Tap into Savings

Fort Lauderdale’s Tap 42 seems to be the hottest destination in Broward right now. The cool clientele of hipsters and yuppies flock here for the unbelievably huge selection of craft beers and a satisfying menu. Selections include Berkshire crispy pork belly ($13), beer cheese soup ($6) and “craft” burgers ($12-$20).

Tap 42 is always packed; I’ve even seen Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale practically shut down on the weekends and evenings with BMWs and Audis vying for a parking space. If you want to avoid the crowds and get a table, then sneak out of the office early for half-price drinks during Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Mondays, the restaurant’s signature burger, The Prohibition, is only $5 (regularly $12). The Prohibition is a beef patty of Tap 42’s secret blend with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, applewood bacon, with a special sauce and Dijon mustard on top of a brioche bun. Mondays never tasted so good!

The Deal: Happy Hour half-off at the bar

Mondays-Fridays 4-7 p.m.

$5 Prohibition burgers with the purchase of a beverage

Mondays 4-11 p.m.

Tap 42

1411 S. Andrews Ave.

Fort Lauderdale

954-463-4900

www.Tap42.com

Small Plates, Big Savings

What’s my favorite time of the day? That would have to be during happy hour, especially when the bar bites are as good as the drink specials. The popular restaurant Legal Sea Foods in Boca Raton launches their new Small Plate Happy Hour menu tonight.

The menu features eight options, including salt cod fritters with chipotle mayonnaise ($4.95), Buffalo shrimp with hot sauce and blue cheese ($4.95), clams casino ($4.95), lemongrass lamb skewers with cucumber sauce ($4.95) and tempura green beans with roasted red pepper sauce ($4.95).

All 16 oz. draft beers are just $3.95 and selected wines are available for $5.95. What about the wine? Nothing says summer to me more than sangria and Legal Sea Foods has three options; red, white and “yumberry,” for only $6.95.

The Deal: Small Plate Happy Hour Menu

Mondays- Fridays 3-6p.m. 

Legal Sea Foods

6000 Glades Road

Boca Raton

561-447-2112

www.LegalSeaFoods.com

Saving at Sunfish

One of my favorite recent discoveries is Fort Lauderdale’s Sunfish Grill. The contemporary American restaurant has been around for 14 years, and after moving a few times, settled into it’s Oakland Park Boulevard location a few years ago. Sunfish is the perfect place for a romantic date, a girl’s night out and even better, flavorful savings. My favorite dish at Sunfish Grill is the diver sea scallops with lobster spaetzle and peas but I can’t always afford the $26 price tag. However foodies on a budget can enjoy Chef Bill’s artistic creations with the nightly Lite Bite Menu served from 5 to 7 p.m.

For only $5, you can splurge on scallop kakiage, a vegetable roll, conch fritters, shrimp cocktail, Key West shrimp Charlotte or Scottish Salmon sliders. Selected wines are also available for $5 while brews like Amstel Light, Heineken and Corona Extra are just $4.

With warm lighting, white linen tables and contemporary jazz on the sound system, Sunfish Grill is the perfect venue for an intimate evening. This summer, Sunfish Grill invites you to enjoy a prix fixe menu for two featuring pasta entrees, house made focaccia with eggplant puree and a bottle of wine for only $49. Pasta choices include linguini with clams and pan-roasted snapper livornaise with penne. But I strongly recommend having Sunfish Grill’s signature pasta dish; spaghetti tuna bolognaise!

The Deal: Lites Bites Menu $5 Items

Tuesdays-Saturdays 5-7 p.m.

Pasta and Wine for Two $49

Tuesdays-Saturdays 5-10 p.m.

Sunfish Grill

2775 E. Oakland Park Blvd.

Fort Lauderdale

954-561-2004

www.SunfishGrill.com

Cook Globally, Eat Locally, Save Always

Forget the stale bowls of pretzels or peanuts, the farm-to-fork sustainable foods restaurant Max’s Harvest has launched a new happy hour Mondays through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. With an eye to detail and a flair for flavor, Executive Chef Chris Miracolo and his team have created a $5-per item menu featuring mouthwatering dishes that won’t make you feel guilty (or broke) for ordering more.

Bar menu items feature tequila-cured salmon with a crisp baguette, deviled eggs with truffle sea salt and chives, Vidalia onion dip with rosemary crisps, Heritage meatballs with basil ricotta and San Marzano gravy and my favorite, goat cheese croquettes with red chili-guava jelly. It’s not called Happy Hour for no reason as selected beers, wine and well drinks are available for $5 in addition to local-fruit cocktails, like Summer Sangria of Charbay, made with ruby red grapefruit vodka, local mangos, berries, citrus and watermelon, finished off with sparkling wine.

The Deal: $5 Happy Hour Bar Menu and Drinks

Max’s Harvest

169 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach

561-381-9970

www.MaxsHarvest.com

Sip-worthy Fund-Raising

If something can be sold, then it automatically gets its own “national” day. Most of the time these “National” days were created for marketing and publicity purposes by organizations and restaurants but Tropical Smoothie Café is actually giving back to the community on “National Flip Flop Day.”

On Friday June 15, patrons wearing flip-flops can cool off at any Tropical Smoothie Café with a FREE 24-oz. Jetty Punch Smoothie--my personal favorite--made with bananas and strawberries. Again, you have to be wearing flip flops to be awarded this yummy treat.

In 2006, Tropical Smoothie Café created National Flip Flop Day to raise awareness and money for Camp Sunshine, the only retreat in the nation whose mission is focused solely on addressing the effects of a life-threatening illness has on every member of the immediate family -- the ill child, the parents, and the siblings. So far, Tropical Smoothie Café has raised more than $1 million for Camp Sunshine.

On Friday, I encourage you to slip on those flip flops and make a donation at your local Tropical Smoothie Café to help benefit Camp Sunshine. Who knew helping out could taste so good?

The Deal: Free Jetty Punch Smoothies

Friday June 15 2-7 p.m.

Harbor Shops - 1922 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale

Lakewood Shops - 5780 S. University Drive, Davie

Venture Shops - 18800 NE 29th Ave., Aventura,

London Square - 13550 SW 120 St., Miami

Downtown -100 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami

FIU Campus - 11290 SW 13th St., Miami

Deerwood -12161 SW 152 St., Miami

www.TropicalSmoothieCafe.com

www.NationalFlipFlopDay.com

A Quick Trip to Italy for Less than $20

BRIO Tuscan Grille is one of my favorite places for high-quality food with great service and amazing deal in a beautiful setting. Okay, I think I’ve exhausted all the adjectives needed to describe my feelings for BRIO, so here’s where the savings come in!

Sundays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. until closing, take a quick summer trip to Italy for less than $20 with BRIO’s three-course dinner promotion. Start with an appetizer of either a chopped salad, Caesar salad or a bistecca (steak) insalata with bacon, gorgonzola and creamy Parmesan dressing. For the main event choose from shrimp verduta, with angel hair pasta and shrimp that is tossed with garlic, roasted artichokes, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and spinach topped with pesto bread crumbs. Or the lasagna bolognese; chicken limone with herb spaghettini and roasted vegetables; artichoke-crusted pork chop with crispy potatoes and seasonal vegetables; and crab and shrimp-crusted tilapia. Finish off this feast with one of the restaurant’s five house-made desserts including tiramisu, cheesecake or milk chocolate caramel cake.

This meal at BRIO would usually cost your around $30, so save those dollars for next summer’s vacation and head to BRIO this week!

The Deal: Three-course dinner for $19.95

Sundays through Thursdays from 4 p.m. to close

BRIO Tuscan Grille

600 Silks Road, Hallandale Beach

954-362-1600

BRIO Tuscan Grille

14576 SW Fifth St., Pembroke Pines

954-431-1341
BRIO Tuscan Grille
5050 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton
561-392-3777

www.BRIOItalian.com