Moonchine Asian Bistro

Japanese/Thai/Vietnamese Bistro in MiMo

What we had:

My DH had the Pad Thai with Chicken--This is our favorite Pad Thai so far in Miami. A nice blend of spicy/sweet/sour with a good toppings-to-noodle ratio.

I had the 16-piece nigiri sushi plate--crab, eel, egg, hamachi, snapper, tuna & salmon. The rice pillows were nice and tight and the seafood was very fresh tasting.

Décor:

It's like eating in the middle of a Vanity Fair shoot or an upscale low-key nightclub. I'm totally in love with the red dot theme, and the blend of tufted leather (ettes) on the booths with shiny tiles and great low-key lighting lent a really nice vibe to dinner. There is also a nice patio out back that begs for cocktails.

Service:

Not bad, though the sushi guy was s-l-o-w.

Overall impressions:

Pretty darn great. We will definitely have to go back for the sushi rolls and another noodle dish.

What Google says; The company website may be moonchine.com, though I got one of those "reported attack site. Let us scan your computer" pages.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 salamanders

Bourbon Steak

Upscale classic-with-a-twist steakhouse in Aventura. James Beard award-winning chef Michael Mina is the founder and CEO.

What we had:

Table Starters:
Duck-fat fries three ways: Herb and garlic, spicy and a smoky spicy with roasted garlic aioli, a spicy ketchup, and a sweet/sou ketchup. The fries were freakin fantabulous.

Fresh, light, well-seasoned foccacia served in a copper pan.

Appetizer:
Crab Louie Lettuce Cups--crab and avocado with sriracha vinaigrette. A nice, light crab amuse bouche with a really nice sriracha vinaigrette. The avocado didn't really come through, but the appetizer was good nonetheless.

Main:
10-oz. filet mignon--spot-on and cooked perfectly.
8-oz. American "Kobe" filet mignon--We expected a Kobe filet to be good, but half-expected it to be yet another overrated "foodie" ingredient. We were wrong. Regular filet can't hold a candle to American Kobe. It's a beef orgasm in every bite. The meat was so tender I could separate individual muscle fibers with my tongue. Holy crap this was good.

Side:
Truffled mac & cheese. Tasty, tasty truffled mac & cheese.

Drinks:
Key lime pie martini--Stoli Vani, Hangar One Kaffir Lime, Licor 43, Fresh Lime & Cream
This was a nice cocktail. Not too aggressive of a vodka or cream taste with a nice lime finish.

Vodka martini with a twist--Grey goose as always. My DH said it was good, though I harbor my doubts that it tasted like lighter fluid. He enjoyed it though.

Décor:

Rich grainy woods, low light, comfortable champaigne velvet couches, interesting mirrors, really cool wine displays. This place would be perfect to take a birthday girl (like me), for an anniversary dinner, to make a good impression on clients, etc. Nice steakhouse feel without being old-fashioned or too "gentlemen's club."

Service:

I had seen bad reviews of the service online, and had no problems at all. Our waiter had a good balance of interested and unobtrusive, and the other waiters bustled around clearing dishes, refilling water, etc. without detracting from the dinner experience.

Overall impressions:

We are in love. We heart American Kobe, and I'm very glad we chose this place for my birthday. There isn't much that makes me happier than a slab of rare beef. This place did not disappoint, and we need an excuse to go back.

What Google says; Company website

Rating:

5 out of 5 salamanders

Tokyo Bowl

Fast, inexpensive Japanese noodle and rice bowls and all you can eat sushi

What we had:

I had a honey garlic chicken noodle bowl. quick-fried chicken in panko with broccoli, carrots, and honey-garlic sauce over noodles. Tasty and under $5. No complaints really.

My DH had the teriyaki chicken over rice bowl. His has non-fried chicken and vegetables with a light teriyaki sauce.

Décor:

So-so.

Service:

Quick, friendly.

Overall impressions:

It's hard to go wrong with a noodle bowl. The food quality was nice. I'm fairly certain the noodles were pretty fresh, the service was fast, and the meal was very inexpensive. I'd like to try the sushi next time.

What Google says; no company website

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Fratelli Lyon

Italian antipasti/sandwich/dinner spot in the design district.

What we had:

Carciofi alla mediterranea--marinated artichokes, leeks & fennel served antipasti-style
Combination of 3 salumi:
Coppa--USA cured pork shoulder
Bresaola--Uruguay air-dried beef
Toscano--USA Coarse ground dry-cured sausage

The artichokes were fair, but the real star of the meal was the meat. It was a toss-up between the beef and the sausage for our favorite. Both were superb. All three were, really.

The meal also came with chewy, perfect fresh bread slices.

I also had a fresh blood orange soda, and it was great. I'm not fan of sugar at all, and this was a really good soda. I'm not sure what it was sweetened with, but whatever i was, it wasn't obnoxious.

We also had espresso, which was tasty and served with delicate almond cookie lumps.

Décor:

Nice. Modern, clean, orange & white.

Service:

so-so. Our drinks took almost until the meal was finished to come.

Overall impressions:

A satisfying light lunch spot. I'm curious to see how dinner is.

What Google says; company website

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Tapas & Tintos

Spanish tapas restaurant on Esplanade Way.

What we had:

Dedos del diablo--lightly breaded & fried jumbo shrimp stuffed with serrano ham, goat cheese, served with an with avocado/tomato salad and grilled asparagus spears. This was my favorite, though I didn't really taste the ham at all. My DH felt the goat cheese was a little overwhelming, but since I could happily swim in the stuff, I did not. DH liked it better with the avocado spread on top.

Bacalao-stuffed piquillo pepper with red pepper sauce and some form of creamy cheese. It was okay. I enjoyed the silkiness of the salt cod mixed with the creamy cheese. My DH didn't like it at all--he said it was too fishy.

Grilled pork loin with grilled red and green bell pepper garnish. My DH's favorite. I thought it was a touch dry, but tasty overall.

Décor:

We ate outside in the alley, but the atmosphere was still pretty decent.

Service:

S0-so. They were on Spanish time.

Overall impressions:

It was okay. I'd possibly go back, but I'm in no hurry to do so.

What Google says; company website

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Big Slick's Deli

Lunch spot on West Dixie in Aventura popular (at least on the day we went) with cops.

What we had:

We both had the Open Ender sandwich-Turkey, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, pressed hot Cuban-style. The sandwich was decent. Not terribly over-the-top special, but if I were out for lunch from work, I'd be pleased.

Décor:

Nothing terribly special; pretty much what you'd expect from a lunch spot.

Service:

Order at the counter-style

Overall impressions:

Not bad.

What Google says; company website.

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Enso Restaurant

I'm not 100% sure how to classify this place. It's a restaurant with a manifesto. The manifesto is a bit muddled, but it goes something like the scientific pursuit of making food taste better. The menu consists of Sushi, yakitori-style meat and vegetable skewers, an interesting absinthe and cheese plate, studies in dessert mediums, and a ginormous wine menu.

What we had:

We split an order of 5 skewers--mushroom, shrimp, lamb, pork and tuna. The skewers were served with sticky rice and tortillas. All in all a satisfying lunch. We <3 sticky rice. The meats were cooked well (the yakitori tableside warmer things are to finish them off), and seasoned properly.

Décor:

We ate outside, and the chairs were very comfortable with nice modern wood block backs. Enso also has dining couches.

Service:

S0-so. The guy was busy but he was trying.

Overall impressions:

Call me a sucker for a manifesto, but I'm intrigued by the absinthe & cheese dish and studies in dessert.

I can't find this place on Google, and that surprises me. Maybe they're just new.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 salamanders

Blue Martini

Martini bar & grill at the Galleria Mall.

What we had:

I had the lobster tacos--grilled Maine lobster with an avocado-mango slaw and mango habanero sauce in a flour tortilla. The lobster was cooked perfectly; the mango brought out the natural sweetness of the lobster and complemented the silkiness of the avocado perfectly. The portion size was just right--2 tacos, and I appreciated that the chef didn't then drown the dish in chips. I think there were 3 as a garnish. The fresh salsa and sour cream sauce were quite good as well. I also had a Key lime pie martini--Van Gogh Blue Vodka, KeKe Beach Key Lime Liqueur and cream, served with a Graham Cracker rim. Martini's are a tricky thing for me. I don't particularly like the taste of alcohol, and to me, this tasted stronger than what I would normally enjoy. The Key lime also wasn't as in-your-face as I like. But, I must say, the martinis--really a martini & 1/2, since they give you the shaker sidecar--will kick your ass. My DH and I had to walk it off and attempt to not drunk-shop.

My DH had the Prime beef tenderloin sandwich on rosemary olive oil Focaccia with fresh horseradish sauce, sprinkle of parmesan and smear of red pepper sauce. This was a great dish as well. The beef was cooked perfectly and the sauces were spot-on. I don't remember what martini he had--I think it was the classic shaken with Grey Goose--but I do remember that he really liked it.

Décor:

We ate outside.

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

We would definitely go back, even though drunk shopping is very, very dangerous. We lucked up, too--we hit happy hour, and everything was half off, so our bill was really reasonable--$9/sandwich, $7/martini.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Seasons 52 - Wine Bar and Restuarant

Seasons 52 has a refreshing and welcomed concept--seasonal food cooked well, with every dish under 475 calories. So, of course, I was geeking out before we even got there. My only minor quibble is that I'd like all that and local sourcing.

What we had:

I had the cedar-planked Atlantic salmon with fresh asparagus, sweet carrots and chive-roasted potatoes. The salmon was cooked nicely, and although I appreciated where the chef was going with this dish (preserving the delicate cedar-plank taste), the fish just needed... something. What, I don't know, but something. An herb, something. The carrots were great--tasted like candy. The asparagus and potatoes both needed seasoning: salt, garlic, herbs (I didn't taste chive at all), whatever. The meal was still pretty impressive, though.

My DH had a dish off the rotating side menu. For future note, that's the way to go. He had a roasted quail breast with maple sauce (really light sauce), sweet potatoes and mixed green beans & asparagus with garlic. His quail was freakin amazing. Neither of us had tried quail breast before, and the depth of flavor was amazing in this dish. We had both expected quail to taste like dark meat chicken or mildly greasy like duck--but this was something entirely different. I've now been tasked with cooking quail at home. The sweet potatoes were bland, and he ate most of the veggies, so I'm guessing they were good.

Décor:

Nice cherry-colored wood, crappy music.

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

I totally wish this place was closer. (It's at the Galleria in Ft. Lauderale) Though I might not get a struggle is suggesting we go back--there was a Bugatti Veyron parked out front.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Prezzo Martini Bar and Grill

The goal for the evening was to have cocktails. Preferably, to walk to said cocktails. We started out with Justin's in mind (I had read somewhere that Justin's was a friendly neighborhood bar & possibly grill), got to the door, and had to turn right back around--no sneakers allowed. We live on the other side of the lake. There is no freakin way I'm walking that far in heels. Just. Not. Happening. I'd rather drink sensibly elsewhere. So, after deliberation we decided to give "that martini-ish possible jazz place in Loehman's" a try.

What we had:

We both opted for drinks off the 'tini menu--I had the $14 nightly special--something supposedly featuring pomegranite juice, vodka and orange. I tasted the vodka, and the orange. There was coloring as if from something pomegranite-ish, but I didn't taste it. Possibly it was the ripped-off feeling getting in the way.

My DH had an alcoholic Shirley Temple tini thing. Same price. Vodka, grenadine, and possibly a hint of something else. I didn't care for his at all. I thought it was sickly sweet and tasted of lighter fluid.

We wanted tapas, so we settled for a combo appetizer for two--the Mediterranean Platter. Hummus (nicely seasoned), Babaganush (possibly the best-spiced I've ever tasted), Tazksiki, Sauteed Manouri Cheese, Roasted Mushroom, Roasted Pepper, Spinach Pies, Grape Leaves, Giant Beans, Olives, Pita Bread.

We were also served a basket of fresh mini-breads with my favorite topping in the world--roasted garlic. Needless to say, I was in bread heaven.

Décor:

The outside dining is nice. From what I saw of the inside, it's rather dark.

Service:

I think we had a waiter and waiter-in-training. Three or four people brought us things during the "meal" and the service was prompt.

Overall impressions:

Prezzo was not quite what we had in mind for the evening. We set out for relaxed and un-pretentious, what we got was a place with a high-end of mid price range (our appetizer was $30, most were in the mid-teens) that participates in Miami Spice. Our appetizer was quite enough food for the two of us for dinner, just not what we were expecting.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 salamanders--I reserve a full vote until we go back for dinner, though that Babaganush was really really good, and I'm a total sucker for roasted garlic.

Mama Fu's Asian House

Nouveau fast-food style Asian noodles for lunch (I think they do table service for dinner) in Hollywood.

What we had:

I don't remember the name of what I had, but it was a bowl of fresh noodles with shrimp, cucumber and a hoisin-style sauce. I could have done with a quarter of the sauce, but it wasn't unpleasant. The noodles were rather tasty. The shrimp, although overdone, wasn't cooked all to death and was pleasantly fresh.

My DH had the Pad Thai. It was pretty bland as Pad Thai goes (at least to us--needed more spice, more peanut, more nam bplah...just more) but other than the blandness, it wasn't bad.

Décor:

Lots of bold colors over black.

Service:

The food is brought to your table. The service is fast.

Overall impressions:

Not too bad. There are enough menu items from enough nationalities to keep me interested in theory. The noodles were very fresh, so that was good.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders--strictly average.

Cancun-Something Mexican Joint on Harrison @ the Circle in Hollywood

Can you tell I was underwhelmed? This is 1 of 2 "Mexican" places listed on the map @ the big circle in Hollywood. The other is Ginger Bay.

What we had:

I don't remember the name of what I had, but it was supposedly-spicy beef with fajita fixins and a whole 2 flour tortillas.

My DH might have had a chimichanga, though it tasted exactly like a burrito.

Décor:

Odd mix of big screen TVs, glow in the dark murals, a stage, and the obligatory Cinco de Mayo beer posters.

Service:

We were excited the meat portions of our entrees came out right.

Overall impressions:

Have they been to Cancun? Does Cancun-style food mean something else in the U.S.? Did I miss a memo? Almost everything on the menu is buried in cheese sauce and there's nary a black bean in sight. Most menu items come swimming in either a mole-ish sauce or some other "red" sauce as well. This place was not great. Not great at all. Not even a good drunken greasy spoon place, and I <3 White Castle.

I'm not even going into what anyone says, since I can't remember the name.

Rating:

1.5 out of 5 salamanders

Casavana Cuban Cuisine

Bright Cuban restaurant with a pretty large menu near the Zoo.

What we had:

I had the Cubano Regular, which was just what you would expect from a Cuban sandwich. Toasty, crusty bread, tasty tasty pork, melty cheese.

My DH had the Medianoche, also what one would expect. We still haven't decided which we like better.

Décor:

Bright, well-lit, open-feeling.

Service:

Pretty decent.

Overall impressions:

Much better than we had expected. It looks kind of like a chain from the outside, but the food is just right. The food was light, and there are plenty of options on the menu for anyone to get into. The prices are also very reasonable. For the 2 sandwiches, a side of fries and 2 soft drinks, our bill was only $19.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 salamanders

The Daily Creative Food Co.

Great little lunch spot with a journalist theme. Convenient since it's right across the street from the New Times and a few blocks from the Herald. The menu is ginormous.

What we had:

I had the Mermaid salad--mixed greens, grilled shrimp, goat cheese, corn, shredded carrot, strawberries, candied pecans, raspberry vinaigrette. This was a really good salad. Fresh, more tastes and textures than I knew what do do with, and well put together.

My DH had the Miami Today Prime Time sandwich--roast beef, pepperjack, horseradish mayo, crispy onions. The crispy-fried onions really made this sandwich.

Décor:

Oversized prints of old comics on the walls, newspaper clipping tabletops.

Service:

Pretty decent.

Overall impressions:

A great lunch spot when you just don't know what you want, you only know you don't want it to be too unhealthy.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 salamanders

CineBistro

Cocktails, dinner & a movie in 1, and no one under 21 allowed. CineBistro is a movie theater/restaurant combo located in the Dolphin Mall. The deal: Come half an hour before your movie starts, have a seat at the bar for pre-show cocktails or wait to be seated in plush leather armchairs with movable trays. Once seated, you order your meal, dessert & drinks and they bring it all out at once--tapas style; once the trailers start, service is discontinued. Payment is at the door for the movie ($30/2) and as you order (the meals are seemingly well-priced, but we still ended up spending $70 total for the two of us--watch out for the $5 beers).

What we had:

I had a decent shrimp and veggie burrito with red cabbage slaw. The shrimp had a nice grill taste, and the burrito was pretty good. My DH had a decent Cuban sandwich and fries.

Décor:

Really nice red leather seats--the whole place is very plush with a nice low-key feel.

Service:

Pretty decent.

Overall impressions:

This would be a perfect date or get away from the kids for an evening place, but it's just not practical enough to become an everyday movie place. If you were to go out to dinner and a movie separately (averaging $30 for a meal (sans alcohol) with similar quality and $20 for the movie tickets), CineBistro comes out $20 more. But with CineBistro, you have the added ambiance and the really, really easy to make it a special night feel. The vibe just feels "grown up" here. I don't think I'm willing to drive all the way there, battle the mall crowds and pay more than I'd like to see a movie often, but were I on a date or have small children, this place would be on my short list of places to while away a few hours.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 salamanders

100% Natural Restaurant

"Mexican" health-ish food, though I'm skeptical about the 100% natural part. I'm thinking their definition of "natural" might be pretty liberal.

What we had:

Pretty bland but still okay chicken crispy tacos and (for the second time in as many days) not what I ordered--I ordered chicken & beef tacos with cactus and got beef & 16 tons of onion tacos. The beef was nice, but it was way overpriced for what we got.

Décor:

Lots of that lime/avocado-ish green that seems to be synonymous with "health" lately. And a fake palapa over the counter.

Service:
Okay, though the order was messed up.

Overall impressions:

I was excited to see somewhere that was somewhat healthy at the mall (Dolphin Mall). Most dishes did seem to at least not go for the stereotypical US cheese-laden Mexican dishes, offering instead more Southern Mexican-style choices. Tons of sandwiches, too.

No company website; what Google says

Rating:

2.5 out of 5 salamanders (bland, but better than the food court)

Maya Tapas Grill

Spanish-style-ish tapas place in the Lincoln Road Mall, Miami Beach. Lured in by the over-dressed cleave-sporting hostesses speaking broken English and talking up the 2 for 1 happy hour, we decided to stop for a bite (mostly because we were hungry and almost out of restaurants until the theater).

What we had:

Rubbery, generic calamari

Carpaccio that wasn't very edible at all, and I'm glad we were dining by candlelight, since the meat had so much lemon juice it had ceviche-d.

Huge cold cuts platter (which we didn't order--we actually order the big ass cheese, fruit & meat platter which was more expensive) with okay-quality meats. The serrano ham was pretty good, the mortadella was decent, the rest was generic.

and a chickpea and chorizo dish in a little cermic low bowl thing, which was pretty decent if a bit bland.

Décor:

Burgundy everywhere and candlelight.

Service:
Oppressive. The busboys/waiter assistants/whatever hadn't perfected the art of inconspicuous hovering and lept straight for the fingers on the bread plate before asking if they could take it level. Woe be to you if you don't want water, either. Hide the glasses!

Overall impressions:

We were so lied to. Maybe we didn't understand the hostess in the din of street traffic, or maybe it was her accent, but we totally didn't get the 2 for 1 special. Our dinner ended up costing roughly around $60. $30, okay. Won't do it again, but not horrible. $60, total ripoff.

I can't find them on either Google (sans ad) or any company website. Just as well.

Rating:

2 out of 5 salamanders (a ripoff, but edible)

Cafe @ Books & Books

Bookstore/cafe in the Lincoln Road Mall, Miami Beach.

What we had:

I had the smoked chicken/sauteed onion/goat cheese/chevre panini with mixed greens and guava bbq sauce. This was a really good sandwich. The chicken was delicately smoked--almost with a pork taste--and the ooey gooey cheese was a great counterpoint to the crusty, nice-quality ciabatta. The greens were nicely dressed.

My DH had a burger cooked medium. The beef quality was nice and the cheese was well done. Same great ciabatta with fries.

The meal also came with a starter--a really nice black bean hummous with nice, sharp garlic and light & airy crackers. The tropical tea was spot-on as well. Exactly what we needed on a day where the heat index crept up close to 100.

Décor:

As everywhere in the Lincoln Road mall, this is a great place for people-watching and hanging out on a Saturday afternoon.

Service:
Not bad.

Overall impressions:

Nice menu, good quality food, and books! What's not to love?

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Juice & Java

Natural food chain with a massive menu of sandwiches, pastas, entrees, juices, salads, soups, etc. and a small health convenience food market.

What we had:

I had the Billy Wrap: organic brown rice, grilled Tilapia, feta, avocado, spinach, sprouts, Miso dressing, Monterey Jack cheese. Nice, balanced flavors, great Tilapia, and it felt good to eat--no grease, and although I left feeling like I was having a food baby, it wasn't the wrap's fault. I blame that on the Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Pineapple smoothie I chugged down. (fantabulous)

My DH had the Chicken Caesar Wrap: grilled chicken, organic greens, Monterey Jack cheese & natural Caesar dressing. The chicken had a great flavor, the dressing wasn't overpowering and organic greens are always welcome. He also had an Orange, grapefruit & banana smoothie.

Décor:

Small, lots of healty convenience foods for sale.

Service:
Friendly. the manager was behind the counter talking to customers, many of whom seemed to come on a regular basis.

Overall impressions:

A nice place to grab a bite. The menu is massive with something for everyone--from the need to be tricked into eating healthy set to the uber-hippie.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Bari Pizza

Take out or delivery pizza joint

What we had:

We ordered a 10" pepperoni and a 10" mushroom pizza for delivery. Both were pretty great. The crust was just what you want--crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Not overpowering sauce with a nice spice balance, good cheese, good quality toppings. This is now our favorite delivery pizza.

Décor:

My apartment

Service:
The quickest pizza I've gotten in a long, long time. We were quoted half an hour on a Saturday, and they delivered with time to spare.

Overall impressions:

pretty great for pizza. I'm leery of the steaks, seafood and pasta dishes, but maybe I'll work my way up to there.

No real company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Joe's Crab Shack

We've been curious about this chain for awhile--we'd heard good things about it but dismissed them out of hand since it's a chain and we live near the beach.

What we had:

I had an 18-piece shrimp bucket seasoned with Old Bay. I was craving slightly-overcooked shrimp, and this hit the spot. Peel & eat yummy goodness.

My DH had the Snow Crab bucket. As much as I hate to admit it, the crab beat my Publix brand frozen crab hands-down. The crab was succulent, not too sopping wet, and tasted great. The corn side was rubbery and had been sitting out way too long--the new potatoes were okay.


Décor:

Junk shop explosion. Boats, sharks, crab, you name it--hanging from the ceiling, on the walls, on the tables, etc.

Service:
So-so.

Overall impressions:

This place is pretty good. The prices aren't bad, the quality is pretty decent.. not bad. I've heard it's a really raucous place at night--I think the waitstaff sings or dances--and the drink menu looks good.


Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Bambina's Pizza

Eat at the bar or walkin down the street place to shop for a slice in South Beach.

What we had:

I had a tomato/basil white pizza slice.

My DH had a pepperoni slice.

The pizza here is fresh, the sauce is not overpowering--nice, crisp crust. What's not to love?


Décor:

Take-out pizza joint

Service:

Not much service, though the cashiers/pizza guys are decently friendly.

Overall impressions:

Maybe it's partially since this is the first place we ate at in Miami when we came down to scope the place out before moving here, but we totally love this place. It's about $5 a slice, but it's worth it. Bambina's is still our #2 pizza spot in Miami-if we were within the delivery area, i'm sure it would be #1.

Keep in mind if you go, you have to get a token from the cashier to get into the bathroom, and the bathroom has no mirror.



Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Granny Feelgood's

Healthy (but not insane vegan) nuveau fast/casual but with a menu style eatery in Aventura.

What we had:

I had a grilled chicken sandwich with some sort of sweet but not heavy glaze, avocados, red pepper with a side of tortilla chips. It wasn't bad. I think it was called the Bahama Chicken Panini.


My DH had a chicken quesadilla. Although it had a lot of cheese like any quesadilla, this one at least wasn't greasy.


Décor:

Modern-ish, nice, mild, safe.

Service:

Not bad. More attentive than usual at this type of place.

Overall impressions:

It was pretty good. My sandwich, while nothing special, was tasty and I didn't leave feeling bogged down with grease or 16 tons of meat, so that was nice. The menu here is rather large--they have the obligatory smooties, salads, wraps, paninis, burgers, etc. but also some pretty good looking entrees as well. Most items are health in disguise style--non-threatening dishes with small substitutions on the side of low fat/low sodium. They even have a raw foods salad, and a few vegan dishes. No bacon in sight (at least no pig bacon, they do have the turkey variety). I appreciate where they're going with the menu, but I do think it's a tad overpriced. I don't want to pay as much for a sandwich as an entree.

The main sandwich side is store-bught tortilla chips (non-greasy, of course) and for an extra $2.50 you can get sweet potato fries. On top of your $10 sandwich. I would like to see the sandwiches go down a buck or so, and the side-switching price be dropped to $1.00 on the outside, then this place won't feel like quite so much of a gyp.

The company website is a creepy franchise information only page that says something about another location being closed; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Scorch Grillhouse & Wine Bar

Steak/sandwiches grill in Aventura.

What we had:

I had the Blackened Tilapia Tropical Fruit Salad--mixed greens, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, black-bean corn salsa, tropical fruits and shaved red onion with a chimi-style vinaigrette. A pretty decent salad--the tilapia was cooked well, and the fruit was fresh.


My DH had a chicken sandwich with pepper jack, bacon and grilled chicken--a nice, if messy, sandwich.


Décor:

We ate on the patio.

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

Solid.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Uncle Tom's BBQ

It was one of those meals that reminds you what's so great about being a carnivore. One of those wtf is wrong with vegetarians? meals.

What we had:

I had the pork platter with fries and cassava. Although I had envisioned pulled pork, the pork came out in slices. It's not Carolina style, but it wasn't bad at all. The sauce was pretty tasty, too. I found a side item I don't like, to0--cassava. It was gross. I'm not sure what the texture is supposed to be like or the taste, but it was mushy yet fibrous, and aggressively bland.

My DH had the ribs, and yet again, he got the better dish. These were unsnap your pants good. Sweet & smoky & cooked to perfection.


Décor:

BBQ joint. Wood, picnic tables.

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

My DH and I had both been craving BBQ and it was making us homesick--this place totally reminded us what's great about the pig. Pig is great. We found this place with our noses--they spit-roast a pig over coals in the parking lot. Totally awesome.

No company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Nexxt Cafe

Sitting outside, under a big umbrella with fabulous food & people watching--what's not to like?

What we had:

I had the Indochine Salad--Sliced chicken breast with mixed greens, red & yellow peppers, green beans, cucumber, mango & wantons in an asian vinaigrette with macadamia nuts and sesame seeds. Wow. This salad was super-fresh, well-balanced and freakin huge. I ordered the lunch size, and holy crap it could have fed 2 easily.

My DH had the Baja Chicken Tacos--three soft flour tortillas filled with spicy chicken breast, cheese, slowly-grilled onions, fresh cilantro & avocado. Served with black beans & rice. His was huge, too. Huge, but really, really good.


Décor:

We sat outside under a huge network of umbrellas.

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

The menu is a book with something like 1,000 dishes offered--so there is something for absolutely everyone here. The perfect place to take a group. We will definitely be back.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Burritos Grill Cafe

Well, we can't eat at Ver-Daddy every weekend, can we? This is a Yucatan-style Mexican entree/burrito joint hybrid.

What we had:

I had pibil pork tacos: Yucatan-style shredded pork on corn tortillas with the ubiquitous rice & beans side. All of the necessary components were there--achiote, slow cooking, and finely diced pink onions. This dish was good. Not I'm never eating at the other Mexican joints I love in town good, but it was good for a change.

My DH had a chicken burrito thing, that was well-spiced and toasty on the outside.

Décor:

A mix of sparse and typically Mexican (clay and iron vs. sombreros).

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

Not bad. Not my favorite, but I didn't want to cry.

No company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Grand Lux Cafe

Aah! It's another mall restaurant!

What we had:

Appetizers.

Double Stuffed Potato Spring Rolls
Creamy Mashed Potatoes with a Touch of Green Onion, Rolled in Crispy Asian Wrappers Topped with Melted Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Green Onion. Served with Sour Cream

This was my DH's favorite appetizer of the night. This grown-up potato skin was perfectly balanced in flavor and texture, and looked really good on the plate. Baked, not fried. The applewood bacon's taste didn't come across as applewood--a term I think is bandied about way too freely.

Duck Potstickers
Duck Breast, Shiitake Mushrooms and Crispy Vegetables in a Spicy Hoisin Sauce. Steamed then Sauteed until Crisp

This was our least favorite. The sauce was decent (though I thought it was Ponzu), and the dumplings were cooked well, but you couldn't tell the meat was duck. It tasted like pork.

Asian Nachos
Crispy Fried Wontons Covered with Chicken in a Sweet-Hot Peanut Sauce. Topped with Wasabi Cream and Melted Cheese

This was a neat appetizer. The sauce would be cloying in large doses, but it was just this side of fine here. The wasabi cream helped. I don't remember melted cheese on the nachos at all, but it could have been under the sauce. The rice in the middle of the dish was smoky mexican-style and a neat flavor balance. I think this was my favorite appetizer.

Décor:

They were going for something--my DH and I had a difference of opinion of exactly what. He thought Asian, I thought grande European hotel ballroom. Either way, it was interesting, though the jewel toned and billiard green velvet booths totally didn't go.

Service:

Our server was knowledgeable and helpful.

Overall impressions:

Not too shabby. So far this is the most exciting place we've eaten at the mall. The menu is really varied, verging on chaos. They have a dish from just about everywhere and something for just about everyone. A good family compromise if you don't mind a chain.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Original Pancake House

South Florida-based pancake house in the "international" style. But actually international.

What we had:

I had the potato pancakes and 2 eggs on the side.

The potato pancakes were great--a good balance of potato fluffiness and crispiness. served with sour cream & applesauce. The eggs were pretty good. They came unseasoned--I ordered over medium--1 came over medium, 1 came over hard--connected, no less. Interesting.

My DH had the sausage in a pancake blanket.

The pancakes were really good--real butter milk, fluffy, light. The sausage was top-notch, too.

Décor:

Nothing special

Service:

Decent.

Overall impressions:

This place was a pleasant surprise. The menu is impressive--and full of ads. I have a need to go back and order something called a "dutch baby." it looks like a big bread bowl with some sort of whipped cream in the center. I must have it. In fact, I have my next 4 meals planned out.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Islamorada Fish Co.

"Keys" influenced fish restaurant attached to Bass Pro Shops/Outdoor World.

What we had:

Great bread, yet again. This bread was sweet Bimini-style bread--soft, sweet, with crumbles of brown sugar on top. Mmmmmm....

I had the grilled create-your-own combo--grilled local dolphin (blackened) and grilled sea scallops (fresh roasted garlic style).
The dolphin was light, the blackened seasoning spot-on. the scallops were pretty impressive. They were actually cooked right (gasp!). One on the end was even a hair underdone. The garlic topper made a great addition to my baked potato. The "fresh" vegetable side--not so much. Edible, but that's it.

My DH had the fried create-your-own combo--fried Florida grouper and crab cakes.
The batter was pretty good--not overpowering flaky style. The crab cake was decent, but a matter of personal/regional choice--there was plenty of crab in that cake.

Décor:

Chain fish restaurant decor with a nice vertical tank in the middle of the room.

Service:

Decent.

Overall impressions:

We were out first day of hurricane season indulging my doomsday-scenario paranoia shopping and starving. This place was a pleasant surprise. We expected frozen fishsicks, and got a decent meal. And, as a bonus, we're now prepared for the apocalypse.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders

Grill Time

Kosher steak house on Biscayne in Aventura.

What we had:

Let's start with the bread. Our meal came with fresh pitas and too many sides to remember for the starter. Not even a starter, just with the bread. Baba Ganoush (spelled wrong, but the best i've ever had), egg salad, potato salad, chickpeas, corn relish, sliced carrots, a roasted tomato salsa thing, beets that weren't bad (I generally hate beets with a passion), and possibly more. I forget. This was amazing. I could have eaten just this and been full.

I had the Gaza Strip Steak: "A delicately prepared masterpiece, marinated in rich juices, and sizzled to a thick tenderness. Our strip steak personifies the words "Great Steak." It is served with a side of chimichurry."
Holy crap. The steak was perfectly done (rare), nearly fork tender, and one of the most flavorful sliced steaks I've ever eaten. The chimichurry was good, too.

My DH had the Beef Short Ribs: "These tender large ribs are marinated, then grilled slowly till sweet & succulent, served on our beer-battered onion bread."
This was amazing, too. The beef was falling apart tender and the collagen had fully released, giving yummy rich goodness to the dish. The ribs had a sweet glaze that set the comforting goodness off perfectly. Our only gripe was that we couldn't get the marrow out of the bones--the glaze had sealed the ends rock-hard.

The sides weren't anything to write home about (except for the rice, but we're suckers for well-seasoned white rice), but who's counting?

Décor:

Low light like a steakhouse should have, dark wood, gold walls. Pretty minimalist.

Service:

Good.

Overall impressions:

Jews rock. This is not your dad's steak house, and we are sorry we've waited so long to try this place. We left ridiculously full. We need an excuse to go back. This place is freakin great. We learned something new, too--Israel has a good selections of wines. Had no idea.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 salamanders

Brasserie Les Halles

I had no idea this place existed outside of NYC. Part 2 of 2 of an 'appetizers in the gables' day. The goal was to meander the Mile, shop, nibble. I was not impressed by the Miracle Mile in general--I'm guessing the 'miracle' is how 575 bridal spots exist cheek-by-jowl in a one-mile strip. It was a nice day to walk around, though.

What we had:

Appetizers only.

Croutons de Coulommiers rotis eu miel et poivre: Honey-roasted peppered Brie on croutons with salad.

Too-sweet Brie on slightly burnt baguette with a nice light mixed salad. There was no real balance to this dish. The honey was a bit cloying--the pepper didn't balance it right. And, the crouton was pretty burnt.

Frites.

My DH makes great fries, so i'm a bit biased there. They were good, but I didn't want to lay down & die.

We got bread here, too. I'm pretty sure it wasn't baked on site.

Décor:

Dark burgundy paint--the latest layer of what looked like years and years of color-changes. Very French posters on the wall.

Service:

Decent.

Overall impressions:

We were excited to try this place because we love Tony Bourdain, and we're food geeks. Having said that, my objective opinion is meh. The place seems to be in love with its own mythos--Les Halle posters and all--and I'm hoping that their classic dinner of steak & frites will be better. The logo is great--french-kissing cows--hard to go wrong there.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

2 out of 5 salamanders-- we have a difference of opinion here. My DH says 2--I was leaning toward a 3--but that's not objective. Ok, if you factor in the price ($10 for the brie appetizer worth half that at best) it's a solid 2. Hopefully we can bump that up after going back for dinner.

Por Fin

I heard about this place on miami.com, and had to try it. Part 1 of 2 of an 'appetizers in the gables' day. The goal was to meander the Mile, shop, nibble. I was not impressed by the Miracle Mile in general--I'm guessing the 'miracle' is how 575 bridal spots exist cheek-by-jowl in a one-mile strip. It was a nice day to walk around, though.

What we had:

Appetizers only.

Tuna Tartare: Ahi tuna, avocado, mango, caviar, yogurt and soy sesame vinaigrette.
This was everything you could want from a tuna tartare--well-balanced tastes/textures from the velvety avocado to the succulent mango and melt-in-your-mouth tuna. A garnish of I'm guessing radish or alfalfa sprouts lent a great little backbone to the dish. While the essence of caviar didn't come across as caviar, (we forgot it was in there until I read it on the menu just now) the dish came across as perfectly balanced while eating it. And it was pretty, to boot.

Eggs at Por Fin: Fried eggs served with potato creme, potato crisps, serrano ham and truffle oil.
This was one of those 'holy crap' dance in your seat dishes. The tuna was fantabulous, but this was freakin awesome. The eggs were perfect, pillowy, and full of eggy goodness; the potato creme was creamy, balanced velvet caressing your palate; the crisps lent body and crunch; the ham, soft saltiness. My mouth is watering writing about it, it was so good. I don't remember tasting truffle, but i don't care. it was that good.

And, we got great crusty bread with kick-ass tomato accompaniments (a grilled? tomato relaish and fresh, bright tomato relish).

Décor:

Understated elegance--bright white tables, espresso wood trim, neat b&w photography.

Service:

Good.

Overall impressions:

Must. go. back. I fell the need for a big-ass dinner cooked by this chef.

Company website; Google says nothing.

Rating:

5 out of 5 salamanders

Siam River Thai and Sushi Bar

Thai/sushi/Japanese joint on 163rd near the Intracoastal 8 theater.

What we had:

We did an appetizer night:

Mee Krob--(Thai) The lightest of crispy noodles toasted in a delicate honey sauce with shrimp, chicken and crab. This was a fantabulous appetizer; sweet, crunchy, savory... it was everything we wanted, and my favorite.

Interesting pork thing whose name I can't remember--(Thai) A bizarre (but good) ground pork/ginger/lemongrass/peanut/onion/acerbic lime + sauce mixture on a bed of iceburg with tomato and cucumber garnish. It was odd, odd but good. The peanuts (or Mee Krob) were essential to balancing the acidic pork.

Sakesu--(Japanese) Salmon, crab, cream cheese & scallion sushi roll wrapped in paper-thin cucumber with vinegar sauce. My DH was not a fan. While I enjoyed the roll, the vinegar overpowered the other tastes. I enjoyed the cucumber substitution.

Hamachi--(Japanese) Grilled fish collar with ponzu sauce. I'm not quite sure what fish this was from; some sort of flaky white fish, but it really doesn't matter. This dish was fabulous. The grilled outside leant just the right amount of smoky crispiness, giving a nice counterpoint to the buttery richness of the meat. And ponzu is awesome. This one was arguably our second-favorite, though a strong contender for first.

Décor:

We ate outside; the inside was tastefully done.

Service:

Not great at all--we waited 10 mins to be greeted. But, at least our server was apologetic.

Overall impressions:

We're totally going back. There are 2 separate menus (Thai and Japanese) and enough that excited me on both to say I need to go back at least 3 more times to fully experience the restaurant.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Try My Thai with Sushi

Thai/sushi joint in the trying-to-be-renovated downtown Hollywood "hip" section.

What we had:

I had a gator dish; my DH had Pad Thai. The gator (the less spicy one on the menu) was great in the first bite... fried really well, the vegetables were spot-on, but got really salty toward the end. I'm hoping this was just an off night, because the basic flavors were really good. It just got way too salty, and I couldn't finish. The Pad Thai was the same way. The Thai iced tea, however, was great.

Décor:

It's in an old building, so beware of a slight mildew smell. The decor is dark, and done tastefully.

Service:

Not bad.

Overall impressions:

I'd like to go back. Next time I will definitely up the spice quotient.

No company website; what Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders (with reservations)

Ver-Daddy's Taco Shop

Hipster taco shop.

What we had:

A chicken soft taco, pork in chile verde soft taco and chicken crispy rolled taco. The chicken was deliciously spicy; just hot enough to sting the lips. The pork was spiced well and cooked to perfection. The tacos tasted fresh and light; the perfect balance between fast food and sit-down restaurant.

Décor:

We ate outside. We went during the MiMo festival, so there was tons going on outside.

Service:

We went during the MiMo festival--the owner or manager was walking around, passing out free rolled tacos while you waited for your order. He seemed genuinely excited about the product he was offering, and he had every right to--this place is fabulous.

Overall impressions:

Moe who? My only complaint is that this place is too far to walk to.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Bu's Beachfront Grill

Typical beachside dive bar & grill with no "theme".

What we had:

Grouper fingers and a french dip. The grouper fingers were straight off the Sysco truck. Not good at all, and there was a whole basketful of them. I think my DH's sandwich was decent. I didn't taste it. His fries were edible.

Décor:

We ate outside. It's right on the boardwalk, so it's a good place to people-watch and stare at the surf (if you can see around the tacky beer flags).

Service:

Terrible. The large-chested girl that waited on us in beachwear was pretty much absent the whole time, and the owners periodically came out to gripe at each other about drama between them and the either the restaurant on the other side of the building, or the bar up the street.

Overall impressions:

A total waste of a meal. I would rather eat at McDonald's. There are way too many good-smelling, interesting places to eat further down the boardwalk (we parked at the Oceanside Mall and this was the first place we saw that looked easy and simple). At least it wasn't Jimmy Buffett-themed. There is that.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

2 out of 5 salamanders

Andiamo!

Excited pizza in North Miami Beach located in the 55th street station (a few hipster-style restaurants and a boutique in the middle of Miami's version of urban sprawl)

What we had:

A pie with meatballs all over; half egglplant, half pepperoni. The crust was perfectly done (New York style thin and crispy), the cheese was abundant and fresh and the toppings were really good. I think a human actually made the meatballs. The eggplant wasn't fried, either. The topping selection is also impressive, and fresh. The sauce was nice and light, too, with a bright flavor. The menu is pretty extensive, with a large selection of decently-priced specialty pizzas, salads, paninis, philly steak & cheese sandwiches and beer.

Décor:

We saw this place while driving to the beach last weekend, and I fell in love with the architecture. It's grey, arch-y and has neat chairs out front. Sometimes picking a place to eat because it's pretty is a good plan. Luckily, this was one of those times.

Service:

Decent.

Overall impressions:

So far, it's our favorite pizza in town.

Company website; what Google says

Rating:

4 out of 5 salamanders

Latin American Bayside Cafe

Great latino food overlooking the water... what more could you ask for?

What we had:

We had 2 versions of Cuban sandwich. The regular on a regular Cuban roll and the midnight on a sweet Cuban roll. Neither of us are sure which bread was the best. The sweet complimented the perfectly cooked pork nicely, while the regular offered a nice crunch. Both were great.

Décor:

See the first line. What more could you want?

Service:

Good service.

Overall impressions:

We will definitely be back. The food was really good, and the menu was huge. There was also a live band starting up in the stage area of the mall/boardwalk/whatever, and that was great.

What Google says

Rating:

3 out of 5 salamanders