Sublime Restaurant not so sublime on this visit - Fort Lauderdale

Sublime Restaurant

1431 N. Federal Hwy

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304

954-615-1431

Open Tuesday-Sunday: 5:30-10 p.m.

Happy Hour at the bar: 5:30-7:30

http://sublimerestaurant.com/

By Jane Feehan

I can’t count the times I’ve eaten at Sublime and thoroughly enjoyed the concept, food, atmosphere, and gracious hospitality of owner Nanci Alexander, animal rights activist. Ms. Alexander walks the talk, firmly committed to her cause; she donates 100 percent of Sublime’s profits to organizations that promote animal welfare and a vegan lifestyle.

That said, my recent visit to introduce someone to this restaurant – and to vegan dining – backfired. Pot stickers ($5), an appetizer, appeared as if they had been sitting in the kitchen too long. Tough, flat, skimpy - not much larger than 50 cent pieces, these pot stickers kicked things off to a poor start. Then came the main course, Singapore Noodles (about $16) with vegetables. An unappetizing heap (at least a pound) of noodles was delivered with tiny fragments of vegetables scattered about on the edges of the plate. With little or no sauce, the noodles were barely edible.  Fellow diner ordered the Portobello Stack ($19) with spinach, tomato, rosemary and mashed potatoes. Nice ingredients but absolutely tasteless.  This too scored low in presentation.  We skipped desert.

Maybe a new chef is directing the kitchen? Sublime seemed nearly gloomy for a Friday night. BUT, I’ll return; I’ve had too many great meals there not to. I salute Ms. Alexander for her work, which includes founding Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (AARF) and for introducing Fort Lauderdale to ambitiously delicious vegan cuisine. She wasn’t there on my last visit; maybe that was the problem.

 Tags: Fort Lauderdale dining, vegan dining in Fort Lauderdale, vegetarian restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

Molokai: foot stompin' summer nights at Fort Lauderdale's Mai-Kai

Molokai Lounge at the Mai-Kai

3599 N. Federal Highway

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

954-563-3272

Open at 5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (summer hours)

http://www.maikai.com/specials/happy-hour-specials

By Jane Feehan

The Mai-Kai has retained its appeal among tourists, locals, and spring breakers for decades with its Polynesian review, specialty drinks, and scantily clad “serving maidens.” As I’ve written before, not much has changed since the 1950s, but what has changed keeps the place hopping during the slow summer months.

It’s tough finding a seat in the Molokai Lounge these slow-moving, oppressively hot August days. This South Seas fin de siècle saloon stays busy for a few reasons: half-priced drinks* and appetizers and a variety of music acts that has patrons clearing the floor to make room for dancing.

Cadillac Bombers

The Cadillac Bombers skidded into town from Tampa recently to play three and a half hours of foot-stomping, knee-bopping, hand-and-body-shaking swing music that was as intoxicating as a double

Mai-Kai Sidewinders Fang. Whew …

Next in the music line-up is Dan Cunningham’s annual Elvis Anniversary show and – straight from Yeehaw Junction – Slip and the Spinouts with more boppin’. Tai Olapa and Andrew Cornwall change the pace from stomping to swaying on weeknights (see schedule) with ukulele and bongos strumming those laid back island sounds.  

Check out the Mai-Kai Club membership for earning 25 to 50 percent discounts until December. If you’re a Mai-Kai fan, it’s well worth the $15 processing fee. The Molokai Lounge ROCKS. Copyright © 2011. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan.

*Half-price on most, not all, drinks

Tags: Fort Lauderdale entertainment, Fort Lauderdale night life, Fort Lauderdale Polynesian Review, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, summer specials in Fort Lauderdale, Cadillac Bombers, 
Molokai Bar review

Anglin’s Beach Café: Top of the sand, side of the pier in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

Anglin’s Beach Café

2 Commercial Blvd.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida 33308

954-491-6007

http://www.anglinsbeachcafe.com/

Open daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Nothing stays the same and that brings both good and sad to Anglin’s Beach Café. Under new ownership for several years, the café offers the same view of the ocean, sand, and sun seekers as its predecessor, Pier Café. For fans that frequented the place in the past, the intimacy of the indoor counter and familiar waitresses that tended to patrons for decades are gone (the gals work down the street at another establishment these days).

The lineup for breakfast, lunch, and now dinner has expanded and so has outdoor seating that includes a deck with umbrellas. Beach Café offers a modernized menu of organic salads and veggies, Panini sandwiches, pizza, New England favs such as clam rolls, and fish and chips (ordinary). There’s also coconut shrimp ($18), soft shell crab sliders ($12), and the tasty Anglin’s Beach Café special – a crispy pita stuffed with veggies and chicken ($12). Swordfish ($25) and other seafood specials are also available. My only complaint was a completely flat Coke, a bad thing on a hot day.

Anglin’s Beach Café caters to tourists and it’s more expensive than the previous restaurant, but there’s much more to choose from, including wine, beer and frozen drinks. Another welcome addition is a singer with guitar at lunch and dinner hours. The wait staff works hard to please and that view is hard to beat …

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For more about the pier, see: http://janesbits.blogspot.com/2011/07/florida-history-broward-countys-longest.html

Tags: restaurants in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, breakfast in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, music in Lauderdale by the sea; beachside dining in Fort Lauderdale, Anglin’s Fishing Pier