Have you Hurd... This Was Our Last Blast Of Florida Sun and Surf...

I know these posts keep bouncing back and forth chronologically, but just pretend this is some sort of Pulp Fiction type exercise and give the blog your full and undivided attention.  I know I don't have the entertaining chops of Samuel L., John, and Uma, but there is much less murder and mayhem featured in these lowly pages too.  I count that as a blessing.  Hopefully, you do too. -smirk-

On our last evening in Fort Lauderdale, we were looking for someplace simple.  No reservations required, maybe some outdoor seating facing the beach, enough capacity to handle our entire posse, and certainly some tasty grub too.  Luckily, one of our group had visited Fort Lauderdale recently with a Boy Scout Troop spending some time at Seabase.  He suggested a pizza parlor on the opposite end of the beach from our hotel that he thoroughly enjoyed on his previous trip.  We made a quick phone call to assess the crowd and started the long walk down the beach.  After passing 17 beachfront bars and more than a few interesting characters well into their evening revelry, we arrived at Boccaccino Cafe and Pizzeria.

The staff rearranged some tables on the patio to accommodate our entire party in 3 smaller groups and filled us in on the food and drink offerings.  A round of adult beverages hit the table quickly and the first round was nearly gone before the great pizza negotiation of 2015 was complete.  The core of our party settled on a couple of salads and three pizzas.  Another round of drinks accompanied the scrumptious salads.  I would say for a pizza place, the produce was first rate and the dressings packed a flavorful punch too.  Hoo-RAH!  As my dedicated readers should know by now, bland greens are a sin of the highest order in my book.  I don't eat salad because it is healthy.  I eat it because I like the taste of it.  No flavor = no good.

As we eagerly awaited the arrival of our trio of pies, we managed to re-create our own scene from that Alfred Hitchcock classic "The Birds."  A trio of aggressive pigeons had worked their way onto the patio to mug another couple of diners and make a meal of their pizza.  Unbeknownst to us, one of our good friends and some first cousins to these pesky pigeons had some history.  I say first cousins because the pigeons George encountered many years before were in the thriving metropolis of Pittsburgh and they 'decorated' his suit on his way into an important meeting with some folks at Mellon Bank.  Hearing him recount the tale of a ruined suit and a nearly ruined meeting so long ago,  it is clear he is still bitter about it.  George swiftly unleashed his pent up emotion and sent the pigeons packing and provided some brief entertainment to boot.  Crocodile Hunter maybe not, but pigeon pusher for sure.  I just wish someone had caught it on video.  Thanks to George we were able to enjoy the rest our meal without any fowl present.  At least not any live fowl.  -chuckle-

Perhaps it was the engaging conversation, the crashing surf in the background, or the wrinkles in time cause by the conspicuous consumption of ethanol, or the brief show of force against the pigeons... but the pizzas seemed to get there faster than expected.  The buffalo chicken, Sicilian, and shrimp scampi pies were hardly set down before the slices were passed around and quickly disappeared.  Even though I am not normally a fan of seafood, the shrimp scampi is one of their feature items and for the sake of my readership I had to at least sample it.  WOW!  While the toppings weren't all readily apparent baked into the cheese, you could definitely taste the shrimp and garlic.  The crust was special too.  If I had to pick a typical style I would say New York, but done better.  The Sicilian and buffalo chicken were fabulous too.  I would venture to say it wouldn't matter what toppings you choose at Boccaccino's, the combination of crust, sauce, and cheese will provide the perfect foundation to pizza goodness.  Considering the good food, comfortable atmosphere, great service, and reasonably priced beverages...  I would say Boccaccino's Cafe and Pizzeria is on my 'must visit' list any time I return to Fort Lauderdale.  If you make the trip, I suggest you give them a try too.  Make sure you pick an evening with nice weather so you can sit outside on the patio.  It is on the beach, after all. -big smile-

Please note that no wildlife were injured during the creation of this episode and absolutely no fee was charged for pigeon training.

I tried to take a picture
immediately, but my
reflexes were somewhat
slower than normal.
South Florida heat or
ethanol?  Both?

Same story with the second
pizza.  Folks were really
hungry.

Gotta have the shrimp scampi.
A signature item and they
ROCKED IT!

www.boccaccinocafe.com

Your Dining Scout,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... I Could've Been a Contender...

I know it has been way too long since that line was featured in a movie, but since it recycles itself frequently enough a punch line in other light-hearted comedy, I am fairly certain both young and old will recognize it and be suitably intrigued.  Still working hard to build my base of dedicated readers by (almost) any means necessary. -grin-

If you are a subscriber to the Lynd Fruit Farm Cider Press, you will think this is stale news.  Lynd's opened their produce market for the 2015 season officially on Thursday, July 16.  The offering that generated the greatest amount of excitement in my household was the Contender peaches from South Carolina.  The pints of fresh blueberries from the Blue Frog Farm (also in the Lynd family) were a close second.  Given the volatility of produce supplies and prices, I would suggest checking out their website and/or Facebook page for available products and pricing before you make the trip.  That is what I did before heading to Pataskala.  I also Googled Columbus Best Burgers and quickly found an article from the Columbus Monthly listing their picks for the best burgers around Central Ohio.

Aren't these just peachy?  Had to get corny,
since I didn't get a picture of the dozen ears
of sweet corn we bought.

Look closely for the blueberries.  The clerk
was kind enough to give us a couple bags
so we didn't lose any enroute to home base.
Maple rolls aren't aren't from the Saxonburg
bakery, but they will do.

What on Earth do fresh imported peaches and local blueberries have to do with grilled ground beef patties?  All three are things my wife was hankering for on this particular Friday evening.  Red meat is not something she pines for frequently, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity.  It was our good fortune that a New Albany restaurant was featured in the Columbus Monthly article.  It was less than a mile from our route back home and I was able to secure online reservations before departing.  Although, as it turns out, this was not necessary.  Ella was busy, but not Friday night crazy busy at the time we arrived.  So we would not have waited for a table even without reservations.  I didn't want to take any chances, though.  I was billing it as a way to avoid the really crazy Friday night crowds at another one of my favorite burger joints.  I love it when a plan comes together.  -smile-

Lots of good stuff on the menu.
I am definitely coming back
for the pork chops and maybe
walleye on yet another visit.

The words over the window into the kitchen say it all.  No, those
are not UFO's.  Just really cool heat lamps. 

If I didn't fail to take at least
one picture a little late, would
you wonder if it was really 
the work of your Dining Scout?

Since it was our first visit, the waiter was kind enough to give us some guidance on the menu and other features at ella.  It seems that ella is an abbreviation for "eat local. love art."  There is a small gallery right next to the restaurant and he said we were welcome to browse while waiting for our meals to arrive and he would retrieve us at the appropriate time.  I asked my sweetest if she intended to check out the art work while we perused the menu and she showed only the slightest interest.  We were agonizing about an appetizer and were on the fence between the polenta fries and the Ella-Vated Potato Chips.  He provided savory details on both, but suggested we consider a seasonal feature instead -  buffalo cauliflower.  It was small florets of cauliflower in a light breading flash fried and perfectly tender, served with a generous dollop of Gorgonzola cream, a pleasant drizzle of buffalo cream sauce, and a shaved celery salad.  The Gorgonzola cream and buffalo cream sauce were both house-made.  I loved it, but my sweetest found it just a tad too spicy.  She likes absolutely no heat, but will occasionally tolerate food described as zesty. -smirk-

If you are old enough (Gen-X, at least), I am sure you are recalling a skit from the popular 80's variety show "In Living Color."  The skit was a tongue-in-cheek send-up of how individuals of the paler ethnicity can't tolerate spicy food.  The memorable line from this skit is comedic actress Victoria Jackson exclaiming: "WOW this is SPICY!  What's in this?!?!?  TOMATOES!?!?!"  As I have others in my family besides my bride that can't handle spicy foods, this phrase has been oft repeated over the years and is now part of our collective consciousness.  Love you, Mom.  -smile- 


After enjoying the appetizer, we both ordered an Ella Burger.  Someone at the table ordered it straight up (medium) and someone else ordered it with provolone instead of pepper-jack (medium-well).  Bet you can guess who ordered what... -chortle-  The waiter repeated his suggestion to check out the art work next door, not wanting us to miss out of the full experience at ella.  He was right when he said there was some great stuff next door.  Even though we are not the types to casually drop a few hundred dollars on art work, we did find some affordably priced local art and some stuff that while maybe not really 'art' it was definitely 'artsy.'  Like the 'Tattooed' silver we purchased.  It was old silver utensils etched with cute phrases.  A spoon with 'cereal killer' etched into the bowl or another one etched 'Good morning Beautiful.'  Once again, I am sure you know which of us gravitated to each of these divergent examples.  We intended to only purchase one, but there was a $20 minimum purchase required to use plastic money. Consequently, we picked out a second one.  Our timing was good too, as the waiter came with a two minute warning on the arrival of our entrees just as we completed our purchase.  All things being equal, maybe I should have resisted his earlier en-treatises and stayed at the table. No...  There are worse things to do than support a small local gallery. -big smile-   

Better lean over your plate when you bite into
this baby.  Juicy and flavorful are the watch
words.  Wouldn't want you to stain your shirt.

Gazing upon the ella burgers as they arrived at the table, I could see why they made the list in Columbus Monthly.  A ten ounce patty of locally raised beef, expertly cooked, with a melted slice of pepper jack cheese (or provolone, if you wish), thick-sliced house bacon, a smattering of french-fried onions, dill pickle half, and house-made onion aioli.  This perched atop a grilled bun of excellent character.  This is not the kind of bun you pick up for 99 cents a pack at the local grocery.  Maybe $3.99 a pack at the local grocery, if you are lucky.  If the burger wasn't enough, it was served with a generous portion of seasoned and flash fried potato wedges and ketchup.  Mmmmmmmm.

I don't know when the last time was I ate a burger that inspired me to quickly grab a napkin after each bite.  Yes, that's right...  The juices were running down my chin from start to finish.  OK, so maybe it was only a week or two ago, but still...  This burger ROCKS!  Maybe my top 5 is in need of a re-shuffle.  The potato wedges were magnificent too.  I don't know how they got the outside incredibly crispy, while keeping the inside unbelievably tender and moist.  Perhaps I should inquire with my Food Network favorite, Alton Brown.  I bet he could unwrap the mystery for me.  They tasted great neat and lightly dipped in ketchup.  Yes, I am periodically closing my eyes and daydreaming about it as I type this.

Much like another of my favorite establishments that shall remain nameless, the meal was a a bit more than I typically spend for a quick burger at lunch.  However, this is WAY MORE than a quick lunch burger. I encourage you to ignore your wallet's (or purse's) whining and pony up. -big smile-   Yes, it is much easier for me to ask you to spend your hard earned dollars than it is for me to spend mine. Love you too, Dad. -big laugh-  In this case, I have already spent mine for your benefit.  You should feel good about that.  The atmosphere of quiet and somewhat understated elegance is a fitting complement to the menu.

How do I take my bourbon?
In a chocolate bourbon pecan
pie with vanilla bean ice cream
and a caramel drizzle.

As we were devouring the last bit of our meal, the waiter subtly placed the dessert menus on the table for our consideration.  At the top of the list was the chocolate bourbon pecan pie.  You should know that my sweetest has an aversion to nuts (marriage to me excluded, of course) almost as great as her aversion to spicy.  So it took no small amount of persuasion to secure her agreement to not only order it, but enjoy some of it with me.  The plethora of pecans ensured that I would get the lion's share, but not quite all of it.  Sometimes life just works out that way.  It was a fitting end to a perfect summer evening in Central Ohio.  Time to go back outside and sweat in the ubiquitous heat and humidity.  If you enjoy a good peach or a great burger, head on over to the northeastern frontier (of Columbus), Lynd's and ella will make it worth your while.

Brought these little beauties home with us.
Just like with our dogs, I thought one would
be enough and somehow  we ended up
with two. -smile-

Didn't buy these, but had to take a picture.  Made me take back
bad things I have said about golf clubs (woods, anyway).  There
is ONE good use for them... Repurposed as decorative ducks.

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

http://www.lyndfruitfarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lyndfruitfarm?fref=ts
http://www.ella-restaurant.com/#eat-together
https://www.facebook.com/ellanewalbany?fref=ts


Who says movies are the only ones who hide "Easter eggs" during the credits...

I almost forgot to mention the house
bread.  It was basted with a
buttery garlic spread and then cooked
in some fashion until it was crisp on the crust and
chewy otherwise.  If I were dog, this is the chewy
treat that would cause me to beg.

Have you Hurd... Taco Tuesday + 2 = Just Plain Old Thursday...

I guess as time passes, that 'special' feeling fades, even at the Local Cantina.  Discovered just this past Thursday that they are no longer featuring the "Throw Back Thursday/$5 Burrito" special.  I added this to my original (3/1/2015) post  , but being uncertain about whether it will be noticed there...  I am also creating this quick post.  Don't want anyone walking into the Local Cantina on Thursday for lunch and having to wash dishes to cover the extra cost of a burrito or...  Even worse..., Going to fisticuffs with the management based on my now erroneous original post.  You can still enjoy the burrito, just be sure you have at least $12 in your pocket.  That should cover you for the full cost of the burrito ($8), plus tax and tip and still leave you with a dollar in your pocket.  Wouldn't want anyone arrested for vagrancy either.***  -wink,wink-  Particularly generous souls and those who prefer to pay for a drink will need to take a few more bucks. -smile-

Original Post:
http://bigmikeshotleads.blogspot.com/2015/03/have-you-hurd-taco-tuesday-2-throw-back.html

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

*** - I am not aware of whether or not the failure to possess at least $1.00 of legal US tender will result in a complaint or subsequent arrest for vagrancy in Gahanna, Ohio.  This is just a casual reference to a great friend from high school who passed away more than a few years ago.  He used to say quite frequently: "make sure you have at least $1 in your pocket.  Wouldn't want anyone getting arrested for vagrancy. "  -sad smile-  Maybe someday I will share a story with you about Steve, a Wheeler Girl named Wanda, and his untimely beer bath at Watt-Powell Park.  Cameras were rolling on that last part, so there is videographic evidence.

Guess I miss him still.  RIP Steven D. Hawkins, aka "Zabrisky".

Have you Hurd... Sunshine state retirees always show up early for dinner.

I don't know what it is about New Yorkers and Chicagoans, but they all seem to gravitate towards exceptional ethnic foods.  Sometimes they find suitable sources when they move further south, whether it be for a career opportunity or the start of their retirement.  If not, you are certain to hear them complain about the lack of their favored delicacies every time they visit 'back home.'  -grimace-

I have some good friends who fit this pattern.  I met them while they were residents of Cincinnati, but Chicago is their real hometown.  Just over a year ago, they relocated to Lake Worth, Florida.   When planning a business trip to Fort Lauderdale, I realized I would be perilously close to their new hometown.  Never shy about inviting myself over, I called ahead and ask if they would be willing to put us up for a night at the start of our trip.  They were more than happy to be our bed & breakfast and insisted we join them for dinner at their favorite local Italian restaurant.  I won't reveal their identities, since I don't want them to be overwhelmed with lodging requests from my readership.  I am not sure if their neighborhood would allow them to start charging for overnight stays either. -sly smile-

Since they hadn't even lived there for a year when we visited, the fact that they had already found a favorite Italian restaurant was promising.  To say my expectations were high would be an understatement of the highest order.  Prior to our visit, if anyone mentioned Mamma Mia, I would think of the Broadway musical featuring the music of ABBA.  Now, all I can think about when I hear those words is fabulous bruschetta and a monster-sized plate of veal cacciatore.  I am sure by now my dedicated readers expect some level of excitement from me when discussing food.  In the case of Mamma Mia's Trattoria in Lake Worth, it is an excitement that extends to my lovely wife.  She still talks about the bruschetta.  Just looking at the pictures while I was typing this post made her want to jump on a plane and head back to Florida.  At least I hope it was because of her memories of the food and not some sudden repulsion to me.  -nervous grin-

I won't say their bruschetta
was better than mine.  I may
think that, but would never
say it out loud.  

Pesto dipping sauce was a
pleasant counterpoint to
the bruschetta.

The atmosphere at Mamma Mia's was quiet and comfortable.  It was a great place to enjoy dinner and catch up with our friends about their new-found home.  The fresh bread and house-made bruschetta and pesto dipping sauce were an excellent start to the meal.  A quartet of delicious salads arrived quickly after we ordered.  I opted for the wedge salad included with my entree.  It's a salad I rarely make at home, so I enjoy it out whenever I can.  This may be the only worthwhile use of iceberg lettuce that I can name.  Which is why I don't make it at home.  I don't allow iceberg lettuce in my household.  I don't even joke about it.               -sinister glare-

Wedge salad... Or as Mamma
Mia's likes to call it... The
Bistecca.  I don't speak Italian,
but it sure looks like a wedge
to me.

Just as we polished off our respective salads, the plates were cleared and the entrees arrived.  Given the enormous portions, I felt like I could easily share mine with two other people.  I am not saying I DID share it with anyone, just saying that I COULD.  I enjoyed every tasty morsel of it myself. -big smile- Although my eyesight and reflexes are not what they used to be.  Someone may have sneaked a sample and I just missed it.  I ordered a side of grilled seasonal vegetables to accompany my veal cacciatore.  Hearing the question in your mind, I feel compelled to share that it was not out of some misplaced desire to make amends with the gods of healthy eating.  I just had a taste for vegetables and Mamma Mia's cooked them to perfection.  They were tender and flavorful and were a pleasant accompaniment to the veal.

I downsized the photo, lest it push the rest
of the blog completely off the page.

Even carnivores enjoy tasty
grilled vegetables when they are
in season.

Although they had a great list of house-made desserts, I had to pass.  Perhaps another sign of my age.  I am occasionally able to exercise restraint when enjoying a meal.  What was it Dirty Harry used to say - "a man's got to know his limitations?"   I had definitely reached mine prior to the dessert course.  Hopefully, my dedicated readers won't think less of me.

If you should find yourself headed to South Florida, you may want to do as I did.  Plan to take a little side trip to  Lake Worth and visit Mamma Mia's Trattoria for dinner.  Arrive early or be prepared to wait a little while for a table.  Retirees don't need to get home and change out of their work clothes before going to dinner.  If you are vacationing there, you won't either.  That gives you at least a sporting chance.  If you manage to save room for dessert, please let me know.  I'll live vicariously through you until I can get back there again.

http://mammamiastrattoria.com/trattoria

 Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

One more plus for your Dining
Scout and Shade Tree Chef.
If you don't know what this
means, that is what you get
for skipping to the end.  Please
go back and read from the beginning.