Warren Redlich – Page 294

Review of House of Dog – Boca Raton

Update: See bottom for a brief note about our return visit and concerns about pricing of kid combos.

We saw it coming – West Boca is now home to a new hot dog joint. House of Dog is open in the Shops at Boca Grove, on the west side of Powerline between Glades and Palmetto Park. We had lunch there today and enjoyed it.

This is a new location for a small chain that started as House of Dog Miami. The restaurant is in an outbuilding that used to house Boardwalk Burgers. The yellow arrow below points to the spot.

You can see the long side of it in the image at the top. Here’s a picture showing what it looks like on the side facing Powerline.

As dog owners (the canine variety) we appreciate outdoor seating and they have plenty. Some of the tables have covers for shade but they might not do much on a rainy day. Some people might also benefit from knowing how to raise your dogs bowl so larger dogs can enjoy eating alongside their owners with our outdoor seating.

The interior is long and narrow. Unfortunately we had poor photo skills and did not get any good shots. It looked comfortable.
As for the food, some of our readers will be happy to hear that it’s kosher. If you’re not into kosher, that won’t bother you at all. We don’t keep kosher and we liked it.
The most prominent item on the menu is hot dogs, but there are other choices including burgers, wraps, deli sandwiches and schnitzel, along with some sides and appetizers. Also key is the selection of craft beers. The photo isn’t great but here’s the beer cooler:

There are a few kinds of dogs with a wide range of sauces and toppings, and a number of specialty combinations you can try. And there’s a kids menu too.
One of us had a classic dog with mustard and banana peppers.

We also had a Jack Daniels dog with mustard. Both dogs came on pretzel buns that were nice and soft. The dogs themselves had good texture and flavor.

For sides we also got cole slaw, which was creamy and served in a dog bowl, and “Belgian fries” which were just fine.

Overall it was a good meal. The hot dogs start at $5 with simple sauces and toppings for 30 cents or 50 cents. Others cost more and the specialty combos can add up. We will definitely be back again to try something different.
Update: Be careful and watch the pricing. We went back, one adult and two small kids. With tip it was almost $50. The kid’s chicken finger combo was $9 each and that doesn’t include a drink.
The loaded hot dog was great though. Chipotle dog with the Clint Eastwood toppings, plus “bacon” (kosher).

West Boca Medical Center Okay With Cigna

Tenet Healthcare has reached an agreement with Cigna Insurance. We previously reported that the two were in negotiations and that Cigna might drop Tenet, leaving their West Boca customers to seek care from other providers.
Tenet is the parent company of both West Boca Medical Center and Delray Medical Center, facilities commonly used by West Boca residents. The two issued a joint press release that included the following:

“We are pleased that this agreement provides Cigna customers access to our entire network of quality healthcare services,” said Clint Hailey, chief managed care officer at Tenet Healthcare. … “This agreement provides multi-year coverage stability for their customers, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration to improve quality outcomes and cost effectiveness.”

West Boca News had heard from at least a few Cigna customers concerned about access to care at our local hospitals. This news should reassure everyone.

Marcus Kosher Chinese: Closed

Loggers’ Run Plaza lost a tenant in the last few days. We reviewed Marcus’s Kosher Chinese in September of 2012. While we liked it, we didn’t get there very often.
Apparently not that many other people went there either because it now appears to be closed.

We talked to staff in a neighboring storefront and they confirmed that it has closed.

6 Arrests: DUI, Theft and More

All arrestees are innocent until proven guilty. We also remind our readers that West Boca has a very low crime rate compared to the rest of the county and the rest of South Florida. In the spirit of innocent until proven otherwise, those facing criminal charges are still afforded legal representation in order for their rights to be upheld.

We have a few more arrests to report from the past week. Above center, Jean Phillippe Gauthier (age 42) was arrested late Friday by Boca PD, and booked early Saturday morning, for DUI, drug possession, and possession of drug equipment. The drugs included Adderall, Oxycontin and Valium. This appears to be a “drug” DUI, which are difficult cases for the prosecution to prove.

Top left, Lucianne Morello (35) was arrested for DUI by Boca PD late Wednesday or early Thursday. Her reported address is in Villa San Remo off Lyons Road. In late 2011 she was charged with battery on a police officer. That charge was reduced and then resolved with “pre-trial diversion.” We’re not sure it’s the same person, but a Lucianne Morello was involved in a big federal mortgage fraud case in the greater NYC area a few years ago. She was apparently involved with AGA Capital/Lending Universe.
On the far right in the top photo, Robert Jones was arrested by Boca PD on Wednesday for some form of stalking. His address is listed only as “At Large” in the 33428 zip code. We reported last month that they arrested him for a non-moving traffic violation.

Jennifer Byrd (left, 31) was arrested Thursday for drug possession, fraud and petit theft. The court records indicate offense dates in September and November. That strikes us as odd, especially with drug possession. The prosecutor may have a tough time proving this one. She was released on Friday. Ms. Byrd had a felony charge back in 2007 that was dropped, and a misdemeanor theft charge in 2008 that was also dropped. The Spanish River grad’s reported address is southeast of the corner of Lyons and SW 8th St not far from Hammock Pointe Elementary.
Robert Lovin (center, 25) was arrested Tuesday for grand theft of a motor vehicle. His reported address is in Mission Bay near Boca Prep. He has a retail theft charge pending from a week earlier, and he had one in 2009 that was dropped by prosecutors. The Olympic Heights grad also studied at Palm Beach State.
Last, Johnathan Greenfield (right, 44) was arrested early Monday by Boca PD, also for grand theft of a motor vehicle. His reported address is in Seasons of Boca Raton. We’re not sure, but it looks like he is a psychiatrist operating out of St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach with a secondary office on 441 in West Boca. He was last in the news in 2010 related to an employee accused of writing bogus prescriptions.

Movies, Tea and Meet the Author at the Library

The Glades Road Public Library will be showing Gravity (PG-13) on May 19th at 2 p.m.
A Mother/Daughter Tea and Book Discussion will take place on May 21st at 6:30 p.m. The book under discussion is President of the Whole Fifth Grade by Sherri Winston. This event is for girls ages 8-12. Preregister with the library at 482-4554.
Finally, teens can learn about Getting your First Job on May 20th at 6:30 p.m. Snacks will be served. Ages 14 & up. Please preregister for this 60 minute program.
The West Boca Public Library will have two Meet the Author events this week. On May 20th at 2 p.m., meet Alex Grecian, the author of The Devil’s Workshop. The book will be available for sale. Meet Jeffrey Deaver, the author of The Skin Collector, on May 23rd at 2 p.m. Preregistration is required. Call 470-1600.