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This past weekend (well, Sunday and Monday as we are in the service industry) Stefanie and I went to Miami and stayed at the fabulous Soho Beach House. We had the time of our lives. It was the most relaxing getaway I have ever taken.

From the moment you check in, you are transported back in time to the 1940′s, a time of supreme elegance in Miami Beach. The stress (and sounds) of the outside world melt away. There is really no reason to ever leave. There are 2 pools (plus the private beach), 3 bars, and the fantastic Cecconi’s and Ocho restaurants providing snacks and room service at every turn. It was like taking a cruise without the seasickness. The only thing on the agenda was to pick which bar and pool to spend the next hour at.

The upstairs restaurant, Ocho, is reminiscent of a roadside taqueria, and serves casual Mexican “street food” next to the sky high “plunge pool.” We ordered tacos al pastor, guacamole, and ceviche (and margaritas). The ceviche was outstanding. Throughout the next day, we saddled up to the 2nd floor bar whenever we got hungry and tried a heirloom tomato salad, a caprese baguette, an Italian cheese plate, and Cecconi’s margherita pizza, which was fantastic. The restaurant has this wide open kitchen and you walk by it every time you head to the pool, so I could check out the big brick oven!

Every Monday, they have what is called the “Meatball Monday” special. For a special price, you get 12 mini meatballs, 3 side dishes, and 2 glasses of wine. The cheese gnocchi “meatballs” were the clear favorite, lightly battered and fried with a velvety alfredo sauce. Also, try the key lime pie for dessert, it was lovely. Now, I had originally planned to visit a new restaurant when we were in Miami, and write about it, however, the Soho Beach House didn’t let us leave, and that was fine with us. It is most definitely a splurge getaway, but worth every penny. We highly recommend a stay there.

I really want to like Joy Noodle, I really do. It has all of the elements in place of a cool neighborhood joint. I have driven by it almost everyday for a year, and finally, last night, I gave it a go. The place has a nice, sleek look to it, and it is very comfortable inside. The staff greeting us were just as nice as can be. The place was about half full on a Saturday night. They have been around for a few years, and have amassed a large following in the area. The “online reviews” are positive. For the record, I take online reviews such as Yelp and Urbanspoon seriously. These sites have brought out the inner foodie in a lot of folks, and I’m all about it. Plus, I know they are not being paid off by the restaurant for a favorable review. Oh! and Trip Advisor for hotels is a must. But I’m going off topic. My problem was with the food. It was just bland. We ordered the Vietnamese fresh rolls, which we both enjoyed. We ordered the samosas, which were the favorite of the night (because they are deep fried). Both of our noodle entrees lacked in flavor. Stef ordered the ramen with vegetables and tofu, and I ordered the “Chang Mai” noodles, supposedly a northern Thai/Burmese preparation. Now, I knew going in that our dishes were going to be mild. They state plainly on the menu that these are mild preparations. Also, tofu and veggies are not as flavorful as meat, but we were both craving something lighter. In these dishes, the flavor should come from the broth, and the condiments. In traditional noodle houses in Southeast Asia, the dishes are served with an array of condiments that are meant to be added to the dish by the patron. Cilantro, chili sauce, etc. Now by no fault of Joy Noodle, this just doesn’t seem to happen in most “Asian fusion” restaurants. It felt like the food had been “dumbed down” so much to please the American (and elderly) palate, that it was a mere shadow of it’s former self. It’s a shame. There are plenty of people in the area that would appreciate restaurants with a little edge, that don’t cater to only the retiree crowd. Welcome to South Florida, I guess. If I was Joy, I wouldn’t change a thing. The place is full of 60 something Palm-Beachers every night that spend money, honey. You adapt to the preferences of your clientele. It’s the nature of the business. So, to sum it up, I will be back. The prices are super reasonable and the portions are substantial. Next time, I will choose something with spice, something with meat, and some alcohol on the side, (like my Dad, I always choose a “indigenous beverage” to go with my meal when I eat Chinese, sushi, etc. It makes the food taste better, but I had to work last night) and I will request some hot sauce on the side. By the way, Joy (the owner), spent a few minutes with us, chatting about mangoes. She is reason enough to rush back, so freakin’ sweet! Oh, and get the sorbet sampler for dessert, the chocolate mint was my favorite.

If you guys know me, you know that quite often, I crave Greek food. I also rave about Chris’ Taverna, and I feel that it’s the best in South Florida. Well, last night, we found ourselves running some errands out west and decided to try something new, namely Skorpio’s II. The place is located in a loser strip mall in west Lake Worth, also occupied by a nail salon and one of those weird “arcades” for elderly people that is like playing slot machines, but they can’t win real money. We did take out, and found that the folks running the place were just as friendly as could be. It is clearly a family run joint. The inside is covered in murals of the Greek Isles, and the ceiling is ringed by blue neon, which gave the restaurant a nice, cool blue atmosphere. There were about 20 people dining inside when we stopped by, not too busy for a Saturday night. Now, for the food! We ordered a falafel pita, a chicken shish kebab pita, an order of stuffed grape leaves, and an order of hummus and pita. The sandwiches came with Greek salads. A special shout out goes to the tzatziki sauce, tahini sauce, salads, and stuffed grape leaves. Everything was tasty, well portioned, and a good value. It was not on the same level as Chris’ Taverna. In terms of all around execution, freshness, and flavor, everything fell a little short of Chris’ standard. That being said, Skorpio’s is clearly a well run place, the staff was a pleasure, and if I lived nearby, I would definitely stop by from time to time.

Sit back kiddos, let me tell you about a place called Kitty’s. A place that hasn’t changed a bit in 50 years. In the dictionary, next to “old school” is a picture of this joint. Although I haven’t been to eat at this restaurant in something like 15 years, I can assure you, it is still alive and kicking. Go ahead, click on the above link and peruse the menu. I dare ya! I’ll bet you haven’t seen a menu that extensive, and so “heavy” with classic comfort food dishes in your whole life. It was at this very spot, that I had my first case of “eater’s remorse.” You know, when you are driving home and don’t know whether to burp or fart first, when you are SO full, you swear to yourself you will never eat that much again. (Most recent episode of eater’s remorse came a few years ago after dining at Aleyda’s in West Palm Beach-I fell asleep on the living room floor). So, I was 10 years old, or thereabouts, and just coming into my own as a foodie. I had graduated from the kids menu, so to speak, and was ready to branch out. I was also coming to the painful realization that homestyle New England-Italian American comfort food brings on some serious heartburn. Kitty’s was my grandparents favorite restaurant. It was the old standby, and for them, it was very convenient. When you have 6 kids, and about 25 grandkids and so many different appetites, let’s just say you need to find a place that has something for everyone. If you can’t find something to eat at Kitty’s, I definitely do not want to be your friend. Let’s talk about regional New England foods for a sec. These dishes are what I grew up on. Where else can you find whole belly fried clams, hot roast beef, toasted ravioli, and broiled haddock (with or without crumbs!) on the same menu? Also, don’t forget to try the steak tips. These are a Massachusetts specialty. I have yet to see them on menus in any other part of the country. Tender, marinated cubes of meat over rice pilaf. Perfection. Anyway, as a kid I must have eaten at Kitty’s 20 times. I’m happy to see that they are still doing their thing. If you ever find yourself in the Northwestern suburbs of Boston, please try this place and tell me if the food is still that good. I’ll try and beat you to it-

So, I have fond memories of devouring entire Papa John’s pizzas in my dorm room at 3am, while heavily intoxicated (I’m sure you do too). Yesterday I realized that I haven’t had one since, nor had I craved it’s greasy goodness, so after a long day of food truckin’ (and hair-dressin’), Stef and I decided delivery (and TV and couch) was a good idea. By now, loyal readers, you should know that I rarely want “chain” pizza pies. No sir, local, “handcrafted” New York style pizza is more my bag. If I do crave chain, it is going to be Papa Johns, which IMHO mops up the floor with Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Little Caeser’s, and Hungry Howie’s. By the way, did you guys know that you can order pizza from your cell phone now (welcome to 2012 grandpa!). While I don’t think I will ever be fat enough to warrant a “pizza app” on my phone, the online ordering system worked well for me, although I must mention, that I was stone cold sober at the time of ordering, and at first found it a little confusing. First, you set up a username, then proceed to what seems like 20,000,000 different combinations (toppings, light sauce/heavy sauce, well done/not well done, square cut/triangle cut). Stoners, beware, you should probably practice ordering online BEFORE actually placing the order. The problem with online ordering is that the computer will not ask “are you sure, Cheech?” like a real-life, on-the-phone disgruntled employee will. Anyway, after figuring everything out, I placed the order and two steaming hot and delicious pies arrived within 40 minutes (pretty good for a Saturday night). Oh, and most important, tip the damn driver at least 20-30%!!!! Those guys work their tails off, and like servers in a restaurant, they WORK OFF TIPS!! what a concept. Next time you want affordable but also delicious pizza, order Papa John’s online. It works well. And don’t forget extra garlic sauce.

We went to Tempura House for dinner on Friday night with 3 other couples for a friend’s birthday. Stefanie was the only one of us who had been before, so we all agreed to blame her if it sucked! Turns out, we all really liked it. First of all, the place is huge. Gigantic full bar, which is rare for an Asian restaurant, and two giant dining rooms, with one being the “hibachi room.” There are also private dining rooms surrounding the space where you can sit (nearly) on the floor (we Americans are usually too “heavy” to sit cross-legged on the floor, so we cheat a little). On this Friday night, the place was completely mobbed, as were all of the other restaurants in this bustling plaza in west Boca. Say what you will about the area; I think the customers can be tough and I HATE driving out there, but those folks don’t cook, and that definitely keeps the restaurants busy. Our table was waiting for us when we arrived, and Stef and I both ordered sushi, rolls for the lady and sashimi for me. The fish was incredibly fresh, and I have to give a shout out to the salmon, it was so delicious, almost buttery in texture, I could have eaten an entire plate of it, and salmon is usually not my favorite. We also ordered a couple of sides of “hibachi” style fried rice with Japanese mayo (aka. Japanese ketchup, depending on which overly enthusiastic Hibachi chef you get). We will be back for Hibachi here, it smelled incredible, plus I missed seeing the obligatory “onion volcano.” Anyway, everyone really enjoyed the food, the waitress and service were perfect, and we all had a really good time. Also, just for the record, they have about a 38 page menu, with all sorts of Japanese specialties (including a few “surprises” that I wouldn’t expect to see in a place like this) and a full Chinese menu as well. If you can get past the fact that the place is a little touristy, and there are many small children present, the food here will keep you coming back.

YAY! Finally worked really hard and felt deserving of dropping some dough on a nice meal. We tried Max’s Harvest, and Stef and I both really liked it. We made reservations and were sat right away, but the place remained about 3/4 full throughout our visit on a Sunday night, if that means anything. The concept is “farm to fork,” one of those recent slogans that makes foodie types like me start to salivate. It just means that everything they serve is local, which is sustainable with gas prices the way they are right now. They source all of the meats from farms in central Florida, and the produce is from Swank Farms (please be professional and don’t giggle at the name like I did, for god’s sake, you are at work) in Loxahatchee. The ownership group includes the same folks that have been operating Max’s Grille in Boca for about 50 years. The place looks outstanding, from the front patio surrounded by flowering plants, to the inside dining room and open kitchen, to the incredibly quaint back patio and bar, with seating for only about 25 people. It is a small space, but you never feel like you are on top of anybody. The acoustics are good too, so even though we were sitting right in the middle, we felt all alone. It also helps that the restaurant is away from the bustle of Atlantic Ave, in a quieter neighborhood. The waiters wear jeans and aprons, and the service is very casual. Now, on to the food! We ordered the “Harvest” salad, with green heirloom tomatoes that were like candy, along with roasted corn, red peppers, goat cheese, apples, raisins, almonds, and avocado. It was an awesome salad, and it is true, the lettuce in the salad tasted “earthy,” like it was picked yesterday. We also ordered the mac and cheese, which is made with smoked gouda and pancetta, which was our favorite, as well as the salmon poke (like a tartare), and the lettuce wraps with pork belly. (I am still on a pork belly kick, someday I will be over it, but for now, just let it ride). For dessert we ordered the doughnuts, which are served warm with blackberry dipping sauce, and the key lime creme brulee, which were both great. Everything was delicious, and we left feeling very satisfied. If there is one gripe that I have to mention, was the drink prices are a little high for the area (think $26 for 2 little glasses of house wine). Next time we go, I will call and ask about their corkage fee. Anyway, if you want a nice meal in Delray without a lot of the “douchiness” (spell check) that is found on Atlantic Ave, try Max’s Harvest.

So, I noticed this place called Sheila’s around the corner when we moved to Lake Worth, and I am surprised it has taken me a year to try it out. Today I was craving BBQ like no other. I fell asleep watching Man vs. Food and he was wolfing down burnt ends in Kansas City and I was jonesin’ real bad all day. BBQ is something I crave on occasion, but it’s by no means a top crave, so I am not one of the many devotees crying in online forums about the lack of “real” smoked BBQ here in South Florida. Anyway, tonight it was either Sheila’s or drive up to McCray’s, and I didn’t feel like the drive. Well, I’m glad I tried it, and coincidentally, I didn’t order BBQ. They had a special going on that was $5 for “fish with 2 sides” that I grabbed instead. Now, I am a restaurant guy. I know that when fish is on special, it may not always be fresh, but I asked, and the lady at the counter told me it was Tilapia, which meant it’s all good, because Tilapia is very affordable (and sustainable), and I really like it at home on the grill. It turned out to be a great value, a thick piece of lightly battered and fried fish, with two side dishes. I also grabbed an order of the “famous” conch fritters, which were very good, right up there with the best I’ve had. I will certainly be back to Sheila’s. I want to try the ribs and the BBQ chicken, as well as the “cracked conch” which the counter lady proclaimed to be her favorite. It is a cute place, just a walk up window attached to a fairly large covered patio with a few flat screen TV’s. Apparently they have live music a few nights a week. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere, and definitely invites you to grab a couple of beers, eat at a leisurely pace, and soak up the warmth of a Florida spring evening.