December 24, 2010

Cha Cha Rooster At Lords South Beach

For some reason not yet clear to me or not able to exactly pin point, I love this place. It is something about this place that when I walk into the lobby I just feel happy, they set me in the mood of something better...that for once (and quite rare at the Beach) I feel they understand how the "hospitality" industry works, it is about making guests happy (period). I think the owner here and all of his staff are the smartest people in town, they just get it. Believe me, I am in South Beach quite often, and this is one of my new favorite places because I like to go to places where not only they are happy to have you but they put out food and drinks that are worth your time and money.

The way I discovered this place was because I started noticing their PPC campaigns and their online marketing strategies, their identity "brand" presence was apparent to me which I am a online/internet/social media nerd, by the way, I know exactly who is doing what where online because I spend most of my time doing online marketing, yep I am the one who is working while everyone else is sleeping so watch out =). I am that kind of nerd, I never stop, never.

By the way Cha Cha Rooster, I am adding your restaurant on Urbanspoon.com as I see it is not yet listed, you welcome.

One thing I like to do is eat, and dining out with friends is even better, I just don't feel guilty if I have more than one glass of wine because it is called "socializing" as opposed to alcoholism if you drink more than one glass of wine by yourself, which I do, but I rather do it with friends, just like crack heads. Okay, Okay, I am just kidding, relax.

So I was meeting LuLu who by the way share a lot of things in common with me, we both like to eat, we both like to drink and we both like to bitch. I think LuLu is getting even bitchier with the years. Or it could very well be that LuLu is spoiled by every single restaurant and hotel in this town as he is quite well known for being the editor of a major magazine, everyone knows him and those who doesn't should, at the end he is a teddy bear but don't bring his food cold or late at the table, he will snap at you. I just shut up my mouth and listen, otherwise he will snap at me. Don't get me wrong, I love LuLu.

Grilled Calamari, caramelized peppers, niçoise olives $12

I thought this salad was impeccable in flavor and presentation. This is the way I love food; it is stylish, ready for a photo shoot yet excitingly tasty. Every single ingredient here is of very good quality, believe me, I know good food as I spend most of my earnings finidng the best cuisine in this city.

Local Fish $21

Not really sure if this is what they call "Local Fish" on their menu because the one on the menu doesn't have what this one has, but regardless, this piece of fish was incredibly tasty. I know they have a great Chef which by the way this is what I know about her "Chef Surelys Figueroa hails from Puerto Rico where she was first called to cooking by the sounds and smells of her grandmother using the pilón to make sofrito of onions, cilantro, garlic, salt and peppers in her nightly preparation of dinner. Surelys won a volleyball scholarship to a prestigious university in Puerto Rico and soon-after sustained a knee injury. Not able to play anymore, Surelys went off to college but found herself cooking for her friends and colleagues instead of attending classes. She attended culinary school in Puerto Rico before moving to Miami where she worked in many kitchens before enrolling at Le Cordon Bleu to formalize her culinary education. Since Surelys has worked at Sushi SambaDromo in Miami."

Braised Short Ribs

Braised Short Ribs $23

With truffled celery root puree, caramelized pearl onions, red wine demi-glace and confit of artichokes. Wow - this was LuLu's dish, and to get his approval is not like getting mine, I am content with good food, he is not, he is only content with excellent food. This passed his seal of approval, and LuLu is not bitching so everything is going well so far. See those hands in the back? that's LuLu, he is well trained by now, he knows not to touch it until I snap a photo.

Cornish Hen $18

I think this one was the cornish hen but by then we had been tempted with too much wine so do not judge me if I am getting it wrong. I took only one bite, I remember that it was delicious and I was surprised how well the brussels sprouts worked in this dish as I am not a huge fan of them, but I like that they were not burned to death as many chefs are doing nowadays, I think they are aware that brussels sprouts are a hit or miss with people but I like that chef Figueroa left them almost untouched ofter cooking them, sort of like "here people, this is the way a brussels sprouts supposed to taste"

cheesecake

No, I did not make it to the desserts as I was so full, but at my table people ordered them so I just thought they looked so beautiful that I had to take some pictures. I guess I will have to come back to Cha Cha Rooster to try them.

What I recommend that you do is to stop at the bar and have their vodka punch which is by far the best cocktail in the beach, not too sweat, not to short on the alcohol - and then head down to have one of these delicious dishes and be taken over by Cha Cha Rooster, you never know, you'll learn something you didn't know before.