Spanky's Cheese Steak Factory, Oakland Park, FL

Still left aching for a satisfying meat & cheese experience, I ventured the day after the 8 oz debacle to Spanky's Cheese Steak Factory in Oakland Park, FL.

The parking lot appears empty, but there are actually quite a few people dining inside. The patrons apparently walked here tonight. It's a true neighborhood joint, everyone who comes in greets each other by name.

Inside, a mother plays the video slot machine by the register while her child giggles with the cooing waitress. She pauses long enough to great us warmly and seats us. The menus are laminated and on every table.

Every single picture on the wall is crooked, including the gigantic Scarface mural on the back wall. A TV plays Inside Edition to the cooks, patrons and video slot players.

We place our order. One full sized cheese steak, one mini. ($8.95 & $5.25, both come with fries), add onions and hot peppers, no charge. Our drinks are served. They come in two different plastic glasses. They don't match but they are clean.

We hear a sizzle followed by the attentive and precise metallic chop, chop, chop of a spatula on a flattop. The smell of hot beef and onions waft out of the kitchen to our table.

It arrives glistening and pipping hot. slices of white american cheese are starting to melt into the finely fried steak tartar. My first bite is interrupted by pain as hot grease falls onto the palm of my hand. It's not too greasy, but perfectly greasy. It's served right. No lettuce, no tomato. No goddamn salad on it. Onion, hot peppers, mushrooms by request. The bun is soft, corn dusted, and substantial enough to contain it's deliciously greasy insides. It's worth the potential grease burn.

The fries look previously frozen but they were fried well. Crispy outisde/fluffy potato-y inside. They tasted pretty darn good with Spanky's own hot sauces. They have two on the table, a hot habanero and a more mild cayenne garlic sauce. The hot habanero was chunky and flavorful. The cayenne garlic sauce was fine. I didn't detect the garlic, though.

I lived a short stint in Philadelphia so I've had a good share of "the best": Pat's, Geno's, and Jim's on South Street. Spanky's Cheese Steaks is legitimately comparable. I am already planning my next trip back, and perhaps will try some of their other items. Maybe I'll try the corn nuggets served with honey; or maybe Belvue Burger, a burger slathered in peanut butter(!) because I have faith that they could pull that off. Spanky's made me a believer. But I don't think I'll try the grouper parm. That just sounds gross.

Over all, the place ain't pretty but they make a mean cheese steak. I'll be back, soon.

***** (5) So good it hurts. (literally.)

Nava's Grill - Hollywood, FL

Located at the mouth of the main entrance of the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida is a little middle eastern/Israeli diner nestled next to an "arcade" and porn outlet. We walked in as a large group walked out, patting their bellies and grinning. Simultaneously carrying on a heated conversation in Hebrew with a co-worker, wishing the large, happy group a farewell and welcoming us was the owner, a fiery Israeli woman who exuded all the warmth and strength of an army of mothers. Attentive and friendly, the service was outstanding.
The owner is a bit over the top. She tells us she never forgets the face, and sometimes "that's not so good". She asks if we are Jewish. She knows that I am (you can tell just by looking at me, I guess.) and answers for me. She tells us about how her food is all kosher but the rabbis are mad at her because she's open on Saturdays.

The decor is sparse and chintzy. It has cheap looking tables, a waiter's station crammed in the corner and a wall with a half finished mural that's vaguely Middle Eastern or possibly Italian. The owner is all the atmosphere you need.

Prices are fair, most dishes are about $10. The food was made with care, served extremely hot and seasoned perfectly.

As good as the food is, the menu leans towards the strange for a middle eastern grill. The owner tries to please too many kinds of patrons perhaps, by adding mysterious entries such as yucca fries and plantains. Maybe they are done well, but I wouldn't go to Nava Grill for Latin food.

Immediately after we ordered, we were given 3 kinds of luncheon salad: an egg based potato salad, a purple cabbage slaw and a sour white cabbage slaw. All three were unique and really quite good. Everything was crisp and fresh.

I ordered the hummus and falafel app which was served with two hot fresh grilled pita breads. The pita bread was INCREDIBLE. It was soft, moist and sturdy.

I also tried the kafta kabob pita sandwich, which is ground seasoned lamb. It was mouthwatering. Literally. I drooled a little when I tasted it.

I will definitely go back to try some of the Israeli food on the menu: bourekas, malawach, (breads/pastries) shaksuka, (a tomato based baked egg dish), cholent ( a long simmered strew prepared to get through the sabbath) and some other things I've never heard of.

As ancestrally Jewish, it's probably a shame I never really bothered until now to get to know Israeli foods. I visited Israel once when I was 4 years old but only learned to love hummus during that visit. I think it's about time I got to know it and Nava's Grill seems like a great place to start.

Only because I didn't get to try much and I STILL think Kease's by the beach has the best falafel:

**** (4) Heey, that's pretty good!