Mel and Eunice Safra run a wonderful, authentic bagel shop on Alton Road near 41st Street in Mid-Beach. The tilapia, or salmon with sweet potato and healthy green and yellow veggies, preceded by a plate of noshable munchies and a bowl of Russian cabbage soup to start, will not break your Amex account, as they might 30 blocks south. Plus, you can get into New York-style political and literary arguments, as I did the night Our Leader decided it was time to exorcise Saddam Hussein in one $75 billion move for God, oil, and American righteousness. Mel's got a little fifteen-inch black-and-white TV on top of his Fresh Samantha juice cooler, and ABC was beaming in from the Iraq/Kuwait border: " ... Third Armored Division just rolled through here with thumbs-up greetings and waving flags!" the newsreader pronounced encouragingly. "One Bradley Fighting Vehicle displayed a 'Baghdad 500' sign taped to its gun port ..." The war as... More >>>