We had a hell of a time trying to find Little Moir's Leftover's Cafe but I got my husband to try it. Very creative but we didn't know what half the stuff they described on the menu was or tasted like. Also very very crowded, even on a weekday for lunch. Our service was slow also. This was a few mos ago. Their bar seats are interesting. Don't they look in on the kitchen?

Le Tub is different but not sure we would try it again. The food was unremarkable (my husband had the burger and I had a very large seafood salad) but the waterfront dining was nice. Reminded me a bit of the Keys. We also had trouble finding the turn for it when we went. I have since been that way for meetings for work and now know where it is.

It's alright. Not the same as it was when it was a hole in the wall on Federal Highway back in the early 80s. I remember eating there as a kid and it was to die for. They serve fried chicken, shrimp, hush puppies, coleslaw, etc. Greasy and salty, but certainly no worse than KFC.

We ate at Yardhouse at Gulfstream about 6 mos ago and it was a lovely meal. But then again it wasn't busy. Racing season had not yet begun. I love the tap room and I love the beer selection. Wish it was closer to my house. Will have to try the one in Boca.

Jennifer in Delray

Do you have a favorite restaurant you regularly go to? Where they might know you by name? Where the food and service are consistently good so you go every week or even more?

I work the night shift and have given up on the concept of cooking. If it isn't already prepared and I have to find time to make it then it's going to go bad in my fridge. I have concluded that eating out makes more sense for me.

One of my favorite places to go is the Blue Anchor in Delray. Mostly for lunch. I never order the french fries (nothing wrong with them, just not that healthy a choice.) I substitute either cooked carrots, sometimes carrots and peas, or salad greens for no extra charge. My latest favorite to order has been a grilled ham and cheddar with sauteed mushrooms added in and a side salad. But I also like the quiche(which is always changing) and the Cornish Pasty. I may drive my favorite barmaid and waitress crazy changing things around but they will do it(helps I tip them well) and I get my food just the way I want it. And I don't have to cook or clean! Woohoo!

So where are you a Regular? And why?

Jennifer in Delray

I didn't even know it existed. Will have to try it sometime. Don't go to Bud's but maybe once a year if that so we haven't seen it.

I second that thought.

Thank you for this information. I have been meaning to try Tacos Al Carbon for years but my husband(who actually speaks Spanish) won't try it in it's original location. I have been trying to teach him that "hole in the wall" restaurants can be good!

Jennifer in Delray

I know I mentioned the AllEars website before. They now have a vegan tip column running.

http://allears.net/din/vegantips.htm

I believe if you let them know that you would like a vegetarian or vegan meal they will give you some options, particularly if you call ahead. They do this with kosher meals and other dietary needs such as allergies.

I would have to say my favorite restaurant in Epcot is Le Cellier but it can be hard to get in there and there aren't a lot of meatless dishes. Here is a link to a website with many of the menus for the restaurants at Epcot: http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm#epc I haven't tried the new italian restaurant Via Napoli but that might be something else to check out. AllEars.net has many menus for other Disney restaurants as well as reviews by people who have recently eaten there. You might want to check it out.

Should be ok by 8pm I would think. We love Dolce Amore. They made me realize I have a basil and garlic deficiency. Also good for a large but healthy breakfast.

Went the Delray Affair today. It seemed a little smaller since it didn't stretch into Veteran's Park. Mostly crafts, not a lot of art in my opinion. Lots of food vendors but I ended up at my favorite haunt, The Blue Anchor. I did, however, buy some beef jerky from the vendor there. 8oz for $20, kinda pricy, but we hadn't tried it before. I am always tempted by the conch fritters but still haven't recovered from my grandma buying me as many as I could eat when I was 10. Thought I was going to die afterwards. Think I will pass.

I have a reservation for the 23rd but we made it back in January.

We finally got around to driving down to Hollywood to try Le Tub. My fiance ordered the burger and said it was good but wasn't sure it was worth driving all that way. The burger alone was $11 but it was BIG! I decided to be different and ordered the small seafood salad which was unlike any seafood salad I've had before. Very little lettuce, just bits mixed in. The rest was chunks of salmon and shrimp with the bulk being artificial crab. Took it home and got a second meal out of it. We also ordered the cheese sticks and sodas (which came in the can) and managed to blow about $40 on lunch including tip. We sat outside and it was a chilly but sunny day. The seagulls harassed the table in front of us. Much of the decor consisted of bath tubs and toilets (as planters outside.) Inside they had a bathtub with the side cut out that could be used as a seating area. I could see this place as a raucous bar on the weekends at night.

Jennifer in Delray

-----
Le Tub
1100 N Ocean Dr, Hollywood, FL 33019

How about the Crazy Buffet in West Palm Beach? They are a decent buffet though they cost twice as much as your average Chinese buffet, maybe more. http://www.gocrazybuffet.com/

According to their website they have a habachi grill and also do a custom wok. They also have a lot of seafood on their buffet.

Jennifer in Delray

We're really cheap eats folks but occasionally we go someplace nice to celebrate.

You might try Tony Wu's in the plaza on the NE corner of Atlantic and Military.
WWW.Tonywu.com. They are an upscale Chinese restaurant. Some of the best Chinese food I've ever had. They always seem busy. I highly recommend reservations.

In Boynton, off of Woolbright and Federal right on the Intercoastal is Prime Catch. WWW.Primecatchboynton.com. We walked in one time without a reservation and managed to sit outside which was lovely. During snowbird season I would make a reservation. Very nice seafood restaurant.

Along the same lines is Busch's Seafood. WWW.Buschsseafood.com. They are right on the intercoastal off Atlantic (parking lot right behind the Blue Anchor.) The prices have always scared us away but I guess they have to pay for the breath taking view somehow.

Another thing we haven't tried is Delray Yacht Cruises' Friday Dinner cruise which is $35 per person. I am sure the food is probably nothing special but combine it with the sun setting on the water and the lights at night and it must make for a memorable night. They also have a website: WWW.delraybeachcruises.com. They are located in the Veteran's park across the street from the Blue Anchor.

Jennifer in Delray

I ate at Vic and Angelos once for lunch. They didn't seem to have a lot of lunch type dishes on the menu at the time. Not sure I would go back again, however I am also not sure that you should judge based on my experience alone. One lousy burger and an idiot waiter does not mean you shouldn't try it. I ordered the grass fed organic burger that seemed a little pricy to me and came topped with more parmesan cheese than I would ever put on a burger and the fries were also topped with it.

I have heard people rave about their pizza. Their entrees seemed a little steep but certainly no worse than City Oyster or any of the other restaurants mentioned. The inside is very nice, though the train can be a bit much as they are right on the tracks.

Jennifer in Delray

Went by today because we were in the area. Very little is actually 50% off. You want candles and incense... woohoo you can get them for 50% off. Some makeup 50% off. Even their seasonal items were only 25% off. Meats were 5% off, most food 10% off, candy 25% off, medicines 25% off but not a whole lot left. We were a little confused but realized at checkout that if the item says it's on sale you will still get the additional % off. Those items might be really the only values in the place. I found most of the grocery items to be substancially more expensive than Publix or Walmart. If you are looking to save some $$ go to Walmart. It's across the street. There was also an odor coming from the back, think it was the seafood market.

Jennifer in Delray

Has anyone been to Silver Pond recently? How was it? I had a Chinese friend whose family used to go there who went there for lunch one time and said it was terrible. I know they used to be frequented by many Chinese, has this changed? Are the diners mostly American?

Jennifer in Delray

Jasmine would probably be my pick, though I haven't been there for years. It is probably the closest being near Glades and the Turnpike. But I wouldn't consider it casual.

We like Kingsburg Chinese restaurant in Boynton (Military and Boynton Beach) and Orient Diner on Federal Highway/Linton in Delray. Both are an excellent value for good food. We've also eaten at China Dumpling in Boynton quite a few times.

I would not recommend Gary Woo's on Federal in Boca. We ate there about 6 mos ago and they seated us at a table with a dirty table cloth and the service was kinda lousy and the food did not impress me.

Jennifer in Delray

I must say that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Where do you like to go for breakfast? What are their specialties?

Some of my favorites are...

Tom Sawyers in Boca Raton. They are a hole in the wall that serves breakfast and lunch and also sells pastries. They have so many breakfast specials that you have to check the board as you walk in the door. My favorite is the French Tom Sawyer breakfast which has a croissant made into french toast. Top it with syrup and it's truly evil.

Ellie's 50s Diner in Delray on Federal Highway. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day but we prefer breakfast. The price is right and the food is hot and fresh. Service is consistent.

Kona Bay Cafe on Ocean Avenue in Lantana. We ate there for the first time today. It was great. Another whole in the wall in a plaza/marina by the intercoastal. Love the mural on the bar and the cute decorations on the ceiling. I got 3 scrambled eggs, crispy hashbrowns, and toast for $4.45. It was nice because I always want that 3rd egg and most places want to charge another $2 for it. I will have to go back and try their french toast. There were several types listed.

Lastly, though I haven't been in quite a while is John G's in Lake Worth. I love the food and the view of the water though those huge windows. Every time I've been there except once for lunch the service has been great. The second or 3rd time there the waitress remembered my drink order, wow! I have to say I'm a scrambled egg person but those omelets and french toast are tempting. The only things I don't care for about John G's are the wait if you get their too late on the wrong day, the parking meters, and the fact that they are cash only.

This week we tried the new Happy Buffet (formerly A1 Thai) on Federal in Delray near the auto dealerships. The whole inside had been redone. Everything is clean and new which is something you don't see at a Chinese buffet often. The food was hot and fresh, the normal buffet selections. Lunch was around $7.39.

Last night we got takeout from Senior Burrito. I love the cochinita which is a roasted pork burrito with pickled red onions. I made a second meal out of the beans and rice.

We're also regulars at the Orient Diner, formerly the Orient Palace. Their menu is a little bit formulaic but the food is always good. If you sit at the bar you can watch the chef's cook your food on their fancy woks. Sometimes you have to be patient with the waitresses though as some don't understand English well.

Dear fellow Chowhounders,

I am trying to plan a wedding in about a year and I am looking for advice as to where to have it. We are not going the traditional church service route and wanted to have the wedding at or close to the reception. Our friends and family are spread between East Boca Raton and West Lake Worth/Lantana. Approximately 50 people will be attending and we wanted to keep the total cost below $10,000.

What is most important to me? The food! It doesn't have to be fancy, but I would like it to be tasty. My fiance is Jewish and I am of southern heritage (and yes, I would have it at Grandma's house if she didn't live up in Georgia.) Secondly, the ambiance. I would like the location to be appropriate for the event.

While my search is just beginning, let me tell you what I've found already. Sundy House - they sent a quote for $131/person for Friday evening, $161/person for Saturday evening, tacking on 22% taxable gratuity and 6.5% tax, plus fees for bartenders, parking attendants, bathroom attendents, etc. Plus between $500-$900 for the wedding ceremony. I had brunch there about 10 years ago and the food was good. From the pictures I've seen and from what I've read the location is quite adequate but everything adds up quickly. They also include an open bar for 4 hours during the reception which I really don't need or want. I'm waiting to hear back to see if they will give me a quote without an open bar or a more limited open bar. Some of my guests will be tanked and my non-drinkers will be uncomfortable. I think that's a waste.

There is also a place down in Deerfield called Royal-Fiesta caterers. This place would be perfect if it wasn't as far south and wasn't in the rundown Cove shopping plaza. They quoted Friday/Saturday prices ranging from $56-82 per head depending what plan I wanted. They have the downstairs room set up to do weddings- $500-$800 and the upstairs is a ballroom/reception area that is included with the dinner. Table clothes, silverwear, tables, setup, all included. The wedding I attended there 10 years ago was quite nice and I remember the food being adequate. Does anyone know of any facilities like this in Palm Beach County?

We have also looked at the Morikami Gardens which are beautiful. They allow weddings of 25 people or less on the grounds during business hours. However if your party is larger than that during the month of April they want $4500 just as a facility fee for a private lakeside wedding and reception. That does not include the food and I am assuming the tables, chairs, linens etc. Has anyone been to a wedding here?

Where else should we consider having our wedding? I still have to call Delray Beach Cruises and Majestic Princess Cruises to find out their wedding rates. If we were to go for a clubhouse or some other place where we could bring in an outside caterer who do you recommend? Any restaurants you would recommend for a wedding? I am sure that I don't know all my options yet and the phone book is of little help. Thanks for your advice.

Jennifer in Delray
Sabina987@aol.com

I have been to John G's about 10 times so I wouldn't count myself a regular, but what I like about it is that they put out a pretty consistent breakfast (hot and fast), on the second visit the waitress remembered my drink order, and the view of the ocean. I usually go there by myself and I usually get seated at one of the tables near the register. I took my mom there and the hostess put us at the table right by the window. After breakfast I take a brief stroll on the beach or the sidewalk. However I would not go there on a weekend (unless it was really early) or with a large party as that really could be a hassle.

I really like Kingsburg!

I haven't had a whole lot of luck with Publix seafood lately. Bought a whole snapper from one of their Boynton locations and had to return it (bleh!) Another place I've bought seafood from in the past that has not been mentioned is Doris Italian Grocery in Boca on Yamato (west of I-95.) Last week I bought a dolphin fillet from Whole Foods and it was pretty good (9.95/lb) Some stuff looked pricey but at least it was moving, unlike the fish at my local Publix.

Last summer we ate at Phuket Thai and there were gnats everywhere, drawn by the lights, falling in our food. Someone must have left a door open. I have had a good meal there but this wasn't one of them.

The trick to parking at the Boys is to park in the section off to the left hand side- facing the building. I don't know what it is about that front section. Actually I find it rather amusing, the honking and the yelling.

Last time I went into the Boys I was looking for a cake. They had a double torte that hadn't been sliced and I was giving the girl at the bakery fits because I wanted both cakes and didn't want her to slice it. They did not have a box big enough for it so she had to improvise. The price was very reasonable, even for two - I think it may have come to $11.

Jennifer in Delray

So I haven't really cooked since Hurricane Wilma... Fell off the kitchen wagon and never really got back on. Here's where I've been eating.

A few days ago we ate at Senior Burrito in Delray on Federal Hwy. I believe it is owned by the same folks who one Senior Burrito in Boca. But noticeably absent was the cinnamon mole sauce which seems to come on everything at the Boca location - can't stand it. I had the beef soft tacos which came with the salsa and onion/parsley on the side so I could fix it the way I wanted it. The Spanish rice was fresh and tasty as well as the refried beans. My friend got the fajitas which were also good. We were very happy.

Last week we ate at the Oriental Palace in the old Levitz Plaza on the Boca/Delray Border. The food was good but there were two things that bothered me. We ordered the shrimp toast appetizer. Very good... except until I took that bite with the cold center. I am still here and it's been a week- but there's nothing like wondering if the shrimp was cooked before they made the dish or during. Then our waitress only brought one of the two dishes we had ordered. Maybe the other one is coming, we thought, so we ate. It never came and the waitress then claimed we'd never ordered it. We were reasonably full so we went and had ice cream instead. But that was a little weird.

Been going to John G's in Lake Worth for Breakfast about once a week, by myself. I guess I just like to look out the window. Took my mom there last week and they put us right next to the window. That was nice. Mom really enjoyed it. If I had more money I suppose I'd eat there every day. The food is good and there is just something relaxing about looking at the ocean.

Jennifer in Delray