MenuPages

We just called a restaurant in Coconut Grove to request a menu, and the following conversation ensued:

MenuPages: Hi, can you fax me a menu?
Restaurant Manager: You're speaking to the manager. My name is Julio.
MP: Hi Julio. Could you fax me a menu?
RM: You want a menu?
MP: Yes.
RM: Where are you located?
MP: Westchester.
RM: Hmm, well let me get your address. Is that a business?
MP: I don't want to place an order for delivery. I would just like a menu.
RM: Yeah, but we can just drop it off.
MP: You don't have a fax machine?
RM: Yes, of course. Oh, you want me to fax it?
MP: YES.

We've received a bit of feedback regarding the new "High Five" feature, and after a comment was posted about it yesterday, I thought it might be a good idea to clarify what the list's purpose is. Here's the comment in question:

Common lets be honest you are showcasing the wanna bee's by popularity list as thats what gets hits on the web, nothing to do with quality as there are so many BETTER Italian restaurants throught S Florida yet since they arent as well known (via PR$$$) they are hidden gems...As far as your list, How can a brand new restaurant (Scarpetta) even be considered??? Davito can u say fugetaboutit and I mean for the money and the pretentiousness for get about it!!!! Prime and Bova will give kudos to but not for the money as what $30.00 for a meatball I mean common folks choped meat oly costs 1.29/lb...I think Menu Pages should rethink this list/correct it and have an exit poll rather than base this on a High School popularity contest!!!!! Where is perricone's with Pasta on Thursdays for $10 bucks I mean common!!!

As for the suggestion that we conduct exit polls at, say, every Italian restaurant in Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties, well, we'd need a federal bailout in order to fund that endeavor.

High Five: High-End Italian [MP: South Florida]
Scarpetta [MenuPages]
Scarpetta [Official Site]
Perricone's Marketplace & Cafe [MenuPages]
Perricone's Marketplace & Cafe [Official Site]

So you might have noticed that we launched a fancy new redesign this weekend. All of the same menu information is there, just jazzed up in a nicer format. And we've made a few things a bit easier. For example, check out the search box at the top of the page. The incredibly useful "Find a Food" search had been a bit difficult to find; now, it's right there in the search box. And check out how easy it is to use the "Advanced Search." With one click you can search by neighborhood or area, cuisine, zip code and cross streets at the same time.

And it's even easier to browse the listings. Say you want Brazilian food tonight; click on "Brazilian" in the home page. From there, you can narrow down your options by neighborhood and area, as usual, but now you can also filter by features like outdoor dining or online reservations.

This is just one of the many changes we've got in store to make searching for the perfect restaurant that much easier for you.

Yes, we promised a return to regular blogging. We apologize. About an hour or two after that post went up, we were hit by the head cold from hell, complete with runny nose, headache, slight fever, and overall what my grandmother would call destemplanza. We woke up yesterday morning just long enough to leave a rambling, incoherent message on our boss's voicemail that said something along the lines of "can't work today." Today is better, although the prospect of greeting 2009 with a red and runny nose is not all that exciting.

We hope that your New Year's Eve is shaping out to be a lot better than ours. See you next year!

Here's a great one, for Fitz's Pig & Whistle in New York titled "Absolut toll:"

Für alle deutschen Touristen ein toller Tip.

For all German tourists a mad hint.

Fitz's Pig & Whistle [MenuPages]

Apologies for the light posting. Your editor is currently curled up on the couch slurping chicken soup and nursing a really bad cold. More frequent blogging will resume tomorrow.

Photo, of the chicken soup at Puerto Sagua: The Travelin Man/flickr

That's right. I'm taking a vacation. I'm off to South Korea, where I plan to eat so much kimchi that I'll be sick of it by the end of the 10-day vacation. The blog will be in the capable hands of Melissa, but expect lighter-than-average posting over the next week.

See you on Wednesday, September 3.

Photo: Denis-zg/flickr

Here's an interesting one we received this weekend for The Palm Beach Steakhouse titled "Don't go if you live in FL all year long:"

They only have their full menu for the tuorist, They did not have the surf and Turf they show on their site. They did not have the French Onion soup they show on their menu. When we asked about it they said that it was not the season for Lobster. I wanted to ask if it was not the season for Onion also. For dessert they only had mango cheesecake, which the waiter kept pushing. Very Disapointing,

The Palm Beach Steakhouse [MenuPages]
The Palm Beach Steakhouse [Official Site]

We've got some pretty big news around here: New York Media, the parent company of New York Magazine, has bought MenuPages. It's a natural partnership, and we're very excited about the whole deal, as it should give us more resources to better cover our markets. For more information, check out the New York Times article about the deal. We've included the press release after the jump:

Continue reading "New York Media Buys MenuPages" »

We love it when restaurateurs suddenly discover MenuPages: South Florida. Not only because we like to get the word out about the site, but also because sometimes it can be a bit amusing. How can we tell? Well, it's easy, really. Here's an example: over the past 48 hours, we've received 10 wonderful glowing reviews — three from the same IP address — for J Mark's Restaurant in Pompano Beach. Clearly the manager and/or owner learned of the site and ordered a blitzkrieg of positive reviews to boost ratings. (Also guilty this week: John The Baker.) After the jump, we've included a few of the reviews that didn't make it onto the site because of the obvious shill factor.

Continue reading "Shill Alert: J Mark's Restaurant Discovers MenuPages" »

You may have noticed that the blog was going a little haywire this morning. We had a few technical difficulties that took a while to sort out. It's amazing the havoc that one apostrophe that should've been a quotation mark in HTML code can wreak on a blog. But everything should be back to normal now.

Hi readers! You may have noticed a couple of exclamation-mark-heavy posts recently (I'm working on it), so I wanted to briefly introduce myself: I'm a local writer and editor, as well as the new Miami-Dade stringer for MenuPages. Due to long hours, crazy deadlines, an inherent laziness and my utter lack of cooking skills, I eat out constantly, and I'm willing to drive just about anywhere to quench a craving. I look forward to sharing my dining discoveries with you — and hearing about yours!

You'll have to forgive us today for the very light blogging. We have a pretty bad sinus infection, and we just returned from a most unpleasant three-hour excursion to the doctor's office. Now it's off to fill prescriptions. So please bear with us. We hope to resume regular blogging tomorrow.

Good morning and welcome! If you are new to MenuPages, we have something in common. My name is Carmen Ruiz-Castaneda and I'll be joining the hungry and literate MenuPages bloggers. As a graduate student and artist, I'm always on the lookout for delicious bargains and creative culinary surprises. My home turf currently encompasses the Coral Gables/ South Miami circuit, but my roots are in Westchester, home of Santa's Enchanted Forest and some of the most amazing Cuban food available in the Greater Miami area. Suggestions, feedback, and comments are greatly appreciated as I'm always up for testing my palate. I may be a newbie to the blogosphere, but I love eating, talking, and writing about food, so cheers to you, to me, and to MenuPages. Salud!

We try to cover every inch of South Florida from Jupiter to Key West, but it's hard. Which is why we need your help. We're looking for a stringer to expand our coverage of Broward and Palm Beach County restaurants. We'd like someone who'd be able to supply one post per day about restaurant happenings in the area, suggestions on where to eat in certain neighborhoods, and what kinds of bargains can be had at high-end restaurants, among other things. Pay is competitive and on a per-post basis.

To apply, e-mail a 200-word sample blog post about the three best places to eat in your immediate neighborhood to southflorida_editor AT menupages.com.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us that between rising flour prices and increased gas costs, pizza makers are having a tough time. And your pizza's about to get more expensive.

• We never particularly liked deep dish pizza, but the one in the photo that MP: Chicago provides looks tasty.

• MP: San Francisco is excited about a truck that may be serving Cuban sandwiches. Currently, the only other place that serves an authentic cubano charges nine dollars.

• MP: Boston shares video of a recent bacon-eating contest in Cambridge. According to one competitor, "bacon is special, bacon is sacred." Oh yes, it certainly is.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

The Smoking Rabbit is on the offensive. We can't say we've been inundated with reviews, but of the three that have come in, two were definite shills. An example:

WAS LOOKING FOR SOME WHERE DIFFERENT AND STUMBLED INTO A GREAT NEW RESTAURANT WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE IS COMFORTING ALONG WITH THE FOOD. GREAT MACK AND CHEESE AWESOME SCOLLOPS ,STEAK, SAUSAGES AND MORE. FRIENDS AND I HAD A GREAT TIME AND GREAT FOOD.

The waiters were obnoxious and the owner was a degenerate as well as an Anti-semite

And finally, we'll end on a positive note, with a review that came in just a couple hours ago for A-1 Thai Restaurant:

I lived right by A-1 Thai for a year, and I ordered take-out at least once in 10 days. The green chicken curry is really really good! I find the Thai places around here generally to be much pricier than the ones in Chicago, but this one isn't terrible. For a $12.00 green curry entree plus an extra rice, my hubby and I have plenty to eat for dinner. Highly recommend!

The ambiance is a bit cluttered. It seems like they went on a thai antique collection frenzy and just brought everything to the restaurant! Service is decent and food is good. So no complaints here. :)

• MP: Chicago gets up close and personal with some Belgian waffles.

• MP: Boston gives us a photo of the tastiest-looking raw vegan ravioli we've ever seen.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us about gay porn twins who held up a buffalo wing takeout spot.

• MP: San Francisco presents the history of warfare through various food items. In video form.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

Best week yet so far, we think. Only five reviews didn't pass muster. Here's one of them, for Amazonia Churrascaria:

I was thoroughly satisfied with my dining experience. I recommend this place to all who have not tried it. The meat was so flavorful and satisfying. The service came with a smile and warmth that made me feel as though I was a guest in someone's home who was trying to impress me. I can't wait to bring my wife next!

This restaurant instantly became my new favorite place on South Beach. The food is outstanding, the service is amazing, and the atmosphere is wonderful. First went with some friends and have been back repeatedly. The food is delicous, starting with the mac n cheese, spiced nuts and endive appetizers!! I can't say which is my favorite because they are all sooo good!! For dinner the burger....yummy :) Definitely the best burger I've had since I moved to Florida. the pumpkin salad, the filet and the cod...all of which are equally delicous...the grilled cheese is heaven sent!! Love that the food is fresh and tastes as good as it looks. The waitstaff is delightful and very attentive. The perfect place to go for good music and a warm atmosphere. I will certainly be back on a regular basis for lunch and dinner!

Continue reading "The Week In User Reviews: Shills Galore" »

• MP: Boston gives a few suggestions for throwing an Oscar party this Sunday.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us that Anthony Bourdain suggests dinner at Masa as a good first-date litmus test. That kind of policy could make a guy broke very, very quickly.

• MP: San Francisco comments about the city's planning commission's new measure that would seriously restrict alcohol sales.

• MP: Chicago brings us a lovely looking photo of a dessert called "Tunnel of Fudge."

It was a pretty decent week: more helpful reviews than unhelpful ones. In fact, this week we'll lay off the guys who insist on using the caps lock key or who leave one-word reviews. Instead, we'll feature just those reviews that made it onto the site. First up is a very informative review for Marie's Pizza in Jupiter:

I've only used these guys for delivery and really like them. The food is good, reasonably priced, and service is prompt. My only complaint is if you like your wings wet, get em somewhere else. They say theirs are wet but they aren't. Everything else is good. I'll use these guys before using any other big chain places.

As first timers at the restaurant we were promptly welcomed and indoctrinated by regulars with cultural background and menu descriptions and recommendations. The crowd, in general, although rather loud and casual created a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The live entertainment (lone resident musician) on Thursdays and Sundays was good quality, if a little repetitive, and encouraged participation.

Place has a tired atmosphere. Not pleasant. Food wierd, and poorly cooked and bland. Service slow and clumsy. Parking - Forget abot it. Legacy Place is not the place to try to park

• MP: Chicago presents a great photo essay of heart-shaped foods.

• Oh, man. Cooking with Coolio. Thanks to MP: Boston.

• We'd never heard of the "Hawaiian Ex-Lax," but thanks to MP: Philadelphia, we now know to steer clear of large portions of butterfish.

• MP: San Francisco shows us how to make Saigon Sandwiches at home.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

We absolutely must start this week with one review that came in two days ago for Rincon Nica, titled 'wow:'

ggggggoooooooooooooooodddddddd ffffffffffffoooooooooodddddddd

Next up, a review for Jimmy'z Kitchen:

What a great place for locals to pick up fresh food ! The quality is a perfect 10 ! And the taste is even better !

On to the winner for this week for Pierre's Restaurant titled 'dump the french accent':

Food, scenery and atmosphere are top notch, very expensive though.
only setback: the maitre-d pretents to be french, speaks with the accent, but when adressed in french suddenly struggles for answers: foolish

• Fly JetBlue often? MP: San Francisco tells us that you may be getting some free samples of low-fat Kraft cream cheese soon.

• According to MP: Philadelphia, six couples are getting married on Valentine's Day inside the Reading Terminal Market. We love the Reading Terminal Market. But not that much.

• MP: Boston informs us that Ruby Tuesday is now offering craft beer in 900+ locations. We're ... still not tempted to go.

• We're very happy that MP: Chicago wrote a rather lengthy update on the farm bill, so that we could link it here without having to do the research.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

We were looking at this week's reviews thinking, where should we start? Almost immediately, we knew: with the review with no words. It's for Park Avenue BBQ & Grille, and what follows is the entirety of the review:

...

On to the next winner. This one is for The Whale Raw Bar and Fish House. It's from a 'mr.420' and is titled 'we need it this thank you:'

the best seafood in town,ect....

Finally, our winner for the week, for Java Room:

The coffee is excellent and the latte my husband got was superb, but the pastries we ordered were overpriced and a bit hard. Stick with any of the beverages and this place will win you over in no time.

These aren't new restaurants, in the sense that we've already had them up on the site, but all of these restaurants recently changed their menus. Most of the time, it's just an increase in prices; other times, a few items are changed; and still other times, the new menu looks completely different from the old one. Here are a few restaurants that have been updated recently:

• Scotty B's Drafthouse, 9477 Hwy A1A Alt in Lake Park, 561-863-4466

• Thai House South Beach, 1137 Washington Ave in Miami Beach, 305-531-4841

• Jason's at the Harrison, 411 Washington Ave in Miami Beach, 305-672-4600. (This one's the exception -- it's new, not an update.)

• O'Malley's Ocean Pub, 101 N Ocean Dr in Hollywood, 954-920-4062

• MP: Philadelphia has hamburgers on a phone.

• MP: San Francisco has hamburgers in a can. (And might we add, blech!)

• No burgers at MP: Chicago, but there is a photo essay of the surprisingly popular bacon Bloody Mary.

• And finally, MP: Boston provides us with a video essay of the worst fast food commercials.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

We got a few great ones this week. And by great, we mean that they made us laugh; nine times out of ten, reviews that make us laugh don't make it onto the site, because they generally make us laugh for the wrong reasons. Here's a great example, for Jeff's Beach House & Grill under the title "marthas vineyard and nantucket is here":

love the food and the atmosphere loved the staff very family friendly from the minute you enter the parking and the hostess to the owners are handson.That is a rare commodity in todays world . must go enjoy

As we walked in to a room of empty tables, we were seated at a high top table. We asked for a normal table and were told that the table next to restrooms were available...

What is up with this place? Racist? Stupid?

All Residents of Broward stay away...

And now, for this week's winner, from JD who wrote about Dogma Grill:

I think the hot dogs are good gourmet hot dogs. The buns are not just plain hotdog buns you get in any supermarket. The sausages were good. I'm not sure if this location is better than the other locations. But, either way, I really enjoy eating my Cali dog - it's the one with avocado and bacon. Their garlic fries are good too.

As for prices, hot dogs are cheap, but while these are a little bit more expensive than most hot dogs, they're still cheap! Cheap enough for me to keep going back!

There's also Chicago hotdogs and that's not too easy to find in New York's sixth borough!

This location in particular only has sheltered outdoor seating, but with a hip vibe.

We have a pretty great system of gathering menus, but sometimes, we just can't get some of them, for a variety of reasons. And we have only so much time on our hands to canvass the large area from Jupiter to Key West asking for menus, so this is where you guys come in. If you happen to dine at one of these establishments and can send a menu our way (fax 561-892-5771), we'd appreciate it. A lot.

• Cafe Frankie's, 640 E Ocean Ave in Boynton Beach
• Abacoa Snack Bar, 105 Barbados Dr in Jupiter
• Acapulco Restaurant, 10419 Southern Blvd in Royal Palm Beach
• Swampgrass Willy's Smokehouse, 9910 Highway A1A Alt in Palm Beach Gardens

We apologize for being a bit slow on the blogging front; we've been doing lots and lots of work on the site, updating menus, and adding new ones. Here are a few that we've added just recently:

• Good Eats Deli, 645 NE 79th St in Miami, 305-757-2731

• Metronome, 5090 PGA Blvd in Palm Beach Gardens, 561-775-1919

• Foxy's Ice Cream & Dessert Cafe, 12 SE 5th Ave in Delray Beach, 561-276-9379

• Five Guys, 7268 W Atlantic Blvd in Margate, 954-975-4818

• Cafe Le Glacier, 7295 Biscayne Blvd in Miami, 305-754-6551

• MP: Philadelphia tells us about a marshmallow cookbook. Yep, a whole cookbook about marshmallows, which include honey and cardamom marshmallows, champagne marshmallow wedding cake, and blood orange, rosemary and zinfandel fluff. Seriously. We're kind of excited.

• MP: San Francisco is a little surprised by a proposed alcohol ban in a nightlife-heavy district of San Francisco.

• Colony Collapse Disorder distresses us. We like honey, and when bees get disoriented, they don't produce honey. MP: Boston is also concerned, and she provided us with a trailer of an upcoming documentary of CCD.

• These lemons provided by MP: Chicago look so damn tasty.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

This week's reviews were about 50/50, in the sense that about half got validated and went online. We'll start with a few of the ones that didn't quite make it onto the site, like this one for Marios Latin Cafe:

THE BEST CHURRASCO

My husband and I have been going to this restaurant since it opened. Mauricio, the owner greets his guest with a caring smile on his face. He wants to make sure everyone has an excellent experience. My favorites, the Sea Bass! All fish dishes are cooked to perfection and accompanied with fresh vegetables and mashed potatoes. We have yet to try something we have not been 100[%] satisfied with. The portions are perfect. You'll even have room for dessert and at Cafe Portofino, that is a must. Mauricio came up with what I call the specialty of the house, a "Warm Guava & Cheese Pastry with Ice Cream". Everything on the menu is outstanding, not to mention thier nightly specials.
If I had to mention one negative thing about Portofino, it would be that the best kept secret is getting out. The last couple of months that we have been there, we have ran into celebrities, top South Florida utives, and even very successful Food & Beverage business owners who enjoy eating at Cafe Portofino.
I highly recommend it. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

The good ones this week weren't so great, but we've got a winner regardless. This one is for Yard House:

We have eaten at the Yard House on numerous occassions. The food is always excellent. The service can vary from good to fantastic depending on the time and the waiter/waitress. The atmosphere is very relaxed. Great place to take the family. Great outdoor seating as well!

• Leila at MP: Boston was a political science major, just like us, but we can't seem to get into the primaries like she does. We commend her enthusiasm for the American electoral process, and we love her primary-themed posts.

• "Ironbeer o no beber!" over at MP: Chicago.

• We had never heard of Indian pizza prior to MP: Philadelphia's mention of it. We're kind of pizza purists, but we must say, we're intrigued by the idea of masala on pizza.

• MP: San Francisco introduces us to canned Bud Light and Clamato, which does not sound appetizing. At all.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

So, it's our favorite Thursday post, when we go over the user reviews of the past week and pick out the best and the worst. As usual, we'll start with those unfortunate reviews that never made it onto the site. First, a review for Papa Piccolo Pizzeria:

After driving by the restaurant for so many years I finally decided to try the food. To my surprise the food was absolutely delicious! The food is homemade and served with a smile. The restaurant is hidden in the Kings Creek Village shopping center but has excellent parking and is open til 11 PM. For good Italian at an unbelievable price, Papa Piccolos is a must. You will be hooked.

good food you are crazyy ...

i think they had the worst food and service i have ever had

There weren't too many that actually made it onto the site this week; it was a week of one-liners and excessive exclamation points. But, we did have a winner: "Satisfied Customer" who reviewed Dolores, but you can call me Lolita:

Decent place and I'd go there again. But here's some detail...

Had to wait over an hour, even with a reservation (anyone see that episode of Seinfeld? - what's the reservation for?!) I think they just like to milk the drinks while you wait.

Anyway, once inside, the food was pretty good. Our orders were correct (6 of us) and the meal cost included an appetizer per person. Meals were either $18 or $23.

They DO charge for refills on soda which is odd. Desserts were only $2.50, but also not so great (4 choices in total skip the mango stuff - in fact, skip dessert altogether).

Service was good. We had a nice waiter who spoke enough English.

Parking... $10 for valet and $10 for nearby parking. We found $1.25/hr on the street within 100 yards.

Lots of places to go so I wouldn't rush there. But it was worth one trip and we cannot say anything bad about it in general.

We've been busy collecting menus and adding them to the site, so here are a few that have gone live this week:

• Sushi Club, 6542 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, 305-868-7760

• The Village Chalet Restaurant, 12312 SW 224th St in Miami, 305-258-8900

• Yard House, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens in Palm Beach Gardens, 561-691-6901

• Casimir Bistro, 416 Via de Palmas in Boca Raton, 561-955-6001

• Taqueria Dona Raquel, 793 S Dixie Hwy W in Pompano Beach, 954-946-4490

• MP: San Francisco brings to our attention that all of the eggs for Starbucks breakfast sandwiches are cooked in two locations and then shipped across the country. Seriously, ew.

• MP: Boston thinks the KFC bowl sounds disgusting. We're inclined to agree.

• MP: Philadelphia warns us against taking photos inside any Five Guys restaurants.

• MP: Chicago brings us a great photo of cheesecake. We think we can see some chocolate crust underneath. Yum.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

We've got a few this week that made us laugh out loud. We'll go right into the best one, for Kaliapy's:

Its great!!!! The stuff is wonderful and the food is the best. YOU CAN GO WRONG WITH KALIAPY'S!!!!!

I actually encountered a very rude server who had to have been prejudice, since I was accompanied by an interracial couple. Never went there again.

• Scariest traffic map ever, courtesy of MP: San Francisco. He also seems to think that taping your windows is somewhat effective against strong winds, to which our response is HAHAHAHAHA.

• MP: Chicago tells us that Orlando residents (and those of a few other cities) seek more healthful options on restaurant menus. We bet they'd settle for just better-tasting food in general.

• MP: Boston tells us all about jamón ibérico, which the U.S. government recently allowed was OK for American consumption. (Finally!) It's going to cost a pretty penny though.

• And MP: Philadelphia shows us a photo of a hospital-themed restaurant in Singapore that creeps us out.

Yes, finally. It took a while to get it, but we have it now, the new-and-improved menu of the recently renovated Japanese restaurant. Enjoy.

Matsuri Japanese Restaurant [MenuPages]

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

It's been a while since we've done one of these. The holidays kept our mind preoccupied on other things. But we'll get started for this week with the good ones. Here's one for Quinn's At the Park:

The food was surprisingly flavorful and well-presented, more than I expected for an Ocean Drive restaurant. Although there was no "theme" to the restaurant and the menu was scattered with asian/italian/french/american dishes, each dish was flavorful and tasty. Their signature bam bam shrimp had no bam, however. The restaurant was surprisingly roomy inside and decorated with white drapes and cheesy red lights. Unfortunately, we had a table right next to the speakers and with grandma and grandpa at the table, it was hard to carry on a conversation.

love thier food,great,old sotuehrn cooking,,great for us southern whats left of us,,esp the one from boynton beach,,born and raised

Nice Family Atmosphere, 2 TV's ,Videogame machine and a stand so the little ones can watch the Pizza Maker and play with a piece of dough.

Simple,clean, with excellent service and very good food.
Large portions with free drink refills and reasonable prices
makes this one of our favorite restaurants. Lunch and dinner specials everyday. Different homemade soups every day. A dinner will include garlic rolls and a soup or a salad.

We live in the neighborhood and were there on opening day, and continue to frequent weekly for our "Italian night" dinners.

Drop by you won't be disappointed. Pizzas, Pastas, and an awesome Italian Sub....

They also have fast delivery service. 305-388-5552

ENJOY !!!.

• MP: San Francisco discusses the difficulty of eating locally in the winter. Which is interesting when down here it's harder to eat locally in the summer, unless, of course, one could live on mangoes alone. Come to think of it, we don't think that sounds too bad.

• Challah french toast at MP: Boston. Yum.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us that chefs in the City of Brotherly Love are crazy over blue foot chickens, green papaya, lentils, duck fat and bacon. Mmmm...bacon.

• MP: Chicago doesn't fare so well on a Christmas food quiz.

We've put a few new menus on the website. Here's a sampling of what's new:

• Coola Fish Bar, 11340 Legacy Ave in Palm Beach Gardens, 561-622-2227

• Cravings Coffee Tea & Chocolate, 4802 NW Boca Raton Blvd in Boca Raton, 561-999-0499

• Latitude Zero Restaurant, 36 SW 1st St in Miami, 305-372-5205

• Pita Pit, 5454 N University Dr in Lauderhill, 954-652-0444

• MP: Boston offers some meal suggestions for a snow day. Not that we'll be having any down here, but it's an interesting read nonetheless.

• MP: Chicago tells us about a Top Chef Dale sighting; he's waiting tables at sola. Didn't he not do so well on that restaurant challenge where he worked the front of the house?

• MP: San Francisco gives us drunken monkeys. So awesome.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us about the controversy among German brewers about genetically engineered beer.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

It was a pretty good week: lots of reviews, and almost all made it onto the site. We'll start with a review for Positano from Bob that made it onto the site:

I knew nothing about this place but stopped in on a Saturday night about 8. We were able to get a table immediatedly. The waiter tried to be helpful but he was so busy he was walking away as he took our order. Later in we never even saw him and the check was delivered by the busboy (who were more helpful than the waiters). The table next to us had the same problem. The good news is that the food was excellent. I had the chicken caccitore and done perfectly. Portions are large and they charge a $10 sharing charge. Most dishes are between $20 and $30. I would certainly go back because of the food and just hope that the service is better. I think we were the last people to come in so they must get crowded between 6 and 8 and if you go after 8 you probably can get a table without a reservation.

On to the reviews at the bottom of the barrel, of which there were only a handful this week. Like this one for Wan's Sushi House:

Great sushi!!!

The Torttia soup was the best I ever had.
Everthing we had was good sorry I can't spell the names.

Every once in a while we enjoy tooting our own horn. Consider this one of those times: today we learned that Time selected MenuPages as the sixth-best website of 2007. Which, given the number of websites out there, is pretty damn cool. Here's what they had to say about us:

Open your takeout menu drawer and you're likely to find the five food-stained restaurant menus you've been ordering from for years. But if you live in big cities like New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles — places with countless foodie havens — your mealtime options shouldn't be limited to these same, stale choices. Log on to MenuPages.com, choose the neighborhood you live in, pick the type of cuisine you'd like to order and browse selections from hundreds of eateries. With approximately 25,000 menus from eight cities, you'll surely never have to order plain ol' pizza again.

Top 10 Websites [Time]

• MP: Chicago provides us with lots and lots of photos of latkes.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us what food products you can and cannot get past customs.

• They're recalling our water now. MP: San Francisco has details.

• MP: Boston sends an open letter to food publicists everywhere.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

We'll start with the bad. Here's one from almost exactly one week ago for Jersey Shore Subs:

dont waste your time

I'm peruvian and I'm felling so proud to have a place to enjoy my food and like home. It is a very clean and neat place. It is absoluttly the BEST!!!

I've been to Louie's Backyard many times of the years and it has remained a consistently wonderful experience. I had the conch bisque and the grouper, both of which were absolutely wonderful. While the restaurant is pricey, and it is too much of a tourist destination, there is no denying that the food is great and the atmosphere is perfect Key West.

• MP: Philadelphia brings us a deep-fried hamburger -- crunchy and, um, interesting.

• MP: San Francisco tells us that the crab season has finally been given the green light after that bad oil spill.

• More problems with the Hyde Park Co-Op, from MP: Chicago. We're still not shedding any tears over the loss.

• Stollen! From MP: Boston. Yum!

It's Thursday, so it's time to see which reviews this week made the cut and which didn't. We'll start with the good ones, of which there weren't too many. Here's a not-too-flattering but informative one for Carmine's La Trattoria:

I just recently went to Carmines for the first time. The food was delicious, I ordered the Salmon with Spinach and it had a great honey mustard sauce. The atmosphere was kind of boring and quiet with a lot of older people. We went around 6pm, if your younger, go later when they play music. Our waitress was good but not friendly. She rarely smiled and had an attitude like we were bothering her(and my family is not needy). Im not one to complain, the food was great! The seating was awkward, seats were uncomfortable(we sat at a table w/ chairs). It's pretty pricy and everyone elses food at the table didnt look so great. I wouldnt reccommend this restaurant to anyone else and I probably wouldnt end up there again if it were up to me. =)

There were, however, plenty of comments that didn't make it onto the site. Here's one for Kefi Restaurant & Lounge:

I walked into the restaurant on a Friday night to find an unexpected atmosphere. Stone finish on the walls, classy table set ups, and a DJ in the lounge area. I went there for a nice dinner with my girlfriend and found a new place for Friday and Saturday night. I found it refreshing to see a DJ playing house/ lounge music throughout the restaurant. I also got 3 for 1 drinks during the happy hour. I recommend this place to anyone looking for a new place to frequent.

located next to the dump for a good reason

We didn't do a user review roundup last week because of the holiday, so we'll make up for it now by offering quite possibly the most entertaining review we've ever read, although it wasn't for the South Florida site. This one came in for our New York version, for a restaurant called Re Sette:

i was invited to re sette to have dinner whith my freinds and whith had bat time food was good but service was terible they have waiters what they dont speak inglish at all. its berry sad that this type of restaurant dont have service.

Re Sette [MenuPages]
Re Sette [Official Site]

• Scotch eggs are apparently something that people fear. We don't quite understand. We've never had one, but a hardboiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and deep fried sounds pretty damn good to us. [MP: Philadelphia]

• Still more problems for the fishing industry from the oil spill in San Francisco Bay. [MP: San Francisco]

• Wow. That's definitely the craziest parfait we've ever seen. [MP: Chicago]

• Just in case you were interested in making your own turducken, here's an instructional video. [MP: Boston]

It's Thursday afternoon, time again to evaluate a week's worth of user reviews. We'll just do two this time, one good and one bad. Here's a review for The Mahogany Grille that made it past us onto the site:

The servers were on-point and the atmosphere was upscale, but not pretentious. The food was another story. Maybe its because we caught them right at closing time, but the food was not as flavorful as I would've liked. Also, when I order $15 fried chicken, I think white meat is a given....instead I got 5 legs..so do specify. I did enjoy the peas and rice and I will try them again (and update) and give them another chance at getting the food right if only for their great service.

Now, onto the ones that didn't make the cut. Here's a review for Alta Cocina, the new South Miami restaurant:

Just what south miami needed

We've been busy bringing you new menus. Here's just a sampling of what is now appearing on the site:

• Moonchine Asian Bistro, 7100 Biscayne Blvd in Miami, 305-759-3999

• Takee Outee, 20234 Old Cutler Rd in Miami, 305-251-8188

• Cefalo's in the Grove, 3540 Main Hwy in Coconut Grove, 305-971-2400

• Nexxt Cafe, 101 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables, 305-567-5888

• White Castle latkes. Ugh. Thanks, MP: Philadelphia. We will now have that image in our head for the rest of the day.

• MP: San Francisco bemoans an oil spill in the Bay that might affect the fishing and crabbing industries.

• MP: Chicago informs us that the Hyde Park Co-Op, where we did the majority of our food shopping during college, is closing. We are not sad. At all.

• MP: Boston has ice cream for breakfast. We can totally get behind that idea.

Just yesterday, we managed to get menus for a few more new (new to the site, that is) restaurants onto the site:

• Kefi Restaurant & Lounge, 18851 NE 29th Ave in Aventura, 305-466-1115

• Surf Road Taco, 101 NE 3rd St in Hallandale, 954-239-0128

• Tavern-n-Town (just the Tavern menu; Town opens in December), 500 Simonton St in Key West, 305-296-8100

• Pilikia by the Pool, 1751 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, 305-538-1411

• Hot Shots Bar, 3868 N University Dr in Sunrise, 954-748-4232

It was a pretty slow week in terms of user reviews. As usual, let's start with the ones that didn't make it onto the site. This review of Christine Lee's in Jupiter comes from a user in Port St. Lucie:

we are in need of your establishment in or near port saint lucie fl. we have hundreds of families here who are in need of a good chinese resturant who support you every day look into a community called tradition very new 3,000 families right on 95, lots of land available for more resturants

The Fried Twinkey is GOD above all other foods you must love the twinkey

Arrived and had choice of indoor or outdoor seating. Since it was the first cooler day, we sat outside for the sunset and water view. Appetizer was conch fritters--six very small, very greasy fritters for 7.95. Salad was heart of lettuce with very good creamy garlic dressing. Ordered surf and turf special--ribs and crab legs. Food was served slightly warm. Ribs were dry, crab legs didn't taste fresh, and potato side was just so-so--tasted like it was out of a can. Bugs were EATING US ALIVE--no-see-ums! Halfway through dinner a few staff members mentioned that yes, they had been bad out there--why didn't you TELL us! We couldn't finish dinner fast enough, and are now covered with lots of very itchy bites.

It is doubtful we will be back, sorry to say.

• A mafia-controlled restaurant in MP: Philadelphia!

• A deconstructed McRib from MP: Chicago! (Warning: appetite loss may occur.)

• A bacon costume from MP: Boston!

• Dungeness crabs from MP: San Francisco! (Okay, not scary. More like delicious. But they have claws!)

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

First, from the scrap heap. This one comes from Anonymous, who appears to have a shouting problem. He/she writes about Testa's Palm Beach:

OF THE MANY RESTAURANTS IN PB THIS OLDIE HAS STAYING POWER. ONE DINNER HERE AND YOU'LL SEE WHY. THEIR SUNSET MENU, A COMPLETE MEAL IS UNBELIEVEABLE. THEY DONT SKIMP ON ANYTHING. I GO THERE EVERY TIME I GO TO KRAVIS OR CITIPLACE. ITS TOO BAD I DONT LIVE CLOSER

the greatest food you will ever taste and have. indulge in the greatness of sauces well thats my review

This is a coffee shop and bakery, with the bakery counters right in the small room. Tables are crowded together, and the place is noisy, but the brioche french toast is worth it all. Not a place for relaxed dining but great for breakfast or lunch. We wanted fruit salad which was not on the menu and they provided it with no problem, so ask for what you want.

Today we welcome Adam Martin, who has taken over the reigns of the San Francisco MenuPages site and blog. He comes to us from the San Francisco Examiner, where he was a cops reporter for a year and a half; prior to that, he was a cops reporter with a wire service. So he did that job two-and-a-half years. Perhaps we're just not built for the job, but we spent one summer on the cops desk a few years ago and had enough. Adam clearly is a stronger person than we are. At any rate, welcome Adam!

• MP: Boston tells us why we should root for the Red Sox. We still refuse to do so.

• MP: Chicago shares five easy ways to go organic.

• MP: Philadelphia tells us about an offensive cocktail involving pomegranate, cardamom and mint. Actually, that doesn't sound so bad.

• MP: San Francisco is on the crime beat this week.

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

It was a busy week in the user review department, which is good. Keep 'em comin' folks! We like to hear what you think about local restaurants. Provided you write coherently, of course. We'll start with the ones that didn't make it onto the site. This one was from Christie for The Whole Enchilada Fresh Mexican Grill:

This place is awsome!!!!!

Sigh. No.

Continue reading "The Week In User Reviews:" »

We swear this man was not paid by MenuPages to promote the site at his one-man show. Apparently he derives great pleasure from reading the user reviews, which, we admit, can be amusing sometimes (and he doesn't even get to see the ones that don't make it onto the site!)

A look at what went down in other MenuPages cities last week:

• Fortune cookies! [MP: San Francisco]

• Kebabs on a bagel! [MP: Philadelphia]

• Kinmedai! (Or golden-eye snapper) [MP: Boston]

• Pupusas! [MP: Chicago]

We moved quite a few new menus onto the site yesterday. Here's a sampling, for your viewing pleasure.

• Paella Seafood Grill, 12389 Pembroke Rd in Pembroke Pines, 954-885-7566

• Bacchus Wine Bar, 5904 S Dixie Hwy in South Miami, 305-663-3368

• Pan Ya Thai Restaurant, 520 NE 167th St in North Miami Beach, 305-947-5594

• Nippers Restaurant & Lounge, 21069 S Military Trl in Boca Raton, 561-338-4111

• Nazca, 7855 Pines Blvd in Pembroke Pines, 954-966-3996

At MenuPages, our legions of users submit reviews regularly for their favorite (and often least favorite) restaurants. Some make it onto the website, others don't. Here, we'll go over the week's best and worst reviews.

Let's start with a good one today, shall we? This one came in for Yummy Chinese & Sushi Bar:

Although it does not look like much from the outside,Yummy is actually an excellent sushi place with great quality fish.The spider roll in particular is outstanding: the soft shell crab is delicately fried and absolutely not greasy.The sweet honey sauce complements it beautifully. The decor is simple,but very clean, and service is prompt and friendly.

Next, let's move on to the bad: a review for Italian Piada titled "F***ing place!":

Trash food!!!

Finally, the helpful: a review for 391st Bomb Group:

The 391st Bomb Group is no longer in business.

• MP: Boston laughs at Taco Bell's recent announcement that it would move into the market south of the border.

• MP: Chicago brings us Chicken Chips. Yuck.

• MP: Philadelphia finds a dish that resembles a Frito pie.

• MP: San Francisco tells us about fortune cookies that make people sad.

We hate to leave you, but we could really use a vacation. So we're taking one. Posting will be spotty over the next 10 days, while we fly to the Pacific coast for a few days of relaxation. We'll be without computers and cell phones, and if all goes well, the view outside our cabin will resemble this photo.

See you on Tuesday, October 9.

Photo: Flickr

• MP: Philadelphia gives us the lowdown on the battle against foie gras in Philly; the folks at City Hall are looking at a bill that would ban the delicious stuff. Restaurants are fighting back with t-shirts, events, and inexpensive foie gras dishes.

• MP: Chicago tells us about a cakemaker, trufflista, and ice cream maker working together under one roof called "Sweet Collective."

• Oh man. Chocolate Television. All chocolate, all the time. Thank you, MP: San Francisco.

• In honor of the new season of America's Next Top Model, MP: Boston gives us Boston's Next Top Salad. Enjoy.

• MP: Chicago rants about a McD's ad that suggests eating a Big Mac before engaging in, um, late-night activity in the bedroom.

• There's a Starbucks in Goa. And MP: Philadelphia's got a photo of it.

• MP: San Francisco gives some good restaurant recommendations for visitors.

• MP: Boston finds out the reason for the proliferation of "Sinatra Nights" in Boston restaurants: a New England-based Sinatra impersonator.

Forgive us, dear readers. We've had some major technical difficulties over at MenuPages Headquarters. We'll be back to our regular blogging schedule tomorrow.

• MP: Chicago finds a recipe for mojito popsicles.

• Mmm...profiteroles, courtesy of MP: Boston.

• MP: San Francisco tells us about a victory against Starbucks over on the west coast.

• MP: Philadelphia writes about Philly college students puking in restaurants. Gross.

Last week, we wrote about Alta Cocina, the new South Miami restaurant with the mysterious and confusing website. We finally got our paws on a copy of the menu; it turns out that the menus listed on that jumbled-up website are correct. We've got the dinner menu posted now, and we'll have lunch on the site by Monday.

So let's take a look at this menu. It's all over the map cuisine-wise, but it does have some tropical underpinnings. The appetizers are mostly a familiar mix of ceviche, salads, and shrimp cocktail; we're intrigued by the last one, curry conch with fried roti. We'd love to see the presentation on that dish. (We've imagined a cigar of deep-fried thin rolled roti, but we're probably way off base with that one.)The main dishes don't seem incredibly innovative, but they sound tasty, and if prepared well could be excellent.

Planning to visit sometime soon? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Opening: Alta Cocina [MP: South Florida]
Alta Cocina [MenuPages]
Alta Cocina [Official Site]

• Delta already has Michelle Bernstein; now MP: Boston tells us that they've asked Todd English to create a menu for the airline too.

• How much would you pay for a meal put together by a "dream team" of chefs? MP: San Francisco gives us the lowdown on an October 7 dinner at Charlie Trotter's that's going for $5,000 a plate.

• MP: Chicago gives us a photo that makes us wish we were in Chicago to try some Turkish raw meatballs.

• MP: Philadelphia explains why Korean fried chicken is so popular.

• MP: San Francisco wonders what will happen to the Big Mac as fast food across the nation changes, while MP: Boston gives you McD's flack's answers to such excellent questions as why Big Macs cause excessive gas and explosive diarrhea.

• MP: Philadelphia directs us to a food blogger carefully developing his son's palate through high-end ice cream.

• MP: Chicago explains why vegetarianism will never be mainstream.

We've got four brand-spanking new menus for your enjoyment today:

• Boteco, 916 NE 79th St in Miami, 305-757-7735

• Bangkok Palace, 4345 N State Rd 7 in Lauderdale Lakes, 954-733-0069

• Taverna Eros, 8 E Atlantic Ave in Delray Beach, 561-272-8220

• The Lunch Room, 7957 NE 2nd Ave in Miami, 305-722-0759

• MP:Chicago marked a year since the foie gras ban took effect, and found that there is still plenty of foie gras to be had in the Windy City.

• MP: Philadelphia shows us a bacon-wrapped doughnut. We're not sure that looks appetizing.

• MP: Boston is craving blackberries. Come to think of it, so are we.

• MP: San Francisco reports on a Jamba Juice in the Bay Area doling out a little extra with that "boost."

• MP: Boston shows us exactly why microwaving an egg (shell on) is a bad, bad idea.

• MP: San Francisco bemoans the slim sweet tea pickings in the City by the Bay. Notice the map he used; the tea line extends south to somewhere around Ocala.

• MP: Chicago finds an article about people in Britain who are stuck in dining ruts, eating at the same restaurant for years. From an 84-year-old couple: "It's just nonsense about McDonald's not being healthy."

• MP: Philadelphia delves into Elvis' diet on the 30th anniversary of the singer's death. He apparently lived on meatloaf and barbecue. If we lived in Memphis, we would too.

It's been in the works for a little while, but we can finally announce it to everyone: MenuPages and Citysearch have teamed up. Citysearch now links to thousands of MenuPages menus in the South Florida, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco markets.

The full press release is after the jump.

Continue reading "MenuPages & Citysearch: Teaming Up To Make Your Life Easier" »

Just a few new menus added to the site yesterday:

• Six Tables, 112 NE 2nd St in Boca Raton, 561-347-6260

• Myung Ga Tofu & BBQ, 1944 Weston Rd in Weston, 954-349-7337

• El Gran Inka, 606 Crandon Blvd in Key Biscayne, 305-365-7883

• Ouzo's Greek Taverna & Bar, 940 71st St in Miami Beach, 305-864-9848

• A La Folie Cafe, 516 Espanola Way in Miami Beach, 305-538-4484

• MP: Philadelphia provides a video tour of the Reading Terminal Market.

• MP: Chicago serves up a photo of vegan mac and cheese, which lacks the cheesy crusty top that we always crave. Of course, when you're not using real cheese, that might be difficult to achieve.

• MP: San Francisco discusses molecular gastronomy and shows us a snow-cube margarita topped with salted foam.

• And finally, MP: Boston shows us that kids + lemons = hilarity.

We were just going to share the posts from our sister/brother blogs that were all about us, but we thought that might be a little self-absorbed. So instead, here's what the other MenuPages blogs served up this week:

• MP: San Francisco took a break from writing about tomato carts and egg carts to bring us Simpsonized versions of Food Network stars.

• MP: Chicago learns that middle-aged people like spicy food more than any other age group.

• MP: Philadelphia has spent most of the week embroiled in Cheesesteakgate. We hope, for the sake of cheesesteak lovers in Philadelphia (we assume there are plenty), that this gets resolved soon.

• MP: Boston tells us to both eat our veggies and our chocolate. We're thinking we might go for the latter.

We've been moving lots of menus onto the site, so here's just a sampling of what went online last night:

• Woody's Famous Steak Sandwich, 13105 Biscayne Blvd in North Miami, 305-891-1451

• Cibo e Vino, 2775 E Oakland Park Blvd in Fort Lauderdale, 954-567-2444

• Sophie Bistro, 142 SE 1st Ave in Miami, 305-577-6156

• Maryland Fried Chicken

How do we get all those menus, you ask? It's a complicated process, one that involves carrier pigeons who dutifully bring menu after menu to our front door. Lately, we've been inundated with new menus, so we thought we'd give you a little sample of what went onto the website yesterday:

• Prichard's Restaurant & Bar, 957 Park Ave in West Palm Beach, 561-845-9003

• Marios Latin Cafe, 1020 N Homestead Blvd in Homestead, 305-247-2470

• Temple Orange, 100 S Ocean Blvd, at the Ritz Carlton in Manalapan, 561-533-6000

• Paraiso Asturiano Cafeteria, 225 SW 17th Ave in Miami, 305-631-9262

• Lola's on Harrison, 2032 Harrison St in Hollywood, 954-927-9851