Florida Agenda

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

So there we were walking up Wilton Drive on our way to have some Japanese food, when we got sidetracked by the sound of laughter coming by way of Rosie’s Bar & Grill. Not the ha-ha stuff of comedy shows, but belly-laughs the size of Cleveland.

Happiness being in short supply these days, we ducked inside and made for the outside patio in search of the fun. The good time was spreading all over the place, so we pulled up chairs under a beach umbrella, and decided to chow down at this neighborhood favorite.

We love the sandwich wraps at Rosie’s—especially our all-time favorite big-as-a-horse Trojan ($10.50), blending mixed greens, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, Kalamata olives, Greek peppers, feta cheese and grilled chicken that’s all bound up in a tomatobasil tortilla. Then again we can’t forget the always-great Miss West Texas 1983 ($10.95)–grilled chicken, corn, black beans, caramelized onions, jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and housemade chipotle-honey barbeque sauce. Same tomato-basil tortilla; totally different taste.

On this night, however, we felt like Big Girls—those are the larger plates found near the end of the menu. It takes quite the appetite to consume an entire Versatile Plate ($19.95), but somehow my date managed just that. Try to imagine finishing off a flat-iron steak (grilled medium rare) rubbed with Rosie’s spice blend PLUS a skewer of grilled large pink shrimp with garlic butter and Old Bay seasoning—all served on a bed of onion rings, with garlic-herb mashed potatoes, and a side of broccoli. Yes, she finished the whole platter herself, and this is after downing the Caesar salad that comes with the meal.

I was hardly in a position to mock her eating exhibition, of course, since I had ordered the Coco-Loco Shrimp ($14.95)—jumbo, fried and coated in coconut. It’s served with a not-too-sweet Lady Marmalade sauce that is housemade in the back room. I opted to start with the eversuperb French onion soup ($1 extra). Decorated with dozens of colorful Japanese lanterns and the soft landscape lighting of the surrounding lush palm plantings, there’s little at Rosie’s to remind you that at one time this was a franchise of Hamburger Mary’s. Unless, of course, you flip to the burger menu where the club’s signature meat patties show their stuff. Where but at Rosie’s could you ever find a menu item called Wilma Breathstink ($10.50). By any other name that’s a burger that’s been drenched in red wine, topped with Swiss cheese, and layered with ovenroasted garlic.

If you like your meat on the spicy side, we recommend the Hellena Bun, a thick burger topped with crumbled blue cheese and fried jalapeños plus a slather of “Smack My Cheeks and Make ‘Em Rosie” sauce. No, you can’t have the recipe but you can enjoy the entrée for $11.50. Don’t eat meat? Try the Ima Gerdenia ($10.50), a Garden Burger® topped with cheddar cheese, sautéed mushrooms and “Thai Me Up” sweet chili sauce. All but the vegan Garden Burger® are made from a half-pound patty of Angus beef and served with lettuce, tomato and a side of fries or cole slaw.

There are salads galore on the menu as well. If we had to pick just one, it would be the Southern Lovin’ ($12.50), a big bowl of mixed greens topped with grilled (or fried) chicken, plus caramelized pecans, bacon bits, cheddar and jack cheeses, chopped tomatoes with a honey-mustard dressing.

Go early, stay late, laugh yourself silly—and tell ‘em Guy Magazine sent you.

ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL
2449 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954-563-0123

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

There once was a Labrador Retriever named Bailey. While Baily died a little over a year ago at the ripe old age of 17, rumor has it that this faithful pet provided the kind of unconditional love that gives the dog breed its reputation as friendly, energetic, good-natured, and smart. You can add to that “wellmeaning,” ‘cause occasionally a Lab will tramp through the garden, root through the garbage or otherwise make a mess of things, while all the while giving you that “I’m really, really sweet” look that insists on forgiveness.

So too is it with Bailey’s Bistro, the new restaurant named after the aforementioned Lab. Able to feed about 40 in comfort, this small and feisty bistro had been open for several months before its recent Grand Opening party a few days back. The place was packed with mostly gals who all seem to know one another and the two female co-owners, and from the noise level being generated—this group knows a great party when they find one.

The menu is basic bistro food, with everything prepared with organic ingredients to order. Translation: expect a wait for the food, and expect it to be harvest fresh. There’s a small bottledbeer menu; an even smaller wine list; and bottled soda and water. The house specialty is sirloin tips. You’ll find it in its Sirloin Tip Marinade ($14), a tasty tender portion served over housemade mashed potatoes, and includes a side salad or soup, plus beans, broccoli or corn. (A lunch portion is $10 without a side dish).

The sirloin tips are back in the bistro’s excellent Hot Cheese Steak Sandwich ($7) with grilled onions, green peppers, mushrooms and cheese (a choice of provolone or mozzarella). Making this entrée extra tempting is the side of housemade potato chips….very crispy and very good. Less exciting is the Turkey Sandwich ($7). While the turkey tasted freshroasted, there wasn’t enough of it to really tell. Ditto, the Italian Sub ($7) with a minimum of Genoa salami, capicota, proschutto and provolone. A foot-long from Subway, this ain’t. The most expensive dish on the menu is the $16 Beef Stroganoff.

We’re Stroganoff fans and would give the version served at Bailey’s Bistro an A for effort, but a C for taste. While the cream sauce is wonderfully flavorful, there’s simply too much of it in proportion to the sirloin beef. We were impressed by the inclusion of Shepherd’s Pie on the menu. At $13, it’s one of Bailey’s best bargains as well as its biggest mystery. Classic Shepherd’s pie is a ground lamb dish. Here the selection is made with ground sirloin (with corn and beans) and topped with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. That would officially make is a Cottage Pie in anyone’s cookbook.

Call it what you will, it’s an excellent choice, particularly if you’ve got a hearty appetite. The walls at Bailey’s Bistro are hung with musical instruments—all played by the place’s co-owner Kelly, occasionally on the stage set on the sidewalk side of the restaurant, from which karaoke belts every Friday night.

On Saturdays, Bailey’s is home to various live performances, with the stage available to local musicians who care to have a venue for their talents. Bailey—the lab—has its portrait hung front and center on the north wall, in memory of the Bistro’s namesake. The lab has been replaced by another rescue these days, a mix known as Mocha.

Tell him the Agenda sent you.

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

A week ago Sunday was National Earth Day, and what better way to celebrate, we thought, than eat at Energy Kitchen, an eco-friendly restaurant with a fresh approach to a healthy diet.

The idea here is a simple one: everything on the menu is 500 calories or less. Nothing is fried—not even the fries! They are baked, and so is everything else, unless it’s steamed or grilled. Think of it as fast food, without the junk element, and you’ve got the picture of Energy Kitchen.

Located next to CVS Pharmacy in a spot that once housed a chicken joint, the first impression of Energy Kitchen is efficiency. Green, white and stainless steel is the color scheme here. Three flatscreen monitors display the menu, which is broken down into categories: Breakfast, Salads, Wraps, Burgers, Entrees, Sides, Snacks and Beverages.

We opted for a Veggie Tuna wrap on multi-grain ($6.49) and a Sirloin Steakhouse Burger ($6.49) on a whole wheat bun. We were given a beeper that carried the label “Please Chill While We Grill.” At Energy Kitchen, everything carries a message it seems. The plastic cups hark “Do the Math. Nothing over 500 Calories.” The window signs offer “Our Promise to You,” which essentially was a pledge from founder Anthony Leone that there were “no hidden temptations and no hidden calories” in a place where even the drinks are all no-calorie favorites. The Veggie Tuna wrap was a thicklypacked pleasure dome of flavor, that defied its listed calorie count of 342.

It contained a tasty mix of cucumbers, celery, onions, peppers, lettuce tomato and low-fat mayonnaise with enough tuna to make you want to immediately swim upstream, and order another. The Sirloin Steakhouse Burger came in at 413 calories. The juicy meat was stacked high with caramelized onions and steak sauce. The bun was steamed and the overall experience left the stomach full and the taste buds singing.

As we shared a bag of 151 calorie air-baked fries ($1.99) which could have used a bit more time in the oven, we checked the nearby tables and found happy campers enjoying an enormous Buffalo Chicken Burger ($6.49) which the accompanying fanning of the lips suggested was very spicy; the signature Kitchen Chopped Salad ($7.99) with chicken, scallions, tomatoes, blue cheese, turkey bacon bits and lots of romaine; plus an energy drink called the Vaccinator ($4.99), containing orange juice, strawberries, bananas, vitamin C and non-fat vanilla yoghurt.

As we rolled out, doggie bags in hand, and completely satisfied with our experience, we were surprised to discover the number of unbussed dirty tables, scraps of food and paper on the floor, and a spilled soda that had been marked by a yellow plastic “Caution” tent with a marginal attempt at clean-up. We mentioned the fact to the employees chatting amongst themselves at the register, and got cheery smiles but no obvious action to correct the situation.

Oh well. We all know good help is hard to find, and we’re sure Energy Kitchen will work out the kinks. Nevertheless, the concept is a solid one, and in a city where the obesity rate is clearly on the rise, this is one restaurant that deserves to be packed for good-intentions alone.

We can’t wait to return to try the Bison & Egg Breakfast Wrap ($4.99). With five egg whites and chopped premium bison, you just know that one is a winner—just like Energy Kitchen itself. Go–and tell them Florida Agenda sent you.

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

There was a time, not too long ago, when the only way to get great Cuban food in Fort Lauderdale was to leave the city and drive down to Calle Ocho in Miami. That was BFL, of course. Before Fuego Latino, that is.

The Cuban restaurant opened in a strip mall that’s also home to the Zoo Gym and a martial arts school, and became such an immediate hit that the owners had to start posting a sentry seated on a lawn chair out in the lot to make certain their hungry customers had a place to park. While Fuego Latino serves some Mexican dishes, it’s the Cuban fare and reasonable prices that will keep you coming back for more.

To get an instant sense of the place, order a Bandeja Fuego ($16.99), and prepare for a feast. The platter-sized portion is enough to feed two or three, piled high with Mariquitas, Tamal con Lechón, Chiccharrones de Pollo, Jamon and Pollo Croquettas, Yuca Frittas, and two Empanadas. For the uninitiated, that’s plantains with garlic sauce, pork tamales, fried chunks of chicken breast, ham and chicken croquettes, yucca fries, and stuffed turnovers. In any language, spell that “yummy.”

Often, a Cuban restaurant is judged by its Palomilla Steak, and Fuego Latino has a superb version with thinsliced, spice-marinated and mouthwatering beef. At $9.99, it’s not only a bargain, it’s a sautéd-onion-topped masterpiece of flavor. It is served with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains. It’s a bounty that will not only fill you up, it’s delicious enough to have you licking your plate.

Juliana de Cerdo ($13.99) is a specialty of the kitchen—a julienned filet of pork tenderloin that’s been marinated in a blend of spices that’s so secret, the recipe is locked in a safe.

Grilled with bell peppers and onions, this dish alone will make Cuban cuisine your new favorite.

Traditional paella is a Spanish specialty that’s reinvented at Fuego Latino into a Cuban delicacy that takes some pre-planning. Since this dish-for-two takes a full sixty minutes to prepare, call ahead and order Paella Valenciana ($35.99) by phone before your arrival. The Cuban interpretation of this rice dish mixes chicken, shrimp, clams, mussels and grouper. While the flavor is anything but traditional, the dish is a lavish treat you can give yourself and your sweetie.

The most popular dishes at Fuego Latino are their assortment of Fajitas- -Vegetable ($8.99), Chicken ($10.99), Steak ($11.99), Chicken and Steak combo ($12.99), Shrimp ($13.99), and the Fuego Fajita (Chicken, Steak and Shrimp) ($16.99). The table presentation of these sizzling platters is a sense sensation—steam, aroma, and crackling hot. It’s garnished with tomato, sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole, plus a stack of warm tortillas. Fast, fresh, and fragrant.

A unique feature here is the Fuego Latino Cantina. For $30 per week, businesses and individuals can select one meal a day, Monday through Friday, from a rota ting set of seven entrées per day plus up to three side dishes from a ten-side dish selection. Among the choices are Pork Chops, Ground Beef Casserole, ½ Chicken, Palomilla Steak, Ropa Vieja, Beef Stew, Chicken Breast, Breaded Chicken Filet, Pork Chunks, or Grouper Fillet–all served with rice, beans, yucca, sweet plantains, chicken soup, chicharos, ajiaco, lentejas, and/ or mixed vegetables. For six dollars a day, can you afford not to eat at Fuego Latino?

It’s a relaxed, clean and fun atmosphere here, where you’ll feel like family even if you’ve never been to Habana or habla español. Come early and tell them Florida Agenda sent you.

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

There’s a bucket of menus at the front door of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, the newest entry in Fort Lauderdale’s ever-expanding freshly made South-of-the-Border-themed restaurants. That this chain started in 2004 some 40 miles away in South Beach makes its hometown ties that much stronger.

By 2006, founder John Kunkel had expanded his concept to 42 restaurants, and sold ownership to the Ruby Tuesday chain for a caliente hot $24 mil. Ruby T, in turn closed 27 of those, while announcing plans to expand the franchise in other locations, the latest of which opened last month on N Federal Hgwy. All of which brings us back to the bucket of menus (shaped like limes, natch).

The plan here is to scope out the selections, and know what you want to order by the time you reach the register, which is about two steps inside the front door. The restaurant itself is industrial strength, housed in a loft-sized space in what was formerly Bellini’s Coal Fired Pizza for about two minutes. Lime Fresh sprouted in its place like alfalfa one day, with shades of mustard and green predominating. An airy outside patio complements the bustling interior lined with high-tops and stools.

On the day we visited, the orders were flying out of the exposed kitchen with the Taco Salad ($8.49) a clear winner if volume is any indication. It’s served in an enormous orange bowl the size of Tijuana, pairing ground beef on greens with housemade guacamole, black bean corn salsa, carrots, sour cream, shredded jack and cheddar cheeses, all topped with pico de gallo salsa and torilla strips. We heighten the heat of the dish by adding our own Habanero Salsa available by the scoopful from the nearby eight-flavor salsa bar.

We can also vouch for the 8th Street Burrito ($7.99), a toasted flour tortilla jammed packed with chucks of white meat chicken, organic black beans, rice, bacon, sour cream, salsa, and tortilla strips. For an extra 50 cents, the chef will add grilled onions and peppers, which complement this twohanded taste treat. It’s our favorite on the menu, which features seven other burritos, including a veggie version at $6.99.

The tortilla soup goes for $2.99 a cup or $3.99 a bowlful, and is a wonderfully spiced and simmered extravagance that only tastes like it should break the piggy bank. Ladened with chicken and a farmfresh vegetables, this soup is topped with both the pre-requisite tortilla strips and a scoop of pico de gallo.

Few Mexican chains serve up fish quesadillas, but at Lime Fresh, it’s a frequently ordered option. Combine a lite quesadilla (two whole wheat tortillas holding a fistful of melted jack and cheddar cheeses) with grilled fish for a delightful and succulent change of pace. It’s available in two sizes— regular at $7.49, or grande at $9.99. Both selections are served with warm tortilla chips that are thin and fried to a light golden brown, and so good that Doritos should steal the recipe.

We’re a sucker for nachos, anyway they’re served. Here, you can choose to have it your way. For $5.99, the kitchen will layer cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses, black beans, jalapeños, lettuce, chopped tomatoes and housemade guacamole. Add chicken, steak, or ground beef for an extra $2.00; grilled onions and peppers for an additional 50 cents; and top the entire platter off with bacon bits for half a dollar more.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, look for $2.00 tacos and two-forone beer, sangria and lime margaritas, served from 4-6 p.m. Come early and tell them Florida Agenda sent you.

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

A funny thing happened on the way to J. Alexander’s—the outlet of the chain restaurant that’s been a fixture on Federal Highway for decades. My houseguest, who apparently is a J. Alexander’s aficionado of sorts, had just traveled into town from Tennessee, where the restaurant has its corporate headquarters and where he had “the worst piece of prime rib that ever once grazed.”

I heard this tale of his disenfranchised taste buds at least three times before I finally offered to take him to our local branch, hoping that he might find succor for his continuing disappointment.

Admittedly, we approached the place on a Saturday night—a time when J. Alexander’s normally is SRO. Perhaps it was the “hurt-puppy” look on his face, but we were seated immediately upon entering.

Having eaten in this particular establishment with some regularity over the years, I knew the drill and kept pace as my guest dismissed a glance at the menu and ordered a drink (Manhattan, no rocks, double cherry), an appetizer (fire-grilled artichoke with herb butter rémoulade) and an entrée (the aforementioned slow-roasted prime rib with smashed potatoes).

I rallied with tap water (plenty of ice), a bowl of soup (chicken pasta), and a veggie burger (made in-house and topped with Monterey jack cheese)—all ordered as one long sentence. My houseguest was not about to get one up on me.

He had downed his Manhattan and ordered another in the ten-minutes it took for his artichoke to arrive—long enough apparently for the liquor to set in and his voice to rise just loud enough to be heard several booths away.

Fortunately, it was praise he was spouting, as he dipped the delicate artichoke leaves into the rémoulade and smiled as he savored the succulent flavor.

He barely had time to wipe the butter from his lips, when a second server, new to the table, delivered my burger and what appeared to be half a cow drizzled with au jus—so big was his prime rib. Any suspicions that he may have harbored disappeared as his knife cut through the healthy portion of beef like the proverbial warm butter.

I would like to say that he immediately hailed “Hallelujah” upon first bite, but such was not the case. In fact, he said nothing until he had consumed nearly three-quarters of the serving—which, you may remember, was large enough to feed four mortal men. Only then did he push his plate away from his expanding stomach and said, “Now that’s prime rib.” This was a good thing.

For the record, my veggie burger was as moist and flavorful as it usually is, with my side order of string fries perfectly crisp and seasoned as if from a Tex-Mex ranch house. So too the soup, which was far too generous in size to consume.

The prime rib is priced at $26, which was a bargain compared to the pricey $12 artichoke appetizer. The homemade veggie burger runs $12 as well, with the bowl of soup adding another $6 to our tally- -which, I’m happy to report, my houseguest paid when yet a third server delivered it to the table. Not however before my guest ordered a “small taste” of Key Lime pie ($8), muttering something that sounded like “well this is Florida, after all,” under his breath.

When he finally slid from the booth, doggie bag in hand, he turned to look at the open-beam ceiling and attractive art hanging along one brick wall. “Now this is everything J. Alexander’s should be,” he said. Tell them Guy Magazine said so.

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

When Oscar Wilde said, “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relatives,” he must have been channeling Market 17. This elegant eatery located in the Portside Yachting Center is the brainchild of siblings Kirsta and Aaron Grauberger, who in any other life would have been born in a vineyard, such is their expertise around bottles of wine.

While this may help explain the extensive wine menu with a selection numbering in the hundreds, it hardly prepares the hungry patron for the assortment of items on a dinner menu that changes nightly.

That’s right—nightly. Never one to rest on her laurels, executive chef Lauren DeShields recreates your assortment of unusual offerings as if playing pickup- sticks. You just never know exactly how the palate will play.

On a recent outing with diet guru and society hostess Nikki Haskell, we took the plunge without checking the evening’s menu—though it is available mid-afternoon online at www.market17.net/menus.htm. The concept at Market 17 is farm fresh food…so fresh in fact that what’s plattered tonight was alive and growing this morning.

While it may be tempting to skip the appetizer section and save your appetite for the entrees, part of the fun at Market 17 is the adventure of eating new foods. Translation: antelope satay ($15), served on a bed of soba noodles with a peanut dipping sauce. “You had what for dinner last night, dear? Antelope?” The look on your friends’ faces is worth the risk alone. Far less trendy, but just as delicious: Market Vegetable Tempura ($12), featuring baby broccoli, snap peas, avocado and fennel with a spicy kimchi aioli. A winner, no matter how you clean the plate. (We used our index fingers when no one was looking.)

Our server Brittany Peterson, otherwise known as the perkiest blonde since Gidget, recommended that I try the Grilled Florida Hereford Boneless Pork Chop ($23 in a petit portion; $36 for entrée size)— “you just can’t go wrong with Hereford pork, honestly.” Of course she was right.

It was tender and pink and, when combined with my new favorite l e g u m e – - s m o k e d beluga lentils—may just win the taste prize of the night.

Mrs. Haskill disagreed, casting her vote firmly in favor of her perfectly cooked and flakey Pan Seared Wild Florida Red Snapper ($23/$36). She pointed out that if the fish were any fresher, we would have had to scale it ourselves.

It wasn’t on the plate that long, of course. Nikki is tiny, but she knows her way around a fish fork. It was served crusted in something created by God herself, and served with herbroasted sunchokes.

On our next visit, if it’s on the menu, I intend to try the Pan Seared Duck Breast And Duck Confit ($23/$39). This particular evening, while it was listed as an entrée, the ducks apparently were smarter than the hunters for none arrived in the kitchen despite it being on the shopping list.

Happy Hour runs 5 to 7 p.m. nightly with half-priced drinks and appetizers at the bar. That includes the housemade sausages, the Market Ceviche, the Florida Middleneck Clams and Pork Belly, the Cornmeal Crusted Pigtails (if you have to ask, you don’t want to know), and yes, Antelope Satay—on any given day.

Dining in the Dark is another Market 17 fave. In this test of skill and taste buds, you consume your food in a blackedout room with your fingers.

There are night-vision goggles, but only for the servers. Clever Market 17. Tell them Florida Agenda sent you.

Market 17
1850 SE 17th St.
Fort Lauderdale FL 33316
954-835-5507

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

2045 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954-990-6282

There’s something new happening on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Already, we can hear you saying “Yea, yea, yea… isn’t there always?” And, of course, you’re right. In this case, however, we’re talking great food and plenty of it at the new Mexican joint Pinché Taqueria—which in Spanish means something like “kitchen boy’s taco bar.” The name came from the original Pinché, which was on a dusty side street in Tijuana, Mexico, where workers could pick up inexpensive tacos, burritos and quesadillas.

When owner Jeff Chartier packed the kitchen supplies, the groceries, and the Mexicans in the trunk of a bus and brought them across the border and up to his first two Taqueria’s in Manhattan, his goal was to make his taco bars the most authentic in town. Sweet Stephanie Lee continues the theme running the newest outlet of the Mexican chain, adding her own touch of Florida heat in the process.

The meats are butchered on the premises, the organic groceries still shipped in from South of the Border, the mesquite grill flame roasts meats, corns and peppers to perfection in an atmosphere that can best be described as “hold on to your stool seat; there’s a new game in town.”

As you might expect from a taqueria, there’s an array of tacos on the menu, including a seasoned chicken Taco de Pollo Asada ($2.95); a battered fried or grilled mahi-mahi Taco de Pescado ($3.95), served with shredded cabbage and a delicious cilantro dressing; spitgrilled pork Taco al Pastor ($2.95), or the even more tender braised grilled pork Taco de Carnitas ($2.95); and the traditional stand-by Taco de Carne Asada ($2.95), made with grilled steak.

The most popular items on the menu, as confirmed by our oh-so-personable waiter Johnny (we compared abs; mine won), were Carnitas Michoacanas ($12.95) and Arrachera Steak ($13.95). The carnitas platter was a healthy serving of tender pork arranged art-house perfect on several tortillas with rice and beans, topped with a mystery broth that was aromatic enough to bring neighborhood cats purring, and a delicious piece of corn-on-the-cob, labeled Elote on the side. It’s grilled on the fire and seasoned with salt, crumbly cotija anejo cheese, butter and mayo (so good that it’s sold by itself at $3.50). The steak is a masterwork of thinly sliced skirt steak that’s been marinated within an inch of its life in tequila and garlic. The moist and flavorful end result is far too delicious to be thought of as pure Mexican, but you’ll clean your plate and that of your neighbors.

Our favorite ensalada on the menu is a burst of freshness called Tortilla Lime Salad ($11.95) which normally comes on soft tortillas but we special ordered the dish in a crispy tortilla bowl. Overflowing with shrimp, beans, tomatoes, fresh sliced peppers, corn, onions, the entire entrée is topped with tortilla strips, making it more an event than a mere dish.

Though you can check it out now, the Grand Opening of Pinché Taqueria is on Wednesday, March 28 at which point the restaurant is certain to have its few rough edges smoothed to a spit-shine. The margaritas are too weak and too expensive in a town where the $3.00 margarita is standard. They have no chunky pico de gallo salsa for the delicious freshly made chips, preferring to use a flavorful but thin variation. And they have no option of crispy shell tacos—only soft tortillas, which may be authentic Mexican, but, hello, this is Florida.

But these are small issues compared with the main theme—filler-up food with fun, fun servers. The manager’s name is Josh. Tell him Florida Agenda sent you!

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

The Manor Complex on Wilton Drive is already world famous for its theme parties, state-ofthe- art sound system, creative lighting, and hunky salacious bartenders. Get set to add to that sizzling scene, courtesy of their new restaurant, Taps & Tapas, which matches the fun, beat-for-beat. Whether sitting outside on the front patio and eating al fresco, or dining inside the club, Taps & Tapas leaves its mark with such casual ease that you just might be tempted to dismiss the food itself. That would be a big mistake.

The new menu is divided into large chunks, and sectioned off with your stomach’s capacity in mind—in theory. We say “in theory” because one could suppose that a chunk labeled “Small Plates” would translate into a small portion. Nope. We ordered the Szechwan Calamari ($11.95) with that concept in mind. The kitchen, on the other hand, must had thought we were eating for two when they served up a heaping mound of tender calamari cooked just so, breaded in cornmeal and tempura crumbs, tossed in a Szechwan sauce with enough tang to wake up our epiglottis, and topped with almonds, red peppers, sesame seeds and scallions. The result was enough delicious calamari for each of us, plus several others who came to peer over our shoulders, apparently invited by the tantalizing aroma.

From the section labeled “Flatbreads,” we explored the Cajun–the Manor’s version of Sausage and Mozzarella Pizza ($8.95). The unleavened crust is a lowcarb delight that platters the toppings with determined tolerance, yet begs to be tasted on its own.

If you’re in the mood for a sandwich, look no further than “Handhelds,” a chuck of the menu that deserves honorable mention for hearty presentation, given the portion size of its accompanying fries and pickle. At $10.95, we judged the Smoked Turkey with Brie and Apples the clear winner over the Skirt Steak, Barbeque Chicken Chop Wrap or the Grilled Cheese—all of which can be ordered on Focaccia, Baguette, Tortilla or Challah Bread.

Our server Mike, who looks like he knows his way around a food table, recommended the hand-battered Onion Rings and the Thick- Cut Sweet Potato Fries with maple dipping sauce ($4.95). We couldn’t decide, so we ordered them both. Even as Mike helped us finish the plates, it was a tough call which one was better. We left the decision up to him, but he couldn’t tell us ‘cause his mouth was full.

If your eyes are as big as your stomach, or visa versa, we recommend moving directly to the menu section labeled “House Plates.” Called by any other name, this is the Big Boy’s division. The go-to selection is Bronze Roasted Salmon ($17.95). Here, a healthy portion of fresh Chilean Sea Bass is cooked to perfection and drizzled with a delicate lemon vinaigrette sauce. Riding shotgun next to the fish: baby-cute oven roasted fingerling potatoes, plus zucchini and squash which were good enough to go it alone.

There are salads (starting from $5.95)—we recommend the Barbeque Chicken Chop ($13.95); and ½ burgers (all $11.95)—our nod goes to the Black and Blue, Angus meat topped with lettuce, tomato and onion.

Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite of anything, we spotted the Raspberry Baked Brie ($10.95), a puff pastry treat served with grapes, apple wedges and sliced baguettes. In one word– “yum.” Even as we slid off our stools, stuffed and smiling, we promised to return on Wednesday for “Buy a Margarita, Get a Free Beef Taco Night.” You come too. And tell them Florida Agenda sent you. ???? 03-08-12 STYLE_Layout 1 3/8/12 2:31 AM Page 17

By Richard Hack

In a city full of Chinese restaurants, it is always a joy to find that gem of a place that combines extremely delicious and inventive Asian cuisine with a sophisticated ambiance that beckons to the more romantic among us. Tucked away on chic Las Olas Blvd., along the Hammarshee canal, Wild East Asian Bistro offers all that and more.

Unusual by design, Wild East is housed on three levels—the main dining room in a cool industrial décor softened with faux bamboo and mood lighting, or two al fresco sections overlooking the canal, where active jumping fish seem to be putting on their own aquatic show day or night, and the occasional kayak or canoe will drift slowly by as if on cue.

The servers move in hushed efficiency, appearing by some zen instinct when needed, and then disappearing into the background around the open kitchen where Chef Richard Ha performs his magic amid the leap of flames and stir-fry pans.

While the extensive menu mixes Korean, Malaysian, Japanese and Thai dishes, it is the abundant Chinese offerings that always seem to get the taste buds eager to explore the over one hundred options that unfold like surprises inside a fortune cookie.

Divided into a gastronomical map, the menu is sectioned into “Makimono (Rolls)” “Soups,” “Chilling (Salads),” “Warm Up (Lo Mein, Fried Rice, Chow Fun),” and the “Main Event” entrees featuring “The Land,” “The Sea” and “The Field” to cover all the bases. The real challenge, of course, is choosing between the selections with poetic names like Ancient Chili Pepper Chicken–a hot number with chili pepper, scallions, and five-spiced soy ($17), Midnight Steak—bistro medallion chucks with shitake mushrooms, peppers, onions and black bean sauce ($21), Firecracker Noodles—a blend of chicken, ginger, pepper, chilis and scallions mixed atop udon, and Beijing—a half duck, cooked with scallions and cucumbers, and served with steamed pancakes and hoison sauce ($23). Our personal favorite from the entrée menu is the  perfectly cooked Siam Sea Bass, which arrived at the table wrapped like a gift inside a banana leaf ($22). It doesn’t get any better if you like red coconut curry.

The place has been a Las Olas staple for three years now, and you’ll find it bustling with regulars seven nights a week. They seem to find multiple favorites from the Sake selection, which includes a wide range of brands and bottles priced from the $9 Tokuri Ikkon Blue Label Unfiltered to the ultra-chic $89 bottle of Wakatake Onikoroshi Devil Killer Shizuoka.  The always fun Saketinis are abundant as well, with Sex on the Beach and Red Dragon two of the most potent ($9).

If you are in the mood to experiment, skip the main menu entirely and head immediately to the colorful small-plate menu where each dish is a bargain at only $6. We always try to select several new options on each visit, although who can resist the classic Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Baby Shrimp Cups, or a heaping plateful of Sesame Chicken Noodle Salad—standard fare on every foray.
With 52 items on the $6 menu, you literally can graze for hours. Among the most popular are Flaming Calamari, Crispy Beijing Duck Wings, Sake Clams, Grilled Miso Mahi, Lap Cheong Shrimp Lo Mein as well as assorted dumplings and fried rices.

Owner Peter Wong has managed to do the impossible by combining a drop-dead location and a delightful atmosphere with prices that can be less than a visit to Burger King. Credit his wife Emily for some of the more inventive $6 plates including the Thai Lime Noodle Salad, a combination of skinny rice noodles, with julienned carrots, celery, cucumbers, bean sprouts and the tiniest slices of grilled chicken this side of Shanghai.

Though the idea of eating dessert at an Asian restaurant may not be instinctive, don’t pass up the “Sweet Endings” menu. Although our favorite Chocolate Trilogy—white, milk and dark chocolate mousse cake at $8—seems to always be sold out, a good second choice is Marquise Au Chocolat, a chocolate sponge cake with a sweeter-than-heaven ganache at $8. Big enough for sharing, though you won’t want to after the first bite. Even the simply refreshing Asian Ice Cream Trio at $7 is an outstanding choice—red bean, green tea and mango ice cream served in a large martini glass. It gives yum a new meaning.

And don’t forget that after the meal, all of Las Olas beckons right outside. End your evening with a stroll up the boulevard, and people watch to your heart’s content. Wild East is open for lunch every day except Sunday, with dinners every night of the week. They are open till midnight on Friday and Saturday evenings, with a special late-night menu. Make sure to tell Wild East that the Florida Agenda sent you.