Ike & Val Woods - Live @ Upstairs @ the Van Dyke!!

If you're a fan of blues, funk, soul, and gospel music and love to see a kickass musical performance then boy have I got somethin' for you.  My favorite band in Miami - Ike & Val Woods - will be playing this Saturday night Upstairs @ the Van Dyke on Lincoln Road.  Show starts at 9pm and the place fills up quick so get there and grab a table or shore up at the bar and get ready for a great time.  I love seeing live music at this venue because it's small and intimate.  Bar prices are reasonable for South Beach too.  Also, you may want to wear a Teflon face mask because there is a pretty good chance Reverend Ike might melt your face off with one of his face-melting guitar solos.  Ike IS the blues and I am so thankful to have someone like him here in Miami playing music that I love.  Ike & Val and their whole band pour their entire lifeforce into every performance and it's awesome to see.  Their drummer had an epic drum solo a few months ago that was so awesome I bought him a beer when the song was over.  Check it out, you won't be sorry and you'll leave there feelin' real good.

Its a real Meat Market - Miami Beach

One thing I love about dining out in Miami is the amount of hot women that can be seen out and about doing the same. One place that seems to be a real meat market is, well, Meat Market on Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. The bar just breeds hotties. Maybe its the location? Maybe its the bar? Or maybe its the food? Either way, if you like to eat and drink at a place that is visually stimulating with its decor and its female patrons, Meat Market is a good spot. Its also a place where I have had some very good meals.

Last weekend after a long beach party and at the request of my cousin, I made a reservation for me and some friends at Meat Market. I was looking to sink my teeth into a steak and MM was close to my buddy's place and my cousin's hotel so it was a good suggestion. Plus, they happen to have a killer Kobe* filet. The reservation was for 11p (it was a loooong beach party) and we arrived a few minutes early and were told they were waiting for a table to clear out so we opted for drinks at the bar. After talking to a well-endowed cute blonde and her friend, my friends asked me to check with the maitre d' to see what the delay was. It was now about 11:20p and we still hadn't been seated. Due to the amount of champagne Id already consumed, I didn't really care about the delay but I could agree with their beef. If we were able to make a rez for 11p, why weren't we being seated? The maitre d' was very sweet and did her best to appease me as I told her that my friends were gonna bail if we had to wait much longer. Well, 2 friends ended up bailing out of frustration right as they were getting the table ready for us but I was able to say the magic words "kobe filet" to my cousin and he and I returned to be seated.

The maitre d' really was apologetic and offered to provide us with a few apps at no charge. It was a nice gesture that I really appreciated as she did not have to do that. Matter of fact, a lot of places in Miami probably wouldn't do that so it was nice to see someone in charge that actually cared about customers and making sure they enjoyed their meal. We selected the white truffle kobe tartar with capers, red onion, and parmesan flatbread as well as the cedar-scented hamachi with mango caviar, white truffle, and lime. The hamachi was very good and did have a hint of smokiness that I enjoyed. My cousin loved the kobe tartar but I thought they went a tad overboard with the capers. The capers were included in the mixture of kobe tartar as well as on the side and I made the mistake of combining both and getting more saltiness than I had bargained for. Probably user error on my part but then again it was caper overload that could've been avoided had they not been abundantly present.

For our mains, we opted for the only cut of beef Ive had at my half-dozen or so visits to Meat Market, the Japanese A5 Kobe Filet. At $95, its a pretty good deal and when you're paying that much for a steak you might as well add some seared foie gras to it, right? Yes, you should and we did. My cousin selected a Spanish red wine, El Nido, to have with our meal. I really enjoyed it but I must be honest and admit that I'm no wine expert so I wont go on and on about tannins, nose, flavors, etc. It was just a really good wine and the decanter used to let it breathe was pretty frickin sweet and could also double as a tool to impale an unruly dining patron. The steaks came out a nice medium and were like butta baby! Add seared foie on top and its hog heaven for me. A side of grilled asparagus had a sort of smokiness to it that I really enjoyed and thought complimented the dish very well. Another phenomenal kobe meal for me at Meat Market.

Throughout the dinner, the waiter and maitre d' came by the table to make sure everything was to our liking but not to the point where it was overkill. They really couldn't have been nicer or done a better job, especially the maitre d'. I hope the owner recognizes that he has a good staff up front and on service, at least based on my experiences there. The bar staff is also pretty solid. Overall, I recommend checking this place out. The food is good, the service is solid, the scene is swanky, and the women are sexy.

Meat Market
915 Lincoln Rd
Miami Beach, FL 33139-2601
(305) 532-0088

*While I am skeptic of restaurants that have "kobe" beef, Meat Market advertises theirs as Japanese A5 Kobe Tenderloin from Kobe, Japan, so I gotta believe that is what it is.

7 Meals in 7 Nights: Sunday - The Breakers, Palm Beach & Hakkasan, Miami Beach

"What? I don't remember going to Burger King last night?", was the first thought that entered my mind as I woke up Sunday morning face down on a pullout couch and noticed a BK soda cup on a nearby coffee table. Yeah, it was that kinda night. I also have this stupid problem where I cant sleep in when I'm not at home so I was up around 9am. I got bored sitting there so I got up and headed out onto the porch at my cousin's place to play a little guitar and enjoy the warm breeze coming off of the ocean. The rest of the gang awoke about an hour or so later and, after much talk of me not believing I ate BK the night before, it was announced that we had a poolside cabana reserved for us at The Breakers Palm Beach. Sweet.

Driveway leading up to The Breakers Palm Beach Resort

The Breakers is an over-the-top resort in Palm Beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It boasts 2 golf courses - the Oceans course on premises and the Rees Jones course about 10 miles away, 10 restaurants/bars/cafes, about 5 pools lined with poolside cabanas (from what I counted anyways), and a nice section of sandy beach. The facilities, including golf, are private and usually reserved only for use by hotel guests and club members. Ive heard that a simple pool membership STARTS at $30,000 per year and that is a reoccurring charge yearly! Being the offseason, however, they have opened up the ability to purchase poolside cabanas to regular ol' folks like us.

View from our poolside cabana @ The Breakers Palm Beach

Luckily, we had a cabana reserved at the "Tranquility Pool", meaning there were no kids screaming and splashing around in the water. This was key for my friends who, unlike me, are prone to hangovers. I have an immunity for some reason, most likely because my body is used to being abused. The cabana was sweet. It had 2 cushioned lounge chairs along with an umbrella and a few more chairs outside (view above) and then an indoor area with a wrap-around couch, coffee table, a few more chairs, and all the amenities of a hotel room like a stocked fridge, plasma TV with cable and all channels, towels, and a sink. The back of the cabana also had a nice bathroom vanity with 2 sinks, a toilet in a room off to the right of the vanity, and a private outdoor shower complete with 4 body jets to the left. With all these amenities, there's no wonder that there is a sign letting you know you aren't allowed to spend the night in the poolside cabana!

After a dip in the pool and a frozen alcoholic beverage, we were starving and ready to chow down. The menu was pretty decent for a pool bar menu. My cousin and I went with the pulled pork sandwich, another buddy had the shrimp po' boy, and the girls each got a lobster roll, made just like we do 'em back in New England (but at 3x the cost haha). The pulled pork sandwich was awesome and definitely hit the spot. The bbq sauce was nice and spicy and the bun was a formidable one and didn't get soggy at all. Well, the bun didn't really have a chance to get soggy because I inhaled that sandwich. I didn't get to try anyone else's sandwich but all reports were good. A couple more Coronas and a few dips in the pool and it was time for me to hit the road back to Miami. I had plans to meet up with Paula, of Mango & Lime fame, and her husband, D, at Hakkasan to check out their Miami Spice menu and I was looking forward to it as it would mark my first trip to the Fontainebleau since their $500M makeover.



Hakkasan comes to Miami Beach by way of London where Chef Alan Yau first established his Chinese restaurant under the same name. Typical Miami, always the bridesmaid, never the bride. After all of the hype it had received in newspaper and online reviews, I was eager to give it a shot. I was also aware that this would be an expensive meal if we got away from the Miami Spice menu but that's kinda to be expected at a large hotel on South Beach anyways. I valeted the car, fully aware that parking would be gratis if I got my ticket validated at the restaurant, and then walked into the hotel lobby. What a cool space! Very big and very open with a bar to the back of the large lobby that had its flooring illuminated in an electric blue light. The place is the closest thing we have to a Las Vegas casino here in Miami.

Snazzy dessert menu and bill jacket @ Hakkasan

After finally figuring out which direction I needed to go in to get to the restaurant, I began walking. I walked down a few hallways and up a ramp before finally hopping in the elevator that would take me to the restaurant. We were greeted and sat immediately. The restaurant space was sick! I am a huge fan of Asian inspired design and I loved the layout of the space with large latticed wood panels separating different sections of the dining room from floor to ceiling, of which I estimated at about 18 feet above. Dark wood tables and ice blue leather booth seating with embroidered elements and pillows lined one wall while chairs sat opposite the table. They also had a sweet bar back lit with water effects and on the western side of the room they had some more communal style tables and the kitchen which was separated from the dining room by a large blue glass wall so you could just see the shadows of the men and women working behind. On the eastern side of the room, there was a separate area with slate stone walls that had figures jutting out of them and a hallway that led to the bathrooms. Even the bathrooms were sick! Large 18 foot floor to ceiling doors in white led to an all white marble bathroom in which to carry out your business. But enough of me fawning over the space, we were here to eat.

After being informed that any drinks with passion fruit were off the menu due to the restaurant not being satisfied with the quality, we started with a round of drinks. I went with the Georgia Julep, a peach-inspired version of the Kentucky classic mint julep. Paula went with the Green Destiny which I cant remember what was in it but she seemed to enjoy. D ordered another drink that didn't have passion fruit in its description only to have the waitress come back and say that it did and wasn't being offered, so he went with the Georgia Julep as well. Of course, this normally would mean that the waitress would wait until all drinks are ready before serving but that wasn't the case. D had to watch us suck down our bevvies for a few before getting his. The Julep was good, though I prefer the Kentucky classic version much better. With drinks flowing, we were ready to order. We opened up the menus to find no Miami Spice menu inside. Bad vibes. I hate asking for that damn thing. We bit the bullet and asked and were given one promptly. The offerings appeared to be some of the weaker selections on the menu and, judging by the price points on the regular menu, smaller portions. I wasn't really feeling the options on the Spice menu and neither was D so we all opted to go with the regular menu since a minimum of 2 people were necessary to order from the Spice menu. I found that minimum to be fairly reasonable, however, I soon learned that there was another stipulation... A group of 6 people came and sat in the booth behind our table, ordered drinks, then became very irritated and left the restaurant but not before having a few words with the hostess at the hostess desk. Apparently they have a rule at Hakkasan that only allows a maximum of 5 people to order from Miami Spice. That makes no sense to me. The way I see it, they just lost out on probably what would've been a $500+ check after all was said and done. What if the group of 6 split into 3 and 3? Then it would be OK? In my book, if it don't make dollars, it don't make sense and this silly rule made the restaurant lose money and piss off a customer who would likely tell others about his experience. For a hotel that just invested $500M, you'd think that they'd want to make every little buck that they can.

Dim Sum Platter Appetizer @ Hakkasan

After looking over the menu and deciding to share 3 appetizers, we ordered the Roasted Mango Duck, Dim Sum Platter, and the Roasted King Soya Squab only to be told by the waitress that they were out of the squab. That mightve been nice to know ahead of time. Instead, we opted for the Wild Mushroom Lettuce Wraps. To give you an idea on pricing, these apps were $18 each and $24 for the dim sum. So we're already tallied at $60 just for apps, not to mention 3 $14 drinks and two $9 bottles of Voss water for the table (man, my ass hurts just typing that). That's $111 in just drinks and apps, so you can get an idea of what ordering off the regular menu is like.

Slightly dominated Wild Mushroom Lettuce Wraps @ Hakkasan

Roasted Mango Duck appetizer @ Hakkasan

The dim sum platter had 4 sets of dumplings presented in a bamboo steamer. There was a set of scallop shumai in the center topped with tobiko which were probably my favorite. The two with the green in them were shrimp dumplings with chives and there were another set of shrimp dumplings, both of which were good. The translucent dumplings that are shown in a square-like fold were stuffed with vegetables seasoned with Chinese 5-spice powder. These were my second favorite and would've been my favorite if the scallop shumai hadnt been cooked perfectly. The mushroom lettuce wraps were good but by god were the lettuce "wraps" small! Take your hand and give a "thumbs up". Now look at the size of your thumb. The lettuce was so small that you could maybe fit about a half of thumb's worth of mushroom mixture into the lettuce. This left a lot of the mixture leftover on the plate and kinda sucked the life out of the dish which was too bad because the flavors were on point. The roasted mango duck was a huge winner and quite possibly the best dish we had all night in my opinion. The dunk was tender and had a nice layer of fat and a crispy skin. This paired incredibly well with the fresh slices of juicy mango whose juice also made for a nice plated marinade for the duck. Just a very simple and very flavorful dish that I will probably order every time I eat there because it was that damn good.

Spicy Assam Prawns in Coconut @ Hakkasan

After another round of Georgia Juleps we ordered our main courses. Not knowing that the dishes are supposed to be served "family style", we each ordered individually. Paula went with the Spicy Assam Prawn in Coconut, D requested the Braised Black Bean Grouper Claypot with Bitter Melon, and I opted for the Stir-fry Scallop and Pumpkin in Black Bean. My dish and Paula's dish arrived together and D's about 5-10 minutes later which was about par for the course on this night.

Crappy iPhone pic of the Braised Black Bean Grouper Claypot @ Hakkasan

Stir-fry Scallop and Pumpkin in Black Bean @ Hakkasan

We did manage to share a few bites of our dishes with each other so I got a good taste of everything. I'm always weary of scallop dishes that involve them in some sort of stew or stir fry because the heat from the other components can sometimes continue to cook the scallop, making it a little more chewy. Not the case here. These scallops were spot-on perfect. The pumpkin in black bean sauce was also very tasty and I liked the texture as well. They were cooked so that they were soft yet still had some firmness to them so they didnt get all mushy. D's grouper had the same black bean sauce and was another example of carefully cooked seafood. The fish was tender and moist and went down easily. I thought Paula's prawn dish was awesome. The coconut kept the contents hot for the entire meal, even still steaming when we were finished eating. The coconut milk broth had a fiery kick to it that reminded me of the Cambodian Scallop Amok served at Origin Bistro in South Miami and the prawns were tender and tasty. I'd order any one of these drinks again.

After dinner we didn't really feel like leaving so Paula ordered up a dessert called Mangia e Bevi that I cant remember what it exactly was but I remember some sort of sorbet being involved. I recommended a few glasses of Eagle Rare 10yr on the rocks for myself and D to enjoy. The Eagle Rare was really workin it for me so we ordered another round before asking for the bill. Now, one would think that when a menu says that an Eagle Rare is $14, it means regardless of how you drink it, right? Well, apparently not at Hakkasan for when we received the bill we were charged $17 for said bourbons. When we asked the waitress what the deal with that was, she replied that we ordered drinks on the rocks which got a greater pour, hence the $3 extra charge. So I'm paying $3 for a couple cubes of frozen f**king water?!?! Gimme a break already! Its not as if Hakkasan wasn't already making bank off the price of the drink (a bottle can be easily had for $26.99) but if you're gonna price your liquor, price it no matter how it gets ordered, goddammit. That really frosts me. Ive never been to a restaurant that charges for something as silly as cubes of ice to keep a drink cold. I can tell you that the Georgia Julep had bourbon and some other ingredients and also came with ice for $14 and that had to be higher in cost than my Eagle Rare on the rocks. I guess they expect for diners to just do shots all night? Its kinda funny how a restaurant will turn away 6 diners who want to spend $35+ each like they don't need the money, then they turn around and bone diners for $3 to put ice in a drink. That's just blatant douchebaggery.

Bill @ Hakkasan noting their menu price of $14 for Eagle Rare and then the mystery add-on of $3 on the bill for f**king ice

Overall, I thought the food and decor were paramount to the spotty service and douchebaggery shown at Hakkasan. I now understand why so many raved about the food at Hakkasan prior to me having the chance to experience it for myself. Every dish, no matter how simple or complex, really focused on a feature flavor with tiny hints of complimentary flavors identifying themselves and elevating the dish. That is what made the food worthy of the price of admission. I also think, design-wise, this is the most impressive restaurant in Miami. I will definitely be back someday Im sure, maybe even to try that $200 Peking Duck with Osteria Caviar. :)

What a great day I had and a glorious finish to an epic week of dining out every night. I made it! 7 Meals in 7 Nights had come to an end and the meal at Hakkasan, annoying little details aside, was a phenomenal way to end it. I had made it from Monday to Sunday and I'd had many fantastic meals, enjoyed time with friends and family, met some new people, and got to throw in a little travel as well. I'd consumed burgers, pizza, lobster, scallops, ceviche, and various bourbons. Many, many bourbons. All this made possible thanks to the social gathering we call dining out. My cup is running over with happiness and great memories and I look forward to seeing friends, meeting more strangers, and creating more memories around plates of good food.

7 Meals in 7 Nights: Friday - Zeke's & Casale (AGAIN!), Miami Beach

When I originally started these posts on 7 Meals in 7 Nights, I wanted to post every day for a week. Man, that was ambitious... For reasons that Ive noted before, plus some serious partying this weekend, I got a little behind. So, I'll pick up where I left off on Friday and report on my return to Casale after some Happy Happy time at Zeke's.

All day Friday I was hurtin. After consuming mass quantities of awesomeness at Naomi's, I just didnt want to eat. I woke up full again for the 2nd time this week. I could slowly feel the 11 pounds I'd lost recently coming back in one week-long eating binge. So, I skipped lunch and then decided to meet up with some friends at Zeke's to get happy after the work week ended. I effing love Zeke's. It's an oasis of $4 beer in the desert of getting raped by inflated prices that is Miami Beach. Every beer is $4. Guinness? $4. Bud Light? $4. Efes, my favorite Turkish beer? $4. They boast of having over 200 beers available by the bottle, all at $4 each. They also have some generic house wine for those that must bring their girlfriend/wife who wont drink beer. (Note: Im fully aware that my comment may come off as a tad sexist but in reality I just refuse to believe that a guy goes to a beer garden and orders wine without being severely beaten and covered in tampons.) Zeke's also serves up a few delicacies to snack on with your beer. They have bags of chips, microwave popcorn, and even one of those hot dog toaster machines for making hot dogs. They do not allow outside food to be consumed at their tables. In other words, youre here to drink beer and maybe have some popcorn with your beer.

While sippin suds with my friends, we got to talking about how I'd been eating out every night that week. I mentioned my visit to Casale for the Pizza Crawl and knew they would love the place. They got fired up to give it a shot and so we walked from Lincoln Road over to Casale for some Friday night pie and to sample the mozzarella bar. This time, we were seated in the main area by the windows, right in front of the pizza ovens. It wasnt hot but it was a tad uncomfortable. There was at least a 10 degree difference between this table and the one I'd sat at Tuesday night by the entrance. Much like my visit at Fratelli la Buffala though, it just helped the Morretti's go down easier. We started with the grand tasting from the mozzarella bar which came with 2 portions of bufala campana, burrata pugliese (the outer casing of burrata), stracciatella (the inside stuffing of burrata), treccione (a braided smoked mozzarella), and fior di latte (mozzarella made from fresh cow's milk). The dish also came with 2 sides so we chose bresaola and anchovies. The stracciatella was my favorite on its own but I kinda expected that since I love burrata so much. The best combo for me though was pairing the bufala campana and fior di latte with the anchovies. Those tiny fishies were loaded with flavor.

One of my friends is a vegetarian (or pescatarian as she does eat seafood), so I recommended that Funghetto pizza from the night before. This time they used regular white mushrooms and that robbed the dish of some flavor. The taleggio and sage didnt stand out as much as they had the first time Id had that pizza either. Not that it was a bad pizza but I doubt Id have been quick to order it again if this was the way the first one was made. The other pizza we ordered was the capriccioso which came topped with parma ham, artichokes, mushrooms, and arugula. It was a pretty good pie, no more, no less.

I left the Beach shortly after dinner and was in bed around midnight because I had planned to play golf early the next morning. It was a nice, light Friday night sippin suds, eatin pie, and catching up with good friends. I needed that because after golf I was planning to head up to West Palm Beach to visit some friends and family and things usually have a tendency to get outta control up in WPB...

7 Meals in 7 Nights: Tuesday - Pizza Crawl Final Round @ Fratelli la Buffala & Casale

After a nice night of sleep thanks to the burger from the Taurus, I was well rested and feeling good about tackling my day. Work was crazy busy all day and I made sure to limit myself to a tiny bowl of frozen yogurt, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries for lunch. The light lunch was pure strategy because I was planning to attend the 4th and final round of the Miami Pizza Crawl. That strategy definitely paid off...big time.

After downing a few Kronenburgs at Cafe Maurice (soon to be name changed AGAIN to Louis XIII I was told), I met up with the other crawlers at Fratelli la Buffala on the corner of Washington and 5th. The restaurant was cozy with scattered tables here and there and the pizza hearth in the back corner of the room. Our table was right next to the pizza cooking action so it was a tad warm (at least in my seat) but that just helped make the cold Moretti beer that much more enjoyable. Our pizza lineup was decided as:

La Reale - tomato sauce, bufala mozzarella, bufala smoked mozzarella, bufala ricotta & prosciutto crudo
Diavola - tomato sauce, spicy salame, mozzarella, basil & crushed red pepper
Vesuviana - fresh cherry tomatoes, smoked bufala mozzarella, bufala mozzarella, green olives & anchovies
The Special - sausage & broccoli rabe

Our server said the chef had a special pie ("The Special") for our group that stretched the pizza criteria for ordering. It was our first major dilemma. First, we had a special pizza made for the group which meant its a must order, right? On the other hand, said pizza was more of a pizza sandwich or double-decker pizza. You had a regular pizza crust, topped with fresh mozzarella, broccoli rabe, and sausage, then they took another pizza and slam dunked it on top of the 1st pizza. In the spirit of fun and to avoid insulting the chef who had made a nice gesture by offering something special, we went with it. It was pretty good. I liked the tartness of the broccoli rabe and the saltiness of the sausage together. I dont think I'd order it again though as it was really filling. Which brings up another Pizza Crawl 1st...full slices! We all were able to get a full slice of each pie at FLB because they cut the pies in 12 and we only had 11 for this stop on the Crawl. All aboard the carb caravan!

After "The Special", we moved on to the other pies. I liked the crust at FLB. It was thin with enough yet had nice stability in the middle to keep it from being too floppy when you picked it up. The sauce ratio was a good one too and I liked the thickness of the outer crust. Unfortunately, like another crawler has stated, none of these pies really blew me away. Ive had the diavola at Spris many times and didnt think this one was anything special. Not that it was bad, just not memorable. The La Reale was a nice pie but, then again, when isnt prosciutto on a pizza nice? I think my favorite here was the Vesuviana. Im a fan of more salty toppings on pizza to pair with the cheese and the combo of the olives and anchovies provided that for me. I did notice that some slices were devoid of one or the other though, so I guess I was lucky.

The next and final stop on the Pizza Crawl was Casale, a brand spankin new pizza joint conceived by Pietro Vardeu, owner of Sardinia right next door. This place had been hyped up rather epically on the Florida board of Chowhound, so it had a lot to live up to.

The restaurant itself is gorgeous. A lot of wood, brick, and stone features along with leather chairs lining both a crudo bar and an illuminated liquor bar that really stood out. Its a rather large space and Im only talking about the downstairs pizzeria right now. Upstairs, they have a lounge area with nice leather couches and chairs, a wine storage room, and another nice illuminated bar. A sweet outdoor patio also awaits diners and drinkers alike with more lounge chairs and couches and a giant umbrella "tree" that branches off into 4 large umbrellas and covers just about the whole patio. I could definitely see this place being a hangout for me if I lived in the neighborhood, thats for sure. Its casual without being too casual and has a nice vibe for chilaxin'.

We added about 7 new Crawlers to this stop on the Pizza Crawl for a total of 18. The menu had a lot of options and I like the creative combos of ingredients. Lots of pizzas you dont really see elsewhere. The pies we ordered were:

Smeraldina - braised fennel & bottarga
Atomica - spinach, artichokes, guanciale & quail eggs
Sag Harbor - mussels, clams, baby octopus & shrimp
Sagaponack - potatoes, anchovies & ricotta

Casale's pies have a nice thin crust, much like many of the pizzas in Miami, and the crust has a nice balance between crispy and chewy. They also use a nice san marzano tomato base for the sauce on most of the pizzas that provides a light flavor without stealing from the rest of the pizza. I'll also point out that the cheese is made in-house which is pretty frickin cool.

The Smeraldina had been hyped up from what I'd read but it really didnt do anything for me. I thought the flavors were sort of bland and nothing really stood out to me. We were splitting slices again, so maybe I didnt get all the ingredients on my 1/2 slice. I was really looking forward to the Sagaponack and found that to be a little disappointing as well. The potatoes either needed to be sliced thinner or possibly cooked a little longer because they were a little soggy and I didnt get any bite of anchovy on my 1/2 slice so I missed out on that flavor (I was crying on the inside). The Sag Harbor was a total trainwreck for me. Calamari on a pizza just doesnt work. It gets way too chewy. I also thought the sauce was off on this one. Sorry Frod, youre 0 for 2 on these types of pizzas. The Atomica was my favorite of this pizza lineup. I cut my own slice purposely so I could get all the ingredients and it totally paid off. The creaminess of the egg mixing with the saltiness of the guanciale was awesome and the texture and flavor of the spinach and artichokes worked well too. Id definitely order the Atomica again. Id probably try the Sagaponack again too.

But wait! We weren't done yet!

With a much larger group now, about 1/3 of which had not already housed 4 pizzas at Fratelli la Buffala, there were groans for more pie. So, we ordered 5 more! This time we went with:

Pugliese - rapini & wild boar sausage
Funghetto - wild mushrooms, taleggio & sage
Catalana - chorizo, manchego, tomato & olives
Buongustaio - baby zucchini, parma prosciutto & burrata
Super Margherita - prosciutto, bufala mozzarella & arugula

I didnt get to try the Super Margherita so I cant comment on that one but this round of pizzas really kicked the 1st rounds ass. The Pugliese was similar to "The Special" pizza we had at FLB yet much less hearty thanks to only 1 crust. I liked the wild boar sausage too. The Catalana was a real winner with the group and provided a nice taste of Spain. The chorizo bits were plentiful and who doesnt like that? The pizza of the night for me, however, was the Funghetto. This was the only pizza where the cheese really stood on center stage and was complimented by the other ingredients. The oyster mushrooms provided an awesome earthy flavor and really meshed well with the sage while accenting the saltiness of the cheese. It was just a great pizza.

I think the pizza crawl was an awesome experience. We had a great turnout during each and every round and the group was a pleasure to hang with. Even paying the bill was a simple process! Everyone had a great time and the costs were minimal considering the amount of pizzas we tried and the beers we sucked down while consuming said pies. I think the Casale visit was our most expensive at $18 apiece but we also covered Mr. 2top's portion since he had these awesome shirts made for the group. What a nice guy, huh?!?



This crawl proved that Miami really does house some great pizza joints that pump out great pizzas, regardless of what the naysayers from New York might say. Honestly, I'll take Miami pizzas over New York pizza any day but thats just me. Miami pizza is more my style - thin dough with a little bit of crust so you arent just eating all bread and getting full, minimal sauce, and fresh quality toppings.

Out and About for 7 Meals in 7 Nights

Last week, I noticed early on that my motivation for cooking anything was way low. Epically low, as in no-way-do-I-feel-like-cooking-eating-cleaning-even-once-this-week-finances-be-damned low. I had just gotten off of back to back trips out of town, the first being a week in Vegas for work and the second being a long weekend up in Rockport, MA sitting on the beach. Both trips came with an 18 hour stint in Miami between them. Gotta love workin those airline miles... I also had already had such a great time on both trips that I wanted to keep the good times rollin and that meant no toiling away at home. With a few planned events for that week on the horizon, I decided that I was going to eat out every night, Monday thru Sunday, and thats exactly what I did.

Im going to do posts on each experience on their own but here is a rundown of my week:

Monday - The Taurus, Coconut Grove
Tuesday - Pizza Crawl - Round 4, Fratelli la Buffala & Casale, Miami Beach
Wednesday - Jaguar, Coconut Grove
Thursday - Calafate Grill & Naomi's Grill, Sunny Isles
Friday - Casale (AGAIN!), Miami Beach
Saturday - Palm Beach Grill, West Palm Beach
Sunday - The Breakers (lunch), West Palm Beach; Hakkasan (dinner), Miami Beach

Up next: The Taurus, Coconut Grove

The time is NAOE!

I had heard about NAOE on the Florida Chowhound board quite some time ago. As a big fan of Japanese cuisine and an even bigger fan of the omakase menu, I was excited to give this place a shot. The only menu youll find here is a list of sake and other beverages. Other than that, its all omakase, or "chef's choice". The experience begins with a bento box ($26) and then moves on to pieces of nigirizushi ($4-$8ea) until you tap out. Yeah, its kinda awesome.

Well, after a 2nd trip to NAOE, my long overdue detailed report....

First the bento box components, separated into 4 quadrants:

Quadrant 1:
- madai (sea bream), portabella mushroom, mitsuba custard/soup served in a little clay cup
Quadrant 2:
- sake simmered Scottish salmon rolled with konbu seaweed on a toothpick-like skewer
- aji (horse mackerel) fried with a dusting of matcha tea
- yamaimo (mountain potato) fried with seaweed powder
- sake steamed ankimo, sake steamed sea bream milt, unfiltered soy sauce, miso, green beans, and cucumber
Quadrant 3:
- local king mackerel marinated in rice vinegar konbu topped with an okra, miso, soy, citrus, and wasabi "dressing"
Quadrant 4:
- parsnip rice with rice bran pickled daikon

And, of course, the soup component:
- soft poached organic chicken egg yolk, organic carrot, organic daikon, mitsuba, dashi (broth from dried skipjack tuna & konbu) soup

The madai/portabella custard intrigued me the most so I went after it first, using the little wooden spoon provided. The custard was very light yet held chunks of sea bream and portabella. Once the custard was broken up a bit, it turned into a nice little soup and the mitsuba broth really got a chance to shine. The custard was very hot, having just been removed from the steamer, so I moved on to the 2nd quadrant and went for 1 of the 2 bites of the sake simmered salmon wrapped in konbu. It had a very clean, sweet, and cool flavor that brought my mouth temp back down nicely so I could return to the custard again. The rice was similar to my last visit in shape only. This time I found the rice to be just ok on its own but much better when enhanced with some of the shoyu that Chef Cory serves. Last time I had a sardine rice that I liked straight up. Next I volleyed between the kingfish and the fried aji and potato. I dont recall a distinct flavor with the fried components but I love how Chef Cory incorporates the texture of a fried item into the bento box. Its like that guy who plays the triangle in an orchestra, you get just enough to know its there and realize the score wouldnt be complete without it. The kingfish was one of my favorite components though. It was layered with konbu and I really liked the okra/wasabi/miso dressing. A very fresh tasting dish. I saved the best for last though. The sake steamed ankimo was phenomenal. Its really hard to describe the flavor. It was just damn good.

After finishing off the bento box, I hit up the soup to wash it all down. I really liked the texture that the chicken egg provided and the dashi broth was very flavorful. The veggie ingredients provided a nice hearty component.

This bento box and soup combo was much more filling that the one I had on my first visit to NAOE, so I was torn between adding some nigirizushi or not. That lasted about 2 seconds. Next thing I knew, I was eating the following:

- Scottish salmon nigirizushi (belly side, but more towards the tail, so not the actual belly, even though fatty)
- aji nigirizushi with grated organic ginger on top
- aoriika (bigfin reef squid) nigirizushi brushed with orange soy sauce
- madai nigirizushi brused with orange soy sauce
- shiraebi (white shrimp) with grated organic ginger on top
- Hokkaido uni with grated wasabi on top
- aoyagi (orange/surf clam) with orange soy sauce
- fresh unagiyaki with sansho pepper

Though there was only enough uni to make 3 small nigirizushi for me and the 2 other patrons at the bar to share, it was still delicious. Besides, 1 is better than none! Chef Cory related that this type of uni is only available June and July (I hope I got that correct...). My preference for uni aside, I really liked the addition of the grated ginger on the aji and the shiraebi. It was a nice flavor enhancement. The unagi, flown in fresh with no additives or preservatives, was a sweet ending to a great meal. Well, I shouldnt say ending because Chef Cory served us some cantelope and donut peach with sweet rice vinegar fish sauce as he totaled up the bill for the 3 of us that remained at the bar. Yum.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - NAOE is not a restaurant. It is a dining experience. I've had the pleasure of sitting at the bar on both visits, watching Chef Cory slice, dice, slide, and glide while cooking the components for the bento box. He shows focus but at the same time he shows that he has a great personality, taking time to chit chat with diners when he gets a free second or if someone chimes in with a question. I have learned something new on each visit and I'm grateful for having that as part of the dining experience. You just dont get that everywhere. Another cool thing about NAOE, at least for the time being, is the personal attention. Sunday night I was the only 730p rez with 2 walking in a tad late but Chef Cory accommodating them anyways. Two more showed at 830p and that was it for the night for reservations. With only 5 people in the restaurant, everyone sat at the bar. I found it amusing when I noticed that all 5 of us were all watching closely as Chef Cory sliced up some cantaloupe for the first 2 diners who had finished their meal. A simple pleasure of a fully open kitchen and a chef at work. Add that to the element of surprise with the omakase menu, plus the friendliness of Chef Cory, Wendy, and their new dishwasher (I missed his name but he is a very nice guy and, much like Wendy, always makes sure your sake glass is full), and you really have something unique to enjoy rather than "just a meal".

Though I live a good 30 minutes away, I can tell I'll be making the pilgrimage to NAOE often. Its the type of restaurant that really hits the mark for "foodies", whether you like the term or not.

NAOE
175 Sunny Isles Blvd
Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160
305-947-NAOE (6263)

Weighing in on the Bus Blog Battle

Recently, a mini-battle between Tom at Coconut Grove Grapevine and Gus at Miami Beach 411 led to trading barbs about which area deserves more tourists, which is the better area, or something silly to that effect. It all started with Grapevine waxing poetically that he came up with an idea for a bus that commutes people around and brings them to the Grove from other areas and then a bus showed up in the Grove that said "Miami Beach" on it so Miami Beach must have stolen his idea. You can read about it here and here. An added swipe at "some rude guy named Gus" probably instigated a response even further. So, we were served one by Gus here.

Gus associates the Grove as a place that "if you've never been, youre not missing much" and likens it to a giant outdoor shopping mall with a weird comment that the Grove somehow revolves around a Johnny Rockets that just happens to be at an intersection in center Grove. Another swipe at Grove restaurants associates them with that of a mall food court and not much more. He them moves on to point out that the college crowd isnt what it used to be in the Grove and that the AMC Movie Theater is in need of some major work and argues that there is no comparison between the Grove and Miami Beach. That last sentance is pretty true. I dont know how you could compare the 2 as they are vastly different. Not to be labeled as a "hater", Gus does go on to point out 10 things to like about Coconut Grove and includes a video link (and gratuitous plug) from his Tour Company's ride thru the Grove. In a final response to the "rude" comment from Tom at the Grapevine, Gus calls him "disillusioned" and then takes the high road and offers 8 free tickets on Miami Tour Company's ride around Miami. Nice. The comments on both blogs take it from there with defenders of the Grove piping up to shoot down some of the comments made by Gus, some "Toronto Tourist" who I think is a made up individual, and a guy named "Doug" who commented that the Grove isnt what it used to be and isnt walkable.

As someone who lives in the Grove, I have to disagree with Doug and Gus on its "walkability". I live in center Grove a few blocks from Cocowalk. I walk into the Grove quite often to grab a bite to eat or have a few cocktails with friends. I also walk to the post office or UPS store, down to Fresh Market (which is a bit longer of a walk but I try not to be too lazy haha), jog on South Bayshore and along the marina, and Scotty's Landing/City Hall is also walkable. I like being under the canopy of trees in the various Grove neighborhoods or walking along the boat docks in the marina. If I want to walk to more of a busy area, I walk to Cocowalk. A few blocks away I can return to peace and quiet. Its nice and its all within walking distance.

While there has been somewhat of a revolving door of restaurants in the Grove over the past few years, there are a few great ones. Jaguar is a fantastic spot. The Frenchies at Le Bouchon du Grove and George's in the Grove have some great dishes and unique vibes. Newcomers like Akashi (a South Miami favorite of mine) and Sekai are great for your Asian food fix. Little cafes like Focaccia Rustica and The Bookstore provide nice dishes and quick service.

Notice that all the restaurants I named above places are not national chains like Chili's, Johnny Rockets, and Cheesecake Factory. Thats what I like about the Grove but that is fading. If you want to point out the demise of the Grove, which I believe the Grove is rebounding from, look no further than our very own government. For some reason, Coconut Grove is different from everywhere else in the City of Miami and needs to have a 3am closing time for bars and restaurants rather than 5am like everywhere else. Bye bye college crowd. Even though staying up until 5am and drinking is a bit excessive, college kids dont like limitations. They may only stay out until 2am but give them the option. Telling them they cannot stay out until 5am like they could anywhere else in Miami means they will look elsewhere. Tom at the Grapevine has done a good job at exposing this weird parking tax that restaurants are required to pay as part of being in the Grove. What does this mean? Well it means its a real bitch to have your own private family restaurant and I guess it also means that the people in charge would rather have national chains like Cheesecake Factory and Chili's in town. This completely robs the Grove of its character and makes me thing that the people in charge are old farts who complain about 5am closures and who also have a bland palate. In a comment on the MB411 post, Doug also mentions that another reason the Grove isnt walkable because of a lack of sidewalks and cars speeding thru neighborhoods. I havent gone and surveyed every Grove neighborhood but most that I walk thru have a sidewalk on at least 1 side of the street. There are some that dont though which brings his comment some merit. Considering that our City government decided to piss away money on things like "traffic circles" in neighborhoods with little traffic, black kiosks that were supposed to be "information booths" but instead look like empty newsstands, and whatever the thing is pictured by Grapevine in this post that was installed on Tigertail and remodeled about 4 times while doing nothing to curb speeding or traffic, its no wonder why Grove streets arent more pedestrian friendly. I'll end my ranting here and save everyone now from having to read more of my anti-Miami government tirade...

Miami Beach is a totally different scene. Hotels and corporate names everywhere, media coverage like no tomorrow due to its nightlife and beaches and celebrity draw, and much more accessible transit from buses and cabs. Miami Beach is its own city, Coconut Grove is a suburb of Miami (though technically its not but it sure seems more like that way...if only it could separate). Miami Beach may have a few nice parks and a sandy beach, but to me its a concrete jungle. Dont get me wrong, this is not a bash. I love Miami Beach, mainly for the sand itself and Lincoln Road and the SoFi area. Its just not a place I personally would want to live. Im not a city person. I find Miami Beach to be a lot more busy and a lot less peace n' quiet, constantly exposed to the sun with little greenery. Its a different place altogether.

As for the restaurants on Miami Beach, I am not impressed. Sure, I am a fan of Sardinia, Talula, lunch at the Dilido Beach Club, the pizza at Spris, and the falafel wrap at Pita Spice, but outside of that there arent really any restaurants that I find appealing. The majority of restaurants on the Beach are overpriced hype and nothing more. In fact, as soon as you cross over that causeway you gotta be ready to pay more for everything. I call it the South Beach tax. I guess its understandable because youre paying for your beach environment but most of the time its quite excessive. This is where I thank god for places like the 17th Street garage ($1/hour parking) and Zeke's Roadhouse ($4 beers, 180+ varieties). Those places make me feel hopeful and happy. They also make me wonder why other establishments cant be more price-friendly...

I guess you could also say that Miami Beach is more walkable and pedestrian friendly than the Grove but you'd have to put an asterisk by that entry because that would only be true if you were able to get around without getting hit by some asshole speeding thru neighborhoods like a madman (See also: Donte Stallworth). Even driving thru the neighborhoods off of the main streets can be shady due to speeders. I do often park up at 17th and walk down to 2nd Street with little danger but most of the time Im on Washington, Collins, or the sand itself. Those areas are hella walkable and quite fun to walk amongst the denizens of SoBe. Lincoln Road is also a great pedestrian road to walk as is Espanola Way.

Overall, I enjoy both areas and what they have to offer me very much. Do I think one area is "better" than the other? Not really. I just dont think its an apples to apples comparison. Plus, with Miami Beach not being raped by the City of Miami, I think they have quite an advantage (oops, Im back out on my ledge again...). Do I think a shuttle between the 2 would be a good idea? Sure. But I think that you have to expect that if a shuttle comes to and from both areas that said shuttle is not "stealing tourism" from those areas. Each area offers their own sights and sounds, eats and drinks, and activities along the coast in a different way. While I prefer to live in Coconut Grove for the atmosphere, I usually head to Miami Beach to play. The battle for tourism is only going to heat up with the economy in South Florida hurting and areas of Miami like Brickell, Midtown, and the Design District really starting to heat up. Hopefully each area will develop its own niche that will attract tourists and locals alike so our little patch of sunshine can start growing without setbacks and attract more people to discover why people like me enjoy living here...for the most part anyways. :)

Asian Facial with Chinese Balls

Yup, you read that correctly. Its a topic for a demonstration at the International Congress of Esthetics and Spa convention that is being held at the Miami Beach Convention Center in May. I think the street term is called "bukake". LOL

Anyone in the spa industry should check out this event. Lots of manufacturers and vendors will be present and many classes taking place as well.