Kitchenetta
Nona’s Meatballs! That’s what Victor said after the first bite of the best meatballs I’ve had in years, and maybe ever. A very close friend of mine and I have been to Kitchenetta in Ft. Lauderdale on several occasions, and we’ve been raving about it to Victor, who is my friend’s dad, for months. Bear in mind that we’re all very spoiled, ‘Guido food snobs’ from Boston and not usually impressed by any of the marginal swill that passes for Italian food in Florida.
Anyway, we started with the Tomatoes and Homemade Mozzarella, the Steamed Mussels, Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary, the Zucca Zia Nina, (which is Grilled Peppers, Soprasats, and Sausich, and is no longer on the menu, but they do offer it as a special once in a while) and the Meatballs. By the way, I had to restrain myself from eating all of the Zucca Zia Nina, because that just screams to be wolfed down with some great Italian bread, and enjoyed with a glass of fine Chianti. My friend took home what little was left with plans of buying a crusty loaf at a local bakery and enjoying what I know had to be a killer lunch the next day.
Where to go for lunch?! More and more often I find the need to meet for a casual business lunch. As often as not, those lunches take place in the northern stretches of the county and I find myself needing a mostly quiet place to talk and spread things out. 
After helping a friend move some stuff a couple of weeks ago, we were both pretty much starving, so dinner was in order. Where to go? Pizza, a pub, Chick Fil A, McYuckie’s...we considered a lot of possibilities and then she remembered a little Sushi place down the road a piece. I have to say, even though Sushi isn’t usually my first choice, I’m real glad she did remember it.
We took a drive down to Delray Beach a couple of weeks ago to visit Scuola Vecchia Pizza. Living way up in unincorporated West Palm Beach, I don’t deliberately make the drive to Downtown Delray that often, however a lot of people have been raving about this place which only opened a little over a year ago. 
Ever since I can remember, I've always liked Meatloaf with a big scoop of any kind of mashed potatoes, (Red Skin, Garlic, Yukon, Idaho; I ain't fussy) drowning in a bath of good, rich, smooth, (because lumpy gravy doesn't work for me) brown gravy with maybe a side of green beans or peas and carrots. And please keep a bowl of nice, fresh, warm bread and butter on the table. It's just good old fashioned, unpretentious, American comfort food. While it is sort of difficult to mess up this American staple, I have had it where the best I could say was "it didn't suck." Even grits taste so much better when you just make it using Meatloaf wrapped in Bacon......perfect every time. LOL