See how Sun Sentinel rated your local dining establishment

Copper Canyon Grill / Boca Raton
Almost doesn't count for this Boca Raton restaurant. John Tanasychuk gives Cooper Canyon Grill two thumbs up and two thumbs down.
2006 NW Executive Center Drive, Boca Raton 561-893-8838

Wanfu Restaurant / Pompano Beach
2301 W. Sample Road Pompano Beach 954-975-8828

Hashi Sushi & Thai / Boca Raton
9845 Glades Road, 561-477-9989

Taverna Yiamas / Hollywood
Address: 1948 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-925-1001

Rosarios Ristorante / Boca Raton
Royal Palm Place, 145 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton 561-393-0758

Tequila Sunrise Mexican Grill / Oakland Park
4711 N. Dixie Highway, Oakland Park 954-938-4473

Cafe La Buca / Pompano Beach
451 S. Cypress Creek Road, Pompano Beach 954-786-0673

Review: 84 Thai / Fort Lauderdale
979 W. State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale 954-462-5105

Restaurant review: Seasons 52, Boca Raton
Judging by the crowds, the recession has bypassed Boca Raton restaurant Seasons 52.
2300 NW Executive Center Drive, Boca Raton 561-998-9952

Taverna Kyma / Boca Raton
6298 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton 561-994-2828

La Creperie / Lauderhill
4589 N. University Drive, Lauderhill 954-741-9035

Review: Romeu's Cuban Restaurant, Southwest Ranches
6800 Dykes Road, Southwest Ranches 954-252-9788

Review: Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine, Boca Raton
212 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton 561-361-4000

Review: Kelly's Landing / Fort Lauderdale
1305 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale 954-760-7009

Review: Uncle Tai's / Boca Raton
Boca Center, 5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton 561-368-8806

Milan's Italian Restaurant / Boynton Beach
Renaissance Commons, 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach 561-364-0735

Liguori's Fired Up! / Davie
5810 S. University Drive, Davie 954-434-2378

Curries & More / Boca Raton
217 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton 561-392-2999

Bash / Sunrise
8067 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise 954-578-6700

Tucci's Fire N Coal Pizza / Boca Raton
50 NE First Ave., Boca Raton 561-620-2930

Checkers Old Munchen / Pompano Beach
2209 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach 954-785-7565

Taurus Steakhouse / Tamarac
6965 W. Commercial Blvd., Tamarac 954-933-0000

Orient Diner / Delray Beach
Harbor Plaza, 1725 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach 561-243-2688

Bamboozles Bar & Grill / Coral Springs
10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs 954-346-7260

Blu Bambu / Boca Raton
Royal Palm Place, 291 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton 561-393-0096

Limoncello Trattoria / Fort Lauderdale
208 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale 954-525-7656

Bar Louie / Boynton Beach
Compson Place, 1500 Gateway Blvd., Boynton Beach 561-853-0090

Sake Thai & Sushi Bar / Hollywood
4401 Sheridan St., Hollywood 954-989-1515

The Addison / Boca Raton
2 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton 561-395-9335

III Forks / Boca Raton
200 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton 561-416-2185

Emilio's Italian Restaurant / Sunrise
11130 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise 954-746-6262

Havana Hideout / Lake Worth
509 Lake Ave., Lake Worth 561-585-8444

Paella Grill / Pembroke Pines
12389 Pembroke Road, Pembroke Pines 954-885-7566

Maracas Mexican Bar & Grill / Fort Lauderdale
3001 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale 954-537-2002

Fah Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar / Boca Raton
Boca Valley Plaza, 7401 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton 561-241-0400

Mustard Seed Bistro / Cooper City
8616 Griffin Road, Cooper City 954-252-0002

Ristorante Bova / Boca Raton
1450 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton 561-362-7407

St. Tropez Bistro / Fort Lauderdale
1010 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 954-767-1073

Trattoria Bella Cibo / Margate
5801 Margate Blvd., Margate 954-969-1100

Uncle Julio's Fine Mexican Food / Boca Raton


India House / Plantation


The Falcon House / Delray Beach


Johnny V / Fort Lauderdale


Mykonos Greek Taverna / Boca Raton


Saigon City / Lauderdale Lakes


Tryst / Delray Beach


Farraddays' Steakhouse, Pompano Beach, Isle Casino


Acquolina Ristorante Italiano / Weston


Casa D'Angelo Ristorante / Boca Raton


Fajitas Spanish & Mexican Restaurant / Oakland Park


Culinary Cafe / Delray Beach


Restaurant review: Duffy's Sports Grill / Delray Beach
1750 S. Federal Highway (corner of Linton Boulevard), Delray Beach

Restaurant review: Bova Prime / Fort Lauderdale
401 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

TW Steak & Seafood / Boca Raton


Taj / Deerfield Beach


Origin Pan Asian & Sushi / Fort Lauderdale


Carlo of Boca / Boca Raton


Sage Bistro & Oyster Bar / Hollywood


Pavilion Grille / Boca Raton
Located in a five-story office building, the Pavilion Grille offers a well-appointed, cozy, 50-seat dining room, plus "inside al fresco" dining and banquet space out in the cavernous lobby area. The lobby also boasts a full service bar and polished dance floor.

Chops Lobster Bar / Boca Raton


ZED451 / Boca Raton


Kings Head English Pub & Bar / Dania Beach


The Palace / Davie


City Fish Market / Boca Raton


Ristorante Saporissimo / Boca Raton


El Agave Restaurant & Tequila Bar / Lighthouse Point


Village Tavern / Pembroke Pines


Boca Skewers / Boca Raton


Gianni's Ristorante / Pompano Beach
1601 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach

Truluck's Seafood, Steak, Crab House / Boca Raton
Mizner Park, 351 Plaza Real, Boca Raton

Mellow Mushroom / Delray Beach


The Pastrami Club / Lauderhill


Cottonwood Restaurant & Cafe / Boca Raton


Sunfish Grill / Fort Lauderdale


Tentazione Ristorante / Boynton Beach
141 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach

Anny's Thai & Sushi Restaurant / Coral Springs
10288 W. Sample Road, Coral Springs

Southern Kitchen / Lake Park
801 N. Federal Highway, Lake Park

Bistro 555 / Muvico Shoppes in Davie
Muvico Shoppes, 15651 Sheridan St., Davie

Dining Review: Dolce de Palma / West Palm Beach

First impression: Surreally intimate. It's in the near-downtown industrial nowheresville of Old Okeechobee Road, but it brings a true big-city sophistication to a semi-big city that has long cried out for such a spot.

Dining review: Shorty's Bar-B-Q / Davie

First impression: The pungent aroma of barbecue fills the air at this always bustling spot. The rustic, down-home dining room has long wooden picnic tables for family-style eating.

Fogarty's / Coral Springs
2445 N. University Drive, Coral Springs

Baja Cafe / Boca Raton
201 NW 1st Ave. , Boca Raton

Dining Review: Fifth Avenue Grill / Delray Beach

First impression: A fixture for more than a dozen years, Fifth — as regulars call it — has an old-school steakhouse feel and menu.

Dining Review: Hong Kong City / Tamarac

First impression: It's great to see this highly regarded spot reopened and bustling once again. The revamped menu is larger, more interesting and so extensive you could eat for weeks without repeating a dish. Scrambled eggs with shrimp and scallops, anyone?

Dining review: Rino's Cucina, Fort Lauderdale

First impression: This two-month-old spot represents a kind of homecoming for chef/owner Rino Balzano. It was in the same location that he opened his Il Tartufo in 1990.

Dining Review: Falafel Armon, Boca Raton

First impression: I wasn't sure what to expect from my first glatt kosher dining experience, but it turns out that my Americanized palate didn't miss dairy products.

Augy's Restaurant & Pizza / Boca Raton

First impression: Inexpensive, homey, neighborhood pizzeria and Italian eatery that gives patrons the personal touch. The not-too-extensive menu covers all the necessities with pizza, salads and substantial dinners and pastas.

The Frog & Toad / Fort Lauderdale

First impression: A bright red front door leads to a cozy room that will transport you to Great Britain.

Max's Grille / Boca Raton

First impression: Going strong after 17-plus years, Max's still has what it takes to keep the dining room full and the bar buzzing.

Mezes Greek Taverna in Pembroke Pines
First impression: Thoughtful renovations have transformed this facility from a one-time barbecue joint to an attractive and welcoming taverna.

Cut 432 / Delray Beach

First impression: In a bold departure from typical upscale steak houses where there is an almost subdued reverence for dining, Cut 432 takes a modern, yet no less serious approach. Attention to detail is apparent in every aspect of the dining experience.

Tommy's Italian Restaurant / Davie

First impression: Small but mighty, Tommy's praiseworthy food makes this one of the most delightful surprises I've had all year.

264 The Grill in Palm Beach

First impression: Although cavernous with exposed beam ceiling, it still manages to feel comfortably intimate.

Lemongrass Asian Bistro in Fort Lauderdale

First impression: This kindred spirit spin-off of Fah, Sushi Thai and Lemongrass in Boca, Delray and Boynton offers new generation surroundings and a seemingly endless menu that zigzags between Asian cultures.

Flakowitz of Boynton / Boynton Beach

First impression: Reminiscent of a traditional New York deli, the first thing you see is the huge variety of baked goods and a deli case brimming with meats, smoked fish, salads and pickles.

Creolina's Dixie Take Out's great for Southern favorites

First impression: Weep no more all you Big Easy food fans mourning the loss of Creolina's in Fort Lauderdale. This longtime oasis known for nourishing bodies and soothing souls hungry for great beans and rice is alive and well and open for business again—this time with an unexpected twist. The new concept adds Southern favorites at wallet-friendly prices.

Dining: Wahoo's Sports Bar & Grill, Lighthouse Point


Dining review: Olio Bistro, Delray Beach
42 SE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach

TooJay's Original Gourmet Deli in Boca Raton

First impression: A 10- or 15-minute wait during peak times isn't unusual. Even the pickiest eater will be hard-pressed to not be tempted by something on the menu.

Red Ginger Asian Bistro / Coral Springs

First impression: New-gen Asian with a minimalist look that's sleek, dark and seductive.

Snappers Seafood & Pasta / Boynton Beach

First impression: Great place for out-of-town guests who want a seafood dinner. Although it's been around since 1994, neither the decor nor menu feels dated.

The Blue Anchor, Delray Beach

804 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach

Restaurant review: Trattoria Il Migliore of Aventura

2576 NE Miami Gardens Drive, Aventura

Dining review: Sushi Thai Asian Bistro, Boca Raton
100 NE Second St., Boca Raton

Dining: Grille 66 & Bar, Fort Lauderdale

2301 SE 17th Street Causeway

Dining review: Gran Chimu in Davie
5941 S. University Dr., Davie

Dining reviews: Old Calypso, Delray Beach
900 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach

Dining: Quarterdeck, Boynton Beach
3280 Old Boynton Rd., Boynton Beach

Dining: Flavors of Italy / Coral Springs

3111 University Drive, Coral Springs

Review: Lucille's Bad to the Bone BBQ / Delray Beach
Lucille's Bad to the Bone BBQ, one of Palm Beach County's better barbecue joints, is a great place to pig-out.

New River Pizza / Sunrise
New restaurants usually draw crowds. Especially one that takes more than a year transforming a facility into a work of art illuminated by gleaming, rainbow-colored modern abstract metal art (all for sale) and a huge wall of water. New River Pizza is a far cry from the former occupant, a shabby dame called Mrs. Smokey's Barbecue.

Miami Tandoor / Pembroke Pines
We couldn't help but love the generously helpful staff at Miami Tandoor and their special knack for making us feel like long-lost honored maharajahs. In fact, we felt just like royals when they dragged out an elaborate, pearl-studded Indian tea cozy to keep our pot of sweetened Marhaba Persian tea warm — followed by tiny gold-trimmed china cups and saucers.

Little Havana II/Deerfield Beach

In this age of foam and froth, it's comforting to know we gluttonous foodies can still find food hearty enough to feed a gorilla, not have to pay through the nose for it, and come away from the experience eager to return.

Coal Mine Pizza/Boca Raton

As expected for an east-side Boca Raton eatery, Coal Mine Pizza's prices are high — though not unreasonable. It's easy to overlook the cost when you consider the location, quality of ingredients and comfortable atmosphere.

Armadillo Beach / Dania Beach
We were drooling at hearing that the house-smoked fresh mozzarella is rolled in pistachios, flash fried, then paired with paper-thin slices of ripe pears and baby greens glossy from a toss with the house lemon herb vinaigrette. A menu recitation was so lovingly orated it was as if our server prepared everything personally and was dying for us to try it. Not that we weren't already salivating at thoughts of chef Kevin McCarthy's food.

The Strip House / Palm Beach Gardens
The Strip House, which has grown to nine locations across the United States and Puerto Rico, opened in Palm Beach Gardens in early 2006. The restaurant is a nice fit in the newly developed Downtown at the Gardens.

Abe & Louie's / Boca Raton
Boston-based Charles Sarkis started Back Bay Restaurant Group in the 1960s with a single restaurant. Though the parent company has developed more than 35 restaurants in seven themes, Abe & Louie's is only the second location of its high-end steakhouses.

Galanga / Wilton Manors
Galanga Thai Kitchen & Sushi Bar isn't your run-of-the-mill spot. While classic dishes do emerge victorious from this kitchen, what sets Galanga apart is the opportunity it gives diners to step up to the plate.

Josephine's / Boca Raton
Reviewing an Italian restaurant can be a challenge. Even hole-in-the-wall pizza joints manage to cover the basics, often quite well. The challenge is to define what makes one stand out.

Greenfield's on Atlantic / Delray Beach
Greenfield's on Atlantic serves a good meal for a good price. You won't leave hungry — all meals are five courses, which include smoked-fish dip, soup (or tomato juice), green salad, entree, dessert and coffee.

Morton's/West Palm Beach
In 1978, Arnie Morton opened the first Morton's in Chicago. Thirty years later, his restaurant chain is internationally recognized as one of the leading top-end steakhouses.

Paradiso / Lake Worth
Chef Angelo Romano's Paradiso restaurant exemplifies excellence. I initially felt a sense of hospitality on the phone when making a reservation; that hospitality was reinforced throughout the evening by the genuine warmth and confidence of the chef and staff. They are on top of their game and it shows.

Exotic Bites / Hollywood
"I don't even like hummus," said one of my dinner guests in amazement as he picked up yet another warm, puffy pita triangle and dipped it into the creamy, olive oil-slicked hummus.

Jake's Stone Crab Restaurant / Boca Raton
Jake's Stone Crab Restaurant is an elegant establishment featuring stone crabs (in season), creative seafood dishes, plus a small selection of steaks, chicken and pasta dishes.

Tommy's Las Olas / Fort Lauderdale
The room is small, moody and seductive. Pressed white linen-draped tables set with orchid sprays look especially bright against a subdued background of burnt orange and soft browns. Objet d'art chandeliers sparkle with reflective light and artist-commissioned copper sculptures gently separate the 16-seat bar from the dining room. A chic venue for cocktails and dinner, with open frontage that lets the evening air and excitement of Las Olas sneak in.

Sum Pao Tong Thai Grill / Davie
"American hot or Thai hot"? our waiter asked, referring to our order of tiger cry steak, grilled New York strip slices awash in Asian spices.

Kee Grill / Boca Raton
The subtly exotic oasis of Kee Grill is appropriately named for one of the most popular beaches on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The lighting, bamboo walls and giant stuffed marlins create a relaxed ambience akin to a resort terrace in the tropics.

Lola's on Harrison / Hollywood
Thoughts of chef Michael Wagner's warm baby spinach salad with smoked bacon croutons, Granny Smiths, toasted hazelnuts, grilled red onion and a crispy poached egg with apple cider honey vinaigrette, had us racing to our Thursday night reservation like lead greyhounds at Flagler. Frankly, from all I'd read, I expected tastes that bowled me over.

J & J Seafood Bar & Grill / Delray Beach
When culinary art meets fine seafood, the result is J&J Seafood Bar & Grill.

Padrino's / Boca Raton
When I introduce someone to Cuban cuisine, I take them to any of the Padrino's restaurants.

P.F. Chang's / Boca Raton
There always seems to be a waiting list to get into P.F. Chang's China Bistro, and for good reason. Even though there are many excellent Chinese restaurants around town, P.F. Chang's offers a complete dining experience that is worth the wait. Don't let its popularity scare you away. Make reservations, go early, go late — however you can manage it.

Moquila / Boca Raton
Moquila takes regional Mexican cuisine up quite a few nachos. Located in the revitalized Plaza Real South, the restaurant offers an upscale atmosphere.

Renzo's Cafe & Pizzeria / Boca Raton
Renzo Sciortino and his family have been operating in Boca Raton for more than 18 years, and have grown to three locations. I visited the pizzeria that opened in 2004, just a few blocks from the original Renzo's restaurant.

Silver Pond / Lauderdale Lakes
If your culinary range is limited to won-ton soup, egg rolls and moo goo gai pan, Silver Pond isn't the Chinese restaurant for you. For the rest of us, it's heaven, though the price you pay for this delicious tour of Hong Kong cuisine might be a short wait for a table — and it's worth waiting for.

Chez Laurent / Fort Lauderdale
Chef Laurent Altvatter, whose timeline includes stints as a chef on private yachts, delivers his wares in a style that's loosely French — one with a sort of homey finesse that's more comforting than dazzling, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Taste of Mexico / Plantation
I need to make a confession. Mexican food doesn't rank at the top of my favorites list.

The Station House / Lantana
The Station House has been quietly nestled next to the tracks for more than a decade, going about the serious business of cooking lobsters . . . real lobsters . . . the ones with claws.

Fulvio's 1900 / Hollywood
If you've been in Florida as long as I have, you might remember your very first taste of Fulvio Sardelli's food the same way I do.

Avra Taverna / Fort Lauderdale
The big burly dining room at Avra Taverna manages to take on the qualities of a Mediterranean grotto — as long as you don't look at the room-length stage hugged by a dance floor trimmed with a hanging glass disco ball and a lineup of high-powered speakers.

Fran's Chicken Haven / Boca Raton
Established in 1964, Fran's Chicken Haven is now under its third ownership. The young man operating the restaurant now was previously an employee, and continues to run Fran's so that it lives up to its 43-year-old reputation.

Rhythm Cafe / West Palm Beach
Rhythm Cafe is a cozy bistro in the heart of West Palm Beach's antique district. Consisting of about 10 tables and seating for about eight at the counter/wine bar, this "retro-artsy" cafe was once a pharmacy and still features '50s vintage soda-shop vinyl and chromium seats around small linen-covered tables.

Abby's / Lauderhill
Open the door to Abby's (formerly Kareem's) and you see a restaurant that fills a niche: an attractive eatery offering an upscale take on island food in sophisticated surroundings.

Cohiba Brasserie / Pembroke Pines
This shoe box of a place, with an expansion in progress, offers a menu that had our mouths watering.

New Seoul / Lake Worth
Almost a year after opening, New Seoul's sizzling Korean barbecue grill tables are up and running.

Darius Palace / Fort Lauderdale
Step into Darius Palace and take in the ambience perfumed with cumin, cilantro and exotic herbs. Sink into thick, padded chairs designed for royalty.

Punjab / Boca Raton
Punjab had been around a quarter of a century in Fort Lauderdale before relocating to Boca Raton, where it sits at the south end of the Boca Inn.

Review: Pancho's Backyard / Dania Beach
When Jose Castellanos worked as maitre d' and general manager at the one-time grand dame of Hollywood dining — Martha's on the Intracoastal — he and Martha's assistant manager, Gustavo Molano, dreamed of owning their own restaurant. They envisioned a sparkling clean place, simple but delicious food, and superior service.

Review: China Dumpling / Boynton Beach
I've been a crusader in the dumpling wars ever since I bit into my first pot sticker and fell in love with the wonderful Chinese tradition of dim sum. It's the force behind my passion and the reason I come to China Dumpling.

Review: Taverna Eros / Delray Beach
Not a season goes by when new restaurants aren't popping up along Delray's chic Atlantic Avenue — a strip of real estate already overflowing with places to eat. That makes competition the name of the game, giving Taverna Eros its opportunity to step up to the plate, so to speak.

Review: O'Connell's Bistro & Bar / Plantation
One of a restaurant's first calling cards — bread — sometimes forecasts the rest of the meal.

Big Anthony & Guido's / Coral Springs
To eat at Big Anthony & Guido's and experience perfect fresh sea bass in a lemon, butter and white wine sauce is reason enough to rejoice over this neighborhood hideaway. But when everything else measures up — I'd say even surpasses some big guys that cost twice as much — it's reason to take notice.

Bentley's Seafood & Grill / Boca Raton
Launched in January, Bentley's is a welcome addition to the Boca dining landscape. It offers an attractive setting and a menu filled with pleasant moments.

Vic & Angelo's / Palm Beach Gardens
A great review is only going to make this already packed restaurant even busier, but the food is so good, you might want to bite the bullet, buck the high-energy crowd and adopt a gotta-get-there attitude.

Uncle Tai's / Boca Raton
Uncle Tai's, with its stately wood columns, layered table linens, classical music and jacketed waiters, isn't your neighborhood Chinese hangout. No, you won't find bowls of table noodles here.

Che, Pibe / Miramar
Vegetarians and green market junkies won't have much in common with this column, but you dedicated carnivores are going to love every minute of it.

3 G's Gourmet Deli & Restaurant / Delray Beach

Don't even consider schmoozing to get to the front of the line at 3 G's Gourmet Deli & Restaurant.

Bragozzo Osteria Wine Bar / Pompano Beach

There's nothing like the lights flashing, bells ringing, coin clinking ambience of a casino to make your senses stand on end.

Asahi City 23 / Fort Lauderdale

Asahi City is tucked into a small corner spot on Federal Highway that once housed Sawadee Thai.

Cafe Veri Amici / Delray Beach

Step off the highly beaten Atlantic Avenue path, stroll the quaint streets of Delray Beach's Pineapple Grove District, and it won't be long before you discover Café Veri Amici.

Y Ole! / Sunrise

There we were, hunched over bright red piquillo peppers bulging with dried cod creamed into a smooth paste. Our forks cut through the tender sweet piquillo (the new roasted red bell pepper), scraping up the delicious tomatoey sauce beneath it at the same time.

Mississippi Sweets BBQ Co. / Boca Raton

If you have a good sniffer, or the wind is blowing just right, you'll probably smell Mississippi Sweets before you see it.

Myung Ga Tofu & BBQ / Weston

For some curious reason Korean cuisine hasn't caught fire with American palates the way other Asian food has. Maybe it's just a late bloomer, but there are only a handful of spots offering bulgogi, bibimbob and the unique grilled beef that makes the experience so likable.

Grandma's French Cafe / Fort Lauderdale

Don't be surprised when you walk into Grandma's and find yourself standing in the middle of an ice cream parlor. Just peek around the tied-back curtains to discover a cheery 10-table cafe.

Papa Pistola's / Fort Lauderdale

Papa Pistola's fills the void for anyone seeking those hard-to-find chill-out spots.

Boheme Bistro / Delray Beach

Boheme Bistro has a dozen tables inside and a handful of tables along the sidewalk on Atlantic Avenue on the ocean side of the Intracoastal. Stepping across the short bridge is akin to taking a step back in time to a quieter Delray Beach.

Royal India / Fort Lauderdale

Decor at Royal India is unremarkable, except for one oddity -- it's a stand-alone restaurant in an era and locale where Indian food is invariably served in small spaces in shopping centers. The architecture provides a subtle spaciousness to the restaurant and a certain atmosphere because no one stumbles on the restaurant -- it's a destination.

Bogart's Bar & Grille / Boca Raton

There aren't many places where you can scarf down a slice of smoked salmon flat bread in the company of Angelina Jolie or George Clooney.

Cafe Joley / Boca Raton

Cafe Joley is a new restaurant with a simple concept and a difficult mission.

Al-Salam / Plantation

"This place is the best-kept secret in South Florida," a reader wrote me about Al-Salam, an Arabic spot with a fascinating Middle Eastern market on one side, a restaurant on the other.

Siam Oishi / Hallandale Beach

One of the most striking things about Siam Oishi is how the restaurant manages a huge menu in a relatively small space. On entering the establishment for the first time, it seems almost cozy with a curving bar to the right and a modest, brightly lit dining area to the left. It's only on closer inspection that it becomes apparent there is a second dining room at the back.

JB's Bluewater Grill / Coconut Creek

JB's Bluewater Grill, sibling to Deerfield's JB's on the Beach, is one of those immensely popular places where you'll probably wait to get in. When you do, you'll find a huge bar and massive open dining room packed with people of all ages.