Chef Demos at Las Olas Food Fest

The Las Olas Wine and Food Festival kicks off this weekend and while there's plenty to sample once the street fair starts at 7:30pm, there are also chef demos taking place earlier in the day. I recommend Wok Star Eleanor Hoh's session as I've taken her class and found her Asian recipes both delicious and easy to replicate at home.
Here's the schedule:

§ 3pm-4 pm: Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

§ 4pm -5pm: Chef Hugh Sinclair of Irie Spice Inc.

§ 5pm-6pm: Joy Sterling of Iron Horse Vineyards

§ 6pm-7pm: Milo Rodriguez of Bombay Sapphire Gin

§ 7pm-8pm: Chef Alex M. Gulal, Executive Chef of Grill Room on Las Olas / Riverside Hotel

§ 8pm-9pm: Chef Jean Pierre, CEO, Owner and Chef of the Jean Pierre Cooking School / Viking Range Celebrity Chef

§ 9pm-10pm: Chef Paula DaSilva of 3030 Ocean Restaurant at Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and contestant on TV’s hit show Hell’s Kitchen; DaSilva performed along side of famed Chef Gordon Ramsay

Mother's Day @ The Regent Bal Harbour

Eos @ Viceroy Miami

After weeks of anticipation, the restaurant at the Viceroy finally has a name - Eos, Greek for dawn - and a chef/restaurateur team, Michael Psilakis and his partner Donatella Arpaia. The duo is behind New York's Michelin star-rated restaurant Anthos, a spot Frank Bruni awarded two stars and described as "wedding the rustic and the elegant" in Greek cuisine.
After sampling some of the menu items last week, it's easy to see why they've garnered so much praise. The menu, which isn't finalized yet, looks to be an lengthy list of Greek tapas. Many of the dishes are priced at about $13-$16 which is definitely a nod to the current economy and super-fantastic when you realize that had this place opened a year ago you'd be looking at $30 entrees. This way you get a lot more culinary creativity for your buck and, though they are small plates, they pack a lot of pricey ingredients and powerful combinations onto those petit portions.
That was immediately obvious with a sashimi sampler consisting of scallop with basil seeds and lemon puree (perfect scallop, interesting use of basil seeds), tuna with watermelon and feta (nice, but not that surprising) and niaragi (striped marlin) with pistachio, speck and apricot (also very good). The raw fish is definitely where the culinary sparks fly as the ceviches also elicited nods of approval, especially a spicy black grouper with chipotle, mango, cumin and cilantro.
Other standouts include a pecorino fonduta presented bubbling hot in a cast iron pan and sprinkled with hazelnuts and thyme honey. When it came to pasta the sheeps milk gnudi was astonishingly light and delicate, accompanied with green peas and manouri cheese - it could easily outshine Pacific Time for best gnudi in the city. But the true taste explosion came in the form of the lobster risotto which was plated tableside with sea urchin roe, caviar and egg yolk. The result was a rich, briny, hearty dish of oceanic flavors. The salmon a la plancha (above) was prettily presented with a Greek salad of feta, cherry tomatoes, olives and fennel and barely cooked so that the fish still retained a sashimi-like texture.
Driving home from the Viceroy that night ( in a slight food coma) my mind swirled with questions. Could this food possibly be too sophisticated for Miami? This is, after all, a place that has embraced the ho-hum menu of Prime 112 with astounding gusto. Will the the big-name New York team conquer Miami's dining market? I certainly hope so, if only for the sake of seeing more dishes like that sea urchin risotto around town.

Pecha Kucha @ The Wolfsonian

Hakkasan Miami Grand Opening

Saturday night at the Fontainebleau: the grand opening of Hakkasan. Miami dim sum addicts now have a place for upscale Chinese.
The space: a maze-like warren of carved teak seating areas. Turquoise leather chairs, dark, sexy lighting.
Spotted: Scarpetta chef Scott Conant, Gotham Steak chef Alfred Portale, restaurant czar Jeffrey Chodorow, gym owner David Barton (much shorter in person).
The tastes: lots of mini-steamers of delectable dumplings, venision puffs, tea-smoked ribs, a Peking duck crepe station, fried lotus chips.
The drinks: plenty of champagne, blood orange mojitos, cilantro caipirinhas.
The dining forecast: a super-seductive spot for high-end Asian eats.

Whiskey Debate and BBQ @Neomi's Grill

CLOAK Launch Event April 11

Monday Night Segafredo Espanola Grand Opening

Pampering Party @ GBS Miami Tonight

Girls Night Out at GBS Miami: Complimentary cocktails, pampering, beauty treatments, scrumptious bites and beverages. 6p-8p. Tonight!

TransAtlantic Festival: Free Concert Tonight!

A Dish at Wish

Sometimes you're in the mood for something a little rich, a little innovative and elegantly simple. On those occasions I recommend you head down to Wish at The Hotel and order the lobster ravioli which comes bathed in cardamon-yuzu foam offset by slivers of picked radish and snappy green peas. It's satisfying and surprising, which is what you should expect and what ye shall receive at one of the best restaurants in the city.

Sunday Brunch @ The Four Seasons Miami

If you're looking for a champagne-soaked megabrunch, this is it. And maybe you weren't necessarily in the mood for whole-roasted pig, dim sum, sushi, a plethora of salads, roast beef, sea bass, smoked salmon, ceviche station, and a raw bar with crabs claws and oysters, but you go for it anyway because it's Sunday morning and you're at the Four Seasons and everything looks fresh and tasty and is constantly being replenished by the kind waitstaff and a server keeps offering to bring you a mimosa or a mojito from the unlimited bar and you're thinking, yes, maybe I am in the mood for a champagne-soaked megabrunch. So you work your way through the hot stations that include that buttery miso sea bass with sides of polenta and asparagus and then hit up the omelet man for a fluffy mushroom-and-onion flecked creation after which you peruse the salads and settle on a refreshing grapefruit and hearts of palm variety which cleanses your palette for yet another round of sushi and dim sum and Oh! What's this? They've whipped up some fresh pad thai, how great! And now there are the duck pancakes with carrots and hoisin to sample and what about the soup, well, nah, better save room for dessert.
So you take a deep breath and heave yourself from the sun-filled dining room that offers views of Brickell and the sparkling bay and make your way over to the dessert annex - yes, it needs it own room - and follow the suggestions of the young pastry chef who is patiently manning the multi-tiered display of sugary confections that you almost, almost, feel guilty destroying with your gluttonous fork but you do so anyway because this is the Four Seasons and it's Sunday morning and you probably won't eat for the rest of the day, hell, the rest of the week because it's all. Just. So. Good.

Bar Burgers @ Bourbon Steak

You may have heard that Bourbon Steak introduced a new burgers menu for their bar and lounge area. Had a chance to check out the goods last night and walked away with a belly full of burgers and milkshakes (just like in high school, only this time the milkshakes were spiked with Jim Beam). There are five proteins to choose from - all-beef (mixed with Kobe), turkey, lamb, salmon steak and falafel. Then you get to choose 6 toppings from a long list that includes gourmet items like Maytag blue cheese, feta, oven-dried tomatoes, watercress, arugula, and butter lettuce and globally-inspired sauces like yogurt raita and harissa aioli.
We tried the all-beef (above) with roasted peppers, arugula, special sauce and balsamic onions. The beef was flavorful and cooked perfectly; the toppings were fresh and added nice texture without overpowering the burger and turning it into a sloppy mess. We also tried the lamb burger undressed, or "no carb" (you skip the bun and get the 6 toppings as a side salad) and were blown away by its wonderful flavor. I later got the kitchen to divulge that they add a pinch of garam masala to the lamb mixture which gives it a fragrant kick.

And we also tried the falafel burger (above) touted as Michael Mina's mother's recipe on the menu.
It was actually really good, falling into the "green" school of falafel, meaning the batter employs generous amounts of green herbs like parsley - my favorite kind. It's also a great option for vegetarians and came topped with a nutty tahini dressing and tomato.
Oh, and the milkshakes? Make sure to try the Bourbon Malted mixed with Jim Beam and caramel. You'd think the shake would drown out the alcohol but it doesn't, the bourbon is there and packs quite a buzz. Side include those famous trio of duck fat fries (I can never get enough of those) and red onion rings - both $5. If you go during happy hour - 6p-8p everyday - you could walk away with a beer and burger for under $20 at one of the toniest dining rooms in the city, a pretty sweet deal.
The menu and prices are here.

Cooking Class With Cacao's Edgar Leal

BLT Steak Grand Opening @ The Betsy Hotel

Oh, crowded opening parties, how we've missed thee!
Tonight Miami welcomed beef-emporium BLT Steak to the fray of Ocean Drive and our steak-happy city. From the looks of the handsome dining room in the revamped Betsy Hotel, BLT Steak is going to be quite popular. Yes, it's another steakhouse, but that doesn't mean we can't get excited. It's Laurent friggin Tourondel. The man is quite celebrated in New York and all his eponymous restaurants seem to impress both the critics and food lovers. Just the fact that he decided to open a place down here speaks volumes to the faith he places in our city and our dining public.

The wine and champagne were flowing and the buffet was generous. It seemed like the entire menu was up for tasting with four different salads including a great burrata, moist roasted chicken, salt-crusted red snapper, roasted lamb and NY strip. Plus all the gluttonous sides like creamed spinach, potatoes gratin, wasabi mash, asparagus and sauteed mushrooms.

The cheese table was a curd-lovers dream with Humboldt Fog goat cheese, cows milk brie and plenty of stinky and sharp varieties to satisfy the nibble-happy party goers.

The desserts were mini-versions of the good stuff including ille-flottante (floating island - made of delicate meringue), peanut butter chocolate mousse (amazing), crepe Suzette (great passion fruit syrup) and carrot cake (best in show).
The crowd seemed to be digging the food because the buffet line never shrank, and the food and drink kept coming. The staff seemed effortlessly on their game, clearing plates, offering more wine, courteously slicing all that beef.
All in all a good sign of things to come at the new resto.

Miami Wine Deals

Every Monday night, all the wines under $200 are 50 percent off at DeVito's South Beach. Which is a good thing because it takes a lot of Chianti to wash down the fist-sized meatballs.

The in-house resto Bistro One LR at the Ritz Carlton South Beach now has your humpday covered with Wine Down Wednesdays. A selection of 75 wines are 60 percent off—meaning you can start with a bottle for $15… and move on to a second bottle for $15.

Maria Sharapova @ Cole Haan

Attention Maria Sharapova fans:
The international tennis champion and triple Grand Slam winner will make a personal appearance at Cole Haan in Village of Merrick Park on Wednesday, March 25th to greet her fans and sign autographs.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Cole Haan @ Village of Merrick Park
First Floor, near Nordstrom
320 San Lorenzo Avenue, Coral Gables

Area 31 Happy Hour

I Corsini, South Beach

Best new date spot on the beach: I Corsini. Seriously, the place is practically made for marriage proposals. Or at least a little post-feasting snogging. There's plenty of secluded tables set amidst tasteful outdoor lighting and lush foliage. Oh, and the chef's a hottie, so make sure to catch a glimpse of him at work in the open kitchen. He'll probably come around to your table at some point in the night anyway, it's just that kind of place.
What should you order?
Well, the tripe for starters. Yes, it's quite offal (tee-hee), stewed to chewy perfection and seasoned with rosemary and pine nuts. There's also Sardinia-esque pastas (the chef honed his skills at the Purdy Ave restaurant), like a tagliolini with shaved bottarga. The Tuscan bread soup, listed as a starter, is hearty enough for a main and the tortellone stuffed with pumpkin are delicate and delicious. We also polished off a board of mixed grill with lamb, steak and roasted baby chicken.

Right now the restaurant is running a three-course $33 menu that includes a glass of wine.
560 Washington Ave, South Beach.

1 Bleu, Part Deux

1 Bleu at the Regent Bal Harbour gets a lukewarm review from the New Times this week but I think it deserves a bit more credit. The place has already been through a few chefs in its barely year-old existence and now that Mark Militello is in the house there's finally a feeling of stability to the posh digs. On a recent visit I found the menu refreshing in its simplicity and admirable in its efforts to actually present entrees in the $20 range (this from a hotel with rates that start at $500 a night). The service at the restaurant is ridiculously accommodating (it helps that the place is well-staffed, and well...not that busy) which is nice if you're looking to be attended to in a non-obsequious way.
We started with the mozzarella platter that comes with luscious yellow and orange organic heirloom tomatoes and a generous drizzling of fruity olive oil and a selection of salts that add crunch and texture.

The seared tuna is paired with an earthy wild mushroom sauce which at first seemed odd as we're so used to the Asian-inflected soy marinades but it worked quite well, standing up to the sushi-grade fish. The crab-crusted grouper is a holdover from the mythic Mark's menus and it still works, especially with a kicky horseradish sauce to temper the shellfish-and-meaty-fish combo.

We ended with a sort of revamped banana cream pie dessert composed of banana custard, whipped cream and banana ice cream. All of it well-balanced with sweet, creamy and fuity notes and not as maniacally banana-overloaded as it sounds.

So yes, I think 1 Bleau is off to a good start with Militello in the house.