ciao cioppino

A local visit to your Ritz Carlton on the Key is where you want to be! Fine dining in Miami is pretty rare, Cioppino was a pleasant surprise for a family night mid-week dinner. My mom and favorite step-dad were staying on the Key for the night up from Islamorada, for a city kick. I mean we were sorta casual but we sat outside on one of the most beautiful Miami nights in history full moon and all! Service was impeccable, seriously. Food was um oh so good. Ambience divine. Kind of pricey but, worth it!

Some recommendations of what to order....Hawaiian white tuna, Branzino or Quail over risotto. We were very pleased with these dishes. Now, when they come around to your table and offer the 25 minute chocolate souffle like my brother did, do not hesitate to jump all over it. Worth every last bite I may have even licked the ramekin clean, oh wait that was in my dream last night, sorry.

So take a night out of the ordinary dress up a little, bring your appetite and maybe even book a room...

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/KeyBiscayne/Dining/Cioppino/Default.htm

blt baby

I know its a "chain" restaurant not "one of a kind" but, BLT Miami is great! I have nothing to compare it too since I have not had the privilege to attend the other BLT's across the country but, this one may speak for all the others. Well, truth be told our friends from Panama were simultaneously having dinner at the BLT in Puerto Rico and after spending the last few days with them I am sure it sparked the interest to try for ourselves after all the rave!

BLT Miami is located in the newly renovated Betsy Ross Hotel on Ocean Drive. The last time I was at the Betsy Ross was for a Home Coming after party...ewww! So, I was pleasantly surprised that this old seedy Hotel has been renovated beautifully with a beachy yet sophisticated atmosphere. Decor is super and great people watching for your dining entertainment this helps if your date is a lame-o!

Moving on...the service is friendly, knowledgeable and professional. I wanted to make a point of this because a South Beach restaurant and one on Ocean Drive none the less would make you think that the service would be terrible but, its totally untrue! Very refreshing.

Food is great! After sitting down they bring a "chef" dish...I am sure there is a proper term for this but, I am a frustrated foodie, remember?! Anyhow...they brought out slightly toasted wheat bread with chicken liver cleverly presented with pickled veggies, delightful! Also, they bring gratis their famous popovers with a recipe card! I will hopefully one day be brave enough to try this recipe and live to blog about it. The meat is what they are known for order anything off the menu and it will be cooked to perfection so order what you heart desires and I assure you you won't go wrong. Meat dishes must be accompanied by a guilty side dish I recommend the bbq corn or parmesan gnocchi. Dessert we had a berry crumble of sorts, eh! Nothing special but, they serve madeleines warm and melt in your mouth delish for "free" as another chef "special" and an after dinner drink will be sufficient!

Go for it.

www.bltsteak.com

www.thebetsyhotel.com

grazi prego...

A new discovery to me but, an old favorite for many! If you have not been to the original Graziano's, GO! This carnivore's carnival has all the elements of a feast fit for a King and the good news is you don't have to travel to Argentina to enjoy all the fruits of their labor. You must go with a big appetite the menu is extensive including seasonal options and any kind of meat you could imagine! Let us not forget to discuss the wine list....oh, the wine list! A super duper selection with super duper values!

Dont be mistaken by other Graziano's around town because there are quite a few others but, this one is the one and only. The prices are much more reasonable then other locations and there is a Graziano's Market on the same block and a Graziano's Pizzeria if your not in the mood for filets or sweetbreads.

Its a wonderful family or date night restaurant with a real Miami crowd I must warn you don't be alarmed if you see the following: Ed Hardy, muscle heads with implant arm candy, supped up Benzes and most shocking of all sunglasses at night. Don't let this discourage you instead it makes for good people watching while you chow down and drink up!

Please try it you wont be disappointed.

Grazi!

www.parrilla.com/

a buen visit

A routine girls night that was long over due is what brought us girlies together at the Buena Vista Bistro for a meal and ambience that was superb! This little french gem tucked away in the Design District about 3-4 blocks north of Fratelli Lyon is exactly what you need when looking for a quiet, homey, cozy, inexpensive and delectable meal on any given night. We had reserved a table in the very hip parisian spray painted style courtyard with an awning (for those scared they might get rained on or rained out)....no fret my pets this place has got it covered...literally. Inside great as well, but, lets still enjoy this amazing weather please before the heat blanket comes to cover us for months on end.

FOOD: Lovely really really lovely! Apps menu was not too exciting this was our only little complaint there are some salads...ummmm....escargot....uhhhhhh....pate....hmmmm. All very French of course but, maybe we just weren't in the mood?! Ok, main dishes....YES! Snapper with ratatouille , Chicken Curry with basmati rice, Tuna TarTar...were highlights. There were some other great options Halibut with ratatouille, Steak with ratatouille, well, pretty much anything with a helping of ratatouille. Hee hee hee huh huh huh.

Dessert oh the dessert simply delishy, profiteroles with chocolate sauce that was worth licking the plate clean well, we might as well have.

DRINKS: Beer and wine our waiter who was very French, respectively had a great knack for recommending some super red wines and not to expensive may I add.

AMBIENCE: Well, I described it a bit up top and it was perfect just what this city needs more of!

SERVICE: Divine...there has to be something said about having a waiter from France in a French restaurant or that of any corresponding country of which the food is originating from almost makes it more authentic, maybe I am just weird.

Overall, awesome loved it and definitely spreading the word.

www.buenavistabistro.com

supper time

Recently I spent a weekend in New York City with my two beautiful cousins for a "cousins weekend"! NYC is the place where I was born and has a special place in my heart. My cousin Shalimar is living there for an internship and my other cousin Sigrid needed a get away after ending a 10 year relationship so some family, fun and good food was in order! What better place to put all the pieces together then get The City.

Party and shopping I left up to my cousins to dictate and recommend but, for food I had one place that is a MUST! Introduced to me by my friend Jenifer who is an ex NY'er is Supper a lower east side charm, cash only, no reservation Italian joint with healthy helpings of Italian Classics and rotating daily specials that you will plan your week around to make sure you satisfy the craving.

So the super star of this place is the Spaghetti al LIMONE! This dish is worth the wait, ATM withdrawal and taxi fare people, seriously its that amazing. Make sure you share this place with a group of buddies or a hot date or whatever because its sure to impress. Other note worthy dishes are the pear and gorgonzola ravioli and priest strangler pasta ....everything is great but, those are just highlights. Dessert get the Hazelnut Panna Cotta...they drizzle this delicate delight with chocolate sauce...whenever something gets a drench of chocolate it cant be bad!

So if your in NYC anytime in the near future please remember Supper at Supper time.

www.supperrestaurant.com

mmmm mom's yummy pasta

Mom's yummy pasta is truly one of those recipes that has to do with the term "soul food" made with some healthy ingredients, lots of love and a little bit of soul. My mom always made enough for second helpings and there were usually no left overs. Either way its delicious and great to make for casual dinner parties or family dinners.

Shop List...

1 bunch of broccoli

2-3 zucchini

1 bunch of asparagus

2-3 garlic cloves

4 chicken & sun-dried tomatoes sausages (remove from casings)

1 handful worth of sun-dried tomatoes (kind packed in olive oil)

1 box of pasta (bow tie, penne, farfalle are suggested)

salt

pepper

extra virgin olive oil

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Steps...

1. In a large pan douse the bottom with EVOO (Rachael Ray's obvious abbreviation for extra virgin olive oil) and smush up the garlic and on low heat heat up for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the sausages sans casings and start breaking them up in the pan with a wooden spoon or whatever spoon or fork you want to use. Let this go on for about 10-15 minutes. You want to be sure that the sausage is all broken up into bits and pieces and slightly browned.

3. Time to add all the lovely veggies and sun-dried tomatoes, mix them around and dash on some salt, pepper and if you want spice some red pepper flakes...add another whirl of olive oil and a handful of freshly grated parm baby! Cook this for about 10 minutes you want all the veggies to cook but, still be a bit crunchy and crispy.

4. Pasta should be boiling away now...As soon as its al dente drain and add pasta to the pan of veggies and sausage...toss it all around so the flavors cling to the pasta and add another healthy helping of fresh parmesan cheese.

5. This step is optional but, highly recommended for maximum yumminess! Heat your oven to 400 bake put the pasta in a baking dish and on the top layer throw down some more parm!!! Bake for 10 minutes till the top is a little crispy and cheese has melted.

DIG IN!

eet smakelijk

hurrah for syrah

Today, I would like to tell you about this fantabulous vino I found by accident while aimlessly grazing the isles of Fresh Market some weeks back. It must have been a Friday because it was like a happy hour in the wine section with free "tastings"?! I also think I was shopping for a girls night dindin at my house and had to pick up a few not so expensive wines so that I wouldn't dip into my husbands wine stash and accidentally down a 200 dollar bottle without even knowing the difference.

Obviously I am not a wine connoisseur of any sort but, I know the difference between good and bad wine.

Echeverria a 2006 Syrah from Colchagua Valley a Chilean wine is the feature of the day! It goes for around 12 bucks a bottle and ever since buying a single bottle I have tried for weeks to get another to share this delightful surprise with my hubby or friends and its always been sold out, so it cant be all that bad?!

www.echewine.com

Cheers!

xoRae

a frustrated foodie