Here at the FTL Collective we are always seeking the best deals in town to share with our loyal subscribers. When I stumbled upon Empire Pizza Cafe on a hungover Saturday afternoon, the cheap beer specials drew me inside; not because my dehydrated withdrawaling body was craving one, but because I wanted to share this information with our readers. Empire Pizza replaced the failed Le Bonne Crepe crepe restaurant in the Palm Court Pavilion located off the NW corner of US1 and Broward Boulevard. The owners changed up the theme from lackluster French ‘fast food’ to a New York City style pizza joint, complete with a large gorilla statue out front – as if King Kong is going to inspire patrons to come inside. Out front also sits a white board complete with beer specials, which is highly more likely to attract guests than a fake, and overly friendly-looking gorilla.
All day, every day you can quench your thirst with bottles of Peroni for $3.25, Amstel Light for a mere $2.75, and Miller Lite for just $2.25. The seating outside was minimal and receives an FTLC rating of C- because the tables are severely lopsided and you will most likely end up with pizza in your lap.
empire pizza outdoor (slanted) seating
Take the risk, or sit inside at a small table lining the north wall. In true NYC pizza joint fashion, one side of the restaurant holds the kitchen/counter and the other side is lined with small, but comfortable, tables. The menu was quite impressive for a tiny place that also delivers (with a minimum $10 purchase) and in addition to pizza, includes calzones, hot/cold subs, pasta, salads, and wings. Personal 10-inch pizzas range from $9-$13 and large sixteen-inchers cost $14-$26.50. You can elect to devour your own pizza creation or choose from a variety of, as the menu calls it, ‘pizza with personalities’, such as the Caprese topped with melted mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes, and fresh basil. With a pizza you receive thin aluminum plates, reminiscient of a plate you would use in a prison dining hall, not that any FTLC bloggers would know this. Don’t let the prison-esque plates scare you away because let’s face it, with these beer specials you might get so blitzed that acting out the Greek tradition of plate smashing probably will not be the worst idea you’ll have that night.
Overall, Empire Pizza Cafe is a good place to go for a quick and inexpensive meal or if you are having serious yearnings to see a map of the NYC subway lines. A pizza for two and two cold ones will set you back less than $16.
As a writer for an emerging blog that represents the city of FTL, it is my responsibility to occasionally surf the internet with the intention of finding mentions of our city’s name in various blogs, videos, or news sites. Last week, I stumbled on this eHow video about how to make a drink called Fort Lauderdale.
In my opinion, before an alcoholic beverage is named after a city, the recipe should be run by the residents of the respective municipality. My friends know my disdain for the upper half of Florida (or as I like to call it South Georgia), but that doesn’t give me the right to piss and vomit in a blender and call it the North Florida.
Because we are a blog that enjoys input from its readers, we would like for you guys to make suggestions for a new and improved version of the Fort Lauderdale. Let’s create a drink that encompasses the spirit of our great city. In other words, let’s put so much alcohol in it that even our town drunk, Mickey Clean, will think it’s too strong. Let’s not forget that we are nicknamed Fort Liquordale for a reason.
After mulling over everyone’s suggestions, we will post a follow-up at the end of the week, describing how to make the enhanced alcoholic beverage. Share your input by commenting below.
Are you bored with drinking bottom-of-the-line well liquors and buckets of Coors Light? We are too, so we thought we’d share some FTLC secrets as to where to score the tastiest libations around Fort Lauderdale. Our picks are not the cheapest concoctions, nor will they be found at a local dive bar, but they make up for breaking your wallet by stimulating your taste buds and giving you a much-welcomed buzz. We are thirsty just writing about it! Here they are (in no particular order):
This signature drink at Trina on Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront is both crisp and refreshing. Served in a martini glass, the cucumber mint beverage is more like a mojito than a martini. The energizing coolness of the cucumber as it hits your palate makes this cocktail perfect for a hot summer day. The Cubeltini is comprised of Belvedere vodka, lime juice, simple syrup, cucumber slices, and refreshing mint. The Cubeltini will set you back $11.
As the satanic name suggests, you may be ‘praying’ to the porcelain god if you consume too many Devil’s Hammers. YOLO sets a limit of three of the ever-so-popular cocktails per customer and we can vouch for why you should follow this rule. The Devil’s Hammer is made with tequila, cherry-infused bourbon, agave nectar, orange and lime juice, and a sprig of mint. Until recently you were able to order this cocktail extra spicy but YOLO has since replaced the hot red peppers with a much more mild and dull green pepper – but still worth a shot. The Devil’s Hammer costs $12, and never mind the limit of three, after $36 you’ll probably want to switch to something less pricey.
One of the most frequently ordered cocktails at Himmarshee Side Bar is the Cucumber Watermelon Martini. This martini is a mix of tequila, sweet & sour mix, simple syrup, fresh watermelon (giving it a thick consistency), and cucumber. It is difficult to have only one of these martinis, so go during happy hour when they are 2-4-1! The Cucumber Watermelon Martini will cost you $12.
Canyon is a quaint and dimly lit southwestern restaurant that serves up one of the finest cocktails in town, the Prickly Pear Margarita. The restaurant is very secretive about divulging the ingredients but we can guess it is made up of tequila, Cointreau, prickly pear-infused simple syrup, lime juice, and sugar or salt for a garnish. Whether you are waiting at the bar for a table or enjoying one of these famous margaritas with your dinner, the Prickly Pear Margarita is always a crowd-pleaser and a drink that will keep you coming back. The price tag on Canyon’s delicious cocktail: $10.
Living downtown is great and it’d be really easy to write a post about all the perks of living near FTL’s mini skyscrapers, but let’s face it, complaining is a lot more fun. Despite double digit noise complaints and 2 evictions, I’ve loved living in historic Sailboat Bend for the last 4 years; however, I do have some requests to improve the downtown community. Here are 5 that I’ve hand picked off my carefully chosen list (in no particular order):
Super Publix Parking Garage
Like most days, my fridge is empty. The main reason for the lack of groceries is that I loathe having to park my minivan on the 2nd story of Publix‘s parking deck. Even though it extends my grocery store trip by only 1-2 minutes, it just feels so unnecessary. It’d be worth it if the actual inside of the grocery store was bigger than most supermarkets, but it’s not — in fact, I think it’s smaller. Just to top things off, sometimes you’ll get the moron with the full shopping cart who forgoes the elevator and clogs the people mover, forcing you to painfully stand idle for the longest minute of your life. For the sake of downtown locals, can someone from Publix make a deal with the bail bonds people across the street for more 1st floor parking?
by Kate
