Michy's is an upscale New American comfort food restaurant by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein in MiMo. Note: Reservations are strongly encouraged. We went on a Wednesday in December and the place was filling up quickly by the time we left (around 8:30).
What we had:
My DH took me to Michy's for my birthday this year. We had an appetizer, split three half-portion entrees and then ended up having (two!) desserts.
Appetizer: Crispy pork belly with a frisee, pear and crunchy bacon salad and light sweet and tart dressing. This is the first time either of us tried pork belly. I've been equal parts intrigued by the dish (I <3 pig) and repulsed by it (fat generally freaks me out). This was awesome, and tied for my favorite dish of the night. The creaminess of the fat mixed with the crispiness of the skin(?) was a perfect combo, and the nuggets of piggy goodness underneath just sent this dish over the edge. The salad was a great balance as well and cut through the richness of the belly perfectly. The portion size was three 1.5-inch cube chunks with a nice bit of salad. I think the portion was perfect. I don't think I could have handled any more fat. Loved it, but an appetizer size was quite sufficient.
Entree 1: Salmon on a bed of celeriac puree with a pomegranate & celery salad. The salmon skin was wonderfully crisp, the salad was well-balanced and the puree provided a great foil, but salmon is salmon. It was perfectly cooked, but salmon just tastes like salmon no matter what. Not a bad dish at all. Every part but the salmon itself was wow.
Entree 2: Gnocchi in a sausage and ground beef tomato sauce topped with melted buffalo mozzarella. This was perhaps the lightest, most pillowy gnocchi I have ever tasted. The sauce was good and had a nice little bite of heat. Were I cooking it (or rather, my DH, since he is the sauce expert), I would add a little wine to the sauce and more chunky tomatoes, but that's more of a stylistic choice. The dish was great.
Entree 3: Boneless fall-apart short ribs on a bed of the creamiest potatoes ever with some sort of beef-based sweet sauce and "crispy" brussels sprouts. This was my second favorite dish of the evening. The short ribs were falling-apart, all things beefy and good, and the potatoes were impossibly creamy. I would have liked triple the amount of brussels sprouts though (only a few of the outer leaves were used as a garnish), and neither my DH or myself are sure how we feel about the sauce. It was sweet. On some bites, it was a bit cloying; on others, it was just right. Again, I would have added more wine and maybe some earthiness to the sauce, but that's just me, and people pay zero dollars for my dishes.
Dessert 1: Baked Alaska--a dense pistachio cake topped with homemade dulce de leche ice cream, wrapped in a yummy snowcap of blowtorched merangue with a side of fresh passionfruit salsa. This dessert was awesome. The merangue was kind of like a cross between toasted marshmallows (have i mentioned lately how much i adore food that has been on fire) and taffy; the ice cream was really, really good; and the cake was perfect--dense, slightly nutty and not very sweet. The salsa was tart and not bad. It was no burnt marshmallow taste, though, so I mostly avoided it.
Funny story about dessert... so, after we ate like pigs and stuffed ourselves with almost the entire dessert, the waiter-in-waiting came out with a free birthday dessert and apologies about not coordinating with our other waiter. Free dessert is awesome. Free dessert with a pretty, sparkly candle is even better. Free dessert with a sparkly candle and no horrendous song is priceless.
Dessert 2: Michy's signature bread pudding--a creamy, custardy bread pudding with chocolate chips and homemade vanilla ice cream. I'm happy this dessert had chocolate instead of fruit (if it had fruit, i would have eaten more). I only had a few bites of pudding (and all the ice cream), but it was good.
Décor:
Really cute orange/blue/white theme with interesting natural shell chandilers, french garden-style chairs and a orange moleskin bench with comfy pillows running the length of one side.
Service:
An odd amount of waiters and food runners for such a small space. We had a primary waiter, a backup waiter, we saw a few food runners/bussers, a floor manager and at least two hostesses. We never lacked in service.
Overall impressions:
I would definitely go back and definitely recommend this place. I was worried that it would be overpriced and that it was over-hyped because of the owner, but this place is really good. Not as much of a local message as Michael's Genuine, but they do try to do local where possible. I don't feel like we got ripped off, either. Our bill came to $115 for an appetizer, three half-portion entrees, dessert, a glass of pinot noir and a glass of riesling spritzer (what can I say? I don't like wine and they do not have a full bar). I think we could safely do just a regular dinner for around $50. Not bad at all.
Rating:
4.7 out of 5 salamanders
Dogma
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Hotdog/burger/wrap/even a few salads outdoor dining quick stop on Biscayne Blvd. In MiMo.
What we had:
I had the Sedona burger--a crispy-around-the-edges, yet juicy patty with bacon, avocado, diced tomatoes, cheese sauce and sour cream on a regular hamburger bun.
My DH had the Cali dog--an all-beef hotdog with bacon, avocado and sour cream on a poppyseed bun. Not life-changing, but a good dog. Better than average.
We split a basket of regular fries, which were very crispy and fresh cut.
Décor:
Outdoor dining with umbrellas and ketchup and mustard color pallette.
Service:
It wasn't busy, so the food was pretty quick.
Overall impressions:
A great place to stop for a quick lunch or low-key, step up from Mickey Dees (ok, quite a few steps up on the taste/quality ladder) fast food dinner.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the Sedona burger--a crispy-around-the-edges, yet juicy patty with bacon, avocado, diced tomatoes, cheese sauce and sour cream on a regular hamburger bun.
My DH had the Cali dog--an all-beef hotdog with bacon, avocado and sour cream on a poppyseed bun. Not life-changing, but a good dog. Better than average.
We split a basket of regular fries, which were very crispy and fresh cut.
Décor:
Outdoor dining with umbrellas and ketchup and mustard color pallette.
Service:
It wasn't busy, so the food was pretty quick.
Overall impressions:
A great place to stop for a quick lunch or low-key, step up from Mickey Dees (ok, quite a few steps up on the taste/quality ladder) fast food dinner.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Hofbrau Munchen
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Belgian beer hall/cafe in Lincoln Road.
What we had:
I had wurst platter #130--fresh pork sausage with homemade sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. The wurst was nicely flavored and juicy, the kraut was mild and a little like heaven, and the potatoes were buttery and creamy.
This was just what I needed. Food to comfort the soul. I don't know if it's my ancestry (heavy on the Polish and German), or if it was my Midwest childhood, but the second the mercury dips below not burning, I crave potatoes, sausage & cabbage down to my core. This meal (along with the pierogis I had last week) hit the spot & filled that void.
My DH had the bratwurst sandwich with fries, which he enjoyed.
Décor:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again--Lincoln Road is a great place to go for a leisurely people-watching lunch.
Service:
Not bad. They make the servers wear Bavarian beer girl garb.
Overall impressions:
Not bad at all. It's Lincoln Road, so a bit on the expensive side for a lunch (both the platter and the sandwich were $14). With soft drinks, we ended up spending about $50. Average for Lincoln and still exactly what I needed.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had wurst platter #130--fresh pork sausage with homemade sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. The wurst was nicely flavored and juicy, the kraut was mild and a little like heaven, and the potatoes were buttery and creamy.
This was just what I needed. Food to comfort the soul. I don't know if it's my ancestry (heavy on the Polish and German), or if it was my Midwest childhood, but the second the mercury dips below not burning, I crave potatoes, sausage & cabbage down to my core. This meal (along with the pierogis I had last week) hit the spot & filled that void.
My DH had the bratwurst sandwich with fries, which he enjoyed.
Décor:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again--Lincoln Road is a great place to go for a leisurely people-watching lunch.
Service:
Not bad. They make the servers wear Bavarian beer girl garb.
Overall impressions:
Not bad at all. It's Lincoln Road, so a bit on the expensive side for a lunch (both the platter and the sandwich were $14). With soft drinks, we ended up spending about $50. Average for Lincoln and still exactly what I needed.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Yard House
|
Sports bar boasting the largest selection of beers on tap (400) in Merrick Zpark Village.
What we had:
I had the pineapple burger--medium to mid rare burger with diced pineapple, pepper jack cheese & a light teriyaki-based sauce on a potato roll--the burger was really good with clean flavors, good sweet to seasoning ratio and a great meat taste.
I had sample tastes of two beers as well ($1 each). Lost Coast Raspberry Brown was a good, light wheat, with a nice smell and pleasant fruit taste. Woodchuck Pear Cider is crisp, clean, and I couldn't taste the alcohol. Dangerous.
My DH had the French dip. The beef was good quality and the sandwich was nicely balanced.
He had the Highland Gaelic Ale--a well-balanced, smooth red and Jupiter Monk In The Trunk, which he liked, but I did not. this beer was really complex, and kinda hits you over the head with a hammer.
Décor:
Open, dark woods, lots of beers on tap, TVs.
Service:
Not bad. Our server was knowledgable about beers and enthusiastic.
Overall impressions:
A great place for lunch, happy hour apps, or any time you want to try a new beer.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the pineapple burger--medium to mid rare burger with diced pineapple, pepper jack cheese & a light teriyaki-based sauce on a potato roll--the burger was really good with clean flavors, good sweet to seasoning ratio and a great meat taste.
I had sample tastes of two beers as well ($1 each). Lost Coast Raspberry Brown was a good, light wheat, with a nice smell and pleasant fruit taste. Woodchuck Pear Cider is crisp, clean, and I couldn't taste the alcohol. Dangerous.
My DH had the French dip. The beef was good quality and the sandwich was nicely balanced.
He had the Highland Gaelic Ale--a well-balanced, smooth red and Jupiter Monk In The Trunk, which he liked, but I did not. this beer was really complex, and kinda hits you over the head with a hammer.
Décor:
Open, dark woods, lots of beers on tap, TVs.
Service:
Not bad. Our server was knowledgable about beers and enthusiastic.
Overall impressions:
A great place for lunch, happy hour apps, or any time you want to try a new beer.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
China Palace
|
Locked up tight when not open Chinese on Biscayne in MiMo. I've walked past this place many times, and it smells great when walking past.
What we had:
Sechuan pork and kung po chicken. Both dishes were really salty with unnaturally-thickened sauces. The pork and chicken were both cooked well and the balance of veggies to meat on the plate was roughly 50/50.
Décor:
Someone took great pains to make this place special a long time ago, then proceeded to paint the walls (badly) yearly and indulge an addiction to cheap table decor.
And with the cloying stench of air freshener, it smelled like the potty.
Service:
A grandmotherly woman waited on us with efficient service.
Overall impressions:
I wanted to love this place. It smells so good from the street, and it's generally busy looking when open. I wouldn't go back. The inside smell and salt level just killed it for me.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
Sechuan pork and kung po chicken. Both dishes were really salty with unnaturally-thickened sauces. The pork and chicken were both cooked well and the balance of veggies to meat on the plate was roughly 50/50.
Décor:
Someone took great pains to make this place special a long time ago, then proceeded to paint the walls (badly) yearly and indulge an addiction to cheap table decor.
And with the cloying stench of air freshener, it smelled like the potty.
Service:
A grandmotherly woman waited on us with efficient service.
Overall impressions:
I wanted to love this place. It smells so good from the street, and it's generally busy looking when open. I wouldn't go back. The inside smell and salt level just killed it for me.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 salamanders
Flora's East Side Pizza
|
NY-style pizza on the 79th Street Causeway.
What we had:
Pepperoni and eggplant pizzas. Nice spice balance in the sauce; good quality cheese & toppings; good crust.
Décor:
We got delivery.
Service:
Fast.
Overall impressions:
Great pizza. A good new go-to for delivery.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
Pepperoni and eggplant pizzas. Nice spice balance in the sauce; good quality cheese & toppings; good crust.
Décor:
We got delivery.
Service:
Fast.
Overall impressions:
Great pizza. A good new go-to for delivery.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Yiya's on 79 Street
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Gourmet Cuban bakery on the 79th Street Causeway.
What we had:
We've been here for both breakfast and lunch. The breakfast sandwiches (we had eggs, cheese and ham or bacon on Cuban bread) were great--really fluffy eggs, a good balance of pork and cheese on a fresh, slightly chewy Cuban roll. What's not to like? And at $4 with the best cafe cubano I've had, a great deal.
The Cuban sandwiches are good, too. I still think Latin American Cafe is my favorite cuban, though. Yiya's bread is better quality, the cheese and pork are even, but Latin's ham quality is better.
Décor:
Cute. Small but comfy and cute, and with Food Network on both times I went.
Service:
Good.
Overall impressions:
Must go back for more.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
We've been here for both breakfast and lunch. The breakfast sandwiches (we had eggs, cheese and ham or bacon on Cuban bread) were great--really fluffy eggs, a good balance of pork and cheese on a fresh, slightly chewy Cuban roll. What's not to like? And at $4 with the best cafe cubano I've had, a great deal.
The Cuban sandwiches are good, too. I still think Latin American Cafe is my favorite cuban, though. Yiya's bread is better quality, the cheese and pork are even, but Latin's ham quality is better.
Décor:
Cute. Small but comfy and cute, and with Food Network on both times I went.
Service:
Good.
Overall impressions:
Must go back for more.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Siam Rice
|
Thai/Sushi joint in MiMo.
What we had:
Chicken Pad Thai and a light chicken dish with red and green peppers and onions.
We've gotten delivery from here twice now, and it's been super fresh and fast both times. Nothing has been heavily sauced and the pad Thai is really good. So far, this is the best Thai place we've been to in Miami.
Décor:
My living room is quite nice, thank you.
Service:
Quick.
Overall impressions:
I'm dying to try the Sushi and sample more of the umpteen menu items.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
Chicken Pad Thai and a light chicken dish with red and green peppers and onions.
We've gotten delivery from here twice now, and it's been super fresh and fast both times. Nothing has been heavily sauced and the pad Thai is really good. So far, this is the best Thai place we've been to in Miami.
Décor:
My living room is quite nice, thank you.
Service:
Quick.
Overall impressions:
I'm dying to try the Sushi and sample more of the umpteen menu items.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Metro Organic Bistro
|
Fresh organic menu in MiMo.
What we had:
I had the line-caught mahi with microgreen and shaved fennel salad and my DH had grass fed skirt steak with fries.
The fish was perfectly cooked and just what the evening called for. The steak was pretty great, too.
Décor:
We ate outside on oversized white vinyl couch with hair-on cow pillows. The outside lounge is luxuriously lit with well-placed floor candles. The dining room is tiny but open and fresh looking.
Service:
Good.
Overall impressions:
We would go back.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the line-caught mahi with microgreen and shaved fennel salad and my DH had grass fed skirt steak with fries.
The fish was perfectly cooked and just what the evening called for. The steak was pretty great, too.
Décor:
We ate outside on oversized white vinyl couch with hair-on cow pillows. The outside lounge is luxuriously lit with well-placed floor candles. The dining room is tiny but open and fresh looking.
Service:
Good.
Overall impressions:
We would go back.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Bagels and Company
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Fresh bakery & deli.
What we had:
Bacon, egg & cheddar bagels with hashed browns. Really good bagels. I loved the large chunk-style hashed browns, though my DH did not.
Décor:
I've only ordered takeout.
Service:
Great at the takeout counter. Friendly and fast.
Overall impressions:
Yum. I want to try lunch next.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
Bacon, egg & cheddar bagels with hashed browns. Really good bagels. I loved the large chunk-style hashed browns, though my DH did not.
Décor:
I've only ordered takeout.
Service:
Great at the takeout counter. Friendly and fast.
Overall impressions:
Yum. I want to try lunch next.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Grampa's Bakery and Restaurant
|
What we had:
I had the ham and egg sandwich. I can't remember the bread, but I do remember it was very fresh. The ham was the thickest slab of ham I've ever had on a sandwich.
The table treats were great, too--fresh cinnamon sticks.
Décor:
Yick. Old, brown & yellow, crowded. With a bar, no less.
Service:
Not bad for being packed.
Overall impressions:
Great quality, good value.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Green Street
|
In Coral Gables. Disclaimer: the day we went was really hot and u was beyond starving. Based on the name, I was expecting light, greasy salads and maybe bright tropical salsas.
What we had:
I had a lamb burger. It was not at all what I was in the mood for. I wanted something light and fresh, but ended up getting the only decent sandwich on the menu. The burger was Huge, and not horrible. Overpriced.
Décor:
We ate outside. Long bathroom line.
Service:
Ho-hum.
Overall impressions:
I wouldn't go back. Partly because of the day, partly the price point over variety.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had a lamb burger. It was not at all what I was in the mood for. I wanted something light and fresh, but ended up getting the only decent sandwich on the menu. The burger was Huge, and not horrible. Overpriced.
Décor:
We ate outside. Long bathroom line.
Service:
Ho-hum.
Overall impressions:
I wouldn't go back. Partly because of the day, partly the price point over variety.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Blue Moon Fish Company
|
I went to Blue Moon with a group for brunch.
What we had:
I loaded up on fresh seafood. The spread here is on the pricey side, but well worth it. Not only does this brunch buffet have the requisite omelet bar, baked goods and "healthy" options, you also get to select from a wide variety of tapas-sized main dishes and fresh seafood.
I attempted to eat my weight in the fabulous mussels, shrimp, oysters and mahi entree.
Décor:
Right on the intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale with large windows overlooking the water and high art deco style.
Service:
Not bad. I was in a group of about 10, and the service was fine.
Overall impressions:
I would definitely go back, and would love to go for a nice dinner.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I loaded up on fresh seafood. The spread here is on the pricey side, but well worth it. Not only does this brunch buffet have the requisite omelet bar, baked goods and "healthy" options, you also get to select from a wide variety of tapas-sized main dishes and fresh seafood.
I attempted to eat my weight in the fabulous mussels, shrimp, oysters and mahi entree.
Décor:
Right on the intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale with large windows overlooking the water and high art deco style.
Service:
Not bad. I was in a group of about 10, and the service was fine.
Overall impressions:
I would definitely go back, and would love to go for a nice dinner.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Le Bistro
|
Le Bistro is going to be featured on the upcoming season of Gordan Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. We went to the first night with new menu items dinner service taping.
What we had:
We had a lamb curry eggroll thing appetizer. The eggroll was so greasy we couldn't eat it, and the curry lamb was unidentifiable as lamb, and tasted frozen.
For an entree, I had one of the new menu items--local-caught Mahi Mahi over a bed of wilted arugula with an heirloom tomato coulis. It was a beautiful piece of perfectly-cooked fish, but the dish had absolutely zero seasoning. A real shame.
My DH had the steak frites. Greasy, slightly undercooked steak fries with a NY strip that was listed as Neiman Ranch on the menu, but tasted over-frozen and only a step or two above truckstop quality. Quality concerns aside, the steak was cooked perfectly.
I also had tea--the first glass was lightly cinnamon-flavored, which was nice. The second glass tasted like flowers--not so nice.
The menu will change, though.
Decor:
A little bizarre, though this will change too. Dark red walls made the tiny dining room (the 54 covers in there last night was absolute capacity) feel claustrophobic. Oversized teapot and servingware paintings loomed over diners, along with empty wineglasses and cobalt blue bottles. The seats were pink and very uncomfortable--my DH was convinced his chair would break at any moment. The light fixtures were straight out of a child's bedroom--those horrid three-color/direction ceiling fan lights in red yellow and blue.
One wall was brushed metal, which didn't fit, but looked nice.
The was a servingware cabinet directly across from my DH, with exposed plates, glasses and service items. Tacky.
Service:
Terrible. We waited over 10 minutes for our menus, and the aging and over-dressed waitstaff didn't have a clue. Some if that, I'm sure was due to the camera crews.
Overall Impressios:
Thank goodness Gordon Ramsay was there to straighten the place out. Hopefully it will be unrecognizable when he gets through with it. Gordon Ramsay looks just like he does on the F Word in person, and even said 'Good Evening' to us on the way out. (so. Freaking. Cool).
Rating:
Pre KN 1.5 salamanders. Hopefully more after.
What we had:
We had a lamb curry eggroll thing appetizer. The eggroll was so greasy we couldn't eat it, and the curry lamb was unidentifiable as lamb, and tasted frozen.
For an entree, I had one of the new menu items--local-caught Mahi Mahi over a bed of wilted arugula with an heirloom tomato coulis. It was a beautiful piece of perfectly-cooked fish, but the dish had absolutely zero seasoning. A real shame.
My DH had the steak frites. Greasy, slightly undercooked steak fries with a NY strip that was listed as Neiman Ranch on the menu, but tasted over-frozen and only a step or two above truckstop quality. Quality concerns aside, the steak was cooked perfectly.
I also had tea--the first glass was lightly cinnamon-flavored, which was nice. The second glass tasted like flowers--not so nice.
The menu will change, though.
Decor:
A little bizarre, though this will change too. Dark red walls made the tiny dining room (the 54 covers in there last night was absolute capacity) feel claustrophobic. Oversized teapot and servingware paintings loomed over diners, along with empty wineglasses and cobalt blue bottles. The seats were pink and very uncomfortable--my DH was convinced his chair would break at any moment. The light fixtures were straight out of a child's bedroom--those horrid three-color/direction ceiling fan lights in red yellow and blue.
One wall was brushed metal, which didn't fit, but looked nice.
The was a servingware cabinet directly across from my DH, with exposed plates, glasses and service items. Tacky.
Service:
Terrible. We waited over 10 minutes for our menus, and the aging and over-dressed waitstaff didn't have a clue. Some if that, I'm sure was due to the camera crews.
Overall Impressios:
Thank goodness Gordon Ramsay was there to straighten the place out. Hopefully it will be unrecognizable when he gets through with it. Gordon Ramsay looks just like he does on the F Word in person, and even said 'Good Evening' to us on the way out. (so. Freaking. Cool).
Rating:
Pre KN 1.5 salamanders. Hopefully more after.
8 oz. Burger Bar
|
High-quality burger joint in South Beach.
What We Had:
I had the Melrose--an 8 oz. Grass-fed beef patty cooked to order topped with a tomato compote and caramelized red onions.
My DH had the build-your own burger with white cheddar, avocado, fried egg and roasted garlic aioli.
Both burgers were cooked to a perfect mid-rare.
We split an order of fries as well, which were kick-ass.
Decor:
Cute, black and white with a "downtown" feel.
Service:
There was an inordinate number of wait staff while we were there--13 at one point for a small dining room. We had no issues with our service, though we did see one table have a complete meltdown. Good thing the owners' phone number is printed right on the menu.
Overall:
I have seen reviews complaining about the wait time, and we didn't wait an inordinate time for our burgers. I expect that if you order a mid-well to well done burger it would take awhile, like with any beef. We would definietly go back--if for no other reason than to try the menu items like fried cheese curds and olives.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What We Had:
I had the Melrose--an 8 oz. Grass-fed beef patty cooked to order topped with a tomato compote and caramelized red onions.
My DH had the build-your own burger with white cheddar, avocado, fried egg and roasted garlic aioli.
Both burgers were cooked to a perfect mid-rare.
We split an order of fries as well, which were kick-ass.
Decor:
Cute, black and white with a "downtown" feel.
Service:
There was an inordinate number of wait staff while we were there--13 at one point for a small dining room. We had no issues with our service, though we did see one table have a complete meltdown. Good thing the owners' phone number is printed right on the menu.
Overall:
I have seen reviews complaining about the wait time, and we didn't wait an inordinate time for our burgers. I expect that if you order a mid-well to well done burger it would take awhile, like with any beef. We would definietly go back--if for no other reason than to try the menu items like fried cheese curds and olives.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Rack's Italian Bistro
|
Modern Italian dining on the Intracoastal.
What we had:
I had a prosciutto/spinach white pizza and my DH had the ragout.
The pizza was decent. Great crust, but way too heavy-handed on the olive oil. So heavy, the pizza turned out greasy.
The ragout was pretty good, if a bit over-priced. The ragout had 1 huge mixed-meat meatball, slices of a nice Italian sausage, a chunk of slow-cooked beef, large dolloop of ricotta with fresh basil and (the ever over-rated) San Marizano tomatoes.
Décor:
Nice, modern, dark wood.
Service:
Freaking obtrusive. The server we had was (hopefully) new to waiting tables. We hope do, at least. She tried, but the girl was obtrusive.
There were also a out 3x too many servers on the floor.
Overall impressions:
We may go back for a light antipasti dinner before a movie.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had a prosciutto/spinach white pizza and my DH had the ragout.
The pizza was decent. Great crust, but way too heavy-handed on the olive oil. So heavy, the pizza turned out greasy.
The ragout was pretty good, if a bit over-priced. The ragout had 1 huge mixed-meat meatball, slices of a nice Italian sausage, a chunk of slow-cooked beef, large dolloop of ricotta with fresh basil and (the ever over-rated) San Marizano tomatoes.
Décor:
Nice, modern, dark wood.
Service:
Freaking obtrusive. The server we had was (hopefully) new to waiting tables. We hope do, at least. She tried, but the girl was obtrusive.
There were also a out 3x too many servers on the floor.
Overall impressions:
We may go back for a light antipasti dinner before a movie.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Cocoa Reef Tiki Bar and Grill
|
I was at Sawgrass this weekend, and since it's sweltering already, in the mood for seafood. I had planned on eating at
Legal seafood for lunch--I had even started my post in it--but sometime over the last 2 months, legal seafood shut down. So, we ate at the next closest place--Cocoa Beach Tiki Bar and Grill.
Here was my opener for Legal Seafood:
It's definitely better than illegal seafood. Every time I See that name, I think of large fishermen in dirty tan trenchcosts hoiking punk-rock barroom brawler fish with missing eye patches, gnarled fins and peg legs out the back onto a steamer. It makes me giggle inside.
Closed!
What we had:
I had the Argentinean steak sandwich--flat steak, cooked to a perfect rare with good seasoning on a crusty baguette with tomato and lettuce. I was quite impressed. It's hard to get rare steak on a sandwich, and this was well-trimmed and delightful. I had thought a little chimmichurri would be nice, but the steak was plenty juicy on it's own.
The fries were under-cooked and greasy.
My DH had the chicken quesadilla, which he said was bland, typical bar food. He had hoped for Applebees level, but this didn't make that cut.
Décor:
Outdoor bar-style.
Service:
Not bad. A lot of 'sweetie's.'
Overall impressions:
I'd go back, and next time, I'm bringing my I.D. This place has 13 varieties of frozen cocktails, and 1 with no rum or tequilla. Fair prices,too--$10 for sandwiches, $6.50 for frozen drinks and $7.50 & $8.00 cocktails.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Legal seafood for lunch--I had even started my post in it--but sometime over the last 2 months, legal seafood shut down. So, we ate at the next closest place--Cocoa Beach Tiki Bar and Grill.
Here was my opener for Legal Seafood:
It's definitely better than illegal seafood. Every time I See that name, I think of large fishermen in dirty tan trenchcosts hoiking punk-rock barroom brawler fish with missing eye patches, gnarled fins and peg legs out the back onto a steamer. It makes me giggle inside.
Closed!
What we had:
I had the Argentinean steak sandwich--flat steak, cooked to a perfect rare with good seasoning on a crusty baguette with tomato and lettuce. I was quite impressed. It's hard to get rare steak on a sandwich, and this was well-trimmed and delightful. I had thought a little chimmichurri would be nice, but the steak was plenty juicy on it's own.
The fries were under-cooked and greasy.
My DH had the chicken quesadilla, which he said was bland, typical bar food. He had hoped for Applebees level, but this didn't make that cut.
Décor:
Outdoor bar-style.
Service:
Not bad. A lot of 'sweetie's.'
Overall impressions:
I'd go back, and next time, I'm bringing my I.D. This place has 13 varieties of frozen cocktails, and 1 with no rum or tequilla. Fair prices,too--$10 for sandwiches, $6.50 for frozen drinks and $7.50 & $8.00 cocktails.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Pizza Rustica
|
We ate at the Lincoln Road location.
What we had:
4 slices--a potato/prosciutto, eggplant veggie, pepperoni, and sausage.
All 4 were really good. The crust is pillowy and delicious.
If you're going for lunch, or even possibly dinner, start with 1 slice apiece. I ate both of mine, but probably shouldn't have. Each slice was Sicilian-style and approximately 6x8. Pretty damn big.
Décor:
Great people-watching.
Service:
Not horrible.
Overall impressions:
Really good. I really liked the freshness and the menu variety.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
4 slices--a potato/prosciutto, eggplant veggie, pepperoni, and sausage.
All 4 were really good. The crust is pillowy and delicious.
If you're going for lunch, or even possibly dinner, start with 1 slice apiece. I ate both of mine, but probably shouldn't have. Each slice was Sicilian-style and approximately 6x8. Pretty damn big.
Décor:
Great people-watching.
Service:
Not horrible.
Overall impressions:
Really good. I really liked the freshness and the menu variety.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Teal Bistro Americano
|
Bistro-style American dishes on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.
What we had:
We did an appetizer night: pan-seared diver scallops with cauliflower purée, lump crab cake with southwest corn salad and tuna tartare with citrus cucumber and seaweed salad.
The scallop was perhaps the most beautifully-cooked piece of seafood I've ever had. Freaking amazing. I could have eaten a bowl of the velvety, buttery purée, too.
The crab cake was good quality--no real discernable filler--but was bland. The raw fresh corn salad was a real treat.
I could have done without the mayo drizzle on the tuna. Some more of the really light citrus from the salad would have gone nicely.
The tea was horrible.
Décor:
The inside smelled funny, and sat maybe 20, so we ate outside, which was nice.
Service:
Not bad. Our server was obsessed with giving us bev naps.
Overall impressions:
Those scallops were worth going back for alone. Maybe we'll try entrees next time.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
We did an appetizer night: pan-seared diver scallops with cauliflower purée, lump crab cake with southwest corn salad and tuna tartare with citrus cucumber and seaweed salad.
The scallop was perhaps the most beautifully-cooked piece of seafood I've ever had. Freaking amazing. I could have eaten a bowl of the velvety, buttery purée, too.
The crab cake was good quality--no real discernable filler--but was bland. The raw fresh corn salad was a real treat.
I could have done without the mayo drizzle on the tuna. Some more of the really light citrus from the salad would have gone nicely.
The tea was horrible.
Décor:
The inside smelled funny, and sat maybe 20, so we ate outside, which was nice.
Service:
Not bad. Our server was obsessed with giving us bev naps.
Overall impressions:
Those scallops were worth going back for alone. Maybe we'll try entrees next time.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Mo's Diner
|
This place was described to me as god's waiting room. Old people did, indeed, abound, but in my experience, sometimes the aged know where it's at.
Everything is made fresh, anx the menu is huge.
What we had:
Burgers. Big, juicy, good-quality burgers cooked to order. They also ply you with free sides (slaw, fresh pickles and rolls).
Décor:
Nothing exciting.
Service:
Waiters in white dress shirts with black bowties. The service wasn't the best.
Overall impressions:
Huge portions, good quality, good value for money. I want to try the Friday night chicken soup on the Sabbath menu--it's served in a glass casserole.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Everything is made fresh, anx the menu is huge.
What we had:
Burgers. Big, juicy, good-quality burgers cooked to order. They also ply you with free sides (slaw, fresh pickles and rolls).
Décor:
Nothing exciting.
Service:
Waiters in white dress shirts with black bowties. The service wasn't the best.
Overall impressions:
Huge portions, good quality, good value for money. I want to try the Friday night chicken soup on the Sabbath menu--it's served in a glass casserole.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Iron Sushi
|
Take out and delivery sushi in North Miami Beach.
What we had:
I got 2 rolls to go: some sort of dragon variety roll and another, which I suddenly can't remember.
I do remember that both were fresh, and the quality was surprisingly good. I was expecting quality on par with the grocery store, and was pleasantly surprised. Not four-star gourmet, but entirely serviceable. And available via delivery.
Décor:
Nothing special with an obsession for labeled reading material.
Service:
Ok.
Overall impressions:
Worth going to for a quick sushi fix.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I got 2 rolls to go: some sort of dragon variety roll and another, which I suddenly can't remember.
I do remember that both were fresh, and the quality was surprisingly good. I was expecting quality on par with the grocery store, and was pleasantly surprised. Not four-star gourmet, but entirely serviceable. And available via delivery.
Décor:
Nothing special with an obsession for labeled reading material.
Service:
Ok.
Overall impressions:
Worth going to for a quick sushi fix.
Rating:
3 out of 5 salamanders
Big Squeeze
|
Fresh juice/smoothie/sandwich/chill spot in North Miami Beach
What we had:
I had the snapper wrap with a fresh lemonaide. The snapper was plentiful, well cooked and fresh. The lemonaide was really good as well.
My DH had an open-faced southwest chicken pita, which was also really tasty.
Be sure to get the sauce array as well--a chipotle mayo, jalapeño purée and light tahini sauce--each is fresh and has good depth of flavor.
Décor:
Bright, open and fun with free Wi-Fi.
Service:
Confused and disorganized. The employees seemed more interested in placing their karaoke orders than taking responsibility for our table.
Overall impressions:
Despite the service, we will definitely be back. There are a multitude of fresh, light sandwiches and salads I'm excited about trying, and it would take a year or so to get through all of the beverage options.
Overall, a great place to spend the early afternoon-after.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
What we had:
I had the snapper wrap with a fresh lemonaide. The snapper was plentiful, well cooked and fresh. The lemonaide was really good as well.
My DH had an open-faced southwest chicken pita, which was also really tasty.
Be sure to get the sauce array as well--a chipotle mayo, jalapeño purée and light tahini sauce--each is fresh and has good depth of flavor.
Décor:
Bright, open and fun with free Wi-Fi.
Service:
Confused and disorganized. The employees seemed more interested in placing their karaoke orders than taking responsibility for our table.
Overall impressions:
Despite the service, we will definitely be back. There are a multitude of fresh, light sandwiches and salads I'm excited about trying, and it would take a year or so to get through all of the beverage options.
Overall, a great place to spend the early afternoon-after.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink
|
New American cuisine prepared simply & well with no fussiness and no pretensions. Emphasis on local and organic ingredients.
What we had:
Snacks: Crispy hominy & thick-cut potato chips with pan-fried onion dip.
The hominy's texture was a perfect balance between crunchy and slightly chewy. well-spiced and thoroughly satisfying.
The onion dip was great. Caramelized onions lend a hint of sophistication to this old classic, elevating simple chips & dip above mere bar food.
Medium Plates: Crispy beef cheek with whipped parsnip, pickled pearl onions frisse & mustard sauce and duck confit with cauliflower mash, wilted greens & a pear raisin chutney.
The confit was nice. I'd eat it again--and the skin was amazing--but it was just nice. Kind of like a decent date with someone you just aren't that into. Ok, maybe that's a bit strong. It was a good dish, a solid dish. A dish I would eat again--the duck was cooked perfectly, the slightly peppery greens counterbalanced the richness that is duck fat perfectly & the chutney gave a great sweet note to it all. Maybe the beef cheeks had something to do with why I was so unmoved.
The beef cheeks. Holy crap. What's beefier tasting than a steak? or a great beef stock? Beef cheeks. The beef cheeks represented one of those aha moments in food for my DH and I. Now we get it. We know now know why beef cheeks are almost everywhere in food media, and why Tony Bourdain drools over them. They're that good. The mustard sauce..blah, blah.. balance.. crispiness.. texture.. blah, blah. All you really need to know is: holy crap this was good. This was stand in line for an hour and punch out an old lady for the last slice good. *homer drool*
Décor:
Low-key, not too fussy. We went on a Saturday night (at 6:30) and ended up sitting at the chef's bar. Every (nice) restaurant should have a chef's bar. We watched the chefs make all of the wood-fired dishes. It was kind of like food porn. The most popular dishes of the night were the whole roasted "poulet rouge" chicken, whole roasted local snapper with fennel & the wood fired pizza. If you have a group of over 2 or have some desire to sit at a regular table, i'd make a reservation. Even at 6; even though they open at 6. It was packed the whole time we were there, and we had cocktails and took our time.
Service:
Our waiter was good. Attentive without being obnoxious about it. The other waiters seemed to be pretty good, too--we only saw 1 dish left to die in the pass all night--a lonely side of asparagus that was in all likelihood done too early.
Overall impressions:
What Google says; Company website.
Rating:
5 out of 5 salamanders
Panya Thai
|
Small Thai place on 167th in North Miami Beach.
What we had:
My DH had the Pad Thai, which was solid as well.
All in all, the meal was satisfying. Fresh ingredients, a great menu (laid out by sauce with meat/main ingredient options), and a good selection of Thai dishes.
Décor:
Really impressive. From the outside, this place is nothing to look at--it's in a tiny, 2-store run-down looking shopping center between 2 other run-down-ish shopping centers. Open the doors, and its a different story. The decor is elegant and decidedly Thai without being garish or trying too hard.
Service:
Good service.
Overall impressions:
What Google says; no company website.
Rating:
3.5 out of 5 salamanders
Hot Tuna Miami
|
Rock-n-Roll cabaret/sushi/Japanese joint in South Beach.
What we had:
The food was impressive. Granted, I have been lax in my sushi-eating since making the move to Miami, but this was pretty great. The quality was spot on-the sushi chef, not so much (our rolls fell apart). The mixed drinks were really good, too. I had a sunrise something--orange vodka, grenadine, fresh OJ. A couple of our friends also had pineapple upside-down shots, which they said tasted just like really good, really fresh pineapple.
The lobster mashed was awesome and a big hit with everyone. Mental note: lime goes great with edamame.
The rolls also came with interesting dipping sauces--a really good pineapple, a light peanut butter and some sort of ginger. The pineapple was impressive. It had a bit of heat, but just enough to tickle the back our your throat.
Décor:
Nice. Nice black gator-print leather (the tasteful small scales style), ambiance, "hot" girls dancing on the bar to rock songs (we were disappointed--no corsets and fishnets like on the website--but, hey, beggars can't be choosers and all that).
Service:
Our waitress was attentive, knowledgeable, friendly and adorable. She was great at up-selling without making it obvious.
Overall impressions:
What Google says; Company website.
Rating:
4 out of 5 salamanders
Bimini Boathouse
|
Caribbean-style dining in Ft. Lauderdale.
I went with a large group for lunch on a Saturday.
The service was fairly terrible--they didn't seem to have any idea how
to handle a large party. The kitchen was pretty-much on-point. Once
our orders finally got taken, the wait for food wasn't long (at least
for most of the table).
The food, however, was surprisingly good. I expected a hackneyd chain
judging on first impressions. The large, open dining room is very
white, very loud and very themed.
The entrees are broken up by regional influence. The dish I had was
Spanish influenced.
I had the snapper dish. A really fresh, perfectly-cooked snapper
filet,which was possibly very lightly flour-dredged before pan-
seared. Served with a refreshing take on plantains, and topped with
micro greens and crkispy-fried onion strings. The plantains were
lightly fried--so lightly, in fact, that I mistook them for roasted
potatoes at first. This was the first time I'd had plantains that
weren't fried to he'll and back,and I must say, I was impressed. I
had no idea plantains could be eaten firm and still taste good. The
plantains also had a touch of pineapple, which was a neat flavor to
mix in. The micro greens, wilted spinach and light diced salsa were
great accompaniments, and complemented the snapper well. The onions
would have too, but I was attempting to avoid anything obviously fried
that day.
The plating was also impressive. My plate came out well-balanced in
both flavor and texture, and some of the other dishes (most notably,
the chicken salad) came out looking exciting. Definitely not
something you'd expect from a $15 dish average spot.
I also had Bimini bread (which, unfortunately does not come with the
meal), and it was great. Since I've only had Bimini bread once before-
and not in the Caribbean , I don't know how authentic it was, but it
was great nonetheless.
Service and advertisements for one of those classy 40-something ounce
drinks with souvenier cup aside, I would definitely eat here again.
Although the menu isn't large (not necessarily a bad thing), there
were 3 or 4 dishes I'd like to try.
The menu was also varied enough to please most.
Going strictly on the food, I would rate this place 3 out of 5 salamanders.
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