Modern steakhouse with an International flare on Lincoln Road.
What we had:
I had the ancho and coffee rubbed buffalo filet with chipotle mole butter. I liked mine--the buffalo was butter knife tender, if on the tasteless side with no accompanying fat, but was rich and velvety with the added butter.
My DH had the ancho and coffee rubbed bone-in filet mignon with chipotle mole butter. The coffee taste was a bit aggressive for my Dearest Husband's taste, but the steak was nice and buttery. The bone was a bit cumbersome, but too intriguing of a menu choice to pass up.
We did have a gripe with the steaks--they tasted a bit flat. Needed some salt or acid or something. At this price point ($50), one expects absolute perfection, and that's not what we got. Don't get me wrong; the steaks were good, but were missing that little something to make them truly great.
We split the truffled mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and sauteed Brussels sprouts with onions and bacon, topped with almonds. The truffle mashed was silky, rich and delicious, but the real star of the meal was the sprouts. These sprouts were sauteed to nutty golden perfection, which was bolstered with sweetness from the onions and rich smokiness from the bacon, with the almonds lending just the right amount of crunch.
We also had a trio of chocolate dessert--chocolate lava cake, ice cream and a wafer and mousse sandwich. Although chocolate is neither of our favorite, this was a nice dessert and not too sweet.
The table snacks- wasabi peas, spiced hominy and fresh corn nuts- were a nice addition, and the bread was fresh and plentiful.
We also had sommolier-recommended wines from Argentina, which were both nice. Can't remember the names, but they were great.
Décor:
Rich blacks and ivories with gorgeous warm lighting reflected off of multiple smoked glass and lighted acrylic surfaces.
Service:
Great; from the hostess to the sommolier and bussers. We had reservations for my birthday and everyone was very friendly, attentive and gracious.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. Not our favorite steak in town--that honor still goes to Bourbon Steak--but not a bad alternative on this side of town. This would make a great date or hang out after work for an expensive drink place.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Brio Tuscan Grille
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I'm pretty sure this is a large chain--we went to the Gulfstream Village location--but it was nice to visit an Italian restaurant to spark our own imaginations for new & different pasta variations.
What we had:
I had the Pasta Brio- rigatoni with grilled chicken and seared mushrooms in a roasted red pepper sauce. This was a nice dish, with moist chicken and a great sauce.
My DH had the Pasta Alla Vodka- delicate handmade pasta filled with ricotta with crispy pancetta, garlic and basil in a tomato Parmesan cream sauce. This was a great dish, with soft pillowy cheesy purses, nice bacon smoke and a great light sauce. The only gripe was that there wasn't more.
The table bread is nice and fresh.
We also had some sort of chocolate cake with caramel dessert shot, which was pretty great.
Apple cider martini- cinnamon spiced apple cider with spiced captain Morgans rum and brandy. It wasn't horrible...at first. Then, the drink warmed up and all I tasted was alcohol. My DH assured me I was crazy, and the drink was just fine.
Trivento Reserve pinot noir from Argentina. My DH really enjoyed his glass of wine; I thought it smelled like nasty vinegar.
Décor:
Obnoxiously Tuscan.
Service:
Great. Our waiter was very personable and gracious.
Overall impressions:
Not bad for an Italian chain & the price was great ($50).
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Pasta Brio- rigatoni with grilled chicken and seared mushrooms in a roasted red pepper sauce. This was a nice dish, with moist chicken and a great sauce.
My DH had the Pasta Alla Vodka- delicate handmade pasta filled with ricotta with crispy pancetta, garlic and basil in a tomato Parmesan cream sauce. This was a great dish, with soft pillowy cheesy purses, nice bacon smoke and a great light sauce. The only gripe was that there wasn't more.
The table bread is nice and fresh.
We also had some sort of chocolate cake with caramel dessert shot, which was pretty great.
Apple cider martini- cinnamon spiced apple cider with spiced captain Morgans rum and brandy. It wasn't horrible...at first. Then, the drink warmed up and all I tasted was alcohol. My DH assured me I was crazy, and the drink was just fine.
Trivento Reserve pinot noir from Argentina. My DH really enjoyed his glass of wine; I thought it smelled like nasty vinegar.
Décor:
Obnoxiously Tuscan.
Service:
Great. Our waiter was very personable and gracious.
Overall impressions:
Not bad for an Italian chain & the price was great ($50).
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Moshi Moshi
|
Sushi joint on Biscayne Blvd. in Upper East Side/MiMo.
What we had:
Volcano roll
Jumbo BBQ eel roll
California roll with snow crab
Edamame
The rolls were good. Not the best I've ever eaten, but good quality with nice tight wrapping. My sushi-hating DH even enjoyed his Cali roll (which had fresh crab meat).
Décor:
Warm and small with anime movies or Asian TV projected on the walls.
Service:
Prompt.
Overall impressions:
Not a bad little place, and sine it's in walking distance, we should go more often.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
Volcano roll
Jumbo BBQ eel roll
California roll with snow crab
Edamame
The rolls were good. Not the best I've ever eaten, but good quality with nice tight wrapping. My sushi-hating DH even enjoyed his Cali roll (which had fresh crab meat).
Décor:
Warm and small with anime movies or Asian TV projected on the walls.
Service:
Prompt.
Overall impressions:
Not a bad little place, and sine it's in walking distance, we should go more often.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Surf Road Taco
|
A hole in the wall Mexi-Cali surf shack taco joint in Hollywood right next to 'the tracks'.
What we had:
My DH and I both ordered taco platters--2 tacos with rice & beans.
The portions were large for the price ($5.95 for land meat & $6.95 for seafood). The table chips were greasy & old-ish, but the salsa was nice and fresh.
I had a South Bay grilled Mahi Mahi taco with shredded green cabbage, pico and cilantro lime sour cream & a Big Spender taco with shredded pork, lettuce, tomato and guacamole. The Mahi was tender and well-seasoned and the accompaniments gave a nice taste to the taco. The pork was moist, if a bit under-seasoned, and the accompaniments worked well.
I also had black beans, which were cooked from dried and were nicely seasoned. The rice was lightly seasoned and fluffy. If edible rice in a Mexican restaurant is a new trend, I would like to request from the trend-setter powers that be that it continue.
My DH had the Big Spender & the Frube--shredded chicken with lettuce, cheese, pico & sour cream. He enjoyed the pork taco, but said the chicken was nothing special and aggressively drowned in sour cream.
My DH also had the refried beans, which were not good at all. They were oddly spiced & tin-canny with a lingering bizarre metallic taste. They made me shudder.
All tacos come with flour tortillas. Corn is available upon request. We stuck with flour, and they were decent.
Décor:
Run-down surf shack. To be fair, the building itself is old & run-down.
Service:
We were the only patrons for most of our meal, and the small staff was friendly & accommodating.
Overall impressions:
Overall, the tastes weren't bad.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
My DH and I both ordered taco platters--2 tacos with rice & beans.
The portions were large for the price ($5.95 for land meat & $6.95 for seafood). The table chips were greasy & old-ish, but the salsa was nice and fresh.
I had a South Bay grilled Mahi Mahi taco with shredded green cabbage, pico and cilantro lime sour cream & a Big Spender taco with shredded pork, lettuce, tomato and guacamole. The Mahi was tender and well-seasoned and the accompaniments gave a nice taste to the taco. The pork was moist, if a bit under-seasoned, and the accompaniments worked well.
I also had black beans, which were cooked from dried and were nicely seasoned. The rice was lightly seasoned and fluffy. If edible rice in a Mexican restaurant is a new trend, I would like to request from the trend-setter powers that be that it continue.
My DH had the Big Spender & the Frube--shredded chicken with lettuce, cheese, pico & sour cream. He enjoyed the pork taco, but said the chicken was nothing special and aggressively drowned in sour cream.
My DH also had the refried beans, which were not good at all. They were oddly spiced & tin-canny with a lingering bizarre metallic taste. They made me shudder.
All tacos come with flour tortillas. Corn is available upon request. We stuck with flour, and they were decent.
Décor:
Run-down surf shack. To be fair, the building itself is old & run-down.
Service:
We were the only patrons for most of our meal, and the small staff was friendly & accommodating.
Overall impressions:
Overall, the tastes weren't bad.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
El Santo Coyote
|
This Mexican restaurant/seafood grill was voted the Best of Miami 2010 for tacos. Located on Dixie Highway in Homestead.
What we had:
Tacos al Pastor & Tacos Carne Asada with rice & beans.
The tacos were true Mexican-style with fresh corn tortillas, cilantro & white onion, and they were fabulous. The beans were fresh and I could've eaten about 10 more tacos & a pint of beans. And wonder of all wonders, I even loved the rice. I hate Mexican rice.
Décor:
An interesting mish-mash of all things Mexican, from brightly-colored pottery on the table, to whole dining sections done up in aged wood and iron.
Service:
The day we went was short-staffed due to the Wings Over Homestead Air Show, so the service we received isn't necessarily indicative of the level of service generally provided. That said, we watched our waiter and the food runners frantically rush around to cover all the directions in which they were being torn. Our waiter was gracious and welcoming and, if not the best, at least in the top three waiters we've had in Miami.
Overall impressions:
This place looks like a Miccosukee Indian Reservation level tourist trap from the outside, with it's jumble of Mexican pottery and handicrafts. They're smart, too in placing the women's bathroom such that you walk through a room stacked with richly-painted terra cotta frogs and the like.
Ignore that. For the price, El Santo is tied with Ernestos in Cutler Bay for the best true Mexican-style tacos around. Talavera technically tastes better, but they are also twice the price and a gourmet operation.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
Tacos al Pastor & Tacos Carne Asada with rice & beans.
The tacos were true Mexican-style with fresh corn tortillas, cilantro & white onion, and they were fabulous. The beans were fresh and I could've eaten about 10 more tacos & a pint of beans. And wonder of all wonders, I even loved the rice. I hate Mexican rice.
Décor:
An interesting mish-mash of all things Mexican, from brightly-colored pottery on the table, to whole dining sections done up in aged wood and iron.
Service:
The day we went was short-staffed due to the Wings Over Homestead Air Show, so the service we received isn't necessarily indicative of the level of service generally provided. That said, we watched our waiter and the food runners frantically rush around to cover all the directions in which they were being torn. Our waiter was gracious and welcoming and, if not the best, at least in the top three waiters we've had in Miami.
Overall impressions:
This place looks like a Miccosukee Indian Reservation level tourist trap from the outside, with it's jumble of Mexican pottery and handicrafts. They're smart, too in placing the women's bathroom such that you walk through a room stacked with richly-painted terra cotta frogs and the like.
Ignore that. For the price, El Santo is tied with Ernestos in Cutler Bay for the best true Mexican-style tacos around. Talavera technically tastes better, but they are also twice the price and a gourmet operation.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
American Noodle Bar
|
Long anticipated Asian-influenced gourmet noodle bar based out of a motel in the Upper East Side.
What we had:
I had a bowl of noodles with honey shallot sauce, 3-hr duck & mixed veggies. The sauce was very light--I only tasted the first bite or two, but the duck was amazing. The veggies were nice, if a bit sparse for my taste.
My DH had the bacon sauce with garlicky pork meatballs. The bacon sauce was smoky perfection that covered each noodle well. The meatballs were good, garlicky as advertised, and moist.
The jury is out as to whether the thick spaghetti-style noodles are fresh or not. They're good either way.
Décor:
Decor is cute--one long, low black table with little stools and a half bar against the wall. Black woods & chalkboard wall. Siracha on the table with tiny bonsai trees. Asian without being tacky. You also can't go wrong with Bruce Lee on the flat screen & The Beastie Boys on the radio.
Service:
Quick serve style with a friendly and efficient staff.
Overall impressions:
We will definitely go back many times for lunching search of the perfect sauce/topping mix.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had a bowl of noodles with honey shallot sauce, 3-hr duck & mixed veggies. The sauce was very light--I only tasted the first bite or two, but the duck was amazing. The veggies were nice, if a bit sparse for my taste.
My DH had the bacon sauce with garlicky pork meatballs. The bacon sauce was smoky perfection that covered each noodle well. The meatballs were good, garlicky as advertised, and moist.
The jury is out as to whether the thick spaghetti-style noodles are fresh or not. They're good either way.
Décor:
Decor is cute--one long, low black table with little stools and a half bar against the wall. Black woods & chalkboard wall. Siracha on the table with tiny bonsai trees. Asian without being tacky. You also can't go wrong with Bruce Lee on the flat screen & The Beastie Boys on the radio.
Service:
Quick serve style with a friendly and efficient staff.
Overall impressions:
We will definitely go back many times for lunching search of the perfect sauce/topping mix.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
La Bamba Spanish & Mexican Restaurant
|
We happened to be in Lauderhill and decided to visit this place on a suggestion from Yelp. Yelp gives it a high orange rating, and the reviews were mainly glowing.
What we had:
The table chips were greasy and flat; the salsa was watery and fairly tasteless.
I had the shredded beef burrito with mushrooms and refried beans in a brown sauce and my DH had the chicken burrito with green sauce & cheese.
The meat was so-so, with the same seasoning used for both. My mushrooms were nearly non-existent, but I was starving so could have missed them. I wasn't stopping to savor. My DH said his wasn't terrible.
The beans were canned.
Décor:
Interesting richly-detailed dwirlt Mayan-esque paint accents with natural colors and adobe home arch shapes.
Service:
Quick.
Overall impressions:
Wtf is wrong with Yelp? Our first clue should have been the unexciting menu. Boring American Mexican (think Mexican restaurants in the midwest or in the South in the 90s; cheese and sauce-covered dishes with the same 3 ingredients configured multiple Taco Bell Menu ways) with "Spanish" dishes that have little to do with the Spanish cuisine I know. The menu also has a distinct lack of pork.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
The table chips were greasy and flat; the salsa was watery and fairly tasteless.
I had the shredded beef burrito with mushrooms and refried beans in a brown sauce and my DH had the chicken burrito with green sauce & cheese.
The meat was so-so, with the same seasoning used for both. My mushrooms were nearly non-existent, but I was starving so could have missed them. I wasn't stopping to savor. My DH said his wasn't terrible.
The beans were canned.
Décor:
Interesting richly-detailed dwirlt Mayan-esque paint accents with natural colors and adobe home arch shapes.
Service:
Quick.
Overall impressions:
Wtf is wrong with Yelp? Our first clue should have been the unexciting menu. Boring American Mexican (think Mexican restaurants in the midwest or in the South in the 90s; cheese and sauce-covered dishes with the same 3 ingredients configured multiple Taco Bell Menu ways) with "Spanish" dishes that have little to do with the Spanish cuisine I know. The menu also has a distinct lack of pork.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Mangos on Las Olas
|
I think this place is some kind of holdover Fort Lauderdale standard. Every time we're on Las Olas, it seems to be fairly busy and I could picture Blanche Deveraux lunching here.
What we had:
I had the chipotle chicken sandwich--moist chicken, nice balance with crispy applewood smoked bacon, not terribly present charred onions, and a chipotle BBQ sauce that leant a nice tang but no chipotle taste at all. Good ciabatta bun. Smashed potatoes were nice but bland.
My DH had the burger-- perfect mid rare, nice quality beef, bun could have been beefier.
Décor:
I don't think it has been redecorated since the early 90s. We ate in some sort of sunny lenai, which is an improvement over the cave-like interior seating area. The place looked on first glance like it was going to smell of mildew, but thankfully did not.
Service:
The food took forever to come out and our server needed a helmet.
Overall impressions:
Odd pricing structure, with sandwiches only about a dollar cheaper than entrees. Surprising lack of mango on the menu. Menu needs copy re-vamping. You'd think the tea would be tropical.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders, mostly for the service
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the chipotle chicken sandwich--moist chicken, nice balance with crispy applewood smoked bacon, not terribly present charred onions, and a chipotle BBQ sauce that leant a nice tang but no chipotle taste at all. Good ciabatta bun. Smashed potatoes were nice but bland.
My DH had the burger-- perfect mid rare, nice quality beef, bun could have been beefier.
Décor:
I don't think it has been redecorated since the early 90s. We ate in some sort of sunny lenai, which is an improvement over the cave-like interior seating area. The place looked on first glance like it was going to smell of mildew, but thankfully did not.
Service:
The food took forever to come out and our server needed a helmet.
Overall impressions:
Odd pricing structure, with sandwiches only about a dollar cheaper than entrees. Surprising lack of mango on the menu. Menu needs copy re-vamping. You'd think the tea would be tropical.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders, mostly for the service
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Boteco
|
Brazilian steak & other food joint/ex-pat hangout.
What we had:
Chix croquettes w catupiry cheese--nice but rich toward the last bite. Our favorite of the meal.
Mixed basket of fried turnovers-shrimp--very shrimpy (which I loved, but my DH not so much) and on the dry side, ground beef with an olive--ok, and cheese--can't remember the name, but it was light in taste and creamy.
Chopped filet & fries--the fries were pretty great. The meat wasn't bad. Could use some seasoning, but not bad.
Overall, the meal wasn't bad, but it needed seasoning.
Décor:
Very open. The bar area is open to the outdoor seating area. Total shade, with a nice amount of fan breeze. Very comfy.
Service:
Decent.
Overall impressions:
If you're from South America, this would be a great hangout. We saw families getting together, mingling after meals and greeting friends as they walked in. As outsiders, we felt welcomed into the relaxed atmosphere and were even greeted with the offer of a shared French fry by the toddler many tables were fawning over. To their credit, he was freakin adorable and a happy little sparkly personality.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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Miami Food Truck Roundup
|
Nacho Mama
Nacho Mama is a Mexican-style truck based out of Key Largo.
We had the Nachos--Initial impression: Not bad. Better than Taco Bell, in fact. Which is saying a bit of something, because even though it's Taco Bell, I still end up going back at least once a year. Nacho Mama nachos are served Taco Bell style, with seasoned beef, gooey cheese, sour cream, beans, and tomato chunks. The nacho cheese tasted fresh, the toppings were plentiful and the chips were fresh but on the greasy/stale side. I'd go back, but not for the nachos.
Twitter @NachoMamasGrill
The Fish Box
Fish Box is the mobile version of Miami favorite La Camaronera, which has been serving up seafood since 1966.
We had the Minuta Sandwich--A fresh tail-on fried red snapper filet, on a fresh Cuban roll. The bread was slightly chewy, the batter was well seasoned and the fish remained juicy. great batter. The sandwich was good, but a bit on the heavy side; maybe not the best dish to follow Michael's Genuine pork belly. I would definitely go back and would like to try the shrimp sandwich next.
Twitter @LaCamaronera
Michael's Genuine Food Cart
Michael's Genuine only rolls the food cart for special occasions, and changes the menu for each. I was near-devastated to find out my special favorite popcorn ice cream wasn't on the menu this time.
We had the Pork Belly Sandwich--A fabulous sandwich with melty porky goodness, quick-pickled onions and cilantro garnish. Yum. As you all know, my taste buds are carrying on a torrid love affair with Michael's Genuine, and this food cart offering did nothing to deter me from that. I'd go back in a heartbeat and try anything on the menu.
Twitter @MGFD_MIA
Gastropod
I'm a little pissed off at Gastropod. Gastropod usually only rolls out during special events, which is fine--that's totally their prerogative. What pisses me off is that they spend an inordinate amount of time traveling to other parts of the country, while missing "home base" events (and still having the hutzpah to campaign for Miami-based food truck accolades). More power to them for trying to expand, but don't neglect your base to do so. Too much too fast. Go for it, just open a second Miami-only truck.
We had the Banh Mi Tacos (again). The pork in these tacos is amazing. See the full review here.
Even though I feel neglected by the 'pod, and even though it took an abysmally long time to get my order--it took over 15 mins. (during which time I almost dropped from overheating on the hot blacktop while certain clusters of people were served dish after dish), I will keep coming back. The food is consistently amazing, and I'm dying to sample more dishes.
Twitter @gastroPodMiami
Latin House Grill
We had the $10 Sampler Plate--The burger was great-juicy & meaty, the pork taco was good-flavorful & juicy, the steak taco was dry, the nachos were a throw away and I wasn't into the fried plantain meat thing at all--the taste of bananas and meat together in a dense, greasy fried packet was just too much for me. I would go back for the burger or pork taco.
Twitter @latinhousegrill
Dels Lemonade
We had a frozen lemonade, which was something a bit special. Shaved ice with fresh lemon rind and Splenda. I was overjoyed that this was sugar-free and could have snacked on a bucket worth.
Dim Ssam A Gogo
Korean-style food truck outcrop of Sakaya Kitchen in Midtown.
We had the Kurobuta Ssam--"Ddae ji" sous vide pork belly with fresh kimchi and house made ssamjanj in a Bibb lettuce leaf--the sauce was good; lots of great stuff going on there, but it killed the porkiness of the pork belly.
Cover'd & Chunk'd Tots--spicy tator tots covr'd in spicy cheese & chunk'd w/galbi beef--Not terribly spicy, but good.
Overall, I'd go back. I'm still cautiously optimistic, perhaps because I stalk this truck on Twitter and they're the masters of positive re-tweets.
Twitter @SakayaKitchen
Jefe's Original Fish Tacos & Burgers
We had the Ensenada Style Fish Taco-- beer batter crispy fish in corn tortilla with shredded green cabbage, pico, crema & lime. This taco had nice crispy & not-too-greasy fish with a pleasant balance of crunch & juice.
Tacos Carnitas--Seasoned slow-roasted pork on a corn tortilla with chopped onion, cilantro, roasted salsa verde & lime. This taco was a standout. The pork was really something special. This is the dish that will keep us coming back over other taco trucks. Latin Burger was ok, but this pork is somethin' special.
Twitter @jefesoriginal
Nacho Mama is a Mexican-style truck based out of Key Largo.
We had the Nachos--Initial impression: Not bad. Better than Taco Bell, in fact. Which is saying a bit of something, because even though it's Taco Bell, I still end up going back at least once a year. Nacho Mama nachos are served Taco Bell style, with seasoned beef, gooey cheese, sour cream, beans, and tomato chunks. The nacho cheese tasted fresh, the toppings were plentiful and the chips were fresh but on the greasy/stale side. I'd go back, but not for the nachos.
Twitter @NachoMamasGrill
The Fish Box
Fish Box is the mobile version of Miami favorite La Camaronera, which has been serving up seafood since 1966.
We had the Minuta Sandwich--A fresh tail-on fried red snapper filet, on a fresh Cuban roll. The bread was slightly chewy, the batter was well seasoned and the fish remained juicy. great batter. The sandwich was good, but a bit on the heavy side; maybe not the best dish to follow Michael's Genuine pork belly. I would definitely go back and would like to try the shrimp sandwich next.
Twitter @LaCamaronera
Michael's Genuine Food Cart
Michael's Genuine only rolls the food cart for special occasions, and changes the menu for each. I was near-devastated to find out my special favorite popcorn ice cream wasn't on the menu this time.
We had the Pork Belly Sandwich--A fabulous sandwich with melty porky goodness, quick-pickled onions and cilantro garnish. Yum. As you all know, my taste buds are carrying on a torrid love affair with Michael's Genuine, and this food cart offering did nothing to deter me from that. I'd go back in a heartbeat and try anything on the menu.
Twitter @MGFD_MIA
Gastropod
I'm a little pissed off at Gastropod. Gastropod usually only rolls out during special events, which is fine--that's totally their prerogative. What pisses me off is that they spend an inordinate amount of time traveling to other parts of the country, while missing "home base" events (and still having the hutzpah to campaign for Miami-based food truck accolades). More power to them for trying to expand, but don't neglect your base to do so. Too much too fast. Go for it, just open a second Miami-only truck.
We had the Banh Mi Tacos (again). The pork in these tacos is amazing. See the full review here.
Even though I feel neglected by the 'pod, and even though it took an abysmally long time to get my order--it took over 15 mins. (during which time I almost dropped from overheating on the hot blacktop while certain clusters of people were served dish after dish), I will keep coming back. The food is consistently amazing, and I'm dying to sample more dishes.
Twitter @gastroPodMiami
Latin House Grill
We had the $10 Sampler Plate--The burger was great-juicy & meaty, the pork taco was good-flavorful & juicy, the steak taco was dry, the nachos were a throw away and I wasn't into the fried plantain meat thing at all--the taste of bananas and meat together in a dense, greasy fried packet was just too much for me. I would go back for the burger or pork taco.
Twitter @latinhousegrill
Dels Lemonade
We had a frozen lemonade, which was something a bit special. Shaved ice with fresh lemon rind and Splenda. I was overjoyed that this was sugar-free and could have snacked on a bucket worth.
Dim Ssam A Gogo
Korean-style food truck outcrop of Sakaya Kitchen in Midtown.
We had the Kurobuta Ssam--"Ddae ji" sous vide pork belly with fresh kimchi and house made ssamjanj in a Bibb lettuce leaf--the sauce was good; lots of great stuff going on there, but it killed the porkiness of the pork belly.
Cover'd & Chunk'd Tots--spicy tator tots covr'd in spicy cheese & chunk'd w/galbi beef--Not terribly spicy, but good.
Overall, I'd go back. I'm still cautiously optimistic, perhaps because I stalk this truck on Twitter and they're the masters of positive re-tweets.
Twitter @SakayaKitchen
Jefe's Original Fish Tacos & Burgers
We had the Ensenada Style Fish Taco-- beer batter crispy fish in corn tortilla with shredded green cabbage, pico, crema & lime. This taco had nice crispy & not-too-greasy fish with a pleasant balance of crunch & juice.
Tacos Carnitas--Seasoned slow-roasted pork on a corn tortilla with chopped onion, cilantro, roasted salsa verde & lime. This taco was a standout. The pork was really something special. This is the dish that will keep us coming back over other taco trucks. Latin Burger was ok, but this pork is somethin' special.
Twitter @jefesoriginal
Gigi Now
|
Open late Asian-influenced noodle bar/tapas joint in Midtown, helmed by Top Chef contestant Jeff McInnis & a prolific restauranteur team.
What we had:
We split an order of Pork Gigi Buns--These buns had explosive flavor, with tender and nuanced pork on soft, pillowy buns. Each order comes with two buns; I could have eaten twice that amount easily by myself.
I had the Caribbean Shrimp Pad Thai--I'm not sure what was Caribbean about the dish, but it did have some nice smoke from the wok, and a great balance of flavors. It was however, a bit heavy toward the bottom. I ate it down to the last drop, but the last quarter or so was on the greasy side.
My DH had the Pork Ramen--between the pork bins and the Stella on tap, my DH's tastebuds picked his second bite in to blow out, so he really couldn't taste much at all. I tasted the dish, and found the shredded pork to be infused with Five Spice powder, the broth to be rich and meaty, and the noodles to be quite satisfying.
My DH had Stella Artois on tap, I had the sweet tea, and I swear the tea tasted like it had corn in it. Not an altogether unpleasant taste, but a bit alarming at first.
Décor:
Looks a lot like home, with exposed concrete, floor-to-ceiling windows and lots of white subway tiles.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
I would go back, especially for a late bite.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
We split an order of Pork Gigi Buns--These buns had explosive flavor, with tender and nuanced pork on soft, pillowy buns. Each order comes with two buns; I could have eaten twice that amount easily by myself.
I had the Caribbean Shrimp Pad Thai--I'm not sure what was Caribbean about the dish, but it did have some nice smoke from the wok, and a great balance of flavors. It was however, a bit heavy toward the bottom. I ate it down to the last drop, but the last quarter or so was on the greasy side.
My DH had the Pork Ramen--between the pork bins and the Stella on tap, my DH's tastebuds picked his second bite in to blow out, so he really couldn't taste much at all. I tasted the dish, and found the shredded pork to be infused with Five Spice powder, the broth to be rich and meaty, and the noodles to be quite satisfying.
My DH had Stella Artois on tap, I had the sweet tea, and I swear the tea tasted like it had corn in it. Not an altogether unpleasant taste, but a bit alarming at first.
Décor:
Looks a lot like home, with exposed concrete, floor-to-ceiling windows and lots of white subway tiles.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
I would go back, especially for a late bite.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
The Morgans Restaurant
|
Updated American homestyle comfort food served out of a cute 20s-style house on the Wynnwood art districts' doorstep.
What we had:
I had the meatloaf sandwich with a house salad--the sandwich was served open-faced on a nice crusty slice of toast. Though the menu listed smoky mashed potatoes as the side dish, I was asked what side I wanted and mash wasn't an option, so I chose a side salad. The salad was nice, with dark leafy greens, watermelon radish slices, cherry tomatoes and a nice light vinaigrette. The dinosaur-sized slab of meatloaf was decent, if a bit dry and dense in the center. The tomato glaze on the outside was pretty great. I missed the potatoes.
My DH had the twice-marinated pulled pork sandwich with fries. The pork was succulent and coated in a sweet but non-obtrusive BBQ sauce, and the sandwich was served on a nice bun. The fries were fries, but at least they were fresh.
Décor:
We ate in the downstairs part, which was cute in it's spa-like whites and light woods; the music selection (classic rock) added to the unifying menu theme.
Service:
Enthusiastic.
Overall impressions:
A cute little place, and so close...
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the meatloaf sandwich with a house salad--the sandwich was served open-faced on a nice crusty slice of toast. Though the menu listed smoky mashed potatoes as the side dish, I was asked what side I wanted and mash wasn't an option, so I chose a side salad. The salad was nice, with dark leafy greens, watermelon radish slices, cherry tomatoes and a nice light vinaigrette. The dinosaur-sized slab of meatloaf was decent, if a bit dry and dense in the center. The tomato glaze on the outside was pretty great. I missed the potatoes.
My DH had the twice-marinated pulled pork sandwich with fries. The pork was succulent and coated in a sweet but non-obtrusive BBQ sauce, and the sandwich was served on a nice bun. The fries were fries, but at least they were fresh.
Décor:
We ate in the downstairs part, which was cute in it's spa-like whites and light woods; the music selection (classic rock) added to the unifying menu theme.
Service:
Enthusiastic.
Overall impressions:
A cute little place, and so close...
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Wild East
|
Asian Bistro on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale.
What we had:
We split the edamame, which was great, as it is everywhere we have ever ordered it.
I had the Bistro Chicken--juicy chicken chunks in a lightly sweet/spicy black bean sauce with mushrooms and fried garlic slivers. This was a tasty dish, and not too salty. A good balance between sweet, spicy, crunchy and rich.
My DH had his favorite dish, Kung Pao Chicken. This was a nice, grown-up rendition of the dish, with juicy non-fried chicken.
Décor:
Modern Asian-inspired design in tranquil colors.
Service:
Not bad. The waitstaff was attentive and had all black outfits with neat red messenger-style aprons.
Overall impressions:
A great lunch.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
We split the edamame, which was great, as it is everywhere we have ever ordered it.
I had the Bistro Chicken--juicy chicken chunks in a lightly sweet/spicy black bean sauce with mushrooms and fried garlic slivers. This was a tasty dish, and not too salty. A good balance between sweet, spicy, crunchy and rich.
My DH had his favorite dish, Kung Pao Chicken. This was a nice, grown-up rendition of the dish, with juicy non-fried chicken.
Décor:
Modern Asian-inspired design in tranquil colors.
Service:
Not bad. The waitstaff was attentive and had all black outfits with neat red messenger-style aprons.
Overall impressions:
A great lunch.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tacontento
|
Updated Urban taqueria off of Lincoln Road behind the CB2 block (next to the Miami Beach Convention Center parking deck).
What we had:
I think it was called the Tacontento Platter. A 2-3 person platter with all meats, 2 quesadillas, queso, guacamole, 2 flautas, grilled green onions and sauteed green peppers and onions. We added a basket of fresh fried tortilla chips and a side of refried pinto beans.
Table salsas were nice--avocado, hot with not much else going on, tomatollo, pico.
Décor:
Bright and cheery Mexican-influenced decor. We watched the chefs shave the tacos al pastor off the vertical spit in the open kitchen and a woman make fresh tortillas with a really cool rolling tortilla press/cutter.
Service:
Decent.
Overall impressions:
Pretty great. The menu has enough variety to keep us coming back.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I think it was called the Tacontento Platter. A 2-3 person platter with all meats, 2 quesadillas, queso, guacamole, 2 flautas, grilled green onions and sauteed green peppers and onions. We added a basket of fresh fried tortilla chips and a side of refried pinto beans.
Table salsas were nice--avocado, hot with not much else going on, tomatollo, pico.
Décor:
Bright and cheery Mexican-influenced decor. We watched the chefs shave the tacos al pastor off the vertical spit in the open kitchen and a woman make fresh tortillas with a really cool rolling tortilla press/cutter.
Service:
Decent.
Overall impressions:
Pretty great. The menu has enough variety to keep us coming back.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Dancing In The Kitchen With Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef
|
Today's post is somewhat of a departure from my general reviews of Miami (and beyond) restaurants, but I think its something you will enjoy and the like may just become a regular feature on this blog. I recently got the chance to preview a few recipes from the recently-released cookbook "Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef" by Shauna James and Danny Ahern. You may know Shauna from the blog "Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef" or from their joint National Pork Board blog "Pork, Knife & Spoon". Following is an account of my adventures making three recipes from the new book. In preparing this (huge) meal, I followed the recipes as dutifully as possible, resisting the urge to throw a big handful of greens into the mix.
Fresh Gluten-Free Pasta and Pasta with Anchovies, Lemon and Olives
This picture is a cheat.
From the outset, I suspected the fresh gluten-free pasta might fail. Despite scouring Miami (ok, looking at Publix and Whole Foods), I couldn't find two ingredients; guar gum and quinoa flour. According to Bob's Red Mills' website, xanthum gum can be used in place of guar gum and quinoa flour can be made from ground-up quinoa. So, I thought maybe I was in business, since I had quinoa at home and had just picked up a bigillion dollar ($11) bag of xanthum gum. Wrong! My dough wouldn't combine to save its life, resulting in a tacky mass that, although resembling play doh like the recipe said, would not suffer being put through the pasta machine or being rolled out. So, I cheated. I cheated big time. Since I don't have wheat allergies and since every bit of rice-based pasta that hits this house gets gobbled up in seconds, I turned to my trusty bag of egg noodles. Sorry, Shauna, I feel like I let the recipe down. I gave it the college try, the beginnings of tears… my husband even came over to try and salvage it. All to no avail. I didn't even have the heart to take the sad little lump's picture.
The taste: I loved this pasta, cheat or no. I thought the brine of the olives and capers balanced well with the umami of the anchovies and the brightness of the lemon. My darling, dearest husband (DH) even ate a bit, though he detests olives so much I can't even sneak them into dishes, despite my best efforts.
Seared Shrimp with Garlic-Almond Sauce
This shrimp dish was great and the garlic-almond sauce is going to make it into the growing rotation of sauces-to-be-tossed-with-dinner. Right alongside Italian Salsa Verde from Bon Appetit, green pesto, red pesto and chimichurri.
Chocolate Peanut-Putter Brownies
Yum! Let me say, this recipe is great (and I made it right! Go me!). I am not a baker--far from it; I usually beg my DH to bake on the rare occasions (holidays) we have desserts--I have zero patience and I hate, detest, and abhor measuring. Well, I did it. I did it and I did it right. These brownies (possibly the first I've made since college), were light, fluffy and satisfyingly peanut-buttery. I don't even generally like brownies; these might just not last the night.
The Takeaway
Gluten-free cooking isn't hard. Sure, recipes like pasta might take a little planning and some special ingredients (I'll have that bag of xanthum gum till kingdom come), but once you get the guidelines down, its really no harder than "regular" cooking. Come to find out, most of my (non-pasta) cooking is naturally gluten-free already.
As for the book, I can't wait until I get the rest of it. I've been following Shauna's blog for little over a year. Her love of family, food and life sparkles through the screen--so much so, that I feel I know her just a bit already; reading her new posts are always like talking to an old friend. I can't wait to curl up with the book and continue our conversation.
Further Reading: Shauna is also author of the book "Gluten-Free Girl: How I found the Food That Loves Me Back… And How You Can Too". Go Buy It! Go buy the books together: both will only run you $28 on Amazon; a small price to pay for an author with such a deep love of food and life. I guarantee they'll be a good read.
Fresh Gluten-Free Pasta and Pasta with Anchovies, Lemon and Olives
This picture is a cheat.
From the outset, I suspected the fresh gluten-free pasta might fail. Despite scouring Miami (ok, looking at Publix and Whole Foods), I couldn't find two ingredients; guar gum and quinoa flour. According to Bob's Red Mills' website, xanthum gum can be used in place of guar gum and quinoa flour can be made from ground-up quinoa. So, I thought maybe I was in business, since I had quinoa at home and had just picked up a bigillion dollar ($11) bag of xanthum gum. Wrong! My dough wouldn't combine to save its life, resulting in a tacky mass that, although resembling play doh like the recipe said, would not suffer being put through the pasta machine or being rolled out. So, I cheated. I cheated big time. Since I don't have wheat allergies and since every bit of rice-based pasta that hits this house gets gobbled up in seconds, I turned to my trusty bag of egg noodles. Sorry, Shauna, I feel like I let the recipe down. I gave it the college try, the beginnings of tears… my husband even came over to try and salvage it. All to no avail. I didn't even have the heart to take the sad little lump's picture.
The taste: I loved this pasta, cheat or no. I thought the brine of the olives and capers balanced well with the umami of the anchovies and the brightness of the lemon. My darling, dearest husband (DH) even ate a bit, though he detests olives so much I can't even sneak them into dishes, despite my best efforts.
Seared Shrimp with Garlic-Almond Sauce
This shrimp dish was great and the garlic-almond sauce is going to make it into the growing rotation of sauces-to-be-tossed-with-dinner. Right alongside Italian Salsa Verde from Bon Appetit, green pesto, red pesto and chimichurri.
Chocolate Peanut-Putter Brownies
Yum! Let me say, this recipe is great (and I made it right! Go me!). I am not a baker--far from it; I usually beg my DH to bake on the rare occasions (holidays) we have desserts--I have zero patience and I hate, detest, and abhor measuring. Well, I did it. I did it and I did it right. These brownies (possibly the first I've made since college), were light, fluffy and satisfyingly peanut-buttery. I don't even generally like brownies; these might just not last the night.
The Takeaway
Gluten-free cooking isn't hard. Sure, recipes like pasta might take a little planning and some special ingredients (I'll have that bag of xanthum gum till kingdom come), but once you get the guidelines down, its really no harder than "regular" cooking. Come to find out, most of my (non-pasta) cooking is naturally gluten-free already.
As for the book, I can't wait until I get the rest of it. I've been following Shauna's blog for little over a year. Her love of family, food and life sparkles through the screen--so much so, that I feel I know her just a bit already; reading her new posts are always like talking to an old friend. I can't wait to curl up with the book and continue our conversation.
Further Reading: Shauna is also author of the book "Gluten-Free Girl: How I found the Food That Loves Me Back… And How You Can Too". Go Buy It! Go buy the books together: both will only run you $28 on Amazon; a small price to pay for an author with such a deep love of food and life. I guarantee they'll be a good read.
Versailles
|
Old school Cuban restaurant/bakery/cultural center/community hub.
What we had:
We split the Versailles special and the midnight sandwich with a side of fries.
Versailles Special
A Cuban sandwich (thin-sliced ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, mustard and pickles on crusty Cuban bread) with fresh chorizo added.
Media Noche
A Cuban sandwich on sweet bread. The Versailles was great, but this sandwich is where it's at. Versailles created the original, and there's a reason they are still known for it. Hands down the best Media Noche bread I've had to date. And the pork, oh the pork. Don't get me started... Suffice it to say, we've had a lot of Cuban sandwiches and this now tops the list.
Décor:
Old school decorated mirrors and Formica tables. The waitstaff was also decked out in old school attire: forest green cotton poly tight-fitted uniform shirts and pants for the women, green vests over white button downs for the men.
Service:
Courteous and prompt with anyone passing near pitching in to clear the table, refill drinks, etc.
Overall impressions:
There's a reason this place is still around and still packed on a Friday night. It's good and they take care to prepare good Cuban food for good prices.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
We split the Versailles special and the midnight sandwich with a side of fries.
Versailles Special
A Cuban sandwich (thin-sliced ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, mustard and pickles on crusty Cuban bread) with fresh chorizo added.
Media Noche
A Cuban sandwich on sweet bread. The Versailles was great, but this sandwich is where it's at. Versailles created the original, and there's a reason they are still known for it. Hands down the best Media Noche bread I've had to date. And the pork, oh the pork. Don't get me started... Suffice it to say, we've had a lot of Cuban sandwiches and this now tops the list.
Décor:
Old school decorated mirrors and Formica tables. The waitstaff was also decked out in old school attire: forest green cotton poly tight-fitted uniform shirts and pants for the women, green vests over white button downs for the men.
Service:
Courteous and prompt with anyone passing near pitching in to clear the table, refill drinks, etc.
Overall impressions:
There's a reason this place is still around and still packed on a Friday night. It's good and they take care to prepare good Cuban food for good prices.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches
|
"Gourmet" fast sub chain.
What we had:
My DH and I were both starving and on our last legs the day we ended up at Jimmy John's. Like so starving, my usual quick chow time was whittled down to barely chewing as I wolfed my sandwich down. So, I don't remember much of the taste.
I do remember we both got the #8 sub. The menu touts the sandwiches as gourmet, but the selections are far from it. Gourmet in the sense that the quality is better than Subway, certainly; but that's not a high bar to vault. The most "fancy" sandwich item on the menu is avocado.
The bread is also touted as being French, but its not even close. Again, better than Subway.
I don't remember what was in the sandwich, only that it was really salty.
Décor:
Catchy slogans on tailor made tin signs made to emulate kitchy and coolness. They came off amusing at first, then overwhelming creeping over into annoying territory. The sign with the German guy sitting down and peeing across the room in the men's bathroom was amusing though, as were the signs forcefully proclaiming the Frenchness of the bread and the rules of the house.
Service:
Order at the front; the sandwiches come out fast.
Overall impressions:
Edible, certainly and I didn't feel like I had just eaten a meal full of pasteurized, preprocessed and pumped full of chemicals ingredients.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
My DH and I were both starving and on our last legs the day we ended up at Jimmy John's. Like so starving, my usual quick chow time was whittled down to barely chewing as I wolfed my sandwich down. So, I don't remember much of the taste.
I do remember we both got the #8 sub. The menu touts the sandwiches as gourmet, but the selections are far from it. Gourmet in the sense that the quality is better than Subway, certainly; but that's not a high bar to vault. The most "fancy" sandwich item on the menu is avocado.
The bread is also touted as being French, but its not even close. Again, better than Subway.
I don't remember what was in the sandwich, only that it was really salty.
Décor:
Catchy slogans on tailor made tin signs made to emulate kitchy and coolness. They came off amusing at first, then overwhelming creeping over into annoying territory. The sign with the German guy sitting down and peeing across the room in the men's bathroom was amusing though, as were the signs forcefully proclaiming the Frenchness of the bread and the rules of the house.
Service:
Order at the front; the sandwiches come out fast.
Overall impressions:
Edible, certainly and I didn't feel like I had just eaten a meal full of pasteurized, preprocessed and pumped full of chemicals ingredients.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Hurricane Grill & Wings
|
A faux Key West wing/beer/burger chain. We ate at the freshly-opened Midtown Miami location.
What we had:
I had the Mahi-Mahi ancho chile sandwich with kettle chips. The fish was juicy and thick, and the spice was nice. All in all, a pretty great sandwich. The chips were really greasy, nut at least they were fresh made.
My DH had the bacon burger with American cheese and fries. Neither the burger nor the fries were anything to write home about, but neither were they terrible.
Décor:
Cheesy Key West.
Service:
The restaurant had opened very recently, so there were a few bugs. We did get a roving floor manager stop-by, which was a nice touch.
Overall impressions:
Meh
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Mahi-Mahi ancho chile sandwich with kettle chips. The fish was juicy and thick, and the spice was nice. All in all, a pretty great sandwich. The chips were really greasy, nut at least they were fresh made.
My DH had the bacon burger with American cheese and fries. Neither the burger nor the fries were anything to write home about, but neither were they terrible.
Décor:
Cheesy Key West.
Service:
The restaurant had opened very recently, so there were a few bugs. We did get a roving floor manager stop-by, which was a nice touch.
Overall impressions:
Meh
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Baires Grill
|
Baires Grill is an Argentinian steak house/grill on Lincoln Road (right next to the Colony Theater). We stopped in on a whim--we were in the area to see Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and that was the closest dinner spot to the theater.
What we had:
I had the Grilled Milanese Baires (beef). In a stroke of adventurousness, I ordered this dish blind. The only description on the menu was the name and that it was topped with arugula and tomatoes. Apparently, Milanese style is code for chicken-fried. What arrived was 2 breaded and grilled super-thin paillards of possible beef covered in arugula and chopped hot house tomatoes. This dish was really dry. Like so dry, it took all my willpower to not succumb to the intense desire (near compulsion) to douse the whole thing with the table olive oil. Really, the only thing holding me back was the calorie count and the desire to have popcorn with the movie. I compromised, and choked down half dry and half with a little chimichurri. The breasting had a nice taste, which was good, because the possible beef had none at all. I had a baked potato as my side, which was also bone dry and powdery, even with 2oz. Of flavored sour cream.
My DH had the Skirt Steak, which was flame-grilled and so tender it was buttery. His ultra-creamy, super-buttery mashed potatoes were great, too.
The table bread was nice--ciabatta-style wheat with caraway seeds and French-style white.
Décor:
Steak house dark woods with enough white linen and sunlight to make the space feel open and airy despite it's shoebox size.
Service:
Decent for Lincoln Road, complete with a hostess wearing a dress so short it was probably a blessing she had a rather flat ass.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. The steak was superb, though I wouldn't recommend the Sahara-like Milanese to anyone.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Grilled Milanese Baires (beef). In a stroke of adventurousness, I ordered this dish blind. The only description on the menu was the name and that it was topped with arugula and tomatoes. Apparently, Milanese style is code for chicken-fried. What arrived was 2 breaded and grilled super-thin paillards of possible beef covered in arugula and chopped hot house tomatoes. This dish was really dry. Like so dry, it took all my willpower to not succumb to the intense desire (near compulsion) to douse the whole thing with the table olive oil. Really, the only thing holding me back was the calorie count and the desire to have popcorn with the movie. I compromised, and choked down half dry and half with a little chimichurri. The breasting had a nice taste, which was good, because the possible beef had none at all. I had a baked potato as my side, which was also bone dry and powdery, even with 2oz. Of flavored sour cream.
My DH had the Skirt Steak, which was flame-grilled and so tender it was buttery. His ultra-creamy, super-buttery mashed potatoes were great, too.
The table bread was nice--ciabatta-style wheat with caraway seeds and French-style white.
Décor:
Steak house dark woods with enough white linen and sunlight to make the space feel open and airy despite it's shoebox size.
Service:
Decent for Lincoln Road, complete with a hostess wearing a dress so short it was probably a blessing she had a rather flat ass.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. The steak was superb, though I wouldn't recommend the Sahara-like Milanese to anyone.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Coco Asian Bistro
|
Coco has a hip vibe and primarily Asian menu with a Thai bent, requisite sushi and bistro-style dishes like rack of lamb and steak.
What we had:
My DH and I split appetizers and our Thai restaurant gauge--the national dish of Thailand.
Edamame--The edamame was cooked perfectly and came with salt on the side. I think edamames multiply at the bottom of the bowl. This bowl was more than plentiful; so much so we didn't even finish.
Hamachi Kama-This fish collar is what fish would taste like were it butter. Mmmmm... Fish butter. Hamachi is pretty much always a standout dish, and this was the best we've had yet. Tender, flaky and just like butter. The accompanying tamarind sauce was great, too, and we ended up scooping up every little piece with our fingers.
Me Krob--Sauteed chicken and shrimp on a bed of sweet and tangy crispy vermicelli noodles with fresh bean sprouts and scallions. This dish walked the delicate balance between sweet, crunchy and sour.
Pad Thai--We had chicken. The Pad Thai was great, especially with the addition of Coco's vinegar chili sauce. Juicy chicken, well cooked noodles, and great tofu nuggets, but no lime or peanuts. I love lime, but the vinegar sauce (ask for it separately with chili flakes if you like heat) gave a great bite. Minus the condiments, the dish was a bit too sweet for me, but such is the joy of condiment-based cuisine.
Everything we had was excellent. All of the proteins were cooked perfectly and the flavors balanced nicely.
Décor:
Hip lounge decor with music straight from Alt Nation (the alternative rock station on XM Radio), mixed dark and light woods, subtle Thai touches (in the fabrics and canopied booths), atomic starburst-style chandeliers, and a cool white modern lounge wall. Not at all what you expect to see in a strip mall (albeit an upscale strip mall) in Fort Lauderdale.
Service:
Good.
Overall impressions:
This place is great and we will definitely be back. I would venture to say a crowd pleaser as well, since they serve non-Asian dishes.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
My DH and I split appetizers and our Thai restaurant gauge--the national dish of Thailand.
Edamame--The edamame was cooked perfectly and came with salt on the side. I think edamames multiply at the bottom of the bowl. This bowl was more than plentiful; so much so we didn't even finish.
Hamachi Kama-This fish collar is what fish would taste like were it butter. Mmmmm... Fish butter. Hamachi is pretty much always a standout dish, and this was the best we've had yet. Tender, flaky and just like butter. The accompanying tamarind sauce was great, too, and we ended up scooping up every little piece with our fingers.
Me Krob--Sauteed chicken and shrimp on a bed of sweet and tangy crispy vermicelli noodles with fresh bean sprouts and scallions. This dish walked the delicate balance between sweet, crunchy and sour.
Pad Thai--We had chicken. The Pad Thai was great, especially with the addition of Coco's vinegar chili sauce. Juicy chicken, well cooked noodles, and great tofu nuggets, but no lime or peanuts. I love lime, but the vinegar sauce (ask for it separately with chili flakes if you like heat) gave a great bite. Minus the condiments, the dish was a bit too sweet for me, but such is the joy of condiment-based cuisine.
Everything we had was excellent. All of the proteins were cooked perfectly and the flavors balanced nicely.
Décor:
Hip lounge decor with music straight from Alt Nation (the alternative rock station on XM Radio), mixed dark and light woods, subtle Thai touches (in the fabrics and canopied booths), atomic starburst-style chandeliers, and a cool white modern lounge wall. Not at all what you expect to see in a strip mall (albeit an upscale strip mall) in Fort Lauderdale.
Service:
Good.
Overall impressions:
This place is great and we will definitely be back. I would venture to say a crowd pleaser as well, since they serve non-Asian dishes.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
July 24, 2010
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Hot to death at The Warped Tour. Dillinger Escape Plan! Suicide Silence! Emmure! IWrestledABearOnce!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Spice Resto Lounge
|
Spice is a Brazilian cocktail lounge/restaurant/night club off of Young Circle in Hollywood. I went with a couple of former co-workers, "the ladies," for drinks & dinner.
What we had:
We lucked into half price drinks and appetizers (from 6-8), so we only ended up spending around $20 each.
Aside from our decent and strong drinks, we had:
Fresh fried calamari--light, perfectly-fried in fresh oil with marinara.
Grilled chicken and steak skewers--nicely seasoned and still juicy.
Beef mini empanadas--very well seasoned ground beef in lightly-fried non-flaky pastry with sour cream.
Chicken quesadilla--this was surprisingly tasty, with juicy chicken, nice onions, and not too much cheese served with guacamole and sour cream.
Fried plantain chips--fried long strips of plantain fried in fresh oil served with limey garlic sauce.
Some sort of Brazilian croquettes that started with a c--fried mashed potato dumplings stuffed with peas, cheese and something else served with a nice sweet and sour sauce.
All of the appetizers were tasty, and prepared from fresh ingredients with care.
Décor:
Decent. Dark and clubbish. The servers, while not technically decor, are something else. All of the female servers were dressed in some variation of a white bra and hipster underwear with fish nets and comfortable boots; the male waiters were dressed in tight white shirts. Some servers were more successful than others with the outfit, of course. Our bartender/server was adorable and had I an ass that looked like hers, I'd run around in undies all day too.
Service:
We were served by the bartender, who was very friendly and managed to be attentive even when the bar got busy.
Overall impressions:
This is a vibrant and fun little place. On the loud side for serious conversation unless you scream, but a great place to grab a bite & a drink. From what I've heard, Spice erupts into a wild party every night. From what we saw early on the evening, I'd believe it.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
We lucked into half price drinks and appetizers (from 6-8), so we only ended up spending around $20 each.
Aside from our decent and strong drinks, we had:
Fresh fried calamari--light, perfectly-fried in fresh oil with marinara.
Grilled chicken and steak skewers--nicely seasoned and still juicy.
Beef mini empanadas--very well seasoned ground beef in lightly-fried non-flaky pastry with sour cream.
Chicken quesadilla--this was surprisingly tasty, with juicy chicken, nice onions, and not too much cheese served with guacamole and sour cream.
Fried plantain chips--fried long strips of plantain fried in fresh oil served with limey garlic sauce.
Some sort of Brazilian croquettes that started with a c--fried mashed potato dumplings stuffed with peas, cheese and something else served with a nice sweet and sour sauce.
All of the appetizers were tasty, and prepared from fresh ingredients with care.
Décor:
Decent. Dark and clubbish. The servers, while not technically decor, are something else. All of the female servers were dressed in some variation of a white bra and hipster underwear with fish nets and comfortable boots; the male waiters were dressed in tight white shirts. Some servers were more successful than others with the outfit, of course. Our bartender/server was adorable and had I an ass that looked like hers, I'd run around in undies all day too.
Service:
We were served by the bartender, who was very friendly and managed to be attentive even when the bar got busy.
Overall impressions:
This is a vibrant and fun little place. On the loud side for serious conversation unless you scream, but a great place to grab a bite & a drink. From what I've heard, Spice erupts into a wild party every night. From what we saw early on the evening, I'd believe it.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Gastropod Food Truck
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We finally caught up to Gastropod at Fairchild Gardens' Mango Festival. As a side note, we always have kickers food at these events. Last time, it was Tropical Chinese and kettle corn. This time, it was Gastropod, an Indian joint in Pinecrest I must find, and more kettle corn. I dream about the kettle corn.
What we had:
Ban Mi Tacos--succulent pork with a quick-pickled carrot slaw, cilantro, and light sauce on soft corn tortillas. Fan. Freakin. Tabulous. Like holy crap good. Th pork was really out of this world and generously heaped on the tortillas.
We also had an all beef hot dog with stupid slaw on a potato roll. This was pretty good, but can't hold any real candle to the tacos. The dog was top quality, the roll was great and the slaw was pretty good; just not as good as the tacos. We must try the short rib burger. With an egg.
Décor:
Shiny, shiny prettiness.
Service:
Quick as a food truck can be with a cool vibe.
Overall impressions:
Why has it taken us this long to track this truck down??? What is wrong with us?! Its not like i don't Twitter stalk the 'pod. We won't make that mistake again.
Ooh, and for those of you in places not-Miami... Gastropod travels. Last time it was Asheville, NC. Next up is Charleston, SC. They also hit Bonnaroo this year.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
Ban Mi Tacos--succulent pork with a quick-pickled carrot slaw, cilantro, and light sauce on soft corn tortillas. Fan. Freakin. Tabulous. Like holy crap good. Th pork was really out of this world and generously heaped on the tortillas.
We also had an all beef hot dog with stupid slaw on a potato roll. This was pretty good, but can't hold any real candle to the tacos. The dog was top quality, the roll was great and the slaw was pretty good; just not as good as the tacos. We must try the short rib burger. With an egg.
Décor:
Shiny, shiny prettiness.
Service:
Quick as a food truck can be with a cool vibe.
Overall impressions:
Why has it taken us this long to track this truck down??? What is wrong with us?! Its not like i don't Twitter stalk the 'pod. We won't make that mistake again.
Ooh, and for those of you in places not-Miami... Gastropod travels. Last time it was Asheville, NC. Next up is Charleston, SC. They also hit Bonnaroo this year.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Buena Vista Deli
|
French bakery and sandwich joint between the Design District and Little Haiti.
What we had:
I had the Miss Piggy--pressed sandwich with roasted pork, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomatoes on fresh country bread. This was a nice and satisfying sandwich on a rainy day. Light.
My DH had the grilled cheese deli--Pressed sandwich with brie, mozzarella and swiss on fresh country bread. Also satisfying and light for a grilled cheese.
Décor:
Looks like a bakery/sandwich shop. Lots of white with black accents and interesting local photography.
Service:
Not bad. Prompt table service.
Overall impressions:
Kind of like Paul, and a little mire tasty. The sandwich toppings are top notch, but I kind of missed the side salad, and Paul has a larger menu.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders. We're not the only ones that enjoyed this place. BVD was voted "Best Sandwich 2010" from the Miami New Times
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What we had:
I had the Miss Piggy--pressed sandwich with roasted pork, caramelized onions, lettuce, and tomatoes on fresh country bread. This was a nice and satisfying sandwich on a rainy day. Light.
My DH had the grilled cheese deli--Pressed sandwich with brie, mozzarella and swiss on fresh country bread. Also satisfying and light for a grilled cheese.
Décor:
Looks like a bakery/sandwich shop. Lots of white with black accents and interesting local photography.
Service:
Not bad. Prompt table service.
Overall impressions:
Kind of like Paul, and a little mire tasty. The sandwich toppings are top notch, but I kind of missed the side salad, and Paul has a larger menu.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders. We're not the only ones that enjoyed this place. BVD was voted "Best Sandwich 2010" from the Miami New Times
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79 Cafe
|
Little bodega-style cash only lunch counter eatery right outside MiMo.
What we had:
My DH and I both had the ham and muenster sandwiches on a non-flaky but tender and delicious croissant. Mine had lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper and olive oil, which made a tasty addition.
Décor:
Shelves of ready-to-eat dry goods and as much seating as possible in this tiny spot.
Service:
Friendly and efficient.
Overall impressions:
Friendly, cheap & tasty. The perfect little spot to stop in for a sandwich, empanada, smoothies or granola bar. This place is located right next to a bus stop, and has the bustle that regular customers in a hurry can bring.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
My DH and I both had the ham and muenster sandwiches on a non-flaky but tender and delicious croissant. Mine had lettuce, tomato, onion, pepper and olive oil, which made a tasty addition.
Décor:
Shelves of ready-to-eat dry goods and as much seating as possible in this tiny spot.
Service:
Friendly and efficient.
Overall impressions:
Friendly, cheap & tasty. The perfect little spot to stop in for a sandwich, empanada, smoothies or granola bar. This place is located right next to a bus stop, and has the bustle that regular customers in a hurry can bring.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Ernesto's Taco Shop
|
Pretty damn authentic taco (and other Mexican fare) joint on West Dixie Highway out by Zoo Miami.
What we had:
We both had the three amigos tacos: 1 carne asada with fresh guacamole, pico and onions; 1 carnitas with onions; and 1 barbacoa with onions and cilantro on corn tortillas.
The barbacoa was my favorite--juicy shredded beef cooked to falling apart with nice seasoning.
The carne was my DH's favorite, mostly because of the fresh guac. The steak was moist and flavorful, too.
The carnitas wasn't bad, just on the dry side. The achiote seasoning was nice.
We each had a side of fresh and tasty refried beans.
The salsas were fresh and refreshing. The bright red variety was surprising, with a pizza-ish taste. The others were nice as well.
Décor:
Nothing to write home about. It's a taco shop, what do you expect?
Service:
Fast food-ish style. Order at the front with table service.
Overall impressions:
"Are we in a rut?" My DH asked. If we are, I'll take it. Tacos are just so. damn. good.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
We both had the three amigos tacos: 1 carne asada with fresh guacamole, pico and onions; 1 carnitas with onions; and 1 barbacoa with onions and cilantro on corn tortillas.
The barbacoa was my favorite--juicy shredded beef cooked to falling apart with nice seasoning.
The carne was my DH's favorite, mostly because of the fresh guac. The steak was moist and flavorful, too.
The carnitas wasn't bad, just on the dry side. The achiote seasoning was nice.
We each had a side of fresh and tasty refried beans.
The salsas were fresh and refreshing. The bright red variety was surprising, with a pizza-ish taste. The others were nice as well.
Décor:
Nothing to write home about. It's a taco shop, what do you expect?
Service:
Fast food-ish style. Order at the front with table service.
Overall impressions:
"Are we in a rut?" My DH asked. If we are, I'll take it. Tacos are just so. damn. good.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders
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UVA 69
|
A Barcelonian-style bistro/urban wine bar/tapas lounge in MiMo.
What we had:
I had the grilled chicken breast with saffron mashed potatoes, a wild mushroom and sherry cream sauce and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. I don't know quite what drew me to this dish over the steak. Maybe it was the mushrooms. Maybe the asparagus. Maybe the chicken at Michael's Genuine... whatever it was, I'm glad I broke out of my beefy/porky mold. The chicken was moist and nicely flavored (warning: some skin and the leg bone comes left on the breast); and the sherry mushroom sauce provided a rich foil for the dense potatoes. The asparagus came wrapped in perfectly-crispy prosciutto (possibly deep fried). Nothing to complain about there.
My DH had the Habanero. A Cuban-style pressed sandwich with roasted pork, pepper jack cheese, French ham, cornichons, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard on a fresh French baguette. This sandwich had a great mix of fat, salt and sweet. Nice quality ham and juicy pork.
The table bread, fresh sun-dried tomato foccacia, was good as well.
We also had cocktails. As we all know, I never like cocktails as much as I think I'm going to. I got a whole 3 sips into my lychee and raspberry-tini. What I should have gotten is the Tom Collins my DH ordered. The bartender had to look up the recipe, but the drink came out flawless (with a sword-skewered cherry to boot!).
Décor:
We sat outside in the front dining/lounging area on large lounging couch-style booths.
Service:
Not bad. Friendly and unobtrusive.
Overall impressions:
UVA is a great place to grab drinks and bar bites, and we would go again for a more substantial meal.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders for no real reason, except that we both agreed we just couldn't bump the rating up to 4. Neither of us were sure why, either.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the grilled chicken breast with saffron mashed potatoes, a wild mushroom and sherry cream sauce and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. I don't know quite what drew me to this dish over the steak. Maybe it was the mushrooms. Maybe the asparagus. Maybe the chicken at Michael's Genuine... whatever it was, I'm glad I broke out of my beefy/porky mold. The chicken was moist and nicely flavored (warning: some skin and the leg bone comes left on the breast); and the sherry mushroom sauce provided a rich foil for the dense potatoes. The asparagus came wrapped in perfectly-crispy prosciutto (possibly deep fried). Nothing to complain about there.
My DH had the Habanero. A Cuban-style pressed sandwich with roasted pork, pepper jack cheese, French ham, cornichons, caramelized onions and Dijon mustard on a fresh French baguette. This sandwich had a great mix of fat, salt and sweet. Nice quality ham and juicy pork.
The table bread, fresh sun-dried tomato foccacia, was good as well.
We also had cocktails. As we all know, I never like cocktails as much as I think I'm going to. I got a whole 3 sips into my lychee and raspberry-tini. What I should have gotten is the Tom Collins my DH ordered. The bartender had to look up the recipe, but the drink came out flawless (with a sword-skewered cherry to boot!).
Décor:
We sat outside in the front dining/lounging area on large lounging couch-style booths.
Service:
Not bad. Friendly and unobtrusive.
Overall impressions:
UVA is a great place to grab drinks and bar bites, and we would go again for a more substantial meal.
Rating:
3.75 out of 5 salamanders for no real reason, except that we both agreed we just couldn't bump the rating up to 4. Neither of us were sure why, either.
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Talavera Cocina Mexicana
|
Talavera is a gourmet Mexican restaurant in Coral Gables.
What we had:
I had the Mahi Mahi Huraches. (what? No tacos?!) The perfectly cooked and seasoned Mahi was nestled in a fresh black bean puddle on top of a masa huraches (sandal). I usually can't stand masa cakes, but this was something different. This was light, flavorful, and yielded slightly to the tooth.
My DH had the pork tacos. (Aah. There's the tacos. All is right with the world). These were well-seasoned with cardamom and vinegar and perfectly moist. Strangely, this is closest thing to Eastern North Carolina pit-cooked pig we've tasted in a long while. Needless to say, we were in piggy heaven.
The fresh table salsas were also phenomenal. The roasted tomato and red pepper was just spicy enough & the habanero had a clean, bright citrus taste. The chips were pretty great, too. (especially the blue chips)
Décor:
The decor is very Mexican, but in a grown up and classy manner, with lots of Mexican cobalt and silver.
Service:
Lots of people served us; and they were very slow on getting us the check.
Overall impressions:
Yum. I must go back and sample more dishes. I also may bathe in the roasted red pepper salsa.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders, we aren't the only ones that love this place. Talavera was recently named "Best Mexican Restaurant 2010" by the Miami New Times.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Mahi Mahi Huraches. (what? No tacos?!) The perfectly cooked and seasoned Mahi was nestled in a fresh black bean puddle on top of a masa huraches (sandal). I usually can't stand masa cakes, but this was something different. This was light, flavorful, and yielded slightly to the tooth.
My DH had the pork tacos. (Aah. There's the tacos. All is right with the world). These were well-seasoned with cardamom and vinegar and perfectly moist. Strangely, this is closest thing to Eastern North Carolina pit-cooked pig we've tasted in a long while. Needless to say, we were in piggy heaven.
The fresh table salsas were also phenomenal. The roasted tomato and red pepper was just spicy enough & the habanero had a clean, bright citrus taste. The chips were pretty great, too. (especially the blue chips)
Décor:
The decor is very Mexican, but in a grown up and classy manner, with lots of Mexican cobalt and silver.
Service:
Lots of people served us; and they were very slow on getting us the check.
Overall impressions:
Yum. I must go back and sample more dishes. I also may bathe in the roasted red pepper salsa.
Rating:
4.5 out of 5 salamanders, we aren't the only ones that love this place. Talavera was recently named "Best Mexican Restaurant 2010" by the Miami New Times.
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Munchees Raspaos
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Munchees' menu is quail-egged and pineapple-sauced madness, like every taste combination you've ever dreamed of while wrapped in a ganja-scented haze.
What we had:
I had the Munchees Cuban--a Cuban-style pressed sandwich with pork, pink sauce, salami, mozzarella, and ham... Very interesting and pretty good.
My DH had the chicken quesadilla. The chicken was surprisingly well-seasoned and juicy.
Décor:
Kind of exactly what you'd expect, with a circus tent flare.
Service:
Friendly.
Overall impressions:
Munchees' food is by no means or possible sense of the term what one would consider health food, but it was pretty damn tasty nonetheless. I couldn't eat here often, but I'm dying to try something with a quail egg and pineapple sauce.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
I had the Munchees Cuban--a Cuban-style pressed sandwich with pork, pink sauce, salami, mozzarella, and ham... Very interesting and pretty good.
My DH had the chicken quesadilla. The chicken was surprisingly well-seasoned and juicy.
Décor:
Kind of exactly what you'd expect, with a circus tent flare.
Service:
Friendly.
Overall impressions:
Munchees' food is by no means or possible sense of the term what one would consider health food, but it was pretty damn tasty nonetheless. I couldn't eat here often, but I'm dying to try something with a quail egg and pineapple sauce.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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Salsa Fiesta
|
Fresh urban Mexican fast-ish food salsa party.
What we had:
I had a trio of carnitas tacos. The pork in all three was succulent, and the flavors were clear and bright. The soft corn, flour and wheat tortillas were all tasty.
I had:
1 original taco: Pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, lettuce, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
1 guerrero taco: Onions and cilantro, shredded cabbage, mango relish, with a flavorful sauce, cilantro salsa, jack and cheddar queso, pork. This was my favorite.
1 macho taco: Black beans, lettuce, sour cream, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
My DH had the Mexicano Burrito: Cilantro-lime rice, black beans, roasted sweet corn, onion and cilantro, jack and cheddar queso with signature sauce, cilantro salsa and chicken.
Each dish was served with a nice little taco shell cup filled with really fresh pico and tortilla chips.
Décor:
Urban & hip with bright oranges and limes.
Service:
Not bad. Table side delivery fast-ish food.
Overall impressions:
The menu variety is impressive, as is the freshness of the food. I think this just might be our new go-to taco joint.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
I had a trio of carnitas tacos. The pork in all three was succulent, and the flavors were clear and bright. The soft corn, flour and wheat tortillas were all tasty.
I had:
1 original taco: Pico de gallo, homemade guacamole, lettuce, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
1 guerrero taco: Onions and cilantro, shredded cabbage, mango relish, with a flavorful sauce, cilantro salsa, jack and cheddar queso, pork. This was my favorite.
1 macho taco: Black beans, lettuce, sour cream, jack and cheddar queso, pork.
My DH had the Mexicano Burrito: Cilantro-lime rice, black beans, roasted sweet corn, onion and cilantro, jack and cheddar queso with signature sauce, cilantro salsa and chicken.
Each dish was served with a nice little taco shell cup filled with really fresh pico and tortilla chips.
Décor:
Urban & hip with bright oranges and limes.
Service:
Not bad. Table side delivery fast-ish food.
Overall impressions:
The menu variety is impressive, as is the freshness of the food. I think this just might be our new go-to taco joint.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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Primebar
|
Brand new New American bar/bistro-style cuisine spot in The Village at Gulfstream.
What we had:
I had the Primebar burger w stir-fried vegetables. My DH had the French dip sandwich with fries.
This was an oddly hit or miss meal-- the French dip, (which was really just a Philly-style roast beef), was really great (as was the beefy and flightly herbal jus), but the fries were Sysco.
My burger was cooked to death, unseasoned, and sucked all the taste out of my mouth. The mushrooms were on the greasy side, but had a nice taste. Too bad they were lost in the huge slab of goat cheese. The grilled tomato was awesome. The stir fried veggies were something special, with notes of five spice & curry (carrots, snow peas, broccoli, shiitake, onion, edamame & red bell pepper). I dwapped this huge portion--a whole bowl full--of lightly sweet tender-crisp vegetables for the fries.
Décor:
Nice, with dark woods and caramel colors.
Service:
Our food took forever, but the server was apologetic.
Overall impressions:
Despite the hit-or-miss meal, we would like to come back. The menu was interesting (pork belly tacos & short rib sliders). Next time, we will do the all plates.
Rating:
A tentative 3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the Primebar burger w stir-fried vegetables. My DH had the French dip sandwich with fries.
This was an oddly hit or miss meal-- the French dip, (which was really just a Philly-style roast beef), was really great (as was the beefy and flightly herbal jus), but the fries were Sysco.
My burger was cooked to death, unseasoned, and sucked all the taste out of my mouth. The mushrooms were on the greasy side, but had a nice taste. Too bad they were lost in the huge slab of goat cheese. The grilled tomato was awesome. The stir fried veggies were something special, with notes of five spice & curry (carrots, snow peas, broccoli, shiitake, onion, edamame & red bell pepper). I dwapped this huge portion--a whole bowl full--of lightly sweet tender-crisp vegetables for the fries.
Décor:
Nice, with dark woods and caramel colors.
Service:
Our food took forever, but the server was apologetic.
Overall impressions:
Despite the hit-or-miss meal, we would like to come back. The menu was interesting (pork belly tacos & short rib sliders). Next time, we will do the all plates.
Rating:
A tentative 3 out of 5 salamanders
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Chilorio's Very Mexican
|
Fast, fresh & healthy Mexican food near Dadeland.
What we had:
I'm a slacker, and we have been eating here regularly on Monday nights for about a month. My DH usually goes for the burrito and I get the tacos. Because we have addictions.
How to order: First, select the dish you want (grilled burrito, 3 tacos, 2 tostadas, 1 quesadilla, 1 salad, 2 enchiladas or 1 tostada) and then the meat (Chilorio chicken, grilled chicken, Chilorio beef, steak, ground beef, grilled mixed veggies, shrimp or lobster), toppings and sides.
Meats
Chilorio chicken: Supposedly spicy shredded chicken. Neither of us find it spicy, but it isn't bad, either.
Grilled chicken: Chopped, grilled chicken.
Chilorio beef: Supposedly spicy shredded beef. This one isn't spicy either.
Steak: I think this is the best of the bunch. Generally less dry than the others (go fig), and nicely seasoned.
Ground beef: My DH likes this one; I haven't had it yet.
Pork: I swear they have pork, but it's not on the menu. The pork was dry, but it was pork, so I wasn't complaining.
Grilled veggies & seafood: Haven't tried these options, either. Seafood ups the price by around $3, and I'm usually way too starving by the time we get here to order veggies.
Toppings
Typical beans/rice/pico/cheese/lettuce toppings.
Tortillas
The tortillas are homemade. My favorite is the soft & pillowy wheat.
Sides
I love that they offer baked tortillas and non-refried mashed pinto beans as sides. The black beans are also very tasty.
Décor:
The little fire guy is cute, and I like the lime and red color scheme. They also have small upgrades like TVs, menu pics on an overhead monitor and a cell phone charging station.
Service:
I don't know if it's the acupuncture I get before I go, or old age setting in, but whomever is behind the counter is usually almost inaudible.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. A little bland, and not as good as Moe's, but we don't feel guilty about eating here, either. The prices are very reasonable. We usually get out for just under $20 for one burrito, three tacos and two fountain drinks. We must not be the only ones who don't feel guilty about feeding their need for Mexican here--Chilorio's was voted 2010 best guilt-free burrito by Miami New Times.
Check out their website for nutritional information.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I'm a slacker, and we have been eating here regularly on Monday nights for about a month. My DH usually goes for the burrito and I get the tacos. Because we have addictions.
How to order: First, select the dish you want (grilled burrito, 3 tacos, 2 tostadas, 1 quesadilla, 1 salad, 2 enchiladas or 1 tostada) and then the meat (Chilorio chicken, grilled chicken, Chilorio beef, steak, ground beef, grilled mixed veggies, shrimp or lobster), toppings and sides.
Meats
The meat is generally dry, but what do you want? It's been sitting in a pan, waiting on your order. This is fast food. At least it's not sitting in grease.
Chilorio chicken: Supposedly spicy shredded chicken. Neither of us find it spicy, but it isn't bad, either.
Grilled chicken: Chopped, grilled chicken.
Chilorio beef: Supposedly spicy shredded beef. This one isn't spicy either.
Steak: I think this is the best of the bunch. Generally less dry than the others (go fig), and nicely seasoned.
Ground beef: My DH likes this one; I haven't had it yet.
Pork: I swear they have pork, but it's not on the menu. The pork was dry, but it was pork, so I wasn't complaining.
Grilled veggies & seafood: Haven't tried these options, either. Seafood ups the price by around $3, and I'm usually way too starving by the time we get here to order veggies.
Toppings
Typical beans/rice/pico/cheese/lettuce toppings.
Tortillas
The tortillas are homemade. My favorite is the soft & pillowy wheat.
Sides
I love that they offer baked tortillas and non-refried mashed pinto beans as sides. The black beans are also very tasty.
Décor:
The little fire guy is cute, and I like the lime and red color scheme. They also have small upgrades like TVs, menu pics on an overhead monitor and a cell phone charging station.
Service:
I don't know if it's the acupuncture I get before I go, or old age setting in, but whomever is behind the counter is usually almost inaudible.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. A little bland, and not as good as Moe's, but we don't feel guilty about eating here, either. The prices are very reasonable. We usually get out for just under $20 for one burrito, three tacos and two fountain drinks. We must not be the only ones who don't feel guilty about feeding their need for Mexican here--Chilorio's was voted 2010 best guilt-free burrito by Miami New Times.
Check out their website for nutritional information.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
T-Mex Cantina
|
Tex-Mex bar in the downtown Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk. The menu has a variety of burritos (regular and loco size), tacos, nachos, burgers and other bar food and was written by a drunk Spanglish speaker. Chicken was referred to in one burrito as both chicken and pollo; not sure what they think the difference is... maybe pork? Pretty much all iterations come with a shrimp or fish option, but surprising little pork on the menu.
What we had:
I had the shredded chicken burrito and my DH had the ground beef burrito. Both were edible, but way too watery and boring to be called good. We ordered hot, and it wasn't at all spicy.
Décor:
Bras & beer signs on the ceiling.
Service:
Typical bar service.
Overall impressions:
We were starving, so no complaints about not dying of starvation, but it's not a place I would willingly visit again if even a little sober. Maybe if I turn into a Girl Gone Wild when I grow up. Or learn how to do a keg stand.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
I had the shredded chicken burrito and my DH had the ground beef burrito. Both were edible, but way too watery and boring to be called good. We ordered hot, and it wasn't at all spicy.
Décor:
Bras & beer signs on the ceiling.
Service:
Typical bar service.
Overall impressions:
We were starving, so no complaints about not dying of starvation, but it's not a place I would willingly visit again if even a little sober. Maybe if I turn into a Girl Gone Wild when I grow up. Or learn how to do a keg stand.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Fairchild Tropical Garden Cafe
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The cafe at Fairchild Tropical Garden.
What we had:
I had the tropical turkey sandwich on a hoagie roll--nice quality turkey with dill Havarti, mixed greens and a mango sauce on a fresh-tasting roll. This sandwich far exceeded my expectations, providing nice light fortification without making me nauseous from the heat of the day.
My DH had the roast beef sandwich on a hoagie roll, which was equally as nice.
Décor:
Can't beat it--outside in the garden, near the tropics zone.
Service:
Disorganized, but tolerable.
Overall impressions:
A great little gem. We will definitely be going back.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the tropical turkey sandwich on a hoagie roll--nice quality turkey with dill Havarti, mixed greens and a mango sauce on a fresh-tasting roll. This sandwich far exceeded my expectations, providing nice light fortification without making me nauseous from the heat of the day.
My DH had the roast beef sandwich on a hoagie roll, which was equally as nice.
Décor:
Can't beat it--outside in the garden, near the tropics zone.
Service:
Disorganized, but tolerable.
Overall impressions:
A great little gem. We will definitely be going back.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Marhaba
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Mediterranean cafe in Coral Gables, right outside the big Gameworks/Nike Town mall thing.
What we had:
Delightful hummus with fresh pitas--the plain were great; the fried were too greasy.
Kibbeh kabobs--we both got the lamb kibbeh kabobs. The meat was succulent, if a bit fatty; the rice (with angel hair pasta bits) was nice; and the few grilled peppers and tomatoes (2 each) were a nice treat.
Décor:
Ok. Not overdone by Mediterreanean standards.
Service:
So-so.
Overall impressions:
A little less healthy than I had wanted that day, but not terrible.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
Delightful hummus with fresh pitas--the plain were great; the fried were too greasy.
Kibbeh kabobs--we both got the lamb kibbeh kabobs. The meat was succulent, if a bit fatty; the rice (with angel hair pasta bits) was nice; and the few grilled peppers and tomatoes (2 each) were a nice treat.
Décor:
Ok. Not overdone by Mediterreanean standards.
Service:
So-so.
Overall impressions:
A little less healthy than I had wanted that day, but not terrible.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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Mercadito Midtown
|
Pretentious Mexican boteca (tapas) style restaurant in the Midtown Miami area (in the Target shopping complex; one street east of Target).
We were craving tacos after a day at the beach (damn you, Ver Daddys for closing), and decided to give this place a shot. We won't be repeating that mistake any time soon.
What we had:
Let me preface our meal ny saying the menu at Mercadito is ridiculous. It's overpriced, inflexible, and pretentious. I guess you have to be pretentious to charge $14 for 4 mini tacos with a straight face. There is also no mixing and matching with your 4 tacos, a fact with which we were sorely disappointed--almost to the point of walking out. $14 is ludicrous, but we would be willing to overlook that if you could sample more than one flavor. Two even, would be okay.
Salsa costs $3 extra, and it's maybe a quarter of a cup. The variety we got was nice, but worth nowhere near $3.
The chips were fresh but unsalted and really greasy; almost inedible.
We ordered carne and carnitas tacos. Each variety came out on long glass plates; a nice presentation.
The carne tacos (tender grilled steak chunks with diced potato, an airy potato puree, bits of roasted poblano and crispy wisps of something in fresh corn tortillas) were tiny, but the flavor was good.
The carnitas tacos (shredded, juicy slow-cooked pork shoulder with crispy cabbage slaw and peanut dressing on the same tortillas) were also tiny and tasted good, but the value for money just isn't there.
Décor:
We were seated outside; almost flapping in the breeze in the patio entranceway. The inside decor was bright, open and modern.
Service:
The server didn't speak English terribly well and managed to be both condescending and neraly intelligible, because he was opposed to enunciation.
The service was tapas style, with dishes coming out at all different times. Really? Is that entirely necessary? Our food did come out quick, though, I will give them that.
Overall impressions:
Everything else on the menu seemed to be similarly overpriced, and geared to ordering a bunch of plates/courses.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders, but begrudingly. The tastes were good overall, but the experience was wholly unsatisfying.
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We were craving tacos after a day at the beach (damn you, Ver Daddys for closing), and decided to give this place a shot. We won't be repeating that mistake any time soon.
What we had:
Let me preface our meal ny saying the menu at Mercadito is ridiculous. It's overpriced, inflexible, and pretentious. I guess you have to be pretentious to charge $14 for 4 mini tacos with a straight face. There is also no mixing and matching with your 4 tacos, a fact with which we were sorely disappointed--almost to the point of walking out. $14 is ludicrous, but we would be willing to overlook that if you could sample more than one flavor. Two even, would be okay.
Salsa costs $3 extra, and it's maybe a quarter of a cup. The variety we got was nice, but worth nowhere near $3.
The chips were fresh but unsalted and really greasy; almost inedible.
We ordered carne and carnitas tacos. Each variety came out on long glass plates; a nice presentation.
The carne tacos (tender grilled steak chunks with diced potato, an airy potato puree, bits of roasted poblano and crispy wisps of something in fresh corn tortillas) were tiny, but the flavor was good.
The carnitas tacos (shredded, juicy slow-cooked pork shoulder with crispy cabbage slaw and peanut dressing on the same tortillas) were also tiny and tasted good, but the value for money just isn't there.
Décor:
We were seated outside; almost flapping in the breeze in the patio entranceway. The inside decor was bright, open and modern.
Service:
The server didn't speak English terribly well and managed to be both condescending and neraly intelligible, because he was opposed to enunciation.
The service was tapas style, with dishes coming out at all different times. Really? Is that entirely necessary? Our food did come out quick, though, I will give them that.
Overall impressions:
Everything else on the menu seemed to be similarly overpriced, and geared to ordering a bunch of plates/courses.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders, but begrudingly. The tastes were good overall, but the experience was wholly unsatisfying.
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Smith & Wollensky
|
I made reservations to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary through Open Table and requested that we be sat overlooking the sunset and mentioned the reason.
The management and staff went out of their way to make the experience a memorable one. We were the first table to be sat upstairs overlooking the water and were promptly ushered to the optimal sunset seat. The maitre d' left us with a handwritten congratulatory card and at the end of the meal we were treated to a free dessert.
What we had:
We started with cocktails-my apple-tini tasted like medicine, but my DH enjoyed his dirty martini.
We had the calamari appetizer, which was fresh, perfectly fried an well seasoned.
The table bread was house-made and came out in a little pan.
I had the chef's cut prime rib--over 1 pound of the most succulent bone-in prime rib I have ever had (at a restaurant). Holy crap this was awesome. Unfortunately, I was wearing a nice dress, so I ended stuffing my face so much I was in pain by the end of the meal, and had to leave about 2 ounces behind. I know, I know... I'm still hanging my head in shame, but I was in real danger of explosion. We're talking past the food baby point.
My DH had a big honkin bone-in ribeye, and it was also fan-freakin-tabulous.
For sides, we had the truffle mac & cheese and the asparagus. The truffle mac was pretty good but a littly grainy. Bourbon steak's was miles better. My asparagus is much better than this was. It wasn't bad; it was asparagus afterall; but nothing was done to it but blanching. The bernaise sauce was good.
So, after eatibg ourselves into a beef-fueled stupor, a free chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and a fresh raspberry coulis came out. What did we do? We finished it.
We needed coffee after this, so we stayed around for our aperitif.
Décor:
I think it was nice; the sunset, cruise ships and people on an evening stroll were.
Service:
Old school older men in S&W jackets. Good service; attentive without being obtrusive.
The silverware was impressive--sterling made special for the restaurant.
Overall impressions:
A good old-school steakhouse that seems to take care in nurturing repeat business. We would go again.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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The management and staff went out of their way to make the experience a memorable one. We were the first table to be sat upstairs overlooking the water and were promptly ushered to the optimal sunset seat. The maitre d' left us with a handwritten congratulatory card and at the end of the meal we were treated to a free dessert.
What we had:
We started with cocktails-my apple-tini tasted like medicine, but my DH enjoyed his dirty martini.
We had the calamari appetizer, which was fresh, perfectly fried an well seasoned.
The table bread was house-made and came out in a little pan.
I had the chef's cut prime rib--over 1 pound of the most succulent bone-in prime rib I have ever had (at a restaurant). Holy crap this was awesome. Unfortunately, I was wearing a nice dress, so I ended stuffing my face so much I was in pain by the end of the meal, and had to leave about 2 ounces behind. I know, I know... I'm still hanging my head in shame, but I was in real danger of explosion. We're talking past the food baby point.
My DH had a big honkin bone-in ribeye, and it was also fan-freakin-tabulous.
For sides, we had the truffle mac & cheese and the asparagus. The truffle mac was pretty good but a littly grainy. Bourbon steak's was miles better. My asparagus is much better than this was. It wasn't bad; it was asparagus afterall; but nothing was done to it but blanching. The bernaise sauce was good.
So, after eatibg ourselves into a beef-fueled stupor, a free chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream and a fresh raspberry coulis came out. What did we do? We finished it.
We needed coffee after this, so we stayed around for our aperitif.
Décor:
I think it was nice; the sunset, cruise ships and people on an evening stroll were.
Service:
Old school older men in S&W jackets. Good service; attentive without being obtrusive.
The silverware was impressive--sterling made special for the restaurant.
Overall impressions:
A good old-school steakhouse that seems to take care in nurturing repeat business. We would go again.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
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Cantina Laredo
|
Gourmet Mexican food in Gulfstream Villiage.
What we had:
The table chips weren't fresh, but the salsas were nice and flavorful. We enjoyed a richly-smoked mild salsa and a nice, bright spicy salsa.
We ended up eating (chips) until we were over-stuffed.
My DH had the chicken and steak tacos--the chix was over-cooked but ok; the steak was well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. The tacos wete accompanied by nice fresh avocado, tomato that actually saw the sun and sides of really nice fresh black beans with cojito and bland-but-not-terrible Mexican rice. Nicely seasoned queso was served as an additional optional topping.
I had a chicken & shrimp dish--dry and bland chix with perfectly cooked shrimp, a poblano white wine sauce (good taste, but salty finish) and nice veg side with almonds that was not over-processed.
Décor:
Nice, modern, austere.
Service:
The staff was all over the place; herds of them were walking back and forth during the meal - hopefully it was shift switch time.
Overall impressions:
Nice decor, decent American-ivied menu (read: cheese heavy). On the pricey side with an average plate price in the low 20s.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
The table chips weren't fresh, but the salsas were nice and flavorful. We enjoyed a richly-smoked mild salsa and a nice, bright spicy salsa.
We ended up eating (chips) until we were over-stuffed.
My DH had the chicken and steak tacos--the chix was over-cooked but ok; the steak was well-seasoned and cooked to perfection. The tacos wete accompanied by nice fresh avocado, tomato that actually saw the sun and sides of really nice fresh black beans with cojito and bland-but-not-terrible Mexican rice. Nicely seasoned queso was served as an additional optional topping.
I had a chicken & shrimp dish--dry and bland chix with perfectly cooked shrimp, a poblano white wine sauce (good taste, but salty finish) and nice veg side with almonds that was not over-processed.
Décor:
Nice, modern, austere.
Service:
The staff was all over the place; herds of them were walking back and forth during the meal - hopefully it was shift switch time.
Overall impressions:
Nice decor, decent American-ivied menu (read: cheese heavy). On the pricey side with an average plate price in the low 20s.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
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Tropical Chinese Restaurant
|
Chinese restaurant with dim sum across from Tropical Park.
What we had:
We went for Dim Sum and ended up with a delictible array of soft steamed pillows and golden fried dumplingy goodness. We had:
Steamed shrimp tucked into the softest rice noodle sheets
possible with a nice light sauce
Heavenly tender smoked pork with a generous pink ring
Fried shell-on shrimp that was nicely flavored and fried well enough to eat shell-on, but not so much that the shrimp is rubbery
Tasty steamed pork shu mai
Soft steamed pork & mushroom dumplings
Steamed dumplings stuffed full of tasty bok choi
Shrimp fried sticky rice, which had a spice we weren't huge fansof
Crazy good sweet & sour chicken
Egg rolls
Décor:
Decent, if generic, with an added window into the kitchen.
Service:
Chinese ladies serving Dim Sum aren't kidding around. They shuttle you in, and the first cart promptly appears beside the table. I love the bustle of dim sum.
You're getting more than enough to feed your party and you're getting what the Chinese ladies think you should have. No argument; just sit back and let them have their way.
Overall impressions:
I forgot just how great dim sum is, and didn't realize just how much I've missed it. I can't wait to go back.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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What we had:
We went for Dim Sum and ended up with a delictible array of soft steamed pillows and golden fried dumplingy goodness. We had:
Steamed shrimp tucked into the softest rice noodle sheets
possible with a nice light sauce
Heavenly tender smoked pork with a generous pink ring
Fried shell-on shrimp that was nicely flavored and fried well enough to eat shell-on, but not so much that the shrimp is rubbery
Tasty steamed pork shu mai
Soft steamed pork & mushroom dumplings
Steamed dumplings stuffed full of tasty bok choi
Shrimp fried sticky rice, which had a spice we weren't huge fansof
Crazy good sweet & sour chicken
Egg rolls
Décor:
Decent, if generic, with an added window into the kitchen.
Service:
Chinese ladies serving Dim Sum aren't kidding around. They shuttle you in, and the first cart promptly appears beside the table. I love the bustle of dim sum.
You're getting more than enough to feed your party and you're getting what the Chinese ladies think you should have. No argument; just sit back and let them have their way.
Overall impressions:
I forgot just how great dim sum is, and didn't realize just how much I've missed it. I can't wait to go back.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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El Scorpion
|
Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar
Upscale Mexican restaurant & bar in South Beach.
What we had:
My DH and I both had the triple taco plates. He had the carne asada, pork confit & bacon tacos; I had the BBQ tilapia, chorizo & al pastor tacos.
The carne asada & pork confit tacos were simple, well-seasoned and our favorites of the bunch.
The bacon was interesting--deeply smoky well-cooked slivers of thick cut bacon with creme fraiche. We both thought the taste combination was something interesting and new.
The BBQ tilapia wasn't bad for tilapia--I'm not impressed with the fish, but the taco wasn't bad. I would have liked 3x more slaw, though.
The chorizo was smoky & good, albeit a bit greasy.
The al pastor taco was sweet with really nice chunks of pork.
Both plates came with decent Mexican-style rice & fresh pinto beans.
The table chips, salsa & guacamole were fresh and good.
Décor:
Nice decor in dark woods & shades of red. I almost wish I could tolerate tequila--this place has a huge selection (120 varieties) and a more than amply stocked bar.
Service:
Good. Friendly & very attentive.
Overall impressions:
We would go back. I'm dying to try one of the many varieties of guacamole served in a molcahete (sp?) and the bar bites.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Upscale Mexican restaurant & bar in South Beach.
What we had:
My DH and I both had the triple taco plates. He had the carne asada, pork confit & bacon tacos; I had the BBQ tilapia, chorizo & al pastor tacos.
The carne asada & pork confit tacos were simple, well-seasoned and our favorites of the bunch.
The bacon was interesting--deeply smoky well-cooked slivers of thick cut bacon with creme fraiche. We both thought the taste combination was something interesting and new.
The BBQ tilapia wasn't bad for tilapia--I'm not impressed with the fish, but the taco wasn't bad. I would have liked 3x more slaw, though.
The chorizo was smoky & good, albeit a bit greasy.
The al pastor taco was sweet with really nice chunks of pork.
Both plates came with decent Mexican-style rice & fresh pinto beans.
The table chips, salsa & guacamole were fresh and good.
Décor:
Nice decor in dark woods & shades of red. I almost wish I could tolerate tequila--this place has a huge selection (120 varieties) and a more than amply stocked bar.
Service:
Good. Friendly & very attentive.
Overall impressions:
We would go back. I'm dying to try one of the many varieties of guacamole served in a molcahete (sp?) and the bar bites.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Cadillac Ranch American Bar & Grill
|
Really super-upbeat upscale sports bar with a big-ass mechanical bull & the perfect pit for watching sports on the big screen.
Located in the new Villages @ Gulfstream shopping-plex.
What we had:
Most dinner items come served over a Demi glaze-WTF is a "Demi glaze"? Basically, it's slightly under-seasoned gravy.
I had the NY Strip & my DH had the filet. The steak was entirely decent. Better than Outback, and only slightly more expensive at $24/$27. The gravy wasn't terrible--I would have rather had more steak seasoning with a nicely-herbed au jus, bit it wasn't unpleasant. The mashed potatoes were creamy, buttery, and came from real potatoes. Yum. I missed something green--slack green garnish with 2 little tomato chunks doesn't count.
I also had an overpriced pear-tini with fresh pears and cheap vodka. For $12, I'd like something better than Smirnoff.
Décor:
Pretty cool with lots of red & blue lighting and guitars & such on the walls. Did I mention the huge mechanical bull? The multiple outside seating areas have fire pits, comfy lounge seating and the place has at least 4 bars. In the main dining room is a sunken pit with a jumbotron that would make an awesome spot to catch a game.
Service:
Okay. The bar was a bit slow.
Overall impressions:
Kind of frantically upbeat, but not a bad time for a sports bar. I'd love to hit up one of the fire pits or possibly the sports grotto.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Located in the new Villages @ Gulfstream shopping-plex.
What we had:
Most dinner items come served over a Demi glaze-WTF is a "Demi glaze"? Basically, it's slightly under-seasoned gravy.
I had the NY Strip & my DH had the filet. The steak was entirely decent. Better than Outback, and only slightly more expensive at $24/$27. The gravy wasn't terrible--I would have rather had more steak seasoning with a nicely-herbed au jus, bit it wasn't unpleasant. The mashed potatoes were creamy, buttery, and came from real potatoes. Yum. I missed something green--slack green garnish with 2 little tomato chunks doesn't count.
I also had an overpriced pear-tini with fresh pears and cheap vodka. For $12, I'd like something better than Smirnoff.
Décor:
Pretty cool with lots of red & blue lighting and guitars & such on the walls. Did I mention the huge mechanical bull? The multiple outside seating areas have fire pits, comfy lounge seating and the place has at least 4 bars. In the main dining room is a sunken pit with a jumbotron that would make an awesome spot to catch a game.
Service:
Okay. The bar was a bit slow.
Overall impressions:
Kind of frantically upbeat, but not a bad time for a sports bar. I'd love to hit up one of the fire pits or possibly the sports grotto.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Red Light, Little River
|
Cute little neighborhood eats spot tucked in the side of a waterfront hotel, whose chef recently got a James Beard nom.
We've been here for drinks a few times, but not for dinner (damn the taco shop) and stopped in for lunch.
What we had:
I had the Fontina & applewood smoked bacon grilled cheese sandwich with lentils--the sandwich, though a touch greasy, was cheesy goodness all around. The bread was kickass, and the delicate little lightly orangey, thymed lentils with small bits of at least 2 types of non-offensive onion made me a bit jealous, I must admit.
My DH had a deeply beefy burger with "special onions" and aged cheddar with house potatoes. Totally yum and the side tomato was actually grown under the sun, so i was all kinds of happy to unburden him of it.
Décor:
Cute & cozy inside with a nice waterfront deck in the back.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
The food was pretty good. Since we've only eaten here for lunch, I'm holding out on a full rating until we come for dinner.
On a side note, the bartender here is an artist. I can't stand the taste of alcohol, and she has managed each time we've gone to concoct me a drink that has not only been not offensive, but has been strong and tasty. She made us an Absinthe & grapefruit concotion that rocked, and the last time our drinks had cucumber and some green tea liquer that was pretty tasty. And she has great taste in music.
Rating:
A tentative 3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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We've been here for drinks a few times, but not for dinner (damn the taco shop) and stopped in for lunch.
What we had:
I had the Fontina & applewood smoked bacon grilled cheese sandwich with lentils--the sandwich, though a touch greasy, was cheesy goodness all around. The bread was kickass, and the delicate little lightly orangey, thymed lentils with small bits of at least 2 types of non-offensive onion made me a bit jealous, I must admit.
My DH had a deeply beefy burger with "special onions" and aged cheddar with house potatoes. Totally yum and the side tomato was actually grown under the sun, so i was all kinds of happy to unburden him of it.
Décor:
Cute & cozy inside with a nice waterfront deck in the back.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
The food was pretty good. Since we've only eaten here for lunch, I'm holding out on a full rating until we come for dinner.
On a side note, the bartender here is an artist. I can't stand the taste of alcohol, and she has managed each time we've gone to concoct me a drink that has not only been not offensive, but has been strong and tasty. She made us an Absinthe & grapefruit concotion that rocked, and the last time our drinks had cucumber and some green tea liquer that was pretty tasty. And she has great taste in music.
Rating:
A tentative 3.5 out of 5 salamanders
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Bulldog Barbecue
|
Contemporary BBQ joint owned/operated by a Top Chef contestant. I forget which one or from which season, but Bon Apetit sounded impressed in the BBQ issue.
What we had:
My DH and I both had the sliders--1 order of pulled pork with chipotle fries, and 1 order of brisket with sweet potato fries.
Disclaimer: We are from NC, the epicenter of all things yummy and piglike in the US. People come to blows over the definition of BBQ in NC. Sure, you can call roasted pork or roasted pork slathered with dressed-up ketchup BBQ, but nothing fits the bill like some good ole pit-cooked Eastern Carolina-style pig.
Having gotten that out of my system, this wasn't bad. Not Carolina style, but not an abomination. It did however, send my DH into diatribe about what is right and proper in BBQ--in essence, tomato alters the true taste of the pig, and all good BBQ is pit-cooked. The fabled pink smoke ring is just not optional.
We thought the chef was trying a bit too hard with the sauce on the pulled pork. The brisket however, was succulent and pretty great. I would go back for a full plate of brisket. Not sure I'd get the sliders again--the bun was grocery store quality.
The menu said the slaw was Carolina style--whatever that means beyond a name to lend credence. In reality, it tasted just like KFC slaw with pepper added. That's not to say the slaw was bad. I happen to like KFC's slaw.
The cornbread was good; it tasted exactly like Jiffy.
The sweet potato fries we're great. So great, DH kept stealing mine. The Chipotle fries were pretty, but lacking any real spice or smoke and only about half got eaten.
Décor:
Modern & clean, with reds, creams & black.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
A bit over-reaching, but not bad.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
My DH and I both had the sliders--1 order of pulled pork with chipotle fries, and 1 order of brisket with sweet potato fries.
Disclaimer: We are from NC, the epicenter of all things yummy and piglike in the US. People come to blows over the definition of BBQ in NC. Sure, you can call roasted pork or roasted pork slathered with dressed-up ketchup BBQ, but nothing fits the bill like some good ole pit-cooked Eastern Carolina-style pig.
Having gotten that out of my system, this wasn't bad. Not Carolina style, but not an abomination. It did however, send my DH into diatribe about what is right and proper in BBQ--in essence, tomato alters the true taste of the pig, and all good BBQ is pit-cooked. The fabled pink smoke ring is just not optional.
We thought the chef was trying a bit too hard with the sauce on the pulled pork. The brisket however, was succulent and pretty great. I would go back for a full plate of brisket. Not sure I'd get the sliders again--the bun was grocery store quality.
The menu said the slaw was Carolina style--whatever that means beyond a name to lend credence. In reality, it tasted just like KFC slaw with pepper added. That's not to say the slaw was bad. I happen to like KFC's slaw.
The cornbread was good; it tasted exactly like Jiffy.
The sweet potato fries we're great. So great, DH kept stealing mine. The Chipotle fries were pretty, but lacking any real spice or smoke and only about half got eaten.
Décor:
Modern & clean, with reds, creams & black.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
A bit over-reaching, but not bad.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Michael's Genuine Addendum
|
I know I'm not in the habit of re-reviewing places I've already eaten, but I'll make an exception just this once. Michael's Genuine is one of those holy crap restaurants that is just so freakin good, you can't fathom why you don't go every week. In my case, I'm sorry to admit, its been a whole freakin year since I've been and I will not make that mistake again!
We took the NY-escapee and this was by far her best meal here. This was by far the best meal out we've had in months (since Michy's I think).
Not only is this the perfect spot to bring an out-of-towner for a nice low-key night, but it is so. freakin. tasty. that i'd love to go back on at least a monthly basis. Now if only I can hold my drive to try new things at bay a little harder (we still eat at Ver Daddy's Taco Shop almost every Friday), I'd be all over Michael's more often.
This time around, we opted to dine at a table, rather than at the chef's bar, and it took us 4 days to get a reservation. We had originally planned to go on a Friday night (I don't know what I was thinking either), and luckily my DH suggested making reservations early. We looked that morning, and everything was booked solid until Tuesday. So, Tuesday it was.
We got large plates this time (plus the hominy and potato chips with onion dip so good you want to slather it all over your face).
I got the fan-freakin-tabulous grilled Fudge Farms pork chop--A nice big, thick, juicy chop grilled to perfection with a sunchoke puree, house smoked bacon & haricot vert hash and light apple salad. This dish was perfectly balanced, seasoned & cooked. No complaints at all. I can't even think of an entirely valid change, except for maybe possibly some more apple--the apple was diced and cooked to perfection, but I might have added some raw strips to the salad for a punch of acid.
My DH got the slow-roasted Fudge Farms pork shoulder--A falling apart hunk of porky goodness topped with parsley sauce and served with pickled red onions and Anson Mills cheese grits. This dish did my Southern boy some good. This was food to feed the soul, and his portion was so large that he regretably had to leave a smidge behind.
Our snow escapee friend had the pan-roased 1/2 "poulet rouge" chicken served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed escarole. Again, I was concerned about chicken being boring, but I needn't have worried. They say (who says? The cooking illuminati, that's who) that the true measure of a chef is how well he or she prepares a simple roasted chicken. If that's true, Chef Michael and his brigade deserve all the hype & all the praise they already get and more. Give that man some cash & prizes.
Being gluttons, we then opted for dessert(s).
We had the chocolate cremoso with sea salt, olive oil, sourdough crostini & an espresso parfait topped with bits of crunchy caramelized goodness. A great dessert. I'm glad we ate it second. The cremoso was velvety, decadent & fabulous, the crostini & toppings providing a perfect foil and the parfait played a great counterpoint to the dish as a whole.
But the real show-stopper, at least for me (yes, I did my happy food dance/wiggle, made inappropriate noises and thought hard about grabbing the plate and dashing away for a little me time with my dessert--luckily for all I was in tall heels) was the popcorn & peanuts--a chocolate peanut butter candy bar with buttered popcorn ice cream & caramel sauce. Full disclosure: Popcorn is one of my favorite foods, is my favorite snack by far, and I also adore peanut butter. Having said that, I would risk days of ice cream sickness to eat a tub of this ice cream. Holy freakin crap, this was good. The candy bar was nice, but it couldn't hold a candle to the popcorn ice cream. I must eat this again and I may now be in love with Hedy Goldsmith, the pastry wizard @ Michael's. Just a little.
Ooh, and joy upon joys, Michael's now has a food cart! With my ice cream! I'm hella excited and will now commence with the Twitter stalking.
Oh yeah, and we had beverages. My girl had a Shiraz I'm not seeing on the online menu and cappuccino and I had the homemade local strawberry-basil soda and a macchiato. She loved the Shiraz, and the sommelier was a great help. The macchiato was nice, but was completely eclipsed by the dessert. The soda was too sweet for me (I don't even like sugar, so I'm not 100% on why I ordered it), but the taste was nice.
We must go back & soon.
We took the NY-escapee and this was by far her best meal here. This was by far the best meal out we've had in months (since Michy's I think).
Not only is this the perfect spot to bring an out-of-towner for a nice low-key night, but it is so. freakin. tasty. that i'd love to go back on at least a monthly basis. Now if only I can hold my drive to try new things at bay a little harder (we still eat at Ver Daddy's Taco Shop almost every Friday), I'd be all over Michael's more often.
This time around, we opted to dine at a table, rather than at the chef's bar, and it took us 4 days to get a reservation. We had originally planned to go on a Friday night (I don't know what I was thinking either), and luckily my DH suggested making reservations early. We looked that morning, and everything was booked solid until Tuesday. So, Tuesday it was.
We got large plates this time (plus the hominy and potato chips with onion dip so good you want to slather it all over your face).
I got the fan-freakin-tabulous grilled Fudge Farms pork chop--A nice big, thick, juicy chop grilled to perfection with a sunchoke puree, house smoked bacon & haricot vert hash and light apple salad. This dish was perfectly balanced, seasoned & cooked. No complaints at all. I can't even think of an entirely valid change, except for maybe possibly some more apple--the apple was diced and cooked to perfection, but I might have added some raw strips to the salad for a punch of acid.
My DH got the slow-roasted Fudge Farms pork shoulder--A falling apart hunk of porky goodness topped with parsley sauce and served with pickled red onions and Anson Mills cheese grits. This dish did my Southern boy some good. This was food to feed the soul, and his portion was so large that he regretably had to leave a smidge behind.
Our snow escapee friend had the pan-roased 1/2 "poulet rouge" chicken served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed escarole. Again, I was concerned about chicken being boring, but I needn't have worried. They say (who says? The cooking illuminati, that's who) that the true measure of a chef is how well he or she prepares a simple roasted chicken. If that's true, Chef Michael and his brigade deserve all the hype & all the praise they already get and more. Give that man some cash & prizes.
Being gluttons, we then opted for dessert(s).
We had the chocolate cremoso with sea salt, olive oil, sourdough crostini & an espresso parfait topped with bits of crunchy caramelized goodness. A great dessert. I'm glad we ate it second. The cremoso was velvety, decadent & fabulous, the crostini & toppings providing a perfect foil and the parfait played a great counterpoint to the dish as a whole.
But the real show-stopper, at least for me (yes, I did my happy food dance/wiggle, made inappropriate noises and thought hard about grabbing the plate and dashing away for a little me time with my dessert--luckily for all I was in tall heels) was the popcorn & peanuts--a chocolate peanut butter candy bar with buttered popcorn ice cream & caramel sauce. Full disclosure: Popcorn is one of my favorite foods, is my favorite snack by far, and I also adore peanut butter. Having said that, I would risk days of ice cream sickness to eat a tub of this ice cream. Holy freakin crap, this was good. The candy bar was nice, but it couldn't hold a candle to the popcorn ice cream. I must eat this again and I may now be in love with Hedy Goldsmith, the pastry wizard @ Michael's. Just a little.
Ooh, and joy upon joys, Michael's now has a food cart! With my ice cream! I'm hella excited and will now commence with the Twitter stalking.
Oh yeah, and we had beverages. My girl had a Shiraz I'm not seeing on the online menu and cappuccino and I had the homemade local strawberry-basil soda and a macchiato. She loved the Shiraz, and the sommelier was a great help. The macchiato was nice, but was completely eclipsed by the dessert. The soda was too sweet for me (I don't even like sugar, so I'm not 100% on why I ordered it), but the taste was nice.
We must go back & soon.
Le Cafe
|
French punk-ish artsy cafe/bistro in MiMo.
What we had:
I think I had a crepe. I remember it was tasty, but that's about all I remember about it.
My NY escapee friend had a caprese sandwich, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Décor:
We sat on the back deck, which was nice. The art when we went was Marilyn Monroe ala God Save the Queen style. Sweet!
Service:
So. Freakin. Slow, i wantedtoscratchmyeyeballsout.
Ok, truth be told, I was on my lunch break and am prone to lunch break time constraint meltdowns. My girl was on the verge of smacking me upside the head.
Overall impressions:
Interesting. I'll never go back for lunch during a work day, but I would love to check out some of the events at night. And I loved the art, so that's a plus.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I think I had a crepe. I remember it was tasty, but that's about all I remember about it.
My NY escapee friend had a caprese sandwich, which she thoroughly enjoyed.
Décor:
We sat on the back deck, which was nice. The art when we went was Marilyn Monroe ala God Save the Queen style. Sweet!
Service:
So. Freakin. Slow, i wantedtoscratchmyeyeballsout.
Ok, truth be told, I was on my lunch break and am prone to lunch break time constraint meltdowns. My girl was on the verge of smacking me upside the head.
Overall impressions:
Interesting. I'll never go back for lunch during a work day, but I would love to check out some of the events at night. And I loved the art, so that's a plus.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Gourmet Station
|
This place is kind of an odd duck. The sign says its a gourmet-to-go catering service that targets people who want fresh food without cooking. The hours are weird, though. I'm not 100% on what the hours actually are, since it seems like they are closed 7x out of 10 when we pass by. On this day, they were open for lunch.
What we had:
I had the portobello salad--a romaine salad with sliced portobello, mandarin orange segments, some other stuff I can't remember and balsamic dressing.
My escapee-from-snowmageddon friend had a steak sandwich.
Now, I know my concept of "gourmet" differs from that of the average joe on the street, but this was not gourmet. I think the bare minimum to garner the title of gourmet for your salad is mescalun greens. And that's just a bare minimum. Portobello does not a gourmet make.
The steak in the sandwich was cooked nicely, so that was a plus. But, my girl ended up peeling off about half of the cheese slices (I'm not sure what the cheese was--it was white with no holes and didn't look like muenster or the like. Kinda looked on the white american side, but I sincerely hope that it wasn't. she didn't know and I was trying to "behave" that 5 minute period).
Décor:
Minimal with quotes on a chalkboard wall.
Service:
So-so.
Overall impressions:
I don't know that I would ever go back. The salad was only $8 or $9, but I was starving again half an hour later. My girl enjoyed her sandwich.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the portobello salad--a romaine salad with sliced portobello, mandarin orange segments, some other stuff I can't remember and balsamic dressing.
My escapee-from-snowmageddon friend had a steak sandwich.
Now, I know my concept of "gourmet" differs from that of the average joe on the street, but this was not gourmet. I think the bare minimum to garner the title of gourmet for your salad is mescalun greens. And that's just a bare minimum. Portobello does not a gourmet make.
The steak in the sandwich was cooked nicely, so that was a plus. But, my girl ended up peeling off about half of the cheese slices (I'm not sure what the cheese was--it was white with no holes and didn't look like muenster or the like. Kinda looked on the white american side, but I sincerely hope that it wasn't. she didn't know and I was trying to "behave" that 5 minute period).
Décor:
Minimal with quotes on a chalkboard wall.
Service:
So-so.
Overall impressions:
I don't know that I would ever go back. The salad was only $8 or $9, but I was starving again half an hour later. My girl enjoyed her sandwich.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
Wahoo's At Whale Harbor
|
Big-ass seafood and boat dock complex in Islamorada.
What we had:
I had the grilled mahi sandwich--although my fish was burnt, the non-burnt parts tasted nice and the fillet hadn't dried out too much. The bun was kinda wimpy (just a generic grocery store burger bun) and there was no dressing on the sandwich. Ok, now that I'm spelling it out, this wasn't a great sandwich, but I was starving and it was chilly on the deck, so I wanted to choke it down and get out of there.
My DH had a burger, which he seemed to enjoy.
We took the NY escapee, and she liked her chicken ceasar salad and loved her cheese fries (whale fries on the menu).
Décor:
We sat on the back deck overlooking the boats. It was kinda windy & cold in the shade that day, and I was already aggravated.
Service:
So-so.
Overall impressions:
This place is huge. Wahoo's itself is pretty large, with a good sized deck and a separate connector walkway/bar/seating area leading to the (2 stall only!!) bathroom. On the other end of the connector is a seafood buffet. Looks like a racuous place to grab a beer, but i'm not sure if i would like to stay long enough to pee. The food was serviceable but not special.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the grilled mahi sandwich--although my fish was burnt, the non-burnt parts tasted nice and the fillet hadn't dried out too much. The bun was kinda wimpy (just a generic grocery store burger bun) and there was no dressing on the sandwich. Ok, now that I'm spelling it out, this wasn't a great sandwich, but I was starving and it was chilly on the deck, so I wanted to choke it down and get out of there.
My DH had a burger, which he seemed to enjoy.
We took the NY escapee, and she liked her chicken ceasar salad and loved her cheese fries (whale fries on the menu).
Décor:
We sat on the back deck overlooking the boats. It was kinda windy & cold in the shade that day, and I was already aggravated.
Service:
So-so.
Overall impressions:
This place is huge. Wahoo's itself is pretty large, with a good sized deck and a separate connector walkway/bar/seating area leading to the (2 stall only!!) bathroom. On the other end of the connector is a seafood buffet. Looks like a racuous place to grab a beer, but i'm not sure if i would like to stay long enough to pee. The food was serviceable but not special.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
DiLido Beach Club
|
Ok, I must admit I was originally excited to check this place out because the Executive Chef is Jeff McInnis from Top Chef Season 5. I loved his "creative monkeys" and how spastic he was in the kitchen. I figure the Ritz Carlton isn't going to put out crap, and if its overpriced, so be it.
One of my girl friends from college was in town (escaping snowmageddon in NY) and her must-dos included some sort of fruity alcoholic beverage on the beach, preferably with an umbrella. DiLido seemed like a natural fit.
What we had:
I had the lamb gyro flatbread--thin-sliced succulent lamb with a refreshing pickled mango salsa and light smear of raita topped with micro greens and fuschia flowers. This was a great dish and the perfect size and lightness for somewhere that overlooks the beach. And, at $14, not a bad price either, considering the atmosphere.
My DH had the lamb sliders with sweet potato fries--Also pretty great. The sweet potato fries were so good we had to get a plate for the table.
My girl had the chicken "under a brick" flatbread--crispy, juicy lemon chicken with an artichoke mousse-y, creamy base topped with micro greens and fuschia flowers. This was surprisingly good. I was worried--it was the most boring looking thing on the menu--but it was really succulent and the crispiness was a great touch.
We also had beverages. High-priced ($17) beverages. My girl & I had the Blue Basil (top shelf vodka, muddled blueberries, lemon & basil). A good drink, if a bit stiff for my tastes, though at $17 a glass it had better be. I left with a good buzz and didn't even finish my vodka-soaked blueberries.
My DH had the Lemon Verbena-Tini (citrus vodka, white grape, lemon verbena & orange blossom). He really enjoyed it and in the sip I had, the lemon verbena gave a great herby taste.
No umbrellas to be found.
Décor:
Very relaxing. This place is all outdoor seating under umbrellas, so be sure to check the weather--The restaurant is not open if it is raining. The view of South Beach was nice, and just what was needed.
Service:
Not bad. Its the Ritz Carlton, afterall.
Overall impressions:
A good relaxing place for a light bite or a heavy cocktail. I would love to go back on a Thursday or Friday night to check out the hookahs.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
One of my girl friends from college was in town (escaping snowmageddon in NY) and her must-dos included some sort of fruity alcoholic beverage on the beach, preferably with an umbrella. DiLido seemed like a natural fit.
What we had:
I had the lamb gyro flatbread--thin-sliced succulent lamb with a refreshing pickled mango salsa and light smear of raita topped with micro greens and fuschia flowers. This was a great dish and the perfect size and lightness for somewhere that overlooks the beach. And, at $14, not a bad price either, considering the atmosphere.
My DH had the lamb sliders with sweet potato fries--Also pretty great. The sweet potato fries were so good we had to get a plate for the table.
My girl had the chicken "under a brick" flatbread--crispy, juicy lemon chicken with an artichoke mousse-y, creamy base topped with micro greens and fuschia flowers. This was surprisingly good. I was worried--it was the most boring looking thing on the menu--but it was really succulent and the crispiness was a great touch.
We also had beverages. High-priced ($17) beverages. My girl & I had the Blue Basil (top shelf vodka, muddled blueberries, lemon & basil). A good drink, if a bit stiff for my tastes, though at $17 a glass it had better be. I left with a good buzz and didn't even finish my vodka-soaked blueberries.
My DH had the Lemon Verbena-Tini (citrus vodka, white grape, lemon verbena & orange blossom). He really enjoyed it and in the sip I had, the lemon verbena gave a great herby taste.
No umbrellas to be found.
Décor:
Very relaxing. This place is all outdoor seating under umbrellas, so be sure to check the weather--The restaurant is not open if it is raining. The view of South Beach was nice, and just what was needed.
Service:
Not bad. Its the Ritz Carlton, afterall.
Overall impressions:
A good relaxing place for a light bite or a heavy cocktail. I would love to go back on a Thursday or Friday night to check out the hookahs.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Balans Miami
|
International design with a decidedly European-influenced menu.
What we had:
I had the chorizo con papas--two fried eggs with spicy chorizo, home fries & salsa fresca. Not a bad breakfast, though the chorizo got to be a little much toward the end. I was glad to have the salsa to cut the grease.
My DH had 3 big, light & fluffy pancakes with really great bacon. We think the bacon is deep fried, and if so, that is a great way to go. The bacon came out very crispy, curly & uniformly cooked.
Décor:
The patio is a nice space to relax--interesting mix of Thai, organic natural wood shapes, swings to sit on & lounge seating.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
I want to go back for drinks some evening. The drinks by the pitcher selection is good, and although the mixed drinks are $11, the menu looked inviting.
A good relaxed place to grab a bite or take a load off.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the chorizo con papas--two fried eggs with spicy chorizo, home fries & salsa fresca. Not a bad breakfast, though the chorizo got to be a little much toward the end. I was glad to have the salsa to cut the grease.
My DH had 3 big, light & fluffy pancakes with really great bacon. We think the bacon is deep fried, and if so, that is a great way to go. The bacon came out very crispy, curly & uniformly cooked.
Décor:
The patio is a nice space to relax--interesting mix of Thai, organic natural wood shapes, swings to sit on & lounge seating.
Service:
Not bad.
Overall impressions:
I want to go back for drinks some evening. The drinks by the pitcher selection is good, and although the mixed drinks are $11, the menu looked inviting.
A good relaxed place to grab a bite or take a load off.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
18th Street Cafe
|
Laid-back cafe in the Omni District.
What we had:
I had the pear turkey melt--smoked turkey, mayo, pear, fresh spinach & muenster on toasted wheat bread. The turkey was a bit salty, but not overwhelmingly so; the mayo was unobtrusive; the pear & spinach were nice; and the muenster, while not melted as much as i would have liked, was a nice creamy counterpoint.
My DH had the roast beef with horseradish--thin-sliced roast beef, provolone, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions & horseradish sauce on a hoagie. He also enjoyed his sandwich, though it was not what we set out for--he had originally wanted a French Dip.
Décor:
Open & airy vaguely cupola-shaped space with black, red, sage & tan accents.
Service:
Not bad for an order at the counter joint.
Overall impressions:
We would eat here again. A nice non-greasy lunch (though I was wishing for any side but potato chips).
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the pear turkey melt--smoked turkey, mayo, pear, fresh spinach & muenster on toasted wheat bread. The turkey was a bit salty, but not overwhelmingly so; the mayo was unobtrusive; the pear & spinach were nice; and the muenster, while not melted as much as i would have liked, was a nice creamy counterpoint.
My DH had the roast beef with horseradish--thin-sliced roast beef, provolone, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions & horseradish sauce on a hoagie. He also enjoyed his sandwich, though it was not what we set out for--he had originally wanted a French Dip.
Décor:
Open & airy vaguely cupola-shaped space with black, red, sage & tan accents.
Service:
Not bad for an order at the counter joint.
Overall impressions:
We would eat here again. A nice non-greasy lunch (though I was wishing for any side but potato chips).
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Harriette's Diner
|
Jam-packed little roadside diner on the wayback from Duck Key. Possibly in Key Largo.
What we had:
Continuing my theme of conch, I had the conch fritter burger with eggs, hashedbrowns & a homemade biscuit (with local honey bottled special for the restaurant). Sometimes you gamble on a weird menu item & lose. This time I won. This was a surprisingly nice combination, though I didn't really need the Mickey Dees-style hashed brown patty. The slightly-yielding, lightly fried burger-sized fritter with unctuous egg yolk would have sufficed. You really can't go wrong with a homemade biscuit, either. Especially not one that's light, flaky & ever-so-slightly holds firm against your teeth.
My DH had the pancakes, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Décor:
Homey, with tons of awards and pictures on the walls.
Service:
Diner efficient and down-home friendly.
Overall impressions:
A great little spot to fortify ourselves for the drive back.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
Continuing my theme of conch, I had the conch fritter burger with eggs, hashedbrowns & a homemade biscuit (with local honey bottled special for the restaurant). Sometimes you gamble on a weird menu item & lose. This time I won. This was a surprisingly nice combination, though I didn't really need the Mickey Dees-style hashed brown patty. The slightly-yielding, lightly fried burger-sized fritter with unctuous egg yolk would have sufficed. You really can't go wrong with a homemade biscuit, either. Especially not one that's light, flaky & ever-so-slightly holds firm against your teeth.
My DH had the pancakes, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Décor:
Homey, with tons of awards and pictures on the walls.
Service:
Diner efficient and down-home friendly.
Overall impressions:
A great little spot to fortify ourselves for the drive back.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tom's Harbor House
|
The main restaurant on Duck Key. The whole Key is basically Hawks Cay Resort (not my favorite place), this restaurant (which may or may not be affiliated), some tour boats & a pro shop/convenience store (affiliation also unknown).
What we had:
The meal started with hands-down the best conch fritters I've ever eaten. The perfectly-fried fritters had actual, discernable conch, nice flavor & a nice bite of spice.
I had the Mahi wrapped in banana leaves with Key lime butter, mixed veggies & coconut milk rice. OMG this dish was awesome. Almost regretted it, but I finished every bite. The fish was tender & perfect, the veggies were a nice mix that included vibrant red peppers, and the rice... The rice was fan-freaking-tabulous & I must make it at home.
My DH had the whole steamed w/crispy skin Yellowtail Snapper, which was also great (but not as great) and came served with veggies & rice.
Décor:
Non-obnoxious nautical with lots of honeyed wood.
Service:
Prompt & personable.
Overall impressions:
Mmmmmmmmmmm
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
The meal started with hands-down the best conch fritters I've ever eaten. The perfectly-fried fritters had actual, discernable conch, nice flavor & a nice bite of spice.
I had the Mahi wrapped in banana leaves with Key lime butter, mixed veggies & coconut milk rice. OMG this dish was awesome. Almost regretted it, but I finished every bite. The fish was tender & perfect, the veggies were a nice mix that included vibrant red peppers, and the rice... The rice was fan-freaking-tabulous & I must make it at home.
My DH had the whole steamed w/crispy skin Yellowtail Snapper, which was also great (but not as great) and came served with veggies & rice.
Décor:
Non-obnoxious nautical with lots of honeyed wood.
Service:
Prompt & personable.
Overall impressions:
Mmmmmmmmmmm
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
The Wreck & Galley
|
Sports-ish bar & grill right past Duck Key in the Florida Keys.
What we had:
I had the local-caught Grouper sandwich. The huge filet Grouper was delicate & flaky, the batter not overwhelming & the accompanying remoulade-reminescent sauce played a nice counterpoint.
My DH's chicken sandwich was flavorful & juicy.
Décor:
Typical Keys bar with stapled dollar bill decor, light sports memoribilia & light nautical theme.
Service:
Friendly & prompt.
Overall impressions:
A great start to our vacation.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the local-caught Grouper sandwich. The huge filet Grouper was delicate & flaky, the batter not overwhelming & the accompanying remoulade-reminescent sauce played a nice counterpoint.
My DH's chicken sandwich was flavorful & juicy.
Décor:
Typical Keys bar with stapled dollar bill decor, light sports memoribilia & light nautical theme.
Service:
Friendly & prompt.
Overall impressions:
A great start to our vacation.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Kebab Something on 163rd
|
I've been neglecting to tell you about a place for months now because it was horrible & I can't for the life of me remember the name.
This place is a kebab shop next to the Thai restaurant we visited with the purple napkins and Siddartha head on 163rd in for the life of me remember the name.
This place is a kebab shop next to the Thai restaurant we visited with the purple napkins and Siddartha head on 163rd in China land.
What we had:
Some sort of greasy, tough lamb kebab with obnoxious seasoning & too many over-fried little things in the sampler platter.
Décor:
Bland.
Service:
Meh.
Overall impressions:
Yick.
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders (ick, but no one got sick)
We also Re-visited Granny Feelgoods in Aventura a few months back, and it sucked horribly. We went for dinner & the food was bland, boring & lifeless; the service was tragic & the whole experience felt like a restaurant that had given up. Yuck-o--needless to say, we won't be going back if they remain open.
2 out of 5 salamanders
This place is a kebab shop next to the Thai restaurant we visited with the purple napkins and Siddartha head on 163rd in for the life of me remember the name.
This place is a kebab shop next to the Thai restaurant we visited with the purple napkins and Siddartha head on 163rd in China land.
What we had:
Some sort of greasy, tough lamb kebab with obnoxious seasoning & too many over-fried little things in the sampler platter.
Décor:
Bland.
Service:
Meh.
Overall impressions:
Yick.
Rating:
2 out of 5 salamanders (ick, but no one got sick)
We also Re-visited Granny Feelgoods in Aventura a few months back, and it sucked horribly. We went for dinner & the food was bland, boring & lifeless; the service was tragic & the whole experience felt like a restaurant that had given up. Yuck-o--needless to say, we won't be going back if they remain open.
2 out of 5 salamanders
New Dominos
|
I grew up in a Pizza Hut or Little Caesars household. I think my father once likened Dominos to rat barf. So, when I saw the bold new ad campaign addressing the company's shortfallimgs, I was beyond intrigued and impressed. I fell for the taxidermied Quiznos hamsters, too.
What we had:
I had a mushroom & spinach pizza and my DH had a pepperoni & bacon pizza, both on original crust.
Go Dominos. I must say, this was entirely efible--the garlic brushed crust was pretty tasty, the sauce was much better than Papa Johns, the cheese came from a cow and the toppings were decent. The spinach was mummified, but points for having spinach in the first place.
Décor:
Messy again living area.
Service:
WTF? Why no delivery?
Overall impressions:
I'm impressed. Not impressed enough to choose it over delivery, but impressed all the same.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had a mushroom & spinach pizza and my DH had a pepperoni & bacon pizza, both on original crust.
Go Dominos. I must say, this was entirely efible--the garlic brushed crust was pretty tasty, the sauce was much better than Papa Johns, the cheese came from a cow and the toppings were decent. The spinach was mummified, but points for having spinach in the first place.
Décor:
Messy again living area.
Service:
WTF? Why no delivery?
Overall impressions:
I'm impressed. Not impressed enough to choose it over delivery, but impressed all the same.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Di Vita's Restaurant
|
Not sure if this place us still also called Che Sopranos or not, but it's on Biscayne in MiMo.
What we had:
Delivery sandwiches on really nice foccacia. I had a grilled veggie sandwich with fresh mozzarella & pesto, which was tasty.
My DH had a plain chicken sandwich, which he didn't really want, so I don't think he really enjoyed. It didn't have cheese or bacon.
Décor:
Messy living space.
Service:
Decently snappy.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. I like the menu stance--nothing loaded with cheese or bacon and interesting pizzas.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
Delivery sandwiches on really nice foccacia. I had a grilled veggie sandwich with fresh mozzarella & pesto, which was tasty.
My DH had a plain chicken sandwich, which he didn't really want, so I don't think he really enjoyed. It didn't have cheese or bacon.
Décor:
Messy living space.
Service:
Decently snappy.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. I like the menu stance--nothing loaded with cheese or bacon and interesting pizzas.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Ye Olde Falcon Pub
|
Irish pub on University in Plantation.
What we had:
I had the bangers & mash-frozen, steamed veggies that were blessedly butter-free, fresh mashed potatoes and pork sausagues that I wasn't a fan of (I know, right? Given my affinity for pork, I never thought I'd write such words either), covered in a decent beef gravy.
My DH had a chili cheese dog that ended up ripping his stomach up.
Our friend had the shepard's pie, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Décor:
Dark (misding the smoky) and smelled like alcohol in the middle of the after nnon, but hey, it's a pub. Very Irish themed.
Service:
Typical for a bar.
Overall impressions:
Might be a good place to grab a pint & watch a game.
Rating:
3 salamanders
What we had:
I had the bangers & mash-frozen, steamed veggies that were blessedly butter-free, fresh mashed potatoes and pork sausagues that I wasn't a fan of (I know, right? Given my affinity for pork, I never thought I'd write such words either), covered in a decent beef gravy.
My DH had a chili cheese dog that ended up ripping his stomach up.
Our friend had the shepard's pie, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Décor:
Dark (misding the smoky) and smelled like alcohol in the middle of the after nnon, but hey, it's a pub. Very Irish themed.
Service:
Typical for a bar.
Overall impressions:
Might be a good place to grab a pint & watch a game.
Rating:
3 salamanders
Revales
|
Little Italian joint on Biscayne just North of MiMo. I went for brunch with a friend on a Saturday.
What we had:
I had the florentine crepe-a fluffy, lightly orangey crepe, with perfectly runny fried eggs, pleasant cheese, fresh sauteed spinach and a delicate bechamel sauce. This dish was delightfully cheesy, delightfully creamy and the bites with egg yolk and bechamel were almost heavenly.
My friend had an egg white omelette with bacon and home fries. The waiter asked specifically if she wanted egg whites and whether she wanted the bacon on the side or in the middle. Impressive.
Décor:
Cute, little & Italian.
Service:
Good. We stayed for quite awhile and always had fresh coffee.
Overall impressions:
Why have I waited so long to eat here? Yum.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the florentine crepe-a fluffy, lightly orangey crepe, with perfectly runny fried eggs, pleasant cheese, fresh sauteed spinach and a delicate bechamel sauce. This dish was delightfully cheesy, delightfully creamy and the bites with egg yolk and bechamel were almost heavenly.
My friend had an egg white omelette with bacon and home fries. The waiter asked specifically if she wanted egg whites and whether she wanted the bacon on the side or in the middle. Impressive.
Décor:
Cute, little & Italian.
Service:
Good. We stayed for quite awhile and always had fresh coffee.
Overall impressions:
Why have I waited so long to eat here? Yum.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Three Palms Cuban Cafe
|
Cuban lunch counter & cafe on Biscayne next to the Sexy Shop, up the road from the shady Secrets strip club. Glowing location review, eh?
What we had:
We got our usual --1 Cuban sandwich & 1 media niche sandwich to swap out. The Cuban was better. Not as good quality as Latin American Cafe or David's, but a good sandwich. This version had mayo and an interesting little something extra spice to it. Not sure what the something extra was, but it was nice. The bread was great and the ham was decent, but the pork was lacking. The sandwiches were served with potato sticks. We had fries, which just hit the mark for me that day. I don't know if I was having a fat girl day, or if the need for fries was taking over my cigarette craving, but the fries were exactly perfect in that moment.
Décor:
Biscayne Blvd. & the Sexy Shop.
Service:
A bit slow with the sandwiches.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. A local cop was eating there when we pulled up, which is generally a good sign.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
We got our usual --1 Cuban sandwich & 1 media niche sandwich to swap out. The Cuban was better. Not as good quality as Latin American Cafe or David's, but a good sandwich. This version had mayo and an interesting little something extra spice to it. Not sure what the something extra was, but it was nice. The bread was great and the ham was decent, but the pork was lacking. The sandwiches were served with potato sticks. We had fries, which just hit the mark for me that day. I don't know if I was having a fat girl day, or if the need for fries was taking over my cigarette craving, but the fries were exactly perfect in that moment.
Décor:
Biscayne Blvd. & the Sexy Shop.
Service:
A bit slow with the sandwiches.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. A local cop was eating there when we pulled up, which is generally a good sign.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Timpanos Chop House
|
Power lunch spot in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. I went with a group of co-workers for my congratulations for finally leaving hell lunch.
What we had:
I had the steak panini-nicely cut & rare steak slices (that were amazingly, not at all stringy), with some sort of pesto (I think) on nice bread. Served with a side of potato wedges.
Other girls in the group had the shrimp fra diovla, which the orderer absolutely loved and chicken parmesan, which I'm told was awesome.
Décor:
Generic neutral yellows and dark woods.
Service:
We had at least 2 servers. The service was decent and fairly unobtrusive.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. The food was good.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the steak panini-nicely cut & rare steak slices (that were amazingly, not at all stringy), with some sort of pesto (I think) on nice bread. Served with a side of potato wedges.
Other girls in the group had the shrimp fra diovla, which the orderer absolutely loved and chicken parmesan, which I'm told was awesome.
Décor:
Generic neutral yellows and dark woods.
Service:
We had at least 2 servers. The service was decent and fairly unobtrusive.
Overall impressions:
Not bad. The food was good.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Latin Burger & Taco Truck
|
Ingrid Hoffman's gourmet traveling burger & taco truck serving primarily North Miami so far.
I stalk the truck on Twitter to find out if it will be anywhere near me on any given day.
What we had:
We caught up to the truck outside the Busy Bee car wash on Biscayne and ordered the menu (minus fries).
Latin burger: a rich blend of chorizo, chuck & sirloin topped with Oaxaca cheese, hottie onions (caramelized onions with jalapenos), avocado sauce & red pepper mayo. Yum. Pretty great.
Tacos: green chile chicken (pretty good), mole chicken (also pretty good) and sweet BBQ pork with corn (awesome).
Décor:
A pretty black and hot pink truck by the side of the road.
Service:
Rushed but courteous.
Overall impressions:
Mmmmm. Glad I'm stalking the truck, if for nothing but the clandestine adventure of the venue. The food is pretty good, too.
Rating:
3.5 salamanders
I stalk the truck on Twitter to find out if it will be anywhere near me on any given day.
What we had:
We caught up to the truck outside the Busy Bee car wash on Biscayne and ordered the menu (minus fries).
Latin burger: a rich blend of chorizo, chuck & sirloin topped with Oaxaca cheese, hottie onions (caramelized onions with jalapenos), avocado sauce & red pepper mayo. Yum. Pretty great.
Tacos: green chile chicken (pretty good), mole chicken (also pretty good) and sweet BBQ pork with corn (awesome).
Décor:
A pretty black and hot pink truck by the side of the road.
Service:
Rushed but courteous.
Overall impressions:
Mmmmm. Glad I'm stalking the truck, if for nothing but the clandestine adventure of the venue. The food is pretty good, too.
Rating:
3.5 salamanders
Pelican Grand Resort
|
Resort right on the beach in Fort Lauderdale.
What we had:
I went for brunch with a group of girls for a friends' bridal shower. The brunch buffet was great. I'm a slacker--I went all the way back in November--but from what I remember, everything was really fresh and aside from whoever kept burning toast, the staff took care in preparing the offerings. I ate a bunch if shrimp, a few different types of salad, some roast beef, lots of cheeses and really cute little mango & raspberry shooter desserts.
Décor:
Beach resort style with dark wood, lots of fans and golds/greens.
Service:
I don't remember wanting for anything, but we were having a great time with bridal shower stuff.
Overall impressions:
I would love to go back and eat on the nice wide porch overlooking the ocean.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I went for brunch with a group of girls for a friends' bridal shower. The brunch buffet was great. I'm a slacker--I went all the way back in November--but from what I remember, everything was really fresh and aside from whoever kept burning toast, the staff took care in preparing the offerings. I ate a bunch if shrimp, a few different types of salad, some roast beef, lots of cheeses and really cute little mango & raspberry shooter desserts.
Décor:
Beach resort style with dark wood, lots of fans and golds/greens.
Service:
I don't remember wanting for anything, but we were having a great time with bridal shower stuff.
Overall impressions:
I would love to go back and eat on the nice wide porch overlooking the ocean.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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