Tutto Italiano

6185 SE US Highway 1 . Stuart, FL phone number is 772-286-9500

When you step inside Tutto Italiano it reminds you of a small Italian Bistro in NYC. the setting is welcoming and a perfect for a romantic dinner, a quiet time out form the stresses of the world or a special occasion. The seating is limited there are about 4 booths on each side adjacent to the brick walls. The windows are curtained, lights soft, and then near the booths are 3-4  tables with 4 chars at each. The booths and tables on either side are separated by a walk area where people come in to pick up their orders at the counter area. 

The sun was setting so it was a bit bright for a short time

Bar and counter area for pick-up decorated for Halloween

They bring three large hot garlic knots on a plate with olive oil, fresh chopped garlic and some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of the knots. I took a photo of the plate, but the garlic knots were eaten before I remembered to take a photo. The choice was obvious hot garlic knots, with olive oil dripping, rubbed in the garlic on the plate, warm and soft in your mouth OR take a photo? Sorry garlic knots won. 

Garlic Knots took priority over photo of them, sorry!

There is a wide variety of items on the menu, my dining partner agreed all reasonably priced. They have Appetizers, Subs and Wraps, Entrees, Sides, Pizza (who one woman said was "the best" she liked the thin crust style pizza), Calzone, Stromboli, Salads, Desserts and Drinks, including beer, wine  and soda.

They also offer lunch specials from 11 am to 4 pm starting at $5.99 for any sub or wrap on the menu list, with chips and a can of soda, or 2 slices and a soda for $3.49 or a cheese only Calzone or Stromboli with a soda for $6.99.

I ordered Eggplant Rollatini at $13.95

Eggplant Rollatini

and my friend ordered Chicken Parmesan for $13.95.

Chicken Parmesean

I choose the wide pasta which tasted home made and my friend the angel hair pasta. You could get a side salad very reasonably to go with it.  Our waiter was warm, friendly and accommodating regarding our requests.

If you are in a hurry this is not the place to go unless you are ordering take-out. Everything is freshly prepared. The music softly playing makes you feel like you are in Italy or want to leave on the next flight. This is a place for a leisurely dining experience.The food was delicious, the pasta yummy and the sauce PERFECTO!  Not too spicy or too sweet, really perfect in my opinion. I give this place five stars!

My friend who joined me was Italian and said the name Tutto meant "everything" then added everything good fits this place. 

They do have a pizza special on M/T/W  pickup and delivery only. $7.99 for an 18:x-large cheese pizza.

I live about ten miles from them, but now that I have discovered them I will be making the trip to pick up a pizza and if the pizza is as good as my meal, it will be well worth the drive there.
Please always remember to tip on the amount it would have been without the coupon. We left $6.00 for a $30 tab that after using the coupon came to $15 for both of us. 

What a great deal and they now have new customers.  Best part, cant wait to heat up my left overs!!! YUM!!!!

Bon ap·pé·tit

. 

Zapatas Border Cafe Port St Lucie, FL

I have been going to Zapata's for a very long time. They use to be further south on US 1 in an old blue house. It was delicious and reasonable and not too far from home. One day they were gone and I was so disappointed. Finally someone told me they moved to the Publix shopping center on the border of PSL and Fort Pierce.  Was glad to know they were still around.
In the Enjoyment Book there was a coupon for them so I told Ed all about it how good they were and we decided to combine lunch at Zapata's with a visit to Heathecote Botanical Gardens in Ft Pierce.
They have two areas to seat people one a closed in porch area where we ate and another area inside the restaurant.

 
The food was good. The salsa and chips were REALLY good. The waitress was nice enough to bring three bowls of salsa. It tasted fresh and homemade.

Our coupon was for up to $14 and we had to order a beverage with the meal. They had a large selection that seemed pricey for our budget.  But then again, living on SS, everything seems pricey. LOL   (click here to see the Menu)

We ordered the:

Fiesta del Rey Grilled chicken with shrimp, tomatoes, fire roasted onions and bell peppers, served burrito or chimichanga style. Topped with sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo.  It was one of the few dishes that had sour cream AND quacamole. We both had Ice Tea with the meal.
 
The food and plate was very hot and the refried beans and rice were very good. My  Fiesta del Rey had 8 large shrimp in my burrito. Ed was disappointed, he only had four shrimp total in his burrito. We compared it to a fish taco dish we had at another restaurant which for the same price as this was exceptional. Ed and I both agreed they should bottle their salsa!!! We could have eaten that for a whole meal.

I found out the original restuarant was sold about six years ago and new owners have owned it since then, and they kept the name.

We were glad we tried Zapata's, without the coupon, not sure if we would have eaten there since most items are ten dollars and higher.  For us it would not be worth driving the distance from Stuart area to eat there, due to the cost of gas.
Overall the food was good, our waitress was great, and we had a nice experience.

If your up that way and have the Enjoyment Book Zapata's is a nice place to stop.
Without a coupon, and on a budget,  you might want to find something less expensive.
Quick note: If you like BOTH guacamole and sour cream with your Mexican food be prepared to pay extra for one of them since only a few dishes include both.

Panama Hatties

Panama Hatttie's was a place I had been to many years ago and I remember the food as yummy and the atmosphere lovely. It sits just to the left of PGA Blvd heading west and right on the waterway. It has slips and docks for boaters wanting to tie up and come in for a bite to eat.
Our waitress was a sweetheart, pleasant, funny and accommodating. She made the lunch a pleasant experience.

She advised us the fish was fresh and being cut in the kitchen as we spoke. So we decided to splurge and go for the grouper platter.  They brought delicious hot rolls with honey butter, they were very good and they held us over till lunch was served. It was tough not asking for more!

Our Grouper Special included rice, which was very good, string beans which were tough and possibly under or over cooked. We ordered the blackened grouper but the fish tasted more lightly grilled then blackened. Ed is a fisherman and he didnt think it tasted like grouper. He was not impressed with what was suppose to be "fresh fish" It was a generous portion and I thought it tasted good, but didnt get overly excited about the dish, I have had better. It seemed a bit dry. You had a choice of a tomato salsa or lemon butter sauce.
The Grouper Special was $14.95 and with the book it cost us $8 each with a $3 each tip. We always tip on the amount it would have been without the coupon. I was wishing I had went with my first thought and ordered The Seafood Cobb Salad at $12.95.

However to Panama Hatties favor, while wandering around taking photos. I found a delightful man made beach area next to the thatched roof bar. There with chairs, tables and umbrellas on sand. I imagined the younger crowd must really enjoy this area. I could picture myself sitting there in my 20's sipping a Margarita to Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville. Did they have them back then? :-)

Those days are long behind me and a glass of regular ole' Ice Tea hits the spot these days.

I guess I was disapointed because of the old memories. It is not a place I would go again without a coupon. Once again a bit too pricey for a fixed income budget.

I must sheepishly admit I did keep looking over at the Waterway Cafe (one of my favorite places) on the other side of the water and wishing the book had a coupon for them. when I go there it seems to have a much brighter feel.

A Note About the Menu: Use the link below it's up to date. I found outdated menus on other sites.
 http://www.panama-hatties.com/ click on menu when site opens

Riverside Cafe-Vero Beach

 
We live in Stuart Florida and decided to take a wildlife tour at the Pelican Island Refuge at the North End of Vero Beach.  What a wonderful tour and even though it wasnt in the enjoyment book we will post something about our tour under the photo adventures tab on our blog.

Since we were in Vero and the Enjoyment Book has a few restaurants in that area we decided on the Riverside Cafe for lunch.There is a dinner and lunch coupon in the book.

A pretty little restaurant, with a very inviting front entrance .

The welcoming Alligator maitre d  a cute touch

We were asked if we wanted outside or inside and we chose outside since it was a beautiful Florida day with warm temperatures and nice breezes.
The waitress very sweet and friendly asked what beverage we wanted, and mentioned the specials. One was a Lobster Taco, the other a Grouper Reuben Sandwich. We talked about the other menu items and the few she suggested were fried foods. I mentioned I didnt eat fried foods. She left us to look over the menu, when she came back she said the onion straws were really good. I mentioned again I wont eat fried foods.

We forgot to take a photo when it first arrived (fried lobster threw us off)  so this is half of Ed's sandwich and half of mine. I had already eaten some of the braised cabbage.

The Lobster Taco at $17.99 sounded wonderful and Ed thought the Grouper Sandwich at $18.99 was good too. We had a choice of one side Ed chose the potato salad, which was very good. I chose the German Style Braised Cabbage also very tasty. The other side choices were French Fries or Coleslaw. with Rice & Beans and Onion Straw sides a dollar extra.
It was Feb 13th and this was our Valentines Day Treat to ourselves, so we decided to splurge a bit.
Figuring our meal would cost us about $10 each plus tip. Of course we always tip on what the total meal would have cost us without our coupon unless service is poor.
My taste buds were excited about Lobster! When our meal finally arrived, both the grouper and Lobster were heavily breaded and deep fried. As the food runner placed my plate down I said "It's FRIED."  I thought, who deep fries Lobster???!!!!   I had mentioned to the waitress at least three times, I didn't eat fried foods.
He took it back and said he could give me the grouper sandwich grilled or blackened. Our waitress did come and apologize. I was a waitress years ago and always tried to find out what my customers liked and didn't like so I could help them make a good choice. But other people aren't me. :-)
Salads, burgers, and wraps were also on the menu items start at $9.99 .The had a prime beef Monster Burger on the menu for $17.99 other burgers started at $11.99. Wishing now I tried one of those.
The menu is on their website http://riversidecafe.com/index.cfm?method=Home
The bottom line was we were not impressed with the Grouper Ruben and felt it and other menu items was overpriced, certainly not worth $18.99 for the sandwich with one side. I guess they are charging you for the location and also what the high end community in Vero are willing to pay.
For our senior budget this was too high, even with our coupon. I couldn't help but think of the Blue Water Beach Grill. I thought the prices were a "bit" high but the food was delicious.  Well worth the price. You don't mind paying a bit extra for quality! My taste buds and wallet can't say the same for Riverside Cafe.

Bluewater Beach Grill

I must admit, today when we first pulled up, I was hesitant about dining here. Mostly because the building looked old. The ocean only a few hundred feet away while the  inlet was across the street. If you sat at the bar you might be able to see the inlet as you ate.

There is quite a bit of construction going on in the area. We got there easily, following the signs.

We found a space right in front. We did get there about 11:45am.

The Enjoyment Book listed some menu items and thier prices. By our standards it was a bit pricey. However, we remember when soda and candy was a nickel so all prices today seem high to us! LOL

As we pulled up, I thought of Herbert Spencer;s quote:  "ignorance is contempt prior to investigation."  

As I started to say something, Ed gave me the look and I realized investigation was the answer! :-) What a pleasant surprise, it was like going back in time to a surfer hangout. The waitresses personality made the meal special and we hope they realize what a gem they have in her. She reminded me a bit of a flower child from the 60's. Young, vibrant, with a flower in her hair and a sweet smile and disposition. 

 The coupon today was buy one lunch get one free up to $14. We chose the Shrimp Tacos at $12.95.  It came with rice and black beans, (they tasted home made), sour cream and fresh made guacamole. The Taco had a sauce in the bottom, with onions, cabbage and a bit of crisp bacon mixed in, then the grilled shrimp on top. The salsa went great on the sandwich with just a hint of heat. 

Eddie and I enjoyed the meal. However for us, without a coupon, the prices are a bit too high for our tight budget.

3 Brothers Brunch, Hobe Sound, FL

 Our outing this week for lunch took us to 3 Brothers Brunch in Hobe Sound. We were greeted by friendly staff  and lucky to get the last booth available. Other people (we assumed they were the regulars) were greeted by name and you quickly got the feel  of a family type atmosphere.  The place was clean and decorated simply. The restrooms were spotless which is important to me,

We were going to order a Philly Cheese steak Sandwich and a Cobb Salad and share.  However the waitress informed us salads were not considered an entree. So that was out if we wanted to use the coupon.  She suggested a hamburger freshly made from Angus beef.   The cheese steak sandwich was made from shaved rib eye with sauteed vegetables. You could choose two sides but the sweet potato fries were extra but worth it!

The food is prepared when you order so everything is freshly made. We both chose the Philly Cheese steak, my sides were pasta salad and the sweet potato fries/ Ed choose home made potato salad and cottage cheese for his sides.

The enjoyment book once again introduced us to a place we enjoyed. (pun intended)  It's the type of place where you want to be a regular and greeted by name.

Dairy Queen, Okeechobee, FL

After visiting Arnolds Wildlife Center, we were hot and sweaty and decided we needed some ice cream. Eddie knew of a Dairy Queen on 1212 S Parrott Ave, Okeechobee, FL 34974 Phone:(863) 763-6675
However our coupon did not list the Okeechobee location. We walked in and showed them our coupon this time asking first would you by any chance honor this? What a world of difference, "of course, no problem" the cashier said cheerfully. The manager who was nearby gave us a warm and welcoming smile. He said we are a Dairy Queen no problem.
We were happy to have our wonderful ice cream cones and cool down in the cool and clean evironment of this store.
I decided to go up and get a spoon for my cone and one customer laughingly joked "hey no refills" I laughed. As I got up the counter I said "refill?" the girl looked surprised and then I laughed and told her what the man had just said. We both had a giggle.
What an enjoyable store to have visited, especially after our not so enjoyable visit at Burger King earlier.
As we were leaving, Eddie who served in the Navy and wears his USS Hancock CV19 hat was thanked for his service and started chatting with another fella who had retired from the Navy. All in all it was an enjoyable interlude in our day out.
The food looked wonderful and next time we will use our other coupon and enjoy a meal at a very welcoming and friendly Dairy Queen. 

Burger King Okeechobee, FL

We decided to take a ride to Okeechobee to visit Arnolds Wild Life Refuge and planned to have lunch when we got there. Funds were low so we chose Burger King at 604 N. E. Park Street, Okeechobee, FL 34972  (863) 763-5900  for our meal.
We went in and handed the coupon from the book to the cashier who looked at it questioningly and then on the back said their location wasn't on the list.
We were surprised and started to walk away, the cashier, who was very sweet, said wait a minute, let me ask my manager, maybe she will honor it.
We appreciated her customer service. The silver haired lady in the white shirt and black pants who seemed to be someone in authority, said they could not accept our coupon with a gruff tone. The cashier's eyes met ours with a sympathetic and  a I am sorry look.
We looked in the book and McDonalds included Okeechobee so we drove across the street to dine there.
Eddie and I both thought wow not good customer service from this particular Burger King.
Mc Donald's was welcoming, much more friendly, customer oriented and happy to serve us.

Aegean Cafe Port St Lucie FL

This restaurant was clean, friendly, great staff and great food. Eddie chose the eggplant parmesean which was freshly prepared as Eddie puts it, "like it just came off the vine."
I chose the Gyro Platter which, coming from NY and finding good Greek food is very important to me. The yogurt cucumber source was so fresh and they were happy to bring me a second cup which I used my piece of pita to make it good to the last drop. We had ice tea with lemonade for a beverage which I didnt know was called an Arnold Palmer.
We shared our food so we could each experience the food we ordered. Sadly we had no room for dessert, but look forward to going back to experience desserts in the future.

Aegean Grill Cafe
10457 South US Hwy 1
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952
772.337.3117Open daily at:
8am to 9pm Monday – Thursday7am to 9pm Friday & Saturday
7am to 8:30pm Sunday
http://www.aegeangrillcafe.com/
Photo above taken from thier website till we can take our own 

Enjoying Meals on the Treasure Coast

Eddie and I have been enjoying each others company for over eight years.  Now that we are both seniors and living on SS we needed to watch our pennies. With food prices rising we are trying to find creative ways to go out and have a meal. We decided to invest in the Enjoyment Book and experience two for one dining on the Treasure Coast.
We were lucky enough to find it at Walgreens and the book sells for $35 but that day they were having a senior discount on all item in the store. So to our delight we purchased it for $30. As we have discovered it is well worth the investment.

Recently we ate at the Restaurant the Aegean Grill in Port St Lucie (http://www.aegeangrillcafe.com/)
and delighted in the food and friendliness of the owner and wait staff.
The idea for this blog was born in that restaurant. We wanted other people to know what a great place it was and the wonderful food we were served. We will  also provide pictures of the food that we eat. Sadly that day we ate before we thought of the idea. LOL
But we would like to share both our good and not so good experiences while dining out and enjoying other services in this great book.