Chinese

Oh, how I miss you New Chinatown! That was my go-to for Chinese Food, but it’s long gone. No Name was in South Miami for a while, but that was a twist on Chinese and pricey. It’s also now gone, replaced with Cracked, Chef Adrianne’s restaurant. So where do I go to get Chinese? The plus to both of these spots, is they serve Dim Sum! In fact, that is what I usually order there. Disclaimer: I haven’t been to Canton Palace in a while, but just went to Kon Chau.

Kon Chau Chinese 8376 S,W, 40 Street, Miami 33155

This place is in a strip mall where a Lucky Asian market is also located. They have the traditional Chinese Favorites- Egg Foo Young, Lo Mein, Happy Family, Mongolian Beef, Moo Goo Gai Pan and General’s Chicken. The dim sum I’ve tried were: Steamed Shrimp & Pork Dumplings, Chive Dumplings, Steamed Roast Pork Bun, Green Tea Duck Dumpling, Roast Pork Noodle Crepe, Deep Fried Taro Dumpling and Soup Dumplings. Yum yum! By the way, their website announces No Delivery! so plan to eat in or take out.

Canton Palace 7980 S.W. 8th Street, Miami 33144

This spot is also located in a strip mall, right off the Palmetto Expressway. Although I haven’t been in a while, we always came for the Dim Sum, which you check off on a sheet by the piece. Favorites on Yelp include: Steamed Shrimp Dumplings, Fried Rice and Salt and Pepper Squid. This place is totally no frills, but they do take out and delivery.

Japanese

Matsuri 5759 Bird Road, Miami 33155

Hands-down, my favorite Sushi Spot, especially for lunch, where they have great lunch specials. It’s in a strip mall in the Red Bird Shopping Center and parking tends to fill up quickly. I almost always get the same thing for lunch- Bento Box Lunch Special C. Chicken Teriyaki. It comes with Miso Soup, House Salad, California roll and an orange for only $9! That’s the best deal in town. Zeke usually gets A- Sashimi and Tempura. There are also dinner specials. Matsuri has super fresh sushi and my meals here have always been good.

Runner Up: Su Shin Izakaya

When I used to meet Zeke for lunch, we would often come to this spot in Coral Gables. The owner greets you with “Hello!” and says “See you tonight!” when you leave. An Izakaya is a Japanese restaurant where businessmen/women stop on their way home from work. When we go, it’s usually packed with people on their lunch breaks. They have lunch specials, but are a little pricier than Matsuri ($12.95) and fair warning, their ginger salad dressing is rather tasteless. Lunch Specials comes with Miso Soup, Salad, Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura, California Roll and entree of your choice.

Thai

Atchana’s Homegrown Thai 3194 Commodore Plaza 33133

Atchana’s restaurant was in a hotel in Coconut Grove, but now has found a permanent home on the corner of Commodore Plaza. My husband and I went there for lunch, pre-covid, but have since ordered food to-go from there. I would recommend the Mee Grob ($14) or Steamed Asian Dumplings ($9) to start, with Pad Thai as an entree and Thai Doughnuts ($10) to end. Just like the old days. There are many other dishes, plus a Thai Trio with salad, summer rolls and soup for $13 which sounds like a great, light lunch idea. There’s also a neat Sriracha menu with a wide array of Thai hot sauces. And I thought there was only the one with the Rooster!

Moon Thai & Sushi 1118 S. Dixie Highway, Coral Gables, 33146

This place, right across from U.M., is fun because you can get Thai or Sushi, depending on your mood. Honestly, we usually get the sushi rolls- Sloppy J and Spicy Lover’s Rolls are two favorites, but there’s also a full selection of Thai, which according to the menu is a blend of Chinese and Indian, based on Rice and Noodles.

Vietnamese

Miss Saigon Bistro 148 Giralda Avenue, Coral Gables, 33134

The only Vietnamese restaurant I know of in Miami, now that Hy Vong is closed, is Miss Saigon Bistro in Coral Gables. They used to have an outpost in Pinecrest, but that has changed to a Pho restaurant. I love coming here and seeing the servers in their beautiful Thai gowns. I always get the same thing- the Miss Saigon Rice Noodle Bowl ($13.95), because it’s so delicious. Rice noodles are tossed with herbs and include pork, chicken, shrimp and chopped up crispy spring rolls, which are then tossed, table side with chopsticks, with hot sauce. It’s a big serving, but I usually seem to finish it. When I don’t, it makes good leftovers. I’ve tried to replicate this dish at home, without success.

Asian Fusion

Lan Pan Asian Cafe 8332 South Dixie Highway, Miami, 33143

This restaurant in Dadeland Station, is part of the same restaurant group as Su Shin Izakaya, the Japanese restaurant above. Bright, light and usually crowded, I love to stop here for lunch while shopping. Lunch Specials are a great deal with Soup, Salad, California Roll included with your entree. I always used to get the Chicken Dumplings ($11.95), but have branched out to try Tamarind Shrimp, Thai Basil Chicken and Grilled Salmon. Please note, this is the ONLY place I’ve had cooked salmon that I like, but my friend Tami wasn’t a fan.

Noodle Restaurants

OHHO Noodles Market 1100 S. Dixie Highway, Coral Gables 33146

This restaurant, near Ponce Middle School, is usually filled with U.M. students. You order at the counter, get a number and wait in the funky, grafitti-decorated interior. They have other menu items besides noodles- buns, dumplings, chicken dishes and Bibimbop. The most popular noodle dish, and my favorite, is the Singaporean Laksa Lemak ($18) with rice noodles, spicy coconut broth, chicken, shrimp, bean sprouts, tofu and egg. There are a variety of hot sauces on the counter to be added to your dishes, if desired. They offer Pick-up and Delivery.

InRamen 5829 S.W. 73 Street, South Miami, 33143

This restaurant, in South Miami, is super casual with the doors open and indoor and outdoor dining. It was the first place I saw the (now ubiquitous) QR code, as they wish you to open it on your phone, order and even pay contactlessly. Genius! (They do have paper menus for the technologically-challenged.) They have other menu items than noodles- buns, dumplings, bibimbop and chicken dishes- but the noodles are hand made right in front of you, so that’s always what I get. It’s pricier than Ohho, with the Ramen Beef Short Rib Ramen my daughter recently got costing $26. I’ve gotten the most popular dish- Chashu Ramen with pork belly, tonkotsu broth, noodles, egg, corn, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The Spicy Chicken ($18) sounds good and I like the music they play in here, which is a sometimes overlooked feature in restaurants.

Sea Siam 12735 S. Dixie Highway, Pinecrest, 33156

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Sea Siam, in a strip mall in Pinecrest and where we used to meet our friends Brooks and Sharon. We would sit at the bar and all always got the same appetizer- Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Spicy Mayo and extra scallions (off menu). For entrees, we were all over the place. The Crispy Duck ($26) is delicious, and was my favorite, Brooks liked the Ginger Fish ($26), which is a whole fried snapper and Sharon usually got a sushi roll, like SuSa ($20) with tuna and avocado.

So there is a by-no-means complete list, but some of my favorite places to eat Asian food in Miami. I’m also dying to try Zitzsum in Coral Gables, with the chef from No Name Chinese. It has been nominated for a James Beard award Best New Restaurant.

In a Good News/Bad News situation the principal plays with Hy Vong restaurant were doing Pop-Ups and Pick-ups of some of their food during the Pandemic. They participated in the South Beach Food and Wine Festival this year and, since Hy Vong closed, had been doing Pop Ups and pick-ups of their food in South Miami. Their last pickup was March 12 and they announced they’ve officially hung up their aprons and will no longer be offering their delicious food. The Good News is they will be doing Cooking Videos on how to make some of their dishes. I will definitely sign up for that!

Up Next: The Villages

My gateway into Asian cuisine was like most of us, through Chinese food. When we think of Chinese food, it’s typically Cantonese or Szechuan. My family, growing up, didn’t dine out that much (there were 6 of us!) but when we did it was typically Black Angus (my Mom’s favorite), Italian (Sorrentos) or Chinese Food at Canton.

At Canton, I loved the round tables, crunchy noodles and endless cups of tea, which we drank with lots of sugar added. Egg rolls, Spareribs and Won Ton or Egg Drop soup to start and then onto covered plates of Honey Chicken, Beef with Broccoli, Almond Duck and maybe a Seafood Dish, served with hot white and Pork Fried Rice followed. The eating was communal, as we shared all the dishes and you could have a little of this, a little of that, which is my favorite way to eat. And then, to end, the hard-as-a-rock Fortune Cookies for dessert. Which, by the way, aren’t Chinese, but an American creation started in California.

In the 80’s I discovered Japanese Cuisine in the form of sushi, sake, tempura and miso soup. It was all the rage back then and my favorite was (and still is) the California Roll, which come to think of it, doesn’t sound Japanese at all. I did venture out to try sashimi, hand rolls, salmon, spicy tuna and even uni (sea urchin) eventually, which has a very unique taste and texture. Sushi is one food I crave on a regular basis.

Thai Food– with its fresh ingredients, unique tastes and five flavor profile- spicy, sweet, salty, bitter and umami- is one of my favorite Asian cuisines. I remember going to the Thai restaurant on US-1 (which is now Diced) which was run by Atchana’s family. Atchana was a friend of my sister Elise, so when we dined there, we would begin with crunchy, sticky and sweet Mee Krob, sent over to the table, complimentary if Atchana was there. Pad Thai would follow, possibly with Chicken Satay or a Curry Dish (red, yellow or green) and we would end with Hot Thai Donuts, served with sweetened condensed milk, also on the house.

Vietnamese Cuisine follows the same five flavor profiles as Thai and also uses fresh ingredients with aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, mint, Thai Chile and lime, as well as fresh herbs and vegetables. Fish sauce is more popular than soy and one of my favorite sandwiches- the Bahn Mi– originates from Vietnam. The first time I ate Vietnamese food was at the iconic Hy Vong restaurant on 8th street.

I went there with my Mom and sisters and I remember getting the Whole Fried Fish. On other visits I got the Pumpkin Soup, Spring Rolls (served with fresh mint, lettuce and a dipping sauce) and the Pork Rolling Cakes, possibly my favorite appetizer of all time. I recently read the story of Hy Vong’s creation in a book called Mangos and Peppercorns. It was fascinating and filled with recipes I want to try, but not the Pork Rolling Cakes- it’s way too complicated.

I tend to eat Asian food at restaurants, but, a couple weeks ago I decided to try some recipes at home. One was a Spicy Ramen Soup with Pork Meatballs, from Parade magazine. Although I don’t know anything about Korean cuisine, this recipe called for an ingredient- gochujang chile paste– which is Korean. I also needed baby bok choy, and fresh ramen noodles, so made a trek down to Kimchi Mart on 153rd Street.

While it calls itself an Asian Mart, this store is actually Korean. It’s clean and bright and I love looking at all the interesting products and vegetables you can’t find at Publix. The baby bok choy were adorable little things and the fresh ramen noodles tasted so much better than the dried ones you get in the package. The recipe for the Ramen Soup was a little complicated, but I made the Pork Meatballs one day and the rest of the soup the next. It was delicious (A.J. loved it!) and I made it last for days, by continuing to add chicken broth to it.

And the gochujang sauce, which I think is trending because I’ve heard about it lately, was a revelation. Like hot sauce, but darker, thicker, with an umami, sweet and spicy flavor. While I used it on the soup, it also would be great on scrambled eggs, vegetables, sandwiches- anyplace that you want a a bold heat and complexity. It has a thick texture which is derived from brown rice, and is typically served over Bibimbap, the yummy Korean rice bowl dish. Best of all, the Chung Jung One brand I bought can be found at Publix. This would also make an awesome and different Chicken Wing sauce! Move over Frank’s Hot Sauce.

The second dish I made, for Sticky Hawaiian Drumsticks, was less successful. It was a relatively easy recipe (also from Parade) with teriyaki sauce, ketchup, crushed pineapple, ginger and garlic which the drumsticks were brushed with and then grilled. I couldn’t bare to put in the whole cup of honey it called for, which might be why it didn’t turn out quite as “sticky” as promised. I served it with jasmine rice and stir fried bok choy, Japanese Eggplant and mushrooms. I concluded (and Zeke agreed) I’m not a big chicken drumstick fan. I would much rather eat chicken thighs and not deal with the tendons, lack of meat, etc… in drumsticks. But I do love teriyaki.

My Dad and I didn’t have much in in common, but we both loved teriyaki and I remember eating Teriyaki steak on our family trip to Hawaii. When we returned from Hawaii, I was so enamored of the islands, I ordered a How To Cook a Luau book, as well as How to Speak Hawaiian and the Mrs. Hawaii Cook Book. The first dish I ever remember making for my family growing up was the Walnut Chicken recipe from that cook book. I wrote next to it “O.K.”

Although Asian Fusion is a a popular concept now, it’s been a thing for a while in Hawaii, where cuisines from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Portugal, have been melded into a distinct blend of cuisine known as “local food”. At one point, twelve chefs came together to create a Hawaiian Cuisine style typified by local ingredients and a fusion of ethnic culinary influences.

I’m very excited to return to Hawaii this summer. Zeke and I went to Maui on our honeymoon 19 years ago, but this time we’re going to hit the other islands- Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai- as well. While this article only touched on some Asian cuisines, obviously there are a lot more out there to explore. I would love one day travel to Asia, try the local cuisine and even take a couple cooking classes.

But first… Hawaii.

Up Next: Foodie in Miami’s Favorite Asian Restaurants

Reading an article in the Miami Herald Food section, culled from different sources, one of the first unbelievable predictions was that the comfort food craze was over. Au contraire, ye crystal ball-gazing, foodie soothsayers. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s still this little thing called a Global pandemic going around. And yes, there are vaccines, but many of us (including yours truly) haven’t been able to get it yet, so we are still in need of comfort and, after last year, may always be in a constant state of needing nourishing, comfort food.

1. Comfort Food

I predict comfort food is here to stay, albeit with a difference. Perhaps we lighten it up a bit, like using 2% milk in our Mac-N-Cheese instead of whole, or ground turkey in place of ground beef in our meatloaf. Eating all those comfort foods in 2020 contributed to many people’s increasing middle (aka, the COVID 19), and health and fitness is on everyone’s minds these days.

2. Retro Food

Linked to #1, I see a trend of going back to the basics and revisiting beloved food from the past. My friend got her kids a fondue set, with a fondue cookbook for a Christmas present last year; this seems the perfect time and place for this 70’s throwback. Fondue is dining as entertainment and since we can’t go to movies, plays, or concerts, what better way to entertain ourselves than through food? Plunging meat, bread and veggie chunks into a pot of gooey cheese might not be front row seats to Hamilton, but as my motto was for 2020- “It’s better than nothing.”

3. Healthy/Vegan/Vegetarian

Last year taught us all how important our health is to our well-being and this trend, which has been ongoing for years, is more important than ever. The introduction of tasty faux meat by companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible, make eating meatless meals almost painless.

4. Flexitarian

Linked to #3, it’s the trend of mixing vegan or vegetarian meals in with meals of animal protein. Diners awareness of the environmental consequences of eating meat, as well as health reasons, have influenced this trend. While some of us will never be vegetarian, we can try “Meatless Mondays” or trying to eat some meals without causing harm to an inhabitant on Old McDonald’s farm. And, if you want to eat at McDonalds, you can now get a veggie burger (Beyond Meat) instead of Moo Moo meat.

5. Jackfruit, Monkfruit, Hearts of Palm and Chickpeas are hot.

Jackfruit takes on the flavor of whatever it is spiced with, or sauce it is cooked in, but has the texture of pulled meat, making it perfect for vegetarian cooking (see #3). Monkfruit is a natural sweetener. Hearts of palm has been made into a pasta-like product called Palmini; it also adds a nutty and meat-like texture to other dishes (I like to add a small slice into my deviled eggs to add a little oomph and bite). And apparently chickpeas are the “new cauliflower” of trendy foods. Not just for hummus anymore, they’re now being made into pasta, tofu, tortillas and even frozen desserts.

6. Seasonings and Condiments from Faraway Places

Since travel has been extremely limited, people will be cooking meals from around the globe in their own kitchens, experts predict. I have definitely hopped on this trend, making Chili Oil (Chinese), Dukkah (Eygyptian), Za’atar (Turkish) and Garam Masala (Indian) to add a little interest to my meals. These are also easily ordered online.

7. Hot Cocktails are hot!

Hot Toddies, Mulled Wine and Spiked Cider are supposedly making a comeback. This makes sense for those living in frigid locations, especially with those being snowed in at this time of year. I myself enjoy hot apple cider, spiked with Buttershots Schnapps Liqueur. Heated up and served in a glass mug, with a cinnamon stick garnish, it’s delicious and comforting nightcap.

“I’ll have a glass of mulled wine, heavy on the cinnamon, easy on the cloves.”

The angel Clarence in It’s a Wonderful Life.

8. Small Batch Baking

We all know baking was big in 2020, but it started a trend for small batch baking, where recipes were cut down to more reasonable portions for one or two people. Because how many loafs of banana bread can one person eat?

9. Make your own Condiment Trend

I also hopped onto this trend, making Pesto (Italian), Chimichurri (both red and green) and Shug hot sauce (Middle Eastern) in 2020. Last week for the Superbowl, my husband smoked a Pork Butt. It called for serving it with a vinegar sauce and since we didn’t have any, he whipped some up himself. We all agreed it was the perfect compliment to the pork, not as overpowering as Barbeque sauce and the vinegar cut the fattiness of the pork. Making your own condiments puts you in control of the ingredients used and allows you to tailor it to your own tastes. Plus, it’s cheaper than buying store-bought condiments.

10) Take Out As a Way of Life

I think many of us pivoted from meals out in restaurants, to take-out, but branched out from the normal Pizza and Chinese food trend to a whole new world of restaurants, as the restaurants pivoted in turn. I tried Southern Food (Root and Bone), Indian (Ghee), Thai (Atchana’s), Sushi (Moon Thai) and make-it-yourself pizza (Farinelli) last year and, while not the same experience as dining out, it was fun. Along with this trend is a revolt against Uber Eats, whose service really eats in to a restaurant’s bottom line, as well as higher menu prices and a no-tipping format.

11) Alternative flours

Have you made a trip down the flour aisle in your grocery store lately? There is a dizzying array of flours now available- tapioca, amaranth, banana and coconut, to name a few. Perhaps this arouse as an alternative to regular flour, which was in short supply during the beginning of the Pandemic, or perhaps we’re just bored with the basic All Purpose and Whole Wheat. What took us so long?

12) Chinese American, Afro-Caribbean, Indian, Singapore and Jewish Cuisines

Unfortunately, I don’t have a good Chinese restaurant anywhere near me, but I do love some good dim sum. Happy Year of the Metal Ox, by the way. Apparently the other cuisines are also on the rise. I am all in favor of trying new cuisines- if we can’t travel to other countries in 2021, at least we can sample their cuisines in our own kitchens.

Up Next: The week in Review