First -- some numbers. 19 of the 50 got perfect scores for ambiance and 14 did the same for service and for bacon (because it can't be a score of mine without a separate category for pig candy). 70% of them earned the final +1 bonus point designating that we'd gladly return. Almost half (23) of the eating establishments had a Ft. Lauderdale address ... and the most popular types were burger joints (7), diners (6) and sports bars (5). Grades were awarded from a high of 98 (to 2 places ... more on that below) on down to 70, with a grade distribution as follows: 12 As, 23 Bs and 15 Cs.
And before we get to the specific categories, four entries earned perfect 10s in the food category, and deserve to be called out: Howie's Top Dog, Smoke BBQ, The Spillover and Tequila Sunrise Mexican Grill.
Now ... the BEST OF 2016 (with what was said in the original post in the quotes):
BEST AMBIANCE ... The Alchemist: "one of the big reasons to find this little corner of the world is for the people-watching and the surroundings-watching -- where you can look every which way and see something new and interesting with every glance ... it's exactly what you want an outdoor brunch spot in sunny Ft. Lauderdale to be".
Honorable Mention ... World Famous Parrot Lounge: "outdoor seating ... with multiple TVs in sight ... just a block or two from the beach ... and a bucket of brew ... plus almost everyone -- customers and staff included -- dressed in your team's shirts (it's a Penn State bar!)"
BEST SERVICE ... Linda at The Floridian: "the server was excellent at her job, making every stop at the table seem like we all were just picking up a multi part conversation ... and, in many ways, we were, as we got to talk to her about her frequent trips to Chicago and other recent fun of hers".
Honorable Mention ... Annie at Grampa's Bakery and Restaurant: "'hey guys' was the greeting by the kind of waitress you expected to see at a place named Grampa's ... personable and professional and so much on her game that she seemed to float past the tables in her section passing out things that you didn't even know you needed yet while she was infecting folks with smiles and her good attitude."
BEST DRINK ... deconstructed hot chocolate at The Alchemist: "who cares about the food when the hot chocolate arrives as steamed milk and a swiss roll type hunk of chocolate that you make yourself by dunking it into the mug while you wait for it to melt (the longer you wait, the more your patience is rewarded because the chocolatey-er it gets)".
Honorable Mention ... the mead flight at The Spillover: "every sip was delicious ... [including] the variety of additives in the honey-sweetened mead drinks".
BEST APPETIZER ... gator ribs at The Spillover: "the sauced up ribs of the alligator -- which our party ordered as an appetizer and shared, because the chalkboard countdown told us that there were still some available, what with only 15 being prepared daily".
Honorable Mention ... zucchini planks at Primanti Bros.: "for putting those zucchinis in planks -- I've had sticks and circles and fries ... but never planks"!
BEST SIDE ... special brussels sprouts at Temple Street Eatery: "the menu description wasn't available, but there were apples and red onions mixed in".
Honorable Mention ... fries at The Burning Oak BBQ: "the special seasoning on those thick cut fries -- the secret was disclosed to me, but I'm not sure that I want to ruin the pleasant surprise for anyone visiting next".
BEST MAIN ... brunch sampler at BC Cafe: "[one of] the ten 'outrageous' brunches in the area. This particular place was deemed 'outrageous' because it permits its customers who can't decide which dish to order ... to get ALL of them (in half-portion size, for a reasonable price for parties of two)".
Honorable Mention ... the tray of food at Smoke BBQ: "from cornbread to meats to tater tots, everything was fresh and hot and tasty ... rubbed just right and cooked to perfection with straightforward sides that didn't try too hard to be something they weren't ... and the best part may have been the chicken, which had the extra taste of being quickly deep fried and was chopped up in just the right pieces ... plus, while walking to the car afterwards, I realized that I had a pleasant tingle on my lips from all the flavor".
BEST BACON ... the bacon chocolate manhattan at ROK BRGR: "bacon infused makers, aztec chocolate bitters sweet vermouth and a splash of maple syrup served on the rocks".
Honorable Mention ... the candied bacon at The Burning Oak BBQ: "any non-breakfast place that is smart enough to put bacon as a side in the same spot on the menu as the vegetables is MY kind of place ... plus that candied bacon (that I got as dessert instead) was on my loaded chips and was also available for other dishes".
BEST DESSERT ... the s'more sundae at Bonefish Mac Sports Grille: layers of graham crackers, chocolate ice cream, warm marshmallow sauce and hot fudge topped with mini-marshmallows and a fudge graham cookie
Honorable Mention ... Mrs. McHugh’s banana créme pie at The Spillover: homemade crème pie made with vanilla beans, a walnut and graham cracker crust, topped with bananas, whipped cream, caramel sauce and dusted with bittersweet chocolate
BEST OVERALL ... as previously mentioned, there were two locations that earned the highest scores of 98 ... Bonefish Mac Sports Grille and The Burning Oak BBQ. Their complete reviews are provided in the links below/to follow;
Congratulations to all of the winners and a special thanks to all 50 of the Tastes for this inaugural year. Here's to 50 more in the year to come!
BONEFISH MAC SPORTS GRILLE TIE FOR BEST OVERALL TASTE OF FLORIDA '16:
http://capcognition.blogspot.com/2016/08/random-thought-for-thursday-8416.html
THE BURNING OAK BBQ TIE FOR BEST OVERALL TASTE OF FLORIDA '16:
http://capcognition.blogspot.com/2016/07/random-thought-for-thursday-7716.html
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