Cinque Terre Italian Restaurant - Davie, FL

They had cute decor and lots of windows and lighting so right off the bat, I really liked the atmosphere. Then our server was so amazing, taking time to explain the dishes, even bringing out a couple of wines for us to try. Both wines were exceptional but we choose the Montepulciano D'Abruzzo.

Then came the food and the whole experience became a disappointment. My fiance had the Lasagna and he definitely ate all of it but didn't seem to be that thrilled about it, but I thought it was pretty good.

I had the Zuppa Di Pesce and I was very thankful that he offered and switched the pasta that originally came with the dish with one that was homemade, but the dish over all wasn't very good because the seafood was cold.

I tried to redeem the experience with dessert by getting the recommended Raisin Bread Pudding but to keep it simple, didn't really like it.

Cinque Terre Italian Restaurant
7750 Nova Dr, Davie, FL 33324
(954) 368-36333
www.cinqueterrerestaurant.com

Uncle Al's Sports Cafe - Sunrise, FL

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This sports bar caters to an older crowd, but the wings are meaty and out of this world, and the fact that they have $1.50 COLD beers, I end up making my way here from time to time.

In addition to the wings, they have Burgers which are also really good and a great size and Curly Fries which could be a bit better but aren't too too bad.

And, you cannot forget the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches.

If you are not west or living in the Weston area, it likely is out of the way, but during Football season you should make your way there at least once to take in a game.


Uncle Al's Sports Cafe
15846 W State Road 84, Sunrise, FL 33326
(954) 389-4455
www.unclealscafe.com

Swank Southern Kitchen Restaurant - Davie, FL

My desire for some Southern Swank since leaving New Orleans left me no choice but to check out the new spot in town. The location was not in an area I would have expected this restaurant to be, but it is near my hood so I embrace it. I mean it is really quite odd to find a modern Southern eatery such as this outside of Miami, much less in Davie and on this stretch of University Drive.

Beyond my excitement to find a spot like this in my area, I was equally impressed by the restaurant decor and atmosphere as well as the service. The decor was a modern take on the saloon yet offered that inviting Southern charm. The charm extended to the employees, although I can only really speak about our server who was super sweet and a pleasure the entire meal.

As if it couldn't get any better, since it was a Monday night, they were offering shots of moonshine (as a shot or mixed in a cocktail) for Moonshine Monday! The alcoholic in me definitely took part, and while it wasn't the high-proof drink I was expecting or a beautifully crafted drink, it was $3 and worth it.

I hate when a menu has so many good and interested choices and you have to choose one (you don't have to but if you don't, you are just being greedy). After some going back and forth and some consultation from our server, we settled on the S'Wings. They came out super hot and I was pissed because I was so hungry and I was being forced to wait to started eating. I ended up not waiting and just using a knife and fork but anyway that I ate them, they were tasty. This was not your typical buffalo sauce or blue cheese, it was if you didn't like any of these two sauces before, you might have to reconsider that now.

They have a dish called Beer Can Chicken on the menu, so it was not right that at least one of us try it. The fries and the cole slaw weren't stars, but the gravy was beerrific and the chicken was ridiculously moist. Add a little bit of their hot sauce to the mix and you got a superstar dish on your hand.

Even though I would have went for the ribs, since I knew my fiancé was ordering the Beer Can Chicken, I decided to order something that wasn't out of the smoker and went with the Hanger Steak. It was well prepared and cooked just to my liking. The house jus and the horseradish cream were the perfect quantity and compliment.

We also ordered cornbread which was not only a huge piece but good. I wish it were warm, but it did come with this really amazing butter that I think I may have liked even more than the cornbread itself.

Dessert has always been my favorite part of a meal, but today it was my least favorite. We ordered the Walnut Bread Pudding and although the flavor was there, the consistency was too mushy and I had trouble enjoying it.

What I like about Swank Southern is that the food wasn't ordinary and that creativity was involved in creating the menu. I loved the chill atmosphere and despite my lack of love for my dessert choice, I can see myself going there again and again.

Swank Southern Kitchen
4198 S University Dr, Davie, FL 33328
(954) 727-5497
www.swanksouthern.com

El Agave Azul Mexican Taqueria - Davie, FL

I have never eaten at their other location, but when this new location opened up a couple of months ago, I figured it was about time I check them out.

The staff was really nice and the atmosphere was clean and very pleasant, and although the food wasn't "authentic" Mexican (not that I was expecting that), when you state always fresh, never frozen, I did expect a little more than what I got.

The Tacos de Trompo (5 small corn tacos) were good and I can agree that it did not appear to be previously frozen but the fresh factor was a little iffy. Flavor was good but it was obvious that it had been sitting there for some time and the tortilla also didn't taste very fresh.

The Carne Asada Burrito was more or less the same. The meat was extremely salty.

There is so many of these Mexican type places like this, so not giving me full satisfaction makes it a place I wouldn't return to.

El Agave Azul Mexican Taqueria
13040 W State Road 84, Davie, FL 33325
(954) 530-4321
www.elagaveazul.com

Outback Steakhouse - Davie, FL (Locations Nationwide)

 

Whenever I go to a restaurant and look at the menu I am not automatically drawn to the steak. My taste for steak has been a recent revelation and I only like it in moderation or masked in dishes like tacos. So, with all that said, I have never been to Outback Steakhouse.

Being my first experience, I was surprised to learn that they have just recently started opening for lunch on the weekends, which I thought was weird for a chain restaurant. So since I went for lunch and this is a new offering, it wasn't very packed. Our server was pretty standard, but he did his best to be tentative. The manager came out to greet us, so I appreciate the fact that they were trying to provide quality service. The decor didn't reflect that though, the restaurant had more of a diner feel.

They start you off with wheat bread. It's pretty similar to the one served at Cheesecake Factory. Although it was pretty good, Cheesecake Factory is a lot better to me. But I liked that it was served on a board better than the typical bread basket.

As I said, I'm not into steaks so I went with the Bacon Cheese Burger. I didn't like it. It was overcooked and the bun was a little dry. The bacon was nice and crispy; I could eat that alone all day. The fries were alright.

My boyfriend got the Outback Special (6 oz) Steak with a loaded baked potato. He liked his food especially for the price and thought the steak was really good.

It was overall a pretty good first experience but since I'm not a steak person, without someone else wanting to go, I probably won't, but I'm assuming if want pretty good steak at a great price, this is a good place to come.


Outback Steakhouse
14830 Griffin Road Davie, FL 33331
(954) 430-2223
www.outback.com

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Davie, FL

I have only been to Buca di Beppo once before and I was not impressed. The only reason I ended up back here was because they were having a buy one get one free lunch special and my friend invited me along (I hope she knows I am the free). I know they are trying to create the impression of grandma's house and they succeeded if my grandma was a hoarder. I get it, but for me it is just way too over decorated and eclectic but maybe that makes some people feel warm and fuzzy inside.

The at home feeling is also projected into the service. One of the unique things about this restaurant is that they take you through the kitchen so that you can see the chefs in the kitchen preparing the food before you are taken to your seat. You can also reserve a table to eat in the kitchen if you really wanted to do that. I did find the wine bottles on the ceiling, where we were seated, to be a pretty cool accent.

 
It is always great when a restaurant starts you off with complimentary bread. It is also especially great when it is fresh and tastes good. Being an Italian restaurant, balsamic vinegar and olive oil come with it which is definitely a plus. A lot of Italian breads are tough but this was actually soft.

Not too many choices on the menu stood out to me but one, the Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. The dish is described as tender chicken breast sautéed with garlic and red pepper, tossed with peas, a spicy rosa sauce and imported Italian rigatoni pasta. I am not sure what makes the imported Italian rigatoni special since it tasted like regular dry pasta and the tender chicken breast was tender, but also tasted previously frozen. The dish wasn’t horrible but with all the "this is home" presentation, I expected a bit more.

 
My friend ordered the Baked Lasagna. I didn't mind it although I found the sauce to be a little sweet for my taste. My friend however, didn't like it and actually liked my dish better. Go figure!

 
Buca di Beppo has some charm, and everyone is really friendly. The food itself just isn't up to the standards it should be. It's an interesting concept that is probably best suited for large groups, but for the average night out, I would probably go someplace else.

 

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant
Find the Location Nearest You
3355 South University Drive Davie, FL 33328
(954) 577-3287
www.bucadibeppo.com

FoodTruck FunDay in Davie Tomorrow, September 2 @ 4:00 pm

 

 

What: A great family funday

 

Where: Bamford Sports Complex (Pine Island Park) located at 3801 Pine Island Road Davie, FL 33328

When: Sunday, September 2, 2012 (Labor Day Weekend)
 
Why: Looking for something to do after a long day at the Beach? Come down with the family and have some good wholesome fun with games, DJ, giveaways and a Bounce House for the kids. What could make it better? FOOD TRUCKS! Bring your chair and blankets for great picnic dining! Don't forget to bring your skates and skateboards (Yes, there is a skate park!!)

How: FREE ADMISSION!

Restaurant Review: Davie Sub & Sandwich Cafe - Davie, FL

I was kind of excited to go to Davie Subs; the idea of the small local family owned joint that doesn't have much of an appeal on the outside but is a treasure on the inside. Although it did not turn out to be the treasure I wanted it to be, I can say that it is definitely a family restaurant that the owners take great pride in. As you enter the door, you feel at home and they work to ensure customer satisfaction, which is probably the reason they have been in business for over 30 years. The restaurant itself is very quaint, but they do have a few booths where you can sit and enjoy a comfortable meal.

They have a really big menu with lots of options to choose from. I always have trouble making up my mind so it was a bit of a distraction for me, but I did manage to choose something and being the biggest lover of Thai food, I selected the Roast Beef Thai Wrap. I must add that the Roast Beef Thai Wrap was apart of their Boars Head menu. Apparently, they are the only sub shop in Davie that sells the Boar's Head Brand. The Roast Beef Thai Wrap was good but nothing special. It had a little too much peanut sauce and I didn't appreciate the cold refrigerated meat in the sandwich. I don't know if it was because I was expecting something more but I didn't feel like Davie Subs offered me something more than what I could find at any other sub shop, dear I say like Subway. If I went to school in the area (Broward College is next door) or lived or worked in the area, it is worth coming for a quick and affordable lunch, but since none of the above apply to me, sadly, I probably will never be back.



Davie Sub & Sandwich Cafe
3940 SW 64th Ave, Davie FL 33314
(954) 587-9751
www.daviesubs.com

Ruby Tuesday - Hiatus-Davie, FL

My friend had received a coupon for a free burger for his birthday by joining their email club, so we decided to have an early lunch at Ruby Tuesday. Since we arrived so early (shortly after opening), the place was basically empty and we were seated right away. The restaurant was very clean and so was the salad bar. I think ever diner besides us went the salad bar route, so if you are into salads, it appears that theirs is pretty good.

In not much of a fan of salad so I decided to get the Avocado Grilled Chicken Sandwich. I typically would get a burger, but since I am trying to cut back on my meat consumption I got the chicken sandwich but I was disappointed. The chicken was a thick cut that lacked any flavor or seasoning, so it just did not taste good. The chicken was cooked well but the thickness of the chicken made it hard to taste the flavors of the cheese, avocado and even the bacon. The fries were alright but the fact that I had to eat them with ketchup meant I didn't really enjoy them but they were crisp and I know that someone else would really enjoy them; I am just picky with my fries. The other side I got was the Sliced Tomatoes but I did not like that either. It was doused in balsamic vinaigrette and it was too sweet for my taste. My friend had the Boston Blue Burger which I have had before and have enjoyed. It is topped with blue cheese crumbles, crisp onion rings, and their house-made Boston barbecue sauce. It may not be the best burger you have ever had but it is still a good option at a restaurant of this kind.

On this visit, I had water but their Sangria is pretty good for only $5. The also offer a few other cocktail options for $5 all day long; no need for happy hour.     



Ruby Tuesday

The Plaza at Davie - 11590 West State Road 84, Davie, FL

(954) 472-8288 (

wwwwwwwwww.rubytuesday.com