Random Taste for Thursday 1/26/17

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

 here's the THIRD of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

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

Establishment:  The Whole Enchilada
Location:  Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Freestyle Sproke (half Sprite/half Coke)
Appetizer:  Guac and Chips
Main:  The Whole Enchilada Platter
corn tortillas stuffed with jack and cheddar cheese and meat [I chose steak], topped with melted cheese, "red" sauce and sour cream
Side(s):  Pinto Beans and Mexican Rice
Dessert:  n/a
Server:   name not provided (see below) for this counter service location
Website:  http://twefreshmex.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TWEfreshmex

Maybe it was the wrong location (they have three listed on their website).  Maybe it was the wrong employee.  Maybe it was the wrong night.  But whatever the case, finally choosing this taco joint that we've driven past many a time just didn't quite live up to the hype on the website about being "feisty", "fun and friendly" with a "'cutting edge' charisma".  The details as to how it scored on the Troy-scale follow:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (as you might be able to tell from the accompanying photo, this location is a converted gas station, which gives it a bit of a charm -- including a conversion of where the gas pumps were into an outdoor eating area with picnic tables and an ability to roll up the garage doors to give it all a very open vibe ... which is necessary because inside it's a little small and a little crowded, and a point is lost because that meant that our table by the freestyle soda machine was practically on top of the line of people waiting to self serve their drinks ... and a second point is lost for having sticky tables upon our arrival -- which, in retrospect, may be because of its proximity to said machine)

FOOD:           8/10 (with the disclaimer that Mexican is not necessarily my favorite of categories, everything was good for what it was and I was pleased that all the items weren't just mixed together on a plate, that the steak pieces in the enchiladas were large and meaty and that the guac was smooth and creamy ... my main disappointments were that the chips seemed old or stale [might they have been made fresh earlier that day?] and the freestyle Coke machine was out of cherry flavoring)

SERVICE:      8/10 (let me just say that it's a good thing the "food runner" was friendly, or else this score might have been lower than what it ended up as ... mind you, we've been to many a counter service location, so the bar is a little lowered knowing that the interactions are somewhat limited -- but this "order taker" didn't even seem to be present during the exchange [point lost], as evidenced by getting the order wrong of a tablemate [see second serving of nachos pictured, seeing as how the first ones did not arrive as ordered ... which explains the second point lost])

BACON:         5/10 (as often happens with Mexican restaurants and/or taco joints, I couldn't find a single reference to bacon on the menu ,,, so I'll say what I said before:  "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 [13 according to the browser counter], the reality is that bacon was not to be found ... out of sensitivity to the culture, I'll put a few points on the board")

BONUS:         9/10 (+3 for having something called the "ex-wife challenge" [details provided from its website below], +3 for the retro pop playing [retro as in y2k music, which counts as "classic" nowadays] and +3 for the creative use of the renovated gas station space]) 

“Because it seemed like a good idea at the time…”
Those willing to take on the ex-wife challenge will have 45 minutes during one sitting to complete the entire burrito and all of its accompaniments. If successful ~ it ‘s free and you will receive a TWE shirt and a forever gift of remembrance at The Whole Enchilada Fresh Mexican Grill.
THE EX-WIFE

a combined 6 pounds of mexican rice, black or pinto beans, jack and cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, lettuce and sour cream with your choice of charbroiled chicken, ground beef, pork or tofu along with a healthy side of chips.

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

Random Taste for Thursday 1/19/17

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

 here's the SECOND of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

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

ADMIN NOTE:  This location is now closed.

Establishment:  Mellow Mushroom
Location:  Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Coke
Appetizer 1:  Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
Portobello mushroom cap, basted with garlic butter, stuffed with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella. Baked and drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Served on a bed of spring mix tossed with an herb vinaigrette dressing
Appetizer 2:  Garlic Butter and Parmesan Pretzels
Signature Mellow dough twisted into pretzels With a side of Mellow red sauce and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer cheese
Main:  Funky Q. Chicken Special Pizza Pie
BBQ chicken, mozzarella and cheddar, caramelized onions and applewood smoked bacon. Finished with a bbq sauce swirl
Extra Main: (half) Meatball Sub (on French)
Seasoned meatballs in a Mellow red sauce topped with melted mozzarella
Side(s):  n/a
Dessert:  Half Baked Brownie Supreme
The name says it all. Our decadent triple chocolate brownie served with all-natural vanilla bean ice cream, dark chocolate truffle sauce and house made fresh whipped cream, topped with an all-natural bing cherry
Server:   Mike?  Tom?  Bill?  Insert vaguely frat boy sounding first name here -- but not Biff.  I know it wasn't Biff.  I just forgot to capture it off of the receipt.
Website:  http://mellowmushroom.com/store/fort-lauderdale
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/mellowfortlauderdale

Let's get something out of the way right away -- I will admit that the pizza places/Italian restaurants that are a part of this series will always have a greater challenge because we tend to order a mini-feast when we visit an eating establishment in that category, which means there are more opportunities for something to go wrong because multiple items are sampled ... and indeed that was the case here at this newer entry in the locale of a chain that started in Atlanta long long ago (when I was just two years old aka 1974, according to the wiki).  To see how this franchise location performed on the Troy-scale, see below:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (it's got kind of a warehouse vibe, with a very tall ceiling and funky art work hanging from it [see the giant fish in the photo below] and psychadelic mood lighting that throws off a subtle kaleidoscope of light -- so much so that I ended up taking multiple food pics, because each push of the button on the camera would result in a different colored glow on the menu items ... there was an outdoor patio and a section of nice sized booths with an open kitchen design ... I felt like, especially with the name, they might have been going for millennial stoner chic -- so a point lost 'cause it made me feel old to not be a millennial)

FOOD:            7/10 (without a doubt, the strongest dishes of the night were definitely the specialty pizza and the homemade pretzels [oh those pretzels!], although the beer cheese didn't quite do it for me [the consistency faded fast] ... that mushroom appetizer was practically a meal unto itself [it came, correctly, with its own steak knife], although it could have used some more time on the grill ... and the meatball sub had tasty balls but a touch too much oregano ... the biggest disappointment was the brownie, which looked amazing but also tasted suspiciously like too much oregano -- and that's not a veiled reference to it being "baked" with anything extra special, but a direct commentary on the flavors it seemed to have absorbed from maybe being stored too close to the kitchen action ;.. all in all, the presentation and the concept of the dishes helped to balance out some of the disappointments, so I won't dock a point for each and every "infraction")

SERVICE:      8/10 (things were a little laid back and casual  [again with the stoner vibe] which resulted in a bit of delay on the food items [so a point lost], but it should be stressed that the server was knowledgeable about the menu and was definitely friendly and attentive when he stopped by ... we're pretty sure the manager also paid a visit to the table to apologize for the lack of a crowd, letting us know they were all across the street at what we think might be a sister property, and a second point is docked because he didn't introduce himself as such, so it was an awkward conversation to have)

BACON:         10/10 (there can't be any points lost here because they "honor" bacon by referring to it as a "specialty protein" on their menu AND they include it as a ingredient in the majority of their own special pizza pie creations)

BONUS:         6/10 (+3 for an indoor/outdoor bar connected at the service area so the bartender can service both from the same vantage point and +3 for having a pizza boy back in the open kitchen throwing dough who looked authentically [capital] I-talian [even if he seemed like he might be 12 years old])

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

Random Taste for Thursday 1/12/17

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

 here's the FIRST of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA 

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

ADMIN NOTE:  This location is now closed, but other ones in the area are open.
Establishment:  Rubio's Coastal Grill
Location:  Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Fountain Sproke (half Sprite/half Coke)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  Rubio's Coastal Trio
The Original Fish Taco® - Our signature recipe that started it all in 1983.
Salsa Verde Shrimp Taco - Shrimp, pan-seared and topped with salsa verde.
Wild Mahi Mahi Taco - Grilled Wild Mahi Mahi topped with fire-roasted corn, creamy chipotle sauce, cilantro/onion mix, and cabbage.
Side(s):  n/a
Dessert:  Churro
Server:   Shad (although it was counter service)
Website:  https://www.rubios.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RubiosFortLauderdale302/

It's a NEW year ... and a NEW set of tastes ... so why not start it all for 2017 with a brand NEW eating establishment?  Well, actually, if you're reading this and you're from the coast of California, then you already have heard of this company that just NEWly expanded into Florida by taking over the locations of the local Lime Mexican Grill that recently closed.  With a concept committed to fresh quality ingredients, they succeed in making healthier food taste great.  As for how they fared on the Troy-scale, see below:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it was indeed bright and clean and shiny ... which is to be expected for a location like this that is brand spanking new ... just a point lost because the table at which we sat was sticky and a second one lost because there was a homeless man wandering around talking to himself while the manager was out cleaning tables [sadly, he was too late for ours] and nothing was done [he said afterwards he thought he was with someone])

FOOD:            8/10 (they might still be working out the mahi mahi, what with it being a special add for the Florida menus, and a point is is being docked because it was the least successful of the tacos in my trio [and in my tablemate's option of a mahi-mahi bowl, also pictured below] and that may have been because it was the tiniest piece ... the signature fish taco had a much "meat"ier chunk of fish ... but the shrimp taco was clearly the star as it was packed with flavor and had toppings that heightened the taste of every bite ... the churro was hot and fresh and dusted liberally with good stuff ... just one additional point lost because it's a taco place that somehow doesn't serve guac on the side)

SERVICE:      8/10 (as a counter service location, it's all about that ordering interaction, and the employee taking our order was knowledgeable and right on top of the greeting as soon as we stepped up to the register ... corporate would also be happy to know that he was on top of the upselling opportunities and even found a way to bring it up multiple times without being too annoying, although his constant repetition of the customer's name was slightly off-putting, so a point lost ... and a second point is docked because it did seem to take a bit long to get the food after ordering [perhaps the price to pay for freshly cooked quality meals])

BACON:         8/10 (somehow the special featured plate I ordered didn't include bacon as any taco topping [how did I miss that?] ... but it was listed five times on the special Florida menu, so a point for each of those references and then another three bonus points because their website calls out [all natural] bacon in their mission statement)

BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for having an outdoor patio [even if it was too cool to sit outside that night], +3 for NOT having any tip pressure at a counter location [which is rare for Florida even thought the service interaction is limited at that type of establishment], +3 for a membership club that has already sent some free entree coupons our way and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return, especially to get some of that [all natural] bacon)

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B

Random Taste for Thursday 1/5/17

In a week of change, some things will be staying the SAME in the new year.  Specifically, that which ran on consecutive Thursdays last year is returning for a 2017 edition.  Here's how it was introduced last year:

I could pretend that I want to try my hand at reviewing restaurants ... but really I just want an excuse to eat out at least once a week. Indeed, that is exactly the goal ... and although I promise that not every thing featured every week will be covered in bacon, I do hope to bring some delectable dishes to the weekly post ... and to offer up some "dish" about local eating establishments (and there may be a bacony thing or two ... in the vein of "know your brand").

The rules are simple ... one NEW place (at which I've never before eaten) each week, with a year end best-of wrap up on Dec [28th]. And although I expect that most places will be within the more immediate tri-county area (Broward, MiamiDade and PalmBeach), I am hoping to expand to other locations within the state as travel plans permit.

All that said, there will be a few changes for 2017.  For instance, the old "Random Thought for Thursday" is now officially retired (replaced by the now more accurate "Random Taste for Thursday") AND this too will have its own spin off dedicated blog -- going "live" next week with the first of fifty entries for 2017 (and with all of last year's entries uploaded to it).  One last thing -- that blog will be searchable by new topics (category, grade, location, overall Troy-score, plus1s, perfect 10s and year).  Be on the lookout for a special "redemption round" each quarter as well.

Here's to 50 more delicious meals at 50 exciting eating establishments!

Random Taste for Thursday 12/29/16

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random Taste for Thursday 12/22/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 ends tonight ... with the FIFTIETH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (as has come to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Stork's Cafe Bakery
Location:  Wilton Manors
Meal:  Lunch
Drink:  Fountain Coke
Appetizer:  Bowl of Chicken Rosemary Soup
homemade from scratch
Main:  1/2 a Chicken Caesar Wrap
tender roasted chicken breast, grated asiago cheese, crunchy croutons, and romaine with caesar dressing
Side(s):  n/a
Dessert:  Monster SnickerDoodle Cookie
Server:   name not gotten at this counter service location
Website:  http://storksbakery.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Storks-Bakery-Coffee-House-117411221611581/

What a year it's been!  Back on January 14th I posted the FIRST ... and tonight I post the FIFTIETH in the "tastes of Florida" series!  Next week, I'll wrap up properly (including a few "best of" acknowledgements) ... so without getting ahead of myself, below is a well known local establishment that is big on being a coffee shop, a bakery, a caterer AND a spot for lunch (all day lunch, seeing as how they are open until midnight seven days a week).  To see how the final entry in the series registered on the Troy-score scale, read below:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (it's a cute and cozy place ... with an outdoor patio for more seating options that you get to share with a few of the little little birdies [and there's no sign saying you can't feed them, so we did] ... but a point lost for a tiny ordering area [I can't imagine the confusion when the place is super busy] and a second point lost for the crap shoot of those who might be your patio-mates [including a lady who was on the phone cancelling her evening plans because she was feeling ill and feeling contagious ... and another who used the available ashtray despite being just a table away from us who were eating])
FOOD:            8/10 (without a doubt, the soup was the star ... and you knew it was homemade by the occasional rosemary sprig you had to politely discard from your mouth ... but it was clearly made with love as it tasted so lovely ... less impressive was the wrap, which looked to have been pre-made -- either for efficiency for the special of the day OR because someone had ordered the other half prior to my arrival [so a point lost] and a second point lost for watered down fountain soda [a pet peeve of mine for places that are behind on their calibration maintenance])
SERVICE:      8/10 (being a counter location, there's not a lot of interaction with the serving staff, and although they were effective and efficient, they didn't "wow" with any style that would bring me back just to see them smiling on the other side of the counter ... so a point lost for being mostly unmemorable, and a second point lost for the confusion that I mentioned earlier with the layout [we weren't sure if we were next, or if there was a line, or where to go to place our order])
BACON:         6/10 (from the menu posted online, I found bacon on two wraps and a salad ... which just isn't enough to score highly on this part of the evaluation ... I'd have liked to have seen it more creatively used OR to have seen just more of it)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for how that giant snickerdoodle reminding me of holidays past with my surrogate grandmother, +3 for the rest of the dessert case that tempted us greatly as we left the establishment, +3 for so so many options on the pretty chalkboards from which to choose and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return, likely with family when they come to visit)

TroyScore:  40 out of 50 -- aka 80, a B (but barely)

Random Taste for Thursday 12/15/16

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

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

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

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

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

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

Random Taste for Thursday 12/8/16

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

Establishment:  Shuck and Dive
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Sweet Tea (Carolina style)
Appetizer:  Dollar Oysters!
2 each of ...
Black n' Blues:  topped with our compound butter, a Iil' blackening spice, crumbled blue cheese & finished under the broiler
Rockefeller:  a French Quarter classic, creamed spinach, onion, garlic, simmered with Penrod Liqueur
Bienville:  invented at Antoine in New Orleans - shrimp, bacon, onions, & green peppers in a cream reduction & topped with parmesan cheese
Appetizer 2:  Pork Boudin
from Breaux Bridge, LA
Main:  Fried Gulf Shrimp New Orelans Po'Boy Sandwich
butterflied & flash fried
Side(s):  Tater Tots
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Tara
Website:  https://shuck-n-dive.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/shuckndive1/

When we lived in Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale was the go-to vacation spot.  Now that we live in the FTL, we're pretty sure New Orleans is the *new* go-to vacation spot.  That being said, we're still figuring out the best time of year to visit -- having gone last year in early December, we started having a craving for it ... and so 'Shuck and Dive', with its commitment to providing authentic Cajun and Southern cuisine, was the answer.  Plus we saw Cap'n Lee (and took his picture surreptitiously, although he seems to have noticed by the look on his face)!  As for how this New Orleans spot scored on the Troy-score, see below:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (cozy is the polite way to say that it was a bit smaller than we expected [we can't imagine what it's like during a Saints or LSU game], but luckily they have a bigger outdoor seating area that seems like it doubles the capacity ... and the New Orleans vibe extends to the tree outside with lower branches covered in beads [see the photo below] ... inside the music for most of the meal was Bourbon Street-esque, and then it suddenly switched over to current country, for which a point is lost for the sudden mood change)
FOOD:            9/10 (with the oyster special of the night at a buck apiece, we were worried that the quality might be lower, but we were pleased at the variety and at the tastiness all around for each of the preparations -- admittedly, one or two might have been a touch salty, but that's to be expected with fresh oysters ... as for the other appetizer, it might have been our general ignorance of the particular regional item, but we were not prepared for the liverwursty texture of the boudin -- which turned out to be more of a spread for crackers and not so much a fancy sausage [so a point lost] ... there were no complaints about the po'boy though, which was stuffed full of fried shrimp on a toasted roll ... and the tots were crunchy, crispy and well done [as they should be])
SERVICE:      8/10 (direct, to the point, efficient, straightforward -- all applied to the level of service, but a point lost because it took us asking about the bathrooms [clarifying that although there were breasts on display in the men's room a la New Orleans and beads, there weren't penises on display in the ladies' room] to get her to break out of her worker shell, and a second point lost because we're pretty sure the server misidentified which oysters were which)
BACON:         6/10 (sure the bacon was nice as one of the many ingredients on the oyster prepared Bienville style, but I would have liked to see it offered in a few more spots on the rest of the menu ... could you imagine if the stuffed po'boy was "over"stuffed by adding bacon?)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for scratching that itch of wanting some New Orleans style food, +3 for doing so with authentic tastes, +3 for a Bravolebrity sighting and +1 for being a place to which we will return -- maybe again on dollar oyster night -- when maybe that's all we'll eat for the whole meal!)

TroyScore:  42 out of 50 -- aka 84, a solid B

Random Taste for Thursday 12/1/16

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

Establishment:  Burger 21
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  fountain Sproke (half Sprite, half Coke)
Appetizer:  n/a
Main:  The OMG! (add fried egg ... or don't)our double-stacked burger, lettuce, tomato, red onion, applewood-smoked bacon, American, cheddar or Swiss cheese, toasted brioche bun
Side(s):  Cheese and Ale Fries
topped with chopped bacon & fresh scallions
Dessert:  Bananas Foster shake (minus a banana or two)
Server:  Janice (more of an order taker as it was counter service style)
Website:  https://www.burger21.com/locations/ft-lauderdale/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/b21ftlauderdale/

Long before the 50 Tastes of Florida, there was the Burger Quest ... me going to all the "best burger" restaurants across the country as picked by Zagat in 2013 (or 2014?), so it's no surprise that a few of the tastes in this countdown have happened at burger joints.  The latest was this week, an expanding chain (possibly in your state), that started in Tampa FL from the owners of The Melting Pot fondue dynasty.  The name comes from the fact that there are 20 burgers (not all meat based) on their menu PLUS a rotating special that is the 21st one.  To see how they scored on the Troy scale, check out what follows:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (kudos for the clever "B something" slogans on the walls [known as their B-isms] and I do so love me a booth that is comfy and spaced properly for adults at which to eat, so I was happy with the seating arrangements ... although with super high ceilings and super bright lights everywhere, the feeling was more clinical than comfy [those booth cushions notwithstanding] so a point lost ... and a second point lost because, a full 90 minutes prior to close, the employee started "pre-close" procedures of stacking chairs in the back of the space ... which wasn't big enough to go unnoticed -- that activity just throws off the vibe of enjoying the meal, especially when executed so far away from closing time)
FOOD:            7/10 (without a doubt the main feature of the burger was indeed the star and looked beautiful all stacked so nicely upon delivery, and it passed my test of being a sandwich you don't put down once you start, even if the juices go running down your arm ... sadly, though, I had ordered a fried egg add on and the kitchen ignored that part of the order [a point lost], and that cheese and ale sauce was 90% ale and only 10% cheese, such that it was a liquid into which fries were dipped and wetted instead of the classic consistency of something that could be dumped on the fries [so another point lost] and the shake, although good in its own right, was shorted one of its banana components because they had run out [so a third point lost])
SERVICE:      10/10 (it is really a shame that the overall experience didn't match the level of service, which was on point from start to finish ... which included the order taker who took the time to explain the "concept", and the shake maker who upgraded the size of the dessert upon discovering the lack of banana, and the person who I think might have been the manager who offered to bring me out a fried egg right away upon being told it was missed [except I had already had a few bites of the sandwich, so that opportunity had passed] and then reacted to that by slipping our table coupons to be used at a return visit ... and even when they weren't directly interacting with us, they were chatting with every guest and smiling and laughing and having a good time [except the manager, who chose not to smile during our encounter for some reason])
BACON:         5/10 (although the menu at a place like this that lets you add bacon "at will" would normally result in a perfect score ... there is nothing more frustrating than seeing the bacon in the ale sauce that you know should be on your fries but you can't make it stick to them because the viscosity was all wrong ... I'm tempted to wipe out all the bacon points for being forced to throw bacon away ... but instead I'll just do that to half)
BONUS:         7/10 (+3 for that stacked burger seeing as how I am particularly fond of the burgers, +3 for the "sauce bar", which included the regular mayo and ketchup but also had things like roasted marshmallow [for the sweet potato fries] and chipotle mayo and apple cider sauce and +1 for being a place to which we will return if only because I have those "sorry about your fried egg" coupons to use)

TroyScore:  37 out of 50 -- aka 74, a solid C