Fresh bagel joint/deli/greasy spoon. The menu is huge, but most items are pretty much the same thing with slight variations. Lots of dishes catering to older people (chicken and something like 6 or 8 other varieties of cold gloopy salad), kosher dishes and pork products are both offered.
What we had:
I had a chicken sandwich with mushrooms, onions and cheese on a garlic bread hoagie roll. My DH had an open-faced roast beef sandwich covered in gravy. The food was decent. Not spectacular, but not bad. The fresh pickles were great.
Décor:
I don't think they've had the time to think about changing it since the 70s.
Service:
The place was jam-packed, but the service was still decent. Our waitress had been there for a million years, and she wasn't bad at all. Friendly and helpful. We sat at the counter, and talked with one of the owners a bit. She could tell it was our first time there, and she helped as she could.
Overall impressions:
This place is always packed to the rafters every weekend when we drive by. I want to put an end to my 'finding the perfect diner' crusade; 75 pounds of meat per meal is making me feel like a space-blob. I'd like to go back and try a bagel. Maybe some breakfast. I don't think I'll be back for lunch. The menu needs vegetables.
No company website; What Google says
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Johnny Rockets
|
50s-themed "fun" burger joint--no to be confused with Jack Rabbit Slim's. We went to the Dolphin Mall location.
What we had:
I had a burger with cheese, thick-cue bacon, BBQ sauce and an onion ring. My DH had a bacon cheese burger. We split an order of fries. The burger was 1 step up from Wendy's. Maybe not even 1 step up, since Wendy's is pretty good. The bacon was nice, though. The fries were quite tasty, too.
Décor:
We ate outside, and the outside food court is nice.
Service:
He tried. He really did. I think it was our server's first day, and he was nervous and socially awkward. It made me nostalgic.
Overall impressions:
I'd rather go to Steak & Shake or Wendy's. Maybe their milkshakes are good.
Company website; What Google says
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had a burger with cheese, thick-cue bacon, BBQ sauce and an onion ring. My DH had a bacon cheese burger. We split an order of fries. The burger was 1 step up from Wendy's. Maybe not even 1 step up, since Wendy's is pretty good. The bacon was nice, though. The fries were quite tasty, too.
Décor:
We ate outside, and the outside food court is nice.
Service:
He tried. He really did. I think it was our server's first day, and he was nervous and socially awkward. It made me nostalgic.
Overall impressions:
I'd rather go to Steak & Shake or Wendy's. Maybe their milkshakes are good.
Company website; What Google says
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders
Bella Luna
|
Italian at the mall.
What we had:
I had the linguine del mar, or something to that effect. Linguine with scallops, mini clams, mussels and marinara. It wasn't horrible. At least the marinara was light. One of my 5 scallops wasn't cooked to rubber. The mussels made me nervous, and weren't great. I don't remember tasting the mini clams. I think there was shrimp in the dish, but I don't remember it. My DH had linguine with alfredo and chicken. Maybe it's because my DH makes spectacular alfredo and I'm spoiled; the sauce just didn't do it for either of us. The chicken would have been better if it were properly browned, too.
Décor:
We ate outside, and the patio was squashed. Our table got rammed 3 or 4 times, and I got hit in the back of the head at least once.
Service:
About what you'd expect from an Italian joint at the mall.
Overall impressions:
Why did I think Italian at the mall was a good idea? Oh yeah, because it's an uppity mall. And I listened to what the people on Google said. One person called the food "superb." I was so wrong. Maybe I'm too picky; I expect fresh pasta from my Italian restaurants and alfredo sauce that doesn't come from a mix. At least it was better than Olive Garden.
There is no company website; What Google says
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the linguine del mar, or something to that effect. Linguine with scallops, mini clams, mussels and marinara. It wasn't horrible. At least the marinara was light. One of my 5 scallops wasn't cooked to rubber. The mussels made me nervous, and weren't great. I don't remember tasting the mini clams. I think there was shrimp in the dish, but I don't remember it. My DH had linguine with alfredo and chicken. Maybe it's because my DH makes spectacular alfredo and I'm spoiled; the sauce just didn't do it for either of us. The chicken would have been better if it were properly browned, too.
Décor:
We ate outside, and the patio was squashed. Our table got rammed 3 or 4 times, and I got hit in the back of the head at least once.
Service:
About what you'd expect from an Italian joint at the mall.
Overall impressions:
Why did I think Italian at the mall was a good idea? Oh yeah, because it's an uppity mall. And I listened to what the people on Google said. One person called the food "superb." I was so wrong. Maybe I'm too picky; I expect fresh pasta from my Italian restaurants and alfredo sauce that doesn't come from a mix. At least it was better than Olive Garden.
There is no company website; What Google says
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders
Flashback Diner
|
50s-style diner in Hallandale Beach.
What we had:
I had the Lloyd Bridges: blackened Mahi-mahi on an egg bun with french fries. My DH had the Elton John: grilled chicken breast on an egg bun with BBQ sauce, bacon and Swiss with french fries. It was good. Really good. The fish was cooked perfectly, the blacken seasoning was unobtrusive, the bun superb (tasted just like good challah). The chicken was juicy and the BBQ was good, too. We were impressed. They were slammed, and the food was still cooked well.
Décor:
Diner decor. 50s theme, with Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and the Beatles thrown in for good measure.
Service:
Even though it was crazy busy, our waitress still took the time to have some personality, and we appreciated it.
Overall impressions:
We will be definitely go back. We were very impressed with the food. So far, value vs. food quality wise, this is our favorite diner. For $9 a piece, we felt like we both got a good meal. The menu is huge, so we want to come back for the dinner menu some time. Breakfast all day, which is right up my alley. It was also nice to see mac & cheese offered as a side option with most menu items. The dessert case looks awesome, too. And it's good to know the diner is open 24 hours.
There is no company website; What Google says
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Bamboo Garden
|
Sit-down Chinese restaurant.
What we had:
I had the Shrimp Chow Fun, my DH had the Kung Pao Chicken. The Chow Fun was great; the wide noodles were just what I was craving. The shrimp wasn't cooked quite to death and had a pleasant wok taste. Not too salty, and the dish wasn't swimming in sauce. The Kung Pao Chicken was good as well. A nice mix of veggies and chicken. You could taste spice in the dish, but it was by no means hot. My DH swore the chicken tasted frozen and thawed multiple times, but in the 2 pieces of chicken I had I did not taste it. My DH had just gotten back from an international trip, so I'm blaming it on that. The meal came with fried wontons (fresh with a good duck sauce) and hot tea.
Décor:
Not a total cliche. Huge koi in a tank against the wall, fresh lobster, white linen. Chinese-y without being garish. Wood paneling that actually looked more like flooring.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
We will be back. I enjoyed what I had, and the menu is extensive. There are at least 5 more dishes I'm excited about trying.
There is no company website. It is listed as bamboogardenchinese.com, which is a link farm; What Google says
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Louie's Brick Oven Pizza/ Whatever the New Name Is
|
New York style brick oven pizza for now. Pizza and a higher class of pasta on Thursday when the new menu debuts.
What we had:
Different pizza. :) We had meat lover's. Pepperoni (of course), applewood smoked bacon, meatballs & sausage. The pizza was good. This place has an obsession with burnt crust like Anthony's, but it doesn't have that charcoal taste, so it turned out being more pleasant. The cheese was good quality.
Décor:
I hope it doesn't change much after the "unveiling." It felt a bit like NY. Exposed brick, directional light, NY Times newspaper ads & Old Blue Eyes' mugshot on the walls, the Godfather on the screen. Tin-style ceilings. The tables were nice quality wood, the booths were nice and high-backed black leather.
Service:
Better than average.
Overall impressions:
We will be back. Maybe even for Italian food.
Company website; What Google says
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Archie's Gourmet Pizza
|
I was excited. Finally, I'd get the king of pizza I'd like. You see, I like "fancy pizza." Fancy pizza, and the deep dish-y goodness of my childhood. I never get "my" pizza, though, unless I'm in a group. I love pesto pizza, white pizza, alfredo pizza, impossibly deep-dish Chicago style pizza. Warm, doughy goodness. But, alas, my DH is a pizza freak. He loves pizza--we are, in fact, the only couple I know who have had a vehement (for us, at least) discussion on the merits of different crust styles. No one I know takes the thin crust vs. thick war so much to heart. And to him, the only pizza that counts as pizza is pepperoni thin crust. NY style is the only way to go. The best I can hope for is eggplant on my half, maybe some feta. So, needless to say, I was excited by the menu. Not a pepperoni or build-your-own pizza in sight. I had visions of "converting" my DH with amazing taste... maybe not forever, but just for one night.
What we had:
Brie and prosciutto pizza. I left sad. It was horrible. Not just bad, really bad. Large slabs of prosciutto are not good on pizza. Not good ever. Cut it up! A honkin mouthful of stringy saltiness=not good. That, and I got a mouthful of fat, which just freaks me out. Brie isn't so good on pizza, either. At least not mixed with mozzarella. The mozzarella was good quality. The crust was really tasty, too. We think the sauce was good, but the cloying earthiness taste of dirt & fungus was just too much. Maybe with some good-quality balsamic reduction it would have been better. I love brie. I love prosciutto, too. But not this way.
Décor:
We sat outside.
Service:
Typical for a pizza joint.
Overall impressions:
It made me sad. I'm pretty sure we won't be going back any time soon. I really, really wanted this place to be better. Where are Lilly's or Vinnie's when I need them?
Company website; What Google says
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)