L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Miami

They walked in unison towards our section to present the next course. I’d been anticipating that first bite of the famous beef and foie gras burger for a while. The two gentlemen paused and looked at each other. With a quick acknowledging nod, they swiftly presented the burger up and over the counter, placing the dish […]

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Cafe La Trova: Que Rico Vacilón

Who knew we needed yet another Cuban spot in Miami? I mean, aren’t we already synonymous with everything Cuba? Pero, parece que sí, and I’m drinking the Kool-Aid guarapo, señores y señoras!

Stationed perfectly en la Calle Ocho, Cafe La Trova brings sazón and a little refresher on the traditional Cuban fare. The reason? James Beard Award-winner Chef Michelle Bernstein. Unless you’ve been living under la saya de tu abuela, you already KNOW she’s South Florida royalty: Bernstein, not tu abuela. Google her si no sabes, porque I don’t have time to recap.

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Habitat by José Mendín

I waited for the dust to settle before visiting the new Habitat by José Mendín. The space, formerly occupied by Chef Tom Colicchio’s Beachcraft, seemed untouched. And that’s a good thing. The interiors, in sandy neutrals and beachy woods, remain as stunning as ever. Now, I”m hopeful this new venture by the Food Comma Hospitality Group (Pubbelly Noodle Bar, Pubbelly Sushi, Baja Bao, PB Ysla, and PB Burger) can survive our temperamental dining scene. This is Miami, after all, restaurant revolving-door capital. Offering a complete sea to table experience, Mendín’s new dishes aim to apply modern techniques to create new flavor profiles drawing from Spanish, Latin and Asian traditions.

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Top 30 Bites: Miami 2017

The ones I couldn’t stop talking about. The ones that haunted me and, yes, also made me tear up. Perhaps you saw them posted on the blog, or on my social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest) at some point this year. I basically ‘Oh Em Geed’ my way through the photo archives, as I […]

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BLT Steak Miami

Given its 13 worldwide locations, I love the comfort of knowing that when traveling, I can probably find a BLT Steak restaurant nearby. Often, I just want a tried and true classic I can trust in delivering a seamless experience. After a seven-year run on Ocean Drive, the original BLT closed in May 2016. Now, we […]

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Eleven Madison Park: the sequel

Beyond excited to return and experience the updated menu and concept, our group of six actually extended the trip one more night to fit this restaurant in.  Will travel for food. Clearly. I love my tribe! Welcomed by sommelier Jane Lopes (of the Uncorked reality series following six aspiring master sommeliers as they prepare for the Court of Masters Sommelier exam), dinner started on a fun note. If you haven’t watched the series, get to it! Fan-girl moment aside, Jane happily put up with all of our questions and decanted our wine. Two enthusiastic thumbs up from her for our choice too!

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