Dandee Donuts Factory - Hollywood, FL

These aren't donuts of the fancy gourmet variety, but they are simple, fresh and really good!

Dandee Donuts Factory
102 N 28th Ave Hollywood, FL 33020
(954) 929-1118
www.dandeedonuts.com

GO! Bento Sushi Delivery & Takeout - Hollywood, FL

My visit to GO! Bento was an unplanned quick meal but I am glad I stopped. The only problem was that when we got there, although we were lucky and able to find parking, parking is very limited and will be an issue during busier hours and ain't nobody got time for that.

I did like the inside of the restaurant though. I thought that the decor was really cool! I liked the Japanese cartoonish artwork on the walls and the overall appeal of the restaurant. The restaurant isn't exactly suited for dining in (focus is on take-out and delivery) but there is some seating.

The menu is simple: Go! Bento, Go! Ninja, Go! Sumo or Go! Zilla. In other words a choice of entree, sushi or side depending on the box you choose to create. My friend and I both choose the Go! Zilla (1 entree and 1 roll).

She choose Honey Garlic Chicken as her entree. The chicken was a little dry, but the sauce was pretty tasty albeit a little too sweet. It came with rice that based on the the egg and some seasoning would indicate that it was fried rice, but it was very plain and all that stood out was a garlic flavor. 

I had Chicken Pad Thai for my entree and I was very happy with it. The flavor was good although I doused mine with Thai chili pepper to give it that necessary spice I like. Without it, for non heat eaters, it will still be satisfying.  The chicken pieces were a nice size and relatively moist. The noodles were acceptable.

Both of our boxes came with a sushi roll. She had the Spicy Tuna Roll and I had the Japanese Bagel "JB" Roll. Go! Bento's sushi is okay at best. The fish tasted fresh which is the most important part for me, but the rice could have been better.

Ordering, I thought this was going to be a small dish but it was nicely sized for the price. I was a little disappointed that it didn't come in the cute bento box (even the take-out kind) but in regular Styrofoam containers (not that it matters). Service was pleasant and quick. The girl at the counter was extremely friendly and accommodating. I probably would try it again if I'm in the area.


GO! Bento
2725 Hollywood Blvd Hollywood, FL 33020
(754) 263-3357
www.eatgobento.com

Exotic Bites - Hollywood, FL

I was doing some work in Hollywood when I started to get that lunch itch and that itch was saying it wanted Middle Eastern food. I did a quick search for nearby restaurants and found Exotic Bites. 

Exotic Bites is a cute little restaurant located on Harrison St. It has a lounge feel setup with not only tables for dining but a small bar and couches for those looking to chill out and smoke a little Hookah. We choose to sit outside, since the restaurant was a bit dark and stuffy and because it was a nice day out.  

Although it was tempting, it was the middle of the day, so I had to pass on the Hookah. I didn't however, pass on their Falafel Entree. Along with the Falafels, it came with salad, couscous, and pita bread. Everything was fresh and tasty. I really liked their Falafels because they were huge and packed full of flavor and not dry. 

My boyfriend who met me for lunch isn't a fan of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food. So stupidly, he decide it would be a good idea to order the Philly Cheese Steak off the American portion of the menu. Obviously, he was disappointed. It wasn't even an attempt at a Philly but simply a Middle Eastern take on the sandwich. On top of that, it was cold, the cheese wasn't melted and the fries looked like they were chopped up into itty bitty pieces.  

Despite that little mishap, the waitress was one of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever encountered. She was very sincere and apologetic that my boyfriend didn't like his food and made every attempt to rectify the situation, although we didn't take her up on any of her offers. She has a sort off of beat personality but she was really fun and funny. I truly enjoyed having her as our server. 

So the conclusion is that the food here is good, just don't order food that a restaurant doesn't specialize in because it probably won't be very good. However, Exotic Bites, if you don't intend to make it good, just don't put it on the menu. The service was spectacular and the best part of the meal!

Exotic Bites

1848 Harrison Street Hollywood, FL 33020

(954) 929-7042

www.exoticbitesrestaurant.com

The Big Easy Bar & Grille: 30 New Craft Beer on Tap!‏

The Big Easy Bar and Grille

1925 Hollywood Blvd Hollywood, FL 33020

(954) 924-3006

www.thebigeasybarandgrille.com

Miami Food Truck Rally at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Who: Miami Food Trucks

What: The Miami Food Truck Rally brought to you by the combined minds of the Seminole Paradise & BurgerBeast.com.

Where: At the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Seminole Paradise Valet Lot) located at 1 Seminole Way Hollywood, FL 33314

When: Thursday, August 23rd, 2012 at 5:30-10PM

Why: To enjoy some great food, hear Pinchadiscos throwing down the jams and to take on everything the Seminole Hard Rock has to offer!

How: This a free event. There will be plenty of Free Parking.

Truck Line-Up:

B.C. Tacos
Boba Station
Che Grill
CUBANCUBE
Cucina Al Mare
Daddy’s Grill
Dog Eat Dog
Dolce Gourmet Cupcakes
El Rincon del Coqui
Firewall Pizza
Grill Master Cafe
HipPOPs
Korean BBQ Taco Box
Marlie’s Delights
The MexZican Gourmet
Mojo on the Go
Mr. Good Stuff
Ms. Cheezious
Purple People Eatery
The Rolling Stove

Big Easy Bar & Grille - Hollywood, FL

Downtown Hollywood is a pretty lively neighborhood full of many restaurants and bars, one of the which is Big Easy Bar and Grille. New Orleans is at the top of my list of places I haven't visited in the United States, so was very interested in dining here so that I could experience New Orleans style food and fun! I was having a relaxing Sunday at Arts Park with my boyfriend, and we were getting hungry, so we decided to head there to eat.

The restaurant was fairly big and decorated with decor that I would expect a typical Bourbon Street bar to look like. It helped set the mood and the vibe made you want to get in on the fun. As we entered the door, we were greeted warmly and seated. Our server came to the table and was just friendly. He was really nice, very helpful, recommend dishes and came back often to ensure that we were having a good time. The menu itself was not what I was expecting. They offer a variety of classic American dishes, a couple of completely unrelated dished that made no sense to be on the menu but very few Cajun dishes.

We started off our meal with the Buffalo Anchor Bar Chicken Wings (hot). The sauce had flavor beyond heat, so they were very good. I am a sucker for wings and spicy food so it was a win for me. My boyfriend ordered the 12oz NY Strip Steak. The steak itself was tender and pretty good but the mashed potatoes and the not so appetizing gravy were not. I wanted the Cajun experience so I ordered the Big Easy Jambalaya. It was huge. It consisted of shrimp, chicken & andouille sausage in a creole tomato sauce, over rice with a cornbread muffin on the side. The cornbread was very good. It was moist and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Jambalaya arrive hot which is always a plus. I am not a huge fan of tomato based dished but I enjoyed this one a lot. It was not only very spicy and flavorful, but delicious. We also ordered two drinks, a Long Island and a Mojito. The Long Island was decent but the Mojito was very watered down so I did not enjoy it at all.

Buffalo Anchor Bar Chicken Wings

12oz NY Strip Steak

Big Easy Jambalaya

Long Island Iced Tea

Mojito

I heard that they have live Jazz and Blues music most nights, but we unfortunately missed it. The band just started playing when we were heading out the door. Regardless, Big Easy Bar & Grille was a solid meal, so you are sure to have a good time when a band is playing.



Big Easy Bar & Grille
1925 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, FL 33020
(954) 924-3006
www.thebigeasybarandgrille.com

Miami Food Truck Rally at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Who: Miami Food Trucks

What: The Miami Food Truck Rally brought to you by the combined minds of the Seminole Paradise & BurgerBeast.com.

Where: At the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (Seminole Paradise Valet Lot) located at 1 Seminole Way Hollywood, FL 33314

When: Thursday, July 12th, 2012 at 5:30-10PM

Why: To enjoy some great food, hear Pinchadiscos throwing down the jams and to take on everything the Seminole Hard Rock has to offer!

How: This a free event. There will be plenty of Free Parking.

Thursday July 12th Truck Line-Up:

Che Grill
Cheeseburger Baby
ChurroMania
Daddy’s Grill
Dim Ssam a Gogo
Don Mofongo
Fireman Derek’s World Famous Pies
Grill Master Cafe
HipPOPs Handcrafted Gelato Bars
Killer Pasta
Mangia Mia
Ms. Cheezious
Mushaboom
Nacho Bizness
Overload Extreme Street Food
Porkalicious
The Rolling Stove
Slow Food Truck
Taco Fresh
Waffle Gourmet

Restaurant Review: La Barraca Tapas Bar & Café - Hollywood, FL

Went to Spain, had a great time and have been missing it ever since. Once I heard about La Barraca Tapas Bar & Café, I suspected a visit would be great opportunity to hopefully experience what I have been missing.

From the outside of the restaurant to the inside decor, you know their goal is to make you feel as if you're in Spain. You are even greeted in Spanish. As soon as you're seated you are offered wine or sangria. I choose sangria and although it was good, I have had better. Be careful when ordering water, because they will bring you a bottle of mineral water and charge you $5.  Their complimentary bread was delicious, but only because their garlic butter amazing.

The tapas we ate were great, my favorite being the Fillet Mignon Kabob with Potatoes. The meat was tender, sauce mouthwatering and potatoes an added bonus. We also ordered Jamón Serrano (Spanish cured ham imported from Spain) because that was a favorite when we were in Spain and the Churrasco De Carne Con Mojo Picon (skirt steak with "mojo" from the canary islands). Both were also really good. My only disappointed was that I didn't try more, but I have the next visit for that.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8 & 10pm they put on a Flamenco Show. The flamenco show was entertaining, but having experience an authentic show in Spain, it just was not the same, but it was still a great show. Note that if you dine at the restaurant during those times, they will tack on $5 per person to your bill for the show. Other than the unexpected charged for the show and the water, everything was reasonable prices.

La Barraca Tapas Bar & Café is a fun place that makes you feel like you're in Spain. They offer a wide variety of Spanish tapas, great wines, and an excellent live Flamenco show. And since I am unable to visit Spain all the time, La Barraca will be my alternative when I am missing it.

La Barraca Tapas Bar & Café
115 S 20th Avenue, Hollywood, FL 33020
954.925.0050
www.labarracabar.com