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
Coco Asian Bistro
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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
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