b is for burgers

before my love for food grew into exploring exotic cuisines, eating at fancy restaurants and appreciating hole in the wall joints - it was always simple for me - "i'll have the burger."

it's the most ideal thing to eat - a warm patty usually made out of beef, slice of melted cheese, whatever toppings you desire, dollop of ketchup - all nestled into a bun...yum. i've had great ones at places like shake shack, in-and-out, houston's, primanti's, etc. over the past year or so they've become the trendy item to order - just like good ol' cupcakes - and restaurant's are either updating the traditional cheeseburger with unique creations or opening with the entire concept based around the burger. trendy or not, i'll always love a burger and there are two burgers that i recently tried that cannot go without recognition.

rok brgr in ft. lauderdale

rok brgr and the peggy burger

http://www.rokbrgr.com


mike o'donnell makes his smooth return to the blog and appropriately so on a burger post. when the two of us aren't bantering about movies, music or just mocking one another - we are usually talking about how great american food is. as mike is trying to expose me to more music he loves (and sports - but that's going to take much longer), i am trying to expose him to eating different types of eats and especially break down his aversion to spicy food. we had been talking about the best burgers we've had for quite some time and when the new rok brgr on himmershee street in ft. lauderdale was getting rave reviews, i knew that's where i wanted to take him during his visit to south florida. it’s a very laid back scene with good music playing and adding to the bar scene in downtown ft. lauderdale,  except here they offer super quality food and lots of burgers.

he was so giddy over all the options and was struggling to decide on one. we happily compromised with ordering two different burgers and splitting them. he got the rok brgr which came with hickory smoked bacon and a winning bourbon bbq sauce and i got the peggy – topped with pulled short rib, same bbq sauce and a horseradish cheddar cheese. both burgers were served with handcut fries – perfect to stuff into your burger for that one really good bite.

photo courtesy of daily.likeme.net

oliver twist eats

i have to admit that lately most of my fine dining has been at my home or at the homes of my friends. suffice it to say, i've still had the chance to try some new eats for you to hear about. these will keep you warm for now and saying "please sir, i want some more."

the pub in pembroke pines
http://www.luvthepub.com/pub_pembroke.html

english pot roast
this is the ultimate holiday meal to enjoy at a bar. tender pieces of beef with peas, carrots and chive whipped potatoes served over a bordelaise sauce. accompanied with a great glass of cabernet sauvignon while it's a little chilly outside will make it feel like you're in a scene right from the movie 'the holiday.' albeit, jude law would have been a much nicer side to the roast than red wine.

talia's tuscan table - a local favorite

talia's in boca raton is an italian restaurant that is loved by locals - completely valued by its loyal customers who spread the good word about this oh, so good spot. many, many friends have insisted that i check out the low key eatery and after my friend erin (who is ultra picky about what she eats) said she just had the best sandwich ever, i made it a point to go asap.

racks downtown eatery + tavern in mizner park

mizner park in boca raton is hands down a destination spot for out-of-towners and residents of south florida alike. there's pretty much a restaurant for everyone's liking - sushi, mexican, irish, italian and of course, american. but regardless of the amount of dining options the high end park offers, something was missing. and that's where racks comes in - talk about a game changer.

serendipity 3 at the boca resort

serendipity 3 in nyc is adored by both tourists and locals. with a vast history and whimsical interior, crowds swarm to the restaurant for their extravagant desserts such as the 'outrageous banana split - $22.50,' 'can't say no sundae - $15.00,' and the infamous 'frrrozen hot chocolate - $8.95.'

to not that many dessert lover's knowledge, serendipity 3 expanded their location to south florida at the ultra-private boca raton resort around the end of 2008. you pretty much have to be a guest at the resort or be a member (we are talking mucho mula here) to be able to enjoy their many amenities. believe it or not, bare with me people... i'm not a member. so getting into the club was a little mission impossible. but i was in a 'if there's a will, there's a way' mood at work and my co-worker sam and i disguised a "work errand" at the resort into a quick "to go" order at serendipity 3.

joie de vivre's for february '10

february has been quite a month for me and i've had the pleasure to explore some new places and some new delicious charms. although not everything i eat is going to excite me, i can still certainly attest to a few food fantasticals and i'm calling these 'joie de vivre's' because simply put, they're my joys of living.

yucatan combination plate at rocco's tacos, boca raton
561.416.2131
http://www.roccostacos.com/

mexican food is pretty much a first choice for me when i like to dine out. always start off with the fresh made quacamole (yup, they make it infront of you) and serve it with well-seasoned chips. for dinner i ordered the yucatan combination plate (chicken enchilada with two skirt steak tacos) but switched one of the tacos for 'rocco's taco.' ridiculously good- it's a meatball taco with roasted peppers, cotijaa cheese, crema and cilantro. que rico! fyi- their chimichanga is worth the try too!

table 42's $5 burger night

table 42 - italian kitchen & wine bar
royal palm place
399 se mizner blvd
boca raton, fl 33432
561.826.2625

i think that a burger is the ultimate meal. bun, meat, cheese, veggies, and a good sauce to combine the elements together- perfection! so when i heard that the new table 42 in boca raton (formerly coal mine pizza) was doing a burger night on wednesdays- & for only $5... i was pretty much sold at the spot.

my tops - best of boca

boca raton is an interesting town (to say the least) and anyone who has had the pleasure of living even just a few months amongst the area, will agree.

my personal experience in this city has been a whirlwind. between college and work, i've been here for more than five years - and mostly in east boca. i get asked a lot "where is the best place to eat in boca raton?" therefore i have decided that one of my first posts will be about the best of boca- through my eyes.

i call this 'my tops.' i'm sure there will be dissenters from what i choose to be the 'best i've ever had' and i strongly encourage others to share their very own 'tops!'

top sandwich that will change your life:

chicken lemon artichoke from beany's gourmet cafe.
561.392.1085

when i first had this sandwich, my life changed. there is really no other way to describe how good this sandwich is. the bread is baked fresh at the cafe, the chicken is incredibly juicy, the combination of lemon, garlic aioli and artichoke hearts all topped with smoked provolone- (should i stop now?)...