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.
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| I tried to take a picture immediately, but my reflexes were somewhat slower than normal. South Florida heat or ethanol? Both? |
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| Same story with the second pizza. Folks were really hungry. |
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| Gotta have the shrimp scampi. A signature item and they ROCKED IT! |
www.boccaccinocafe.com
Your Dining Scout,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike
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