Best Sushi in SoFla

When it comes to eating out, my friends and family always ask me for the best fill in the blank restaurant. So when it comes to the Best Sushi ...

For a coastal city you'd think we have a better selection of sushi bars. With that said I recommend three places...

To experience good sushi, jazz and atmosphere, try Sushi Blues in Hollywood. Their location is perfect between a great wine bar and gelateria in Downtown Hollywood, and the staff makes you feel at home. The menu is creative and extensive, making it a great choice even if you are not in the mood for sushi. Don’t miss the Hot Hot Calamari, Spicy Double Tuna Roll and Sautéed Snapper with a sweet and sour cilantro sauce, herbal rice and veggies. For dessert, try their version of Bananas Foster's - - sautéed, ripe bananas in warm plum wine sauce with vanilla ice cream. And you’ll want to wash this all down with any of their premium unfiltered sakes. Sushi Blues is one of the better sushi bars in South Florida, moderately priced and has excellent live music.

I'm going to miss Masamune in Deerfield Beach. Now that my boyfriend moved down to civilization, we won’t find ourselves in Broward as often. But we will surely stop at Masamune next time we are in those neck of the woods. First tip – sit at the bar and talk up the sushi chefs. They are funny and friendly and almost always offer something funky to try while you decide what to order. Second tip – ask what is good today. Last time we were there that question led us to some of the best Wahoo sashimi ever. Third tip – order some unfiltered sake, it will enhance your experience. As for what to get, it’s all good. I like their tuna and avocado salad and simple tekka and hamachi rolls with seaweed on the outside. But their sashimi platters are always fresh and plentiful, so you won’t ever go wrong.

Sushi Maki in Coral Gables, South Miami and now several South Florida Whole Foods is as safe as you get when it comes to sushi in Miami. The fish is fresh and they've got the market cornered on thai and sushi favorites. The staff may not be the friendliest, and you may have to wait for a table, but you can look forward to fresh sushi, plentiful portions and a decent sake menu. Try the spicy tuna and avocado salad (the huge portion and value for $8.99), curry prawns appetizer and any of their basic or creative sushi rolls.

Stand by for the Best of SoFla Japanese Tapas. Curious? Good.

Best Cuban in Miami

When it comes to eating out, my friends and family always ask me for the best fill in the blank restaurant. So when it comes to the Best Cuban...

Casa Larios (the original on Flagler Street) is as good as Cuban gets in Miami, and let's face it, this is the world capital of Cuban food. I like Larios because it is not your typical Cuban greasy spoon, but rather a step above the rest, maybe even a bit gourmet at times. Try the tostones rellenos, baby filet, pollo a la parilla, vaca frita, and of course, black beans, white rice and sweet plantains – they go with everything. Wash things off with a cortadito for desert. Warning: You WILL smell like your what you ate the minute you walk out, AND you may need to take a nap after your meal, BUT that’s just a sign that it’s the real thing.

Here's a shocker, my next recommendation is in Deerfield Beach. My boyfriend introduced me to Little Havana several years ago, and I can remember my arrogant reaction. Boy did I have to eat my words, and they were good. The food is as good as you Abuela made at home, their sangria is excellent, and the prices are a bargain. If you've never heard of this place don’t feel bad, butif you are round these parts and want to get back to your roots, you cant go wrong with Little Havana.

Best Wine Bars in SoFla

When it comes to eating out, my friends and family always ask me for the best fill in the blank restaurant. So when it comes to the Best Wine Bar...

I can only think of three places I would recommend or go to myself for good wine, tapas and atmosphere. In order, here they go:

Hollywood Vine is a spacious and attractive wine boutique with an excellent wine bar. Their wine tastings on Tuesday nights bring in steady foot traffic throughout the week. The crowd can appear pretty diverse, especially for Fort Lauderdale, but if you sit at the bar you are sure to meet a fellow oenophile sipping on any of the 20 wines by the glass offered. While Hollywood Vine doesn't have a restaurant license, they do have a fantastic selection of cheeses, salamis, olives and pates that pair perfectly with the wide array of wine and imported beers. The staff is very friendly, and if you go more than once, bar keeps Steve or Jeremy will very likely to remember your name. Don't tell too many people about this local “Cheers” hangout and shop because part of its success is its low key and unpretentious atmosphere.

W Wine Bistro is as close as we will get to a New York-style wine bistro. Their small but exquisite bar menu is sophisticated, and paired perfectly with their extensive wine selection. Also a wine boutique, this midtown spot is popular among the downtown locals. Try the antipasto, W Wine Bistro Plate, Duck “Parmentier”and for dessert order the Crispy apple tart with vanilla ice cream. The atmosphere in the evenings can be slightly pretentious with interesting characters coming out of the Miami woodwork, but well worth it for its delicious food and wine your after. And here's a secret - again don’t tell too many people about this… you can find a $25 off (for $10 , or less if you find a code) certificate on Restauarant.com. So there you go, Miami chic that’s a great value too.

Bin 18 is hip, loft-style bistro with gorgeous chandeliers hanging from exposed pipes. Their Spanish-style tapas and wine flights are a hit among the young and trendy. They get way too crowded for me during happy hour. I personally like going to Bin for a light dinner and red wine. And if you are into whites or obscure imported beers Bin delivers there too. Before opening Bin 18, Venezuelan Chef Alfredo Patino, made a name for himself at the Ritz Carlton’s Bizcaya. Try any of the anitpasto tablas, gazpacho, warm fig salad, Cuban sandwich and crispy half boneless chicken. Oh, and trust me on this one, order the brownie a la mode, if they have it. It’s truly an experience. Go on a Friday night and listen to musical stylings of DJ Pauer. He plays a great mix of bossanova, tango and electronica.

Best Spanish in Miami

When it comes to eating out, my friends and family always ask me for the best fill in the blank restaurant. So when it comes to the Best Spanish ...

For a lively sit down experience, Casa Panza has it all. Authentic tapas, flamenco dancing and the interior of a Madrid whole in the wall. It's loud and crowded, making it more like Spain that anywhere else in Miami. Casa Panza is near Downtown Miami. Order the paella and croquetas.

For Tapas, Bocadillos, Deli Meats and Cheeses, Delicias de Espana is a quaint Spanish cafeteria, market and wine shop. Everything is fresh and tasty. Delicias is in South Miami and caters.

We Recommend...

Welcome to the first installment of We Recommend... a place where you can count on honest reviews of great food, wine and travel.

Recently the staff of Eat, Drink, Go! was invited to appear in the Miami edition of a nationally-syndicated television show that features round table discussions on Miami's top eateries. The show airs in June, and we invite you to tune in then to both the show (we promise to share the URL as soon as we can) and Eat, Drink, Go! for six, provocative reviews of the restaurants we visited.

To hold you over until then, here are some restaurants that we recently enjoyed, and why We Recommend... them.

Michy's (69th Street and Biscayne Blvd, Downtown Miami)

$60 p/p with alcohol

There's a reason this upper-east side Miami bistro received the highest marks by Zagat South Florida. The 2008 Restaurant of the Year is small and in a nondescript part of Miami's Downtown. Michelle Bernstein, the chef, and David Martinez, her husband and restaurant manager, are happy to guide you through a delectably, varied menu that can be described as French-Continental meets Latin America in Miami.

Michy's Argentine background, French culinary training and Mexican influence produces a unique marriage of flavors and elegant dishes. We Recommend... :

• Blue cheese and ham croquettes with fig marmalade


• Tuna covered oysters with creme fresh and caviar


• Short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes and sweet carrots in a rich balsamic reduction


• Crispy duck con fit atop a frisee salad with quail egg and pancetta


• Gnocchi in veal meat sauce with fresh ricotta cheese


• Creme brulee bread pudding with gooey chunks of chocolate chips

Michy's staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and knows how to serve with integrity and style. The restaurant is quaint and decorated French-Country chic. With a modest but lovely wine list and incredibly fresh mixed drink list (try the Cucumber-Pineapple Mojito), Michy's is perfect for a casual, yet sophisticated night out that doesn't break the bank or hit you over the head with Miami pretension.

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Por Fin (Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables, Florida)

$50 p/p with alcohol

This Coral Gables restaurant and lounge doesn't translate to "At Last" for nothing. Chat with owner Carlos Centuriun to see how five years of construction and permit nightmares can turn into a beautifully, elegant restaurant with a Spanish and Mediterranean menu that takes you through Spain without passport stamps.

The restaurant is gorgeous. You can tell that serious attention was spent on architecture, design and decoration. The ground floor is used for dinner with lovely indoor and outdoor spaces that inspire the senses. The upstairs is meant for lounging with a drink and great conversation.

The menu is small but special. We Recommend...:

• Antipasto of savory hams, chorizos, cheeses, olives and tomatoes


• Roasted chicken with delicate vegetables
  


• Traditional Mojito


• Any of their wines by the glass

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Is Fort Lauderdale a Food & Wine Town?

By Eschel Hamel, Eat, Drink, Go! photographer
First installment in the blog series Is it a Food & Wine Town?


Ok, so first we have to answer the initial question. Is Fort Lauderdale a food and wine town? To that end, and to put it simply, I’d have to say no.

Fort Lauderdale, for all it’s seeming culture and sophistication is still, at it’s core, the oversized suburb of Miami to the north. Oh, plenty would argue otherwise, and it definitely has its merits, but when someone is looking for true elegance and culture, they invariably head to her sister city to the south.

But enough about what it isn’t. Let’s discuss what it is.

Fort Lauderdale is entertaining city. It’s got a decent night life, a collection of bars and restaurants that’s quite impressive. Unfortunately, much of that nightlife is comprised vast consumption of hard liquor and beer, rather than anything of real value or substance. But if you look carefully, you’ll find a few shining beacons of of quality amid the sea of mediocrity.

1. Eduardo de San Angel - excellent upscale Mexican fusion, the agave wine margarita is a must-try http://www.eduardodesanangel.com/

2. Himarshee Bar & Grille - a surprisingly elegant eatery in the heart of the party street, with an impressive wine selection http://himmarshee.com/

3. Galanga - a superior Japanese/Thai restaurant with great sushi and highly enjoyable cooked dishes as well http://www.galangarestaurant.com/

4. Greek Islands Taverna - some of the best Greek food I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating http://www.greekislandstaverna.com/

5. Chima - a taste of a Miami-style Brazilian churrascaria, all you can eat and gluttonously good http://www.chima.cc/

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Disney, a Metaphor?

Disney World - two words that send chills down my spine. After years of resistance, I decided to go back to the land of Mickey as a Valentine's Day gift for my child-at-heart boyfriend. I was prepared to accept my fate - - bad, over-priced park food and hotels filled with screaming children and Character-themed buffets -- all of which were plentiful, but certainly not the highlights of my trip.

On our drive home I realized Disney can be a metaphor for any dreaded trip - be it for business, visiting in-laws or class reunion. So here's what I did to make the best of it.

1. Do your research when it comes to hotels, especially when going to a tourism mecca like Orlando. Why stay at a convention-style property with tons of amenities you'll never use, when you can stay at a smaller, cheaper property that fit your lifestyle. Check out what hotels are popular on sites like Expedia and Travelocity. Then go to Trip Advisor (free) or Zagat (not free) to see how travelers rated your picks. You can read detailed description of their stays, see pictures and videos and post questions. Generally, you get the cheapest rate with fewest restrictions when booking on a hotel's website or calling their 800 number. We stayed at a recently renovated Hyatt Place (formerly Amersuites) with a decent (and more importantly) free breakfast and 42-inch, flat screen TV in each room. Not sure if we will stay there again, but it was a satisfactory and worth the price.

2. Expect the unexpected if you are willing to play things by ear. After getting Mickey out of our system, we went exploring for a romantic spot to watch the evening's fireworks. Wandering around led us to the Contemporary Hotel - the Grand Central Station of Disney World. In the convention area we found a few families gathered. Why little kids running around two Disney characters attracted us is still a mystery. We were greeted by a pleasant Disney employee who informed us they were waiting to disembark for a fireworks boat tour. Again, why a couple in their 30s would want to join families with toddlers is beyond me, but surprisingly I asked how we could participate, only to hear the tour was by invitation only and we would have needed to register in advance. As we started to walk away, our Disney Godmother said "This is a magical moment" and handed us our boarding passes. The boat tour (free to us, but regularly $40 p/p) was sweet and hats off to Disney for putting on an excellent fireworks show.

With dinner still to be had, we checked out the California Grill menu, the signature restaurant at the 14th floor of the Contemporary. It was EXCELLENT. I can't recommend it enough. Sit at the sushi bar and talk to Yoshie. Order:

• Braised Angus Beef with Onion Marmalade, Fontina, Pommes Frites, and Horseradish Mayo 13.00
• Spicy Sensation - Scallops, Tuna, Avocado, Tobiko, and Fireball Sauce $18
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta, Cremini Mushrooms, Zinfandel Glaze, and Sage 26.00
• Any of their dozens of red wines by the glass
• Honey Crunch Cake with Chantilly Cream, Oven-roasted Golden Pineapple and Crunch Candy Crumble 10.00

3. Ask a local about where to eat. On our way back from Orlando a friend recommended we check out Mount Dora, a near-by town with antique shops, gourmet restaurants and wine bars. It was touristy, but pleasant. Laid back and casual.

• Check out Goblin's Market for lunch, but don't expect deferential treatment, that's reserved for locals. Good food and reasonably priced.
• Consider spending the night at any of their B&Bs and have afternoon tea at the local British Tea Shop.