Butter on top!

When I first started this blog, I walked into it telling myself that I wasn’t going to write any entries describing anything but restaurants I was reviewing. But now I realize that this is a food blog. All things food. So why the hell am I holding back? I’m constantly studying food , reviewing restaurants and cooking up a storm. So I might as well rant about them as I please.

I wanted to say that as much as people shun it, BUTTER, is one ingredient that puts magic into cooking. Yes its FAT, but you know what? Humans crave fat. They needed to survive as caveman to supplement the warmth of their loincloths, and they need it now just as much to help sooth the stress of daily life crisises.

I’d like to go on a small tangent here. I like butter because it doesn’t have the synthetic trans-fats that are commonly found in margarine. Margarine may seem harmless because its so commonly used.In actuality,its a synthetically altered substance using a process called hydrogenation. The end result? Trans-Fats. Trans-fat raises LDLs…aka the bad cholesterol. Its slightly similar to saturated fats that are found in animal products like natural butter. However, there is one slight difference. Margarine, spray butter, WHAT HAVE YOU- its fake! Its synthetic. It is "enhanced" with other ingredients so that they don’t go rancid or look unappetizing after sitting out on the counter for all hours of the day. Butter is natural. The product is separated from the milk and BOOM! YOU HAVE YOUR COOKING GOLD. I say don’t fear it; eat it.

Butter melts better, it sautés garlic, onions, veggies, and cooks meats better. It lubricates cookware and adds a homemade richness to food.It makes food do hurtles compared to margarine. True you shouldn't consume it in excess just as with any other food. You don’t want your blood resembling a strawberry shake. But you have to agree that it just creates a sudden warmth inside you when you taste a dish that uses it. Butter brings food together, it thickens sauces, it richens everything. Popcorn, potatoes, cakes, pies, cookies, pastas, casseroles, bread, fish, lobster, steak…..chocolate. I think you could make a pretty long list of all the things that taste infinitely more divine with the addition of butter. It just makes me so angry that people would prefer a fake product to something so majestic. The recipes our forefathers and mothers gave us didn’t use “ I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter!” Nor did they invite Fabio over for dinner…They just couldn’t believe they even had butter, and created recipes that their children’s children’s children passed on to countless people to enjoy today.

So in closing, but the tub of questionable butter-like material down, and use the real thing.

J. Alexanders- Palm Beach Gardens, FL

The only positive thing I knew about J. Alexanders before I dined there was that it served American style food. Well that could have meant anything right? Cheeseburgers? Steaks? Grilled Cheese? Spaghettios topped with Kraft singles? I knew this was going to be an interesting experience.

Arriving inside the doors of J. Alexanders I could definitely see that it was a busy place. The bussling open kitchen spewing out steam and the sound of plates clinking together greeted and intrigued me. Drunken wealthy folk drank from oversized wine-glasses at the bar and were shooting their heads back in laughter. Did they know something that I didn’t?

Sitting down I could see that it did seem a little overpriced, but they offered some very delicious sounding things (and spaghettios were no where to be found). The mood lighting was so dim that I could barely see the menu. I could make out…filet mignon with béarnaise sauce. Yum. Kai Thai salad with a cilantro vinagrette. Yum. Aged Prime Rib or New York Strip with Mac n Cheese. Oh my GOD. A thin steak covered in Maitre De butter . Fire roasted artichokes. Old fashion cheeseburger. Crab cakes. Yes! Maybe this was going to be memorable after all. Each dish seemed to range in price from about 15-30 dollars. After hearing the specials I decided to go with the Blue Cheese Encrusted 6 oz. Filet Mignon with baked potato. My accompaniments ordered the club sandwich and the Thai Kai salad. We crossed our fingers for the best and prayed to the food gods to send us something good.

When you first sit down at a new restaurant, you are kind of enthralled and focused on the menu. Your nose is stuck in between the papers scavenging the page for something to your liking…After you order and are welcomed with warm croissants with honey butter you automatically look around the room some more and take in the atmosphere. J. Alexanders completely astounded me. I peeked over my booth to see a very post modern yet cozy environment. Modern light fixtures that look like mazes, smooth upbeat jazz trickling into the speakers. My eye also caught the expediting table in the kitchen with the new entrees ready to be flown to their destined table. “What is that?!” I exclaimed. “Is that food!?” The rest of my party turned around and to our surprise we saw a mountain piled high full of salad and beautifully shaped. Upon further examination around is we discovered that everything here was BIG and BEAUTIFUL. Our onion ring appetizer was the size of packing tape rolls stacked and towered up and over our table in a gorgeous presentation. It was lightly battered and served with a spicy barbeque mustard sauce. If this was just the appetizer, I was both excited and almost scared to find out what our main course was going to look like.

Finally…it came. It was like christmas morning in a mood lit steakhouse... And it almost took our breath away. The Thai Kai salad one of my accompaniments orders was situated like a skyscraper on the table. Apparently you can pick at it like a game of Jenga or just go at it guerilla-attack- style and smash the salad down for easier eating. My steak however looked like something I’d only dream of eating. It was billowing steam as it arrived in front of me. The filet was absolutely glistening and topped with a thick crust of blue cheese. Sitting next to my filet was a gorgeous high rise bake potato overflowing with cheese and sour cream. I dug right in with regrets of destroying the presentation.

The steak was so tender and juicy it actually started to melt in my mouth. The flavor was rich but not overpowering and the blue cheese crust was an unbelievable compliment to the steak flavor. I actually started eating the blue cheese on its own and combined it with the baked potato (winning combo). I have only had a steak this delicious on one or two occasions. And I have to say I have had my share of steaks. It was astonishing and memorable. The baked potato was bursting with flavor and not to mention bursting with size! The sour cream I knew was an artery clogger. But who really cares when you are in a situation like this, right? REAL sour cream. Daisy can take her dollop and shove it where the sun don’t shine. I got to try a bite of the Thai Kai salad too, and it was again, full of flavor and incredibly fresh tasting. The cilantro and the Thai flavors complimented each other very well. To top everything we enjoyed some Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc and it tasted better with every glass. If you have never had this wine, its light, fruity, and refreshing. I find hints of pears in it, personally. I think I understood now why the mood lighting in the restaurant was so dark...they wanted you to focus only on the deep intoxicating flavors and blur everything else out. A wise tactic!

Taking another squinting look around the room I saw that almost every table near me had a very large doggy bag with them to take home. I think it is literally impossible to finish the portions at J.Alexanders. It is so pleasant to find a higher end restaurant that doesn’t have crouton sized portions. They know America is known for large portions and demands large portions. I think they exaggerated this a little bit on purpose. Nonetheless, It was a great experience and my party and I literally wobbled out. I take back my assumptions of this place and have actually visited this place several times. I tried the Palm Beach Gardens location, but apparently there are 4 other locations in South Florida. So readers…save a little in your piggy bank and take a trip to J. Alexanders for an exaggerated American experience.

Rock N Roll Ribs: Coral Springs, FL

As a lifelong metalhead, I cant help but get goosebumps when one of my favorite bands opens a restaurant. I mean Alice Cooper opened his out West and it was a success. But how bout everyone else? Will the others have some Hard Rock overpriced knockoff? I had hoped not. Why shouldn't someone open something smack dab on a random road in South Florida? Nicko McBrain, the infamously talented drummer from Iron Maiden recently opened his own BBQ joint in such a "smack dab" place. I went there just the other day and I felt like I had entered as a normal 22 year old girl anticipating a pretty decent BBQ meal...and I exited as a hyped-up metal-song-screaming banshee who had just eaten one of the most epic meals of her life.

I took one of my good friends with me, another fellow metal fan..both big fans of old school metal...Motley Crue, Megadeth, Def Leppard,Dio and of course Iron Maiden. We were definitely expecting dark things from this place. And let me tell you, WE GOT OUR WISH. We pulled into the parking lot, wondering if we had gone to the right restaurant. We then saw a stick-thin pale man with long black hair and a band shirt trudging to his car. Yes. We were here.

We stepped inside. I couldn't help but allow my jaw to drop. The entire restaurant was covered from head to toe in guitars, drum sets, stage lights and Iron Maiden memorabilia. A sarcophagus of the Iron Maiden icon, Eddie sat near the door and made me jump. I expected a skeleton faced mummy to creep out to take my order. The rock themed menu was both hilarious and appetizing. It was like one big rock lover's inside joke. VIP Ceasar Salad. Rock n Roll Spare Ribs. Backstage Chix Sandwhich, Lazy Roadie Wings, Moby Rick Death Dog. I decided to go with Spare Ribs...nice lunch special 1/4 rack with garlic toast, coleslaw and fries. My friend got the Moby Rick Death Dog. Music Videos buzzed in and out on the TV next to us. Jimi Hendrix Played the Star Spangled banner and Judas Priest screamed "Breaking the Law!". Finally our food arrived, both on pewter disks..it was simply Medieval. I loved it. My ribs were smothered in house sauce, a deliciously sticky sweet BBQ sauce. You had choices of hot, mustard, house, or tangy on bottles in every table. My favorite was the tangy, and I was licking it off my fingers by the end of the meal. My other favorite part was the crispy browned fries that were in infinite shapes like twisted fingers. My lunch was so fantastic. Messy. and an overwhelming pleasure of gastronomic textures.

Now comes the fun part. My accompaniment. He ordered the Moby Rick Death Dog. We expected just a slightly abnormal looking hot dog. What came to the table was just a monster. It was rather a sausage. A foot long sausage..I'm just getting myself into trouble trying to describe this. To be honest, it looked like a porn star was out of a job and that his schlong was just sitting there on my friend's plate. It was simply colossal. It was a pepper jack cheese filled dog wrapped in bacon and then fried to perfection and topped with house chili and grilled onions. We could help but laugh at the sight of it. I just looked at my friend with raised eyebrows and said " HAH! GOOD LUCK WITH THAT". Check out the picture I post with this entry and you will see what I mean.Not surprising, it was delicious. It was crunchy on the outside and perfectly cooked and wonderfully cheesy on this inside. The grilled onions were a nice touch. We had to leave half to take home.

What a great experience. We came, we rocked, we conquered and bid everyone goodbye. A great price for the food too. 7-10 bucks for all that food and leftovers to take home! I think Nicko McBrain knew that he couldn't just make this any Rock n Roll themed restaurant. He had to put a shocking twist on everything, just like the stage shows of Iron Maiden and just how they love to surprise everyone album after album. Like I said, I walked out of there with a smile ear to ear. I felt 17 again. I can only imagine, what this place is like at night. But that...is a story for another day. Rock n Roll Ribs RULES.

Nick's Tomato Pie: Jupiter, FL

When the moon hits your eyes like a big pizza pie thats Amoreeeee!

This is probably one of my favorite places in Jupiter, FL. I have been going here for about 14 years and I still make an effort to make a visit every week or so to get my fix. A place where families can go for a stomach stuffing dinner, where can see the replica cast of 'Goodfellas' having a mafia meeting, where you can take someone and sit at the bar and order an entire lobster in a bowl to accompany that one...or five glasses of wine.

Nicks Tomato Pie has never dissapointed me. With such generous portions and extensive menu how could they? The restaurant is large and caverous yet elegant and decorated from floor to ceiling in Italian architecture and ambiance. Tomato sauce cans piled high,a statue of Nick himself towers over guests as he bids them to sit down.Pictures of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin with corntooth smiles look at you while their voices grace the sound system. An Italian expresso machine hides in the corner and steams every few minutes. The smell of fresh bread and garlic diffuses through the restaurant as you see chefs shoving hot dough and pizza in and out of the ovens in the back. I remember as a little girl the chefs would see me peeking over the ledge of the counter to see them make the pizza dough, and they would make me little dough boys to eat and play with while my family waited for our table. Its both literally and figurately such a warm experience at Nicks.

The food. Oh the food! Fantastic fresh ingredients. Cheese, garlic, tomatoes, meat ,vegetables, and spices all conjured differently into a steaming delicious heap on your plate. You feel like an Italian Harry Potter when you dine at Nick's Tomato Pie because the food simply puts a spell on you for days. I know... its a corny joke... but its true. Each table starts off with a hot loaf of Italian bread accompanied with olive oil and roasted cloves of garlic which you mash to your liking and spread onto slices of the bread. This in itself is sometimes enough food to stuff you, but I suggest you don't stop here. Oil spots start to fill your paper tablecloth as you dig into this appetizer. Or as I like to call it, appeTEASER. It teases you for the food to come. I will recommend several dishes on the menu that I have enjoyed on many visits. First Im going to suggest to start off with the house salad. The dressing is so unique. Its tangy, its creamy, and its peppery. I also reccomend the cream of tomato soup if they have it. Usually they only carry it a few times a week but if you happen to get lucky on a day when they serve it, just try it and you'll understand the meaning of life. To this day I still try and replicate the damn recipe but its impossible. Its unspeakably creamy and topped with toasted bread and fresh basil. For a main course I suggest the manicotti, the baked ziti, penne alla vodka (my favorite), any of their signature pizzas. If you are in the mood for pasta, Nick's is great because they have a section of the menu where you can pick a type of noodle and pair it with one of their many sauces. You can never go wrong with their marinara is so fresh tasting. The fra diavolo is a little spicy, the alla vodka which I almost always get forced to order because my brain will slap me if I don't. There's alfredo, primavera and garlic&oil as well. So really, you have many choices to look to over as far as basic pasta.For meatlovers there are dishes like sauage and peppers and veal parmesan, and chicken and seafood dishes like chicken parm and whole main lobster in a bowl. They all come with a small bowl of pasta on the side to further burst your belly at the seems. Ill post a link at the bottom so you can see the entire menu.

I have a feeling that Nick's will remain in Jupiter for a long time to come. People simply flock there and its not very hard to see why. And after you are stuffed and full with a big fat cannoli sticking out of your mouth, you can draw on the paper tablecloths and write CHECK PLEASE.


LINK TO MENU : http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/12/771944/restaurant/Miami/Nicks-Tomato-Pie-Jupiter

Pusateri's Chicago Pizza: Stuart, Florida

I was born in Chicago, IL. If you’ve never been there it’s really an amazing city and not to mention one of the food capitals of the world. Granted you freeze your ass off 8 months out of the year, but Illinois offers what I like to call “Hibernation foods” to alleviate the bitter chills. Foods like this are found in any place that has legitimate winter, but Chicago is a gold mine for comfort food.

When I was about seven I moved to Florida, and ever since then I have been on a quest to find the comfort foods of my homeland. Of course the family and I make the occasional visit to Chicago for the holidays and turn into ravenous wolves eating at all our favorite restaurants from our past, but the ravenous eating only lasts a couple of days. What happens when were back on the peninsula? A few years ago, I finally found a restaurant in Florida that serves real imported Chicago food. The restaurant is called Pusateri’s Chicago Pizza.

Settled in downtown Stuart, FL, Pusateri’s is a small restaurant that pulls you in like a lerking insect to a pizza-making bug zapper with its welcoming glowing window signs and Christmas lights that are lit year-round. It’s cozy inside with a few tables all smushed together and a nice outside deck to lounge on. The walls are absolutely covered with Chicago memorabilia. You can’t help but feel connected to people eating there because they all know the same “secret” that you do. Familiar Midwest accents chime in and out as you take in the scene.

The menu isn’t too overwhelmingly large and contains pure Chicago food classics. The ingredients are shipped into the restaurant directly from Windy City. One of the interesting aspects of Pusateri’s is that it doesn’t serve the usual Chi-town deep dish pizza. It does ,however, serve traditional Chicago thin crust pizza. You can tell that Pusateri’s serves real Chicago thin crust pizza because under the thick cheese layer and square-cut pieces lies a bubbling pizza sauce that is slightly sweet. The sweetness is what sets apart Chi-town pizza from any other contender in the world, and Pusateri’s hit it right on the nose. The sauce is slightly sugary, yet thick. There are so many styles of pizza at Pusateri’s to choose from: The Magnificent Meat ( 4 types of meat), the Hawaiian, the John Hancock (6 toppings), the Veggie for all you health nuts, and my favorite, which is the Signature Sausage. I would recommend sausage as a topping in this scenario because it is crumbly, plump and juicy. Plus sausage is almost like a staple food for people in Illinois. It may cause heart attacks, but lets face it-We don't care. Sausage or war!

Now, I can’t forget one of the most important things on the menu: The Hot Dogs. Pusateri’s sells hot dogs in a push cart found right inside the restaurant which is a real novelty. Thankfully there is no sweaty fat man in an undershirt trying to sell you them. Its just a cool addition, and I don't think that the dogs would taste the same without it. However, these aren’t your typical Oscar Meyer wieners. These are hotdogs made with special beef that is unique only to the Chicago land area. Its called Vienna Beef (read more about it at http://www.viennabeef.com/). The casing has a slight crunch and the hot dog itself is made with 100% beef. Now surrounding the dog is a steamed poppyseed bun and on top lies the notoriously crazy toppings. People refer to Chicago Hot Dogs are being “dragged through the garden”. Get ready for this. A full maximum Chi-town hot dog has yellow mustard (no ketchup), chopped onions, two tomato wedges, a pickle spear, sport peppers, ELECTRIC green relish, and sprinkled with celery salt. Trust me I know this sounds like you are going to have to unhinge your jaw like a snake to eat this, but trust me the taste combinations are worth it. Its a taste explosion and the way a Chicago hot dog should taste.

Moving onto more beef (a staple of Chicagoans), Pusateri’s offers delicious hot sandwiches. Take on the Italian Beef Sandwich for instance. This consists of hot roast Italian beef on French bread and soaked in Au Jus so that it starts to disintegrate when your tongue hits it. They also serve a Sausage Sandwich. But you know what? SCREW IT. SCREW IT ALL! Who should have to decide between sausage or italian beef? That decision is way too cruel for any normal Chicago eater and could cause a head trauma to decide between the two. Order the Chi-town combo instead and get both sausage and roast beef stacked sky high in the same way. Pure satisfaction.

Just for some little additives, I recommend getting an appetizer of Gimm’e Garlic with Cheese. It’s a garlic bread dish in which you can see the strings of cheese stretching across like a bridge to your mouth.

The staff is very friendly and makes a definite effort to remember the orders of returning customers. However, the hours at Pusateri’s are a little strange so check their website to be sure. They also do carryout and local delivery. I recommend this place to all my friends because the prices are reasonable (about $3.00 to $20.00) and those unfamiliar with Chicago get a little idea of what’s waiting for them in the real city.

If there is one thing I know about people from Chicago, it’s that their eyes really are as big as their stomach. If you are from Chicago, have a big appetite, or are curious about what Chicago tastes like, then try Pusateri’s.

Old Florida Cafe: Micanopy, FL

I find that some of the best places to eat are never easily seen straight off the main road. In fact, you may have to travel back in time with Chris Lloyd to a near abandoned town to get there. "GREAT SCOTT!". Along route 441 driving south from Gainesville, you'll eventually come upon a small town called Micanopy. Turn right onto the only flashing traffic light for miles and you're there. According to their town website, its referred to as the " town that time forgot" and by visiting it you can see that statement to be all too true. The town is absolutely Historic, like the mansion hotel you can still book rooms in that was built in 1845. Micanopy is a town of roughly 700 people and is rarely ever disturbed. It reminds me of the small town in the film "Big Fish" in which you come and their pie and then never leave because the people are just so damn nice! With every nice small town, comes its oddities. Every time I take a trip to Micanopy for lunch, i stop to eat and then wander into the antique shops and general stores for fun .Among my discoveries over the years, I found an old gas mask from WWII, action figures from the 40's and 50's and an ancient enema kit. Why anyone would want to purchase the enema kit, I've no idea. But it looked very uncomfortable and I got a good laugh out of it.

But despite these quirky little shops and disturbing discoveries, there lies a small cafe that everyone can relax at and eat a good lunch. In fact, it is half cafe and half antique store. Almost every building in micanopy is an antique store in some strange way. While you're ordering, don't hesitate to take a look around you. From ceiling to floor, this place is covered in old novelties. The food, however, is very fresh. Old Florida Cafe is a small sandwich shop settled among a patio garden. Everytime I go I have unique experience and strangely take on a Southern accent. Their specialties include reubans, cubans, and BLTs. They are simple sandwiches that aren’t so simple when entering the mouth. The Reuben’s are smothered in corn beef cheese and sauerkraut . I know it sounds simple, but sometimes less is more.The BLT- just as it sounds. The best part about this is that the bacon is actually still sizzling and crispy when it makes its way to your plate. My friend ordered this and the bacon was actually glistening. Lets face it, one of the things that Southern folk can do is fry bacon. Fry Bacon and make the best sweet tea. Another great part about this hidden gem is that the sweet tea is also made every day. Served in a styrofoam cup with a huge chunk of ice stuck in the bottom to suck on later, drowned to the top with tea. Am I crazy or do drinks taste better in styrofoam? Everyday at the cafe feels like a lazy Sunday. And while you’re still hungry, grab some cakes and pies that peek at you in the window when you are ordering at the counter. (Warning: Pecan pie may cause involuntary drooling).

Don't be surprised however to have visitors while you’re eating. No, im not talking about cranky panhandling hobos. Im talking about the cats. It is widely know that the cafe's cat with a lazy eye and a chipped ear makes its way systematically around from table to table as the food is served. Using his unbareable cuteness, you'll soon notice that he'll usually get a piece of food from every table he visits. There are actually a couple of cats that wander the town hoping to get stray scraps. Oh, and they also love to be pet.

Sitting under your umbrella table eating your scrumptualities, you can look on the town. It feels like the town was literally forgotten, and that the people never left. The buildings are old with the paint scraping off. You’ll find small dirt roads crisscrossing in and out of the road like Peach and Magnolia Avenue. The people there take their time.It's comforting to know that simple places like this still exist despite cities with useless traffic jams and iphone takeovers. If you come to Old Florida Cafe, you'll feel it to be an absolute escape.

****Remember that Old Florida Cafe takes cash only, but prices are very reasonable.

Mr. Han's Chinese Restaurant: Gainesville, FL

For those who have never been to China like myself, there is always a curiosity to find authentic Chinese food in the United States that thinks outside the takeout box. For those who don’t have air miles to travel to China to get it, there is a place in Gainesville, Florida that is hidden just like all "good" restaurants but emits a secret certain elegance. Mr. Han's Chinese Restaurant is one such place.

No this isn't your neighborhood chinese buffet serving doubtful pet meats in dirty chicken water. Hidden behind a motel this restaurant sits on the 2nd floor of a nightclub. From the road its impossible to see, but when you curve your way back down the single road, the place seems so obvious that you might slap yourself from not seeing it before. Upon entering, you notice that it’s dark with only tinges of lights gracing each table and beautiful, fresh pink flowers in the middle. Where you sit is almost holy. The place looks nothing under the standards of the best chinese mafia dining room. Only the best.

But what you come here for is legendary. The Duck. The Peking duck to be exact. It is their own recipe that directly comes from the recipes they use in those dark secret alleys in China and in the past dynasties, was only used to serve the royal dynasties. When I first came here, I had a craving for a crispy marinated, slow roasted duck. And that’s exactly what I got. Sitting down in a quiet corner, you are served complimentary Oolong tea, which relaxes you to the core until the excitement builds up again when your entree arrives.

Now, for those of you who don't know, Peking duck is a specialty in China. It was first made in the 1300's, and as said before it was only served to royalty. In the 20th century it began to spread internationally. It is a duck that is slow roasted with crispy brown bubbling skin served with a plum sauce, or often with pancakes. Mr. Han’s likes to make it pretty simple, which is always the most delicious route. The flavors never get too complicated. Sprawled out, its served on a plate with the crispy skin pieces laid about on top, and the moist meaty goodness hidden underneath in a plum sauce topped with snowpeas. Just writing this has made me make plans tonight with a friend to go get more. There is plenty to go around even for two people, remember this is a whole duck and for about $30 you’re getting the best of the best. I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Han himself for about an hour about the restaurant business and about his passion for food and travel. He told me that their Peking duck is what made them famous because of their technique related to old traditional Chinese methods of cooking the duck, not the more modern techniques.

NOW, for those of you who arent so favored to quacking creatures, fear not. There’s an entire other menu besides the duck that is delicious. The 4 star dumplings are a great starter, or their many soups like the dragon and phoenix soup. Do not worry there is no mythical creature fee. Entrees include, the Prime Steak which is made with a soy-based sauce, lobster with cream sauce or South African lobster, House chicken(a very large portion) smothered in a murderously amazing 17th century sauce recipe, shrimp, pork dishes, and Mu-Shi which are meats that you wrap in pancakes. One of the strangest yet most delicious sounding dishes is called the Beggar's chicken. You actually have to order this dish a whole DAY in advance because they are special chickens fed on President Jimmy Carter's peanuts. Don't worry, this won’t cost you the entire contents of the Oval office including Ms. Lewinsky, it’s only about 25 dollars and big enough for a few people to share. It’s marinated overnight, wrapped in bamboo leaves and stuffed with crabmeat and roasted for many hours with the dripping chicken juices basting it, making it ever so tender.

Mr. Han's is a true traditional experience. The staff is very accommodating, friendly, and catering and they make damn sure that this won't be your last visit. On all my visits to the restaurant, Mr. Han actually made an effort to come around to all the tables and make sure that everything was going swimmingly. However, Catastrophic news suddenly hit the restaurant after my last visit. While eating at one of my favorite Hibachi restaurants, I overhead from other guests and later confirmed that Mr. Han was killed in a car accident not 2 weeks after my last visit to the restaurant. May he rest in peace and his legendary recipes live on forever. I feel so honored I got to have a meaningful conversation with him before this tragedy.

Frog's BBQ Pad: Gainesville, FL

This review is dedicated to every BBQ lover that had that one gasping, sauce dripping, fall off the bone BBQ experience they will never forget and will compare every BBQ place they visit in the future to that particular experience.
There is a small shack about 10 miles west of Gainesville in the rural town of Williston. I have now confirmed from my own experiences with food that the local shacks in every small town usually make the best comfort food and put the most care in their food. They don’t have time to make the place look pretty because they are making sure the food tastes the way its supposed to taste.

Frogs BBQ Pad is one such shack that makes mouthwatering BBQ. Don't worry, no Amphibians were harmed in the making of this BBQ. Their specialties include, ribs, pulled pork, beef plates, and classic BBQ sandwiches that set your taste buds ablaze. They have sides like fried okra, homemade baked beans and other Southern favorites. My favorite items on the menu would have to be the gigantic titanous beef ribs and the pork plate because they are cooked to absolute perfection and the portions are large. For about 10 dollars, you can get a 1/2 lb of "fall off the bone" ribby goodness or a mound of delicious pulled pork smothered in sauce in between two pieces of garlic toast. Now there is a good amount of sauce on the BBQ itself when it comes out, BUT you can always ask for more and what you get is quite a surprise. One of the employees will hand you a Styrofoam cup filled to the brim with their tangy smokey, thick BBQ sauce so you dunk and dip your BBQ in it as much as you’d like. You may become so drunkenly obsessive with this BBQ sauce that you may find yourself drinking the cup of sauce rather than your cup of Coca Cola.

The atmosphere is not much to look at from the outside. Off of Highway Route 27, you'll see this little rugged shack from the road and its dusty parking lot. When you enter, you’ll see there isn’t much room for sitting: a couple of tables and a long antique green velvet bench. When you order, you have to speak through a small window barely big enough for the employees face to fit through. This tactic makes me think that these people take their BBQ seriously, and like to keep it a secret. That is what is so magical about good BBQ; people go to great lengths to protect their recipes and keep their guest wondering.

Take a chance on this place. The food is full-bodied, and you can tell that someone behind that mysterious window put alot of time into making it. Trust me when I say that you will leave there full and belly-busted so that you can go home and pass out on the couch watching Seinfeld completely satisfied.

Nippon Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi. Jupiter, FL

This is probably my favorite restaurant in my hometown of Jupiter, FL. I’ve been a regular customer there for more than 15 years.

Nippon is a small Japanese Steakhouse settled close to the beach in the corner of a crowded plaza. Its one of those hard to find nooks in Jupiter, but every time I want it I can taste it immediately from pure memory. I think there is a little soldier in my brain who hides behind the grey matter and sets off food grenades every time I think of this place. You would not expect much from the outside, but when you’re inside you automatically feel drawn in.

*Nippon is a great place to take your family, friends or go on a date. There are several sections of the restaurant you can choose to eat in. Even in such a small from the outside, there really is a ton of space inside. Here is a list of the different sections of the restaurant*

A. The hibachi grill- for those of you who don't know, a hibachi grill is a huge sizzling iron grill that the Japanese use to cook large amounts of food on at the same time. The chef cooks the entire table's food in front of its guests and uses tricks with his knives and food to entertain the guests.
B. Regular tables- you can order anything on the menu and have it made in the kitchen or the sushi bar to have brought to you.
C. Traditional Japanese tables- authentically eaten upon in Japan, these low to the floor tables allow you to sit on the floor and order both sushi and any other menu item. No shoes allowed.This is great to try if you like something more unique. No other Japanese restaurant in Jupiter or surrounding town has this type of seating style
D. Sushi bar- watch the owner of the restaurant, a great sushi chef make the freshest pieces of raw fish you have had in a while. I still think that most of the places in Palm Beach County don't have as fresh of fish as Nippon. I recommend the spicy tuna roll, the spider roll or the Jupiter roll.

When you walk in you hear the chimes ring on the door announcing your arrival to a totally different country. If you are lucky you will be welcomed by the owner's wife who is a family friend of ours and is as sweet as could ever be. She makes such an effort to make sure her guests are at home and on special nights she will even wear an authentic Japanese kimono. The entire staff is well known for remembering their customers and their menu favorites when they return.

*The main menu besides the amazing sushi consists of hibachi meat dishes such as hibachi steak and chicken, scallops, shrimp, Filet Mignon, etc.
*Each hibachi meal comes with a starter of clear onion soup or crisp ginger salad. The homemade ginger dressing for the salad, is good enough to drink. Of course I always attract stares from the customers as I literally pour the remainder of the dressing at the bottom of my salad bowl down my gullet.
*Along with your starter, you receive a giant pile of delicious fried rice and vegetables cooked right in front of you. The portion sizes of rice are big enough to make 50 pigeons explode after a wedding.
* The meats come next and are always tender and fresh. Especially the shrimps and filet mignon. The combination of terryiaki sauce, soy oil, butter, lemon, and the leftover flavors from the charred grill when the rice and vegetables were made...makes these items extraordinary.
* Its always a treat to see the hibachi tricks the chef does for the audience of the table as well, making a starter fire which will almost singe your eyebrows off and a volcano made of onions. *
*May I recommend as well, if your dip happy like me ...to dip all your foods in the ginger and seafood sauce that they provide you with. Although called seafood sauce, I put this creamy, garlicky sauce over everything on my plate. and i mean EVERYTHING.


One of the things you can count on with Nippon is that they never run out of Sake, and the sake they use is so incredibly smooth. It is very easy to drink down a few bottles and find yourself face planting the concrete as soon as you say goodbye to the waitress.

Its a cozy place that you can always come back to and expect a good meal. The food never fails, which is why for me the 15 years has passed by so quickly. As for price, the sushi is reasonably priced ranging from 5-14 dollars just about. And the dinners from about 12-30. ALL IS WORTH IT and ALL IS AUTHENTIC. SAYONARA.

Satchel's Pizza. Gainesville, FL

Owned by the same people who run Leonardo’s pizza in Gainesville, this place really extends the word strange to a different level. Satchels can be spotted from the street with its jolly Christmas lights lit all year round. It’s usually a crowded place so while your waiting you can admire the decore from the outside and inside. Take a gander at their junk store called Lightning Salvage. There you can buy a beer or a soda in the glass bottle and shop for a few of the hundreds of little fun trinkets they sell that date back to your childhood. Tops, bouncy balls, horns, tiny action figures, flip books, fake mustaches for every day of the week, puzzle boxes, and dashboard Jesus's (the list goes on). Enjoy a live folk band playing every week in the bar next to the shop.

When you can finally sit down to eat, you have a choice of eating outside on a patio (including inside a hollowed out legendary Hippie bus) or inside the restaurant. If you prefer inside like me, its a really cozy space. Decorated with countless pieces artwork on the walls and mobiles hanging from the ceiling, your eyes eventually wander to the menu. The pizzas range in size from a slice to THE MAJOR ( 4 toppings) and you can order from 30 different toppings. I would definitely recommend the spicy sausage or steak n’ onions on your pizza and make sure you sample the crust of the pizza because it has a distinct garlic and olive oil taste with a moist center. Try the salad as well; its famous at Satchels and smothered in a homemade balsamic dressing. You can buy the dressing in bulk at Lightning Salvage if you drool over it like I do. But don't try to ask for the recipe, the dressing is top secret and locked in a safe somewhere underground with a polar bear carrying a chainsaw guarding it. A small salad is big enough for 2-4 people to ravage over. Like Leonardo’s, they don't skimp on portions; a great way to keep their customers coming back.

Now the thing to remember about Satchels, in my opinion, is that it’s the atmosphere that makes the good time for its visitors. The pizza is great but its what’s around you that makes it memorable. On your way out pick up a free bumper sticker to promote the restaurant and express your undying goofy teenage love for the place. They are all a little different. Mine reads " ATCHELSAY IZZAPAY"…that’s pig Latin for Satchel’s Pizza.

(One more thing to remember, BRING CASH, this is a cash only joint but they do have an atm inside if you happen to forget. Its a great place for a date or a big dinner with all your buddies). Parking spots can be difficult to find on the weekends so carpool on Friday and Saturday if you can. Enjoy!

Leonardo's Pizza. Gainesville, FL

Id like to start here because it was the first place I went to eat when I was a starving freshman at the University of Florida, just dying to gain those expected 15 lbs for every entering student. Leonardo's is known in Gainesville for its pizza, soft doughy rolls with garlic sauce, and its Indie feel.

This little joint has more than just your average mafia pizza place with the 3 basic toppings of pepperoni, sausage, and cheese. It lacks the crabby Italian waiter staring your table down from the kitchen. This place offers an odd and different experience. Using 2 large scalding pizza ovens, the topping varieties skyscraper to such selections as: The spin tom ( tomatoes, basil, and white cheese), the Greek, the Florentine ( my personal favorite: a mix of spinach, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, mozarella cheese, and fresh tomatoes). They even have pizzas for those that are vegetarian or vegan...although no offense to the proud vegans, but I can't imagine a pizza without real cheese. And of course for the classic pizza diner, they have excellent Pepperoni, sausage, and cheese toppings. Other than pizza, Leonardos offers a variety of pastas and salads with homemade dressing. And may I recommend the organic salad served with raspberry vinaigrette or just the basic garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious and again its fresh tasting and the dressings are made right in the restaurant.

I would have to say though, that my favorite item at Leonardo's..are the rolls. Made fresh daily, these pizza dough rolls are crispy on the outside and hot, moist and doughy on the inside. You can literally tear the roll apart leaving moist strings of dough in the middle. Just like a Pillsbury commercial, where you are ripping apart one of the doughboy's cousins. And the garlic sauce is great to dip the rolls in or even pour on your pizza.
***Warning: garlic sauce is so good that you may find yourself drinking it in shots***

What really makes this place unique is something that is found throughout Gainesville. Gainesville is almost a refuge, at least the downtown area, for those who follow the Indie culture. This can include people who cover themselves in tattoos, wear tight pants, cut their hair purposefully uneven, and listen to that music that you can't exactly put your finger on. But somehow, despite the love for the extreme, these young people have an amazing knack for cooking. Leonardos is one such place that exhibits this in its customers and employees. I like it because when you walk in, you are welcomed by real cooks, not a chain gang of uniforms with chicken hats. You get real people taking your order, and you sit with real people. There is nothing artificial about this place, and what you see is what you get.

With the good, there is always the bad. One of Leonardos best characteristics is its LOCATION. On the corner of 13th street and University Avenue,this location is possibly one of the most crowded intersections and therefore it draws alot attention and drooling customers. Its also less than 100 ft. from campus, so you have the constant waves of undergraduates dragging their feet in and causing a chaotic experience at the ordering counter. I have been known to get hot -headed about the ordering situation because there is no specific organization for a set "line". Generally during the week however, its a pleasant atmosphere. The bottom line, however, is that no matter how long you wait, the food is the pacifier.

As far as price? Just be ready to spend no more than 10 or 15 dollars on everything. By everything I mean a slice of pizza, a drink, 2 rolls (or more), and a salad. A really reasonable price which gives you A LOT of food for A LITTLE cash.

One of the things I always look for in restaurants is the amount of food you get with the price. Are their any sides? Does it come with anything? IF it doesn’t, it had better be pretty damn good by itself! Luckily most of the items on the menu allow you to sample some of the garlic rolls free of charge. If it doesn't however, a couple of rolls don't cost more than 3 dollars.


An adventure in itself when you open the door, Leonardos will leave you crawling back for more. How do they make their rolls so moist, and their dressings lip-smacking and their pizza toppings so fresh? It’s a mystery, and one of the best mysteries I have encountered in Gainesville, FL.