Hello from JLB: Eats big and small

Jean Le Boeuf
jleboeuf@news-press.com
Braised oxtails with plantains and rice and peas from Island Vybz Caribbean Cuisine inside Coastland Center mall in Naples.

It's been a week of contrasts. 

From a mall food-court spot serving serious oxtails in Naples, to the sprawling, palm-thatched new Boathouse, where you can sip cocktails poolside in Fort Myers Shores. 

Big and small, though, the eats have been good. And our food writers, of course, have been equally busy. 

Here's what you may have missed. 

I came for a jacket. I left stuffed. 

I like surprises. Especially surprises that come in the form of braised Jamaican-style oxtails. The kind that have stewed for hours in a sauce spiced with cayenne, garlic and thyme. But I was only shopping for a new rain jacket. So imagine my surprise when I found Island Vybz Caribbean Cuisine, a family-owned Jamaican restaurant in the food court at Coastland Center mall. I nearly dropped my shopping bags. Click here to read more. 

I have one word for the new Boathouse: Damn

It's a long walk from The Boathouse's main tiki hut to its sandy beach. On it you'll pass the live music stage and a 12-by-8 foot Jumbotron that looks like it was plucked from an end zone of Raymond James Stadium. There are corn hole boards, an on-the-water boat wash, and a 50-by-20 foot swimming pool. It takes a few minutes to soak this all in, but when you do: Damn. Read my full review here. 

Cirella's brings unique combo to North Naples

Cirella's, a Bonita Springs-born restaurant that combines classic Italian fare with fresh sushi and sashimi, opened a second location earlier this month in North Naples. Owned by New York expats who debuted the first Cirella's in 2006, Tim Aten has a first look at this new spot. 

Are you ready for some football food?

The best part of football season is, well, football season. But the second best part is the food. If you're not tailgating and want to eat well while watching your team score touchdowns, Southwest Florida has many options from Naples to Fort Myers. Dave Osborn shares a few local favorites. 

21 Spices chef takes on Bobby Flay

Chef Asif Rasheed Syed may have taken down Bobby Flay. Maybe. The 21 Spices chef was tight-lipped about his upcoming appearance on the Food Network show "Beat Bobby Flay." He's even kept the results a surprise for his wife and kids — but he did say viewers should expect a high-stakes, high-energy food competition. Shelby Reynolds has the details. 

But wait, there's more ...

• Love it or hate it, pumpkin-spice season is back. From pancakes to lattes to snow cones, Ashley Collins has tasty spots for sating fall cravings from Cape Coral to Naples. Just click here. 

• One of the worst red tide blooms in history ravaged Fort Myers Beach and its surrounding barrier islands this summer, ruining the beach's businesses almost as much as its sea life. Fort Myers Beach needs us, and I've got 21 delicious reasons to go. 

• Twenty years ago a Calabrian-born coffee roaster set up shop in Cape Coral. Today Java D'oro supplies uniquely roasted coffees to restaurants throughout the area. Artis Henderson has its story. 

Stuffed? Just wait until next week. There's always something new and tasty happening with me. 

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Bon appetit!

JLB

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Why can't we be friends? Follow me at facebook.com/jeanleboeufswfl or @JeanLeBoeuf on Twitter and Instagram

Jean Le Boeuf is the pseudonym used by a local food lover who dines at restaurants anonymously and without warning, with meals paid for by The News-Press. Email the critic at jleboeuf@news-press.com