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
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
Mai Tardi
|
Nuveau Italian dining & drinks spot in the Design District
What we had:
I had the prosciutto/CA fig/walunt/gorgonzola/mozzarella pizza. A good balance of salty/sweet/earthy/cheesy, with a nice crust and good quality cheeses.
My DH had the bison burger w/fontina & fries. A great spice balance, great fries & on the second try, it was even cooked correctly. On the first try, the burger was a hockey puck.
Décor:
We ate outside in the lounge courtyard. The courtyard is nice, with an outdoor bar shack thing, lights in the huge courtyard tree & a laid back feel.
Service:
The server was happy to fix the burger snafu, but then all but ignored us.
Overall impressions:
This would be a great spot to grab drinks some evening.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the prosciutto/CA fig/walunt/gorgonzola/mozzarella pizza. A good balance of salty/sweet/earthy/cheesy, with a nice crust and good quality cheeses.
My DH had the bison burger w/fontina & fries. A great spice balance, great fries & on the second try, it was even cooked correctly. On the first try, the burger was a hockey puck.
Décor:
We ate outside in the lounge courtyard. The courtyard is nice, with an outdoor bar shack thing, lights in the huge courtyard tree & a laid back feel.
Service:
The server was happy to fix the burger snafu, but then all but ignored us.
Overall impressions:
This would be a great spot to grab drinks some evening.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Jimmy's Eastside Diner
|
A little non24-hour diner on Biscayne in MiMo.
What we had:
I had the ham, eggs & hashbrowns breakfast-thick cut ham, perfect eggs and good hashbrowns.
My DH had the open-faced roast beef sandwich-real roast beef, with homemade beef gravy. Both dishes were good and of good quality.
Décor:
Kinda scary from the 70s. Lots of brown, old hand-lettered signs and mirror.
Service:
Efficient and good.
Overall impressions:
We would go back.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
What we had:
I had the ham, eggs & hashbrowns breakfast-thick cut ham, perfect eggs and good hashbrowns.
My DH had the open-faced roast beef sandwich-real roast beef, with homemade beef gravy. Both dishes were good and of good quality.
Décor:
Kinda scary from the 70s. Lots of brown, old hand-lettered signs and mirror.
Service:
Efficient and good.
Overall impressions:
We would go back.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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