4 Rivers Smokehouse

How do you balance the search for satisfying food and budget-friendly dining? Because frankly Wendy's and Kentucky Fried Chicken have their limitations as comfort delivery systems. 4 Rivers presents a tantalizing option if your craving du jour is barbecue. It all started with John Rivers' barbecue cookouts for charity, and now it's the most popular barbecue chain in Florida and expanding with a new location in Atlanta, GA. And by the way, the Barbecue Ministry is still the highest priority. I cheered when I read that they would be hosting a fundraiser at their Coral Springs, FL location for those affected by the Parkland high school shooting.
    The food is served cafeteria style, and ample seating is available once you pay for your tray. I have no doubt that what's made them popular is the quality of their ingredients and their work with brisket. Don't let the casual surroundings fool you. Their smoked brisket demands respect.

      John and I picked the sandwich with two sides. John had the baked beans, and he believes he filled his daily nutritional allowance of vegetables with fried okra, while I chose only the cheese grits in expectation of dessert. Again, the brisket was tasty, juicy, and smoked to perfection. However, I was disappointed that the sandwiches were cold, and the bread was too mealy, and chewing it distracted me from my focus on the meat. John found the beans thick and sweet, with just the right amount of molasses, and I enjoyed the toasty, rich grits which came in a pie square.

     I can't help but like this place, and one of the reasons is that they also do dessert with care. The choice of sweets is as comprehensive as the rest of the menu, and that means their priorities align with mine. Rich chocolate, coconut, carrot, and red velvet cakes, cupcakes and sweet bars, and sundry confections and sweet treats. This is not your ordinary apple pie and soft serve ice cream. Now I'm forced to return because I could only allow myself one. I bounced between the Crispy Creme Bread Pudding, the Seasonal Whoopie Pie, and the Coconut Bomb. I finally decided on the Bayou Bar, a curious chunk of pecan shortbread crust with cream cheese filling. So thick, so decadent, it took me three days to finish it. No complaints here.
    With all the positives, a cold sandwich and chewy bread will not deter me from a repeat visit. There's plenty to explore on their menu and killer smoked brisket to enjoy.

BB Free ©2018

5300 Chop House

Located in The Blue Hotel, with a view of a monster golf course, Chop House has that casual executive feel where lunches and dinners are the setting for intrepid business deals and sophisticated talk about international finance. The menu is not extensive, but it contains enough to put together a satisfying repast.
   
     Daylin, Mario, John and I, the Fab Four of Feasting, are together again this evening, curious and eager to begin our adventure. We begin with a small charcuterie board packing some punch— an exquisite serrano ham, a bold manchego cheese, crispy flatbread chips, olives, red grapes, walnuts, and dried mango and fig.
   
The boys, avid carnivores that they are, both ordered the Chairman's Reserve, grass fed NY strip with a faint schmear of chimichurri, and in the company of a twice baked sweet potato and sauteed vegetables, a dish they both found savory and satisfying in its simplicity. DJ and I were drawn to the beef tips with gorgonzola crumbles, but in service of this blog, we diversified our versions for maximum quality control. My beef tips came with fragrant jasmine rice and sauteed vegetables, and DJ wisely chose a hearty risotto which gave her dish that comforting quality that makes you close your eyes with every bite.
     Dessert shared by four people is guilt-free in my world, so it's often my favorite course. Tonight we shared a caramel cheesecake and a Key lime tart. Both were no more than acceptable. The cheesecake seemed store-bought, and my dinner companions reported an off-putting grainy texture, like sugar crystals, in the tart's filling. Frankly, I completely forgot the tart.
     Everything about this meal was adequate, but nothing was remarkable. Nothing offended, but likewise, nothing wowed. I can't say I wouldn't come back, but I also can't say it would be my first choice.

Photo by miamiandbeaches.com

BB Free ©2018