3017 East Commercial Blvd.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida  33308

Phone: 954-776-4282

www.zuckerellos.com

If you love Italian food and a comfortable dining experience, you will love this restaurant. When you arrive, someone greets you with a smile right away.  As you enter, to the right there are a sampling of their delicious meals to order. To a slight left is the bar. The smell of fresh garlic permiates the room. We had a reservation with three other couples for 6pm on a Sunday night. Early bird is from 4-6pm daily so it was still crowded when we arrived. The menu is varied and everything seems like a good choice.

Zuckerello’s has won the Zagat award and has been featured in articles in the Sun Sentinel. They have special events and do cater for larger parties. It is a great place for family and friend gatherings as well as for romantic dinners. Their other location is in Aventura.

Some people ordered wine. Several of us ordered the Gorgonzola salad that was to die for.  It was actually large enough for my husband and I to share. Their bread comes with fresh garlic. All of us enjoyed the bread. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana and it was a large portion with spaghetti and mixed vegetables. My husband ordered the meat lasagna that was fully layered and was a large portion as well covered with cheese. Both of us had enough left over to bring  home for dinner the following evening. One of our friends ordered the liguini with clam sauce and really enjoyed that.  All of us were too full for dessert and coffee, but they do have a variety of delicious desserts for next time.

Our service and presentation of the meals was very nice and attentive. The waiters did not rush us and we were able to dine relaxing for over two hours with our friends. I would love to come back again to try their other dishes.

There was live music on the Saturday afternoon when we visited.

Our table was on the covered patio.  We started with freshly baked bread,  Maine lobster bisque,  and lobster and crab cakes. The lobster bisque had a nice consistency and contained a lobster-crab fritter.  The lobster and crab cakes were served with a tropical fruit salsa, mango chipolte aioli.

For the main dish we enjoyed the Yellowtail Snapper which was a pan seared in a lemon-caper sauce and served with Florida Gulf shrimp, fresh asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and Yukon gold mashed potatoes.  The fish and shrimp were very fresh and tasty.  The asparagus spears were large and had a good flavor.

The freshly-brewed ice tea was very refreshing. Service was excellent and very attentive.

For desert, we enjoyed chocolate mouse and key-lime pie.  The pie was in a round shape and superb.  The chocolate mouse had a thin layer of chocolate cake at the bottom which gave it extra flavor.  The espresso and cappuccino were very good.

Other offerings include a variety of sandwiches, appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. There is a full bar including tropical drinks.  The sandwiches we saw were large enough to be shared.

Menus with prices can be viewed on their website.

Hours of  Operation:

Breakfast Daily: 6:30-11:00 am, till 12:00 pm on weekends
Lunch Daily: 11:00 am-5:00 pm
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00-10:00 pm and Friday-Saturday 5:00-11:00 pm

Tiki Bar:  Sunday-Thursday 10:00am-12:00am and Friday-Saturday 10:00am-1:00am

Website:  latitudesonthebeach.com

Location and Contact Information:

2501 North Ocean Drive
Hollywood, FL 33019

Phone: 954-924-2202 x7040

1207 S.E. 17th Street

Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

Phone: 954-764-3333

If you really enjoy New York Strip steak, Chuck’s makes a delicious Black Angus beef cooked to order.  There have been several Chuck’s locations in Florida that are no longer around. The first Florida location was opened in 1973 in Ft. Lauderdale and has thrived throughout the years. Lunch is served on Saturday and Sunday and music is played on Friday and Saturday evenings. Chuck’s takes reservations, especially for parties of 10 or more.  They have happy hour Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6:30pm.

The decor is dark inside with a big bar area where the music is played. My family and I were at Chuck’s Ft. Lauderdale location with relatives last Friday night. We had around 18 people in our party so we had two long tables set up towards the back area of the restaurant. We were able to hear the music and see the bar. The menu is varied and the prices are moderate for steak and seafood dishes. Some people ordered seafood and others ordered Prime Rib and the New York Strip. The Prime Rib was tasty, but too rare for me. The New York Strip really looked good and lean. I ordered their famous Salad Bar and delicious Manhattan Clam Chowder soup.

The service was efficient and timely for our dinner party.  Being a Friday night, it got crowded.  I have not been there in many years so I really enjoyed it. Chuck’s is a great place to take the family, go as a couple, or for a larger party or event.

COLUMBIA RESTAURANT – THE PIER

800 2nd Avenue N.E.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Phone: 727-822-8000

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com

colpier@columbiarestaurant.com

This restaurant is a Florida tradition since 1905. You will find waterfront views and outstanding Spanish/Cuban cuisine at the Columbia at The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg. A panoramic 360 degree 4th floor waterfront view of sailboats drifting by and dolphins playing in Tampa Bay complement their award-winning family recipes, fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico and other specialties. They are open 365 days a year serving lunch and dinner. There are several other successful Florida locations in Ybor City, Sarasota, St. Augustine, Clearwater Beach, Celebration, and Riverwalk Tampa.

Columbia at the Pier is centrally located in downtown St. Petersburg. Close to the Pier is an impressive collection of cultural centers that include the St. Petersburg Museum of History, the Museum of Fine Arts, Florida International Museum and the world-renowned Salvador Dali Museum. There are also several waterfront parks to enjoy.

There is an on-site gift shop for a selection of unique gifts, fine cigars & accessories. You can take home “A Taste of Columbia” with their World Famous “1905″ Salad TM Dressing, sangria mix, Cuban and American roast coffee, hot sauce and Columbia seasoning. You’ll also find a wide variety of unique hand-made and hand painted ceramic pieces imported from Spain.

The service is very prompt and efficient. Our waitress commented on how much she liked working there for over four years. My husband and I were there for dinner on a week night around 8:00pm so there was not a wait for a table. Sitting overlooking the water was really nice. The lights on the outside of the building would change from dark pink, blue, green, and yellow which really looked pretty. We started out with white wine before our main dinner.  I ordered a shrimp dish with crabmeat that was delicious. My husband ordered a snapper dish that was also very tasty. The food presentation was nice and everything was fresh.

I would recommend this restaurant to others that have not been there before.  It is great for a romantic dinner or with a family. I look forward to going back there the next time we are in the area.

19595 State Rd 7, Boca Raton, FL 33498         Phone: 561-479-2526

Outback Steakhouse is best known for their grilled steaks, chicken, and seafood dishes. They also offer salads, soups, and appetizers.  New creations and grilled dishes are served fresh daily. There are many locations all over South Florida. It is a great place for families and parties.  Online ordering and crubside take-away ordering is available. There are two separate locations in Boca Raton alone. I was with a friend at the West Boca Raton location recently during the week on a Wednesday night around 8:00pm. It was not packed, but there were many tables filled. There is a bar on the right side. It has a casual atmosphere.

The menu is varied. There are now gluten-free dishes and Spanish dishes available as well. We ordered two appetizers to share and had one of their peach flavored specialty drinks called Wallaby Darned. The Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp was good and so was the Alice Springs Chicken Quesadillas. Many of their portions are large enough for two people to share. We also had their signature dark bread. Our server was very accommodating and also helped us in our appetizer decision.

Because there are always new and exciting additions to their menu, I look forward to coming back again soon and trying them.

2901 Clint Moore Road
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: 561-995-9940

http://www.rotellipizzapasta.com

If you are looking for a good neighborhood family Italian Restaurant with a variety of food and moderate pricing, you should try Rotelli’s.  There are many locations throughout South Florida. My husband and I went to the Central Boca Raton location listed above on a Saturday night. It was crowded at 7:00pm when we arrived. The service is prompt and the atmosphere is friendly and comfortable. There are coupons online and ones that we received in the mail that can be used towards lunch or dinner there.

The menu is varied and includes seafood items as well. There are dinner specials for $9.99 daily and complete early bird dinners daily. The regular prices are moderate and the portions are generous. Each of us had a glass of house wine which was very good. We ordered a gorgonzola salad and a large pizza with spinach, extra cheese, and roasted red peppers. Everything was delicious and we had some pizza to bring home.

We will go back again to try their many dinner dishes soon.

We enjoyed the Sushi Lunch Box with four pieces of California roll, six pieces of tuna roll and three other pieces of sushi  for $10.95 including miso soup.  Another fresh and tasty dish  was the Stir-Fried Mixed Vegetables with Chicken and Jasmine rice for $7.95 including miso soup.

Tee-Jay Thai Sushi has locations in Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, and Wilton Manors.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. For more information and a menu, please visit their website, tjthaisushi.com.

5975 North Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

(954) 771-4447

Max’s Grille has a wide variety of food and wine. You may enjoy full entrees, sandwiches or tapas. Max’ Grille now serves breakfast.

On Friday, from 11:30am to 4:00 pm, $5 hamburgers are available.

For more information and menus, please visit maxsgrille.com.

404 Plaza Real
Boca Raton, FL 33432
(561) 368-0080

APPLEBEE’S www.Applebees.com 561-279-2666

1720 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach, FL 33483

You feel welcome when you go to Applebee’s restaurants. There are  many locations nationwide. It is a geared to all ages and accommodating to families and large groups with a casual atomosphere.  They now have the Carside to Go orders which is very convenient when you are in a hurry. There is a bar with daily happy hour specials. They regularly advertise their 2 for $20 dinner specials and also offer several dinners for 550 calories and under. I was there with a friend for dinner on a Wednesday night around 7:30pm at the Delray Beach location and waited only a few minutes for a table. It was still busy at that time. The hostess was friendly and the waitress was as well.  Looking through the menu, everything looked good!  The menu changes every season with new dishes.  It was a tough choice.

We shared a spinach dip appetizer. We both had iced tea to drink and got a chicken and shrimp dinner platter. It was brought out hot and delicious tasting! Afterwards, we shared a black cake and ice cream dessert. All and all, it was a nice dinner for a reasonable price. The atmosphere was not too noisy and I did not feel cramped. I have been there before for lunch and had salads. This time for dinner I was able to try one of their popular dishes. Looking forward to trying others when I return.