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    Home » Page 8

    Kapow! Noodle Bar Karate Chops Your Taste Buds!

    January 25, 2012 Restaurant Reviews

    Kapow! Noodle Bar Karate Chops Your Taste Buds!

    Last week my boyfriend and I decided to stay in broward for dinner. We tried our luck at a couple different restaurants in Fort Lauderdale and were met with almost 2 hour waits for a table. We decided to get a little crazy and head to Boca Raton to try this place John had on his list. So we did the drive and got to Boca Raton, which is a completely different planet for my Hialeah raised ass. The restaurant itself is located inside the Mizner Park shopping plaza which was buzzing with want-to-be-hip retirees desperately trying to hold on to the last remaining slivers of their youth.

    We walked in and the inside of the restaurant is the complete antithesis of the remainder of Mizner Park, it was young, great alternative rock playing on the stereo, good beer selection and an amazing Asian inspired graffiti mural. Our waitress was sweet, informative and was able to give us a full run down on the menu.

    We decided to start the night with a couple of their buns. I had their crispy duck confit buns and John went with their Korean BBQ beef buns. My duck buns were delicious, the duck confit came topped with thinly sliced cucumber and what knocked it out of the park was a dried cherry creamed goat cheese. The cherry and goat cheese combo gave it a slightly tart creaminess what went perfectly with the savory flavor of the duck. While I was stuffing my face with buns my boyfriend was inhaling his korean bbq beef buns which came topped with shredded lettuce and pickled cucumber. He said the beef was tasty, fresh and the bbq sauce was light and didn't overpower any of the other flavors. He did say that the lettuce was a poor way to give the buns any kind of crunch and that cabbage would've been a nice crunchier fit. We both had the same problem that are buns fell apart. Although the buns are soft and fluffy, they were no match for their juicy contents and would break in the center leading to messy buns.

    Up next I had their crispy chicken skin, yep you read that right. Think of chicken's version of pork rinds. They were light and super crispy. They were like nature's fatty potato chips. I couldn't really stop eating them. They're served with what tasted just like soy sauce and decorated with a miniature parmesan crisp. My only qualm is that I would've like to have seen a little bit more seasoning on these guys. Although, naturally they tasted great, some sort of funky seasoning on them would have really kicked it up a notch.

    My boyfriend had their steamed shrimp dumplings which are served with a chili pepper infused soy sauce. For him, this was probably the lowest point of his meal. He said that although the ingredients were well cooked, the dumplings tasted really, "shrimpy" and that he felt it was a little distracting.

    My boyfriend then had their pan seared diver scallops that come with bok choy, drizzled with green curry sauce over a bed of straw mushrooms and rice. The portion was really generous and could easily feed two people. All five scallops were large, plump and perfectly cooked. Only recommendation he would make is to cook them with no seasoning. The seasoning burned and ended up giving the scallops an unfriendly crust of crackling burned bits in his mouth. The green curry sauce had the perfect amount of heat and was delicious with the rest of the dish. I was so full by the time this dish came out that I was bummed that I couldnt try a bite. It looked great.

    I then had their green tea cured salmon; this was easily the best dish of the night. This was absolutely delicious. The salmon is served with fresh and fried basil leaves and longan berries that have been stuffed with a yuzu-kosho (citrus) gelee. The waitress told us that the way to eat this dish is by wrapping a piece of salmon around the longan berry so you can get all the flavors at once. The waitress also mentioned that if you don't get a little bit of everything in each bite you miss out and boy was she right. The citrus gelee and longan berry gave the salmon a slightly sweet and refreshing flavor. I usually don't eat slabs of raw fish like this, but the salmon was insanely fresh with a tiny hint of the green tea flavor through out the meat. It's been several days and I'm still thinking about how good this dish was.

    If you're in the Boca Raton area and looking for funky Asian food or if you're looking for a restaurant that plays awesome indie/alternative rock music, then definitely check this place out. The atmosphere is fun, the staff was insightful, helpful and the food was overall reall good. It makes me sad that this place is an hour away from home, but if you're feeling adventurous then I encourage you to take a drive.

    ______________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Kapow! Noodle Bar
    (561) 347-7322
    431 Plaza Real
    Boca Raton, FL 33432

    Kapow! Noodle Bar on Urbanspoon

    January 15, 2012 Restaurant Reviews

    Cuban Guys offering fast Cuban food in Hialeah Gardens

    I've been getting some flack from my friends for not reviewing any Hialeah restaurants. The truth is, the variety of food in Hialeah is rather limited and the bulk of restaurants offer primarily Cuban food. Let's be honest, reviewing a cuisine that is so near and dear to the majority of the city's residents is no easy task. Everyone's tio makes the best Lechon and everyone's abuela makes the best arroz con leche ever, so great Cuban restaurants in Hialeah are extremely subjective. None the less, one of my new year's resolutions is to make an active effort to write more about restaurants from my home town.

    I had seen a couple of tweets about a brand new restaurant offering Cuban favorites at a fast food pace. I decided to head into Hialeah gardens and give the place a shot. The restaurant's decor was simple and it had a fast food layout. The music playing on the stereo were Hialeah basics, you know Pitbull, Daddy Yankee, Marc Anthony and the like. Their menu is laid out on a large tv on the wall next to a sign that reads, "Not just fast food, it's awesome food fast."

    I decided to keep it simple and had their Pan con Bistec with a side of plantain chips. The pan con bistec was enormous and piled high with a palomilla steak, real deal crispy potato sticks, shredded lettuce, a tiny bit of mayonnaise, thinly sliced tomatoes, and grilled onions in lightly pressed Cuban bread. The steak was perfectly grilled and seasoned. The crispy potatoes were fresh and homemade. This was easily one of the best pan con bistec sandwiches I've had in a really long time. I inhaled this bad boy and didn't think twice about that pesky new year's resolution to lose 20 pounds.

    On a second visit I decided to give their bowls a shot. Similar to a cubanized Chicken Kitchen's chop-chop; it's served with your choice of protein, white rice, black beans, fried sweet plantains and more of those awesome potato sticks. I decided to have steak as my protein, since it tasted so good in the pan con bistec. Again, the steak was perfectly seasoned and ridiculously flavorful. The sweet plantains were chopped, which was a nice variation to how they're typically served. The potato sticks added a nice crunch to each bit. My only qualm was that the beans and rice were really under-seasoned for my particular taste. I found that unless I had a piece of steak with each bite, there wasn't a lot of flavor going on. It's nothing a little salt and pepper wouldn't fix, so hopefully they'll correct it.

    I also had a side of their fried plantain chips. Their made fresh in-house and are cut slightly thicker than usual but still manage to have a great crunch. They're served with a small side of mojo that is perfectly garlicky just how I like it. I would've loved a whole bucket of the mojo because it was seriously that good.

    I also decided to try their tamal. Flavorwise, this bad boy was on point. The pork and corn was perfectly seasoned and tasted great. My only issue with this was that it was served at room temperature, which is a complete shame. Had the tamal been nice and hot, it would've been a lot better. None the less, it's something small that this place can definitely tweak and correct.

    Onto their desserts, this place has some amazing flans. They offer a cappuccino flan that has a nice hint of coffee throughout the really creamy flan. If you're a coffee and sweets lover, then definitely give this a try. I loved this variation of flan and was definitely addicted at first bite. I also tried their guava and cheese flan, think of a pastel de guayaba y queso without the pastry dough. This flan is primarily a cheese flan with rich guava over the top. This flan is very sweet but completely delicious. Both flans I'd have again in a heart beat, they were a different and neat twist on this Cuban staple.

    I really liked this place over all and liked the concept of offering fast Cuban food. Definitely check this place out for the sandwiches and their flans. This place is brand new and has the potential to fill a hole in Hialeah with their fast food approach. Wishing them the best of luck.

    ___________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Cuban Guys Restaurant
    3174 W 76 St.
    Hialeah, FL 33018
    (786) 326-8890
    Www.cubanguys.net

    Cuban Guys Restaurant on Urbanspoon

    January 10, 2012 Restaurant Reviews

    Something's brewing in Wynwood

    Now that Edible South Florida magazine has done a whole article on the owners of Panther Coffee, it's safe to say my secret coffee spot is no longer much of a secret. Owned and operated by a married couple from Seattle (The Jerusalem of American Coffee), they've brought their Seattle brewing style and technique to sunny South Florida. Nestled in the center of Wynwood's art district, this place is a regular stop for Miami hipsters and coffee hounds alike. They roast their own coffee right there in front of you on a beautiful 1920's vintage coffee roaster and are always friendly to answer questions regarding the process. You'll find this place relatively simple, not a lot going on decoration-wise because they let their coffee do the talking. The coffee brewed and roasted in this small place is some of the richest and strongest coffee I've had outside of Colombia and it's one of my favorite pit stops on my days off from work.

    Their menu is relatively simple, these people know what they're good at and they stick to it. You won't find a dozen fancy coffee syrups to make your, "mocha toffee hazelnut chai with 2% milk, a splash of soy, extra foam, 2 splendas and extra hot." Forget about that shit, the folks at Panther Coffee are purists. They carefully select coffee beans from around the world and carefully roast them to perfection. When I go, there are only two types of coffee drinks I have, either their cold brew (iced coffee) or their cappuccino.

    Up first I'll talk about their cappuccino. Not only is it simple and delicious, the foam is always light and frothy as it should be. In addition, these folks have brought west coast "latte art" to Miami by always putting a nice design at the top of your cup of joe. The hot coffee is usually at a spot on temperature and if you need to sweeten up your coffee, your options are natural turbinado sugar or white sugar. I urge you to always go with the turbinado (brown) sugar, the flavor goes perfectly and it gives it an added richness.

    You'll also find a handful of pastries from local bakeries for sale by the register. My favorite though are the mini cakes from Yummy ChunBuns. Specifically the Chunky Monkey ChunBun. It's a small banana cake with a chocolate center, topped with chocolate ganache and a chocolate dipped banana. So good and rich, that it's ridiculous. The fact that they're a relatively small dessert, you won't be left feeling like Precious with her bucket of chicken. It's a nice little indulgence that will not leave you feeling like a complete glutton. I personal love banana and chocolate or banana with peanut butter, so I almost always get one.

    Since the weather in Miami is usually as hot and muggy as Kesha's armpits, I typically get the Coldbrew (Iced Coffee). They cold brew their coffee at room temperature for approximately 9 hours, so you still get the intense flavor of a hot coffee without any fuss. The coffee's flavor is still strong enough to give you a jolt but refreshing enough to fool you into thinking a second glass won't do any harm. Afterwards, I usually find myself running around town with a ton of energy and a crazy stare in my eyes resembling one of the Lohans.

    If you're someone that lives and dies by Starbucks, I would urge you to give this place a shot. If you're still on the fence, try their coffee for FREE! They host coffee tastings on the second Friday and third Saturday of every month. Once you drink their coffee you'll soon find yourself noticing that Starbucks tastes like muddied water. I found it exceptionally neat to see the roasting process done right there in front of you, something you will never get at any Starbucks where everything is prepackaged and sealed.
    For more in depth information, feel free to check out the Edible South Florida article, located on page 12/13 of the virtual magazine http://onlinedigeditions.com/publication/?i=84376&p=1

    _____________________________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Panther Coffee 
    2390 NW 2nd Ave.
    Miami, FL 33127
    (305) 677 3952
    http://www.panthercoffee.com

      Panther Coffee on Urbanspoon

    December 9, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Phuc Yea One Last Phucing Time!

    So the Pop Up restaurant that sprouted in Downtown Miami on September 8 is finally dwindling to its grand finale. Phuc Yea (pronounced as fook-yay, but who are we kidding?) was a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant that would take over the Crown Bistro at night and had no qualms with crossing the line or trying adventurous new things. From offering free entrees if you complete their cinnamon challenge successfully (ingesting an entire tablespoon of cinnamon in one shot) to serving up jellyfish salad, porchetta di testa (salted pig face) and even periwinkles (snails), these guys never held back. Some of this stuff was right up Anthony Bourdain or Andrew Zimmern's alley and definitely not up mine.

    I was lucky enough to check out Phuc Yea's phucing menu a total of 3 times. They changed their menu almost weekly; keeping it funkdified phresh with constant hip-hop jams such as ODB, Jay-Z and even WuTang blasting in the sound system.

    On my final visit I started out my meal with their Salt 'n Peppa Soft Shell Crab. Truth be told, I had never had soft shell crab so what I got was no where near what I expected. The menu states it comes with spicy aioli, coconut, beer and herbage, all the things I like so what could be so bad? What I got looked like something straight out of a Goosebumps book and all I could say to myself was, "What the fuck did I get myself into?!" The crab was perfectly preserved and fried in its entirety. Naturally, I poked at it with my chopsticks for a few seconds expecting it to jump up and run off my plate. Finally, I decided to close my eyes and dig in, what I got was a totally pleasant surprise. The crab meat was tender, fresh and even though it had been fried it didn't taste greasy at all. The spicy aioli gave the crab an awesome little kick and extra creaminess. The best part was to grab a little bit of everything in one harmonious bite, crispy coconut, aioli and crab. When I was done I felt both proud and satisfied, like I had just completed a tasty challenge on FearFactor.

    Up next I decided to scale back and go with something less exciting but just as delicious, their Short Rib Bao Buns. These little guys are so cute and miniature that you almost don't want to eat them, but phuc it. Them thangs are good! The fluffy Bao bun comes filled with short rib, hoisin, fresh jalapeño and herbage. This Polly pocket sized sandwich packs a spicy punch. The short rib is well seasoned and the bun feels like your biting into a handheld cloud. An awesome little treat, definite not enough to share (especially if you're me).

    Lastly, I had their dessert. A phenomenal mix of condensed milk ice cream, pound cake and sesame seeds. Although this dessert seems simple on paper, it's was phucing wonderful. The nutty and slightly saltiness of the sesame seeds mixed in with the rich condensed milk ice cream dance on your taste buds.

    By the end of the night, we had eaten well and drank extremely well. We ended the night with hugs and kisses, but mainly lots of well wishes and luck for Daniel Treiman, Cesar Zapata and Anièce Meinhold and all of their future endeavors. Here's to adventurous new eats wherever they go. This place closes tomorrow night, December 10, 2011 so get y'all phucin asses over there and check it out before its gone forever!

    ___________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Phuc Yea (CLOSES ON 12/10/11)
    19 SE 2 ave.
    Miami, FL 33131
    http://www.phucyea.com/

    Phuc Yea! on Urbanspoon

    November 10, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Tapas Style Brunch at Sugarcane

    The first time I wrote about Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill, I wrote about their happy hour. This time around I’m going to write about their brunch. A couple of girlfriends and myself headed over on a Sunday afternoon eager to try their tapas style line up. Unlike the hustle and bustle this restaurant has on any given night, the Sunday morning flow is nice and easy coinciding with what a lazy Sunday should be. This restaurant has a completely different vibe during brunch, everything feels laid back and in slow motion. On the other hand, I might’ve still been drunk from the night before, which would explain the slow motion effects. Either way, I liked it.

    We started off brunch with alcohol, naturally. One of my friends went with the Passion Fruit Bubbles, I had my ever faithful Blackberry Toast and my other friend had their Hibiscus Blossom. The Passion Fruit Bubbles is a wonderful combination of passion fruit juice, strawberries and plum sake. It’s a great, girly and tropical start to any lazy weekend. The flavors in this drink play on your tongue like kids playing hopscotch. My drink, the Blackberry Toast, is a more hearty drink. There’s nothing like starting your day with a little bourbon if you ask me. This is my favorite cocktail at Sugarcane, it’s Jim Beam Bourbon, muddled blackberries, their “secret syrup” and thyme. The last drink of the bunch is a bit more flowery, literally; the Hibiscus Blossom is made from hibiscus infused cachaca, citrus essence and mint. One thing I can say is Sugarcane’s bar is one of the most inventive I’ve seen in a while. Their bar has no qualms with going out on a limb and trying radical new things. Which is one of the reasons why I enjoy this place so much.

    When it came to the food, we started out with their sweet bread basket. The breads featured in their bread basket change daily and in our basket was zucchini, banana breads and a raspberry/blueberry muffin. The jams and butters that came along with our bread basket were pumpkin butter, nutella and a fresh made cranberry marmalade. All three of the breads were soft, flavorful and freshly baked. The pumpkin butter, although creative, could have used slightly more pumpkin flavor and seasoning. The nutella was, well it was nutella. It was great but nothing really unique about serving nutella. The cranberry marmalade was by far my favorite with a playful combination of both tart and sweet flavors which went perfectly with the blueberry/raspberry muffin.

    Up next we had their Goat Cheese Croquettes, which are also available on their regular menu. This is one of my ‘old reliable’ dishes at Sugarcane. The sharp taste of the goat cheese is paired well with a sweet membrillo marmalade. The texture of the soft and warm goat cheese is contrasted nicely by the crispy outside of these piping hot croquettes.

    We then moved into heavier dishes with the Duck and Waffles. This is Sugarcane’s take on fried chicken and waffles. I personally really liked this. The waffles are piled high with fried, bone-in duck meat and a fried duck egg over the top. There is also a side of mustard maple syrup served along with this dish that compliments it in a flavorful yet subtle way. This definitely isn’t your typical southern chicken and waffles. The seasoning on the duck is slightly more spicy and it went well with the mustard infused maple syrup. The waffles were soft and warm and did a good job of soaking up the maple syrup and runny yolk from the fried duck egg. My girlfriends and I were all impressed with this dish and the interesting twist Sugarcane brought to this southern staple.

    After that hearty plate, we moved on to their house made chorizo. This bad boy came out served whole in all of its phallic glory saying, “Hello ladies, don’t be shy and put me in your mouth.” Of course, leave it to me to be the first one to dig in. The flavors were very reminiscent to a Colombian chorizo. The chorizo was completely different to any typical American sausage that most people are accustomed to and nothing like your McDonalds sausage patty. Both of my girlfriends and I are at least part Colombian and we really enjoyed it. The flavor was slightly subtle at first but picked up heat and intensity as you chewed. By the time we were done eating it we were left wanting so much more than what we got, much like how some girls feel about the chorizo's phallic look alike.

    We then moved onto the Truffled Toad in the Hole. For this dish, Sugarcane used a thick slice of fresh brioche with an organic egg cooked right in the middle then topped with fresh melted Robiola cheese and black truffle. There are very few things (and even people) that I like more than brioche and melted cheese. Again, Sugarcane knocked it out of the park with this innovative twist on an old school dish. The best part of this dish was when you were lucky enough to get a little bit of everything in one bite. The only criticism I do have about this dish is that I felt the egg was a little undercooked for my personal preference. None the less, the flavor of the robiola cheese and the earthy almost nutty flavor of the truffle went perfectly together. This was probably my favorite dish of the day.

    Lastly we had waffles yet again. We didn’t really plan this well and had a total waffle overload. We went with their Belgian Waffle with bananas, strawberries and nutella. This dish isn’t very original, but it’s great and well executed either way. If we weren’t so full by the time this dish was served, we would’ve eaten every last bite. The waffles were fresh and warm; the combination of nutella, strawberries and bananas is ALWAYS a winner. Together they worked wonderfully, if only we hadn’t been so full.

    Overall, I truly enjoyed my brunch at Sugarcane. I love the inventiveness of the chefs and bartenders. Several of the brunch items are old school favorites with a new school twist. The drinks were refreshing and interesting. The items are fresh and cooked to order. The items are brought out as they’re ready in no particular order. This is one of the few places that I always recommend when someone is looking for a fun and different place to go to, I’m glad to see that they’re brunch offerings are just as good as their dinner/lunch menu. Plus who doesn’t like starting their day with a full bar?!

    ______________________________________________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill
    (786) 369-0353
    3250 NE 1st Ave
    Miami, FL 33137
    www.sugarcanerawbargrill.com

    Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill on Urbanspoon

    October 12, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Buttercream Cupcakes, Best cupcakes in South Miami

    My best friend and I were on one of our usual fatass Sunday adventures recently when he dragged me to South Miami to introduce me to this tiny cupcake shop on Sunset Drive. Buttercream Cupcakes is located on a miniscule plaza on the more residential side of Sunset Drive. The shop is as small as can be with only room for one small table and a couple of stools on the inside, there are also a couple of outdoor patio tables outside of the store. They’re straight to the point and only offer cupcakes, tea and coffee. These people know what they’re good at and stick to it. The place, although very small, is brightly colored and offers a jovial and fun vibe.

    The place is owned by a husband and wife duo who opened up Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee in early 2008. On the lazy Sunday that I went, there were two young and helpful women running the storefront. They were in the process of icing cupcakes and helping other customers. My friend and I got only 3 cupcakes and some coffee. I should mention they offer regular sized cupcakes not these one bite mini’s other places are currently offering. We sat in their only indoor table and dug in, while we ate we noticed a constant, never ending stream of people coming in and buying cupcakes. Just as fast as these girls were putting them on display they were being bought up by eager locals.

    My coffee was simple black coffee, nothing extravagant or fancy. Just a good cup of joe. Their cupcakes on the other hand were rich in flavor. The first cupcake we had was their Orange cupcake. It looked simple to the naked eye, but upon close inspection you could see both the butter cream and cake were filled with fresh orange zest. The cake was soft, moist and bursting with flavor. Biting into this cupcake felt like you were standing in the middle of an orange grove in full bloom. The taste of fresh orange exploded in your mouth and is by far the best way to get a dose of Vitamin C that I‘ve ever encountered.

    Up next we tried their Vanilla Pumpkin cupcake. The cupcake is a soft vanilla cake and topped with pumpkin flavored butter cream. The taste of authentic and fresh pumpkin really shined through the buttercream along with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The marriage between the vanilla cake and pumpkin cream went together greatly, in a way that makes you feel like autumn on the inside while you sweat your ass off in Miami on the outside.

    Our last cupcake was their vanilla Oreo cupcake. My friend is an Oreo fanatic and his bitch ass only let me get one bite of this cupcake. The vanilla cake was the same one used in the Vanilla Pumpkin cupcake and a few other of their cupcake varieties. The cake is soft, moist and was topped with vanilla buttercream that features giant chunks of Oreo cookies. This cake was probably the simplest in flavor that we had, but great none the less. It was a good, old school cookies and cream cupcake like the ones your mom used to make when you were a kid.

    There were several other flavors I wanted to try but was too full. I really liked the small accents some of their cupcakes had, such as the small fondant flower on top of the orange cupcake. It gave the cupcake a delicate and special touch. The freshness of the ingredients being used in their cupcakes really beams through in each bite and I have to admit I’m an instant fan of this place. With so many cupcake options in South Florida, this is a small mom and pop shop dishing out great quality that everyone should check out.

    _______________________________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee
    (305) 669-8181
    1411 Sunset Drive
    Coral Gables, FL 33143
    www.buttercreamcupcakes.com

    Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee on Urbanspoon

    October 9, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Not your usual pizza pie at Harry's Pizzeria

    Chef Michael Schwartz opened up his newest project, Harry's Pizzeria, on September 27th to eager and hungry pizza hounds. I made my way over during the first week and back again a few days after that. So the food I’m commenting on is actually from two separate visits. I went over on their first Friday night and the place was buzzing, packed wall to wall with people laughing, cheering and eating. The space is relatively small and seats approximately 45 people at any given time. There are chalkboards through out the restaurant with hand written messages, the lighting is kept relatively dim and it helps set the welcoming and cozy vibe. They have a small bar with wine and four different local beers on tap. As many people know, Chef Schwartz is very big on sustainable foods from local farmers. So the vast majority of the ingredients that go into their meals are all grown locally.

    Between my first two visits I had a total of three different appetizers. The first one I’ll discuss is their Polenta fries. They’re presentation is fun and playful, stacked up like a game of edible Jenga. They’re very crisp on the exterior, creamy and smooth on the interior. They were perfectly seasoned and were great alone without any additional condiments. They’re served with a home made ketchup that tasted somewhat like a ketchup/salsa mix. I didn’t quite understand how salsa came into play at a pizzeria/Italian restaurant, but it tasted great either way.

    Next appetizer was their Meatballs in Sauce and the flavor on these things was insane. The flavor popped in your mouth and was all up in your face like a Jehovah Witness at the crack of dawn on a Sunday. The meat was tender, well seasoned and perfectly cooked. The sauce on this dish completely stole the show and left me wondering how I could take an order of these to go so I can make myself a meatball sub later. Maybe at some point down the line, they’ll make meatball subs (HINT HINT!!) Once I was done inhaling them, I caught myself spooning the sauce out of the plate.

    The last appetizer I’ve had thus far is their Italian Wedding soup. Their soups vary from day to day and on this lucky day their special was this old school Italian soup. The recipe is simple: meatballs, chicken stock, ditalini pasta and fresh spinach. However, the freshness of the ingredients makes all the difference in this dish. The spinach is bright green and still slightly crisp, the meatballs hold their shape in the soup and taste wonderfully and the pasta is cooked al dente. The flavors make a happy marriage that make eating soup feel like less of a chore and more of a blessing. I ate every last bite of this soup and almost went all Oliver Twist on the waiter by saying, “Please sir, I want some more.”

    I’ve only had a couple of pizzas at Harry’s so far, but I plan on making my way through their menu in due time. On my first visit I had their Shortrib pizza. The pizza, like the rest of the menu, keeps it simple. The pizza comes topped with short rib, fontina cheese, arugula, and grilled onions. The crust on the pie is a thin crust and the crust alone is really flavorful. The short rib was well cooked and seasoned. Although I found the flavor of the pizza much more subtle and subdued than the appetizers, it still tasted very good. I would definitely have this pizza again. The combination of toppings was different than your usual pepperoni, but it worked in a great and different way.

    The second pizza I’ve had is the Slow Roasted Pork pizza. Again, Chef Schwartz keeps it simple with a thin crust pizza topped with just slow roasted pork, figs, grilled onions, fontina cheese and arugula. The fig and pork worked on that sweet and salty play. The pork is cooked and seasoned well. The grilled onions are cut rather large for my personal liking, but the flavor they bring to the pie is integral and great. Again I found the flavor on this pie more subtle with no big pop in flavor when compared to the appetizers I‘ve had so far. None the less, the flavors of all the different ingredients worked in a harmonious way to bring a party to my mouth.

    Finally, I’ve only had one dessert from Harry’s Pizzeria and that is their Zeppole Think Italian beignets. Their take on zeppole comes dusted with confectioner’s sugar and with a side home-made honey whipped riccotta. The zeppole are a bit denser than beignet and were served piping hot. The honey whipped riccotta was sweet, refreshing and also had some lemon flavors shining through. The combination of the dense fried dough with the refreshing and light riccotta worked really well. This was a great ending to my first meal.

    The freshness of all the ingredients really beams through and brings a new complexity in flavors that you don’t typically get at other restaurants. The pies served at Harry’s aren’t your usual pizzas and are definitely bringing pizza to a whole new level. The food is not only great quality and fresh, but it’s ridiculous cheap. None of the food items on the menu exceed $15.00. It’s definitely a great place to check out if you’re looking for great pizza and appetizers with a twist in Midtown.

    _____________________________________
    Restaurant Details:
    Harry's Pizzeria
    (786) 275-4963
    3918 N Miami Ave
    Miami, FL 33127
    www.harryspizzeria.com

    Harry's Pizzeria on Urbanspoon

    September 2, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    And God Said, "Let There be Ms Cheezious”

    You can never go wrong with a grilled cheese. Like many people, I grew up on these easy made sandwiches. With the recent food truck explosion, one truck that is very near and dear to my heart is Ms Cheezious. They offer specialty grilled cheese sandwiches, build your own grilled cheese, tomato soup, Turkey 3-bean chili, fries and other great things. They burst onto the scene right around Art Basel 2010 and their staff is the sweetest, most welcoming bunch of any of the food trucks I’ve encountered (yea, I said it).

    Ms. Cheezious offers unique specialty sandwiches or you can choose to build your own sandwich with eight different cheeses to choose from, six funky add-ons and several different bread options. When I am feeling on the adventurous side, I usually go with gruyere, havarti and bacon on sourdough. In recent months though, I've stuck with three of their specialty dishes. Whenever I am on my sweet and salty kick I always get the Grilled Harvest with extra cheese. The Grilled Harvest comes with cinnamon spiced apples and havarti cheese on multi-grain bread. I always ask for extra cheese on this one because for starters, there’s nothing wrong with extra cheese (duh) and without the extra cheese the apples over power the sandwich and you don’t get much of the cheese flavor or texture. This is such a funky mix, but it lands on the slightly sweet side of the spectrum. So if you’re looking for something slightly more salty and less risqué then move along.

    My salty favorite over at Ms. Cheezious is none other than their Grilled Bacon and Blue sandwich. This grilled sandwich comes with bacon with blue cheese and green onions on sourdough bread. I personally didn’t know that blue cheese could be ooey and gooey until I had this sandwich. The minced green onions are mixed in with the cheese and give a great dimension and depth to this savory wonder. The bacon is cooked just right and is a natural companion to blue cheese. This sandwich is actually one of their top 2 selling sandwiches off this truck and definitely one to check out.

    Onto my favorite sandwich off the Ms. Cheezious truck, the Sweet Meltdown, or how I like to refer to it as the Sweet Oblivion. The Meltdown comes with ricotta cheese and orange marmalade on Texas toast then sprinkled over the top with confectioner’s sugar. The sandwich also comes with a side of chocolate dipping sauce for your dunking pleasure. When thinking of this sandwich I like to think of it as a handheld stuffed French toast. The ricotta cheese is subtle and lets the orange marmalade’s flavor shine through. The chocolate dipping sauce is great and I always ask for extra (there’s never enough chocolate, ever). However, there’s no perfect way of eating this sandwich. Whether you dunk the sandwich into the chocolate sauce or drizzle the sauce into the sandwich, you will get messy and that is ok in my book.

    The truck is decked out with a voluptuous cartoon woman with tattoos in a scantily clad bikini. They also play all sorts of great music. The staff is always friendly and inviting and the prices are a lot cheaper than the other grilled cheese truck running around town. I am a definite regular at this truck. All of their sandwiches are perfectly toasted and buttered on the outside, so toss that south beach diet to the wind when you come to this truck. I suggest going with friends and sharing, that way you can try different sandwiches. Usually though, I eat half of my sandwich there and take the other half to go. If you haven’t made your way to Ms. Cheezious, then hurry the hell up and go already.

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    Food Truck Details:
    Ms. Cheezious
    http://twitter.com/#!/mscheezious
    http://mscheezious.com/

    Ms. Cheezious (Food Truck) on Urbanspoon

    August 24, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Nothing Sour About Lemoni's Cafe

    I was headed home the other day and I was craving a good sandwich. Luckily for me, my drive home takes me right through the design district. I decided to stop at my favorite little sandwich shop, Lemoni’s Café. This is a small hole in the wall on Northeast 2nd avenue sandwiched between Blue Piano and Buena Vista Bistro/Deli. Stiff competition on either side of this shop, but Lemoni’s definitely holds its own. It’s a tiny restaurant with minimal sidewalk seating and holds approximately 40 people. The specials are written in chalk over the bar and the waitresses are all very friendly and accommodating. The walls are all painted in deep earth tones, but the place is always brightly lit with sunlight from the large windows at the front of the restaurant. I decided to just sit at the bar and eat in versus taking it to go. Food always looses it's life when you take it go, atleast to me it always seems that way.

    I grabbed a menu and realized they had several new wraps, sandwiches, salads and paninis since my last visit. I decided to start off with their Brie Bites. They’re Brie Bites are slices of Brie cheese over ciabatta bread with date spread, sliced almonds and drizzled over the top with honey then toasted. The bites are also served with a small green and cherry tomato salad with balsamic vinegar. I went ahead and ate half of the bites and decided to take the other half home since I also wanted to eat some real food. The ciabatta bread is soft and warm and it goes perfectly with the dates, brie and honey combination. This is an appetizer that lands on sweet side of the spectrum but a great one none the less. I went ahead and washed my bites down with a cup of water; I should mention that at Lemoni’s they place fresh mint in their tap water to give it a tiny hint of mint flavor. With our Miami heat, their slightly minty water is actually really nice and refreshing when served ice cold.

    After my Brie Bites, I decided to go with their Prosciutto Caprese wrap which was new to me on their menu. The wrap comes with pesto, garlic mayo, spinach, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, tomatoes and calamata olives. The description alone had my mouth watering with excitement. All of their wraps also come with a side of their three-bean salad. The wrap itself on the plate looks very pretty lots of bright and fresh colors popping out at you and begging to be shoved in your mouth. This wrap had so much savory flavor, it was genuinely insane. The olives, prosciutto, mayo and pesto all have very strong in your face flavors and they were all cut down by the generous amount of spinach and monstrous slab of mozzarella that’s right in the middle of the wrap. The three bean salad that comes with the wrap is very fresh and also great for our never ending south Florida summer. The salad consists of chick peas, red and black beans are all tossed in olive oil with minced green peppers, cilantro and onions This turned out to be way too much food for me, so inevitably I decided to take half of it with me and ensuring the next day's lunch (or midnight snack).

    Along with my to-go bag, I decided to take with me one of their home made chocolate chip cookies. It was calling my name since I walked in the door and they have several of their baked goods on display at the bar. The cookie was great, soft yet firm with giant chunks of semi sweet chocolate. If only my fat ass would’ve waited until I got home to eat it with some milk, instead of stuffing my face with it at a red light. I guess there’s always next time, I suppose.

    I love this little shop and of course I had to share my thoughts on it. It’s just north (by only a couple of blocks) of the design district in the Buena Vista side of town. The staff is always nice and the sandwiches, wraps, and paninis are always great and fresh. Miami New Times awarded this place as “best place to eat alone," in the 2011 Best Of list but again I disagree. Lemoni's Cafe is a great place to go and share with friends and family for lunch or dinner. I should mention, if you're interested in seeing the most up to date menu, don't bother with their website. Unfortunately, the menu posted on Lemoni's website is not up to date by any means. Even though it is a small place, the staff is always very accommodating and the food is always made to order and refreshing.

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    Restaurant Details:
    Lemoni's Cafe
    4600 NE 2nd Ave
    Miami, FL 33137
    (305) 571-5080
    www.mylemonicafe.com

    Lemoni Cafe on Urbanspoon

    August 17, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Green Street Brunch and Munch

    Recently, my friend and I were starving on a Sunday morning as usual; we were looking for a nearby brunch fix that wasn't going to break the bank. We settled on Green Street Cafe in Coconut Grove because it usually fits the bill. The only problem was that it seemed like half of Kendall had also settled on the same restaurant for brunch. Luckily, this restaurant is relatively large with lots of sidewalk seating as long as the south Florida weather cooperates. So although there were tons of people buzzing around, getting a table was a non-issue.

    Their menu is simplistic with nothing insatiably unique about it. They cover all the basics: variety of pancakes, omelets, egg benedict, French toast, continental breakfast and scrambled eggs with a variety of add-ons. Their prices are also very reasonable for the most part. I decided to go with a full order of their Chocolate French Toast. By the way, always go with the full order at this place, the price difference is only a $1.50 less for a half order. That’s just ridiculous if you ask me. My French toasts came out and appeared like toasty chocolate sandwiches. There were pieces of thick chocolate nestled between each slice of bread. The bread was slightly crisp around the edges, soft and fluffy in the center and lightly dusted with confectioner’s sugar over the top. It was a good start to my lazy fatty Sunday.

    Along with my chocorrific French toast, I got a side of their potatoes. Their potatoes were great with little pieces of burned and crispy onions tossed in. They were lightly seasoned with salt and pepper and they gave a generous portion. The only downside was that their portion was so generous that the plate they were served in was too small and there were potatoes all over the damn table. Other than that, I really enjoyed them and the flavor they had thanks to the burned onion bits.

    My friend had their Eggs Benedict Florentine over wheat bread with a side of the same potatoes I had. She was happy with her dish and although I did not try them for myself, they did look very good.

    This restaurant is usually my old reliable for brunch in the Coconut Grove/south Miami area. It's not earth shattering or mantra altering, but it's good food in a nice neighborhood. It’s usually very busy during the weekends but with ample outside seating and a large staff, there’s usually not much of a wait. Unless it’s raining, then you’re absolutely screwed. However, because there is a large wait staff and relative busyness, trying to get a hold of your waiter can at times be like trying to find a good driver in Miami-Dade County. If you’re ever in the area and looking for a solid breakfast/brunch this is definitely a good place to check out.

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    Restaurant Details:
    Green Street Cafe
    3110 Commodore Plz
    Coconut Grove, FL 33133
    (305) 444-0244
    www.greenstreetcafe.net

    Green Street Cafe on Urbanspoon

    July 31, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Stumbled upon La Bonne Crepe

    A while back, a friend and I had driven to Fort Lauderdale one Sunday on the hunt for Himmarshee Bar & Grille’s Sunday Brunch. After trekking the bumper car race that is I95, we get to Himmarshee only to find out it was closed, even though their website said they were open from 11:30am – 4pm. My friend and I ended up driving aimlessly, feverishly and desperately down Las Olas Blvd looking for food like vultures in the desert. We were out of our element and our Yelp iPhone app was useless. We decided to just park the car and walk around until we found a decent place to eat or until we became cannibals and ate a chunky passerby. We finally stumbled upon Café la Bonne Crepe. There were several patrons sitting outside and the menu had gruyere cheese and béchamel sauce written all over the place (JACKPOT!). We quickly decided to go with this place and got a table.

    The décor inside of the restaurant was eclectic, to say the least. No real rhyme or reason to some of the pieces of art that were inside of the restaurant, other than maybe Good Will was having a BOGO sale. The staff was friendly and attentive. The menu has several different options. They offer dozens of crepe variations, sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. My friend decided to have their Turkey and Gruyere sandwich, which comes with fresh roasted turkey with imported gruyere cheese & arugula, garnished with caramelized onion mayonnaise served on a baguette. The turkey in this sandwich definitely isn’t your usual Oscar Meyer cold cut; this thing had thick cuts of fresh Turkey breast. The caramelized onion mayo took this regular ol’ sandwich and sky rocketed into outer space. The mayo gave the sandwich a great kick, but did not in any overpower the flavor of the gruyere, arugula or turkey. I fell in love with the mayo, if only I could figure out a way to duplicate it at home. The sandwich also came with a side of homemade potato salad. that was really flavorful and went well with the sandwich.

    I went with one of their crepes. I decided to go with their fresh chicken crepe that came with béchamel sauce and gruyere cheese. The presentation alone was impressive. The crepe is delicately cooked on only one side and then folded in a tall and elegant manner, definitely nothing like the crepes you get at the mall. The béchamel sauce was over flowing like lava onto the dish and had a great subtle flavor to it that played perfectly with the sharp taste of the gruyere cheese. The chicken, however, was quite under seasoned and could have used some salt and pepper to add taste.

    My friend and I decided to play nice and share our food with one another. So we both got half a crepe and half a sandwich, see kids sharing IS caring! This place was a great find and a neat little café in Fort Lauderdale that’ll definitely fix any crepe craving. Definitely a place to check out if you’re in the Las Olas/Fort Lauderdale area.

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    Restaurant Details:
    La Bonne Crepe
    815 E Las Olas Blvd
    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

    (954) 761-1515
    http://labonnecrepe.com/
    La Bonne Crepe on Urbanspoon

    July 17, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Lulu's in the Grove Lures Me In

    A friend had recently recommended Lulu’s in the Grove so I decided to check it out. The restaurant is located directly across the street from Greenstreet Café and is actually owned by the same owner. The outside of the restaurant seems cozy, with big red couches strewed around the corner with citronella tiki lights to ward off pesky mosquitoes. I decided to go inside because the heat that day was only bearable by Canadian tourists and hairless cats.  The space inside the actual restaurant is very small and the majority of the sitting space lies outside on the side walk. The inside of the restaurant looks very industrial with exposed pipes in the ceiling and the color scheme sticking to black, white and red. There are also collages throughout some of the walls with pictures and newspaper cut outs that draw your attention.  

    I decided to sit at the bar where I met the bartender, Megan, who was very funny and jovial. Their menu offers a big selection of small plates/appetizers so I decided to try one of those out. The one that popped out at me was the shichimi corn. The shichimi corn is simply put, skewered corn (fancy way of saying corn on the cob) with butter garlic shichimi. Thankfully, the corn came out in small manageable pieces that didn’t require me rolling up my sleeves.  The corn was well grilled and the shichimi gave the corn a slight and subtle heat, but it didn’t take away from the flavor of the corn. The corn's flavor definitely shined through but was only tweaked by the slight seasoning and spice from the shichimi. It was really good and it left me curious to see what else they had to offer. 

    Up next, I went with the Truffled Mac and Cheese. The dish came out boiling hot with some of the cheese still sizzling around the edge; this was of course a very good sign. The parmesan cheese over the top was light browned and once you dug in, a cloud of steam poofed out from the dish. The béchamel and cheese sauce had bits of truffle and once you bit into the pasta you got a tiny hint of truffle oil. It was just enough to uplift the flavor but definitely not enough to overpower the pasta and cheese. The flavor was nothing short of magical and as I inhaled it, Megan came over and said, “It’s good huh? I don’t know how I haven’t gained 10 lbs on that stuff.” The truth is I don’t know either. If I worked here, I’d be hoarding the mac and cheese in a back room like Gollum from Lord of the Rings. Once I was done, I debated on dessert and decided against it. I was really full and I knew I had to somehow manage to walk back to my car.

    I was really pleased with Lulu’s not just because the food was great, but also because of the welcoming service I received. This is a great little addition to the grove and one the grove desperately needed. The side walk café appeal is great for people watching in the grove, but if you’re interested in indoor seating be sure to call ahead since there is limited seating.

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    Restaurant Details:
    Lulu’s in the Grove
    3105 Commodore Plaza
    Coconut Grove, FL 33133
    (305) 447-5858

    Lulu on Urbanspoon

    July 6, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill

    Sugarcane exploded onto the scene in early 2010 to rave reviews and appreciation from the ever growing Midtown scene. Last year’s recipient of Miami New Times Best New Restaurant, Sugarcane is the really cool kid in school that isn’t trying to be. Much like Dylan from Beverly Hills 90210 (circa 1992), this restaurant oozes swag and cool even when it’s not trying to. The restaurant boasts three different kitchens all offering tapas sized dishes mostly under $13.00 a piece. I’ve recently become a big fan of their Happy Hour specials, especially since this place is located perfectly on my way home from hell, I mean work.
    On my most recent visit, I marched straight to the bar and grabbed myself a stool. The bartenders are all way too attractive for their own good, but are friendly none the less. Not too many people ever talk about the bar and eccentric drink selections at Sugarcane, their concoctions are definitely on the funky side. They have a knack for pairing obscure ingredients and making them work, for example their Spice of Love drinks which combines jalapeños, passion fruit puree and Svedka vodka. This time around, I settled on their Blackberry Toast; which is a mix of muddled blackberries, rosemary infused secret sauce and Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon. The rosemary and blackberries were really refreshing and just what I needed after the day I had; plus you can never really go wrong with Jim Beam.

    Then I decided to get a couple of things to eat, to start off I had their Kobe beef slider. This little sucker comes with a fried quail egg on top and caramelized onions. The meat is cooked to order, but I always go with medium. The slider was really juicy and the caramelized onions melted like butter. If only they offered a slightly larger portion, so I could enjoy it in more than 3 bites. None the less, it was great. 

    Next up, I went with their bacon wrapped dates, one of their most popular dishes. I've never been a fan of dates, but if you stuff anything with manchego cheese and then wrap it in bacon, I'll eat it.  Although they look small, these three dates are actually kind of filling and meant to be shared. The dates bring sweetness to the dish that is perfectly cut in half by the Dijon mustard vinaigrette that is drizzled on the plate and over the small greens salad that accompanies the dates. 
    Up next, I decided to try one of their new menu items, their watermelon gazpacho. At first glance this dish looks very unique, almost like my Sunday morning hangover. Once you get past the appearance of this pink soup and blend in the crème fraiche, you’re left with a completely refreshing bowl of cool, creamy summer. There are tiny bits of lump crab that go surprisingly well with the bits of watermelon. The soup is chilled perfectly and is very creamy. Something to definitely try before the season is over and it is removed from their menu.

    As usual, this restaurant doesn’t disappoint. From the eclectic warmth in their interior design to the eccentric menu and drinks, this place is great for any adult occasion. From a hot date to Hump day happy hour, it’s a great gem in the Midtown area.  Just be weary, although the dishes cost around $10-$13 a piece, your tab will easily jump as you keep trying new dishes and drinks.

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    Restaurant Details
    SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill
    3250 NE 1st ave
    Miami, FL
    786 369 0353
    http://www.sugarcanerawbargrill.com/

    Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill on Urbanspoon

    July 3, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill serving up more than just fish sticks!

    My friend was in the mood for seafood so we started doing out research and settled on Casablanca. Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill is actually this year’s winner for ‘Best Seafood on the Miami River’ in the Miami New Times Best Of list. The front of the restaurant is on what looks like a side street right surrounded by warehouses with complimentary valet parking. The restaurant is actually right on the Miami river and offers outdoor seating facing the river where you can see boats passing by and even coming to dock directly at the restaurant. We decided to sit outside and enjoy the most of the scenery the restaurant had to offer. There are dozens of waiters whizzing by and the majority of them greeted us even though they weren’t our waiter.  Our waiter was funny and very helpful in suggesting dishes once we told him this was our first time at the restaurant.

    When it came to our food, we decided to get a couple of appetizers before getting I went with the Beef Tostones Napoleon, leave it to me to order beef at a seafood restaurant. The tostones are garlic scented green plantains with shredded beef sofrito topped with coleslaw and drizzled with avocado aioli. These were amazing! The shredded beef was so flavorful, similar to a really good ‘ropa vieja.’ The tostones were insanely enormous; I’ve never seen tostones 5 inches in diameter, they were thin and perfectly cooked. The coleslaw and aioli gave the dish a nice refreshing finish. The only thing you should know is, this is a dish that is meant to be shared. Although it looks small, it’s actually very filling and of course, I tried to tackle this bad boy on my own.

    So when it came time to order our entrées I knew I didn’t have a lot of room to get a giant meal. I decided to settle on something a bit smaller and went with their Ahi Tuna Tartar. The dish comes with pickled ginger, soy spiced sesame ahi tuna with California avocado served over warm wonton crisps. The tuna was cut into 1 centimeter sized cubes and tasted really fresh. The quality of the tuna was really good and the fish almost dissolved in your mouth. The only small draw back on this dish was the wonton ‘crisps;’ they weren’t very crisp and were actually almost chewy like Doritos that have been laying out all day. Another thing I noticed was the avocados promised in the menu with this dish seemed to be missing, turns out the drizzled sauce over the tuna was an avocado based sauce. I should mention, the avocado sauce drizzled over the soy and sesame spice tuna tasted really wonderful and refreshing.

    My friend had tackled their Puerto Sagua Seafood Zarzuela which is a monstrous plate filled with the chef ’s selection of the finest seafood flambéed with Cognac and simmered in a flavorful tomato saffron broth. Her dish had every kind of fish and crustacean you can imagine including mussels, scallops, shrimp and much more. I stole a piece of scallop to try and it was phenomenal, leaving me feeling jealous and wanting more. The Cognac flambé with the tomato saffron broth gave the seafood a totally different spin but still maintaining its flavor and integrity. I apologize for not snapping a picture of my friend's dish, I was too busy slipping into a food coma.

    If you’re ever looking for good local seafood, this is definitely a place to check out. The view and scenery of the boats passing along the Miami River and the friendly staff make this an inviting and fun place to eat. However, if you’re looking for a more intimate and serious experience, you can always sit inside the restaurant. The seafood itself is as fresh as it gets and as you walk into the restaurant, they boast their fresh catch of the day on ice near the kitchen. There are also weekday specials such as all you can eat free shrimp on Mondays, buy one get one free on the catch of the day every Tuesday, all you can eat oysters on Wednesdays, lobster deals on Thursdays, and Stone Crab Fridays.

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    Restaurant Details:
    Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill

    404 NW N River Dr
    Miami, FL 33128
    (305) 371-4107

    www.casablancaseafood.com

    Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill on Urbanspoon

    July 1, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    No frills, just good food at Jimmy's Eastside Diner!

    If there is one thing I really like is good ol’ diner food. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of real-deal diner options in hip and trendy Miami. Jimmy’s Eastside Diner is a great little diner tucked away in north east Miami on Biscayne Blvd. The minute you walk in you realize the place is bright and welcoming. The host’s desk is surrounded by news paper clippings and local ads and the waitresses are buzzing about with orders and dishes. On the weekends you can expect to wait for a booth since this place is always packed.  If you’re with a small enough party, I suggest sitting at the bar. The service at the bar tends to usually be quicker because there are friendly waitresses running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  Even though the waitresses are always in a hurry, the majority of them are always friendly and jovial. This is a ‘no frills’ kind of place, the menu’s are printed on colorful paper and laminated, the food is on the same wavelength, no frills just the good stuff.  
    On my last visit, I sat at the bar and decided to have breakfast. I went with a regular cup of coffee, a short stack of pancakes and their #2 breakfast combo which consists of:  2 eggs, Jimmy’s Jumbo Country sausage, home fries or hash browns, toast and orange juice. This plethora of food only cost me $12.00. If you want quantity and quality for your breakfast, you should definitely check this place out.

    I ended up getting my #2 combo with scrambled eggs with cheese on top, home fries and white toast. My scrambled eggs were soft and fluffy, the cheese on top was regular American cheese (remember no frills!). The home fries were killer; they had a spicy almost Cajun seasoning to them that made them irresistible. The sausage was also on the spicy side and really great. The pancakes were simple, fluffy, aunt jemima-esque hot cakes. Nothing to write home about in regards to the flavor or texture of the pancakes, but hot and fresh none the less. I soon realized I had ordered way too much food, luckily for me I was with my human food compressor (my best friend). Whatever I couldn’t finish, he inhaled.
    This family friendly diner truly is a rarity in the upscale and trendsetting Miami food scene. It’s a laid back place that offers simple and good food at very reasonable prices. Always one of my favorites to soak up a bad hangover and definitely a place to check out if you’re ever in the Miami Shores/ north east Miami area.

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    Restaurant Details:
    Jimmy's East-Side Diner
    7201 Biscayne Blvd
    Miami Shores, FL 33138

    Jimmy's East-Side Diner on Urbanspoon

    June 24, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    Shake Shack can do no wrong.

    Shake Shack was introduced to Miami one year ago; with it's low key appearance yet perfectly situated location in Lincoln Road Mall, this place is a force to be reckoned with. Originally from New York City, the growing Shake Shack franchise has made its way down the east coast to meet the eager fatasses of Miami (myself included). I go to Shake Shack fairly regularly since it first opened up and from the first bite I've been hooked, so naturally I had to blog about it.

    Historically, I've always gotten the single shack burger which consists of one Black Angus beef patty, American cheese, shack sauce, lettuce, and tomato. On this last visit, I decided to up the ante and go for a double shack burger, which of course means double the meat (oh yea baby!). Their burgers are always cooked medium, unless otherwise specified. I ordered mine with no lettuce or tomato, just the good stuff. I stepped up to the challenge and made that burger my bitch; It was absolutely delicious. The meat is juicy and tender, the bun isn't sliced completely in two, so it doesn't fall apart on you or make a mess (which is ingenious if you ask me). The shack sauce on this little piece of heaven is just as important as the meat itself. The sauce is their take on Thousand Island dressing which consists of mayo, some ketchup, mustard, a few spices, and pickles (not relish) blended in.

    Along with my amazing burger, I went ahead and ordered a side of cheese fries. The fries themselves are nothing impressive, they're Yukon Gold potatoes in a simple crinkle cut. What makes the fries stand out however, is Shake Shack's cheese sauce. This isn't your momma's can of cheez whiz, their sauce is made in-house and will have you licking the cardboard when you're done. It has a thick and creamy consistency that really sky rockets what would've been mediocre french fries.

    You'd think by now I'd be ready for a hospital admission with a severe case of food coma, but no I haven't had dessert yet! I usually don't go for dessert because it truly is a lot of food, but since this time I went prepared to up the ante, I had to pony up and deal. I decided to build my own Concrete (think Dairy Queen Blizzard) and I went with vanilla frozen custard, chocolate truffle cookie dough and hot fudge. All I could say bite after bite was, "Wow!" The fudge was thick, rich and warm; the custard was thick and the chunks of cookie dough were chewy and distributed evenly throughout the whole concrete.

    The restaurant itself has a loungy yet fast food appeal. You walk up to the register, order your food and are then handed a buzzer (similar to Elevation burger, BRG Burger Joint or DGB burger). Once your food is ready you simply just pick it up at the counter. This is definitely not a sit down restaurant with waiter service but it works well with the Lincoln Road crowd and feel. This place is not only kid friendly but dog friendly with their very own doggy menu items. If you haven't checked this restaurant out, you're missing out. If you haven't checked it out yet, stop by the next time you're shopping and people watching on Lincoln Road!

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    Restaurant Details:
    Shake Shack
    1111 Lincoln Rd.
    Miami Beach, Fl.
    (305) 434-7787

    Home

    Shake Shack on Urbanspoon

    June 13, 2011 Restaurant Reviews

    The best coffee shop in Coral Gables

    With the rise and shine of of every Monday morning, I always require a big pick me up to get me going. Adderall would be nice, but I usually settle for a cup of coffee. For years, I've made my way to the Starbucks drive through where the baristas all know me by name. Today was different and I was left wanting so much more than my generic over commercialized mocha latte. 


    Over the weekend, I was exploring Coral Gables and Miracle Mile and I stumbled upon Pasión Del Cielo. I had been there once before and had somehow forgotten how wonderful their coffee is. This is the best coffee shop in Coral Gables. For every coffee drink offered in their establishment you can pick your own coffee beans from 11 different countries (all varying in flavor, body and aroma). I opted to try something cold, since the weather was so hot and humid, and picked a caramel frappe. Seriously, the best coffee in Coral Gables. The staff was friendly and the price for my frappe was actually cheaper than the comparable Starbucks caramel frappaccino. 

    The flavor in this caramel frappe was out of this world and that's not a compliment I hand out easily or often. It's no surprise that Pasión Del Cielo was Miami New Times' Best Coffeehouse for 2010. The flavor in their frappe was robust and completely, refreshingly different to any frappaccino I have ever had in Starbucks. Even their whipped cream was thick, creamy and tasted home made. I drank every last sip of that frappe and was left wondering why in God's name this place hasn't expanded and opened up other locations. 

    They also offer a handful of pastries and empanadas. I had their banana, rum and nutella empanada and I apologize for not having a picture to offer you. I devoured that bad boy too fast to realize I hadnt snapped a picture of it. The empanada was different from the savory empanadas we're all used to in south Florida and it had a wonderful flavor. In all honesty, you can NEVER go wrong when you mix bananas and nutella, throw in some rum and you've got heaven in an empanada. 

    The coffee shop has a great and inviting feel. It's cozy atmosphere and helpful baristas made my experience that much better. The baristas were all very knowledgeable in the different coffee beans offered and were able to help me decide based on what I was looking for. If you're ever in the Gables, you have to be sure to stop by and check out their coffee or empanadas. So you can see for yourself what you've been missing out on by squandering your money at Starbucks every morning. 


    ____________________________________________
    Restaurant Details:

    Pasión del Cielo

    (305) 448-0007

    100 Giralda Ave
    Coral Gables, FL 33134
    http://www.pasiondelcielo.com/ 

    Pasion Del Cielo on Urbanspoon

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    My name is Cari and I'm the person behind FatgirlHedonist.com. I'm born and raised in Miami (Hialeah if you'd like specifics) and proud Latina. I'm a single mom to a very curious child. I completed a culinary program in high school that made my love of food blossom, but my career went in a very different direction. No matter what turns my life has taken, cooking, baking and eating have always been three of my favorite activities. I'm lucky enough that I can have this blog as an outlet for those three passions.

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