Everything about food & stuff

Miami to do list; Spend time in the sun, sip on a tropical cocktail or three while watching locals and globe-trotters stroll past with accessory pooches, neon Brazilian bikinis and (in the case of dolled-up she-males) glittering six-inch heels–and that’s just the matinee. If you really want to get a taste of Miami’s melting-pot with its predominate Latin and European influences, you must uncover the hotspots for ceviche, empanadas, the cuban sandwich, and sangria.

As a loyal local epicurean I have been navigating my way around town for professional assignments and personal pleasure for years. Amongst the deluge of overpriced and underwhelming choices, I can confidently report the hidden treasures inside the beating heart of the beach.

Goyo El Pollo – Ceviche

Ceviche is the flagship dish of Peruvian coastal cuisine; the entire country takes a day off work each year to celebrate this National Heritage. Lured by tradition, I found a quaint family owned and operated Peruvian restaurant called Goyo el Poyo with ten years of success founded on their heirloom recipes. The aromatic and refreshing ceviche combines mixed seafood, diced fish, celery hearts, red onion, choclo, and canchita all marinated in a pool of key lime juice, and further elevated with exotic Peruvian spices. These flavours culminate a clean, colorful, and texturally impressive dish balancing tender delicate fish with crunchy fried corn.

The Tudor House – Cuban Sandwich

Cuba is a mere two-hundred and twenty-eight miles away, consequently Miami is home to a large exile community. The Cuban sandwich is another Miami must-try. The spot for a decadent, stylish, spin-off of this Miami-Cuban staple is the newly transformed Tudor House, now under the watchful eye and palate of Food Network’s Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarin. His dreamy version overflows with pulled pork, crispy bacon, sweet pickled cucumbers, tangy mustard and earthy gruyere cheese. The same ingredients are pressed into sweet yellow egg bread (similar to challah) to make the medianoche sandwich. This comforting take on a classic has a sweet buttery aroma and elevates sidewalk take-out fare to another level. The elegantly presented homemade Oreo is a cake-like cookie with a intense dark chocolate flavor complemented by a velvety vanilla cream interior.

Empanadas are as ubiquitous as palm trees here, yet the best ones are not imported; they’re made and baked in-house every morning at Charlottes Bakery. Charlottes is a third-generation bakery specializing in Central and South American pastries since the 1960s. The Argentinean chicken empanada is a small pillow of buttery, flaky dough stuffed with shredded chicken, cumin, and a dash of hot and sweet paprika. Variations include fish, chorizo, or plantain empanadas.

Miamians adore a cool summery sangria. Theirs is a sensual take on the beloved Spanish refreshment that adds rum, peach schnapps, vodka, triple sec and tequila to the requisite red wine, orange juice and tropical fruit. This delectable concoction is well worth sacrificing work for the rest of the day and nursing a hangover the following morning. The recipe comes from Cevicery Restobar, a Peruvian restaurant which shares ownership with a Spanish tapas restaurant next door on the idyllic Española Way.

After completing the above assignment, you can head back to your home town, with a couple of well earned pounds, a golden tan, and a lingering hangover. Best of all you’ll have the sensation of having not only having vacated in Miami but also tasting Peru, Cuba, and Spain.

The Promiscuous Foodie by Leilani Toivanen

Whenever you’re in a big city, there is a question of where to eat. It doesn’t matter if you’re just visiting or if you live there. Options abound and its difficult to choose. In a city like Miami, there are tons of flavors as well. It’s hard to know where the best restaurants in Miami are, but there’s plenty of help out there if you know where to look.

Several popular websites allow user reviews that provide amazing feedback. Yelp and UrbanSpoon are well-known, but with the advance of smart phones you can get apps that will tell you where to eat as well. There’s also an amazing number of bloggers that do nothing but review restaurants. One thing to remember is that every person’s experience is unique, so keep that in mind as you look for the best restaurants in Miami. Just because one person had a bad experience doesn’t mean that you should exclude that restaurant from your list.

Another issue is the pricing. Looking for the best restaurants in Miami can be influenced by price just as much as by taste. I’m sure there’s a huge amount of restaurants that offer great food at steep prices. Since most of us live in the real world and can’t afford those prices, UrbanSpoon does you the favor of narrowing your choices down by price as well. Some of the best restaurants in Miami are on tourist websites, so they might be a little packed. Versailles is a popular place located at 3555 SW 8th St. It’s reasonably priced and has a lot of history. It’s said that if you’re short on time and want the traditional Cuban experience, this is the place to go.

Most people think of Miami as a purely Hispanic culture, and that is completely untrue. Falafel Bistro and Wine Bar at 5677 Coral Ridge Dr offers some of the tastiest and most authentic Mediterranean food possible. The New York Times calls it “Outrageously good food” so be secure in this choice. Even though they are dedicated to providing health-conscious food, it is still very affordable. Just to prove that other cultures thrive here, Perricone’s Marketplace and Café provides its clients with down-to-earth Italian cuisine. Its positioned in downtown Miami, easy access for all. You can do some wine tasting, or browse the marketplace as you wait for a table. Don’t take our word for it though, try them out whenever you can. Then help the rest of us decide by adding your reviews about your experiences!

Growing up my grandmother made only two Puerto Rican dishes – empanadillas and pastels. Just recently my aunt introduced what we forever called potato poppers and have recently found out are actually called croquetas. I just realized that my grandmother made another Puerto Rican dish, a dessert. When it comes to Puerto Rican desserts, the one that comes to mind is arroz dulces, or sweet rice. In other parts of the world, arroz dulces goes by many other names.

In African it is called M’halbi. In Indonesia it’s called Ketan hitam. Arroz dulces is known as Kheer or Payasam in India. Italians know it as Budino di Riso, and Spaniards call it Arroz con leche. The most common name for arroz dulces comes from England – rice pudding.

My grandmother will spend the entire day permeating the house with the smells of cinnamon, milk, and raisins. She makes plates overflowing with arroz dulces for each of her eleven grandkids. She also makes overflowing plates for each family in our clan.

There are many recipes for arroz dulces, but this recipe focuses on the Puerto Rican version of the dish:

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups rice

4 ¼ cups coconut milk

3 cinnamon sticks

2 oz ginger

6 whole cloves

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup raisins

¾ cup coconut milk

Directions:

1. Wash the rice and soak the rice in water, with the water rising above the rice, for 2 hours. The rice will soak up the water so be sure to use a lot of water.

2. Twenty minutes before the rice is done soaking, combine the 4 ½ cups of coconut milk, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a large pot.

3. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Bring the heat down to moderate, then cover and boil for 15 minutes.

4. Drain the rice and add to the pot. Mix the rice in and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is dry. Do not stir the rice.

5. Combine the sugar and the raisins to the rice, stir, and boil the mixture over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 more minutes. Do not stir the mixture.

6. Add the ¾ cup coconut milk and stir in. Bring the heat back to moderate and boil for around 30 minutes, or until the rice dries again. During this time turn the rice over twice and occasionally scrape the bottom of the pot.

7. Remove the spices pieces. Spoon the rice into a flat serving platter or plate. All the rice to cool at room temperature.

This dish is best served cold.

Miami’s hip urban art-meets-global Latino cuisine is serving up sexy Valentine’s Day specials, as well as their regular menu of small plate offerings. Get in the mood with the Baked Oyster appetizer with wilted spinach, vodka parmesan cream and golden caviar ($15) or Hamachi Tiradito, served with watermelon puree, watermelon salsa and a Kalamata olive dust ($16). Special mains offered are Pan Seared Duck Breast with a boniato puree, Romseco verde and crispy poblano slaw ($18) or Kobe Filet Mignon with Amarani cherry sauce, braised rainbow charr and bacon foam ($22). A sexy surprise dessert offering by Chef Miguel Aguilar will also be available. Wynwood Kitchen & Bar is located at 2550 N.W. 2nd Avenue. Ample street parking and valet are available. Reservations suggested; please call (305) 722-8959 or visit www.wynwoodkitchenandbar.com for further information.

On San Valentino, Tuesday, February 14, Quattro will be celebrating Cupid with specialty Tuscan a la carte offerings, in addition to their regular dinner menu.

Begin with a specialty antipasti of Tartare del aragosta con insalata di lenticchie e caviale Osetra –

Maine lobster tartare with Osetra caviar and black lentil salad ($39). Primi Piatti specials include Raviolini del plin agli scampi con vongole e asparagi – scampi raviolini with Manila clams and baby asparagus ($35). Secondi options: Astice alla pescatora con capesante e spaghetti di zucchini – Maine lobster “alla pescatora” with bay scallops and spaghetti squash ($46) or Tagliata di filetto di vitello con salsa al foie gras bastoncini di patate tartufati – veal fillet with foie gras sauce and truffle shoe string potato ($46). Top off this extravagant meal with Bavarese bicolore in bicchiere con cuore di lamponi- chocolate and vanilla Bavarian mousse with raspberry coulis ($12). Quattro is located on 1014 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, Florida, 33139. For more information and reservations, please call 305-531-4833, or visit

Miami Beach’s hottest dining destination, The Dutch, will be celebrating Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, February 14, with a three-course, pre-fixe menu during their regular dinner hours, priced at $80 per person, plus tax and gratuity. A specialty wine pairing priced at $40 per person, is also available. In addition, the full oyster bar menu will also be available for those who want an added course of shellfish offerings.

Experience Andrew Carmellini’s specialty appetizers including Foie Gras Brulee – housemade brioche, red onion jam; Beef Tartare – truffle, walnut, and quail egg; Lobster Salad with avocado chutney, Florida citrus, shaved fennel and lemon vin; Tomato and Watermelon Salad or the Hamachi Crudo with blood orange coulis, celery and maldon. Diners can choose from main plates such as Guinness Braised Short Ribs with Yukon gold mash and sprout leaf salad; Roast Pompano accompanied by fingerling potato, crème fraiche and caviar; Scampi Ravioli – rock shrimp, zucchini, gold bar squash with spicy tomato compote; Roast Chicken with sautéed spinach, roast trumpet mushrooms and chicken jus or Trofie with pesto, pepperonata and pine nuts. Sweet offerings include Warm Strawberry-Apple Pie with buttermilk sorbet and candied tarragon; Chocolate Crema with white chocolate-raspberry ice cream and pistachio sauce or a shared delight for two – Chocolate and Passion fruit Sundae with caramelized bananas, crunchy meringue and toasted hazelnuts. The Dutch is located inside W South Beach Hotel & Residences, 2201 Collins Avenue, in Miami Beach, Florida, 33139. For more information and reservations, please call (305) 938-3111 or visit www.thedutchmiami.com.

Rusty Pelican, Miami’s recently renovated waterfront dining destination renowned for its amazing views, will be offering a romantic three-course, pre-fixe Valentine’s Day dinner menu filled with aphrodisiacal foods, as well as their regular a la carte dinner menu. The pre-fixe offerings will be available the weekend of February 10, 11, and 12, as well as on Valentine’s Day Tuesday, February 14, during their regular dinner hours; priced at $85 per person, tax and gratuity not included.

To kick off the romantic evening, guests can enjoy sipping on a special Valentine’s cocktail “Berry Kiss Martini” ($12) – which includes Prosecco, St. Germain & Wild Strawberry Liqueur. For the first course, diners can choose from the following appetizers: “My Heart Beets for You”- salad with hearts of palm, baby beets, goat cheese timbale, and basil dressing; “Ménage à Foie”- foie gras pate, both seared and torchon, brioche toast, honey marmalade, or “Oysters & Pearls”- poached Kumamotos, tapioca pearl, spinach, Osetra caviar. Entrée options include “Heart & Sole”- Dover sole, artichoke hearts, asparagus, passion fruit mojo, “Surf ‘n’ Turf”- filet mignon, Florida lobster tail, chocolate demi colada, or “My Little Dumpling”- porcini & truffle ravioli, chanterelles, and sage sauce. Concluding on a sweet note, diners will indulge in “Valhrona Chocolate Hearts”- Fresh Strawberries soaked in Grand Marnier. The Rusty Pelican is located at 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway in Key Biscayne, Florida. For more information and reservations, please call (305) 361-3818, or visit http://www.therustypelican.com/rustypelicanmiami/.

In some cultures, appetizers abound. There are appetizers for every occasion possible, as well as certain appetizers to go with certain types of meals. A lot of families are mixed, and so there’s variety when it comes to appetizers. Not in my predominantly Puerto Rican family. Sure, we have things that can be called appetizers, and we often eat them as such. That isn’t the problem. The problem is that we tend to use our main dishes as appetizers, and our appetizers as main dishes. It goes the same way with desserts and breakfast, now that I think about it.

It all depends on how we feel that day, I suppose. Or how big of a meal it is. If family is coming over, then something that might have served as dinner one day is simply an appetizer the next. For example, the other day my grandmother taught me how to make empanadillas. After we made them, we ate them with some arroz con gandules and that was dinner. Quite often however, empanadillas will simply be an appetizer before we get to the real food. Sometimes for breakfast, we’ll make these things that are sort of like homemade donuts, fried and covered in sugar. Other days they become dessert. I wonder, does everyone do this?

There’s only one type of food that seems to be used purely as an appetizer, and that would be rellenos de papa. They’re round little balls made of potato, and filled with meat. Roughly about the size of a golf ball, they’re fried to a beautiful golden brown and eaten hot. They’re small enough that we pretty much only use them as an appetizer. Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try them at home.

Enjoy and try not to burn yourself!

Rellenos de papa recipe:

• 1½ cups water
• 7 tbsp margarine
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups instant potato flakes
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsps. corn starch (for dusting rellenos)
• oil for frying

Prepared cooked picadillo (ground beef and/or pork seasoned with sofrito) – ½ lb ground meat, salt and pepper, sofrito, add 2 tsps tomato sauce and cook until done. There’s many different recipes for the meat, so use whichever you’d prefer.

Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add margarine, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and milk. Stir until the margarine is melted, then add potato flakes. The mixture should be thick, dry, and maybe a little sticky, since you want it to hold its shape. Cool slightly then add a beaten egg and mix. Let the potatoes cool down. Oil your hands and make them one ball at a time, rolling it, and make an indentation for the stuffing. Place a small amount of picadillo in the middle, folding the sides over the meat until it’s covered. Roll the stuffed balls in corn starch – this helps keep the mixture together during frying. Fry over medium-high heat until golden.

Food & Wine Magazine’s 2012 Fifty Best Bars in America has singled out Living Room at W South Beach’s mixology program for its craft cocktail movement, use of unique ingredients, roast herbs and whimsical drink pairings. Each year, the magazine touts the most exciting watering hole, lounges and emerging trends.

Guest at Living Room at W South Beach can sip and savor enticing cocktails custom made by mixologists, under the direction of Nicola Siervo and Karim Masri of KNR Restaurant Group, who are responsible for starting Miami’s mixology movement. The Living Room’s infusions and flavored bitters are made on-site by mixologists, often touted as alchemists, using unique ingredients such as lavender, cinnamon, and basil which in-turn are blended with unusual spirits and unique liquors. While the traditional standbys are always on offer, the menu boasts creative libations such as the Chemista, a champagne cocktail infused with Flower blossom syrup and topped with Japanese cucumber foam. The Smokey Artichoke is made from Mezcal and stirred with sweet vermouth, Cynar amaro and spiked with tobacco bitters. Patrons can drop in before dinner at one of the W Hotel’s premiere dining establishments, The Dutch or Mr. Chow, or before a night of dancing at Wall to play the specially designed board games or choose to listen to the live in-house DJ spinning loungey Caribbean sounds nightly from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. Hungry? Snack on truffle popcorn; enjoy a fresh Greek salad or munch on a Dry Aged Burger complete with secret sauce from the Living Room’s exclusive menu. Naturally, mixologists will be happy to offer the perfect cocktail to pair with your meal.

Living Room at W South Beach is located at 2201 Collins Avenue in the W South Beach Hotel & Residences. Telephone: (305) 938-3000.

KNR RESTAURANT GROUP

Innovators in the hospitality industry, partners Karim Masri and Nicola Siervo of KNR Restaurant Group, develop and operate hospitality concepts that transform restaurant, nightlife and hotel food and beverage facilities into thriving, high profile destinations. Together the duo has created and been the driving force behind a group of highly successful restaurants including Quattro Gastronomia Italiana, open 2006, and Sosta Pizzeria, open 2009, on Miami’s chic Lincoln Road. Talented twin chefs Nicola Carro and Fabrizio Carro are at the helm of Quattro and Sosta, creating simple, authentic Northern Italian cuisine, with the finest high quality ingredients available. They’ve been featured in The New York Times, on the Today Show, Bravo and Martha Stewart, among others. Quattro recently received the prestigious American Academy of Hospitality Sciences 5 Star Diamond Award. Masri and Siervo are also the Miami partners of The Dutch, a critically-acclaimed, wildly popular New York City restaurant opened at W South Beach Hotel and Residences in late 2011. The Dutch partnership brings to Miami a restaurant concept created by revered chef Andrew Carmellini, a recipient of two James Beard Awards, and his seasoned hospitality partners Josh Pickard and Luke Ostrom. The group also oversees food and beverage, banquet and in room service at the trendsetting W South Beach hotel.

SCARPETTA ENTICES ING™ MARATHONERS WITH SPECIAL CARB-UP MENU FOR THE RACE

Scarpetta at Fontainebleau Miami Beach entices ING™ Marathoners in honor of the Sunday, January 29 race with a specially-designed “Carb-Up” menu to enhance energy and stamina for optimal running performance offered Friday, January 27 through Sunday, January 29 from 6 until 7 p.m. only. After 7 p.m. standing menu applies. The restaurant will offer patrons a delectable menu, priced at $35 per person, not inclusive of tax & gratuity, featuring Scarpetta signatures such as creamy polenta and spaghetti pomodoro. Reservations required. Menu follows:

{primi piatti }

choose one:

ARUGULA SALAD

toasted pine nuts, pecorino & truccioletto

RAW YELLOWTAIL

olio di zenzero, marinated onions & baby greens

BRAISED SHORT RIBS OF BEEF

vegetable & farro risotto

{piatti }

choose one:

SPAGHETTI

tomato & basil

DUCK AND FOIE GRAS RAVIOLI

marsala reduction

ORECCHIETTE

broccoli, clams, pancetta & capers

{dolce }

choose one:

AMEDEI CHOCOLATE CAKE

toasted almond gelato & salted caramel sauce

COCONUT PANNA COTTA

caramelized pineapple & guava “soup”

Scarpetta is located at 4441 Collins Avenue, within the Sorrento Tower at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, and is open for dinner daily at 6 p.m. For reservations call, 877.326.7412. For more information, please visit www.fontainebleau.com

About Fontainebleau Miami Beach:

A revered Miami Beach landmark for more than 50 years set on 22 oceanfront acres, Fontainebleau Miami Beach boasts 1,504 new guest rooms and suites outfitted with iMacs®; 12 restaurants and lounges, most notably Gotham Steak®, ScarpettaTM and Hakkasan®; two dynamic nightlife venues; the 40,000-square-foot Lapis spa with mineral-rich water therapies and co-ed swimming pools; and a dramatic oceanfront pool-scape.