Queen of Mean Lisa Lampanelli will grace the stage at the Palm Beach Improv this weekend. Known for her shocking insult comic style, Lampanelli is no stranger to touching taboo subjects many comedians leave alone.
The boisterous blonde got her break in 2002 at the New York Friars’ Club Roast of Chevy Chase. Since then, she has served on the panel for numerous celebrity roasts including Denis Leary, Pamela Anderson, Jeff Foxworthy, Flavor Flav, William Shatner, Joan Rivers and David Hasselhoff. She also has appeared on several Comedy Central specials and films including Delta Farce with Larry the Cable Guy and Drillbit Taylor with Owen Wilson.

What: Lisa Lampanelli
When: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. today, 7 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, and 7 p.m. Sunday.
Where: The Palm Beach Improv, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., CityPlace, Suite 250, West Palm Beach
Tickets: $39.78
Phone: (561) 833-1812

Craig Morgan, performing at CityPlace on Wed., June 30. (AP)

A lot of artists sing about the military, and country music as a whole is tremendously supportive of the troops, but Craig Morgan is one of a handful who actually served in the military.

Morgan served as a fire support specialist in the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions of the U.S. Army. While stationed in Korea, he continued to work on his singing and songwriting, and he even won a few awards, including snagging an opening slot in a Korea show for the band Sawyer Brown.

For most of the year, Morgan has been touring with Carrie Underwood, but on June 30, he’ll be at CityPlace in West Palm Beach performing a free concert.

Morgan’s music seems to vacillate between two poles: redneck rockers and tear-jerking ballads. His first album on Atlantic Records made a small splash in the Nashville pool, but Atlantic closed its Nashville branch leaving Morgan without a label.

Enter Broken Bow, a small independent label. It snatched up the handsome, hardworking man and released I Love It in 2003. Morgan finally saw Top 10 success with Almost Home, a beautiful ballad about the fine line between life and death.

The album was successful enough for Broken Bow to release My Kind of Living in 2005. That album secured Morgan a permanent spot on the country charts with its mega-hits, That’s What I Love About Sunday and Redneck Yacht Club, two of the most popular songs of 2005.

In 2008, he switched labels to BNA and released That’s Why. That album contained the rocker Bonfire (No. 4), Love Remembers (No. 9) and his current single, This Ain’t Nothing, at No. 19 this week and rising thanks to the video.

Because the military has been such a huge part of his life, Morgan has toured extensively with the USO and won its prestigious Merit Award in 2006. He’s now serving as a spokesman for Not Alone, an organization that helps military men and women and their families who are struggling to adjust to life after combat.

Not Alone provides training, education, counseling and support, as well as an anonymous online community where military men, women and their families can find support from others who are going through the same issues. (For more info, go to www.notalone.com.)

Morgan’s other great love is the great outdoors and he’s debuting his television series, All Access Outdoors, on the Outdoor Channel in July. The series follows Morgan as he pursues two of his passions: hunting and riding motocross. Morgan once broke his leg in a motorcycle race — and still finished third!

Breaking his leg barely slowed him down, but one thing stopped Morgan in his tracks: when he was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry in 2008 — and again when he was inducted — Morgan wept. He’s since played the Opry more than 200 times.

With so many great songs to choose from, it’s hard to guess what Morgan will play Wednesday. But Morgan is known for his high-energy shows, so he may stick with the up-tempo cuts. Morgan has the ability to make fans laugh and cry in the same set, and he’s got a few really poignant songs he could play.
Looks like you’ll have to show up to find out.

CRAIG MORGAN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, with Tom Jackson at 6 p.m. and Amber Leigh Band at 8 p.m. On the Plaza at CityPlace, downtown West Palm Beach. Free. Information: (561) 366-1000. www.cityplace.com

What: Tracy Morgan
When: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 18, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 19, and 7 p.m. Sunday, June 20.
Where: The Palm Beach Improv, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., Suite 250, CityPlace, West Palm Beach
Tickets: $39.78
Phone: (561) 833-1812

His voice can be heard at area theaters in the final chapter of the Shrek films, Shrek Forever After, and you can join him on the search for the next big thing in comedy every Monday on Last Comic Standing.

What: Craig Robinson
When: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Thursday, 7 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday , and 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Palm Beach Improv, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., Suite 250, West Palm Beach
Tickets: $29.13
Phone: (561) 833-1812

Pablo Francisco will be the first to tell you that he’s not savvy with computers.

But he’s among a wave of comedians who can count themselves fortunate they live in the age of YouTube.

Francisco, whose celebrity impressions and sound effects will be on display at the Palm Beach Improv at CityPlace through Saturday, had counted himself a success already. He’d been a writer on MADtv, had development deals for television and toured the country.

But YouTube put him on a different level.

“A lot of younger people, and I’m talking really young here, are catching on to me,” Francisco said in a telephone interview. “And there were people from big agencies saying that people in Sweden ‘saw you on the YouTube.’ I ended up with a totally different attitude about it, saying, ‘Dude, this place is a gold mine.’”

As a result, his combination of comedy and on-target voice work has reached an audience of millions more. Most would likely immediately recognize his spot-on impression of the late “movie trailer guy” Don LaFontaine.

Francisco says an impression can take five minutes to learn — such as Dennis Hopper, which he says came almost immediately — or it can be a struggle.

“At first, Chris Rock was too hard,” Francisco said. “Finally I had a friend of mine call me and leave me a message as Chris Rock — his was really good. I did get it, but it’s hard to keep it going. I still miss it, can’t hold it more than a paragraph.”

Francisco said he may not have reached what many consider the pinnacle of a stand-up’s career, movie or TV fame, but it’s not for lack of trying.

Hollywood has come calling, but the projects never seem to quite fit Francisco’s rapid-fire style.
“I had three TV deals, each worth about half a million,” Francisco said. “They say, ‘Sorry, we can’t quite do it, but here’s the money anyway.’

“Hollywood’s generous like that. Some guys get it right away, but I realize that there’s not many shows with good writing anymore, and Ray Romano’s (Everybody Loves Raymond) was like the last of the great, well-written shows.”

Instead, Francisco seems happy presenting his cast of characters at one comedy club or theater at a time, or the occasional special such as his upcoming Comedy Central concert. Or Web site — he’s completely embraced YouTube now, putting up videos of his travels through Europe on his own YouTube channel.

“Everyone’s videos are going up there, good ones,” Francisco said. “You don’t want to waste people’s time on there. You want to put on a good show, even up on YouTube.”

What: Pablo Francisco

Where: Palm Beach Improv – 550 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach, FL, 33401

When: Feb 4th – 6th

Prominent eateries in the Clematis Street district and CityPlace were closing. And few restaurateurs appeared willing to fill the vacancies, perhaps discouraged by ongoing construction projects that turned city streets into traffic nightmares. The real action was to the north and south — in the suburban hotbed of Palm Beach Gardens and the vibrant cityscape of downtown Delray Beach.

But in the past 12 months, all that has changed.

Suddenly, downtown West Palm Beach is poised to become one of the most dynamic dining scenes in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, with a winning formula of restaurants that offer a degree of culinary daring (and a degree of value) or just a rollicking good time.

Along Clematis, independent restaurants with particular points of view — a hipster burger joint, an American reinterpretation of a European gastropub — are setting up shop. Meanwhile, at CityPlace, a new wave of chain or large-scale restaurants that combine food and fun — the “eater-tainment” concept — are taking root.

The change is hardly accidental. With the opening this past March of a $154 million City Center municipal and library complex and the slated opening early next year of a $30 million waterfront complex, replete with piers, a pavilion and even a beach, restaurateurs see the downtown as becoming a vital hub once again for business folks and fun-seekers alike. Plus, with the development of so many condos over the past decade, there are simply more locals who call downtown home.

With that in mind, we surveyed the downtown scene, focusing on key new restaurants that have opened in the past year or are set to open in the coming weeks and months. We also made note of restaurants that have undergone significant renovations or menu and management changes in the same time frame.

See you downtown!

CLEMATIS DISTRICT
Arepera: Directions, more info
Info: 330 Clematis Street, (561) 820-8011, arepera.com
Status: Opened in July 2009
The concept: A small restaurant built around arepas, the popular South American cornmeal bread that’s stuffed with everything from cheese to meat. “I wanted to bring something different to the area,” says proprietor and chef Richard Klein, a New York City culinary veteran. A $7.95 lunch special includes your choice of arepa, plus a side order and soda. The restaurant is open for breakfast as well, serving (you guessed it) breakfast arepas.

Cabana West Palm: Directions, more info
Info: 533 Clematis Street, (561) 833-4773, cabanarestaurant.com
Status: Opening this month
The concept: This is the same contemporary Cuban restaurant that patrons have known and loved for years from its previous location at 118 S. Clematis. But now it’s moving to this new spot at the western edge of Clematis. Proprietor Glenn Frechter aspires to take advantage of the 500 block’s reputation as a hip and happening nightspot. At the same time, Frechter plans to continue offering lunch — and he hopes to draw patrons from the nearby City Center.

Don Ramon: Directions, more
Info: 300 Clematis Street
Status: Opening this month
The concept: Traditional (and reasonably priced) Cuban fare in the style of other Don Ramon restaurants throughout Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. But the father-and-son team behind the Don Ramon mini chain — Ramon and Jose Villarino — plan a few different things on Clematis, including a 24-hour walk-up window and a happy hour (with free buffet).

Forte Clematis: Directions, more
Info: 225 Clematis Street, (561) 833-3330
Status: New menu introduced in 2009
The concept: The once splashy (and pricey) modern Italian restaurant now aims for a more casual, affordable vibe. Owners Bob and Gudrun Cuillo have partnered with Maurizio Ciminella, proprietor of Amici in Palm Beach, on the revamped Forte. The bar, however, maintains Forte’s previous emphasis on offering inventive cocktails.

Gratify
Info: 125 S. Datura Street, gratifypub.com
Status: Opening in early 2010
The concept: An American take on the European gastropub — that is, a bar that serves quality food. Proprietor Gene Playter, formerly of the Samba Room, plans on offering such intriguing and hearty fare as house-made potato chips complemented with three dips, an upscale version of grilled cheese (with English cheddar) and pork-asparagus risotto. But he aims on keeping prices low — with dinner entrées topping out at $22 — and maintaining a friendly, neighborhood vibe. “You can come here on a Tuesday with a date and know you’re not going to have to spend 100 bucks for a great meal,” he says.

Grease Burger Bar: Directions, more
Info: 213 Clematis Street, (561) 651-1071, bigtimerestaurants.com
Status: Opened in early 2009
The concept: The burger joint as hipster haven — much in the spirit of the trendy places you might find in New York’s Meatpacking District. But you’ll probably not run across a better burger in all of West Palm Beach, if not the entire planet. Great selection of craft beers, too. The concept is courtesy of the Big Time Restaurant Group, which is behind such other downtown restaurants as Rocco’s Tacos and CityPlace’s City Cellar.

Hot Pie Pizza: Directions, more
Info: 123 S. Olive Avenue, (561) 655-2511, hotpiepizza.comStatus: Opened in 2009
The concept: Coal-fire pizza, courtesy of John Ries, who previously was behind the now-closed Fire Rock Pizza Kitchen, situated in downtown West Palm. The menu also features sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes.

Leila: Directions, more
Info: 120 S. Dixie Highway, (561) 659-7373, leilawpb.com
Status: Underwent significant renovations in 2009
The concept: Leila was the first restaurant to bring a Middle Eastern flair to downtown West Palm. Now, under the executive team of owner Ed Costa and chef Alex Awad, it’s aiming to up the ante: The restaurant recently unveiled an enhanced outdoor seating area (with deck and canopy). Plus, it now has a liquor license. Costa promises that Leila offers “an Arabic dining experience that is unmatched in the area.”

Mambo Italiano’s: Directions, more
Info: 308 Clematis Street, (561) 659-1414
Status: Opened November 2009
The concept: Think your neighborhood bar gone Italian. “It’s a restaurant by day and a party by night,” explains proprietor Joe DeRosa, a culinary veteran who attended the prestigious Johnson & Wales cooking school. Look for such fun menu items as Italian nachos (“with little meatballs on it,” DeRosa explains) and a “no cannoli” cannoli (it’s just the cream — with “cannoli chips” for dipping). Prices are relatively low, with entrees running under $20.

Mangia Bevi
Info: 118 S. Clematis
Status: Opening in early 2010
The concept: “An homage to those old Italian restaurants in New York,” says proprietor Glenn Frechter, who’s developing the eatery in the space that was formerly home to Cabana (see above re Cabana’s new location). Look for brick-oven pizza, plus an array of pastas and veal and chicken dishes, all at “modest prices,” says Frechter.

Off the Hookah
Info: 314 Clematis Street, (561) 837-8577, offthehookahfl.com
Status: Opening winter 2009-2010
The concept: The Middle Eastern restaurant as party spot. There are two menus — one for food, the other for the hookah (a water-pipe used for fruit-flavored “smokes” in flavors ranging from apricot to tropical melon). Belly dancers and “flair” bartenders add to the lively mix. This is the restaurant and club’s second location — the first is in Fort Lauderdale.

Phat Sandwiches: Directions, more
Info: 106 N. Olive Avenue, (561) 650-8011, phatsandwiches.com
Status: Moved to its present location in 2009
The concept: Great soups (everything from loaded baked potato to curried chicken) and sandwiches (try the chicken parm panini), now in a convenient downtown setting (the restaurant originally opened farther west on Clematis).

Pistache Waterfront French Bistro: Directions, more
Info: 101 N. Clematis Street, (561) 833-5090, pistachewpb.com
Status: Introduced new chef and menu in 2009
The concept: A French bistro with panache — and now with a waterfront view (when the restaurant first opened, work on the waterfront hadn’t started — hence, the recent name change, too). Since chef Julien Gremaud took over, the eatery has really started to click — go for such classics as a charcuterie platter or a dish of coq au vin.

Reef Rd. Rum Bar: Directions, more
Info: 223 Clematis St., (561) 838-9099, bigtimerestaurants.com
Status: Opened October 2009
The concept: Another addition from the Big Time Restaurant Group — in this case, a casual eatery with Caribbean accents. Look for a Bahama burger (conch fritters on Hawaiian bread), Jamaican coconut rice and island-style mahi-mahi. But the eclectic menu also incorporates New England favorites (try a lobster roll), Asian fare (there’s Beijing Twist Tuna) and more. And, yes, there are plenty of rum drinks, too.

Sky 309: Directions, more
Info: 309 Clematis Street, (561) 296-7699,Sky 309
Status: Opened November 2009
The concept: The latest addition to the Roxy’s multi-floor complex. As the name implies, it’s a rooftop bar — in this case, with an island feel and teak dance floor. But food is slated to be part of the mix in the coming weeks (right now, just drinks are being served). Look for a lunchtime self-serve sandwich and salad bar (Monday to Friday), a happy hour with appetizer specials and a dinner menu with everything from double-cut pork chops to pita pizzas.

Uncle Louie G’s: Directions, more
Info: 330 Clematis Street, (561) 429-6925, unclelouiegee.com
Status: Opened November 2009
The concept: Italian ices and ice cream, inspired by a New York legend — the original Louie G’s opened in Brooklyn a half-century ago. Today, there are several Louie G’s parlors throughout the Big Apple, but this marks the chain’s first one in South Florida.

CITYPLACE
B.B. King’s Blues Club: Directions, more
Info: 550 S. Rosemary Avenue, (561) 420-8600, bbkingclubs.com
Status: Just opened this month
The concept: The blues paired with Southern food, courtesy of a musical legend. No, you won’t find B.B. King there every night (though he’s slated to make a couple of appearances annually), but you will find a 10-piece house band four nights a week, plus the occasional national headliner (look for soul artist Tony Powers on Jan. 14). As for the food, the chain, which has other locations in such places as Memphis and Las Vegas, plays up its down-home roots: “We’re known for our barbecued ribs and collard greens,” says club spokeswoman Kierra Howard. Food is served until 2 a.m., but you can also come for lunch. In the evening, there’s a $5 cover charge. And there’s plenty of room, too: The club holds almost up to 700.

Carousel Can Can Café: Directions, more
Info: 700 S. Rosemary Avenue, (561) 833-6001, carouselfl.com
Status: Opened August 2009
The concept: French food and French entertainment — the latter in the form of can can girls who kick up a storm nightly. The large eatery, with capacity up to 300, is courtesy of restaurateur Karim El Sherif, who previously ran the French bistro Metronome in Palm Beach Gardens.

Improv Comedy Club: Directions, more
Info: 550 S. Rosemary Avenue, (561) 833-1812, palmbeachimprov.com
Status: Remodeled club opened in early 2009
The concept: Call it The Improv deluxe — this is a much larger version of the comedy club that had already successfully established itself at CityPlace. The new club apparently doesn’t treat its food as a joke, either: The extensive menu includes burgers, flat bread pizzas and such entrees as Ahi tuna and a “Flamingo Sirloin.”

McCormick and Schmick’s
Info: 651 Okeechobee Boulevard, mccormickandschmicks.com
Status: Opening in 2010
The concept: The popular seafood chain, which is also known for its value-priced bar menu and lineup of classic cocktails, is taking over the CityPlace spot formerly belonging to the Spanish restaurant Columbia.

Taco Vida: Directions, more
Info: 477 S. Rosemary Avenue
Status: Opening this month
The concept: CityPlace restaurant proprietor Lirim Jacobi (Taverna Opa, City Pizza) is moving into the old La Salsa space, but keeping the Mexican theme. He’ll offer table service — something that La Salsa didn’t — but he pledges to keep prices low ($5 to $10).

Thai Jo: Directions, more
Info: 700 S. Rosemary Avenue, (561) 832-3545, thaijo.comStatus: Opened March 2009
The concept: Thai cooking with a contemporary attitude, courtesy of the same team behind the popular local Sushi Jo restaurants. Thai soups, salads, curries and noodle dishes are all on the menu, but so is sushi. And there’s even a sashimi “pizza” to be had.

Wild Ginger Asian Bistro: Directions, more
Info: 632 Hibiscus Street, (561) 832-8883, wildgingerbistro.com
Status: Opened April 2009
The concept: Another restaurant from Lirim Jacobi — this one with a Hong Kong-meets-Bangkok theme, literally. One half of the menu is devoted to Honk Kong specialties (orange chicken, pepper steak, etc.), the other half to Bangkok ones (Singapore noodles, Thai fried rice).

Wild Olives
Info: 477 S. Rosemary Avenue
Status: Opening this month
The concept: Perhaps the most significant culinary addition to CityPlace, this is a partnership between celebrity chef Todd English and, yes, Lirim Jacobi. The restaurant will play to English’s Mediterranean and Italian strengths, with an emphasis on thin-crust flatbreads, homemade pastas and sandwiches and salads. Situated in the space formerly belonging to Italian Oven Café, Wild Olives is expected to be a sophisticated but casual affair — not unlike Todd English’s Figs at the Macy’s at The Gardens mall. As far as the pricing, Jacobi says, “It will be fairly reasonable.”

Download this recipe

Heat a small non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with a thin layer of the batter and cook for about a minute or until golden brown, then flip the crepe and cook the other side until done. Repeat until all of the crepe batter has been cooked and set aside crepes until needed.

For the filling, return the sauté pan to medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan and gently warm the crab, fennel and roasted tomatoes. Add the shrimp stock and bring to a boil. Stir in heavy cream and finish with chives.

Spoon a small amount of batter into the center of each crepe. Roll crepes and serve.

For shrimp stock:

1 ounce olive oil

1 pound shrimp shells

1 head fennel, diced

1 carrot, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 sprigs tarragon

2 sprigs parsley

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 gallon cold water

1/3 cup raw basmati rice



Directions:


In a hot saucepot, add oil and shrimp shells. Sauté until all shells have started to lightly brown. Add vegetables and herbs and continue to cook until they brown. Add tomato paste and sauté another five minutes, stirring often.

Deglaze pan with brandy and wine. Reduce alcohol until about 1/4 cup of liquid remains. Add cold water and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 45 minutes, then strain mixture through a fine sieve.

Return liquid to the saucepot, add raw rice and simmer until rice falls apart. Strain again, cool liquid and set aside until needed.

Note: As of Jan. 18, 2011, Carousel Can Can Café was no longer open.

Scenes from around the world at screenings

This is it! Finally!

The world premiere of Michael Jackson’s eagerly awaited concert movie,This Is It, begins midnight screenings tonight.

Leslie Gray Streeter is going to be at Muvico Parisian at CityPlace, talking to the expected crowds, checking out the movie and reviewing it.

There are also midnight showings at the Regal theaters in Royal Palm Beach and the Shadowood, west of Boca Raton.

The Michael Jackson concert movie opens at midnight.

Ron Del Signore, general manager of Il Bellagio at CityPlace, added breakfast to the menu, including (from left) Eggs in Purgatory, a variety of crepes and Eggs in the Basket. (Damon Higgins / The Post)

By DEBORAH S. HARTZ-SEELEY

Ron Del Signore got tired of going out to breakfast and having to wait in line for a table. So he decided to serve breakfast at the restaurant where he’s general manager, Il Bellagio in West Palm Beach’s CityPlace.

It’s a pretty spot with outdoor tables under green umbrellas overlooking the center’s dancing fountain and central piazza.

And here, he’s not offering just another bacon-and-eggs menu. To create the food, Del Signore sat down with his wife, Rosalie, and his chef, Pauli Johnston, and drew on a lot of family memories.

Del Signore thought about what he ate at his Italian grandmothers’ houses growing up in Pittsburgh.

And then he put Nana’s breakfast on the menu. That’s a slice of crusty Italian bread with the center hollowed out and an egg dropped into the hole, where it cooks. It’s served with sauteed red, green and yellow peppers on top.

Or how about Eggs in Purgatory — tomato sauce made with onions and peas into which you slip two eggs so they can poach. Del Signore says this is a dish his father-in-law, who has Sicilian roots, remembers his grandmother making.

These dishes are easy to prepare at home and will come in handy when you don’t want to wait in line for breakfast, or now that guests are visiting from the north and expect a morning meal. They are also the kind of fare that can be offered as light but satisfying dinner entrees.

Del Signore remembers many family dinners growing up. His mother was born in Introdacqua, about an hour and a half east of Rome, and came to America as a child. His father was born to first-generation Italians from the Naples area.

His father was an Italian chef, his mother managed an Italian restaurant and both his grandmothers lived nearby and loved to cook.

“My grandmothers were the matriarchs,” he says. “Every Sunday we went to see one or the other of them whether we wanted to or not. And now, I wish I could go see them.”

It’s from those nonne and his parents that Del Signore inherited his love of cooking and Italian food.

“My mother was famous for her Wedding Soup. I still make it from scratch,” he says, offering a recipe for that as well as for his breakfast dishes. “To me, cooking is therapy.” To this day he makes a large batch of the Wedding Soup with its meatballs “the size of quarters.” He uses 1 gallon of chicken stock, eats some and freezes the rest to have on hand.

He also remembers his mother making piles of polenta.

She’d “dump” it onto a board and bring it to the table topped with tomato sauce, grated cheese and sausage. Each family member would help himself from the mound.

“I remember carving out maps of Italy from the polenta with my spoon,” Del Signore says.

Today he laughs when he sees polenta on restaurant menus. “They are re-creating a peasant food and charging a lot of money for it.”

That’s not to say he doesn’t feature polenta as an option on his breakfast menu. They cool the polenta in sheet pans, cut it into squares and then into triangles, brown it in butter or oil and serve it with syrup. It’s a nice change from toast or pancakes.

Speaking of pancakes, Chef Johnston created their Ricotta Pancakes, which have a mixture of ricotta cheese, orange zest and orange extract in the batter to give them a nice citrus flavor. A scoop of the perky ricotta mixture and candied walnuts also act as garnish.

And you won’t want to miss the Nutella and Strawberry Filled Crepes topped with whipped cream and more strawberries. They also can make a very sweet dessert.

Italian Wedding Soup, an old-school Italian favorite. (Mark Randall / Sun-Sentinel)

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
1⁄2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1⁄2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Chicken Broth:
3 tbsps. olive oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 gallon chicken stock*
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, with juices
2 heads escarole, chopped and washed very well
2 eggs
1 cup grated Romano cheese
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

TO MAKE MEATBALLS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Form meat mixture into meatballs with a diameter of about 1 inch (makes about 46 meatballs no bigger than quarters). Place in a baking pan with sides. Bake 30 minutes until browned and a bit crisp.

TO MAKE BROTH:
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery and onions and saute 15 minutes over medium to medium-high heat until vegetables begin to brown a little.

Add the chicken stock and tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes as you add them. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to bring it to a slow boil and cook 30 minutes.

Add meatballs and escarole and boil 5 minutes until greens are tender; remove from the heat. (Soup can be frozen at this point).

Beat the 2 eggs with the Romano cheese. Stir gradually into the warm soup. Make sure soup is not boiling at this point or you will scramble the eggs, and do not let the soup boil at any time after you add the eggs. Add salt and pepper. Makes 22 cups (51⁄2 quarts).

Per (1-cup) serving: 131 calories, 47 percent calories from fat, 7 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 6 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 2 grams total sugars, 4 grams net carbs, 11 grams protein, 340 milligrams sodium.

*Chicken stock is available in shelf-stable cartons in the soup aisle of supermarkets. You can use chicken broth, if you prefer.

Ricotta Pancakes (Mark Randall / Sun-Sentinel)

Ricotta Pancakes

Orange-Ricotta Mixture:
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tsps. grated orange zest
1/4 tsp. orange extract
2 tbsps. confectioners’ sugar
Pancake Batter:
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Garnishing and Serving:
24 candied nut halves (1/2 cup; recipe below)
1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

TO MAKE RICOTTA:
Combine all ingredients. Measure 1/2 cup and reserve.

TO MAKE BATTER:

Preheat oven to 200º.

Whisk the milk, butter and egg lightly in a bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add all at once to the milk mixture and stir just to dampen the flo.ur. Add all but the reserved 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture and stir just to combine.

Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat until drops of cold water sprinkled on the pan jump and dance. Lightly grease the skillet (we used Crisco vegetable shortening).

Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot pan for each pancake. Do not crowd the pan; this will have to be done in batches. Cook until pancakes are full of bubbles on top and lightly browned underneath. Turn and cook on the other side. Place cooked cakes on a baking pan in oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.

TO GARNISH:
Garnish each pancake with 1 tbsp. reserved ricotta mixture, 3 nut halves and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Makes 2 cups batter; 8 pancakes.

Per pancake with Candied Nut Halves: 201 calories, 51 percent calories from fat, 11 grams total fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 40 milligrams cholesterol, 17 grams carbohydrates, .7 grams total fiber, 10 grams total sugars, 16 grams net carbs, 8 grams protein, 337 milligrams sodium.

Candied Nut Halves
1 cup pecan or walnut halves
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. plus 2 teaspoons water
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 275º. Grease a baking pan. Spread the nuts on the pan and bake 10 minutes.

About 3 minutes before the nuts are done, combine the sugar, water and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently as the sugar melts, and then cook 2 minutes, continuing to stir frequently. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Add the warm nuts and stir to coat.

Use a slotted spoon to remove nuts to foil or waxed paper. Separate the nuts with a fork and let dry. Store in an airtight container. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Per (1/4-cup) nuts: 204 calories, 69 percent calories from fat, 16 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 17 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 14 grams total sugars, 14 grams net carbs, 2 grams protein, 58 milligrams sodium.

Eggs in Purgatory, served at Il Bellagio at CityPlace. (Mark Randall / Sun-Sentinel)

Eggs in Purgatory

2 tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium Spanish onion, sliced
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes in puree
1/4 cup frozen green peas
1/2 tsp. salt plus more to taste
Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed dried red pepper flakes
8 large eggs
Water
1 tsp. white vinegar
4 tsps. chopped fresh Italian parsley or basil, for garnish
4 slices toasted Italian bread, for garnish

Heat oil in a nonreactive large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes until softened. Add onions and saute 3 minutes until translucent.

Then add tomatoes with the puree from the can, breaking up the tomatoes as you add them to the pan. Simmer 25 minutes. Add peas, salt to taste, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 minutes until peas are heated through.

When ready to serve, fill a skillet with 2 inches water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and vinegar. Bring water to a boil. Remove skillet from heat. One at a time, break each egg into a small shallow bowl and slip the egg into the hot water. Let the eggs stand in the hot water 3 to 5 minutes until the whites are firm.

While eggs are poaching, divide tomato sauce among 4 small bowls. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon and let drain well. Lay 2 poached eggs on top of sauce in each bowl. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil and toasted Italian bread. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 336 calories, 49 percent calories from fat, 18 grams total fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 424 milligrams cholesterol, 24 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total fiber, 9 grams total sugars, 21 grams net carbs, 17 grams protein, 725 milligrams sodium.

Nutella- and strawberry-filled crepes (Mark Randall / Sun-Sentinel)

If you don’t want to make crepes, you can buy ready-made ones in the produce department of supermarkets. And you can vary the amount of fillings and toppings to suit your taste.

Crepe Batter:
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
Pinch salt
1 tsp. vegetable oil
Garnishing and Serving:
3/4 cup Nutella
4 cups sliced strawberries
11/2 cups whipped cream
1 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

TO MAKE BATTER:
Combine ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until smooth.

Preheat an 8- to 10-inch nonstick crepe or omelet pan (with sloping sides) over medium heat. Spray lightly with no-stick cooking spray. Add about 1/4 cup batter and swirl pan to coat pan thinly and evenly.

Cook until bottom of crepe is lightly golden. Flip and briefly cook other side, if desired. Remove from pan and place on a plate. Top with a piece of wax paper. Continue cooking and stacking the crepes until all the batter is cooked.

TO SERVE:
Spread Nutella on each warm crepe, top each with 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries and roll up. Place on plate, garnish each with 1/4 cup whipped cream, a few more sliced strawberries and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Makes 6 filled crepes.

Per crepe: 377 calories, 56 percent calories from fat, 23 grams total fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 105 milligrams cholesterol, 38 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 8 grams total sugars, 36 grams net carbs, 7 grams protein, 133 milligrams sodium.

Comedic chameleon Mike Epps will appear at the Palm Beach Improv this weekend. His talent was first recognized by a national audience in 1995 when he appeared on the Def Comedy Jam tour and starred in two of HBO’s Def Comedy Jam broadcasts. Epps made his feature film debut in Next Friday, the second installment of Ice Cube’s Friday series.

Soon after, he landed several movie roles in various genres including a dramatic role in Talk To Me with Don Cheadle. He also appeared in Resident Evil: Apocalypse with Milla Jovovich and was most recently featured in the hit comedy The Hangover.

What: Mike Epps
When: 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. today , 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Saturday , and 7 p.m. Sunday .
Where: The Palm Beach Improv, CityPlace, 550 S. Rosemary Ave. Suite 250, West Palm Beach
Tickets: $28.76
Phone: (561) 833-1812

Download this recipe

Directions:


Boil the broccoli, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini until they are soft. Set them aside on a plate.

In a sauté pan, place 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 5 tbsp. of teriyaki sauce, 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp. of unsalted butter, 1 tbsp. of cooking wine, and 1 tbsp. of minced garlic and add the vegetables and sauté for about two minutes. Then, set aside this mixture on a plate.

Take another sauté pan, and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. of sesame oil, 1/2 tsp. of unsalted butter, 5 tbsp. of teriyaki sauce, 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of low sodium soy sauce, and 1 tbsp. of cooking wine. Add the 12 shrimp and sauté this mixture until the shrimp are thoroughly cooked (for approximately three minutes). Scoop out this mixture and add it onto the plate with the mixed vegetables. Serve with steamed noodles, white rice, or brown rice.

Note: As of Jan. 18, 2011, Wild Ginger is no longer open.

Download this recipe

Directions:


Sauté the fresh green beans in 1 teaspoon of olive oil, a pinch of fresh garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for approximately five minutes over low heat.

Prepare the rice by boiling the mixture for approximately 12 minutes.

Steam two spears of asparagus.

Cover a sauté pan with olive oil, place under medium heat, add the shrimp, and season them with salt and pepper. Move the shrimp around so that they do not stick to the pan. Cook the shrimp on medium heat, and add the fresh garlic when the shrimp are ready to be flipped to the other side. Turn the shrimp over on the other side, add the white wine, and reduce the mixture by half. Then, add the diced tomatoes, basil, lemon juice and the feta cheese, just to warm them up.

Place the cooked rice on one side of the plate, place the green beans on the other side of the plate, and place the shrimp between the two (with the tails up). Pour the remaining sauce over the shrimp and place two asparagus spears over the shrimp.

Taverna Opa

700 S Rosemary Ave # 232

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

(561) 820-0002

Open daily – 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., late night menu until 2 a.m.

Carousel Can Can Café owner Karim El Sherif has included fanciful Parisian décor in his new CityPlace restaurant. Dancers in traditional cancan costume will be on a stage every night. Meghan McCarthy, The Post

Call it CityPlace à la Francaise.

The popular downtown West Palm Beach dining and shopping complex got a major new addition this past week when Carousel Can Can Café (700 S. Rosemary Ave., Suite 228; 561-833-6001; carouselfl.com) opened its doors. The 8,000-square-foot eatery, which seats up to 300 indoors and outdoors, is the latest venture from restaurateur Karim El Sherif, who was behind the now-closed French bistro Metronome in Palm Beach Gardens.

With Carousel, Sherif is tapping some of the same casual French menu options he offered at Metronome, but he’s considerably upping the fun factor. As its name implies, the elaborately decorated restaurant, which has private dining areas and bars galore, is built around the themes of carousels and cancan entertainment. Dancers in traditional costume will be on a stage in front of the kitchen every night to show off their mastery of the high-kicking art form.

So, is Carousel the French equivalent of the Greek-themed Taverna Opa, the CityPlace restaurant where belly dancers are as much the stars as the grilled fish and lamb shanks?
“You could say that,” responds Sharif.

Carousel Can Can Café is designed around, well, carousels and cancan. Meghan McCarthy, The Post

At the same time, the restaurateur is going for a contemporary “lounge” vibe with a backdrop of recorded music he describes as “a modern version of bossa nova.” He also says he’s paying lots of attention to the menu, which features French classics (coq au vin, steak frites, ratatouille, onion soup) alongside contemporary American and European fare.

Sherif says he’ll put the restaurant’s wood-fired pizzas up against anyone’s. We admit the reasonably priced pies ($12.50 to $14.50), with toppings that include duck confit and truffle oil, do sound intriguing. (The restaurant’s pricing for entrees — $16.50 to $25 — is also relatively modest.)

There’s a fun wine list, too. Instead of categorizing bottles by red or white, Sherif breaks them down as “brunettes” and “blondes.” (And sparkling wines are referred to as “bubbly girls.”) An extensive tapas menu is offered at the bar from 3 to 11 p.m. — for $18, you can have your pick of up to four small plates of everything from lamb sliders to duck spring rolls (individual plates are $4.50 to $6). And cocktail choices include the Marie Antoinette (made with the French liqueur Chambord, $10) and the French Maid (made with blue Curacao, $9.50).

Carousel Can Can Café fits into a larger CityPlace strategy of combining food and entertainment. Taverna Opa was the first example. Still to come: B.B. King’s Blues Club (in the old Legal Sea Foods spot).

Sherif says he’s happy to be aboard at CityPlace. “You can see there’s energy in this place,” he says. But he also hopes to take the Carousel Can Can Café concept national, particularly in locales where high-energy theme dining is very popular (think Vegas).

In the meanwhile, Carousel at CityPlace is already packing them in, especially on the weekends. Sherif is also hosting two preview events, with free food and drinks — one is Wednesday at 5 to 7 and the other is on Aug. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. And, yes, the cancan girls will be on hand for both.

Wining and dining bargain at Boca’s Mizner Park

Heading to Mizner Park (miznerpark. com) anytime soon? You might want to take advantage of a special dining promotion. From now through Oct. 31, select restaurants at the popular Boca Raton destination — Max’s Grille, Truluck’s, ZED451, Pranzo, The Dubliner, Soba Sushi and Villagio — will be selling the Tastemakers at Mizner Park VIP Card for $25.

It entitles patrons to discounts at all those eateries during that time period. Plus, it also serves as admission to a progressive Tastemakers party on Sept. 15 or Sept. 16 (you pick the date you want to attend), where you can enjoy complimentary tastings and cocktails at the same restaurants. A portion of all VIP card sales will benefit the Kids in Distress organization.

Download this recipe

** To make Roasted Garlic Cloves:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a head of garlic and cut off the top. Place it in a pan of olive oil, cover, and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove cover, flip the head of garlic and bake for another 10 minutes. For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup chicken stock to the pan and bake.

City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill

700 S. Rosemary Ave #21

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

(561) 366-0071

Open Sun-Thurs., 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., late night bar menu until 12

Fri-Sat., 11:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m., late night bar menu until 12

We loved our wines, and so did the crowd. The 2006 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa was an early favorite that kept many people coming back for more.
It was also rewarding to introduce some excellent lesser-known wines, like the 2006 Antu Ninquén Syrah/Cabernet (a powerhouse wine, but surprisingly smooth!) and the 2006 King Estate Vin Glacé Pinot Gris (Sweet’s personal favorite).

But the highlight was definitely the 2006 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico. What a smooth and elegant wine!

And to all the wonderful, amazing people who stopped by and talked wine with us, you made our night!

Please, don’t be a stranger! Follow, comment, and find us at future events! We love you all!

Were you at the event? See the photos here

~ Sweet, Dry, Bold & Earthy

From left, Earthy (Jennifer), Bold (Lynn), Dry (Gwen) and Sweet (Libby).

There will also be a great raffle going at our table that includes a couple of bottles of our favorite wines (different from what we’re pouring), a fab cookbook, and two beautiful books on the Tuscany area and Paris restaurants. We’ll have the drawing at 9 p.m., so be sure to enter.

Swirl fans should have a great night with the wines and yummy food from CityPlace’s best restaurants. Click here to see what we’ll be pouring. And check out details of the event here.

We hope to see you there!

The winner receives two VIP tickets (a $200 value) to CityPlace Uncorked on August 6. VIP tickets include early entry at 6 p.m. (general entry is at 7 p.m.), a gift bag, and second level entry to exclusive wines and food. Patrons also receive a complimentary glass of Piper Heidsieck champagne and a pizza at the City Cellar after-party.

Follow the clues to Dry’s whereabouts on Twitter @SwirlGirls or on Facebook starting at noon. Happy hunting!

There will also be a great after-party sponsored by City Cellar, a CityPlace must for any oenophile. “We’re very, very big fans of wine,” says Jeremiah Bennett, manager of City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill, which has a large and varied regular wine list. “We’ve been involved with Uncorked since the beginning.”

The wines for Uncorked will be supplied by Republic National Distributing Company, which is providing a good variety for all sorts of tastes. The Swirl Girls got together with South Florida wine manager, Craig Diamond, last week at City Cellar to taste the wines we’ll be pouring at our table. Boy, did Craig impress us with his selection!


General admission ($60 in advance, $75 at the door) and VIP ($100) tickets are now on sale at a few local venues and online. Click here for details

The fun begins at 6 p.m. for VIPers and 7 p.m. for general admission. Here’s a list of our wines. Stop by and say hi!

2007 Next Riesling – Washington State

This 100 percent organic Riesling is a vibrant, fruit-forward wine with notes of sweet apple, pear, and peach. The fruity start gave way to a crisp, clean and dry finish. This is a great wine to sip on a hot summer day.

Kallfelz Estate Kabinett Riesling – Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

This single vineyard Riesling is grown at the Merler Fettgarten estate. Even though the Kabinett style is the driest of the German Rieslings, it’s still sweeter of the two whites we’ll have. This wine was a great balance of honeyed peach and slight minerality, followed by a clean and pleasant finish.

2007 Next Pinot Noir – Oregon

For the Pinot-lover, we’ll be pouring another wine from King Estate’s Next line. This is a light-bodied wine with hints of cherry, spice, and oak and a light, dry finish. It’s a nice value wine for everyday drinking.

2006 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa

This Napa Cab had a beautiful garnet color and a complex aroma of dark fruit, spice and oak. It was one of those wines that makes you want to jump in the glass and swim around! On the palate, I got lots of ripe dark cherries blackberries and plum, nicely balanced with firm tannins, and a beautiful lingering finish. We all loved this wine, especially when paired with some yummy City Cellar Stilton!

2005 Bellevue Peycharneau – Bordeaux Supérieur

Oh Bordeaux… how I love thee! This Right Bank chateau blends 65 percent Merlot, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 15 percent Cabernet Franc into their 2005 vintage, producing a lush dark fruit wine with hints of chocolate and toasted oak. The fragrance alone was so rich, it seemed enough to just sit and smell this one for a while. Bold (Lynn) admitted she almost forgot to drink this wine because it smelled so great!

2006 Antu Ninquén Syrah/Cabernet – Colchagua Valley, Chile

The grapes in this Syrah/Cabernet blend are sourced entirely from a plateau atop the Ninquén Mountain in Chile’s prestigious Colchagua Valley. Famous California winemaker, Paul Hobbs, worked closely with MontGras owner, Hernán Gras, and winemaker, Santiago Margozzini to create this upper-tier, limited production wine.

The 2006 vintage is a blend of 88 percent Syrah and 12 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 18 months in new French oak. This wine is a powerhouse of spicy pepper, clove, dark fruit and oak. It had a beautiful opaque purple color, was full-bodied and spicy, but also surprisingly smooth.

2006 Costasera Amarone Classico – Valpolicella, Italy

Yes, we are actually pouring an Amarone – and it’s not just for the VIP’s! For those who aren’t familiar with this style of wine, Amarones are made through a long and labor intensive process called “appassimento”, which has been widely practiced in this area of Italy since Roman times. In a nutshell, the process involves allowing the grapes to mature on the vine, then picking the best clusters and laying them out to dry on bamboo racks for months. The natural sugars inside the grapes become concentrated as they dry. Then the grapes are pressed and fermented into a dry wine.

The 2006 Costasera Amarone was aged in Slovenian oak for 24 months, then bottle aged for another 4 months before release. It had a beautiful aroma and a palate of dried raisin, plum and cherry, with notes of licorice and coffee. It was a very smooth and dry wine, both strong in its flavors, but soft on the elegant and long finish.

2006 King Estate Vin Glacé Pinot Gris – Oregon

In honor of Sweet (Libby), we’ll be pouring a lovely dessert wine made from late harvest Pinot Gris. Vin Glacé is also known as Ice Wine, a style of wine made from frozen grapes. Freezing the grapes results in a very sweet and concentrated wine.

The 2006 King Estate had lovely aromas of honeyed nectarine, peach and apricot. On the palate, this wine was full-bodied and intense, with the same rich honeyed fruits. It was a great compliment to the Stilton and a great way to finish a special evening.

~ Dry (gwen)

Ron Del Signore, partner of Il Bellagio restaurant in CityPlace, displays three items from his restaurant's new breakfast menu (from left): Eggs in Purgatory (poached eggs prepared with a fresh tomato sauce, onions and peas); crepes filled with mascarpone cream, infused with blueberries, topped with whipped cream and blueberries; and Nana's Breakfast, consisting of Italian bread with the center torn out, filled with eggs and sautéed with roasted peppers. Damon Higgins/The Post

CityPlace has always been a prime destination for lunch and dinner. But until recently, if you visited the downtown West Palm Beach shopping and dining spot during the morning hours, the most you could rustle up was coffee and a sweet roll from Panera Bread or Starbucks.

Now, that’s starting to change: In the past week, the popular Italian restaurant Il Bellagio (600 S. Rosemary Ave., 561-659-6160,
ilbellagiocityplace.com) has introduced a full breakfast menu, including pancakes, eggs and something called a Nana’s Breakfast
platter.

“The venue that we have is so conducive to sitting outside and having a nice breakfast,” says Il Bellagio partner Ron Del Signore, noting the restaurant’s location right by the CityPlace fountain. (Of course, you can also dine inside in air-conditioned comfort.)
In planning the breakfast menu, Del Signore knew he had to have the classics. That means offerings like two eggs prepared to order ($4.95) and platters of pancakes, French toast or waffles ($5.95).

But Del Signore also wanted to introduce items “with an Italian flair.” That’s taken the form of offerings like the Nana’s Breakfast (Italian toast with an egg cooked in the center, served with roasted peppers and potatoes, $6.95) and ricotta pancakes (traditional pancakes with the Italian cheese whipped into the batter, $6.95). You can also request a side dish of polenta cakes ($2.95).

The biggest hit on the weekends, however, may prove to be the Eggs in Purgatory platter — poached eggs in fresh tomato sauce with onions and peas ($7.95). It’s a runny, gooey mess of a dish that has an appeal all its own. “I don’t want to tell people it’s a good hangover remedy, but it is,” confesses Del Signore.

But don’t just look for partygoers looking to sober up at Il Bellagio in the a.m.. Del Signore thinks his biggest piece of breakfast business may come from the downtown office crowd, which has long lacked a decent “power breakfast” spot. In that regard, the restaurant is making available its party room space for folks looking to hold larger morning meetings.

Openings …

Billing itself as “Your Neighborhood Kitchen,” The Roasted Rooster Café has set up shop in West Palm Beach (369 Puritan Road, 561-547-4447). The lunch-only restaurant specializes in sandwiches with a Southern twist: Think a pot roast sub or pulled pork sub ($8.25). There are several other more standard sandwich choices, plus soups and salads.

Looking for pizza with an artisanal touch? That’s what the new Pizzeria Oceano in Lantana (201 E. Ocean Ave., 561-429-5550) is promising. Proprietors Dak and Martha Kerprich say they “will be utilizing and promoting local produce from Palm Beach County farmers along with South Florida fish and seafood.”

… and closings

Call it a sign of the times. In recent weeks, several Palm Beach County restaurants have closed. Among the ones we’ve heard about: Cottonwood Restaurant & Café in Boca Raton, Michael’s the Wine Bar in Wellington and Nunzio’s Italian Restaurant & Grille in Palm Springs.

Louis C.K.'s stint at the Palm Beach Improv concludes Saturday. (Courtesy myspace.com/louisck)

This would be the beginning of a slightly awkward but knee-slappingly funny night.

Louis C.K.’s show was part of his national theater tour titled “Hilarious” featuring his new material. The show covered various everyday subjects including impatient people, aging, the pains of traveling on airplanes, extreme road rage, and the annoying side of raising children.

“Hilarious” had people constantly red-faced and teary-eyed from laughing. The clapping would go on and on, and the cheers were endless. He knew just what jokes to make by talking about things ordinary people could easily relate to.

One of the main points that seems to make Louis C.K. stand out as a comedian, is his wittiness and his, “I don’t give a f—!” attitude, not to mention his prominent use of the word “f—”. At one point in the night he demonstrated just how witty he could get — though clearly, Louis’ humor isn’t exactly for everyone.

“I think molesting children should be legal … just hear me out!” He laughed and went on to explain that if molesting kids would be OK in our system, kids wouldn’t have to get kidnapped and murdered after being molested. Parents would simply get their children back and maybe the molester could even “drop them off at soccer practice afterwards.”

The joke got different reactions. Some laughed, others were too shocked to speak, and some even booed. At the booers, Louis had one thing to say to them: “Oh shut up! If you don’t like it then leave!”

Without a single doubt, Louis C.K.’s show “Hilarious” was nothing but hilarious. If you have a chance to check it out, definitely do. Only a talented comedian can go from talking about being overweight, to cursing at people while driving, to wanting to strangle his children at times, all as if it were one simple but very funny conversation; and only a talented comedian can make someone laugh at some pretty sick subjects.

Louis C.K. will be performing tonight at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. at the Palm Beach Improv. For tickets, go to the club’s Web site or call (561) 833-1812.

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• Louis C.K. chews up Comedy Central (tvsquad.com)

IF YOU GO:

Where: Palm Beach Improv Club, CityPlace, West Palm Beach
When: Thursday, June 11 at 8 p.m.; Friday, June 12 at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, June 13 at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
How much: $21.30 to $26.63
For more information: Visit www.palmbeachimprov.com

The transition was so gradual, so insidious, that you probably never noticed it. An indignant huff here. A diva-like outburst there. But comedian Louis C.K.’s been watching.

It’s been on his mind for a while now—how this modern boom in technology, prosperity and comfort turned a generation of reasonable Americans into whiny little brats. After all, who else but a total ingrate groans when his cell phone’s signal takes too many milliseconds to rocket through space?

But C.K., who’s gearing up for a three-night gig at West Palm Beach’s Improv club this weekend, isn’t deluded about his own role among “the crappiest generation.”

“I’m terrible,” he said recently by phone from his Manhattan home. “I’m unbelievable. If I have a waitress who’s being rude to me, my voice is shaking. … I feel entitled to the greatest service borne unto man, and that’s just a ridiculous way to live your life.”

Since his ultra-viral rant on TV’s Conan O’Brien in October, which garnered several million hits on YouTube and other video sites, it seems everyone’s talking about this dark horse of American comedy. In March, Vanity Fair called him “the most awesome stand-up comic on the planet.”

But don’t call him a newbie. C.K., fresh out of his Hilarious tour, has been on the comedy scene since 1984. Along the way, he landed an Emmy for his writing on The Chris Rock Show and starred in his own short-lived sitcom, Lucky Louie. You catch him on the big screen this fall in the latest comedy from The Office mastermind Ricky Gervais, The Invention of Lying.

And while he can’t get your job back or restore your 401-K, C.K.’s black brand of humor does offer a glimmer of (twisted) hope for America’s future: Even if we are reduced to riding donkeys, at least we won’t be such colossal jerks anymore.

“I definitely think that hard times bring out the best in people,” C.K. said. “I think that prosperity and peace and happiness make people into pieces of s—.”

Why, then, in these troubling times, does the crappiest generation thrive? Apparently, it’s all a matter of perception.

“We’re doing fantastically,” countered C.K.

“We still have monster trucks running over brand new pickup trucks and competitive eating,” he said. “As long as there are TV shows on like I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, no one’s going to feel sorry for Americans.”

He’s far from being a feel-good comic, but C.K.’s incisive satire will leave anyone willing to laugh at himself gasping for air. Fair warning, though: He’s been known to take “politically incorrect” to jaw-dropping lengths. In his aptly named 2007 Shameless special, C.K. calls his then-4-year-old daughter every unprintable name in the book, then confesses he’d like to kick her out a window.

But it’s not shock for shock’s sake. When asked to defend his material, C.K. offered up some surprisingly insightful logic.

“You can want to kick somebody (who you love) out the window,” C.K. says. “As a matter of fact, if you want to kick somebody out the window, it’s usually because you love them, and you’re struggling to do right by them, and be patient.”

In real life, C.K. appears every bit the doting father – even cutting this interview short so he wouldn’t be late in collecting his daughters from school.

It has long been a secret dream of mine to redo my home décor to re-create an Asian restaurant, specifically the dark and woody original Sushi Jo on Belvedere Road. But now that I’ve been to Thai Jo, that restaurant’s new and shiny cousin at CityPlace, I’ve switched decorating plans — and I want to add the kitchen and staff as well.

I’d love to enjoy creamy, potato-filled Massaman Curry and crunchy edamame in a living room with black walls and giant gold Buddha paintings, or kick back with a glass of plum wine lounging near black fringe curtains that look like the bodice of a flapper dress.

This, of course, would require more money than I’ve got, so I guess I’ll just hang out at Thai Jo a lot.

Thai Jo, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., CityPlace, West Palm Beach. (561) 832-3545

A new French bistro is opening this summer at CityPlace, featuring traditional French dishes such as coq au vin, as well as continental favorites.

Carousel Can Can Café’s waitresses will be dressed as French maids, bartenders will wear corsets, and Can Can dancers will feature powdered wigs à la Marie Antoinette. The atmosphere will be Paris 1908.

Local illustrator and former Post employee Pat Crowley designed most of the graphics, and is creating an imaginative sculpture of a Can Can girl on a horse for new 8,000-square-foot restaurant and club, which will open in July on the upper level near City Cellar.

Celebrity DJ Jean Marc is handling music, which will have a European lounge vibe and extend into after-hours, when the restaurant will offer dancing and a late-night menu.

Brewzzi City Place

700 South Rosemary Ave

Suite 212

West Palm Beach. FL 33401

t: 561.366.9753

Come down and visit, noon to 3 p.m.

The celebration will also include karate demonstrations and a traditional Asian Dragon Dance at 2 p.m.

Wild Ginger offers a traditional Asian menu with specialties inspired by Bangkok and Hong Kong cuisine, such as Pad Thai, Red Curry, General Tso Chicken and Szechuan Shrimp.

The bistro is owned by Dixon Li, owner of Oriental Express in Lake Worth, and Lirim Jacobi, owner of Taverna Opa and City Pizza at CityPlace. The restaurant has lunch, dinner, and delivery.