As far as I can figure it I have eaten out about 164 times last year which includes sit down full service restaurants on Thursdays while out food shopping and running errands, fast food restaurants usually on Fridays for a bite after the movies, new restaurants introduced to me by groupons  plus some classic restaurants like Big Louie’s, The Quarterdeck where we usually eat before going to the theatre and those I take people to who are visiting from out of town which are above average.

This year I remember finding 2 excellent restaurants that are what I call ‘special occasion’ places to eat because they are pricy but memorable. The first was the Bistro Mezzaluna which is white glove all the way and Bamboo Asia Bistro within a couple of blocks from the former.

The best all around restaurant from the prices to portion sizes to variety and good service was/is Cabo Blanco serving Peruvian and Cuban cuisine. I have been working my way through their 37 lunch specials and each is as good as the first which was/is a prize winner—that is all Allen ever orders when we go—which is called Tallarin Saltado Con Camarones consisting of 12 large shrimp sautéed with onions and tomatoes over linguini in what I believe is a light teriyaki sauce and is served with bread with two different spices and butter plus a cup of soup. The latter takes getting use to as it is chicken soup which is cooked, and served, with the bones attached to the small bites of chicken! This is one of their most expensive lunch specials at $8.99 and looking at the size and amount of shrimp I don’t know how they do it. I have eaten their 8 times since finding it and will be going there Thursday for my first restaurant meal of the year and I plan to go through all the specials!

One of the worst restaurants I went to and, surprisingly, was through a groupon, called the Rustic Pizza. It was one of the most uncomfortable, smallest, dirtiest restaurants I have ever been in.

Another restaurant I went to, Kelvin 3200, closed within a month and my review on Yelp’s reflected why it did. There are some restaurants that are good but for whatever reason I don’t go back and many are way too expensive for what they offer. Regarding the latetr I have had more sticker shock at restaurant prices last year than I ever had before.

The highlight of my eating out was my 20^th Leap Year Birthday party at the Café Vico. I couldn’t have asked for a better meal, better service and the group of people celebrating with me were first rate, first class. Sadly a few I invited couldn’t make it but I am expecting them in 2020!!

I eat all kinds of foods in all kinds of restaurants and love discovering new places plus returning to old places that I know are reliable. Many restaurants come and go in the Fort Lauderdale area while others stay around for decades. There are certain restaurants I will go for seafood while others for steak or a good cheeseburger but, eventually, I will get to them all.

Here are some of the over 58 restaurants I have eaten in this year while on the video there are some of the dishes I have had—enjoy and come on down and have a meal with me!

Peter Pan diner, Thai Moon by the Sea, Tequila Sunrise, Arby’s, IHOP, Denny’s, Rok Burger, Fuego Latino, Jalisco, I heart Mac ‘N Cheese, The Deck, Lester’s diner, Cheddar’s, Sage, Red Cow, Coco Asian Bistro, Chef’s Palette, La Bamba, Burger 21, Spring Chicken, Subways, Il Mulino, The Cheesecake Factory, 15^th Street Fishery, Smokey’s BBQ, Sea Watch, Boatyard, 2 Girls and a Grill and the list continues!

This week Cabo Blanco and next week the first new restaurant of 2017 The Tilted  Kilt.

A few of the places and plates--note the picture of Allen with the bib--I bought him a package of disposable bibs for adults! LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtc2ou8oXko