Broward Palm Beach Food Blog

​Now that stone crab season is upon us, you gotta see the Captain. It's Florida lobster season too, so you gotta see the Captain. And if you want live softshell crabs, fresh Cape Canaveral shrimp, pumpkin swordfish, spear-caught hog snapper and more, you gotta see the Captain. 

"The Captain" would be Capt. Frank's Seafood Market, an unassuming little place just off I-95 in Boynton Beach that, in an age when chain everythings swallow independent operators like a Great White with a mile-long tapeworm, refuses to be swept out with the tide. 

There was, in fact, a Capt. Frank. He was the grandfather of market founder Richard Parsons, who opened the Boynton location--the sister market to the original in New York--in 1986.

Photo by flickr user ikes.

Pizza can bring even the most debauched of nights into focus.

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It's 2 a.m., and you're out at the bar, having a good time. Maybe you're only a few drinks in; maybe you're singing Christmas carols on top of the bar. Either way, as you prepare to call it a night, you feel something primal growling deep inside your gut. Then, it hits you: an insatiable urge for the comforting, booze-soaking embrace of lipids. You must have pizza, my friend. You must have pizza forthwith.

Lucky for you, pizza is one food stuff that, even late at night, you can nab in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Say you're out at Riverfront or Himmarshee; well, there's no fewer than three options of cheesy goodness out there to choose from. Or maybe you're at the beach, making like a Girls Gone Wild subject at the Elbo Room. Well, I know a joint just down the road that could get your shirt back on in a jiffy. Now don't get me wrong: At this point, you're not exactly a discerning customer. But good eats is good eats. And among the options are two late-night pizza joints that unequivocably serve the finest greasy slice around: Squiggy's NY Pizza on Second Avenue and Primanti Brothers at Sunrise and A1A. Both are great options, but if distance is not a factor (read: you have a designated pizza driver), then read on to find out which slice you should choose.

A serving suggestion for our Beer of the Week, Big Bear's Witness: In June, we named Big Bear's bistro burger the best piece of ground meat between two buns in South Florida. Why? Well, you can read about it here, but essentially, it's a perfect combination of great ingredients and quality meat, cooked properly. I'll leave you with these pictures as evidence. Burger fans, you owe it to yourself to try one.

Hit the page jump for the pics.

​ Everyone has their own idea of what makes a perfect burger. For some, it's the beefy flavor achieved from fresh grinding chuck, brisket, short rib, or round. Others wax scientific over the proper ratio of meat-to-bun. Purists prefer a the brilliance of one perfectly charred patty christened with only a slice of cheese. Then there are those who believe the best tribute is innovation, festooning their slabs of steer with all manner of cheeses, aiolis, caramelized veggies, and even foie gras. No matter your preference, all final arguments will be heard and a single victor decided when the Burger Beast's first ever Burgie Awards debuts on September 14 at John Martin's Irish Pub in Coral Gables.

It's harder than you might think to find a good cup of coffee. I mean, straight-up, regular old coffee-flavored coffee. There are plenty of places to get your coffee drowned in milk or laced with sugary syrups, but finding a decent cup of black coffee can seem impossible if you don't know where to look. This list contains five places where you can enjoy coffee without having to cover it up with vanilla beans, chocolate, or hazelnut.

The Soma Center, 609 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. 561-296-9949
All Soma food is organic, and that goes for the coffee as well. The café is open at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, leaving plenty of time to grab a cup of coffee on the way to work, and it stays open until at least 10 p.m. for those people working on a deadline and needing a burst of caffeine to get through the night.

Brew Urban Café, 209 SW Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale. 954-523-7191 and 638 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale. 954-527-4828.

Brew Urban Café's website claims "real coffee isn't a product of giant corporations but is a result of caring growers, skilled roasters and well-trained baristas." It's hard to argue that point, (except the baristas part, as the coffee we're looking for just needs to be poured from a pot to a cup), and it's even harder not to fall for Brew. The location on SW Second is a bare-bones coffeehouse, dotted with art and comfortable chairs to sip your coffee, wine, or imported beer. The house-special coffee is perpetually brewed and doesn't need a lick of sugar or milk. It's medium to dark roasted with a satisfying bite.

Undergrounds Coffeehaus, 2743 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. 954-630-1900

It seems the coffee gets buried at Undergrounds. With so much other stuff going on (movies, board games, wifi, spoken word) in this quaint shop, it's easy to forget that their plain old coffee is some of the best around. Sure you can get hundreds of flavored coffees, iced hot chocolates, and espressos, but the coffee-flavored coffee is topnotch. It's light to medium roasted, bitter enough to pucker your lips, and able to wake you up with the flavor long before the caffeine kicks in.

Megabite Cyber Café 1901B Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 954-237-2888.

Admittedly my first trip to Megabite Cyber Café wasn't because I was looking for a cup of coffee. I was attracted to checking out their Bubble Tea (think drinking tea mixed with tapioca pudding). They recently moved to new digs along Hollywood Boulevard, and they brought the Bubble Tea with them, along with a fine selection of coffee and beer. If you can fight off the bubble tea bug/curiosity, a cup of their straight-up brew tastes like it's been presweetened. It's a deep roast with almost a complete lack of bitterness and smooth, sweet aftertaste.

Dunkin' Donuts, Locations everywhere.
 
Yeah Dunkin' Donuts. Say what you will about their doughnuts, the service, or the atmosphere, but there's no denying the magnificence of their coffee. The convenience factor also helps out quite a bit, knowing you can find a DD at almost any major intersection. Buy a box of coffee for the office, or pick up the beans at your local grocer and it all tastes the same: delicious. It's medium-roasted and smooth, with not a hint of the bitterness that plagues that Seattle-based chain's shops.

Honestly, you should be all caught up on this by now. It's been a whole month, plenty of time to read the single greatest food blog in South Florida. But just in case you haven't been a super-faithful reader, here's some of the best blogging of June on Clean Plate Charlie.

Not only does Charlie give you the scoop on the best places to eat and avoid, He'll also hook you up with lessons on how to do it yourself at home. Vietnamese burgers anyone?

Has the recession beat down your libido? Is your partner not interested in you anymore? Maybe Meals To Get Laid By can help.

If you're not getting laid, you might need some comfort food. Here's a hearty endorsement for Toasted Corn, a snack that is more delicious than it sounds.

Don't get lost when evesdropping on old-tyme cooks anymore, thanks to the handy Olde-Tyme Diner Lingo guide.

And finally, an open letter to the foodies of South Florida on what we can learn from the New Orleans food scene.

There's nothing like a top five list to get the juices flowing on a Wednesday. Today, we're listing five great places to grab sandwiches in Broward and Palm Beach counties. The list is in no particular order, but you can bet that you'll be pleased with the results at any of these restaurants. My advice on how to pick which one to sample: Throw a dart, really hard, at your computer screen and whichever one it lands on is the lucky winner for the day.

Fernanda's International Food Market: 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale. Don't miss the proscuitto with fresh mozzarella or the muffuletta.

Le Petit Pain: 123 S. Third St., Lantana. The roast beef sandwich on a French baguette comes highly recommended, as do the painfully good almond croissants.

Gran Forno: 1235 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Pre-packaged sandwiches that are better than any chain's "fresh" ones.

LaSpada's: 2645 S. University Dr., Davie. They claim to have the best damn hoagies in town and it's hard to argue. Best part? The veggies are held in place by an extra slice of meat.

Big Al's Cheesesteaks: 5607 Regency Lakes Blvd., Coconut Creek. If you're searching for a real Philly Cheese Steak, there's literally only one place to go in Broward County: Big Al's Cheesesteaks. Rib eye + onions + Cheez Whiz = heaven.

Photos by Eric Barton

Bravo's lechon sandwich.

The postcard-sized menu at Bravo! Gourmet Sandwich Shop in Wilton Manors promises: "The Best sandwich you'll ever taste!" Those are big words in the world of sandwiches, but the thing is, Bravo just might live up to that promise.

Bravo's Peruvian sandwiches are full of juicy pork, flavorful country ham, and well-spiced onions, all served on these bulky, flaky buns that perfectly soak up the meat juices and spicy sauce.

So why didn't New Times give them an award in our Best Of Broward-Palm Beach edition this year?

A saturated wrapper is always a great sign.

This year's Best Of winner for Best Cheese Steak went to Mr. Nick's, a sandwich stand that's held its ground along Andrews Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale for more than 30 years now. You can read the description of Mr. Nick's award-winning cheese steak here, or just take a look at pics shot about 20 minutes ago as I was scarfing another one of those puppies down for lunch. At $5.50 for a small steak, this is one affordable, delicious meal. Bon appetit.

This year's Best Of Broward-Palm Beach edition is up online today, folks. And I have to say: this issue is packed full of great food. Want a great place to walk up and get a slice of New York pie, complete with the scowl? How about the very best restaurant in which to spend someone else's money? We got it all covered. And while there are dozens of great choices actually in our Best Of edition, there are some great places, too, that didn't make the cut.

Take the category of Best Burger, for example. This year's winner is Big Bear Brewing Co., a way-out-west brewpub that serves up some creative burgers to go with its award-winning beer. Big Bear's bistro burger - a messy, oderific combination of Brie, applewood-smoked bacon, caramelized red onions, and garlic mayo - is a sandwich that rubbed us in all the right places. But that's not to say there weren't other burgers that deserved some love. Joints like Le Tub, Char Hut (given Best Chain Restaurant this year), and Jack's Old Fashion (Best Fast Food) could all compete on any given day. But the runner-up, our consolation winner this year, would go to another less-lauded burger stand.    

Honestly, you should be all caught up on this by now. It's been a whole month, plenty of time to read the single greatest food blog in South Florida. But just in case you haven't been a super-faithful reader, here's some of the best blogging of May on Clean Plate Charlie.

You've probably noticed we've launched a few new weekly features like this one helping you find good wine that won't break the bank.

Another weekly feature is one that's a little scary for me, especially when I have to eat something like this.

A fantastic article about why your sushi chef hates you.

Brush up on your foie grois facts with our newest food writer.

Finally, another new feature, our twist on dinner and a movie.

the Char-Hut one-third pounder getting toasted

How we agonize over this category every year when we're putting together our Best Of issue. We may as well be trying to pick the prettiest girl, the juiciest mango, the most colorful sunset. Hundreds of places sell hamburgers in Broward-Palm Beach. Dozens are famous for the things they do to prime or chuck or Kobe beef. The personal preferences, we'd even say quirks, of our staff are legion: bun type and size, condiments, texture, grease factor, price, even the surroundings in which the burger is served comes into play. By the end of the process, fistfights have broken out in the office over the question of meat-to-bun ratio. Close friends have stopped speaking to each other.

The question of cost sends us into a panic: How to compare a $25 Kobe burger cooked on a state of-the-art grill by some celeb chef against the fast-food quickie so many regular folks depend on day after day?

"I coulda been a contender." Char-Hut's poppyseed bun and side of onion rings.

I have my opinions, and they do not necessarily reflect, nor are they endorsed by, the corporation known as Village Voice Media. To summarize Shepherd's checklist:

1. A burger is the people's food. It shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Anything over $12 no longer qualifies as a burger. It's chopped steak.
2. I prefer a burger made with chuck. End of story.
3. Hand-ground on premises scores big.
4. Screw the filler. Don't put a bunch of junk in my burger -- bread crumbs, chopped mushrooms, parsley, whatever. If I wanted meatloaf, I'd order meatloaf.
5. Must be juicy.
6. Brownie points for atmosphere. A funky neighborhood bar with loud music and tacky wall art gets the edge over a sterile franchise. Think: The Brass Ring. Le Tub. Alligator Alley. We do not exist in a vacuum, and neither can we separate the taste of the burger from the place in which it is tasted.

Honestly, you should be all caught up on this by now. It's been a whole month, plenty of time to read the single greatest food blog in South Florida. But just in case you haven't been a super-faithful reader, here's some of the best blogging of April on Clean Plate Charlie.

Who doesn't love a cupcake? Nazis, that's who.

We're not to proud to point out when we're wrong.

When you're buying your ribs from a trailer, they'd better be good.

Do you want a good place for a cheap date? Try Thai Jo.

Finally, Nine of the 50 best restaurants are based in the U.S. and not one of them is in South Florida. We really need to step it up no?

 

For the second straight year, Miami New Times food critic Lee Klein has taken top honors in a prestigious contest sponsored by the  the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

His story, "Kick the Bottle," beat out work from the New York Times and others to take the Bert Greene Award as the best feature story in a newspaper on Saturday in Denver. It's the second straight year Klein has received the honor.

Last year, a story about feeding of chickens, "Eat Shit and Die," garnered the same award.

We congratulate him!  

If you didn't read every post in Short Order last month, shame on you. Here are just a few of the highlights to ensure you'll come back every day this month and atone for your sins:

Lent is almost over, and here are some suggestions to help you through your last few guilt free meals.

It's never nice to hear of restaurants closing.

What not to do: Pompano fillets gone wrong, then right.

The best whiskey we've tasted in years.

Save cash, brew your own.

Free food is almost never a bad thing.

And finally, a new restaurant just opened in Mizner Park

Like food? Freeeeee Fooood? Well today is your lucky day. The American Society Of Professional Amateurs of Southern Florida are hosting a surf and turf dinner of epic proportions and everyone is invited. All interested guests should arrive in all black at the Miami River underpass at midnight. Pick up your free tickets for the event at the same location between the hours of 2 and 6 p.m. There is big money behind this event and sponsors will be donating a metric ton of lobster, steak, shrimp and whiskey. There will be free rowboat tours and a landscape artist network session. Do not miss this event. Click here for important info.

According to Charlie, a 13 year bartender at Tobacco Road, the oldest bar in Miami, the following special has been running for the past 20 or so years.

• 1 1/4 Main Lobster for $12.49 on Tuesday
• All-U-Can-Eat BBQ Ribs for $10.99 on Wednesday
• 16-oz. T-Bone Steak for $10.99 on Thursdays

There's a two drink minimum and the cheapest beer is PBR at $2.50

"We're doing better this year than last year. People drink when they're happy, and they drink when they get depressed, so it works for us either way," Charlie says. I called the bar and spoke to him and co-worker Tony til they hung up on me for asking them to pass the phone to a regular. Here's what they had to say.

Nirala Sweets from Miami New Times on Vimeo.

Nirala Sweets Restaurant, winner of Broward Palm Beach New Time's "Best Sticky Sweets" in 2006, creates a variety of authentic, homemade desserts straight from secret Indian/Pakistani recipes. Check out the selection they had available at the Asian Culture Festival at Homestead's Fruit & Spice Park.