Why go out? – BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

1 ball of pizza dough (found in local grocery/specialty stores)
1 bottle of BBQ Sauce (use your favorite brand. After all, it’s your pizza.)
1 medium white onion
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 bag fine cornmeal
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup fresh cilantro
2-3 cups fresh grated Gouda cheese (depending on your cheese intake levels)
Garlic powder/Salt/Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons honey
Pinch of cayenne pepper (add more for a kick, less if you’re not a heat fan)


**NOTE: It is advisable to have a baking stone for this recipe. If you do not…uh, go get one. However, it may work on a baking sheet, but I can’t confirm that. Sorry.**

Ok, so here’s the skinny: Peel and slice the onion very thinly (use a mandolin if you have one). Heat a sauté pan to medium and add in your olive oil and butter. Add in your onions and sweat for about 5 minutes.

Once they become slightly translucent, add in the sugar and some salt; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to slow cook for another 25-30 minutes until onions are nice and brown, or ‘caramelized’, stirring occasionally. Place to the side for now.

Take the chicken breasts and season lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Grill both breasts until almost cooked completely (you should see some pink in the center). Allow them to cool and then cut into bite sized chunks. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place the baking stone inside as it warms.

Pour ½ the bottle of BBQ sauce into a sauce pan and heat on low. Add in the honey and cayenne pepper; stir and let cool. While this is simmering, take out a large cutting board and sprinkle the cornmeal on top of it generously. (The cutting board will act as a transport to your oven and the cornmeal ensures that it slides off with ease.)

Place your dough ball on the cutting board and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Start from the center and press the dough outwards, rotating your hands and making the ball flat and wide as you push out the shape. You know what a pizza looks like, right? Ok, do that here.

I do NOT recommend flipping it in the air like you see on TV. Quite a few pizza places will do it by hand without flipping it, and store bought dough is not really the kind you can ‘toss’ and hope for a successful pie afterwards.

Now, the fun part: Place a ladle of the BBQ sauce in the center of the pizza-to-be and cover the dough with it in an outward circular motion. Next, take your onions and place them all over the pie, making sure that every bite will ensure that sweet oniony goodness.

Take your chicken chunks and spread the love all over the top of the onions. Next, grab a small handful of fresh cilantro and finely chop it; sprinkle it all over the chicken. Finally, cover the whole thing with that cheesy blanket of Gouda. Mmmm…Gouda.

Get that sucker on the baking stone and let it achieve taste perfection for 15-17 minutes. Slide it back on to the cutting board from the stone and allow to cool about 1-2 minutes. Cut into slices and enjoy.

After all, why go out? You’ve got Da(m)n Good Food right here.

Cheeburger Cheeburger

Price: Cheap
Atmosphere: 3 out of 5
Quality of Service: 3 out of 5
Food Overall: 4 out of 5

“Hamburgers! The corner stone of any nutritious breakfast.” While I agreed with Samuel L. Jackson when he made this iconic foodie statement in the film Pulp Fiction, there was way too much left open to interpretation here.

What he should have said was ‘good’ hamburgers. Now you’d think that it wouldn’t be too difficult to take bread, meat, cheese and toppings, slap them together and call it a meal. But then again, you’d be wrong. I myself had a horrible experience in France once with a frozen patty that was just awful.

However, Cheeburger Cheeburger tends to take a shaker full of TLC and sprinkles it all over their menu. You can order your burgers in varying sizes (up to a pound) and how you like it cooked (Tip: The wait staff will ask you if you want it Medium or Well Done, but if you say Medium Rare, they’ll do it for you.)

Choose your side (salad, cole slaw, fresh cut fries or amazing onion rings) and then the fun really begins. They have a literal laundry list of fresh toppings for your beef circle, from the usual suspects (lettuce, tomato, grilled onions) to the obscure yet tempting (banana peppers, peanut butter).

The burger itself is cooked as you order it, and the flavor depth rivals the ocean blue. It’s got just the right amount of grease (not overkill, but just a hint to know this isn’t something you could do everyday), seasoned well, and (depending on if you are a purist or not), the cheese is nice and melty (which there is about 15 to choose from here as well).

The bun is soft and absorbs the burger juices nicely, and the fries/onion rings are just wonderfully crisp. Their cole slaw is tangy, with that nice vinegar and horseradish bite. And then, well…there’s the shakes.

The cornucopia of frozen concoctions stretches the entire back of the menu, including your typical chocolate, vanilla and strawberry mixes, and reaching out as far as their more signature flavors such as Apple Pie (my favorite), Pear and Choco-peanut butter.

They are very fairly priced, depending on what you order. My last visit was about 12.00, and that included a ½ shake, a 10 oz. patty with all the toppings, fries and cole slaw. The ambiance is 50’s-60’s diner-esque, and the staff is friendly and high spirited. If you haven’t been here before, you should be there soon.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Cheeburger Cheeburger
460 S Rosemary Ave. #186 (City Place)
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 833-1997
http://cheeburger.com/home2/index.asp

Tijuana Flats

Price: Cheap
Atmosphere: 2 out of 5
Quality of Service: 3 out of 5
Food Overall: 4 out of 5

Living in the Sunshine State, you are provided certain ‘perks’ when it comes to dining out. Florida is home to a cultural melting pot of flavors, from the Indian and Asian variety, to a plethora of Italian and Cuban delicacies.

One of the great iconic ethnic groups we have is Mexican cuisine (and no, Taco Bell doesn’t count). From fast food to high class, high priced meals, the wonderful world of Mexican eats is far and wide across this great state.

One such joint is Tijuana Flats, serving up authentic dishes with unique twists. It’s not really fast food, it’s not really classy sit-down-and-eat type food, but somewhere in the middle it comes through with flying colors.

The atmosphere is loud and fun, with extreme pastels and rockabilly artwork on the walls. Even their mass selection of hot sauces fits into the theme here (‘Slap my Ass and Call Me Sally’ hot sauce, or the ‘Chickenshit’ weak sauce).

But these aren’t just ‘hot sauces’. They each have an undeniable creativeness to them, and the flavors are just incredible. I tried three different ones while I waited for my order to arrive: The first was a garlic and peppery glaze of sorts, housing a touch of heat with that strong garlic kick.

The second was their signature sauce, made with habanero peppers. Spicy with just a wonderful taste, it’ll bring some sweat to your dome. And finally, my favorite: the Georgia peach & Vidalia onion sauce. This one wasn’t much for heat, but good God man; the flavor. The sweet, the savory…just amazing. You can try and buy any of these to take home if you so desire.

Oh I almost forgot…you want to know about the food, eh? Fair enough. You walk in and head to the counter, order your meal from a list of classic dishes like enchiladas, burritos and tacos.. Choose your meat, cheese, fillings, and have a seat while it’s prepared and they’ll truck it out to you when it’s ready.

I opted for the burrito, stuffed with shredded pork (carnitas), sour cream, lettuce and cheese. Top it with a red chipotle sauce and more melted cheese, throw in a side of chips (or black beans and rice; your choice) and you got a meal to be proud of.

The burrito was hearty and filling, the pork was braised in its own juices and had that pungent garlic and citrusy flavor. I had the medium one (you can choose between three sizes) and with a handful of chips I was stuffed.

My wife had the tacos, which she claimed were excellent. She also had the beans and rice that I tasted (you know, for the sake of the blog and all), and they were perfectly seasoned with a back bite of spice. Very nice.

And all this for less than $20.00. I will definitely be going back (and this time, I’ll be bringing home a bottle of that peach & onion sauce for sure) and throwing together a new mad scientist style lunch, mixing meats and fillings like some sort of nouveau Mexican chef.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Tijuana Flats

278 South Federal Highway

Deerfield Beach FL 33441

954.834.0227

http://www.tijuanaflats.com/

Stir Crazy

Price: Affordable

Atmosphere: 3 out of 5

Quality of Service: 3 out of 5

Food Overall: 4 out of 5

Let’s be honest: In today’s society, who DOESN’T love themselves some Asian cuisine? The question is why? What makes our growing desire to consume these delectable concoctions so strong? While everyone has their own reason for enjoying this cultural powerhouse of flavor, we can all agree that when it’s bad, it is horrible, but when it’s good…oh my.

Enter the dragon named Stir Crazy. This restaurant, with its modern art deco feel and slightly elegant appearance, is home to some wonderful Chinese inspired dishes. Their most popular item on the menu is the stir fry that you basically, well, do yourself.

Upon ordering, you choose your noodle (wheat, lo mein, or cellophane) and your meat (chicken, beef, pork, shrimp and even tofu). From there, the wait staff brings you a silver bowl with a side cart in a handy-dandy carrying case.

This is where you get up, take your portable food carrier to the food bar, and load up exactly what you want in your stir fry. The combinations of flavors you can lace together are dizzying: Bean sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, snap peas, garlic, fried noodles, hot peppers, water chestnuts...it’s just a cornucopia of tasty delights.

The little side cart is for your sauce(s). Everything from a soy ginger to traditional teriyaki is here, and you can mix and match any and all of them if you like. Once you’ve made your pile, just head over to the chefs and hand it over.

Several cooks are manning large woks over huge flames, and they toss in your ingredients and sauce, and then your meat and noodle selections. After a few minutes, your dinner is served. And it is just cooked perfectly. The best part is, if it isn’t seasoned properly? Well, that’s kind of your fault.

They also carry regular menu items that are anything but. My personal favorite is the Mongolian Beef (pictured above). Tender flank steak nicely grilled and tossed in a teriyaki sauce with scallions, mushrooms and red bell peppers, and served over your choice of a bed of noodles or rice. It is just delicious.

So if you’re looking for a nice lunch or dinner out, and have a craving for something with an Asian kick to it, look no further than Stir Crazy. Its calming atmosphere, scrumptious cuisine and affordable price make it a definite recommended stop on your food journey through life.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Boca Raton Town Center

6000 Glades Road #1015
Boca Raton,FL33431Tel:561-338-7500

http://www.stircrazy.com/

Jersey Mike’s

Price: Cheap
Atmosphere: 2 out of 5
Quality of Service: 3 out of 5
Food Overall: 3 out of 5

I first discovered Jersey Mike’s while I was living in North Carolina. I was on my way home from work and trying to decide what I wanted for dinner, and in the little town of Fuquay-Varina, there’s not a ton of choices.

I passed over the train tracks and noticed a little strip mall with nothing in it but a blue and white neon sign with the sub shop’s logo. I pulled up and figured, ‘eh, how bad can it be?’ However, living in small towns in NC, most things are fried or smothered, and I wasn’t in the mood for either. But being as this joint claimed a Jersey address, I’d give them the benefit of the doubt.

And I’m glad I did. If you’ve never been to Mike’s, let me set the expectation: Like I said, it’s a sub shop. The menu isn’t huge, the atmosphere is like any other sub shop you have ever walked into (it is clean, though), and the workers are friendly and usually in their teens.

But who cares, really? That’s just the body, and we know beauty’s only skin deep. It’s the inner workings; the ‘meat’ if you will. Jersey Mike’s has some of the freshest toppings and prettiest cuts of meats I’ve ever seen in a sandwich eatery.

Their famous sub is the roast beef and provolone, and you can get it with whatever you like on top in three different sizes. The bread (wheat or white) is soft and fresh baked on the premises, and it has body that some places neglect when serving their loaves to customers. There’s a sense of ‘care’ here.

But the company’s real passion shows in the meat. The roast beef is a perfect medium-rare, and beautifully red throughout. It’s seasoned well, and they pile it high. The provolone is slightly smoky, and adds a nice creaminess to the sandwich. Both are carved right in front of you to order.

Then there’s the toppings. You can pick and choose, or you can get it ‘Mike’s Way’, which includes: Crisp lettuce, thinly sliced white onions, garden ripe tomatoes, tart pickles, salt & pepper, oil, and a red wine vinegar.

Slap a lid on it and you’ve got yourself a very tasty sub. With all of the other sandwich joints jockeying for your hard earned dollar, it really can be confusing to decide ‘Who deserves it most?’ Trust me: Jersey Mike’s has earned some of that 40 hours you put in.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Jersey Mike's
Sommerset Shoppes
8903 Glades Rd.
Boca Raton, Fl 33434
(561) 479 - 0003
http://www.jerseymikes.com/

Grand Lux Café

Price: Pricey
Atmosphere: 4 out of 5
Quality of Service: 4 out of 5
Food Overall: 5 out of 5

When this place originally opened, there were many who figured that it was just another ‘Cheesecake Factory’. After all, it is owned by the same company, and the décor has a very similar vibe going on in both restaurants. Even the wait staff dresses the same.

But thankfully, that’s where the similarities end. Now don’t get me wrong: I truly enjoy the Cheesecake Factory, and I think they have some wonderful dishes and out of this world desserts. That being said, I prefer an eatery of its own name to be its own place, no matter who owns what or what it may or may not be a spin off of.

Grand Lux is one of my favorite local joints, even if it is a chain. I try to enjoy the more obscure restaurants, especially because there’s such an exhilarating rush for me to get back to my computer and share my experience with all of you.

But sometimes a chain is awesomely excellent, regardless to the number of buildings it’s linked to. Grand Lux serves up some of the finest, tastiest food I’ve had from any restaurant. The cool thing here is this, kids: They do everything (much like their ‘sister’ company), such as pasta, pot pies, and pork roasts.

From their Sunday spaghetti to their shaking Mongolian beef, it’s all full flavored, rich, smooth and creamy right where it needs to be. It would take me all day to write about this restaurant, so rather than have you drooling all over your keyboard for the next hour, I’ll just cover the three ‘must haves’ that I think are, well, must haves here.

(1)  Rib Eye – This is, hands down, the best rib eye I’ve ever had. Ever. The first time I ordered it was just orgasmic (you always remember your first). Picture it: The waiter places this hefty plate in front of me and my eyes begin to sing a symphony that my taste buds dance the Lambada to.

It’s about a 12oz. rib eye, cooked to a nice medium rare. Next to it is a nice cup of garlic shoestring French fries, and atop my cow slab is a little yellow ball. Upon further examination, I discover that it is a melting chunk of garlic butter. The steak is just seasoned with this, salt and pepper.

I allow it to melt completely, and cut off my first bite. Do you remember that very first time on Christmas morning where you went running downstairs to see the tree all aglow with gifts upon gifts stacked beneath, knowing that 90% of them were from you, and Santa himself delivered them personally?

That’s just bite#1. This steak is money (I accidentally typed ‘this steak is monet and corrected it, but why? It’s like edible artwork ). This is my dinner recommendation for sure. However, if you’re more of a brunch person…

(2)  Sunday, 11:00am-2:00pm is where you want to focus for my next dish: Chicken & Waffles. Now, in Las Vegas, this dish is served 24/7. However, in my neck of the woods, I have to wait for the above mentioned timeframe to indulge my senses.

This item is just like it sounds: A light, fluffy Belgian waffle, with that perfect crunch to the outside, dusted with powdered sugar. The chicken, about 5-6 fat, juicy tenders, is dipped in the waffle batter and fried to a nice golden brown. The waffle batter gives it a unique sweetness.

The chicken is then piled on top of the waffle like a foodie car wreck. The whole thing arrives with a side cart of pecan-honey butter and warm maple syrup. Dump both gravy boats on top of the entire dish and take your tongue to a land I like to call ‘Holycrapthatsfantastic-place’.

(3)  Finally, if you want dessert, you’ll need to order it before your meal. That’s because they bake it fresh while your lunch/dinner is being prepared. The key is to order a dessert worth waiting for.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: The Beignets. These are fried balls of hollow dough, so airy and delicious you’ll want to bring your momma to slap her. Covered in powdered sugar, these fritters are just what the sugar shack of your brain ordered.

But wait, there’s more! If you order now (meaning ahead of your meal), you’ll also receive three carts of dipping sauces, including the richly dense chocolate ganache, the tart and tangy raspberry coulee, and last but certainly not least, the Jack Daniels cream sauce, with that meld of vanilla and whiskey that makes you want to bathe in it.

So there you have it. I’ve given you your selection. I’ve provided my opinions, in detail et ad nauseam. It’s no more expensive than the Cheesecake Factory, but that can get pricey depending on your tastes. Regardless, you need to try it out if you haven’t already.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n GREAT Food.

Landlubbers Raw Bar & Grill

Price: Cheap/Affordable
Atmosphere: 3 out of 5
Quality of Service: 3 out of 5
Food Overall: 4 out of 5


Everyone has a favorite ‘bar & grill’ that they go to. Whether it’s to watch the game, meet with friends or just to have something fried, smothered or otherwise doused in some sort of cheese product, the B&G restaurant has become a staple to the American’s repertoire.

Landlubbers Raw Bar & Grill in Plantation, FL (there are several chains; this is the one I frequent) is probably my favorite of the B&G hangouts. I’ve actually been coming here for over 15 years on and off. But why, you ask? What makes this place so special?

I guess that depends on your preference. For me, when I hit up a B&G, I require three things: Noise, a ridiculous menu with way too many choices, and service that is decent enough, but when it gets slammed, it may take a minute to get to you.

So why is that good, exactly? The camaraderie. The time away from the wait staff and with the ones you love and laugh with. Basically, this is a place to get loudy and rowdy with your peeps, lovers and family types.

But enough about the B&G aspect; if you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all in terms of atmosphere. At Landlubbers, the menu is just 2 pages, yet they cram about 100 items on there for you to select from. And being as I’ve been going for a while, I’ve had most of them. And they’re all done right.

A favorite of mine is the Buffalo Chicken sandwich. Sounds typical, I know, but the breast is fried nicely, without being greasy or oily, the breading is thin enough to know it’s fried, but not to the point where you feel a stop at the gym is necessary afterwards.

And the breast is fat and juicy. Choose your heat level, throw in some crinkle cut fries and coleslaw, and have at it. The best part about this meal? Well, if you get there in time for lunch, it’ll only run you 5.99 (drinks are separate).

And they have an entire list of daily lunch specials ranging from 5.99 – 6.99: Cheeseburgers, Brats, Fish sandwich, Delmonico steak…the list goes on and on. Their other specials are worth checking out as well: At the time of this writing, they have a ½ rack of ribs, 10 wings and waffle fries (w/ slaw) for about 11.99.

And don’t let the ‘sale’ price fool you: Neither quality nor quantity are skimped on here. The ribs are tender, fall-off-the-bone style, the bratwurst is massive and seared perfectly on the grill, and the Delmonico steak is marinated in a mojo and served on a bed of black beans and rice.

As I said, the food here is very good no matter what you decide. But the wings. Oh my good man/woman…the wings. I want to start by mentioning that my favorite food on the planet is teriyaki chicken wings. I could be dropped on a deserted island and as long as I had those to eat, I’d be happy.

As per usual with B&G’s, you can get them traditional, plain, teriyaki (and I think there are a few other sauces to choose form). But the teriyaki here can’t be beat. I don’t know what it is: Maybe it’s the thick glaze that clings to the fried drummettes and ‘flats’. Perhaps it is the richness of the sauce that goes down like a tangy, sugar waterfall of joy. Or it could be that when you finish the bowl, your entire mouth is tingly and numb from the tart and sweet all at the same time.

Whatever it is, these wings are GOOD. Truth be told, whatever you order here is GOOD. When a place can hold on to recurring customers (especially the picky ones like myself), it deserves your attention and money.

So grab the lads, lasses and Lassie and head over to your local Landlubbers. Order up some wings/burgers/fried clams and kick back with a brew and enjoy the game. Join in on the conversation. Laugh loud and hearty, for you are among friends. And please, eat well.

After all, it’s just Da(m)n Good Food.

Landlubbers Raw Bar & Grill
1851 North Pine Island Road
Plantation, FL 33322
(954) 473-2884
http://landlubbersrawbar.com/