A Good Tomato Isn’t Hard To Find

I perform very occasional part-time work as a private chef, and the folks I cook for just love tomatoes. I generally purchase the tomatoes at Fresh Market; it’s got the best variety, and perfectly ripe specimens in each category. Granted, sometimes I’ll pay $3.99 or $4.99 per pound, but they…

Carnivore’s Delight: Gaucho Ranch

From the moment you meet Pablo Liberato you sense that here is someone who is truly passionate about his meat. As the owner of Gaucho Ranch, this self-proclaimed health enthusiast spends his day touting the benefits of grass fed meat. No hormones, no antibiotics, no grain. “Our cattle eat only…

Andrea Curto-Randazzo: Chef and TV Star To-Be, Part Two

Here’s Part Two of our interview with soon-to-be celebrity chef Andrea Curto-Randazzo. You canread the first part of the interview here.Now how did your appearance on Top Chef come about? You didn’t have enough going on?I did it for publicity because that’s what my field has become now. I’m a…

World Cup Chow: Croquettes at S Sports Bar and Grill

It’s World Cup time so much of Miami will be spending the next few weeks — even in the morning — watching soccer in taverns. One of our favorites: S Sports Bar and Grill way out west, which is offering traditional Latin dishes along with the normal sports bar offerings.The…

A Nicaraguan Breakfast at Pinolandia

Pinolandia is a 24-hour Nicaraguan fritanga in Miami’s Little Havana. It takes its name from pinol, the Nica national beverage of ancient mesoamerican origin made from a rough powder of the same name. Pinol is made of crushed corn kernels, herbs, and flavorings. The dueño of Pinolandia told us, “Es…

Cafeina Lounge in Wynwood on the Happy Hour Hunt

Welcome to the new darling of Wynwood. The sexy gallery-meets-lounge-meets-outdoor oasis manages to be warm and welcoming without being stuffy. Every corner of Cafeina is lined with simplistic detail layered over a romantic color palate; damask table tops with geometrically curious legs, a lamp shaded chandelier, and a mirrored bar…

Free Donuts Today For National Donut Day

A while back I wrote about how donuts are the new cupcakes. Well, today you can try out my theory for free. That’s right, in celebration of National Donut Day (what a great holiday!) both Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme are giving away complimentary donuts.You can get a free donut…

First Bite of Zuma at Epic Hotel

Does Miami really need another sushi restaurant and robata grill? We couldn’t help thinking the same thing when we heard Zuma opened its doors in the Epic overlooking the Miami River last month. So we didn’t rush in. But soon we started to hear people raving about just how good…

Behind Restaurant Tweets, Part Two

Since it opened in Midtown Miami, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill has been well known in the local “twitterverse” for its interaction with followers and diners. Responses are so immediate and personalized you have to wonder if someone’s hiding somewhere in the restaurant monitoring it all. No one is. The person behind…

Quarterdeck (Which Wasn’t Really a Quarterdeck) Closes in SoBe

I drove by Quarterdeck Seafood Bar on Alton Road in South Beach yesterday and noticed that the sign had been taken down and the windows were papered over. I put in a call to Frank Zaffere, who is partner of Quarterdeck Restaurants (seven outlets in Broward and Palm Beach) with…

Sneak Review: Mercadito

A sneak peak at next week’s Cafe review of Mercadito Margarito:…Margaritas are spiked with unexpected additions such as mango, chile morita, a blueberry float…and that’s just in one concoction, the delectable Smoky Pablo. The bar drinks are great.It wouldn’t have surprised me to see those same ingredients in one of…

Fire Eater: LC’s Hot Sauce

LC’s Roti Shop is known for the wonderful flavors in the dishes she manages to put out year after year from the tiny kitchen of her restaurant in North Miami. The secret is in the sauce and this sauce is for sale.LC’s hot sauce and mango chutney ($3-$15) are made…

Kosher Tacos and Other New Menu Items at Tasti Cafe

Whether you keep Kosher or have a mainly veggie diet, Tasti Café on Miami Beach is a delicious, out-of-the-ordinary spot for breakfast and lunch. Since 2001, the tiny eatery has been serving dairy-based Kosher fare (that means no meat) like strawberry pancakes, egg salad sandwiches, quiche, pan seared tilapia, eggplant…

Behind Restaurant Tweets, Part One

You’re having a great dinner at a restaurant and you decide to share it with your friends on Twitter. Next thing you know, you receive a response from the restaurant’s Twitter account. It’s not an uncommon experience these days, but have you ever wondered who sits on the other side?…