The South Beach Diet Dining Guide: Your Reference Guide to Restaurants Across America    by Arthur Agatston Order:  USA  Can Rodale, 2005 (2005) Softcover     Reviewed by Belle Dessler If you're one of the many people who have found success on the South Beach Diet, you know how hard it can be to stay away from the wide variety of tempting foods available at restaurants nationwide. But staying in and cooking for yourself isn't always an option, which is why Dr. Arthur Agatston has put together this handy guide to healthy dining. At a mere 218 pages, the book is slim, about half the size of your average paperback, and can easily be carried anywhere you go. But don't let the size fool you. This guide offers a ton of useful information for just about any restaurant you may find yourself walking into, from Applebee's to Restaurant Kolumbia, and everything in between. The first half of the book categorizes restaurants by type: casual dining, event eating, travel meals, ethnic cuisine, chain and family restaurants. The second half lists restaurants often encountered when dining out for business purposes. These are arranged by major geographic location. If you find yourself in Miami being treated to Joe's Stone Crab, just whip out your handy South Beach Diet Dining Guide, flip to page 180 and choose any of the delectable menu options listed. The eight ounce Prime Top Sirloin with a side of Sautéed Mushrooms and Broccoli sounds particularly appetizing. Each listing offers the restaurant's address, phone number and website information at the top, making it easy to find new dining locations on a whim. A short description of the restaurant follows, which often highlights interesting historical and cultural facts about that particular place. Food is divided into three categories: appetizers and salads, entrees, and side dishes. Beside each meal, you'll find useful information detailing which South Beach Diet phase it's best suited for. Although the recommended dining options are somewhat limited, and eating out while on the South Beach Diet may take some adjusting to, it's nice to know that there is a way to dine out and stick to your diet plan, too. It's like having your cake and eating it ... only without the cake. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews