Your Florida Tax Dollars Hard At Work

Sheriff deputies and supervisors pull off a drug bust in Polk County, near Lakeland. They were so proud of themselves, they apparently felt they needed some time to kick back and enjoy a few games of Wii Bowling...

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Nice to know my flight is in good hands...

Today, as I handed my ticket to the gate agent to board my flight, she asked me if I was ready and willing to help in the case of an emergency because I was in an exit row. I always find this silly but I guess its protocol. Well, you can only imagine how comforting it is to know that this woman is on my flight and has been moved up to the exit row. She is clearly ready to rip off a 65 pound door in the case of an emergency being that she is about 75 years old, walks with a cane, doesn't speak a lick of English, and is coughing like she has a case of the black lung. Thanks American Airlines for looking out for the best interest of your passengers' safety.

Miami Construction SUCKS!!

This is gonna be a quick, frustrated post. This city is the absolute worst when it comes to road construction. The Miami Brain Trust feels that the appropriate time for road construction is during peak hours of commute. Im so sick and tired of taking 195 West only to find 95 South closed, forcing me to have to drive North to then turn around and go South. HURRY UP AND FINISH THE GODDAMN INTERCHANGE ALREADY!!! ITS BEEN WAAAAAAY TOO LONG!!! And since things take forever in Miami because the unions and developers, etc like to milk the clock for as much as they can, maybe it would be wise to START CONSTRUCTION AFTER MIDNIGHT LIKE THEY DO IN OTHER CITIES?!?!?!?!?! WORK OVERNIGHT, NOT DURING PEAK TIMES (which in Miami happen to run until midnight because we have no transit system)!!!!!!!!!!!

Its a good thing I dont own a gun...

Top Ten Reasons Why I Eat @ Michael's Genuine Food & Drink Weekly

I am a creature of habit, especially when it comes to eating. No, I dont eat the same thing for lunch or dinner but I do like to have a "short list" of places I like to eat out at frequently depending on what kind of a food mood I'm in. If Im feeling lazy and want a light dinner, I walk a few blocks into the Grove for dinner at Jaguar. If I dont mind a drive to Sunny Isles for a good meal, I'll head up to NAOE for some Japanese or maybe stop in for some killer comfort food at Neomi's. There are a few other places in the rotation too. Im spontaneous and really dont plan on eating out so much but rather just make a last minute decision...many, many times during the week. I often dine solo so I usually like a place that has a good bar to go with good food. That's why more often than not you can expect to find me at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in the Design District. The food brought me there but there are many other things about the restaurant that keep me going back at least once weekly. Here are my top ten reasons why Michael's Genuine Food & Drink is atop my dining out rotation:

10.) Hot Dishes Served Hot - One of my pet peeves when dining out is receiving a dish that is supposed to be hot only to find its either become overcooked from sitting under a heat lamp or that its become lukewarm or cold. At MGF&D, one of the first things that I noticed on my original visit was that if you order a hot dish, that dish is coming straight off the line directly to your table. They execute things well and get the dishes plated for the entire table in one full swing and Ive yet to be disappointed with food temperature.

9.) Local Focus - I like when local businesses attempt to support other local businesses and economies. Lots of fresh seafood served at MGF&D is sourced from our local Florida waters and indicated on the menu. A pan seared local kingfish with farro, chorizo, grilled lemon, cilantro and saffron aioli remains one of my all-time favorite dishes there. Another thing I like about restaurants that attempt to use as many local ingredients as possible is the change said ingredients promote on the menu. Ive yet to see that kingfish dish again but there have been similar renditions with other local fish that Ive enjoyed simply because of their subtle differences with that kingfish dish. You also cant beat local heirloom tomatoes served with burrata when in season as well as other herbs, fruits, and veggies sourced locally from places like Paradise Farms.

8.) Killer Tunes - I'm a huge fan of jazz, acid jazz, funk, blues, and rock n' roll. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink always has every one of those genres except rock n' roll playing in the background and thats a good thing. I believe that the music just pumps from the Chef's iPod all day. He's got a killer collection too with a lot of jazz jam bands just establishing rhythms and then soloing over them instrument by instrument. The music gives the restaurant a nice upbeat vibe without being overly loud and intrusive. Its easy to maintain a conversation with the music playing as there are rarely any words in any of the songs/jams and the volume is at a good level.

7.) Ballsy Menu - Im an adventurous eater and I like that Chef Schwartz isnt afraid to throw items like Crispy Pig Head, Pig Ear Salad, cheeks of all varieties, and a few variations of Sweetbreads on the menu. I've heard of people deciding not to eat there because of seeing pig head on the menu and not being open to what that may be, or realizing that they dont have to order it. Hey, it's not for everyone. I also heard of a couple who saw Tempura Sheepshead on the menu and freaked out and left. They apparently didnt know that was a fish from Florida waters...haha. Either way, having these items on the menu for people like me to enjoy and knowing it may turn others off is ballsy and much appreciated.

6.) Hot Restaurant, Hot Women - Apparently, beautiful women are not affected by things like pig head appearing on the menu at MGF&D because they flock to this place in droves. Blondes, brunettes, tall, short, cute-hot, smokin-hot, well-dressed women on a consistent basis and they come for the food. Name your type of woman and she can probably be found there. I even saw the beautiful Halle Berry in there on one visit. Beautiful women in the room just make a phenomenal meal that much more enjoyable, ya know?

5.) Bar Selection - Michael's Genuine has a great bar selection, especially when it comes to the sweet nectar I covet most - bourbon. The bar manager does an awesome job of sourcing high quality spirits and switches things up a bit here and there to keep the spirits menu fresh. Even the beer selections are a step away from the norm. This is the only bar in Miami where I've found Eagle Rare 17yr bourbon which has become my new favorite to sip neat. Lately, they have also had an incredible special on Krug Cuvee NV bubbly at $165/bottle which is nearly half off prices I've seen elsewhere in Miami. A 23yr Black Maple Hill rye (and its cousin, the 8yr bourbon) are also amongst my favorites. Having trouble keeping up with all of this? Not to worry. MGF&D recently added a spirits menu complete with pricing to guide you along. I wish every restaurant with a good bar selection would do this. It just makes things so much easier than playing the "do you have..." game. They also have a great wine list and a sommelier to make recommendations. If youre looking for a non-alcoholic drink, they make some damn good sodas too. So, youre all set in the beverage department no matter what you want to drink.

4.) The Food - Obviously I like the food if I'm eating at this restaurant at least once a week, right? I love the way the menu is broken down into snacks, sides, small, medium, large, and extra large plates. I love the small plates concept because I like to experience a bunch of different flavors, so I usually stick to the small, medium, snack, and sides areas. I think by now I have tried just about everything that stays as a staple item on all of these parts of the menu and I've probably had about 95% of the seasonal or in-n-out items too. Occasionally, as was the case last week, I will pop into the large or extra large areas. The double yolk farm egg, pig ear salad, burrata, chargrilled octopus, duck confit, and sweet & spicy pork belly are amongst my favorites and are staples. Items like the aforementioned crispy pig head, sweetbreads, grouper cheek, pork cheek, and various pasta dishes are ones I've enjoyed when I've been lucky enough to find them on the menu during my visits. Heck, I even started eating brussel sprouts because of this restaurant and they have become something I order at almost every meal! I really enjoy the focus on flavor in every dish and have come to trust the Chef when items that I usually wouldnt eat appear as part of a dish I've ordered. Those items are in there because they enhance the overall flavor of the dish, so I eat them and expand my horizons as an "eater". I think its pretty safe to say that I eat "everything" now. Mr. Frodnesor of the blog Food for Thought has also done a kickass writeup of many of his favorites. The food just rocks here and I can never get bored because the menu is constantly evolving. There is something for everyone. Pretty effin awesome in my book.

3.)The Staff - I think a key to having a successful restaurant is having a great staff. The staff at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink is top notch. It starts with the hostesses who are incredibly polite and accommodating and always keep their cool when things get crazy, like on Art+Design nights when the restaurant gets mobbed with people. The servers are knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. They know the menu, make recommendations, and want to make sure you have a good dining experience and come back for more. The food runners are a big help in making sure all of the table is served at the same time. The managers go out of their way to stop by tables and make small talk if only for a second just to check and make sure things are going well. Its cool to see that the staff buys into the concept of the restaurant and the way that Chef Schwartz wants things done. They also seem to enjoy their jobs. Everyone is on the same page and it's evident in the way the restaurant runs no matter if service is just beginning with a few customers or humming with a packed house.

2.) Kickass Bar Staff - While I will occasionally get a table when out with others, most of the time when Im at MGF&D I can be found sitting at the bar. Dining solo after a long day at work has something to do with that but the bar staff is the main reason. Michael's Genuine has a few of the best bartenders I've met. They always greet me with a hello and a handshake. They know every facet of the menu, make great drinks, and can carry a conversation. Most of all, they are incredibly friendly and seem to remember anyone and everyone who has saddled up to the bar. The barback is awesome too and always makes sure everyone has everything they need. The bar staff treats everyone like regulars on "Cheers" and...



1.) The Hands-On Chef/Owner - I've had the privilege of eating at many great restaurants around the country thanks to a job that requires me to travel a lot and my love of dining out. I've had a lot of great meals, so many that it's nearly impossible for me to name a favorite because there have been so many. There's also been many disappointing meals, so it's safe to say that a chef that consistently puts asses in the seats has the food thing right. Considering that I've dined at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink on every night of the week possible and have yet to see it not at capacity, it's clear that Chef Schwartz is creating high caliber dishes with a warm atmosphere that anyone can enjoy. However, I think that the most successful chefs are the ones who not only showcase their passions and personalities in their dishes but also share their personalities with the patrons who enjoy their food. In the few years that I've been eating at MGF&D I've seen Chef Schwartz behind the line on nearly every service. I like that. He has his staff tell him when customers like and dislike a dish for whatever reason and accepts that feedback. You cant say you're trying to be the best if you're not willing to listen to the good and the bad. He comes out from behind the line to say hi to diners and make sure everything is running smoothly. I've had many conversations with Chef Schwartz and he is, much like the name of his restaurant, a genuine guy. That makes a difference to me. I'm a salesmen and in sales people often don't buy the product or service but rather the person selling it. I think this can also be applied to restaurants. Many of my favorite restaurants in South Florida have this going for them. Its nice to know that a chef can be extremely talented, extremely successful, and extremely personable at the same time.

With all that said, I think its fairly obvious why this is my favorite place to dine in Miami and why I recommend it to nearly everyone who asks me where the best restaurant in Miami is. There are so many options that it is easy to have a great meal for a short buck or a phenomenal meal for a few extra bucks. Like I said earlier, there's something for everyone and I'm looking forward to dining at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink for many years to come.

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink
130 NE 40th St.
Miami, FL 33137
(305) 573-5550
www.michaelsgenuine.com

September Wine Dinner @ Neomi's, Trump Sunny Isles

Pretty interesting wine dinner going on up at the Trump in Sunny Isles this month. Chef Kurtis Jantz of Neomi's is teaming up with Sean Bernal of Oceanaire Seafood Room to present a dinner with a few New Zealand wineries. The dinner is taking place on September 14th. I always seem to be out of town for these wine dinners but that doesnt mean I cant share the love.

From the Trump Miami website...

Experience an exceptional evening with not one, but two winemakers from New Zealand's most prestigious boutique wineries, Neudorf Vineyards and Maude Wines. And, pair that with not one, but two exceptional chefs. Sean Bernal of the Oceanaire Seafood Room joins our own Kurtis Jantz as they combine their efforts to create an unmatched culinary delight to partner with these amazing wines. Not one, but four reasons to attend.

Dinner is 79.00 per person, inclusive of tax and service charge

For reservations or more information, please contact 305.692.5770

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.