MiamiHerald.com: Restaurants

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06/06/07--09:55: Dining Q & A (chan 1365947)

Ask Victoria Pesce Elliott about dining out


07/13/08--10:29: Food & Cooking (chan 1365947)

Recipes, meal ideas and more


08/10/11--21:00: Have a short cold one at Yard House (chan 1365947)

Yard House, with locations in Coral Gables and Hallandale Beach, lets beer drinkers in on the sampler concept with custom flights of up to three lagers, ales or stouts in half-pint “shorty” glasses for $2.75 to $4.75.


08/24/11--21:00: Peacock’s special lemonade (chan 1365947)

Peacock Garden Café in Coconut Grove prepares a Fresh Basil Lemonade with basil from its on-site garden. It’s the perfect warm-weather drink, with or without alcohol.


11/16/11--21:00: Island sensibility enlivens vegetarian eatery in NMB (chan 1365947)

Hakin Hill has your health at heart at his vegetarian restaurant in North Miami Beach. The eatery, which doubles as a health food store, is filled with hanging plants and shelves stocked with shea butter, seaweed snacks and supplements.


11/23/11--21:00: 2 Georges delivers one fun experience (chan 1365947)

This weekend, many of us will be facing the same quandary: Finding a place to take our out-of-town visitors. When you live in South Florida, you’re always searching for spots by the water where you can treat friends and family from colder climes to warm breezes and simple pleasures like fresh fish with a squeeze of lime or a plate of golden-brown conch fritters washed down with a Corona.


11/23/11--21:00: Popcorn maker aims to change the world ‘one pop at a time’ (chan 1365947)

This holiday season, serve and snack on Shawnee’s Greenthumb Popcorn. The organic corn is tossed with nutty-cheesy tasting nutritional yeast high in B12 plus spices and spirulina flakes, a form of high protein algae harvested from lakes that contains essential acids. The low-fat popcorn is tinted green from the algae and has a satisfying umami taste with a hint of cayenne and garlic powder.


11/30/11--21:00: Wine books are great for holiday gifting (chan 1365947)

Your friend/lover/colleague/boss is seriously into wine. He/she has so many bottles there’s no point in giving another. So what do you give this holiday season? A book about wine. There are lots of good ones out there. Here are a few I’ve come across:


11/30/11--21:00: Enjoy waffles and crepes all day at Angelina’s in Midtown (chan 1365947)

Angelina’s Coffee & Yogurt is named for owner Donald Vernon’s 6-year-old daughter. The single dad juggles running the café and taking Angelina to school, and has friends who babysit when he works on weekends.


11/30/11--21:00: Corelli’s an Italian gem in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea (chan 1365947)

If you’re a fan of Italian food — and who isn’t? — here’s a scouting report on three places to consider in East Broward.


12/07/11--21:00: Small Miami Lakes spot big on Venezuelan specialties (chan 1365947)

Express Bakery Café is a hangout for South Florida Venezuelans in a small strip mall behind a BP gas station in Miami Lakes. It has authentic dishes served fast.


12/07/11--21:00: On Fort Lauderdale beach, Atlantic Resort’s restaurant reborn as a brilliant brasserie (chan 1365947)

The Fort Lauderdale beach dining scene just got a little hotter thanks to chef Steve Zobel, whose East End Brasserie at The Atlantic Resort & Spa joins 3030 Ocean and Steak 954 as worthy draws for locals as well as tourists.


12/07/11--21:00: Pubbelly Sushi cool and adventurous (chan 1365947)

Sushi fans who scoff at cream cheese in their rolls should stop reading now. Pubbelly Sushi, the second outpost of the funky Pubbelly empire in South Beach’s Sunset Harbor neighborhood, is not for purists.


12/07/11--21:00: Wine a welcome holiday gift (chan 1365947)

Wine’s a great holiday gift. Most people appreciate it, for their future guests if not for themselves. At worse, it’ll be an elegant re-gift next season. You can bet your giftee will not be taking it back to the return counter.


12/08/11--21:00: Pub grub from Davie’s Ye Olde Falcon hits the spot at the end of a busy day (chan 1365947)

At this busy time of year, we often find ourselves heading home late without a plan for dinner. In our neighborhood, one good source for late-night grub is our local pub.


12/10/11--08:44: Original Mario the Baker location to close (chan 1365947)

The original Mario the Baker restaurant on Dixie Highway in North Miami may soon close amid a pending foreclosure case.


12/14/11--21:00: From fresh eel to egg rolls, elegant Pine Court is a Chinese banquet (chan 1365947)

We could dine at Pine Court Chinese Bistro in Sunrise every night of the year and still not sample all the dishes available. The basic menu alone features more than 200 items, plus there’s the more authentic Chinese menu and dim sum carts loaded with goodies that make the rounds daily.


12/14/11--21:00: Bubbly is at home for the holidays (chan 1365947)

As New Year’s Eve approaches, the question arises: Where do the bubbles in bubbly come from?


12/14/11--21:00: Italian and more at Gables’ Il Corso (chan 1365947)

It’s hard to stand out in the crowded field of dining and drinking establishments on Coral Gables’ Restaurant Row, so it’s not a surprise that some newcomers struggle to find their identity.


12/14/11--21:00: Private wine label reflects distinct vision of its creator (chan 1365947)

Alex Elman cried every night.


12/15/11--07:55: Meat lovers welcome at Miami Beach’s kosher Grill House (chan 1365947)

Grill House is the newest kosher eatery on Miami Beach’s 41st Street. Owner Shimi Alon, a master chef who trained in Israel and France, runs the spot with his cousin Edith Shalom. Both are Israelis who now call South Florida home.


12/21/11--09:57: Wood Tavern in Wynwood holds grand opening with free drinks, DJs (chan 1365947)

<em>Editor's note: This article was produced by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/OpenMediaMiami">Open Media Miami</a>, a community news partner of the Miami Herald. </em><br>


12/22/11--11:03: Race to try Gulfstream Park’s Blu Sushi (chan 1365947)

The ponies are racing again at Gulfstream Park, and there’s a new place to spend your winnings (or forget your losses). Bet on 6-week-old Blu Sushi as a hip, hot destination offering a crowd-pleasing menu of elaborate rolls, sushi and sashimi combos and standards like dumplings, salmon teriyaki and Chilean sea bass.


12/23/11--11:35: A Portuguese Christmas in Coral Gables (chan 1365947)

Celebrate the Christmas season Portuguese-style


12/24/11--21:00: Wines and beers with South Florida ties make great gifts (chan 1365947)

Wines and beers with South Florida ties make gifts in good taste


12/28/11--12:11: Seasonal beers are festive for the holidays (chan 1365947)

Beer for the holidays? Why not? It’s certainly in the right spirit. Kindly old Ben Franklin once said: “Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”


12/28/11--12:19: Wok Masters brings fresh Chinese to South Miami (chan 1365947)

The new little Chinese bistro, Wok Masters in South Miami, is taking over the world. Well, not exactly. But they are planning an aggressive expansion beginning with a Brickell location later this year.


12/28/11--12:32: 3 casual, waterfront dining options in Broward (chan 1365947)

It’s the time of year to dine along the water and enjoy the beauty of South Florida that tourists pay big bucks to experience. Here are two long-time outdoor dining favorites and one newcomer, all with a low-key vibe.


12/28/11--21:00: A little garden for Little Haiti (chan 1365947)

Road construction has finally ended on the stretch of Northeast Second Avenue that runs past the Little Haiti Community Garden. Tucked behind a fence at the northwest corner of 58th Street, the 1/3-acre plot is planted with produce to support the local food network and encourage healthy eating in the neighborhood.


12/29/11--10:34: The best wines of 2011 (chan 1365947)

It’s been a fabulous year for wine. Fans of the grape, whether Tea Party types or Occupy Wall Streeters, revolted and demanded cheaper wines. Sellers cut $90 wines to $50.


01/04/12--08:31: Midtown, Design District declared best dining places in Miami in 2011 by Eater Miami and Yelp! (chan 1365947)

In Miami&rsquo;s cultural renaissance, Wynwood, Midtown and Design District are the trinity of neighborhoods that make up Miami&rsquo;s new culinary mecca, according to food blog Eater Miami and Yelp!


01/04/12--21:00: Shelborne adds clandestine supper club (chan 1365947)

<span class="bold">The goods:</span> A clandestine supper club serving upscale American standards in South Beach’s revamped Shelborne Hotel.


01/04/12--21:00: W’s Dutch is a real treat (chan 1365947)

Despite the name, there are no herring sandwiches at The Dutch, the sexy new addition to the W Hotel on South Beach. Instead, the food is described as “roots-inspired American” with influences “from the Caribbean to Morocco, the Gulf Coast to the West Coast and Cuba to Italy.”


01/04/12--21:00: The secret’s out at Café Sharaku (chan 1365947)

For years, Café Sharaku was one of Broward’s best-kept secrets. In fact, the first time we visited the 18-seat restaurant in 2007, we were afraid it might not survive. But chef-owner Iwao “Jin” Kaita has slowly built a devoted clientele that appreciates his artistic Asian fusion cuisine. These days, it’s a good idea to have a reservation on weekends.


01/04/12--21:00: Sicily: Old wines are new again (chan 1365947)

It’s not easy being Alessio Planeta, traveling the world to sell the wines of his native Sicily.


01/04/12--21:00: A chic, New World sushi bar in Wilton Manors (chan 1365947)

Gaysha New World Sushi Bar is open for dinner only in gay-friendly Wilton Manors, serving dishes made with seafood and organic produce selected by chef-owner Takeshi Kamioka.


01/05/12--21:00: Pizza’s just the start at Plantation newcomer Gianna’s (chan 1365947)

The new Gianna’s Pizzarant in Plantation is the type of family-run Italian restaurant we’d all welcome in our neighborhood. It’s run by the brother-sister team of Francesca Hixson and Giuseppe Ribaudo, who grew up in the business. Their father, Bartolo Ribaudo, owns nearby Pizza Center, long a popular destination in West Broward.


01/11/12--21:00: Ice-themed Tundra is the latest Las Olas hot spot (chan 1365947)

A mini ice rink and fake snow brought a taste of winter to Las Olas this year, but at Tundra, the chill factor is real. The restaurant uses 10,000 pounds of ice a week for the gleaming sculptures and other arctic accents crafted by ice sculptor David Berman, a former Broward Convention Center executive chef, and Tundra co-owner with Alex Podolny, a native of Ukraine.


01/11/12--21:00: Philippe moves to South of Fifth Street neighborhood (chan 1365947)

<span class="bold">The goods:</span> The South Beach outpost of Manhattan’s Philippe has relocated from the Gansevoort Hotel to the former Taverna Opa spot south of Fifth Street.


01/11/12--21:00: No-frills Boulevard fonda offers savory flavors of Peru (chan 1365947)

Limon y Sabor Peruvian Seafood is a no-frills fonda (neighborhood eating joint) filled with Peruvian families. The name means “lemon and flavor,” although in Spanish limon can also mean lime, and both citrus are used here. Most of the tables are in front, but there is a communal table in back near a small lounge with a wall-size poster of Machu Pichu.


01/11/12--21:00: Calle Ocho’s Kopas geared to dance-and-drink crowd (chan 1365947)

Gastro-pubbed and tapas-plated out, we were eager to start the new year at Kopas, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant on Eighth Street, especially since vaunted Spanish chef Ferran Adria and other world-trotting foodies call this South American country’s cuisine The Next Big Thing.


01/11/12--21:00: Too many grapes don’t spoil these wines: 6 red blends, one just $10 (chan 1365947)

It used to be that when winemakers blended two or more grapes into a wine, it was so the strengths of one could make up for the weaknesses of the others. France’s Bordeaux red had cabernet sauvignon for flavor and structure, malbec for its inky color, merlot for sweet and fleshy fruit.


01/12/12--07:34: Blue Collar: Miami's newest restaurant (chan 1365947)

<em>This post was produced by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/OpenMediaMiami">Open Media Miami</a> a community news partner of the Miami Herald. </em> <br /> --


01/12/12--21:00: Original Brooklyn Water Bagel brings its tasty noshes to Hollywood (chan 1365947)

What is it with New York water?


01/18/12--21:00: Zinfandel: comfort wine for cold weather (chan 1365947)

Snow and cold weather blanket the Midwest and Northeast, and Miami is having its version of a cold snap, with daily highs barely in the mid-70s. It’s time for comfort foods – beef stews, macaroni and cheese, tuna casserole, chili.


01/18/12--21:00: Tap 42 a hip and hopping successor to Brownie’s (chan 1365947)

Sitting in the hip, new Tap 42 Bar and Kitchen, listening to Weezer and sipping a Kona Longboard, it’s hard to believe we’re on the site of Brownie’s, Broward’s oldest bar. Built in 1935, it drew top black entertainers like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington before they became legends. Later, its devoted clientele sipped 50-cent drafts and threw peanuts on the floor.


01/18/12--21:00: Blue Collar on Biscayne (chan 1365947)

<span class="bold">The goods:</span> MiMo’s American Noodle Bar space aims for working-class cred with Blue Collar, helmed by Chef Daniel Serfer (Chef Allen’s).


01/18/12--21:00: A chic bakery-cafe in downtown Miami (chan 1365947)

Cupcakes capped with swirls of French buttercream lightened with egg whites sit beneath glass domes on a counter that also displays house-made granola, cookies and crackers at Bryan in the Kitchen, a bakery-cafe with a gourmet touch in downtown Miami.


01/18/12--21:00: Picture-perfect Peruvian at North Beach’s Mixtura (chan 1365947)

There is much to love about Peruvian cuisine, from its bracing ceviches to its bountiful potato dishes, but it is the exquisite sauces made with the uniquely flavored ají chile that most captivate me.


01/19/12--07:17: Chocolate fest, wine fest, Redland rally this weekend (chan 1365947)

It’s a festive time of year for South Florida food lovers:


01/19/12--07:21: Mandarin, Hakkasan celebrate Chinese New Year (chan 1365947)

The <span class="bold">Mandarin Oriental</span>, 500 Brickell Key Dr., Miami, welcomes the Year of the Dragon with a talk and $75, three-course wine dinner with Chinese artist <span class="bold">Fung Ming Chip</span> at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Admission is $95 in advance, $110 at the door for a 7-10 p.m. al fresco party Jan. 28 with dragon dance, DJ open bar and Asian food stations. Reserve for either event at 305-913-8358.


01/19/12--07:24: Cafe 190 coming to Design District (chan 1365947)

The Design District is getting an upscale comfort-food addition to its dining options. <span class="bold">Café 190</span> is slated to open Monday at 190 NE 46th St., former home of the beloved Bohemian outpost 190 and around the corner from the <span class="bold">Buena Vista Bistro</span>. The man behind the launch is <span class="bold">Mario Rubeo</span>, Miami managing partner of the late, local Joe Allen’s, who says Café 190 will serve moderately priced regional American food with Mediterranean and Italian influences (burgers, pizza, steak, meatloaf, pasta) at lunch and dinner daily, with weekend breakfasts planned; 305-400-8828.


01/19/12--07:30: Tacos for Strength at Mercadito (chan 1365947)

<span class="bold">Patricio Sandoval</span> of Mercadito Hospitality taps guest chefs each month to create Tacos for Strength to benefit the chefs’ hunger-fighting charity <span class="bold">Share Our Strength</span>. For January, he turned to <span class="bold">Howie Kleinberg</span> of Bulldog Barbecue and Bulldog Burger in North Miami, whose Bulldog Taco (pulled pork shoulder, chipotle crema, sliced avocado, roasted corn,) is $16.50 for an order of four, with 5 percent of proceeds benefiting SOS. <span class="bold">Mercadito Midtown</span> is at 3252 NE First Ave., Miami; 786-369-0430.


01/19/12--21:00: Little bites for little budgets at 100 Montaditos (chan 1365947)

Leave it to a country suffering from massive debt to give us a restaurant that understands our household austerity budgets.


01/25/12--08:37: French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opens at St. Regis Bal Harbour (chan 1365947)

<span class="bold">Jean-Georges Vongerichten </span>has arrived in the Magic City. The acclaimed French chef delivers a “comfortable yet elegant hideaway” to the sparkling new <span class="bold">St. Regis Bal Harbour</span>, 9703 Collins Ave. <span class="bold">J&G Grill </span>promises a “curated selection” of Vongerichten’s greatest appetizers, sides and accompaniments paired with high-quality meats and seafood. Sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows and a muted zen vibe pair with a menu blending American, French and Asian influences. Look for cucumber martinis, Florida hearts of palm salad, Peekytoe crab cake, black truffle pizzas, roasted grouper, grilled veal chop, black truffle cheese fritters and kumquat mojitos. This is Jean-Georges’ second J&G Grill, following a 2009 opening in Park City, Utah.


01/25/12--21:00: Shula Burger opens in the Keys (chan 1365947)

The first Shula Burger opens in the Keys, making the legendary Miami Dolphins coach’s empire even meatier


01/25/12--21:00: Grapes: The more the merrier in white blends (chan 1365947)

Ask any good cook: When you make a complex dish such as curry chicken, you’re blending a dozen or more flavors — cardamom, turmeric, cumin, chilies, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, mustard, garlic, fennel, black pepper and others. Oh, and chicken.


01/25/12--21:00: Meet 3 Broward newcomers (chan 1365947)

It’s a good sign for the economic recovery to see restaurants opening at a faster rate. Here are three places in South Broward that opened in the last several months.


01/25/12--21:00: If you love pizza, this is it (chan 1365947)

Get thin-crust New York-style pizza with gourmet toppings at I Love Pizza with two hip locations on Miami Beach. The pies, named after places in New York City, are one size only (16 inches) but can be ordered by the slice. There’s the Queens (no tomato sauce, mozzarella and ricotta), Little Italy (with Genoa salami, peppers and onions) and the Bronx (marinara sauce, garlic and oregano with no cheese).


01/25/12--21:00: Surfcomber goes Asian (chan 1365947)

<span class="bold">The goods:</span> The revamped Surfcomber Hotel channels Southeast Asia with Lantao Kitchen + Cocktails, a stylish noodles and ribs joint named for an island in Hong Kong.


01/25/12--21:00: Food a better match for view at Key Biscayne’s Rusty Pelican (chan 1365947)

For years, it mystified me that a restaurant that boasted such appealing views served such appalling food as the Rusty Pelican. The contradiction kicked in with management, and the place is now reborn with new décor, hip ambient music, a bar serving the requisite trademark cocktails, a kicking wine list and a hot new chef. If once The Rusty Pelican was the place where one took guests who would value the wow factor and ignore everything else, today’s restaurant is much improved but a work in progress.