Florida Agenda

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Tijuana Flats on East Sunrise Boulevard is a one-room joint of the place-yourorder and-wait-for-the-magic-tohappen type. Around 7 p.m. on any night, the place is a chatty, crazy kind of fun where it’s likely you’ll end up becoming best friends with the folks at the next table. Everyone, from the wait staff who cashier your order, to the kitchen staff who prepare it, to the manager who may just end up serving it, likes to talk. It’s this slap-ya-on-the-back sort of camaraderie that is as intriguing as the food.

We’ve eaten at Tijuana Flats maybe ten times over the past two years, so we know this menu well. It breaks down rather easily, as most things Mexican do, into burritos, chimichangas, tacos, nachos, flautas, tosdadas, enchiladas, and quesadillas. At TF’s, you not only get to choose your meal, you get to choose the size of your meal—as in the quantity of food on your plate.

Burritos, for instance, come in three sizes—the Regular—about the size of Rhode Island; the Tijuana—about the size of Pennsylvania; and the Megajuana—think Texas. Our favorite is the Blackened Chicken Burrito Tijuana Size at $6.19. For that price you get a whole-wheat tortilla, filled with the aforementioned chicken (done delightfully moist), tomatoes, lettuce, onions, jalapenos, and sour cream—with your selection of 15 different hot sauces from the “pump your own” serving bar.

Hot sauces are a specialty here, with Tijuana Flats serving their own “Smack My Ass & Call Me Sally” brand in varying intensities from mild to five-alarm fire. And regardless of where on the menu you may wander, you’ll eventually end up back on the sauce, so to speak.

Tuesday nights is Taco Tuesdaze where for $4.99 you can get two large crispy tacos, with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, jalepenos, plus chips and a drink—and yes, hot sauce. A deal that packs the place.

On Thursday night, think Throwback Thursdaze during which $5.99 gets you a regular burrito, chips and a drink. Same fillers, same sauces. The bargain remains in your pocketbook.

Lighten your potbelly with the Norrito Bowl, a burrito without the tortilla, served in a bowl and topped with a light salsa-based rice, black beans, pico de gallo sauce, fresh guacamole and green onions. All for only $6.19.

If calories are no object, then rush right over and order a Chimichanga, which is stuffed full of cheese, chicken or beef, all the toppings and lightly fried. The Megajuana Carnitas Chimichangas go for $8.59.

The chain was started just up the road in Winter Park, Florida back in 1995 by Brian Wheeler, and Brian is still at the wheel along with his pop Chester,who’s CFO, and industry insider Camp Fitch (ya gotta love the name), who’s co-partner and chairman.

The restaurant now numbers some seventyplus eateries, spread over several states, with Florida getting the lion’s share.

From the murals on the wall, to the funky drawings on the menus, nothing is taken too seriously at Tijauna Flats—except the food, which is consistently great, fast, and plentiful. The company gives back to the community through its Just in Queso Foundation that to date has donated $670,000 to those in need.

Check out the action any night of the week. The restaurant is snuggled next to the Trek Bicycle Shop, so expect to see plenty of spandex in the vicinity. And, as always, tell them Agenda sent you.

TIJUANA FLATS
1619 E Sunrise Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
954-463-3480

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Tijuana Flats

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At a glance:hot sauce · entrees · lettuce · burritos Address: 1619 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 Phone: (954) 463-3480 Hours: Mon-Thu 11am–10pm Fri-Sat 11am–11pm Sun 11am–9pm Transit: Sunrise B/NE 16 A Menu: urbanspoon.com More reviews: urbanspoon.com, citysearch.com, yahoo.com, botw.org

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By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Crab legs are coming to the Alibi and you heard it here first. After a super successful summer promotion of Tuesday night all-you-can-eat lobster at $39.99, the outside patio at Wilton Manor’s most established gay gathering spot is looking to shake things up with crab. Lobster is out and crab is in on all-you-can-eat Tuesday nights for the next few months, we’re told. We will, of course, be leading the crush to get a table, bib in hand.

A few years ago, when Alibi eliminated tortilla-wrapped sandwiches from its menu, we were openly disappointed. The café replaced its lighter fare with bigger plates for heartier appetites—a trend that continues still. Heavy on burger entrees, Alibi does make an admittedly amazing assortment of flavorful hamburgers. It’s no wonder that their 10-ounce 100 percent Angus beef patty has been repeatedly named the Best Burger in Fort Lauderdale.

Our favorite of the selection is the Bleu Moon Burger ($11), with blue cheese and bacon on an artisan Challah bun. We always get ours with caramelized onions, and a side of cole slaw, though you can request fries, potato salad or potato chips on the side if you prefer. The Classic Alibi Burger ($10) comes with lettuce, tomato and raw onion, and has its share of fans.

A carry-over from the old menu is the White Chicken Chili ($4). This is a superb chili, full of chunked chicken meat and beans, topped with a dollop of sour cream and colorful tortilla chips. It’s the perfect compliment to the Chicken Cobb Salad ($11.75), with its large helping of romaine lettuce mixed with bacon, tomato, egg, avocado, red onions, and grilled chicken breast, all tossed with a ranch dressing. Yum. If fish is your favorite, let your fingers do the walking down the menu to the Ancho Mahi Mahi Club ($10) which features toasted thickly-sliced white bread surrounding a hearty cut of Mahi Mahi rubbed with Ancho chilis, and served with lettuce, tomato, bacon and guacamole. Or, the place makes an awfully tasty Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich ($9.50) on multi-grain bread. Savor the house-made mix of capers, lemon juice, and pickled red peppers on a leaf of romaine, and you’ll discover perfection.

While the full menu is available until 11 p.m., the kitchen stays open until 1:30 a.m., serving late-night specialties including its Baja Chicken Breast Sandwich ($9.50) plated on a ciabatta roll. What makes this choice so special is the caramelized onions, melted provolone cheese, jalapeno peppers and slash of roasted garlic mayo. If that’s too much of a good thing, eat lighter with Tezza’s Southwestern Eggrolls ($7), which blends corn, black beans, Jack cheese, jalapenos, red peppers, spinach, and grilled chicken breast—all wrapped in a fried flour tortilla.

An excellent size for a late-night graze. On Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a Jazz Brunch takes center stage. There’s a special menu for the occasion (although the regular menu is available as well). A good choice for healthy eats is the Breakfast Burrito ($9), which dishes up scrambled eggs, housemade chorizo, cheddar cheese, and salsa. Olé. Should originality prove too difficult for a Sunday morning, your fall-back position can always be the Steak and Eggs ($12), a rather predictable slab of beef known as a Flat-Iron Steak topped with two overeasy eggs and Béarnaise sauce, served with oven-roasted potatoes and arugula. Wash it down with a Bloody Mary ($2.50) and tell them The Agenda sent you.

ALIBI
2266 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954-565-2526

Georgie’s Alibi

Drew and David Cardaci know their Tex- Mex. And the brothers prove the point every day through the smiling faces of the satisfied customers who have helped make their restaurant, The Whole Enchilada, a local success story. The original free-standing Enchilada, located at 4115 N Federal Hwy., has been a neighborhood staple since 2006, with the restaurant celebrating its sixth anniversary with the grand opening of its first branch store.

This new outlet is located near the Winn-Dixie store on Route 1, at 745 N Federal Hwy., in the one-time home of a car repair shop known as Ice Cold Auto Air.

The thing that makes The Whole Enchilada distinct from its many, many competitors in town is the incredible freshness that highlights each dish. The menu is Mexican with surprising twists in nearly every selection. A perfect example is the Black Tiger ($7.99), a burrito that assembles large grilled shrimp with chopped cabbage, caramelized onions, avocado, jack and cheddar cheeses, Mexican rice and chipotle sauce inside a whole-wheat tortilla. A spectacular taste treat. The Whole Enchilada makes this same burrito with blackened Maui- Maui and calls it the Not Yet Famous ($7.79)— with tomatoes replacing the caramelized onions and leaving the Mexican rice at home. Works for us.

The Fah-Hee-Tah Barita ($8.19) is sizzling hot with a combo of fire-roasted peppers, onions, rice, black beans, cheese, salsa, avocado, and sour cream, coupled with your choice of grilled chicken, steak, ground beef, pork or seared tofu in a fat tortilla the size of Cleveland’s south side. Any of the ten burritos on the menu can be ordered Enchilada Style, which adds the restaurant’s own special red sauce, cheese and sour cream on top of the burrito for a surcharge of $1.19.

For the more snack-friendly-eater, there’s the platter of three Taquitos ($5.89), which features a trio of rolled soft flour tortillas filled with steak, ground beef, chicken, pork or tofu, along with jack and cheddar cheeses, all topped with pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream and cilantro. Finger-lickin’ good.

Or try the forget-the-calories Nacho Mama ($6.29), that includes a platter of freshly cooked tortilla chips smothered in melted cheese, black beans, red sauce, guacamole, sour cream and salsa. This dish easily serves two or more, individualized for fiery flavor at the salsa and hot sauce bar.

Tacos take center stage with The Whole Enchilada’s Taco Basket that features a pair of tacos, plus chips and salsa in a wide variety of popular choices. The Hassellhoff ($6.59) is the standard fare with your choice of crispy, soft corn or soft wheat tortilla’s stuffed the American way with lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and grated cheese plus your choice of grilled chicken, steak, pork or ground beef. Kick it up a notch with tiger shrimp or Mahi-Mahi ($7.19) and get extra protein and flavor all wrapped in one. The most unique selection of this group is the crisp flour tortilla taco, an unusual offering among Mexican fare and a delicious choice.

There is absolutely no explaining the Ex-Wife item on the menu. At $39.99, it’s a contest and entrée all in one. It’s basically a six-pound burrito (reread that weight for accuracy) with Mexican rice, black beans, jack and cheddar cheeses, salsa, guacamole, shredded lettuce and sour cream plus the usual meat choices, and a large side order of chips and salsa. Finish the meal in 45 minutes and get it free, plus a T-shirt to remember the moment. Olé.

THE WHOLE ENCHILADA
745 N Federal Hwy
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

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By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

A few years ago, we spent an hysterically funny Valentine’s Day evening at P.F. Chang’s, the Chinese food emporium at the Galleria Mall. Like all branches of this national chain, the entrance to the restaurant is guarded by giant copies of the famous battle mounts of the terra cotta soldiers of Xian, China. The 11th century warriors who rode those steeds stake their claim to fame inside the eatery, where statues preside over the dining room.

This particular Valentine’s Day, we arrived at the scheduled time for our reservation, only to discover that it had somehow been lost in the system, and while we were promised the “very next table,” it was a wait of nearly an hour. Such is the popularity of P.F. Chang’s.

After being seated, we placed an order for Chinese 5 Spice Duo of Duck ($19.95), which is the wrong thing to order if you’re in a rush. Fortunately, after waiting an hour for a table, we were in no hurry for the food, content to just be seated. Twenty minutes into our order, the server announced that our duck had been delivered to the wrong table, and had been eaten by another guest!

When last our duck finally arrived, it turned out to be a very good meal—a slowed-cooked leg and breast, perfectly crispy with a cherry ginger chutney and sesame watercress salad. It still remains one of our preferred dishes at this restaurant that roams all over China to find its assortment of recipes.

Our favorite dish on the whole menu is the Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps ($7.95), with its filling of wok-seared minced chicken, mushrooms, green onions and water chestnuts, wrapped in crispy iceburg lettuce cups. It’s a Cantonese dish from the Olde Country that was originally made with minced pigeon. The version served here is a delight not to be missed. So, too, is the deliciously spicy Chang’s Chicken Noodle Soup ($7.95), a made-to-order chicken broth containing white hot pepper, shitake mushrooms, pin rice noodles, and grape tomatoes. Take the time to explore this subtle soup.

In Northern China, rice is a rarity, with wheat serving as the starch of choice. It’s translated here at P.F. Chang’s in its noodle dishes. Our very favorite is the Wok-Seared Lamb ($15.95), featuring semi-crisp egg noodles stir-fried with vegetables and a succulently-sauced, tender lamb cooked just so. It’s served with cilantro over cooling shredded lettuce.

The Szechuan region gets its nod with a classic Kung Pao Chicken ($13.95), prepared as you would expect with peanuts, chile peppers and scallions. Since Szechuan chefs use hot and pungent spices liberally, expect your taste buds to tingle. As this is Chinese cuisine sieved through the filter of American palates, the hot and spicy factor is on the mild side. You can increase the dose of heat at the table with the abundant selection of chili sauces available.

Vegetarians are not forgotten here either, with any stir-fried dish on the menu available in a tofu version. There’s also a flavorful selection of fish, as well. Our go-to preference is the Lemongrass Grilled Norwegian Salmon ($18.95), featuring a glaze of ginger, red peppers and lemongrass that is grilled to order and served atop asparagus.

Finish your meal off with Banana Spring Rolls ($5.95), six small sections of bananas wrapped in spring roll dough and lightly fried. These are served with a scoop of coconut pineapple ice cream with caramel and vanilla sauces. As you’re saying “yum,” tell them Florida Agenda sent you.

P.F. CHANG’S—Galleria Mall
2418 E Sunrise Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
954-565-5877

 
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By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

BurgerFi
2477 E Sunrise Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
954-835-5514

BurgerFi is so proud of its logo that it hot-brands the thing on top of every one of its buns. It’s a clever concept, and one that ensures you’ll remember that this is no ordinary fast-food burger chain.

The place is the brainchild of John Rosatti, the owner of the huge Plaza Auto Mall as well as several luxury yachts, including the 162-foot Remember When. Legend has it that setting foot on the yacht is akin to visiting Buckingham Palace. He also owns his own Gulfstream jet, so money is not the issue here. Health, on the other hand, is. Rosatti recently lost 50 pounds and began BurgerFi as a fast-food fine dining experience for those of us who need to watch our n i c k e l s , and our calories.

The end result is a rather fresh and lively experience in fresh-cooked cuisine, heavy on Angus Beef. The standard BurgerFi Burger at $5.47 is a double-pattied affair with lettuce, tomato and secret sauce on the aforementioned branded bun. Flavorful, filling, and fun particularly when you add any of the free extras (mayonnaise, relish, white onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, ketchup, mustard, jalapeños, A-1 Sauce, and barbeque sauce). For an extra $1, you can select from Blue Cheese, American Cheese, Swiss Cheese, White Cheddar Cheese, a Fried Egg, Cherry Peppers, Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips, Grilled Mushrooms, a giant Onion Ring, Chili, Peter Luger Steak Sauce, or Heinz Organic Ketchup. Now that’s what we call a burger.

For $6.77, the non-meat-eaters among us can get the VegeFi Burger, which is a doggone great imitation of substantial goodness. It’s a crisp quinoa burger (which tastes a lot better than it sounds) with white cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and secret sauce on a wholewheat bun. We had it served with a side of Fresh Cut Fries ($2.77), which are cooked any way you like them. We selected well done, and got extra crispy delicious potatoes that somehow disappeared off the plate without chewing or swallowing—they were that good.

We were less thrilled with the hot dog selection, since the sampled Chicken Apple Dog ($4.27) didn’t have the familiar pop when your teeth pierced the casing, and came with a sauce that tasted like Cheez Whiz to us. Even so, it was a filing serving, accompanied by some superb Onion Rings ($3.77).

For dessert, BurgerFi serves a sinful Frozen Custard in cups and cones ($3.97, $4.97, $5.97—one, two or three scoops), made with cream from nearby farms. Get it with BurgerFi Mix-in toppings for $5.57 under the Concrete menu. They’ve got a Key Lime Pie, Beach Blast (chocolate custard, peanut butter, chocolate chips and brownie chunks), and Fort Lauderdale Surfer (caramel, mango and coconut)—all $5.57, and tasty, too.

BurgerFi serves an array of Craft Beers, including our favorite Magic Hat #9 and Orange Blossom Pilsner, among others. They also serve up by-the-glass Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio, as well as a new taste to us—the Rex Goliath Merlot. It lingered with the taste of plums, cherries and wild red berries that was an excellent accessory to the BurgerFi staples.

By asking for any item Green Style, they’ll skip the branded bun and wrap it in lettuce. And if you really can’t make up your mind, ask for a 1/2 Stack Burger, which isn’t on the menu, but will get you an Angus Beef patty topped with American cheese, plus a quinoa patty with white cheddar cheese. Enjoy, and tell them Agenda sent you.

The Fiesta Begins on Las Olas

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

It’s tough to miss the bar in Rocco’s Tacos, the popular Mexican eatery on Las Olas Boulevard. It stretches across the entire west wall of the restaurant, with five shelves full of assorted liquors including 220 types of tequila alone. Twice we tried counting the entire inventory, running out of fingers and toes long before we hit a tally of 350 bottles.

The bartenders—female, cute, and obviously having a good time—take the vast stock in stride, seeming to have a sixth sense about how to find any particular label.

Surrounded by carved wood, the bar looks like it belongs in a vintage pub, and sets the tone for this place that is at-once seasoned and current. This is an eatery full of attractive people having a raucous time, confirming Rocco’s Tacos place as the current in-spot to go for a good time. The fact that the food keeps pace with the high energy level of the joint is in itself a bonus.For that we can thank executive chef Adam Dumbrowski and co-owner  Rocco Mangel.

The house specialty, as you might guess from the restaurant’s name, is Tacos. Select between chicken, roasted pork, spicy beef, chorizo, mushroom, shrimp, skirt steak and blackened mahi ($2.95-$4.25). Having tasted them all, on multiple occasions, we give five stars to all the varieties, though the Cochinitas Achiote (slow-roasted pork) is particularly succulent. All tacos come in hard shell or soft corn tortillas.

For California purests there is a platter of three California Fish Tacos, filled with lightly battered and fried Mahi Mahi, cabbage slaw and avocado ranch dressing, nustled in place by a heap of spice white rice and black beans.

At $17, this is an expensive choice, made all the more so because it doesn’t really taste that great. (Where California Fish Tacos are concerned, we set the bar quite high, thanks to repeated visits to Mamá Testa Taqueria in the Hillcrest District of San Diego. Mamá, who knows these things, swears catfish is the fish of choice-not too fried, and not too covered in Mexican slaw.)

Rocco's Tacos and Tequila Bar

At Rocco’s Tacos, every item on the menu comes with a price tag, including customarily free chips and salsa. They are given the authentic name of Totopos and cost $3. For that price, you get a basket of homemade corn chips seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, and perhaps cayenne, although the exact recipe seems to be a house secret. For $12, the servers will bring a serving cart to your table and prepare Guacamole from scratch with your choice of three different degrees of wam! We opted for medium hot, which was the perfect complement of pepper to avocado.

For a meal with more substance, explore the tasty Molcajetes. Traditionally, a molcajetes is a bowl made from volcanic rock. The Rocco’s Taco version uses the molcajetes as the baking dish for a fajita-like concoction that comes in three varieties: Seafood (shrimp, scallops, and mahi mahi, served with poblano chiles, calabaza squash, and charred tomatoes), Carne (skirt steak, chicken, and chorizo, prepared with three pepper rajas, rojo, and tequila) and Surf & Turf (steak, chorizo, chicken, and shrimp). This specialty act doesn’t come cheap-$22 for a molcajetes serving one; $38 for two.

In case you’re missing the point, there is a recurring theme here—expensive and fun. Crack open your piggy bank and make the scene. And tell them Agenda sent you.

ROCCOS TACO’S AND TEQUILA BAR
1313 E Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
954-524-9550

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Sitting outside and dining alfresco at the recently-opened Tee-Jay Thai Sushi in Wilton Manors is akin to experiencing local life in a microcosm. Situated as it is dead-center in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, down the strip mall from popular Georgie’s Alibi, this newest branch of the Thai restaurant dynasty (that includes a Tee-Jay branch on North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, Thai House II in North Miami Beach, and Tamarind Asian Grill in Deerfield Beach) is sexy, sophisticated, and priced to proved the point.

On Friday and Saturday nights, you really, really need to want to eat here to handle the wait, as the line stretches out of the 80-seat eatery into the parking lot. On other nights, the mood is more zen should you choose to sit inside among the orchid plants, and sultry purple and blue lighting thats aimed to make you look your best.

We always judge a Thai restaurant by its Green Papaya Salad, a super-simple dish that many joints manage to fuss up to the point that it’s indistinguishable from the real deal.

Tee-Jay’s version is an excellent and healthy choice ($7.95), mixing shreds of fresh green papaya with carrots, green beans, crushed peanuts and lime juice. As with everything at Tee-Jay, you get the option of choosing how intense your selection will be. From mild all the way to Thai spicy, the choice is yours. Here’s your only warning on the subject: Tee-Jay loves things on the hot side, so even medium will set your mouth on fire. Enough said?

A specialty of the house, and an alltime favorite item of ours, is the Ginger Fish ($24.95), a whole snapper that’s been breaded and deep-fried, and layered with a sauce made of mushrooms, carrots, scallions, grated ginger, and celery. Succulent and a slur of flavors that will leave you cleaning your plate.

The Miso Soup ($1.95) is an excellent starter with its not-too-salty broth, coupled with tofu, seaweed, and scallions. For something a little heartier, we highly recommend the Thai Dumplings ($6.25). These four steamed temptations blend ground chicken, shrimp, and shitake mushrooms with a soy-ginger based dipping sauce.

For sushi purists, the list of made-to-order rolls is extensive. They range in price from $3.95 (for a wonderful Tuna Roll) to $23.95 (a lavish Fancy Lobster Roll with lobster tempura, eel, scallions, cucumber and avocado, served inside out and topped with seared tuna, tempura flakes, magago, and kimchee sauce—heaven).

If the Grilled Sea Bass ($27.95) is calling your name, know that it is spiced with passion and served with an ultra-fluffy jasmine rice and sautéed mixed vegetables. Three tasty dipping sauces come along for the ride—a low-salt Teriyaki with a surprising apple after-glow; Peanut, as rich and fattening as you would expect; and Wasabi, creamy and clear-your sinuses strong. In truth, the Sea Bass stands up on its own merits without any added extras, and the jasmine rice is a meal in itself.

The aromatic Soft Shell Crab Panang Curry ($19.95) is made rich and creamy with its peanut base, smoothed with coconut milk, bell peppers, and basil leaves. And if you have an ounce of room left in your stomach, finish the night off with Fried Bananas and Ice Cream ($5.95), served in a sliver-thin rice paper wrap, and drizzled with a lovely chocolate sauce that gives new meaning to the word decadence.

When you’re done licking your plate, tell them Agenda sent you.

TEE-JAY THAI SUSHI
2254 WILTON DR.
WILTON MANORS, FL 33305
954-537-7774

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By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Whoever said size doesn’t matter has never walked through the front door of Primanti Bros., a Pittsburgh institution since 1933, and a local Fort Lauderdale favorite since 1970. While many know the place for its pizza—along with Humpy’s in Wilton Manors, it’s easily the best pizza in town—the big attraction at Primanti Bros. are its huge Almost Famous Sandwiches.

Legend has it that when the brothers Primanti (Joe, Dick, and Stanley) opened their original location on Smallman and 18th Streets in the warehouse district of Pittsburgh, they created a sandwich that included side dishes of fries and slaw between two super thick slices of Italian bread. The concept suggested that the sandwich and sides could be eaten by truckers with one hand after unloading their beds and getting back on the road.

This behemoth of an item comes in the usual assortment of flavors: Genoa salami, Italian sausage, bacon and egg, cappicola, turkey breast, roast beef, tuna fish, pastrami, corned beef or your basic burger—all mounded with provolone cheese. The resulting sandwich is easily three-inches thick, with the slaw and fries alone accounting for a good inch. It’s messy and gooey and heaven on earth. The sandwich ranges in price from $6.29-$6.69, so it’s easy on the pocketbook, especially considering that it’s a two-meal serving.

Less popular but definitely worth considering: the Lotsa Mozzarella Cheese Oven-Baked Hoagies. Served on a crispy crust 9” Italian bun, our favorite from this group is the Sicilian Cheesesteak ($6.99).

This traditional favorite includes premium cut sliced beef with grilled onions, mushrooms, and a ladle of marinara sauce, all smothered in mozzarella. The sauce is what makes it Sicilian, but the taste is what makes it our favorite.

As if to prove that it’s more than just a pizza joint, Primanti’s offers up full course meals with housemade bread and a side salad. These are definitely not the Bros. specialty, and as if to prove the point, they make you wait extra long to receive your meal. However, when you do, there is a whopping portion with equally great taste.

Recommended here is the Chicken Marsala ($11.79), served with a pasta. The chicken is sautéed in Marsala wine with mushrooms, extracting a flavor that’s both subtle and defined.

In an unusual treat, the Home-Style Baked Cheese Raviolis deliver a delightful spin on the Italian standard. In the Primanti version, the raviolis become akin to mini lasagnas with their ricotta cheese filling. The fresh marinara sauce is prepared with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers and onions, and all for $10.99. Mamma mia!

Primanti Bros. has a 24-hour location on the beach, at 901 N Atlantic Blvd. as well as branches at 516 E Oakland Park Blvd. in Oakland Park. (954-565-7100) and 2019 N University Dr. in Sunrise. (954-578-3900).

At the non-beach locations, Tuesdays and Thursdays are boys-night-out Family Pizza Event from 5 p.m. to closing. On those nights, $16.99 gets you an 18” pizza with three-toppings and a pitcher of soda pop. (A pitcher of beer costs $1.50 more.)

The delicious single Big Slice Pizza ($2.49) may just be the best bargain not only in Primanti Bros. but in all of Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors. It measures a full 12-inches along the top crust, and only the most gluttonous will be able to consume two. Try anyway, and tell them Agenda sent you.

RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

SEAWATCH ON THE OCEAN
6002 North Ocean Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
954-781-2200

There was always something so relaxing about SeaWatch on the Ocean, a local favorite since 1974. The nautical ambiance of heavy dock rope, ship lanterns, 12-spoke wheels, and dusty ancient maps and books competing for wall space was a home-away-from- home for many Floridians, who found the restaurant’s fresh seafood as comforting as its sagging red banquettes.

All that changed about a year ago, when the popular place closed its doors for months, as its owners remodeled the eatery in what was its first update in its 38-year history. The menu received a full fluff-and-fold as well, with the resulting transformation as sophisticated as it is complete.

The restaurant sits on the sand some 50 yards from the Atlantic, and on nights of the Full Moon, the joint is packed to capacity to celebrate the lunar experience, as it creeps over the horizon and showcases the jubilant crowd. (The next full moon party is August 30th.) During those parties, there’s an outdoor barbecue and DJ Alex spinning in the booth.

While SeaWatch has a multipage menu featuring some top-notch house specialties— Bouillabaisse, a rich soup of lobster, shrimp, scallops, calamari, white fish, mussels, clams, and saffron-chicken broth, with a hint of Pernod ($29.00); a Seafood Paella, heavy with king crab, chicken, shrimp, spicy chorizo, clams, salmon, and mussels served on a bed of Spanish rice ($28.00); and a slow-roasted 16-ounce Prime Rib with a zesty horseradish sauce and flavorful au jus, plus a side of Yorkshire pudding ($32.00)—it’s the lunch specials that have lately kept us smiling.

In an off-season promotion running daily between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., SeaWatch offers Sail the $7 Seas, a host of $7 lunch items, including some extremely good paninis. The grilled and pressed sandwiches range in choice from Salmon BLT with smack-your-lips applewood bacon on multi-grain bread to a Classic Corned Beef Reuben, with sauerkraut, swiss cheese on delicious sliced caraway seed loaf. All the paninis are served with a dill pickle wedge and a bag of Miss Vickie’s Simply Sea Salt Potato Chips.

Not in the mood for a Panini? Try Maria’s Tortilla Salad, sliced lean sirloin steak mixed with iceberg lettuce, tortilla chips, beans, chopped tomatoes, and cheddar cheese with a creamy Italian dressing—Maria’s special contribution. Also priced at $7: An amazingly flavored Shrimp Penne Pasta, with grilled pancetta, sun-dried tomato and arugula.

SeaWatch also has a very nice grilled Cheeseburger and Fries with caramelized onions, sliced pickles, tomato and a secret sauce, or a forget-the-calories Grilled Hot Dog with catsup, mustard and sweet relish. That one comes with fries as well, and plenty of them.

For dinner, the vast daily menu is available from 6 p.m. until closing. For those special few who want to see the place as the moon comes up, try Dinner at Dusk from 5-6 p.m. For $20.95, select your choice of 1¼ pound Broiled Lobster, Blackened Mahi Mahi, Roasted Half Chicken, Slow-Roasted Prime Rib, or the Broiled Combination Platter that features shrimp, scallops, and mahi mahi in a garlic, herb and butter sauce that’s a two-napkin taste treat.

Be sure to say hi to Mary at the upstairs bar, Jeannette at the door, and Beth, who manages the joint as if it’s her own nightly party. And, as always, tell them Agenda sent you.

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 Florida Agenda sent you.

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