarms on the street as they passed] ... a third point lost for having a wobbly table that we had to fix ourselves ... and a final point lost for having to fight through throngs of drunk girls to get to the buffet)
FOOD:            5/10 (I feel it a little harder to judge a buffet ... what with food sitting in chafing dishes and what not ... but the bottom line is that I don't feel like the offerings are going to win any awards [ironically, they DID win one of the best brunches in town] ... to be fair, I did not sample a whole row of seafood [I just couldn't agree with having mussels with my waffles] ... but the demerits are as follows:  two points lost for dry tasteless chicken [I tried it twice in hopes that I just had grabbed a bad piece], another one lost for a second drink that was delivered that was supposed to be a duplicate of the first but tasted like a really bad clone that was missing ingredients, a point lost for biscuits that didn't get the memo that they were to "flake", and a final point lost for the staff having never refilled the sausage ... the best option was the freshly made mini-waffles, which I found too late in the cycle)
SERVICE:      7/10 (it might be hard to work the buffet shift, and I can only guess that the person tasked with monitoring our table was brand new on the job, but a point lost for waiting too long to have our order taken in the first place, another one for him walking back to the kitchen multiple times without a dirty plate, and a third one for how scared he was of the reservationist)
BACON:         9/10 (lookit -- it's dangerous to have a buffet with bacon when someone like me comes to visit ... so thanks for that ... if only there could have been some crisp pieces in amidst the ones drowning in grease [hence the point lost despite me having bacon during each and every round])
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for that doughnut, though [so good I had to have two], +3 for the customer who answered me when I accosted him about where he got his waffles [I had missed the waffle station], and +3 for the way that first drink tasted)

TroyScore:  36 out of 50 -- aka 72, a low C

Random Taste for Thursday 4/28/16

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

ADMIN NOTE:  This location is now closed, but the other one in Coral Springs is open.
Establishment:  Scarfone's Coal Fired Pizza
Location:  Wilton Manors (right on the Drive)
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Coca-cola
Appetizer 1:  Naked Balls
Deep Fried meatballs with BBQ and Marinara Dipping Sauces
Appetizer 2:  Baked Portabello Mushroom
Topped with sauteed spinach, tomato & mozzarella
Appetizer 3:  Our Famous Scarfone's Pear and Ricotta Pasta "Purses"
Pear & ricotta filled purses with a hazelnut cream sauce
Main:  Grandma's Chicken
Boneless breast of chicken, roasted peppers, onions, sausage in a marinara sauce served over spaghetti
Side(s):  Fresh Garlic Ciabatta Bread
Dessert:  Zeppole
with powdered sugar and a drizzle of white chocolate
Server:  Michael A (according to the receipt)
Website:  http://www.scarfones.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Scarfones

Surprise ... it took sixteen entries in this series to get to the first Italian place (which is even more the surprise when one considers all of the eating establishments of that style in the tri county area).  And the surprise was on our party when we showed up at 7:30 ... and not a single soul was in the restaurant.  Somehow, we apparently found the sweet spot between seniors eating early and drunkies eating late.  Admittedly, it was odd at first, but that didn't stop us from ordering what the server called "a feast".  Here are the feast-y details:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (the coal fire is prominently featured in an open kitchen set up, and things still feel relatively new and certainly very clean with a beautiful outside sidewalk seating area ... and a great mix of music that at first sounded like Frank Sinatra was going to be every other song, but quickly turned into a variety of top tunes from just about every genre ... a point lost for starting the meal with no other customers present [happily, two other tables came in before the meal was over so it didn't feel so unusual the whole meal] and a second point for awkward forks that felt as heavy as nutcrackers such that I couldn't twirl my pasta unless I used both hands)
FOOD:            8/10 (the famous pasta purses are rightfully famous [as they are listed on the menu], the garlic bread was crunchy yet shiny and wet [courtesy of the olive oil], and the naked balls had a crispy coating from the deep fry ... a point lost for the main dish being a touch too oily and another for the disappointing portabellos that were double the tomato so that you had to go searching for the 'shrooms)
SERVICE:      7/10 (attentive, sure ... but the server came across that  he might be new and or unpolished ... a point lost for awkwardly asking us our mother's day plans in an attempt at small talk and a second point deducted for placing the plates down without much excitement as to what was being served and a third point subtracted for never introducing himself)
BACON:         4/10 (there's only a single reference to bacon on the menu [on the BLT wedge salad -- hence the B] and nary even a prosciutto as an ingredient in anything ... so maybe Sicilians aren't as fond of the pig as I am, but with that analysis of the menu, I can't award too many points in this category)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for the clever way to hand you the bill [see below], +3 for the scrumptious dessert and +3 for that nutella cream sauce with the pasta purses that they should bottle and sell on the way out the door)

TroyScore:  36 out of 50 -- aka 72, a low C

Random Taste for Thursday 3/3/16

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

Establishment:  Tropical Acres
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Coca-Cola
Appetizer:  Gorgonzola Toast and Fried Zucchini Slices
Main:  Porterhouse Steak 
(Certified Angus Beef) 25-26 oz King of Cuts
Side(s):  Mushroom gravy and Baked potato
add bacon, butter and cheese 
Dessert:  Fresh made cheesecake
cherry
Server:  Jill for front service
Website:  http://www.tropicalacres.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TropicalAcres

There's a tradition that dates back many many years in my home ... for my birthday, we go to a steak house.  Having lived in Chicago for over a dozen years, *that* made complete sense ... and we are holding out hope that the tradition translates well to southern Florida.  For this year's edition, visiting family joined us at the oldest steak house in southern Florida ... and although the steak I got sure did fill up the plate (so much so that it was too full to even start to cut it), this choice didn't quite live up to the experiences of some past steak houses.  However, it should be said, that it was known going in that this was more reasonably priced ... and the saying is true ... you get what you pay for.  The details are below, as per usual ... but to sum it up ... to get dressed up and to *pretend* to go out somewhere nice, this fit the bill.

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (with an "attached to a hotel" feel, the space was plenty big, and our party had a booth in the corner where we could see out over the restaurant with its frosted glass panels and giant ceiling fans made out of boat rudders ... and the pewter plates and dessert cart were a nice touch ... but a point lost for booths that were a touch too small for our four people and another point lost because the place was too bright overall)
FOOD:            6/10 (a point lost for a pet peeve of mine [warm rolls {yay!} but nearly frozen butter pats that can't be spread {boo}], a point lost for a gristly steak experience, a point lost for fried zucchini that needed a touch more flavor and a point lost for a burnt steak of someone else at the table that was ordered medium)
SERVICE:      7/10 (one point lost for a leaky wine bottle the server poured, another point lost for the back server having no personality and a third lost for a bartender who was so slow that one drink came well into the meal [and it had to be sent back because it was wrong])
BACON:         6/10 (although no one in our party ordered them, they do have the good sense to wrap their filets in bacon ... and I had plenty to add to my baked potato, so that's good for a handful of points)
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 because server Jill did try to make the best of it by presenting a bubbly disposition that bordered on ditzy but was certainly entertaining, +3 for being the oldest steakhouse in southern Florida, and +3 magnanimously because it was my annual birthday meal)

TroyScore:  36 out of 50 -- aka 72, a low C

Random Taste for Thursday 1/28/16

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

Establishment:  The Fish House
Location:  Key Largo (!)
Meal:  Lunch
Drink:  Coca-Cola (in a giant glass)
Appetizer:  New England Clam Chowder and Crabmeat Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Topped with a mixture of cheeses and sherry, then baked
Main:  Baked Stuffed Mahi Mahi (Dolphin)
Today's catch (whole fish bought from local commercial fisherman) stuffed with blue crabmeat stuffing
Side(s):  French Fries
Dessert:  Key Lime Pie
Graham cracker crust, creamy sweet tart key lime filling, topped with lightly browned meringue (the authentic Florida Keys version made daily by Chef Jose)
Server:  Catalina ("like the dressing ... or the island ... or the RV ... or the sailboat ... or the car" she said)
Website:  http://www.fishhouse.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/The-Fish-House-and-Encore-Key-Largo-Florida-Keys-408923158764/

With company in town visiting and nearly two years of southern Florida living with only having gone as far south as Key Biscayne National Park, it was time to take the drive down the Keys.  Since it was just a day trip, we made it as far as Key Largo ... and to the "freshest of fresh fish" restaurant at mile marker 102 ('cause that's how people refer to places in the Keys).  Of course, the irony was not lost that, while eating in the sunny and 71 atmosphere, coverage of winter storm Jonas was on the bar TVs.  Despite learning that mahi mahi was dolphin (that made me sad), almost everything else about the experience was great (the main exception being listed below about the service that was some odd mix of "hurry hurry" and "the Keys are laid back").  Plus, the fried oysters I took off someone else's plate in our party (that's them in the corner of my dish) reminded me pleasantly of the Green Dragon stand back home.

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (it was *exactly* how you wanted a fresh fish restaurant in the Keys to look ... and to smell ... and our seat by the bar with the lights all over the ceiling and the assorted Keys tchotchkes was spot on [see photo below])
FOOD:            9/10 (point lost for plates so hot that the middle blue crab stuffing had a layer of char that had to be scraped off, but everything else was fresh [including a bit of sand in the clam chowder ... for which no points are being deducted because that's how damn fresh it was) and delicious ... and oh the key lime pie)
SERVICE:      7/10 (point lost for having to tell the server she should smile [her reply ... "I'm just tyring to get it to you fast"], and a second point lost because when she did smile, she had beautiful dimples [so we were robbed of seeing them the first half of the meal], and a third point lost because she spent time near the end talking to a busboy right in front of the table about how the server minimum wage went up on the first of the year)
BACON:         0/10 (I looked over the menu more than once and couldn't find ANY reference to bacon ... and it seemed like everything I ate could have been even better with bacon added to it ... although perhaps there are no pigs on the Keys?)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for being representative of the Keys, +3 for the fish lesson, +3 for that amazing key lime pie and +1 for being a place to return )

TroyScore:  36 out of 50 -- aka 72, a C (but only because one starts out 20 points behind on my scale when you choose to not serve bacon)