June 24, 2014

Mendez Fuel

Mendez Fuel is the type of establishment that makes it so cool to live in a city like Miami. Although I frequent big name restaurants such as Tongue and Cheek, Swine, Michael’s Genuine, and Joe’s, my absolute favorite restaurants and hang outs are those that are hole-in-the-walls. These places are a perfect representation of a neighborhood, offering a locals only type of vibe that makes for an unpretentious setting with spectacular service. That is what you get at Mendez Fuel. This craft beer, sandwich, and health juice place masquerades as a gas station, making it a destination for those in the know.

The deli offers ambitious and creative sandwiches prepared with local and sustainable ingredients. The attention put into them by the staff leads to a superior product at a price that rivals the home of the footlong. Take the Good Morning Vietnam, for example. This $8 sandwich consists of Vietnamese roast beef, carrots red onions, cilantro, and house made vinaigrette on a baguette to create a bite that transports you to a different place.

Juices offered at Mendez Fuel are cold-pressed just like the ones at Jugofresh, making for a drinking experience coming from the freshest ingredients possible that is used to stimulate the body in a very efficient way. Mendez cold-presses their juices because it is one of the only methods for making raw vegetable and fruit juice that does not compromise the beneficial in the juicing process. Out of all of Mendez Fuel’s offerings, my favorite is Smooth Ride, a blending of cashews, vanilla, mesquite, lucuma, maple syrup, and Florida Keys sea salt.

My absolute favorite part of Mendez Fuel is their growler filling station and craft beer selection. By purchasing a Mendez Fuel Growler for $8, you can fill it for a reduced price compared to what it would cost you to drink beer at a bar or restaurant. The selection of beer rotates regularly, sticking mostly to local breweries such as Funky Buddha, Wynwood Brewing, and Due South. You then take your beer home, drink it, and return to fill it with a new beer. This method allows you to sample beer as fresh as possible, and when it comes to beer, freshness is a factor that decides how good a beer tastes.

As you can tell, Mendez Fuel is all about freshness. Whether it deals with sandwiches, juices, or alcohol, freshness is of optimal importance at this establishment. I don’t know about you, but this is a place that I’m glad to have in the neighborhood.