Preview of Dishes at Miami Spice Kickoff

Two very similar events are going on this week. If you play your cards right you can eat and drink from over 50 fine restaurants without actually setting foot in one. Tonight there's Taste of the Nation and Saturday there's the first ever Miami Spice Kickoff. Tickets are a great deal - $35 in advance, $50 at the door. Curious what 35 ducats gets you? Take a look at some of the small plates the Miami Spicers will be offering.

Tuna Tartar - A Fish Called Avalon
Roasted Veal Leg w/ Rosemary Potatoes - Ago
Tomato Water Shot, Corvina, Balsamic Cloud Floater - Area 31
Beef Short Rib on Wonton Chip - Asia de Cuba
Hamachi, Avocado, Hearts of Palm w/ Yuzu vinaigrette - BLT Steak
Florida Sweet Corn Soup, Peeky toe Crab, & Piquillo Pepper Relish - Bourbon Steak
Golden Gazpacho w/ Key West Shrimp & Coriander - Gibraltar
Caviar, Smoked Duck & Salmon Mousse - Kaspia

More info on purchasing tickets here.

North Miami Ave Fest and Fin Menu

The western edge of the Design District is celebrating their North Miami Ave-ness with a block party tonight. Sort of like gallery night, but only one one street and a few blocks long. Fin's offering a special menu tonight as well, see below.


TONIGHT’S DINNER AT FIN
Saturday July 24, 2010

Complimentary Welcome Snack
Maine Lobster and Tomato Broth And Popcorn Shrimp With Ginger Tartar Sauce

First Course
Ceviche/Local Yellow Tail - Watermelon, Chilies, Rice Vinegar, Citrus 9
Six Iced Totten Bay On The Half Shell/Puget Sound, Washington State
Mignonette, Tabasco, Lemons 18
Crab Cake Maryland Style – Mayonnaise, Mustard, “Joe’s” Style Mustard Sauce 12
Spicy Shrimp Curry - Jasmine Rice, Celery, Bananas, Fermented Chili, Coconut Water 14
New England Corn “Chowder”/Florida Corn 8
Goat Cheese Salad – Mixed Greens, Dried Cherries, Red Wine Vinegar, XVO 9

Entree
Steamed Halibut / Juneau Alaska
California Chardonnay, Crushed Tomatoes, Coriander, Sea Vegetable 27
Rockfish / Gulf Of Alaska – Day Boat
Thin Fillet Lightly Browned in Organic Olive Oil
Preserved Lemon Risotto /Lemon Grass Nage 25
Wild Striped Bass / Virginia Coast
Basil Lemon Veloute, Lemon-Dill Basmati Rice Pilaf 25
Long Line Ling Cod / Oregon Coast
Pan Butter Roasted, Potato Puree, Edamame / Green Apple -Caper Beurre Blanc 25
Texas Style Pit-Roasted Beef Brisket, Whipped Potatoes, Chimichurri 20

Side
Caesar Salad 8
Green Salad, Corn Bread Croutons – House Herb Vinaigrette 7
Organic Idaho Potato Gratin 8
Wood Roasted Parsnips and Beets – Parsley Infused Oil 7
Curried French Lentils 6

Dessert
Lemon Tartlette 8
Warm Apple Crumble 7
Crème Brulee 6
He Original Warm Chocolate 9 Please Order In Advance Bomb ( 15 Minutes )
At FIN Rest Assured You Are Being Served The Finest
Safe Water Seafood From My Most Responsible Vendors
Jonathan Eismann - Chef Owner And Brian Bell and Ervin Bryant Restaurant Chefs

Networking Happy Hour @ Mondrian

In the Kitchen with Michael Psilakis

If you've ever watched the Food Network show "Chopped" you know Chef Michael Psilakis is one serious dude. He doesn't smile much, he's a bit tough on the contestants (they usually deserve it) and he looks like he doesn't want to be there.

Which is cool. I get it. He's a chef. He should be in the kitchen, around food, shiny pots and sharp knives. But given his intensity I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived half an hour late to a media tasting in the back of the house at Eos. Chef was expounding on the consistency of a particular ricotta cheese as I slinked into a bar stool. I expected him to call me out, junior high-style with a "Well look who decided to join us..." Thankfully, he did not. Instead, he proceeded to feed me plate after plate of delicious food over the course of an hour, which is its own punishment, in a way.

The occasion was the debut of his new "bistro e," a restuarant-within-a-restaurant at Eos. Basically, it's a new breakfast and lunch menu. Call it a new name, slap some different t-shirts on the waiters, and voila - new micro-staurant. We tried most of the menu, which you can look at here. Standouts include the lamb burger, the asparagus salad topped with truffle vinaigrette, the grilled branzino and the home made potato chips (above). The portions are big and some of the food is too messy to eat in front of your boss (like the short rib tostada topped with a poached egg, below) but it all tasted great and most of it is made using local or seasonal ingredients.

He was still tweaking menu items and probably changed a ton of things after our dinner that night but it seems like a solid lunch option downtown. The (hyper-branded) e³ | daily special is a good deal. For $15 you get three courses like corn jalapeno soup, a ridiculously rich grilled cheese BLT, a full-size dessert AND a pint of beer.

Yeah, clearly this won't last forever.
And it's offered on the weekends.

11am-4pm daily, 485 Brickell Ave, 305-503-0373.

Beach Ball Festival This Weekend

Support your favorite bar tender in a Dodge Ball tournie while sipping samples of rum. You could do worse on a Sunday afternoon.

Standard Sounds with Cleveland Jones

Swim Week kicks off tonight with a slew of fashion events (I'll be a the Fontainebleau consuming far too many calories; bikinis tend to make me hungry) but if you're in the mood for something chill, this weekly music party at the Standard seems nice. It debuts tonight with $7 cocktails.

Cabana Sundays @ The Raleigh

The Raleigh recently kicked off a weekly Sunday afternoon party that’s a cross between a Hampton’s pool shindig and a summer day in Ibiza. Claim a table at the outdoor restaurant and order a pitcher of mojitos before you take to the ping pong tables set up amidst the lanterns and lounge chairs. There’ll be organized volleyball tournaments the last Sunday of the month in July and August so start practicing your award-winning serve now.

Sundays, 4-11pm,1775 Collins Ave, 305-612-1163.

Friday Happy Hour @ Cafeina

It’s easy to make a meal of new $7 happy hour menu at Wynwood’s hipster haven. Start off with their hockey puck-sized crab cakes and move on to mini Kobe burgers and tuna tacos. Beers and well drinks are half-off (making them $4-$6) as are coffee-inspired cocktails like the Café con leche martini (coffee infused vodka, Amarula Liqueur, creme de cocoa).

Ice Cream Madness @ The Tides

La Marea, the restaurant at The Tides, launches their swanky ice cream cart service today in honor of July aka National Ice Cream Month. I swung by yesterday and sampled some of the flavors Chef Gonzalo Rivera is churning out this month.

I must have tried 16 scoops but I lost count after the third variation on vanilla (Indonesian, New Guinea and Mexican vanilla bean to be exact). Basil was my favorite, after that white chocolate bread pudding impressed. Dulce de leche had the creamiest texture. Mojito sorbet the most refreshing zing and Chocolate Mole with huckleberry sauce the most unique with a spicy bite tempered by the sweet fruit sauce.

Chef makes the ice cream using using an anglaise base (eggs and cream) and then adds the flavors – fresh fruits, herbs (basil) or sauces like the Mexican mole made with chipotles, chilis, star anise and garlic.

In terms of cocktails they're playing around with frozen variations on classic like a grasshopper with vanilla ice cream and muddled mint, caipirnhas with basil ice cream and strawberries, champagne with a scoop of mango sorbet and Cointreau with vanilla for a creamsicle drink.

Brooklyn Brewery Dinner @ Lou's Beer Garden

I like beer and I like Lou's and this event looks good.

Notes on $8 Cocktails at the Mondrian

So it's Friday night and you want to get drinks? Somewhere pretty, scenic, sexy. Also, let's have those drinks be somewhat inexpensive for South Beach ($8 as opposed to $14) and made by a bartender who takes his spirit-mixing seriously. Throw in cheap valet ($8 as opposed to a whopping $24) and like-priced snacks and you've got the Mondrian's new Friday night deal. I checked out this happy hour a few weeks ago and I walked out buzzed, sun-kissed and smiling.
Here's a rundown of the $8 cocktails, each made by Mondrian head bartender Jess Tommy, one of those types who can chat endlessly about house-made bitters, old school cocktails and the origins of Aperol (a kinder, gentler Campari).

Sunset Manhattan
Grapefruit peel infused Sazerac straight Rye whiskey stirred with sweet vermouth, orange bitters and garnished with a passion fruit laced maraschino cherry.

I wasn't a big fan of this one, a little too strong and whiskey-heavy for hot weather.

Twilight Margarita
Cazadores reposado Tequila mixed with freshly squeezed lime juice, crushed cucumbers, dash of Aperol and a splash of orange liqueur.
This one (pictured at top) was refreshing and not too sweet. A nice bitter citrus bite from the Aperol. If you like tequila, drink this.

Pisco Dusk Sour
Gran Sierpe Peruvian Pisco shaken with fresh crushed blackberries & cardamom pods, hand squeezed lemon juice, a hint of honey and frothy egg white garnished with 3 drops of Jerry Thomas bitters.
A labor-heavy drink (there are probably 11 steps to this one), but so worth it. Mix-man Tommy explained that he does a "dry shake" with the egg white, meaning he shakes it without ice in the shaker so as to emulsify the egg and get the right foamy consistency. After adding in the pisco, blackberries, crushed cardamom pods and everything else, he strains the mixture leaving a smoothie-like drink (akin to a retro daiquiri). The cardamom added a spicy and perfumey complexity.

Sundown Sidecar
Hennessey VSOP Cognac shaken with crushed Lychees, fresh squeezed lemon juice and a touch of ginger liqueur, garnished with a Hawaiian raw sugar rim.

Okay, usually not a fan of the sugared rim, but this drink really impressed me. Mind you, I had consumed sips (or a bit more) of three drinks already. But I took a sip of this and thought, I can drink these all night. I'm a ginger lover and that Domaine De Canton is a nice base for the fresh lychees. It was summery and delicious.

Pegu Club Paradise
Hendricks Gin shaken with freshly squeezed lime juice, orange bitters, crushed strawberries, coconut cream and orange curacao.

All the drinks were great, but this one was Best in Show. The coconut lent a subtle creaminess, the muddled strawberries added tang and sweetness and the whole thing just came together in a balanced, refreshing way. It's a pink drink, sure, but there was something serious and strong about it.

More info here.

Lobster Cappuccino Revisited

I recently covered Sugarcane's Lobster Cappuccino and Beignets, possibly the finest take on coffee and doughnuts in the city, and today I'm craving this dish so I figured I'd pay tribute again and delve into its preparation. This frothy, soul-warming combo is the love child of a New England seafood shack and a mad carnie's fry stand at a state fair. It is also deceptively simple: a heady mix of lobster bisque topped with cream and served with four lobster fritters.

To make the bisque chef Timon Balloo (pictured) throws lobster shells, plum tomatoes, lobster stock, aromatics like coriander, star anise and Szechuan peppercorn in a roasting pan and then douses the whole mix with a layer of cognac. He then slow cooks the mix for six hours, strains and reduces it and adds chunks of lobster meat to the musky, velvety soup. It all gets topped with heavy cream that's been whipped and frothed with a latte steamer and accompanied by the doughnuts (a simple yeast dough, with the sugar left out and fresh pepper added) stuffed with lobster meat.

It goes for $10 and is only offered as a special, but they should really add this gem to the menu.
Read my Q & A with Timon here.

Yelp! It's What's For Dinner

Yelp Eats Week returns for a second season of wallet-friendly dinners. Like Miami Spice, only cheaper, this deal gets you 3 courses for $25 with some high profile restos on the docket including Cafe Sambal, Cape Cod Room, Por Fin and Fratelli Lyon.

More info and menus here.

Cheap(er) Cocktails at the Mondrian

There’s no better way to usher in the weekend than by commandeering an oversized bed at the Mondrian’s waterfront lounge, ordering a few strong cocktails and watching the work week cares float away like the pricey yachts in the bay. Making things even sweeter: the new $8 cocktails like the Sundown Sidear (cognac, crushed Lychees, ginger liquor) and the Pegu Club Paradis (gin, lime, crushed strawberries and coconut cream).

Thursday-Fridays, 6-9pm, 1100 West Ave, 305-514-1941.

Urbanize Your Daddy

Go here to register.

Dad's Have Kneads

Of all the Father's Day gimmicks out there this one sounded the best. And you can also consider this research for that spa-cigar lounge you and your dad always talked about. Multi-tasking! The InterContinental’s den of de-kinking is throwing in complimentary scotch and cigars after a 60-minute sports massage. Best of all, you get to do it all in a plush bathrobe.

June 20, $198, 100 Chopin Plaza, 305-577-1000.

2-for-1 Offer @ Canyon Ranch Salon

Pass the Burger & Beer Joint

Brickell's B & B outpost looks close to opening. They're taking over the old Blu Pizza space in the bowels of Mary Brickell Village. Something tells me the Joint's loyal post-frat crowd won't have a problem finding this place.

Lots at Steak

Zagat's posts a list of SoFla steakhouses and leaves out a about half the notable newcomers like Red the Steakhouse, Gotham Steak, Bourbon Steak, Grill on the Alley, Chophouse Miami, Rare and Steak 954. Plus, oldies like Smith and Wollensky and Christy's don't even get a shout-out.

Just sayin.

Fingerlickin' Finger Food @ The Water Club

Stopped by the just-opened Water Club in North Miami Beach. A great casual menu from Talula chefs (and hubby and wife team) Frank Randazzo and Andrea Curto-Randazzo. The one dish I keep thinking about? The crispy fried oysters topped with creme fraiche and yuzu tobiko. The breading - light, greaseless and crunchy. The briny oyster nubbins within were tender and plump. The yuzu tobiko added a burst of citrusy freshness to each bite. Looking forward to many nights drinking beer and dominating plates of these lovelies on the waterfront patio.