Random Taste for Thursday 9/1/16

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

Establishment:  Qbar Burgers and Blues
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Beer Flight (four 5oz drinks)
from left to right in the photo:  Hollywood Stout, Mutha Fuggle EPA, Schofferhofer and Left Hand Milk Stout
Appetizer:  small (?!) meat & cheese charcuterie board
Main:  The King
1/2 lb. burger with duck bacon & cheddar cheese on a fresh toasted bun
Side(s):  Shoestring fries
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Lynn
Website:  http://qbarfl.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/qbarfl

Earlier in this series, the "taste" was Sage French Cafe (#18), and this establishment is right next door -- which makes sense as it is owned by the same people (and as it serves as the bar for that restaurant).  Taking New Orleans as inspiration, it features live music every night of the week, and offers more than just the usual items on the bar menu, including chili and gumbo (although neither person in our party actually ordered either of those specialties).  Notwithstanding that oversight, see the details making up the score below:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was the kind of place to take someone for a conversation over drinks ... and even when the live music started, it wasn't too overwhelming, what with the stage being positioned *behind* the bar ... the chandeliers were something to see, and all the pictures were taken in that glow ... a point lost because it was a bit sticky when we first arrived [although the AC did kick in at some point], and a second point lost because neither the bar's website nor its facebook page was updated with performers, so we didn't know what live music to expect the night we arrived)
FOOD:            8/10 (I'm not complaining, but that charcuterie plate that's pictured is a *small*! ... and every single thing on it was the perfect way to start a meal ... extra nice touches were the pear pieces with the blue cheese crumbles and a healthy sliced mini loaf of warmed toasted bread ... interestingly enough, it was so unexpected that it raised the bar a little too high for the burger, which was good, with fresh toppings that made me think "picnic" as I was eating it, but I was expecting a bit more panache when it came to plating, so a point lost there ... and a second point lost because the fries were a bit straightforward and could have used a little adventurous upgrade of some kind)
SERVICE:      10/10 (for the last few weeks, we've been on a run of servers who do well representing their profession, and this place's staff continued the tradition ... she was low key in a good way [I'm slowly beginning to realize that servers who rush make guests feel rushed, something I wish I had known back in my server days], and although I thought I heard her sigh when the beer flights were ordered [that's a lot more work on her part], she more than made up for it with her approach throughout the night, including knowing the menu items well enough to tell us the temperature to order for the sandwiches ... and it may be something simple, but it's endearing to hear someone take the time at the end of the night to say, "come back any time ... see you soon")
BACON:         9/10 (two words for you:  DUCK BACON! ... which, thankfully, is not trying to pass off something like turkey as bacon [which is a peeve of mine], but is, instead, a fattier and richer bonus bacon, as seen on my burger [even if it did taste like ham ... maybe because it looked like ham] ... just one point lost because I didn't have the courage to add regular bacon TO the duck bacon as an extra topping, since I didn't know what to expect with the duck bacon in the first place)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for having a well established dog-friendly approach that includes a special menu of quality homemade food just for puppies, +3 for all of those draft beer choices, shown on the chalkboard in the photo and +1 for being a place to which we will return, with friends, to listen to live music again)

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid 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 8/18/16

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

Establishment:  Pincho Factory
Location:  Pembroke Pines
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  (Maybe) Cherry Flavored Orange Crush
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Toston Burger (Add Patty)
two fried plantains as the "buns", then topped with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and homemade cilantro sauce
Side(s):  Bacon Cheddar Ranch Fries
topped with chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing 
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Kieja (counter service)
Website:  http://pinchofactory.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pinchofactory

I'm growing fonder of these unique to southern Florida chains (six locations down here and one up in Orlando) and I feel like I might be getting in on what may one day be franchised across the country.  And this business model was interesting.  There were parts that reminded me of a Noodles-n-Company style set-up (choose a specific protein kebob [steak, chicken or shrimp], choose what you'll place it on [wrap, rice or salad], and choose a flavoring [from seven different styles] ... but then they also had quality burger, chicken and hot dog choices.  If you've been following along, you know it's rare that I'd pass up a burger .. and so despite the fact that the restaurant is literally named for their kebobs, it was one of those quality burgers that was the base for this particular score:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (it was bright, clean, open and welcoming ... and the Olympics were on the many TV screens ... plus it was getting close to closing time, and yet there was no pressure to speed up the meal ... as a matter of fact, folks continued to arrive to place orders even in the last half hour ... so no complaints here)
FOOD:            7/10 (the fries were perfectly topped with ranch and cheese AND bacon and were skinny and crispy and the burger was definitely of high quality, which is something that the establishment heavily promotes on its menu/website ... and the use of fried plantains instead of "buns" was something different -- I don't know that it added that much to the taste, but it certainly didn't detract from it ... where there is a point lost is that by the end of the burger, those plantains were breaking up into pieces and making it more of a challenge to keep a hold it ... also a point is lost for having a make-your-own-*Pepsi* machine [you know I like my Coke] and a final one is lost for that same machine that professed to be adding a cherry flavoring to my drink but that lied, as near as I could tell)
SERVICE:      9/10 (this was another counter service place [provide your order, get a number, take a seat and wait for delivery], but everyone with whom we interacted was smiling and friendly and a special shout-out to Kieja who was extra helpful and took time to explain the various options in the menu ... there was a bit of a wait for the food -- but no points are being docked because the food was of a quality to make the wait worth it ... there is one point lost for the size of the drink glass, which was practically a courtesy cup in our mega-gulp world)
BACON:         10/10 (it doesn't get any more simple than this ... the customer can get bacon added to any of the menu items -- burgers, chicken, hot dogs, fries ... you simply can't beat that)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for having an award recognized burger worthy of my other series on the Facebook [my burger quest based on the Zagat top 25 in the country list from a few years back], +3 for a well defined mission statement that is so bold as to be called a "pincho movement" and +1 for being a place to which we will return ['cause we didn't even get to try the actual pinchos {kebobs} yet])

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

Random Taste for Thursday 8/11/16

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

Establishment:  Flip Flops Dockside Eatery
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Late lunch (Early dinner?)
Drink:  Guinness (and a water)
Appetizer:  Smoked Fish Dip
served with toasted pita
Main:  Baby Back Ribs
"famous" made in-house fall off the bone pork baby back ribs
Side(s):  Fries and slaw 
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Rich
Website:  http://www.flipflopsdocksideeatery.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/flipflops.docksideeatery/

The more of these eateries I visit as a part of this ongoing series, the more I'm learning that time of day becomes a factor in the experience (which is why I'm glad I included the "meal" in the details from the start).  Today's establishment is known for getting packed for special events ... and also when the Water Taxi unloads, seeing as how it appears that walking through the dining room is the only way to get off the dock ... so visiting it in the middle of a slow afternoon in the off-season might not be exactly representative of all that it has to offer.  But all the same, to see how it hit its marks as "good" -- just not "outstanding" -- see these score details: 

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (with marketing stating that it's a "Key West" vibe ... and with me and mine still not getting any further south than Key Largo ... I'm going have to assume that the open air pavilion style dining room right on the water [the Intercoastal] gets it right ... with a late afternoon DJ spinning pop tunes during the meal and lots of pretty bright colors and decorations [including a chair rail made of actual flip flops], it was a welcoming place ... a point lost because the DJ's tunes seemed to all be a minimum of five years old and a second one lost for the unfortunate smell of strong boat gasoline fumes that wafted over the dining room near the end of the meal)
FOOD:            8/10 (down here, you can judge how a meal will go based on the wow factor of their smoked fish dip ... and I can say that I really really liked the toasted pita ... which is the awkward to say that the dip was good [and smoky ... and with pickled jalapeno], but not outstanding ... but let me say for sure that the ribs indeed fell right off the bone as advertised and I'm happy when a kitchen isn't afraid to put a little salt on their fries [even if senior citizens need to keep an eye out to monitor their intake] ... a point lost for an underwhelming slaw with an odd aftertaste of "old" and a second one lost for having the stout Guinness instead of the draught bottle [really, we fans would pay a little more for that experience])
SERVICE:      9/10 (our server helped portray the laid back vibe ... which worked all the way up until the point at the very end where there was a too long wait for the check to arrive ... and then for that check to be picked up despite me having the card ready to pay, hence a point lost)
BACON:         10/10 (good news -- the menu has an item on it called "bring home the bacon", so this place understands that it's one of the key food groups ... and a review of the totality of the menu shows that bacon makes multiple appearances ... even though my meal didn't have any on it [maybe that's what the fish dip needed for some extra oomph?], this place gets all ten bacon points)
BONUS:         6/10 (+3 for the special that day [full rack of ribs for the price of half a rack] and +3 for the cute, albeit *giant*, well behaved st. bernard type dog that was allowed to be seated at the table behind us)

TroyScore:  41 out of 50 -- aka 82, 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 7/28/16

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

Establishment:  Taquería Doña Raquél
Location:  Pompano Beach
Meal:  Dinner
Drink: (a few) Tecate
pale lager beer
Appetizer:  Choriqueso
melted cheese dip with Mexican chorizo
Main:  (Tres) Gorditas
cornmeal pocket, with sour cream and cheese and meat -- one chicken, one grilled steak and one pork rinds
Side(s):  Chips and Salsas (one hot, one hotter)
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Milca
Website:  not applicable
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Taqueria-Do%C3%B1a-Raquel-121075597933818/

Here's the hard truth.  I'm not a fan of Mexican food.  I said it before that it's mostly all in my head ... and something about textures and food running together and too many dishes with beans.  That being said, I know that life is such that I'm going to be eating this type of cuisine every now and then, and I can't always order fajitas (my go to) or tacos (my second go to) or just eat a whole meal of guac and chips (I haven't done it yet ... but I have thought about it).  I think it's important to keep that in mind when reading how tonight's score came about:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (the whole plaza seems connected [with a restaurant, a convenience store, a meat store, etc.] and it's fun to feel like you are in Mexico when you step on the parking lot, especially with the authentic music playing ... there's a lot to be said for an open kitchen format where you see everything being made just beyond your table [although the boy making it looked to be about 12] ... a point lost for for being a bit too bright and another one docked for TV screens that were pimped out as ads that barely moved [the same real estate guy on the screen stared at me the whole meal])
FOOD:            7/10 (the details I shared in the intro notwithstanding, I particular enjoyed that the salsas were clearly homemade and very spicy with homemade chips, that the appetizer lived up to its warning that it was extra sticky and I have no doubt that my main meal was authentic with crispy gordita shells ... but a point lost for not being able to tell which one was which by sight, another lost for being packed full of the extras moreso than the meat and a final point taken off because although it was a nice touch to serve the strawberry candies with the bill, the candies tasted as if they were as old as Mexico itself)
SERVICE:      8/10 (this is difficult ... because our waitress *wanted* to take our order and we put her off for more beers and chips and conversation and then when we were finally ready, a party table had slipped in and was taking up all of her time ... but I still have to dock a point for there not being any solution for that issue other than us raising our hands over and over again until we could get her attention, and a second point for feeling a little rushed as they were doing closing prep and we were still chowing down)
BACON:         6/10 (chorizo is like bacon [kind of?] and so are pork rinds [ish?])
BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for the best huevo rancheros and beans that someone at our table who really really enjoys Mexicans said he had had recently, +3 for the authenticity of it all that left me with tingly lips on the ride home and +3 for the bathtub Jesus in the parking lot [see photo below])

TroyScore:  38 out of 50 -- aka 76, a solid C

Random Taste for Thursday 7/21/16

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

Establishment:  The Chimney House Grill and Cafe
Location:  Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink: Half Pitcher Traditional Sangria
white (not red)
Appetizer 1:  Guacamole Costeño
with green plantain chips
Appetizer 2:  Tuna Ceviche "Nikkei"
Japanse and Peruvian fusion ahi tuna ceviche marinated in lime with nikkei sauce
Main:  Lomo Saltado
the perfect Peruvian-Cantonese fusion:  wok stir-fried steak strips, red onions, tomatoes, french fries and soy sauce
Side(s):  White Rice
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Lauren
Website:  http://www.thechimneyhouse.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thechimneyhousefl

As hard as it is for someone like me who has lists and plans and folders and such to accept, sometimes the best experiences happen when you abandon your plans at the last minute and find something new as a replacement.  Which is exactly what happened for this establishment after our original plans to go to a classic FTL diner on the opposite end of Las Olas (maybe some other time?) were reevaluated ... and this place on a part of Las Olas we didn't even know existed filled in at the last minute.  And what a great concept -- panLatin -- with choices included, but not limited to, Argentinian, Venezuelan, Peruvian, Colombian, Cubano, etc etc.  It was like a greatest hits collection of dishes ... and here's how it garnered it's score:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (what an adorable set up -- a historic remodeled house rebuilt to feature the chimney ... which we actually walked right past to get to an expanded outdoor two level porch that tripled the amount of seating available, and it had overhead fans to address the summer Florida evening heat ... it was covered in such a way that even a quick evening rain storm *enhanced* the feel of outdoor eating ... there were also neighborhood dogs being walked by time and time again ... [and, since it was outside, even a few that pulled up a chair to eat with their owners])
FOOD:            8/10 (everything was delicious and extra flavorful ... the plantain chips for the guac was a nice twist, the ahi ceviche with the roasted corn nuts was visually appealing [remember, you eat with your eyes first], and the main dish was oh so tasty, with every ingredient -- including the fries -- covered in the scrumptious sauce, and the steak strips were tender and juicy ... one point is lost because the chef seemed to have a heavy hand with the red onions [in EACH and EVERY one of those dishes] and a second point is lost because the tuna was oddly chopped into pretty big pieces, which made for an awkward chewy mouth feel)
SERVICE:      9/10 (our waitress was extremely friendly and on top of everything throughout the whole meal ... plus there was the added bonus of her being able to pronounce the dishes authentically but not having a language barrier for the customers ... just a single point lost for her not being excited enough about the desserts to sell us on it when we asked)
BACON:         8/10 (although not referenced on the dinner menu, we asked to see the brunch menu, and were pleased to see that it was indeed a possible side, so some points in this category can be awarded)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for those roasted corn nuts, which I now think should be treated like bacon and be added to every dish, +3 for being the kind of place to which we will confidently recommend anyone goes who asks us for a dining selection, +3 for the pan-Latin concept and +1 for being a place to which we will return again [maybe because we recommended it to you and made you take us along!])

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

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 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!