All-You-Can-Eat Vegan Brunch at Gramps This Sunday

If you were ever an avid attendee of Sweat Records’ vegan Sunday brunches, you’ll be stoked to know they’re coming back. But this time, the meatless spread is headed to Gramps. This Sunday, Francesca Lacuesta (formerly of Mac’N food truck fame) will be cooking up her ever-popular Southern fried tofu,…

Gardein’s Fishless Fish Filet Is Pretty Legit

Most people’s idea of meat replacements extend only as far as veggie burgers and tofurky. Faux fish rarely makes the radar. After all, seafood is superhealthy, right? Who needs a substitute? Well, with restaurant fish bait-and-switch, radioactive seas, and mercury issues (not to mention overfishing, extinction risks, etc.), seafood is…

Naked Taco: Ralph Pagano’s SoBe Spot Opening for SOBEWFF

The joint finally has a name and an opening date. Naked Taco, formerly known as “Ralph Pagano’s Yet-Unamed Mexican Joint,” is set to open Friday, February 21 — just in time for South Beach Wine & Food Festival attendees and celebrity chefs to seek refuge from the elements and enjoy…

Mmmm to Open in Wynwood

“It’s somewhat of a miracle,” Cathy Vedovi says of the way her new endeavor, Mmmm, came about so quickly. The cafe, located in the former Lester’s space at 2519 NW Second Ave. in Wynwood, is set to open any day now. “Hopefully by the weekend,” she says as she nearly…

Chef Ho Closes in Sunny Isles: Good-bye Dim Sum

The neon sign is still lit as dusk approaches, but a gander inside the Sunny Isles restaurant makes it very clear that Chef Ho is closed. Tables at the restaurant, which had a loyal following, are still set, but a lobster tank is dry and the bar is deserted. A…

Five Awesome SoBeWFF Events That Aren’t Sold Out

The biggest boozy, bon vivant blowout of the year is almost upon us. Hello South Beach Wine and Food Festival, we’ve missed your many charms. Even if you’re been procrastinating like crazy ahead of the big affair, you’re in luck. There are still tickets available to some of the best…

Bocce Bar: Midtown Miami’s Restaurant of the Moment

Timon Balloo doesn’t want to dazzle you. At Bocce Bar, he cooks things simply — braising duck legs in stock before plunging them into a pan with orecchiette, squash, and Parmesan. They are finished in a sauce that’s thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and tastes of sage and…

Nothing but the Best: French Fusion Cuisine in the Roads

It’s an old complaint: Miami needs more French food. Enter Yann Rio, who owned three restaurants in France, including Sequoia in Montpellier, which earned a “three forks” designation in the Michelin Guide. Rio has moved to the States and delivers French fusion with nontraditional ingredients to Miami. Nothing but the…

Timon Balloo Talks Negronis, Italy, and Bocce Bar

At Bocce Bar, Timon Balloo doesn’t replicate Italian dishes. “My goal wasn’t to see a recipe and repeat it, but to learn about the culture behind it,” he explains. Before opening the two-month-old restaurant in midtown, he took two research trips to Italy. There, he explored markets, ate copious amounts…

Bocce Bar Is Midtown’s New Italian Darling

Timon Balloo doesn’t want to dazzle you. At Bocce Bar, he cooks things simply — braising duck legs in stock before plunging them into a pan with orecchiette, squash, and Parmesan. They are finished in a sauce that’s thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and tastes of sage and…

Kitchen Hop Takes Off at Mary Brickell Village

A new concept put together by Zevents called Kitchen Hop kicked off its first event last Saturday in Mary Brickell Village. For just $35, guests enjoyed a dish from seven restaurants — Dolores, Brother Jimmy’s, Tapas Benidorm, Toscana Divino, Oceanaire, Balans, and Taverna Opa — from 2 to 4 p.m….

Recall of Nearly Nine Million Pounds of Beef Could Affect Florida

A California-based meat processor has issued a recall of nearly nine million pounds of beef products, and Florida is one of the states involved. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, Rancho Feeding Corporation, based in Petaluma, is recalling approximately 8,742,700 pounds of beef products from “diseased…

Dadeland Mall Food Court Surprisingly Vegan-Friendly

As a general rule, mall food courts aren’t the best places for vegans. The roundabout of edibles is usually a gauntlet of smiling employees doling out jerk chicken and sloppy joe — a no man’s land for the meatless. Without proper preparation and snack packing, a lengthy trip to the…

Bacon Jam at Crackers Casual Dining in Miami Springs

A trip to Miami Springs requires maneuvering over one way canals and a circle park, but it is so worth it. We came for the deep fried bread pudding and fried chicken at Crackers Casual Dining but we stayed for the bacon jam. This homey restaurant serving delicious Southern comfort…

Five Reasons Brunch Is So Overrated

Express your unpopular opinion. That Twitter hashtag gave me the courage to admit the unthinkable: I really hate brunch. OK, I know what you’re thinking. Whenever I admit this to someone, I’m confronted with looks of disbelief and the follow-up question, “Do you hate puppies?” Though I dressed up as…

Spris Midtown Grand Opening: Free Pizza for Everyone Tonight

They say third time’s the charm, and with Spris opening its third location in midtown today, the Graspa Group will certainly be hitting a successful trifecta. The Lincoln Road location has been a staple for 15 years, so to celebrate, the neighborhood restaurant is inviting the public to its grand-opening…