Reviews of restaurants and sights in Pompano Beach/Ft. Lauderdale area
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:28 AM
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Reviews of restaurants and sights in Pompano Beach/Ft. Lauderdale area
I post regularly on the Europe Fodor site but have little experience with the U.S. site. I note that this site seems to have few trip reports like those that appear frequently on the Europe site. I prepared this for the owner of the condo we rent in Pompano Beach from notes made in my journals from our two stays there in the last two years. I thought it might contain some information that posters on this site would find of use. I hope so.
We have now stayed twice at a condo on the Intracoastal Waterway in Pompano Beach—March of 2000 and January and February of 2001. We will be returning for some of December and January of 2001/2. We like the area because there’s a lot to do and because it’s convenient to a number of wonderful restaurants.
The following is a set of reviews of the various restaurants we’ve eaten in during our two winters there. It’s arranged roughly by distance from the condo where we stay on the Intracoastal Waterway and East Atlantic Blvd, starting first, with places within walking distance, then those within a reasonably short drive and finally those requiring a longer drive (in Ft. Lauderdale and beyond.)
Our tastes are pretty eclectic, though I’m not much for Mexican or other very spicy food. We tend to accompany our meals with good to excellent wines which can drive the price up pretty fast. Having said that, we also enjoy inexpensive, and especially ethnic places where ambiance and fun may be a bigger draw than the food itself.
Aside from some general street addresses, I don’t include the address or phone number for any of the restaurants. You can check that out in the phone book or better yet, in the latest Zagat guide for Miami and South Florida or check Zagat on-line at www.zagat.com.
Most reviews are of places we ate at on both our visits in 2000 and in 2001, some just the latter. Where our only experience was in 2000, I’ve noted that so that you can be accordingly wary. Places change over time. I hope you find these reviews interesting and helpful.
We have now stayed twice at a condo on the Intracoastal Waterway in Pompano Beach—March of 2000 and January and February of 2001. We will be returning for some of December and January of 2001/2. We like the area because there’s a lot to do and because it’s convenient to a number of wonderful restaurants.
The following is a set of reviews of the various restaurants we’ve eaten in during our two winters there. It’s arranged roughly by distance from the condo where we stay on the Intracoastal Waterway and East Atlantic Blvd, starting first, with places within walking distance, then those within a reasonably short drive and finally those requiring a longer drive (in Ft. Lauderdale and beyond.)
Our tastes are pretty eclectic, though I’m not much for Mexican or other very spicy food. We tend to accompany our meals with good to excellent wines which can drive the price up pretty fast. Having said that, we also enjoy inexpensive, and especially ethnic places where ambiance and fun may be a bigger draw than the food itself.
Aside from some general street addresses, I don’t include the address or phone number for any of the restaurants. You can check that out in the phone book or better yet, in the latest Zagat guide for Miami and South Florida or check Zagat on-line at www.zagat.com.
Most reviews are of places we ate at on both our visits in 2000 and in 2001, some just the latter. Where our only experience was in 2000, I’ve noted that so that you can be accordingly wary. Places change over time. I hope you find these reviews interesting and helpful.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:30 AM
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Mr. Fish—is a seafood store on Atlantic just west of the bridge that crosses the Intracoastal there. They have everything fishy and shelly for your take-out meal. Our favorite is to buy their stone crabs, have them crack them for us, get a container of their mustard sauce, lay down newspapers on the table—and gorge!! Sure they’re expensive, but nothing compared to what you pay at a restaurant and the restaurant adds no value whatsoever—if anything, it detracts since you have to eat more daintily in public than you might at an “at home” stone crab picnic. Buy the large or extra large ones—worth the price difference for slightly better taste and certainly ease of eating. Skip the collasols, they don’t taste better and they aren’t worth the extra charge. All their other seafood is good too as is their sea bass, etc. But the stone crabs are a total indulgence. With a simple salad and a purchased key lime pie for dessert, this is the quintessential Florida meal.
Jeremiah’s—on Intracoastal and Atlantic. The view is better than the food. It really doesn’t claim to be a big deal and it lives up to that promise. Probably best for a burger on the deck for lunch, maybe with a crowd. It’s not expensive and it has a pretty youthful clientele. For good food in nearly the same location and view, I’d recommend Joe’s Seafood Grill instead.
Darryl and Oliver’s Café Maxx—on Atlantic, near the Intracoastal. Since I do a lot of reading about restaurants and try to stay on top of the food scene, I was delighted when I learned that this place, one of the two top-rated restaurants in South Florida is only about 3 blocks away from our condo. It lived up to its great reputation on all of the many visits we paid to it. The room is small and tables pretty close together so it feels a bit crowded. The décor is nice if nothing special for such a super place. The wine list is top drawer (Wine Spectator Award of Excellence) but the food is the big draw—as it should be for most restaurants. Among the many wonderful things I’ve eaten here are: Caviar pie, Spinach and arugula salad with mango dressing, sea bass with roesti and asparagus, osso buco, rabbit slices with gorgonzola strudel, duckbreast slices with potato timbale with rosemary and Vidalia onion slices. I could go on and on. So does their menu which changes daily though they keep some classics like the caviar pie. Pricey but worth it. Note that the correct name of this place starts with D for Darryl and not C for Café or you’ll have lots of trouble locating it in the phone book or in restaurant guides.
Jeremiah’s—on Intracoastal and Atlantic. The view is better than the food. It really doesn’t claim to be a big deal and it lives up to that promise. Probably best for a burger on the deck for lunch, maybe with a crowd. It’s not expensive and it has a pretty youthful clientele. For good food in nearly the same location and view, I’d recommend Joe’s Seafood Grill instead.
Darryl and Oliver’s Café Maxx—on Atlantic, near the Intracoastal. Since I do a lot of reading about restaurants and try to stay on top of the food scene, I was delighted when I learned that this place, one of the two top-rated restaurants in South Florida is only about 3 blocks away from our condo. It lived up to its great reputation on all of the many visits we paid to it. The room is small and tables pretty close together so it feels a bit crowded. The décor is nice if nothing special for such a super place. The wine list is top drawer (Wine Spectator Award of Excellence) but the food is the big draw—as it should be for most restaurants. Among the many wonderful things I’ve eaten here are: Caviar pie, Spinach and arugula salad with mango dressing, sea bass with roesti and asparagus, osso buco, rabbit slices with gorgonzola strudel, duckbreast slices with potato timbale with rosemary and Vidalia onion slices. I could go on and on. So does their menu which changes daily though they keep some classics like the caviar pie. Pricey but worth it. Note that the correct name of this place starts with D for Darryl and not C for Café or you’ll have lots of trouble locating it in the phone book or in restaurant guides.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:32 AM
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Vesuvio’s—In the Atlantic Ave. strip mall that also contains Mr. Fish, Sunfish Grill and Café Maxx, this is Italian like Italians like it. Without wanting to offend anyone Italian, this place could have stepped out of The Godfather. Whether the waiters have connections to the really big family or not, they certainly have family connections. Everyone seems to be related to the place in some way. My food experiences were uneven. Never bad, but sometimes better than others. Wonderful, garlicky bruschetta. Pretty good calamari frite. Veal with artichoke, asparagus, mushroom and tomato cream sauce. And the best stuffed veal chop I’ve ever eaten. Also a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. A fun place to go but pricier than La Veranda further down the street whose food can be as good.
Checker’s Old Munchen—also on Atlantic mid-way between A1A and Hwy 1, is one of those places where the ambiance and fun exceeds the food. The fun keeps pulling us back and it’s certainly in inexpensive meal. It’s small and they reserve the right to seat others at your table if you have room and they need the seating—like in Munich—though this has never happened to us on any of the 6 or more times we’ve eaten here. They have all the usual German stuff, rouladen, pork hocks, smoked pork chops, lots of sauerkraut and red cabbage. They also have meatloaf and Warsteiner beer on tap. Low ceilings, round tables, a great authentic looking German bar. Fun!
Sunfish Grill—could be my favorite, soth Florida restaurant. It’s not as highly rated as Café Maxx but it’s almost as good foodwise and it has a kind of “try harder” appeal that endears it to me. It’s very small but rather charmingly decorated. The Chef is a kind of wunderkind with a ponytail who has good credentials and the staff seems to work well together. The waiters know more about the food itself than most. While their specialty is fish, they also have a meat special every day so you can find something for non-fish lovers. Some highlights: Warm, perfectly done calamari in tomato sauce. Scallops in mustard sauce with bacon,cabbage, potato accompaniment. Shrimp bisque with crayfish. Perfectly done very rare tuna over mashed potatoes and oxtail ragout with onion rings—all one dish. Key lime individual tarts with meringue squiggles on top that look like the fortress at Carcassone, France. Slightly, but not greatly, less expensive than Café Maxx.
Houston’s—Though this is a chain, we’ve only eaten at the one on Atlantic and Intracoastal. I wanted to hate this place. (It’s just way too successful. Always crowded. Doesn’t take reservations, etc.) But I just can’t. I’ll admit to being something of a food snob. So anyplace that’s part of a chain and forever packing in hordes of people just seems like it couldn’t possibly do really good food. But Houston’s does. There’s nothing unique here but everything that is here is really done well. If you order tuna rare, it’s rare. The Caesar salad has an initially disconcerting sweet taste, but by the second or third bite you’re very happy with it too. We’ve never taken anyone here who hasn’t liked it. One friend who’s particularly alert to any “fishiness” that might spell less than fresh seafood or fish, pronounced the grouper the freshest, tastiest she’s ever eaten. My brother-in-law, if given his druthers, would never eat anywhere else while he’s here. The trick is getting a table without promising your firstborn
Checker’s Old Munchen—also on Atlantic mid-way between A1A and Hwy 1, is one of those places where the ambiance and fun exceeds the food. The fun keeps pulling us back and it’s certainly in inexpensive meal. It’s small and they reserve the right to seat others at your table if you have room and they need the seating—like in Munich—though this has never happened to us on any of the 6 or more times we’ve eaten here. They have all the usual German stuff, rouladen, pork hocks, smoked pork chops, lots of sauerkraut and red cabbage. They also have meatloaf and Warsteiner beer on tap. Low ceilings, round tables, a great authentic looking German bar. Fun!
Sunfish Grill—could be my favorite, soth Florida restaurant. It’s not as highly rated as Café Maxx but it’s almost as good foodwise and it has a kind of “try harder” appeal that endears it to me. It’s very small but rather charmingly decorated. The Chef is a kind of wunderkind with a ponytail who has good credentials and the staff seems to work well together. The waiters know more about the food itself than most. While their specialty is fish, they also have a meat special every day so you can find something for non-fish lovers. Some highlights: Warm, perfectly done calamari in tomato sauce. Scallops in mustard sauce with bacon,cabbage, potato accompaniment. Shrimp bisque with crayfish. Perfectly done very rare tuna over mashed potatoes and oxtail ragout with onion rings—all one dish. Key lime individual tarts with meringue squiggles on top that look like the fortress at Carcassone, France. Slightly, but not greatly, less expensive than Café Maxx.
Houston’s—Though this is a chain, we’ve only eaten at the one on Atlantic and Intracoastal. I wanted to hate this place. (It’s just way too successful. Always crowded. Doesn’t take reservations, etc.) But I just can’t. I’ll admit to being something of a food snob. So anyplace that’s part of a chain and forever packing in hordes of people just seems like it couldn’t possibly do really good food. But Houston’s does. There’s nothing unique here but everything that is here is really done well. If you order tuna rare, it’s rare. The Caesar salad has an initially disconcerting sweet taste, but by the second or third bite you’re very happy with it too. We’ve never taken anyone here who hasn’t liked it. One friend who’s particularly alert to any “fishiness” that might spell less than fresh seafood or fish, pronounced the grouper the freshest, tastiest she’s ever eaten. My brother-in-law, if given his druthers, would never eat anywhere else while he’s here. The trick is getting a table without promising your firstborn
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:35 AM
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L’Aventure—is a delightful Mom and Pop French restaurant on Atlantic near A1A. It has lace curtains and kitschy, but charming décor, also a really nice and very reasonable wine list. I love it when the waiter hands you a list that is actually a compendium of wine bottle labels that you can view first hand. You can tell that this list has been personally and lovingly selected and it’s a pleasure to choose from it. The food shows similar care. My husband had duck with peppercorns and I had sweetbreads, both with superb accompanying green beans and carrots. On another visit I had veal marengo and he had magret de canard. It’s a small place so you’ll need reservations. When it gets busy it can be slow since they have a very small staff, but if you have time, relax and enjoy a really good meal with great wines for pretty little money.
Grotto—also on Atlantic between A1A and Hwy 1. Just as I wanted Houston’s to not be good, I wanted this place to be good. It’s small, it’s run simply but with great old-world charm. Unfortunately it’s not as good as I wanted it to be. For the sake of our darling, charming, old-world, (and pretty old) waiter who took such good care of us and urged us so fervently to return often, I just wish the food were as good as he was. That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s just not good enough to get me going there every other week or so when there are so many really good options available. When we went in 2000. I had the papardelle. Actually the restaurant used to be closer to downtown Ft. Lauderdale on A1A near Oakland Park Blvd and it was then named Papardelle. The papardelle was an enormous portion of the wide noodle pasta with ground veal, mushrooms and a mushroom cream sauce. It reminded me of a noodle hotdish my mother used to make with cream of mushroom soup. Voluminous and very comforting but not really something I’d like to have over and over. We tried again in 2001 but found no great improvement. On the plus side, the place is very reasonable and if you’re into charming older, Italian men, this has a great one.
Bella Monte (or Monte Bella, can’t remember which comes first)—is an Italian deli and grocery store on Atlantic in the shopping center not far from Beall’s. It smells great as you enter and for good reason. They have lots of wonderful stuff for a take-out lunch or an antipasta platter to go with dinner. Lots of salamis, cheeses, olives, the usual Italian spread. Or just have them make you one of their generously filled hoagies.
Take Sushi—is also in the shopping center on the south side of Atlantic. Although they have a few tables and it looks restful, we’ve only had take-out sushi from here. It’s good. Very fresh and tasty. We especially like the volcano rolls that are apparently conch with a mayonnaise sauce and teeny caviar, something we hadn’t seen before.
Golden Nugget—is a Chinese place on the corner toward the ocean just over the bridge on Atlantic that crosses the Intracoastal. This is not good. You seldom see more than one or two people in there and the food is probably why. It’s greasy and not tasty. Enough said.
Grotto—also on Atlantic between A1A and Hwy 1. Just as I wanted Houston’s to not be good, I wanted this place to be good. It’s small, it’s run simply but with great old-world charm. Unfortunately it’s not as good as I wanted it to be. For the sake of our darling, charming, old-world, (and pretty old) waiter who took such good care of us and urged us so fervently to return often, I just wish the food were as good as he was. That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s just not good enough to get me going there every other week or so when there are so many really good options available. When we went in 2000. I had the papardelle. Actually the restaurant used to be closer to downtown Ft. Lauderdale on A1A near Oakland Park Blvd and it was then named Papardelle. The papardelle was an enormous portion of the wide noodle pasta with ground veal, mushrooms and a mushroom cream sauce. It reminded me of a noodle hotdish my mother used to make with cream of mushroom soup. Voluminous and very comforting but not really something I’d like to have over and over. We tried again in 2001 but found no great improvement. On the plus side, the place is very reasonable and if you’re into charming older, Italian men, this has a great one.
Bella Monte (or Monte Bella, can’t remember which comes first)—is an Italian deli and grocery store on Atlantic in the shopping center not far from Beall’s. It smells great as you enter and for good reason. They have lots of wonderful stuff for a take-out lunch or an antipasta platter to go with dinner. Lots of salamis, cheeses, olives, the usual Italian spread. Or just have them make you one of their generously filled hoagies.
Take Sushi—is also in the shopping center on the south side of Atlantic. Although they have a few tables and it looks restful, we’ve only had take-out sushi from here. It’s good. Very fresh and tasty. We especially like the volcano rolls that are apparently conch with a mayonnaise sauce and teeny caviar, something we hadn’t seen before.
Golden Nugget—is a Chinese place on the corner toward the ocean just over the bridge on Atlantic that crosses the Intracoastal. This is not good. You seldom see more than one or two people in there and the food is probably why. It’s greasy and not tasty. Enough said.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:46 AM
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Joe’s Seafood Grill—on the Intracoastal just north of Atlantic. It took us a long time to finally try this place. The place never looked that tidy when we walked by it and I doubted that the food could be too good. Foolish me! It’s really good, hence all the awards and great reviews that hang near the restaurant entryway. We had bouillabaisse and hogfish with shrimp, scallops and hollandaise. I’d never tried hogfish (actually never even heard of it before) so I had to, and it was excellent. Would certainly do it again.
Frank’s Ristorante—is on Atlantic across A1A near the ocean. Half of it is a pizza place and the other half houses their “fine dining”. Without a recommendation I’d never have entered this place but I’m certainly glad I did. It’s delightfully tacky and has pretty good food. Most of all it’s a good Italian time and who wouldn’t want that? It’s inexpensive but has white tablecloths and cut glass water goblets. It’ll remind you of one of the first “fancy” restaurants you could afford when you were a kid. Nostalgia and spaghetti with red sauce.
La Veranda—is another Italian, this time up Atlantic away from the ocean just a block or so off Hwy 1. This place packs them in so you may want to get a reservation, especially on the weekends. Try to get seated in the courtyard, I assume the reason behind the restaurant’s name. The courtyard is overhung with bouganvillea and has white twinkling lights all around. The fake wrought iron balconies on the second story add drama to the picture and, of course, there are red checkered tablecloths, but covered in lace to add an extra festive touch. Had veal pizzicoli with spaghetti. It was plentiful and good. Aside from the possibility of having to wait for your table even with a reservation, this place is well worth going to. I favor it over both Grotto and Vesuvio’s. It’s more upscale and not as kitschy as Frank’s. It’s also more expensive than Frank’s but the atmosphere in the La Veranda courtyard can’t be beat.
Seawatch—on A1A is a place we discovered out of Ft. Lauderdale even before we started going to our Pompano Beach condo. It’s very large, very nautical and very popular. It’s right on the ocean beach and though it doesn’t really have outdoor dining (you can get appetizers and drinks on the upstairs outdoor deck), if your neighboring diners are ok with open windows, you can have the pulley-operated windows swung open wide and let the breezes blow through as you dine and gaze out onto the dunes and the open sea, maybe catching a glimpse of a tanker leaving Ft. Lauderdale for parts unknown. There’s a lot of dark wood in the interior and some of the chairs have tall backs, inviting you to lean back, relax and cool off with a long drink or a margarita. There’s nothing special about the menu but there’s nothing bad about it either and the food is prepared competently. I often have seafood fettucine. Though I’m not much for desserts, this is one of those places that seems to require a key lime pie finish. Since it is so popular, I’d expect that the best time to go is early or late for whatever meal you’re having though you need to be careful as they close between lunch and dinner and you can get surprised. Check ahead.
Frank’s Ristorante—is on Atlantic across A1A near the ocean. Half of it is a pizza place and the other half houses their “fine dining”. Without a recommendation I’d never have entered this place but I’m certainly glad I did. It’s delightfully tacky and has pretty good food. Most of all it’s a good Italian time and who wouldn’t want that? It’s inexpensive but has white tablecloths and cut glass water goblets. It’ll remind you of one of the first “fancy” restaurants you could afford when you were a kid. Nostalgia and spaghetti with red sauce.
La Veranda—is another Italian, this time up Atlantic away from the ocean just a block or so off Hwy 1. This place packs them in so you may want to get a reservation, especially on the weekends. Try to get seated in the courtyard, I assume the reason behind the restaurant’s name. The courtyard is overhung with bouganvillea and has white twinkling lights all around. The fake wrought iron balconies on the second story add drama to the picture and, of course, there are red checkered tablecloths, but covered in lace to add an extra festive touch. Had veal pizzicoli with spaghetti. It was plentiful and good. Aside from the possibility of having to wait for your table even with a reservation, this place is well worth going to. I favor it over both Grotto and Vesuvio’s. It’s more upscale and not as kitschy as Frank’s. It’s also more expensive than Frank’s but the atmosphere in the La Veranda courtyard can’t be beat.
Seawatch—on A1A is a place we discovered out of Ft. Lauderdale even before we started going to our Pompano Beach condo. It’s very large, very nautical and very popular. It’s right on the ocean beach and though it doesn’t really have outdoor dining (you can get appetizers and drinks on the upstairs outdoor deck), if your neighboring diners are ok with open windows, you can have the pulley-operated windows swung open wide and let the breezes blow through as you dine and gaze out onto the dunes and the open sea, maybe catching a glimpse of a tanker leaving Ft. Lauderdale for parts unknown. There’s a lot of dark wood in the interior and some of the chairs have tall backs, inviting you to lean back, relax and cool off with a long drink or a margarita. There’s nothing special about the menu but there’s nothing bad about it either and the food is prepared competently. I often have seafood fettucine. Though I’m not much for desserts, this is one of those places that seems to require a key lime pie finish. Since it is so popular, I’d expect that the best time to go is early or late for whatever meal you’re having though you need to be careful as they close between lunch and dinner and you can get surprised. Check ahead.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:50 AM
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Eduardo de San Angel—is probably one of the most upscale Mexican restaurants around. Having already warned you that I’m not a Mexican food fan, I have to admit that this place is different and to my mind, nicely so. It has one of the highest Zagat food ratings for Broward County and it deserves it. I had seviche with shrimp then almond encrusted yellow-tail tuna with corn in a pastry and refried black beans in a corn husk—and a margarita, of course. The restaurant itself is romantic and beautiful. It’s tiny and completely candlelit with great, colorful ceramic plates. The place is also pricey but seems to have earned the right to charge what they do. Went only in 2000.
Peking Duck—is on Atlantic west of Hwy 1. The parking lot is often crowded so they must do something right, but not for us. We went for lunch in 2000 and found everything greasy and not clean feeling—and I’m not “picky” in the cleanliness department. It just wasn’t good.
Café Sevilla—on Oakland Park Boulevard in a little strip mall is another restaurant we’d been to while staying in Ft. Lauderdale before we ever came to Pompano Beach. We liked it then and like it still, although it was better on our first and our most recent visits than it was in 2000 so it does have ups and downs. Like the Eduardo de San Angel it’s small, ethnic and lovely. Ceilings are low and hung with Spanish décor which, though not good for the claustrophobic, is charming. Besides a lengthy menu, they have a long blackboard list of nightly specials. Choose something from the latter. On our last visit I had squid steak, grilled with a tomato sauce like that usually found on bruschetta. It was exceptional. Also had a lamb shank with a sauce containing all the right things, carrots, onions and a tasty brown gravy. The wine list includes a Vega Sicillia Unico one of the best wines in the world—for over $300, hence their Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. We had a Pasquera Ribera Del Duoro, a lot less and not as wonderful but good, nonetheless. This is a romantic, charming place with interesting and often very, very good food. Try it, you’ll like it.
Casa d’Angelo— in a mall on Hwy 1 near Sunrise Blvd, came fairly highly recommended in various guides, but disappointed us. It smelled good, lots of wood fire grilling and looked pretty though the outdoor dining area has views only of the parking lot of the strip mall in which the place is located. It’s food was just not that swell, at least not for the fine restaurant it purported to be. Had grilled squid with tomato and arugula, and roast pork. The former was nowhere near as good as that I had at Café Sevilla, and the latter was just roast pork, nothing special. Went only in 2000. Perhaps it’s better now. One can hope.
Peking Duck—is on Atlantic west of Hwy 1. The parking lot is often crowded so they must do something right, but not for us. We went for lunch in 2000 and found everything greasy and not clean feeling—and I’m not “picky” in the cleanliness department. It just wasn’t good.
Café Sevilla—on Oakland Park Boulevard in a little strip mall is another restaurant we’d been to while staying in Ft. Lauderdale before we ever came to Pompano Beach. We liked it then and like it still, although it was better on our first and our most recent visits than it was in 2000 so it does have ups and downs. Like the Eduardo de San Angel it’s small, ethnic and lovely. Ceilings are low and hung with Spanish décor which, though not good for the claustrophobic, is charming. Besides a lengthy menu, they have a long blackboard list of nightly specials. Choose something from the latter. On our last visit I had squid steak, grilled with a tomato sauce like that usually found on bruschetta. It was exceptional. Also had a lamb shank with a sauce containing all the right things, carrots, onions and a tasty brown gravy. The wine list includes a Vega Sicillia Unico one of the best wines in the world—for over $300, hence their Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. We had a Pasquera Ribera Del Duoro, a lot less and not as wonderful but good, nonetheless. This is a romantic, charming place with interesting and often very, very good food. Try it, you’ll like it.
Casa d’Angelo— in a mall on Hwy 1 near Sunrise Blvd, came fairly highly recommended in various guides, but disappointed us. It smelled good, lots of wood fire grilling and looked pretty though the outdoor dining area has views only of the parking lot of the strip mall in which the place is located. It’s food was just not that swell, at least not for the fine restaurant it purported to be. Had grilled squid with tomato and arugula, and roast pork. The former was nowhere near as good as that I had at Café Sevilla, and the latter was just roast pork, nothing special. Went only in 2000. Perhaps it’s better now. One can hope.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:52 AM
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Ambry—is a German restaurant on Commercial, again in a strip mall. (Why do I bother to tell you that, isn’t almost every restaurant in this area in a strip mall?) It’s cute, tasty and fast. We were in at 7:30 and out by 8:00, back home by 8:30. They have a salad bar, something of a throw back to the ‘50’s. It has German potato salad, sausages in mayo, herring in sour cream, macaroni salad. All very retro but very good. I had sweinsbraten and my husband had the daily special—crisped pork hock—both with spaetzle and red cabbage—and lots of everything. The portions are HUGE. We only went to this one once in 2000 and probably didn’t go again only because for German food and atmosphere we’ve become almost regulars at Checker’s Old Munchen closer to our condo. Ambry has the edge on Checkers for food and its ambiance is almost as good, but it’s further away and once you get to be a regular someplace you just kind of have to keep going there.
Greek Islands Taverna—If I’ve driven by this place once, I’ve passed it a hundred times. It’s on A1A near Oakland Park Blvd. Every time I went by it was jammed and I always vowed to try it sometime. Still, only got there once and not until 2001 and it’s well worth going to again and again. Everyone in our party of four was happy and satisfied. I especially liked the almost crunchy lamb sweetbreads I had for an appetizer. Like most Greek restaurants, the price was very reasonable, and everyone was friendly. The only downside may be the place’s popularity. We had to wait for an outside table (can’t remember whether or not we had reservations) and there was a line. I’d guess that’s almost always the case unless you eat early or late. If the wait isn’t too long, like less than a half hour, it’s worth it.
Rainbow Palace—is the most upscale Chinese in the Broward area. It’s on Oakland Park Blvd in the strip mall across the boulevard from the strip mall that houses Café Sevilla. The décor is quite lovely and in general, the place merits the Mobil 4 star award it’s been given. Service is excellent. So is the food, most of the time. It was super on our first visit in 2000. Not quite as good when we went again in 2001 (though we went again twice, so it couldn’t have been too bad.) Much depends on what you order. The Shrimp Harbor with black bean sauce was terrific. The lo mein was just lo mein, nothing special. And you should expect special at these prices. Other good things are scallops in grande marnier sauce and sesame seeds, sea bass with vegetables in lemony wine sauce. Another mediocre thing is duck and grande marnier pork strips.
Greek Islands Taverna—If I’ve driven by this place once, I’ve passed it a hundred times. It’s on A1A near Oakland Park Blvd. Every time I went by it was jammed and I always vowed to try it sometime. Still, only got there once and not until 2001 and it’s well worth going to again and again. Everyone in our party of four was happy and satisfied. I especially liked the almost crunchy lamb sweetbreads I had for an appetizer. Like most Greek restaurants, the price was very reasonable, and everyone was friendly. The only downside may be the place’s popularity. We had to wait for an outside table (can’t remember whether or not we had reservations) and there was a line. I’d guess that’s almost always the case unless you eat early or late. If the wait isn’t too long, like less than a half hour, it’s worth it.
Rainbow Palace—is the most upscale Chinese in the Broward area. It’s on Oakland Park Blvd in the strip mall across the boulevard from the strip mall that houses Café Sevilla. The décor is quite lovely and in general, the place merits the Mobil 4 star award it’s been given. Service is excellent. So is the food, most of the time. It was super on our first visit in 2000. Not quite as good when we went again in 2001 (though we went again twice, so it couldn’t have been too bad.) Much depends on what you order. The Shrimp Harbor with black bean sauce was terrific. The lo mein was just lo mein, nothing special. And you should expect special at these prices. Other good things are scallops in grande marnier sauce and sesame seeds, sea bass with vegetables in lemony wine sauce. Another mediocre thing is duck and grande marnier pork strips.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:54 AM
#8
Guest
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Blue Moon Fish Co.—has outdoor dining on the Intracoastal—and more attitude than they should. This is another uneven place. One time great, next time so-so, even bad. We had wonderful oysters here served by one very knowledgeable server. Also a great bib lettuce salad with hearts of palm and an excellent raspberry soufflé. We also had the worst dish of our South Florida dining experiences here. It was a chowder/gumbo with so much smoke sauce and andouille none of the three persons who ordered it could eat it. The server took it away and took the charge off our bill saying that the servers were all telling the chef that it was not a good menu item. Why he didn’t share that opinion with us while we were ordering it is beyond me. The interior is very attractive but you are almost guaranteed of a wait even with reservations and the bartenders aren’t helpful or attentive as you cool your heels. If you have 20 or 30 somethings in your party, you may want to take your chances on this place. It’s certainly a “scene” that they might enjoy. If you like being seated timely and finding something familiar and comfortable on a menu, you might want to forget this place and opt for Houston’s or Joe’s Seafood Grill which have better views on the Intracoastal and better service.
Froggi’s—is very cute with a charming French provincial interior. It’s on Atlantic beyond Hwy 1, in a strip mall, where else? Only went there in 2000 but didn’t skip it in 2001 for any bad reason, just not enough time. (So many restaurants, so little time.) Had a goat cheese and tomato tart for a starter then a “make your own” salad that came in a woven basket—romaine leaves, chunks of tomato, etc—a nice idea and very pretty. I ordered the lamb chops and got lots of them. Service was slow but the food was good. This place is on a par with L’Aventure reviewed above. Both are French Mom and Pop places that care and deliver good product but can get overwhelmed when very busy so you need to be patient. Both are worth the wait if you know in advance to expect it and plan for it.
Milo’s Taverna—Alas another place we wanted to be good but found it not so. We like Greek food and we like the “Opa” atmosphere that usually comes with it. This place had Opa in spades but the food just didn’t make it. The waiters were “Greek family” types who were brimming with hospitality. They had a belly dancer and bazouki player. Best of all we had the good fortune to be there while a large extended Greek family celebrated something, probably a baptism. The retinue even included two Greek orthodox priests one in his robes and black hat. This was serious Greek Opa. The salad unfortunately had serious surplus vinegar and nothing else had serious good taste. It’s on A1A in a Ramada hotel. But you really don’t need to know that. It’s not worth the trip, unless you just order a bottle of Greek wine and soak up the ambiance and eat somewhere else.
Emil’s European Sausage Shop—on Hwy 1. As you might guess, this place is for take-out not dine-in. My husband came to the US from Latvia as a small child and so has a penchant for Eastern European foods—also German, Austrian, etc. etc. This place has everything in terms of quantity and variety. I can also speak for them in terms of quality and taste. This place is swell. You’ll want to try everything. It’s not cheap so you may want to try a few things at a time and resist the impulse to get large quantities. You’ll come again.
Froggi’s—is very cute with a charming French provincial interior. It’s on Atlantic beyond Hwy 1, in a strip mall, where else? Only went there in 2000 but didn’t skip it in 2001 for any bad reason, just not enough time. (So many restaurants, so little time.) Had a goat cheese and tomato tart for a starter then a “make your own” salad that came in a woven basket—romaine leaves, chunks of tomato, etc—a nice idea and very pretty. I ordered the lamb chops and got lots of them. Service was slow but the food was good. This place is on a par with L’Aventure reviewed above. Both are French Mom and Pop places that care and deliver good product but can get overwhelmed when very busy so you need to be patient. Both are worth the wait if you know in advance to expect it and plan for it.
Milo’s Taverna—Alas another place we wanted to be good but found it not so. We like Greek food and we like the “Opa” atmosphere that usually comes with it. This place had Opa in spades but the food just didn’t make it. The waiters were “Greek family” types who were brimming with hospitality. They had a belly dancer and bazouki player. Best of all we had the good fortune to be there while a large extended Greek family celebrated something, probably a baptism. The retinue even included two Greek orthodox priests one in his robes and black hat. This was serious Greek Opa. The salad unfortunately had serious surplus vinegar and nothing else had serious good taste. It’s on A1A in a Ramada hotel. But you really don’t need to know that. It’s not worth the trip, unless you just order a bottle of Greek wine and soak up the ambiance and eat somewhere else.
Emil’s European Sausage Shop—on Hwy 1. As you might guess, this place is for take-out not dine-in. My husband came to the US from Latvia as a small child and so has a penchant for Eastern European foods—also German, Austrian, etc. etc. This place has everything in terms of quantity and variety. I can also speak for them in terms of quality and taste. This place is swell. You’ll want to try everything. It’s not cheap so you may want to try a few things at a time and resist the impulse to get large quantities. You’ll come again.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:55 AM
#9
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Tuscan Today—on Hwy 1 beyond Commercial but not as far as Ft. Lauderdale. I discovered this place alone while my husband was off on a business trip. I don’t mind dining alone. In fact, it can be very enjoyable from time to time. At any rate, I decided this place, which is relatively new, was a true “find.” I had shrimp and white bean bruschetta then chicken and potatoes and other veggies baked in a pot with a heavy dose of rosemary, all served on a nice patio with lattice-work and vines. I also found the two-price-only wine list, one group at $18.95 and the other at $23.95, very reasonable and an innovative way for a restaurant to price their wines. I expect it speeds up ordering. I liked the place so much that I convinced a large group from my husband’s business to go there when they came to town a month later. Bad decision!! The date of this extravaganza turned out just coincidentally to be Valentines Day. As a friend of ours who doesn’t go out on New Year’s Eve says, “That night’s for amateurs.” After my experience here I’m giving serious thought to never again joining the amateur diners on Valentine’s Day—at least not with a group any larger than 2. With reservations made long in advance we waited forever. I could tell that diners just weren’t leaving and knew that it wasn’t the restaurant’s fault—or maybe it was, should they not have been smarter than I and known that this kind of problem would develop on this “special day?”—but none of that made the interminable wait any more endurable. As I wrote in my log to commemorate this experience, “Too many people, taking too long, with too cheap wines (we had a couple of wine aficionados in our party who didn’t take to the inexpensive, two-tiered pricing system as I had), and too done food makes for a too bad dining experience.” All that aside, I’d still go there again, on any day except Valentines or New Years. It shows promise. The interior décor and outside dining are tasteful and fun. And I like the wine list and the idea behind it.
Oh, la la—is new on Oakland Park Blvd. I scoped it out while on my way to dinner at the Rainbow Palace nearby. It looked cute so I booked a table for later. It’s romantic if sparely decorated with a most interesting table full of dripping white candles set in the middle. I had a lobster bisque, blue cheese and walnut salad and duck confit with veggies. Everything was competently prepared and served. This place is a winner.
Mark’s Las Olas—is the trendiest and probably best place of many good ones on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale. The interior is cutting edge, lots of halogen lighting, wrought iron, and wood. I especially like the way they use clear glass cones hanging in a wrought iron holder instead of bread baskets. That’s the kind of place it is. I ate there for lunch twice, once in the dining room and once in the bar because I was there with a smoker. I usually enjoy eating in the bars of most restaurants and wish, as a non-smoker it weren’t always the place they stick smokers. This bar is especially attractive. I encourage you to stop for a drink even more than I might encourage you to stop for lunch. Had a good salad on one stop and a mediocre meatloaf on the other. I have very high standards in meatloaf and expected more from such a famous chef than was delivered. This place is so highly rated that I have to believe my experience was atypical.
Oasis—is the place on the A1A strip of Ft. Lauderdale beach that has the “porch swing” seating. The seating is irresistible—and as fun as it looks. The food is standard beach/bar food, maybe a little better.
Oh, la la—is new on Oakland Park Blvd. I scoped it out while on my way to dinner at the Rainbow Palace nearby. It looked cute so I booked a table for later. It’s romantic if sparely decorated with a most interesting table full of dripping white candles set in the middle. I had a lobster bisque, blue cheese and walnut salad and duck confit with veggies. Everything was competently prepared and served. This place is a winner.
Mark’s Las Olas—is the trendiest and probably best place of many good ones on Las Olas Boulevard in Ft. Lauderdale. The interior is cutting edge, lots of halogen lighting, wrought iron, and wood. I especially like the way they use clear glass cones hanging in a wrought iron holder instead of bread baskets. That’s the kind of place it is. I ate there for lunch twice, once in the dining room and once in the bar because I was there with a smoker. I usually enjoy eating in the bars of most restaurants and wish, as a non-smoker it weren’t always the place they stick smokers. This bar is especially attractive. I encourage you to stop for a drink even more than I might encourage you to stop for lunch. Had a good salad on one stop and a mediocre meatloaf on the other. I have very high standards in meatloaf and expected more from such a famous chef than was delivered. This place is so highly rated that I have to believe my experience was atypical.
Oasis—is the place on the A1A strip of Ft. Lauderdale beach that has the “porch swing” seating. The seating is irresistible—and as fun as it looks. The food is standard beach/bar food, maybe a little better.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:58 AM
#10
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Pusser’s—is just down the strip from Oasis. It has a waterfall instead of swings but its food is better. In fact, I’d guess this has some of the best food on the beach strip.
Timpano—is another place I wanted to be great and found only ok. It’s on Las Olas Blvd closer to the downtown business district than to the ocean. The atmosphere can’t be beat on a warm day. It’s all wood paneled with louvered window coverings, lazy ceiling fans and potted palms. You expect a Hemingway type to stroll in at any moment. I had osso buco, one of my favorite dishes, but it didn’t measure up to my expectations. Not enough “stew” to go with the meat. I did like the lemoncello (a lemon liquor native to the Amalfi coast of Italy) I was able to order as an after dinner drink. My guess is that this place and the upscale Cuban place next door (Samba Room) are terrific places for young, trendy, Ft. Lauderdale professionals to have after work cocktails and check each other out. Could be a good drink and people-watching place.
Al Forno—is a bakery, not a restaurant but they have tables for people who stop for wonderful breakfast and coffee goodies. The smell is over-whelming with a taste to match. Every imaginable bread, with emphasis on the Italian. Great pastries. Worth a drive into town for. It’s on Las Olas.
Café Claude—is north of PYBC up Hwy 1 in the Cove Shopping Center in Deerfield near the Charlie’s Crab there. It’s hard to find, but worth the hunt. With my husband gone on business, I went solo. At 56 I may well have been the youngest person in the room. Most of the other diners were well-dressed white/blue-haired folks who seemed to bask in the wonderful, attentive service provided. I’ll admit to a penchant for eavesdropping while dining alone and was treated to hearing a woman who’d worked as a then-young volunteer on the Estes Kefauvor campaign describe some of her experiences. I hadn’t heard that name in years. How fun. My food was as fun as my overheard conversation. I had duck confit with lentils as a starter then coq au vin with whipped potatoes and veggies. My server talked me into a French Macon wine when I asked for a Pinot Grigio. She was right. It was as good as the food and the “entertainment.” This is a lovely place.
Pole Nord—is the place I selected from among the hundreds on the Broadwalk that skirts the beach at Hollywood. It’s chalkboards (actually whiteboards with magic marker menus) included what I wanted to try--poutine, those French fries with brown gravy and cheese curds that the French Canadians are so big on. Having been to Montreal I already knew that “smoked meat” –a corned beef-like concoction served with lots of yellow mustard—is pretty tasty but I’d never had poutine. I made the mistake of ordering them together with a cold beer. I was so stuffed by the time I finished I was afraid I’d not be able to waddle back to my car. With all due respect to the French Canadians, I can’t say that this was the gourmet highlight of my life but it was interesting to try this once and I might have it again if I was really hungry. I know that it fills you up. The Hollywood Broadwalk is a really fun place to go. Pole Nord is as good as any of the places along it and if you are brave enough you might want to try the poutine. It’s not all bad.
Timpano—is another place I wanted to be great and found only ok. It’s on Las Olas Blvd closer to the downtown business district than to the ocean. The atmosphere can’t be beat on a warm day. It’s all wood paneled with louvered window coverings, lazy ceiling fans and potted palms. You expect a Hemingway type to stroll in at any moment. I had osso buco, one of my favorite dishes, but it didn’t measure up to my expectations. Not enough “stew” to go with the meat. I did like the lemoncello (a lemon liquor native to the Amalfi coast of Italy) I was able to order as an after dinner drink. My guess is that this place and the upscale Cuban place next door (Samba Room) are terrific places for young, trendy, Ft. Lauderdale professionals to have after work cocktails and check each other out. Could be a good drink and people-watching place.
Al Forno—is a bakery, not a restaurant but they have tables for people who stop for wonderful breakfast and coffee goodies. The smell is over-whelming with a taste to match. Every imaginable bread, with emphasis on the Italian. Great pastries. Worth a drive into town for. It’s on Las Olas.
Café Claude—is north of PYBC up Hwy 1 in the Cove Shopping Center in Deerfield near the Charlie’s Crab there. It’s hard to find, but worth the hunt. With my husband gone on business, I went solo. At 56 I may well have been the youngest person in the room. Most of the other diners were well-dressed white/blue-haired folks who seemed to bask in the wonderful, attentive service provided. I’ll admit to a penchant for eavesdropping while dining alone and was treated to hearing a woman who’d worked as a then-young volunteer on the Estes Kefauvor campaign describe some of her experiences. I hadn’t heard that name in years. How fun. My food was as fun as my overheard conversation. I had duck confit with lentils as a starter then coq au vin with whipped potatoes and veggies. My server talked me into a French Macon wine when I asked for a Pinot Grigio. She was right. It was as good as the food and the “entertainment.” This is a lovely place.
Pole Nord—is the place I selected from among the hundreds on the Broadwalk that skirts the beach at Hollywood. It’s chalkboards (actually whiteboards with magic marker menus) included what I wanted to try--poutine, those French fries with brown gravy and cheese curds that the French Canadians are so big on. Having been to Montreal I already knew that “smoked meat” –a corned beef-like concoction served with lots of yellow mustard—is pretty tasty but I’d never had poutine. I made the mistake of ordering them together with a cold beer. I was so stuffed by the time I finished I was afraid I’d not be able to waddle back to my car. With all due respect to the French Canadians, I can’t say that this was the gourmet highlight of my life but it was interesting to try this once and I might have it again if I was really hungry. I know that it fills you up. The Hollywood Broadwalk is a really fun place to go. Pole Nord is as good as any of the places along it and if you are brave enough you might want to try the poutine. It’s not all bad.
Nov 27th, 2001, 08:59 AM
#11
Guest
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Rustic Inn Crab House—I have a visiting friend to thank for this one. She’d had garlic crabs years ago on a trip to Florida and got hungry for them while she was staying with us. I got out my trusty Zagat and started looking. The blurb about “best garlic crabs in town” and “wooden mallets to smash them” sounded like just what we were looking for. It was. It’s near the road to the airport so it’s a trek but worth it. I suggest wearing very old clothes that you won’t care about getting greasy because even with the bibs they provide, the crab and butter/grease fly everywhere as you dive into the buckets of crabs and beer that is the standard order here. They have other things, of course, but why anyone would want anything but these sweet, juicy, greasy, garlicky crabs, I can’t imagine. It was a real treat. Can’t wait to go again. We recommend without reservation.
Sights
Lest you think that I do nothing but eat while in Pompano Beach/Ft. Lauderdale, I’ve also reviewed below some of the many sights I’ve taken in while staying at our condo.
Butterfly World
I’m always a little suspicious of anything called “kingdom” “city” or “world,” so I expected this to be a little hokey and to have only a smattering of butterflies. Not so. This place is terrific. At one point I sat in the sun and had three butterflies sitting on me, my shoulder, leg and hand, all that beautiful iridescent blue that you see in collections. As you walk from cage to cage, lovely classical music plays and you are treated to more beauty than you might have imagined possible.
Sample Road “Flea Market”
This isn’t really a flea market. All the things for sale are new. The displays, however, are more like a flea market than a regular store or shopping center. It’s a big, cavernous building with aisle after aisle of “stuff” –shoes, clothing, giftware. Lots and lots of stuff. If you like to dig for bargains, you could spend hours here. You can find good prices on stuff you’ve seen elsewhere for much more.
Del Ray Beach
This is a very cute town with nice restaurants and boutique shopping. Worth a drive.
Morikami Garden
A beautiful, serene garden with ponds, lovely plantings and a Japanese pavilion that houses a museum explaining the history of a Japanese pineapple-growing settlement. The museum has interactive displays that will appeal to younger children as well as adults.
Sights
Lest you think that I do nothing but eat while in Pompano Beach/Ft. Lauderdale, I’ve also reviewed below some of the many sights I’ve taken in while staying at our condo.
Butterfly World
I’m always a little suspicious of anything called “kingdom” “city” or “world,” so I expected this to be a little hokey and to have only a smattering of butterflies. Not so. This place is terrific. At one point I sat in the sun and had three butterflies sitting on me, my shoulder, leg and hand, all that beautiful iridescent blue that you see in collections. As you walk from cage to cage, lovely classical music plays and you are treated to more beauty than you might have imagined possible.
Sample Road “Flea Market”
This isn’t really a flea market. All the things for sale are new. The displays, however, are more like a flea market than a regular store or shopping center. It’s a big, cavernous building with aisle after aisle of “stuff” –shoes, clothing, giftware. Lots and lots of stuff. If you like to dig for bargains, you could spend hours here. You can find good prices on stuff you’ve seen elsewhere for much more.
Del Ray Beach
This is a very cute town with nice restaurants and boutique shopping. Worth a drive.
Morikami Garden
A beautiful, serene garden with ponds, lovely plantings and a Japanese pavilion that houses a museum explaining the history of a Japanese pineapple-growing settlement. The museum has interactive displays that will appeal to younger children as well as adults.
Nov 27th, 2001, 09:01 AM
#12
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Fairchild Gardens
My sister-in-law is an avid gardener and was very impressed with this place. Though I can’t grow much of anything, I was also impressed. In fact, this is one of the most interesting and beautiful gardens I’ve ever been to. It’s a long drive from Pompano Beach (past Miami) but very worth it. A small open tram with a knowledgeable volunteer guide makes the excursion not only interesting and educational, but also doable even for persons with limited mobility. If you’re unfamiliar with Florida flora, this place will bring you up to speed.
Coral Castle
This is the most bizarre site we saw during our stays. My husband and in-laws are Latvian and the builder of this place was a Latvian, so I got them all to go see it. The place has been “written up” and televised for its strange coral buildings erected apparently single-handedly by a tiny man as a tribute to the young woman (Sweet Sixteen”) who jilted him. It’s hokey but amazing. It’s also a long way away, almost to Homestead beyond Miami (can be combined with Fairchild Gardens for an all day jaunt) so you may want to save it for sometime that you’ve really gotten bored and tired of “pool-sitting.”
Viscaya
This is the mansion owned by John Deering of tractor fame in the Coconut Grove area of Miami. He bought whole rooms from places he’d visited in Europe and had them incorporated into this pleasure palace in the new world. It’s right up there with some of the most interesting mansions and chateaux I’ve toured in Europe. Highly recommended.
Ocean Drive—Miami Beach
If you’ve never been there, Go! It’s like Disneyland for grownups, or at least for the beautiful people, but they let me in too, so don’t feel you have to be young, trim and beautiful to go. It’s the Art Deco area of Miami Beach with some of the most fabulous and whimsical architecture you’ll ever see. Visit Lincoln Road while you’re there, much of the “action” of south beach is now moving there.
Hollywood
This community of mostly retired people from Canada and New York (think George Costanza’s parents from Seinfeld) is a stitch. See recommendation for Pole Nord restaurant above. The broadwalk is an asphalt sidewalk that parallels the beach for about 2 miles. The beach here is beautiful, the shopping along it tacky and the people-watching incomparable.
Cloisters of St. Bernard of Clervaux
This Episcopalian church was dismantled from somewhere in Europe by William Randolph Hearst and reassembled (after many years in quarantine during a hoof and mouth disease scare) near Aventura. It’s small but has a beautiful cloister attached which is peaceful as is the surrounding garden. Worth a stop, though hard to find.
My sister-in-law is an avid gardener and was very impressed with this place. Though I can’t grow much of anything, I was also impressed. In fact, this is one of the most interesting and beautiful gardens I’ve ever been to. It’s a long drive from Pompano Beach (past Miami) but very worth it. A small open tram with a knowledgeable volunteer guide makes the excursion not only interesting and educational, but also doable even for persons with limited mobility. If you’re unfamiliar with Florida flora, this place will bring you up to speed.
Coral Castle
This is the most bizarre site we saw during our stays. My husband and in-laws are Latvian and the builder of this place was a Latvian, so I got them all to go see it. The place has been “written up” and televised for its strange coral buildings erected apparently single-handedly by a tiny man as a tribute to the young woman (Sweet Sixteen”) who jilted him. It’s hokey but amazing. It’s also a long way away, almost to Homestead beyond Miami (can be combined with Fairchild Gardens for an all day jaunt) so you may want to save it for sometime that you’ve really gotten bored and tired of “pool-sitting.”
Viscaya
This is the mansion owned by John Deering of tractor fame in the Coconut Grove area of Miami. He bought whole rooms from places he’d visited in Europe and had them incorporated into this pleasure palace in the new world. It’s right up there with some of the most interesting mansions and chateaux I’ve toured in Europe. Highly recommended.
Ocean Drive—Miami Beach
If you’ve never been there, Go! It’s like Disneyland for grownups, or at least for the beautiful people, but they let me in too, so don’t feel you have to be young, trim and beautiful to go. It’s the Art Deco area of Miami Beach with some of the most fabulous and whimsical architecture you’ll ever see. Visit Lincoln Road while you’re there, much of the “action” of south beach is now moving there.
Hollywood
This community of mostly retired people from Canada and New York (think George Costanza’s parents from Seinfeld) is a stitch. See recommendation for Pole Nord restaurant above. The broadwalk is an asphalt sidewalk that parallels the beach for about 2 miles. The beach here is beautiful, the shopping along it tacky and the people-watching incomparable.
Cloisters of St. Bernard of Clervaux
This Episcopalian church was dismantled from somewhere in Europe by William Randolph Hearst and reassembled (after many years in quarantine during a hoof and mouth disease scare) near Aventura. It’s small but has a beautiful cloister attached which is peaceful as is the surrounding garden. Worth a stop, though hard to find.
Nov 27th, 2001, 09:02 AM
#13
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Sawgrass Mills
Another of those places that claim to be “the World’s Biggest Outlet Mall”--this really is big and could well be the biggest. It’s also pretty classy as outlet malls go and has a new, very nice more upscale outdoor area with lots of dining opportunities like Wolfgang Puck and Legal Seafoods.
Boat Rental
We’ve done this a couple of times—once from a place on the Intracoastal and Atlantic and another time from a place just off Las Olas Blvd near the ocean in Ft. Lauderdale. On the former we went North toward Palm Beach and on the latter we toured the canals in Ft. Lauderdale and saw the homes in “Millionaire’s Row.” Both were fun and worth the somewhat high price.
Ft. Lauderdale
Shopping on Las Olas is great fun. Don’t skip the art museum. While we were there they hosted a traveling show on Pisarro and his family of artists that was worthy of a much larger city. Just driving along the ocean is wonderful.
Palm Beach
When you drive through Ft. Lauderdale you think you’re seeing some beautiful and very expensive homes. Then you go to Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale seems like nothing. The money in that place is just incomprehensible. The shopping is pretty top drawer too and the infamous Worth Ave. is all it’s purported to be. Stop in at the garden area at Bice for lunch.
Another of those places that claim to be “the World’s Biggest Outlet Mall”--this really is big and could well be the biggest. It’s also pretty classy as outlet malls go and has a new, very nice more upscale outdoor area with lots of dining opportunities like Wolfgang Puck and Legal Seafoods.
Boat Rental
We’ve done this a couple of times—once from a place on the Intracoastal and Atlantic and another time from a place just off Las Olas Blvd near the ocean in Ft. Lauderdale. On the former we went North toward Palm Beach and on the latter we toured the canals in Ft. Lauderdale and saw the homes in “Millionaire’s Row.” Both were fun and worth the somewhat high price.
Ft. Lauderdale
Shopping on Las Olas is great fun. Don’t skip the art museum. While we were there they hosted a traveling show on Pisarro and his family of artists that was worthy of a much larger city. Just driving along the ocean is wonderful.
Palm Beach
When you drive through Ft. Lauderdale you think you’re seeing some beautiful and very expensive homes. Then you go to Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale seems like nothing. The money in that place is just incomprehensible. The shopping is pretty top drawer too and the infamous Worth Ave. is all it’s purported to be. Stop in at the garden area at Bice for lunch.
Nov 27th, 2001, 09:21 AM
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Wow, Julie what a great report, and I thought I gave details in my reports!
But really now, ordering meatloaf at Mark's Las Olas? Whatever possessed you?
Call and find out when they're doing the whole crispy snapper and go again, or try any of the cuban accent dishes. Even their garlicy roasted chicken and shoestrings are out of this world. By the way I love meatloaf too, so I really do understand, but you just made a bad choice!!
You've given me a couple of new options, but I only get over to Lauderdale for a day at time rather infrequently and I just can't seem to pass up going to Marks.
PS. since you spend so much time at the Europe site, you'll appreciate that Mark's is where Elvira and I met for lunch.
But really now, ordering meatloaf at Mark's Las Olas? Whatever possessed you?
Call and find out when they're doing the whole crispy snapper and go again, or try any of the cuban accent dishes. Even their garlicy roasted chicken and shoestrings are out of this world. By the way I love meatloaf too, so I really do understand, but you just made a bad choice!!
You've given me a couple of new options, but I only get over to Lauderdale for a day at time rather infrequently and I just can't seem to pass up going to Marks.
PS. since you spend so much time at the Europe site, you'll appreciate that Mark's is where Elvira and I met for lunch.
Nov 27th, 2001, 10:15 AM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
Patrick, glad to hear that your experience at Mark's Las Olas confirms what the critics say. I'll follow your advice and check for snapper before booking again. I do know that Mark is a whiz at fashioning menus having eaten at Mark's South Beach where my experience was top drawer. I understand the "return to what you know is swell" syndrome, but if you can tear yourself away from Mark--or wangle an extra meal when you're in the vicinity--do give Cafe Maxx on Atlantic a try. It doesn't have the cutting edge decor of Mark's but it does have consistently great food. It would be worth a drive. I expect Elvira would enjoy it too if you're meeting her again.
