I’ve been busy, but I would be remiss to mention one of my favorite times of year and that of other foodies- Miami Spice. There are over 200 restaurants participating in Miami Spice this year, but not all Miami Spices are created equal. You want to get the most bang for your buck and stay away from the predictable choices of salad appetizers, chicken entrees and cheesecake for dessert. I also avoid up-charges like the plague, as what’s the point of a prix fix menu if you keep adding extra charges to the ticket?

It also never seemed completely logical to charge the same price for dinner (it used to be $39) for Casual and Ultra-Expensive restaurants; now there’s two possible price points for dinner- $45 or $60. Lunch and Brunch are also options at some restaurants, for $30 to $35, making it perfect for ladies who lunch (or brunch). For that price, however, limitless mimosas are not included.

Here are my top picks for Miami Spice restaurants to try this year.

Eating House Coral Gables Lunch $35, Dinner $60

I haven’t been to Eating House since it moved to its new location on Giralda. Supposedly, it’s more sophisticated and grown up, but I just love Giorgio Rapicavolli’s food in any form. There are 3 choices for appetizers, 3 for entrees and 2 for dessert, including the famous (not so grown up) Dirt Cup.

Joe’s Stone Crab Miami Beach Lunch $35 or Dinner, $45 or $60

Wow! Joe’s, one of my favorite restaurants and a Miami institution, has never been on Miami Spice before, so this is a historic moment. I’m skipping lunch (no stone crabs) and the $45 Dinner (ditto) and heading straight for the $60 Taste of Joe’s. With their two most famous entrees- Fried Chicken and 3 Stone Crab Claws- how can you go wrong? You also get one yummy side and, of course, you have to top it off with their famous Key Lime Pie.

Komodo Downtown/Brickell Dinner only $60

I’ve always wanted to try Komodo and Miami Spice is the perfect time to sample this Pan-Asian hot spot. I would get the Korean Chicken Salad for an app and the Wild Mushroom Lo Mein or Korean Fried Chicken for an entree. For dessert, it’s hard to choose between Miso Chocolate Temptation and Japanese Cheesecake with Berry Compote, so I would kindly ask my companion to order the one I don’t get, so I can have a bite.

Marygold’s Brasserie Wynwood Dinner $60

Chef Brad Kilgore’s latest restaurant is located in the Arlo Hotel in Wynwood, cooking modern American cuisine. The appetizers, like Corn Mousse Angolotti or Jerk Oxtail Beignets sound amazing and hard to decide between Short Rib Vacca Frita and Ricotta Pillows for an entree. After all that rich food, I’ll opt for the Sorbet Trio.

Cafe La Trova Little Havana Dinner $45

I’ve been dying to try Michelle Berstein’s Michelin-recommended Restaurant and Bar for a while. Miami Spice offers the perfect time to go and dinner will only set you back $45, but I’m sure I’ll have to try one of their famous cocktails. Empanadas or Croquettas for apps, Skirt Steak or Fresh Catch for entree and Michy’s Bread Pudding with rum-soaked raisins for dessert is my vote.

LPM Restaurant and Bar Downtown $60

I had lunch here one time for a birthday and the food and service was amazing; it feels like you’re in Europe. At a recent dinner party, we all agreed this is one of the most consistently good restaurants in Miami. Serving light French fare with a Mediterranean twist, this restaurant would be perfect for a date night. I would get either the Sweet Corn Salad or Sea Bass Croquettes to start, the Salt-baked Snapper with artichokes and tomatoes for my entree and for dessert, the French toast with Spiced Ice Cream. Ooh la la! Viva la France.

Le Jardinier Design District Lunch $35, Dinner $60

This one-star Michelin Star French restaurant, has a modern, light-filled garden vibe and is veggie-forward. I prefer the lunch, with Salmon Crudo with cucumber vinaigrette, crispy quinoa for appetizer and either the Duck Confit Pave with fennel-apple puree or Couscous with Squash Blossoms for the main course. For dessert, Espresso Tres Leche with vanilla ice sounds refreshing.

Brasserie Laurel Downtown Brunch $35, Dinner $45

This is Michael Beltran’s (executive chef at Ariete) newest restaurant, located in the Miami World Center. For appetizer, I’m going for the Escargot, entree is French Onion Agnolotti (pasta) and the Blood Orange Granita with Lavender Ice Cream is dessert.

27 Restaurant Miami Beach Dinner $45

I try to avoid Miami Beach and I’m not a big fan of communal dining, but this restaurant might be worth the trek and it is Michelin-recommended. Another plus, their Miami Spice dinner is a deal at $45, hard to find on the Beach. Griot + Pikliz of Haitian Pork Shoulder with Spicy Slaw and Green Plantains sounds delicious for an appetizer, as well as Jerk Smoked Short Rib and Panna Cotta with granita, for entree and dessert.

Avra Estiatoria Sunny Isles Dinner $60

This sophisticated Greek restaurant is a hike, but it’s on many lists for recommended Miami Spice to try, so maybe the hike is worth it. Billed as “refined Greek food, with pure ingredients and simple preparation”, the interior is beautiful with muted colors and cozy banquettes. I would try the Three-spread Trio or Salmon Tartar to start, Branzino for a main course and Olive Oil Cake with Greek Yogurt for dessert.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your Spice on!

Up Next: Five Star Weekend Book Club Meeting

The Heat is on!

So, it’s that wonderful time of year again- Miami Spice.

Not so wonderful to be walking around outside in Miami, because it’s humid as heck (my mushrooms are growing mushrooms), but wonderful if you’re looking for a reasonably priced meal at normally unreasonably-priced restaurants. Last year- that s**t show of 2020- I didn’t eat one Miami Spice meal, since we weren’t eating out. This year, I definitely plan on trying some restaurants when I return from a short trip in August.

I normally keep a list of restaurants I want to try during the year and then map out a plan for the months of Miami Spice (August and September). Sometimes I go for dinner, sometimes for lunch, sometimes with friends, sometimes with family. You definitely need to check the miamispice.com website for what days/meals the restaurants are serving Miami Spice. Next up, check out the Miami Spice menus, because they vary in quality and excitement from restaurant to restaurant. Lastly, when you go, you may have to request a Miami Spice menu because, for some reason, they are frequently not handed out to diners.

This year there are 114 restaurants participating in Miami Spice, down from a high of more than 200 in the past. I’m fine with that, because the amount of restaurants some years was simply overwhelming! Prices have crept up as well, with lunch starting at $28 a person and $42 for dinner for a three-course meal. This, of course, doesn’t include drinks and there are often up-charges for some dishes. I don’t usually do the up-charges, since I think it defeats the purpose of Miami Spice.

Here are some restaurants I hope to try on Miami Spice this year.

• Cafe La Trova, Little Havana
• Le Zoo Restaurant, Bal Harbour
• Mignonette, Downtown Miami
• Planta Queen, Coconut Grove
• Pubbelly Sushi, Dadeland
• Public Square, Coral Gables
• Tur Kitchen, Coral Gables

Here are some restaurants that I’ve already tried for Miami Spice that I recommend.

• Bulla Gastrobar (different locations)
• The Bazaar by Jose Andres, South Beach
• Bourbon Steak, Aventura
• Fiola, Coral Gables
• Glass and Vine, Coconut Grove
• Jaguar Restaurant, Coconut Grove
• Scarpetta, Miami Beach
• Seasons 52, Coral Gables
• Tigertail + Mary, Coconut Grove
• Zucca Restaurant, Coral Gables

And here are some restaurants I want to try for Miami Spice that are on Miami Beach, which is a whole other category. My husband and I rarely go to Miami Beach- between the exorbitant parking, the side show of people strolling the streets and the hike from our home- it’s just not our jam. The one exception is in August and September, because a lot of the restaurants I want to check out for Miami Spice are located there. I guess that’s what Uber was invented for.

• Drunken Dragon, South Beach
• Orange Blossom, South Beach
• Pao by Paul Qui at Faena, Miami Beach
• Stiltsville Fish Bar, South Beach
• Stubborn Seed, South Beach
• Sweet Liberty, South Beach

If any of my faithful Foodie In Miami readers are interested in doing a Miami Spice, message me and let’s get our Spice on!

P.S. If you’re checking out Yelp reviews, I’ve written a lot (84) under Gina G. from my recent travels.

Up Next: A Life in Transition

This is bad news for me (and Oprah!) as I love bread in any form. Toasted rye is my drug of choice with my eggs in the morning and an English muffin is, of course, a requirement for Eggs Benedict. I like a Cafe Au Lait and a buttery croissant while I watch the French Open and a lovely scone with butter and jam lathered on, as I watch Wimbledon. What would Indian food be without the Na’an to sop up the sauces, or Middle Eastern without pita to spread Hummus and Baba Ganoush on? What are bagels without cream cheese, pulled pork without a Hawaiian Roll Bun or Thanksgiving without those little, buttery heat-n-serve Parker House rolls? And no Bar-B-Que would be complete for me without out a fat, buttery slice of Texas Toast. So, there we have it. My core is toast.

A couple weeks ago I had three birthday lunches in one week! Sacre Bleue!

My daughter A.J. took me to Fiola’s for a postponed Birthday lunch (my birthday is in November). I think Fiola’s is the perfect spot for a birthday lunch. They have indoor and outdoor seating, the decor is beautiful, presentation lovely and the service impeccable. Oh, and they have delicious bread (available on request). The bread comes served to you warm and deposited on your plate with tongs, by your waiter, along with a little plate of olive oil. The only thing missing is a small pinch of salt (which you can ask for) and it is heavenly. I actually liked the whole wheat bread better than the white (I had both); it was crusty on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside. Yum.

The reason I love Fiola’s for lunch is because they have a Prixe Fix menu for $29, which is a great deal. If you go you should get what I did, because it was molte bene! The Tuna Tartare as a starter (or the ceviche depending what is available), the Grilled Skirt Steak with olive oil mashed potatoes and grilled endive as an entree and the Tiramasu for dessert. If you tell them it’s a Birthday Lunch, they will give you a little card congratulating you and a free dessert (but it won’t be tiramasu).

The tuna tartar comes on a pretty glass plate, atop a bowl of crushed ice, with a green leaf peeking through. The chopped red tuna is topped with pickled red onions, a black garlic puree, fried shallots and microgreens, a perfect conglomeration of flavors and textures that prompted my daughter A.J. to ask:

Can I lick the plate?

A.J.

When I went for another birthday lunch, I’d ordered the chicken, but this time I went with the steak. It’s a 4 ounce grilled skirt steak (petite portion), that was perfectly cooked to medium rare and topped with chimichurri sauce; it’s served with silky mashed potatoes and grilled endives, that read like bone marrow when they arrive at the table. It was one of the best steaks I’ve ever eaten! A.J. got the Caesar Salad with Shrimp, which she enjoyed, but not as much as my steak, because let’s face it, a Caesar Salad is a Caesar Salad. The Branzino is also good, if you’re not into red meat, but if you are into red meat, get the steak.

I had tried many other desserts at Fiola’s, but never the tiramasu, as I feel it’s overdone at many restaurants. Silly me! It was the BEST tiramasu I’ve ever eaten, hands down. It arrives in a little white terrine, with a pretty chocolate wafer with Fiolas on it in gold. Dig in and it’s a liquid feast of a creamy coffee sauce and zabglione, until you hit the center of chocolate cake which lends some texture. On top of that is a scoop of chocolate gelato, melting into the rest of the tiramasu. Amazing and very rich- I could only eat half.

A.J. and I had a lovely time, but service is leisurely, so plan accordingly. Our lunch took an hour and a half, so she had to call Justin to pick up Wyatt from school. This is a lunch you want to enjoy and not rush.

The very next day I had lunch at Root and Bone in South Miami to celebrate my friend, and old tennis partner, Sherida’s birthday. There is free parking available on the side, which is a nice plus and inside and outside seating. We sat outside. I was first to arrive and asked the waiter what he recommended, something I usually do on the regular. I hate when a server says “Everything” because I think that’s just a lazy answer. To his credit, our waiter didn’t say that. He suggested the Lunch Plate Special of Fried Chicken & Waffles & Watermelon Salad ($16), the Brussel Sprouts and Farro Bowl ($14) or the Autumn Pear Salad ($14).

When Ellen and Sherida arrived we talked so much it took us a while to look at the menu. Sherida wanted the Fried Chicken, which is normally served Family Style with other sides, but that’s all she got.

I know it’s not good for you, but that’s what I want.

Sherida

But it was her birthday lunch, so go for it! Ellen is in Weight Watchers and used to be a WW Leader, so is always watching what she eats. I’m a Weight Watcher drop out who now just watches my weight rise. She couldn’t decide between the Brussel Sprout and Farro Bowl and the Autumn Pear Salad, so I suggested we get both and split it between the two of us, which is what we did.

Both were solid choices and Ellen said she would have a hard time picking between the two. The Brussel Sprouts and Farro Bowl, was less a bowl than an artistic arrangement of ingredients, all of which- charred cauliflower, brussel sprout leaves, roasted tomato, goat cheese and farro, were delicious. It came with a charred lemon slice and lemon vinaigrette on the side. I’m not sure if it was Weight Watcher-approved (it tasted a little greasy), but it was delicious.

The Autumn Pear Salad had watercress as its base; I feel watercress is an underutilized green and it’s delicious and healthy. It came with thin shavings of pickled pear, roasted corn kernels and spiced hazelnuts, but the kicker was the crunchy and golden sweet potato croquettes that topped it. They had a creamy, sweet interior and came with an aioli to dip them in; it took the salad from good to yes please! I felt the brown butter vinaigrette was a little too heavy for this salad, but overall, I really enjoyed it.

Our friend Ellen had gotten her second vaccine, so we were celebrating that, and life returning to normal in general (please God!), as well. I have known many people who have already gotten their vaccine. Good for them! If you have and want to celebrate, now you know where to go in Miami to toast to your health and enjoy good food. By the way, although I didn’t have them this time, the Angel Biscuits at Root and Bone are to die for!

Up Next: Easy Bar-B-Que Rub.