Lindburger's

Price: Affordable

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5

Quality of Service: 4 out of 5

Food Overall: 5 out of 5

Meat. Cheese. Fries. Birch Beer. These were the original four food groups before these health-conscious crybabies said we needed things like vegetables. Now, we live in a world of soy lattes, non-fat Oreos and salt free ketchup.

What the hell happened to society? That whole ‘die and leave a good looking corpse’ theory is a fallacy. You’re better off sliding into the grave sideways, a burger in one hand, a beer in the other, screaming ‘WHAT A RIDE!’ all the way.

Which brings me to tonight’s tasty treat tavern: Lindburger’s. This is THE quintessential hamburger joint. Located in Boca Raton (There are actually three in Palm Beach County), this is the home of ‘50’ different gourmet burgers.

Now, to be honest, they are actually the same burger, with 50 different combos of toppings. For example, the Boca Raton is your choice of cheese, grilled onions and bacon. The Popeye comes with spinach, and so on.

But regardless of what you top it with, it’s truly the beef that stands out here. This is probably the most perfect burger I’ve had the pleasure of eating in a restaurant. It’s thick. It’s juicy. Want it rare? Not a problem. Want it burnt? Hey, that’s your prerogative. Just know that however you prefer to consume your flesh, it will be cooked just right.

Fresh buns, tasty toppings…ok, let me stop here. I know 50 can be a little overwhelming, and so you should know what to start with when you first visit this Meat Mecca.  My personal favorite is the Western burger. This is topped with a slice of melted cheddar, fresh red onion and a BBQ sauce that is sweet, tangy and has a touch of spice that feels like an orchestra is playing just for your taste buds.

And the fries. Oh my Lord, the fries. Let me start by saying that I’m not a fry guy. I could take them or leave them. However, I’m a fan of ‘unique’ fries. You know: Curly, crinkle cut, waffle, etc. Lindburgers accompanies each massive patty with a nice portion of steak fries. These things are lightly fried and just hot and savory. Totally enhances the meal.

And I know I mentioned Birch Beer. If you’ve never had it, you need to. It’s as if root beer and some original formula of Dr. Pepper had carbonated intercourse and this was the result. It’s, in a way, just friggin’ awesome. And Lindburger’s is one of the few establishments left that still serve it.

But let’s say you’re not into burgers. Well…get the hell out. Ok, I’m just kidding (but seriously, what’s wrong with you?!?), and this place has tons of choices for the beeftose intolerant. Grilled chicken sandwiches, huge taco salads, and a huge selection of appetizers and other veggie filled courses.

Either way you look at it, you NEED to hit it up. Great food, nice clean atmosphere and efficient and friendly staff make it all worthwhile. A typical meal (burger, fries and beverage) will run you anywhere from $8-$10.00 US. Which isn’t bad at all, considering what you get: Quality & Quantity.

Let’s face it folks: It’s just da(m)n good food.

9834 Glades Road
Boca Raton, FL 33428
(561) 218-5557
http://lindburgers.com/index.html

Amore Gourmet Pizza

Price: Affordable

Atmosphere: 1 out of 5

Quality of Service: 4 out of 5

Food Overall: 4 out of 5

I'm going to ask you to close your eyes for a minute. Wait, that won't work, since I need you read this. OK, OK just envision this then: A fresh out of the oven pizza pie, covered with homemade sauce and mounds of gooey cheese. Now, lovingly top all of that with thinly sliced meatball, sausage, pepperoni, ham and finish it off with fresh bacon pieces.

Now, come back to me for a minute. Did you see it? Were you able to get a whiff? That feeling....that mental flavor explosion you just endured...you can obtain it in the physical realm. All you have to do is seek out the restaurant they call AMORE.

Amore Gourmet Pizza, located in Davie, Fl., probably has the best meat pizza I've ever tried in my entire life. Now I'll be honest: It's not the 'best' pizza I've ever had, but let me explain. The best pizza I ever had was made by a short and stubby Egyptian man, who did Chicago style deep dish, in the middle of Paris. France.

And that was 17 years ago. So, the chances of me finding that location again (or getting back to Europe) are slim I'm sure, so I'll go out on a limb and say this is the best pizza I've eaten. Ever. Now of course I'm speaking of the gourmet meat pizza solely. However I have tried Amore's other pies and they are quite tasty.

But let's be real here: No one is just a pizza joint anymore. That's so 1982. Amore has a full menu to tantalize your taste buds, from handmade subs to lasagna and chicken parm (In reference to the sub, do yourself a favor: Get the meatball. And make sure your mother's not nearby; she may get slapped.)

In fact, this is the joint that made me start a food blog in the first place. I was reading a few other places online, and out of the thousands of eateries covered, not one mentioned Amore. Could be because it's tucked away in a shopping center. I didn't even know it was there until my buddy pointed it out, and I'd been going to that plaza for years to shoot pool.

It's hard to call it a restaurant, as there's only one small table with two chairs inside, so basically it's just a take-out type joint. But we've (my foodie patriots and I) been coming here for a long time, and there's no sign of stopping. I knew that this place, this server of marvelous meat mounded on delectable dough, had to be first on the review list.

So if you love yourself...do you love yourself? I bet you do. You're a great person. You work hard. You pay your bills (I hope). Don't feel bad; it's not an ego stroke. I love me some me as well. So, if you love yourself as you SAY you do, then you deserve a trip to Amore. Make that trek, no matter where you are. Enjoy the journey to TastyLand.

After all, it's just da(m)n good food.

Amore Gourmet Pizza
8922 West State Road 84
Davie, FL 33324-4411
(954) 475-8877

E.R. Bradley's Saloon

Price: Bring some money

Atmosphere: 4 out of 5

Quality of Service: 3 out of 5

Food Overall: 4 out of 5

So my fiancee and I headed downtown to get our marriage license the other day. We expected to be there for hours, but apparently there just aren't that many people willing to take the plunge (at least on a Thursday), so we were in and out in about 20 minutes.


My car was in the shop down the street so she suggested, "Why don't we grab breakfast and walk around a bit?" Sure, I thought. I could eat. But then again, I could pretty much always eat, so that's not saying much. The best part about this culinary adventure? We were out of our element.


Well, I was anyway. She worked close by, but I wasn't familiar with the eateries and food fare of this fine city. She suggested we try E.R. Bradley's Saloon on the water. It was a nice day, and I figured why not. And I'm so glad I did.


The restaurant, established in 1984, is located on the intracoastal waterway and has both indoor and outdoor seating. It has that 'oceanic' feel, with the outdoor area built on an old wooden deck, and the sea breeze blowing in to cool you off.


But enough about the ambiance. You came for the food, didn't you? Now I'll be honest: I only came for breakfast, and I've never been here before or after that (I mean come on, I was only there yesterday folks). But breakfast was enough to have me make the trip back.


I had Bradley's Florentine: Two perfectly poached eggs atop a bed of seasoned and sauteed spinach, dressed over an English muffin. Top the whole thing with a dusting of paprika and what I can only describe as the best Hollandaise sauce I've ever had the pleasure of tasting.


It was velvety. It was luscious. It was just...perfect. But wait, there's more. The potatoes. I know, I know: What's more common than a potato? But these spuds were lightly fried and tossed with onions and red & green peppers. Again, big deal right?


Yes. A very big deal in fact. The unique thing about these potatoes was the veggies included. The onions and peppers were cooked, but they still had bite to them; a good crunch. To chop something that small, cook it, and still get a snap out of them to show off the freshness? That's talent in the cooking, my friends.


My wife-to-be had the Simply Breakfast, which is your usual fare of eggs, toast, meat (and those awesome potatoes). The cool thing was her toast (I know it's just toast, but read on) is that it arrived un-buttered. She loved it because most places either over or under butter it, and this way she could get her carbs to the desired fat content.


But my reason for bringing up her meal was, as I am advising you people about where to get your grind on, I had to 'take one for the team' and try some of the sausage she had. It was three links, homemade and split down the center. They butterfly them and get that nice flat-top sear on the inside, so it's got that fat crust that we all hate to say (fat crust is an unattractive word, let's be honest) but love to devour.


Being on the water, Bradley's serves other dishes for lunch and dinner, such as Maryland crabcakes, fresh local catch of the day and a New England seafood bowl. They also have a full bar, and serve the type of food you're used to getting with that comment; Burgers, sandwiches, steaks and chicken.


Maybe it was the sea breeze on a beautiful Florida day. Maybe it was because I just got my marriage license and was 57 days away from my wedding. Maybe....but I don't think so. I think it was just a great meal done in a manner that had me considering seconds. So take a day off work and grab your girl (or guy) and head over there.


After all, it's just da(m)n good food.


E.R. Bradley's Saloon
104 Clematis St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 833-3520


http://www.erbradleys.com/