American Social Launches Their Social Spice

The other day I told you about a restaurant that was holding its very own spin on spice, and now I got another one for you. It's American Social, located at  690 SW 1st Court in Brickell.  American Social opened its latest location a little under a year ago (you may be familiar with the spot on Las Olas) and the place has become a nice hang out for cocktails and networking with colleagues or just catching up with friends. Situated on the water and sporting street art on its walls and columns, American Social has a nice view and ambiance that is relaxed, casual and trendy.

Priced at $34 per person, their Social Spice menu offers three different selections to choose from for both appetizer and entree, and one dessert. At first I was a bit disappointed that there was only one option for dessert, mainly because I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But more on that later....

The three selections you can pick from for the First Course are the Cuban Cigars, the Smoked Wahoo Fish Dip and the Pretzel Bites. We decided to go for the Cuban Cigars (how can you pass up a name like that?) and the Fish Dip. Both dishes were delicious. The Cuban Cigars were pretty much eggrolls stuffed with smoked ham, mojo roasted pork loin, Emmenthal swiss cheese, kosher pickles, carrot, and radish. They were served with a sweet pickled dijon dipping sauce. It was an interesting combination of ingredients that worked really well together.  The Smoked Wahoo Fish Dip was entirely addicting. My dining companion thought I didn't notice he was trying to distract me so he could dip while I talked. Nice try. Creamy and with a smoky fish taste, the house made dip made a great pairing with the carrot and cucumber; giving the appetizer a healthy boost.

Cuban Cigars

Smoked Wahoo Fish Dip

The Second Course options were Herb Roasted Chicken, Wild Caught Salmon and Bolognese. We chose the chicken and the pasta. Prepared with vin blanc, the herb roasted chicken was served over creamy polenta and topped with a ratatouille-like crown. Of the two however, my favorite was the Bolognese. I really enjoyed the flavorful Bucatini pasta, bathed in a bolognese sauce with ricotta and parmesan cheese, and mixed with a blend of ground brisket, short rib, chuck and wild boar. The dish was hearty and well put together.

Herb Roasted Chicken

Bolognese

I told you I'd get back to the dessert and here we are. You know I'm a chocoholic so when all I saw on the menu was a Wild Berry Cobbler I panicked a bit. I mean I like berries and I know there are plenty of chocolate free desserts out there that are amazing (I can probably dish out a list) but I usually like to pick. Well, I'm happy to report the cobbler was awesome. It was served warm, with a crisp streusel crust, raw brown sugar and seasonal wild berries. The treat was topped with vanilla ice-cream, and after a few spoonfuls, I wasn't scared anymore.  My adventure with American Social's Social Menu ended just like it started... on a sweet note.

Wild Berry Cobbler

For more information on American Social or their Social Menu, visit them online or call them at 305-570-4468.

Miami Spice 2015 - 15th & Vine at The Viceroy

My next Miami Spice adventure happened somewhere up above, a room with a view, if you will - and I was sitting at the perfect table according to Evan Benn from The Miami Herald. I sat at Table 62 at 15th & Vine in The Viceroy Hotel in Brickell and the experience turned out to be a multisensory one. Overlooking Biscayne Bay and the hotel's pool and patio, you can momentarily lose yourself in this place, both through your eyes and through your taste buds. The Viceroy Hotel is located at 485 Brickell Avenue,

View from Table 62

15th & Vine

Potato Gnocchi
Char Siu Braissed Pork,
Roasted Corn, Mushroom,
Green Onion

Summer Salad
Broccoli Rabe, Cauliflower,
Radicchio, Caramelized
Fennel, Potato and
Mustard Vinaigrette

The Miami Spice menu at 15th & Vine has a lot of options to choose from. For starters, you can pick from seven different appetizers, including an Heirloom Tomato Flatbread, Potato Gnocchi, Pulpo (Octopus) Salad, Summer Salad and Beet Cured Salmon. We sampled these dishes and I can tell you they are served in very generous portions. Of the five we tasted, my favorite were the Octopus Salad, (which was unbelievably tender and flavorful) and the Heirloom Tomato Flatbread. The flatbread was crispy, and I enjoyed the taste of the Buffalo Mozzarella combined with the Fava Bean Pesto. The other dishes were very original and interesting as well, and I would recommend that if there are several in your party, you each order a different one. It's a lot funner to sample them all since 15th & Vine has really outdone itself in providing variety to the menu.

Beet Cured Salmon Crudo
Summer Vegetable Ceviche

Heirloom Tomato Flatbread
Buffalo Mozzarella, Fava Bean Pesto

Pulpo Salad
Potato Confit, Mandarin Orange, Romesco,
Mustard Vinaigrette

The entrees are just as fantastic, with several options beckoning the palate. For example, the Cauliflower Risotto, prepared with roasted corn, pinenuts and broccoli rabe is wonderfully creamy and light.  The BBQ Pork Loin, served with sweet plantains, smoked rhubarb and gremolata is surprisingly moist and and tender. My top entree, however, was the Korean BBQ Braised Short Rib. This dish was spectacular and totally blew me away. The short rib practically melted in my mouth, and I loved rubbing it over the diakkon carrot puree, wasabi bone marrow and sugar peas.

Cauliflower Risotto

BBQ Pork Loin

Korean BBQ Braised Short Rib

Fried Apple Pie

S'mores Tart

Dessert offers three different options to satisfy your sweet tooth, and depending on your preference, you'll be happy with any of them. The Fried Apple Pie is the most traditional choice, served with a sour caramel sauce. The S'more Tart is a winner, if you love that sweet, tangy taste (which of course, I do). It's a roller coaster ride of passion fruit, bourbon vanilla or salted caramel mellow. And then there's my decadent pick: the Turtle Cheesecake.  My dining companion isn't usually into desserts (unlike me) and he couldn't put down the spoon. No, I wasn't happy. As a matter of fact, I was spooning faster than I could swallow to make sure he didn't eat it all. The cheesecake was refreshing, and had a nutty texture of candied pecans and Nutella crumble.

Turtle Cheesecake

So there you have it. Another Miami Spice adventure I highly recommend. We're halfway through August and there's so much to eat. Be sure to add 15th & Vine to your list. For more information, visit their website or call them at 305-307-5413.

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The River Oyster Bar in Brickell

Even though Miami Spice is the mantra most of Miami's foodies are chanting now,  I like to sneak in a full menu review in the mix as well. After all, sometimes a girl has got to weigh all her options and play the field, right? Wait..I'm straying away from the food...Focus Maria Focus.

Anyway, I had been in the mood for some oysters for a while, so I decided to venture out to Brickell and visit one of the best places to find the freshest ones: The River Oyster Bar, located at 650 South Miami Avenue. The River has been around for a while, over 10 years to be exact, and it has seen many changes take place in the booming neighborhood. If you're familiar with the area, then you know it has been going through extensive construction and alterations, which made the future of this popular restaurant a bit uncertain. There was talk of it moving to a different building, rumors it would be adjacent to the Miami River, and everyone wondered what was going to happen to The River.

There is always an awesome selection of fresh oysters
to choose from

Well, as fate would have it, David Bracha, The River's chef/owner, and his partners, kept the restaurant going amidst all the surrounding turbulence, and the most recent development is that they are going to stay right where they are for at least another three years. That is great news for The River's fans and all those who see the neighborhood spot as a home away from home.

Photo courtesy of The River Oyster Bar

Not only are they staying, but they are completely remodeling the place and adding some new dishes to the already exciting menu. Some of these dishes will be signature favorites from Bracha's sister restaurant, Oak Tavern, which recently closed. So of course, to celebrate, I put on some heels and headed over to The River to quench my craving for oysters and a few other things. To start, some of the treats we gave our tastebuds (besides the oysters) were the Crab Cake, covered in horseradish aioli and corn salad and the Tuna Poke. What can I tell you about the tuna poke? The fact I didn't speak to my dining companion for a few minutes while I tasted, chewed and swallowed, was telling enough. It was prepared with seaweed, avocado and then bathed in sweet soy. Fantastic.

Crab Cake

Tuna Poke

We also decided to share the Crispy Skin Snapper Filet, which sounded very interesting. The fish was served with an avocado-tomato salad and plantain chips. It was colorful, light and integrated a nice mix of flavors at once. As I was getting ready to put the menu down, one of the side dishes  jumped out at me, so I figured what the heck? There's always the gym tomorrow. It was the Fried Crab Brown Rice, and our server, who was extremely helpful and quite handsome too, said it was one of his favorites. That's all I needed to hear. Bring on the carbs.... I didn't regret it though. It was that good.

Crispy Skin Snapper Filet

Fried Crab Brown Rice

You didn't think I was going to finish this adventure without having dessert, did you? We went two different routes. We ordered their Cheese Platter and their Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake. The Cheese Platter was nice, consisting of some bread, sweet fixings and a generous portion of queso. But it was the Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake, another recommendation from our cute waiter, that was insane. It was one of those experiences that brings a smile to your face and stays with you, even as you wake up the following morning. You know what I'm talking about right? You have to order it when you come here. You'll remember me when you smile.

Cheese Platter

Sticky Toffee

For more information on The River Oyster Bar, or to make reservations, visit their website, or call them at 305-530-1915.

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Kegs & Eggs Brunch at Brother Jimmy's BBQ

Can you think of a word that rhymes with "eggs"? How about "kegs"? I bet you're thinking that's an unlikely pair but in fact, the twosome make for quite a memorable brunch. I was recently invited to a chillaxing get together hosted by Miami's favorite fashion blogger, Rosie Cordero, at Brother Jimmy's Barbeque in the Mary Brickell Village. While I've put some south in my mouth a few times before, I'd never tried their relatively new Kegs and Eggs Brunch, happening at the BBQ haven every Saturday and Sunday from 12:00-3:00 pm.

Brunching with the ladies

They weren't kidding when
they said Unlimited Mimosas

Getting the party started with
BJ's famous corn bread

Imagine unlimited mimosas and yes - beer, along with some southern, down-home brunch favorites. I had a hard time choosing from the menu because, let's face it, how do you reasonably pick between Chicken and Waffles and Carolina Benedict? That's like having to pick a favorite between two of your own children. So we decided to put the age-old quote to use and practice the "sharing is caring" philosophy; all the while sipping on our bottomless mimosas which never stopped flowing.

Chicken and Waffles

Carolina Benedict

While we waited for the feast to begin, we munched on Brother Jimmy's famous corn bread and maple butter. The pieces practically dissolve in your mouth so make sure you set a limit for yourself because once you start, it will be hard to stop. The first entree we sampled was The Chicken and Waffles. The plate featured a colorful delight of homemade belgium waffles topped with bits of hickory smoked bacon with red, plump strawberries alternating between boneless pieces of fried chicken. The ensemble was drizzled with their very own Bourbon BBQ maple syrup. Ta da! Next, we bit into the Carolina Benedict. This BJ version of the popular brunch dish was prepared starting with two pieces of their signature corn bread, and then topped with flavorful and smoky pulled pork, 2 poached eggs, and chipotle BBQ hollandaise sauce. It was served with their famous home fries and some fruit. I"ll tell you this one rocked my world.

A shot of bourbon infused with bananas? Yes please!

Home Fries

Stuffed French Toast

Because the home fries were so finger-licking good, I ordered an extra side. I mean this whole sharing thing can be a bit overrated when you want hands off your favorites. Which brings me to another awesome brunch pick at Brother Jimmy's: The Stuffed French Toast. Picture thick slices of Challah bread stuffed with peanut butter and raspberry preserves, then dipped in a sweet batter and topped with confectionary sugar. On the side? Some fruit and warm maple syrup.

Bloody Mary

Just when I thought I couldn't ingest anymore, liquid or solid, I overheard some talk about their Bloody Mary. I had hit the ball and run the bases but it was time to take it home. I have to be thorough for you guys, right? Down went the refreshing concoction. It was perfect with just the right amount of kick to keep the blood flowing and the tongue happy.  In case you're wondering how much the brunch costs, it is $29.99 for unlimited mimosas and beer plus one entree. If you haven't tried the Kegs and Eggs at Brother Jimmy's BBQ, you should definitely give it a shot, or two, or three.

For more information, you can visit them online at http://www.brotherjimmys.com/ or call them at 786-360-3650.

Toscana Divino - Miami Spice

So you know how when you're watching the Super Bowl and they put Coca Cola commercials, you suddenly get thirsty and want to grab a bottle? Well, recently I was at Channel 10 at the filming of a live segment they've been doing on the Sunday morning news, featuring restaurants who are participating in the Miami Spice promotion. I was watching Executive Chef Julian Baker from Toscana Divino, located at 900 South Miami Avenue in the Mary Brickell Village, cook up one of the dishes the restaurant is offering during this foodie time of the year.  Not only that, but besides the tender, flaky Mediterranean fish Chef Julian was grilling, there were also a mirage of dishes sitting on the set that are also part of the Miami Spice menu. It isn't difficult to see why after smelling the enticing aroma that filled Local 10's studio, and mildly drooling at the sight of these dishes, I headed over to Toscana Divino (more like ran) to get a taste for myself. By the way, here's a look at Chef Julian with during the live taping of the segment.

Chef Julian Baker with Todd Tongen and Neki Mohan

I first noticed Toscana Divino's Miami Spice menu when I was researching which restaurants I wanted to check out during August and September. After enjoying a most scrumptious brunch there, I was curious as to what delights they offered for dinner. The menu itself sounded fascinating, with an interesting array of choices and ingredient combinations I definitely wanted to try. Seriously impressed with the quality of their food, inviting ambiance and dedicated service, the excitement grew. But let me recap their Miami Spice menu for you just to give you an idea:

Appetizers:

Antipasto for the Table

Pistacchio Mortadella with Focaccia

or

Insalata di Granchio

Pacific Stone Crab, Soy Chili Dressing, Asian Pear, Pickled Mustard Seed Aioli

or

Acqua Cotta

Tomato, Onion and Celery Broth, Organic Poached Egg

Behold the Insalata di Granchio. This is one dish that you'll want to have over and over again. I loved the way Chef Julian played with the sweet and succulent flavor of the Pacific Stone Crab and enhanced it with the saltiness of the Soy Chili Dressing. Then, out of nowhere, tickled our palate by enveloping the meat with a  juicy, sweet Asian pear. Genius!

  
Entrees:



Tagliatelle Ai Funghi

Housemade Tagliatelle, field mushrooms, nepitella, butter and parmesan

or

Tortelli Burro E Salvia

Bufala Ricotta Cheese and Spinach Filled Tortelli, Sage Butter Sauce

or

Orata

Grilled Seabream with Capers and Parsley Oily

or

Guanciale Di Vitello

Braised Veal Cheek, Celery Root Puree, Beer Braised Onion, Hazelnut

The Tortelli Burro E Salvia is a must! It's the best I've had in everything from the texture to the taste. Filled with creamy Bufala Ricotta Cheese and Spinach, it practically melted in my mouth. The rich and savory Sage Butter Sauce added a nutty finish to the creation.

Dessert:

Torta Di Pistacchio

Pistacchio Olive Oil Polenta Cake, Raspberry
or

Affogato Al Café

Coffee ice-cream, amaretto biscuit, espresso, vanilla whipped cream

I "drowned" in pleasure with the Affogato al Cafe; my love for Toscana Divino eternally sealed. The sweet, refreshing treat with a delizioso kick is an Italian dream come true.

One of my top picks for 2013, Toscana Divino has outdone themselves with this Miami Spice menu. And it doesn't stop there. Come for Miami Spice, and then return for their regular menu. It's solid! I'll just leave you with some food porn of a few of my other faves from both the Miami Spice and the regular menu. For more information, visit their website at http://www.toscanadivino.com/index.php or call 305-371-2767.

Ceviche di Gamberi Rossi Toscana

Carpaccio di Branzino

                            

Maltagliati Ai Frutti di Mare (Available in Miami Spice Lunch Menu)

                           

Tiramisu

OR                                            

Torta di Pistacchio

Semifreddo