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
Dancing In The Kitchen With Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef
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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
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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
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"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
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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
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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
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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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