Vayanse Para El Carajo for Brunch

No I'm not mad and yes I love you guys. That's why I'm sharing a great brunch spot with you. Raise your hand if you have ever had an amazing brunch, or any other meal for that matter, at a gas station? I bet most arms are down. I'm not talking about Diet Soda, mystery meat sandwiches or Ho Hos here. I'm talking upscale, Spanish food paired with fine wines. Well, over on 2465 SW 17 Avenue, there is a BP Station and hidden inside what is supposed to be a Food Mart, is El Carajo, a tapas and wine restaurant and its sister bakery. But don't let the exterior fool you. Once you step inside, you will experience what is generally known as the "El Carajo Factor", and you won't soon forget it. I know I'm still baffled by it, and I can only equate it to stepping into a culinary Twilight Zone where you momentarily escape the hustle and bustle of Miami and enter a quaint tapas bar in Spain.

Imagine stepping into this the next you go pump gas

This is not your ordinary Food Mart

The first time I ever went to El Carajo was many years ago when they were located on 57th Avenue. It was nice, and we had a great time "tapeando" with friends over wine. But then I heard the spot had moved to a gas station on 17th Avenue. Mind you, I wasn't overly excited about going to eat at a gas station, so time continued to pass before I returned and as I drove by there, I always wondered where it was, and how it looked inside. Seriously, from the outside, you can't even imagine what you are about to see when you go in.

No…Ashton Kutcher is not jumping out and you're not being punked.

Next time someone sends me Pa' El Carajo.. I'm coming here

So, once they launched their new Brunch service, I decided to take the plunge. I drove there, filled my tank with gas once I got to the station, and then walked in very cautiously (I Periscoped my adventure, by the way, so make sure you're following me on Periscope if you missed it) Anyway, the first thing I saw ( and smelled) was their bakery. It is situated right at the front and to the right, and you automatically know that you are not in Kansas anymore, Toto. But it is what your senses behold when you walk a few steps more that makes your jaw drop. Imagine a beautifully decorated, elegant restaurant, complete with a wine room and a bar, just waiting there to be discovered. I was floored. Literally, I was wearing new heels and I almost fell. But read on my friends.

Mimosa

We started with a Mimosa and took a look at their brunch menu. The El Carajo team obviously took great care in selecting a nice variety of dishes, both tapas and main plates, to offer during brunch. We decided to select a few of our Spanish favorites and began with their Huevos Estrellados and Croquetas Sazonadas. You can choose from either cod, ham, chicken, chorizo or bacon croquettes, and they are served with their homemade cilantro aioli, which is lick-the-spoon worthy. We went for their ham and codfish croquetas and they were mmm mmm good. I find that the traditional Spanish Huevos Estrellados dish (or Huevos Rotos as it is called in other places), is prepared differently everywhere. The meat that comes with it varies, as does the way the potatoes are cooked.  El Carajo's version is very flavorful; the eggs are served over grilled chorizo, and mixed with red onions and brunch potatoes. The whole delight is then drizzled with olive oil.

Huevos Estrellados

Ham and Codfish Croquettes

Next we tried an interesting tapa I always enjoy when I embark on Spanish adventures.  It's the Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates. I love the combination of the sweet dates with the salty, smoked bacon. Their version includes Spanish chorizo and it is fried to perfection. I couldn't come here and not sample a Spanish rice so we ordered the Arroz Temprano, an original recipe created by their team, consisting of Valencia rice, infused with… you guessed it, chorizo, mushrooms, and eggs, then seasoned with olive oil, peppers and onions. It was simple yet tasted amazing.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Arroz Temprano

I told you they have a bakery at El Carajo, where they sell some pretty memorable macarons, but what left me begging for more were their Torrejas. Their Spanish style French toast took my breath away, and we drenched them in maple syrup shamelessly. Oh, if you like Crepes, they serve fresh ones, filled with strawberries, bananas and your favorite and mine.. Nutella.

Torrejas

If you haven't been to El Carajo and experienced this hidden gem inside a humble gas station, then you need to hurry and change that. Now that they serve brunch, you have even more of an incentive. For more information, visit their website or call them at 305 856-2424.

Miami Spice 2015 - Swine Southern Table & Bar

I'm sure you'll agree that nothing beats the smell of smoky, heartwarming BBQ. And I'm also sure that is exactly what you think about every time you walk down Ponce in Coral Gables. If you don't know what I'm referring to and you reside in Miami, you just haven't lived. Let me break it down for you. My next Miami Spice adventure happened at Swine Southern Table & Bar, located at 2415 Ponce de Leon Boulevard.

I'm sure I don't need to give you much of an introduction to this place. It is the sister restaurant of Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in Miami Beach, and one of the popular eateries owned and operated by 50 Eggs Inc., Miami's very famous multifaceted, culinary and hospitality firm. But most people know Swine as that awesome BBQ place in the Gables that makes the whole street smell so good.

Swine's Miami Spice Menu

We ventured out here on a Thursday night eager to see what goodies awaited us on their Miami Spice menu. While the menu itself isn't huge, the portions are. Perhaps huge is an understatement. I'm talking leftovers for a couple of days. And not just food that you put away in the fridge and forget about, but leftovers that you are looking forward to coming home to the next day.

I started my evening sipping their Homestead Bound, a sweet concoction made with Absolut vodka, Veev acai, fresh strawberres, orange, lemon, mint and basil. Of course, this is not part of the Miami Spice menu but who comes to Swine and doesn't have one of their famous cocktails?

The menu itself consists of a choice from three appetizers, three entrees and one dessert. You might be thinking, just one dessert? Yes, but sometimes one is enough; especially when it is called Death By Chocolate. But back to the starters. We ordered the Fried Green Tomato and the 1855 Black Angus Burnt Ends, and suddenly I was back in my last road trip vacation through the deep south. The Fried Green Tomato was topped with a robust Winter Park Florida tomme, pea shoots and a delicious tomato chow chow relish. However, it was the Golden Nuggets of the South, or the Burnt Ends, that totally blew me away. These flavorful, juicy pieces of meat were drizzled in their ever famous Swine barbecue sauce and served with spiced corn nuts and a creamy cornbread foam. All I can say is that it's one of those things you have to experience at least once in a lifetime.

Fried Green Tomato

1855 Black Angus Burnt Ends

On to the entrees. We decided to try the Backyard BBQ Chicken and the Low & Slow Ribs. When our server brought the dishes to the table,  my jaw dropped. The ribs in particular were stacked at three levels. I couldn't wait to stick my teeth into them. They were mopped in an apple cider vinegar,  which kept the meat moist and falling off the bone, and seasoned with a mild competition rub. I also enjoyed the homemade pickles served with the ribs. The chicken was slow smoked and grilled, and coated with the same Swine BBQ sauce. It was served with charred okra and roasted marble potatoes.

Low & Slow Ribs

Backyard BBQ Chicken

Remember the Death By Chocolate I told you about? Well this is just about the moment in time we succumbed to the sweet, pleasurable finale. Let me just list the ingredients and you'll understand what I mean: a glass filled with a rich chocolate brownie, creamy chocolate pudding, crunchy cocoa puffs, smooth chocolate ice cream, and a decadent chocolate sauce. Do you see a pattern here?

Death By Chocolate

It's pretty obvious Swine Southern Table & Bar is a must-do for Miami Spice. It's got incredible, quality food and portions to match. For more information, visit their website or call them at 786-360-6433.

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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Miami Spice 2015 BLT Steak at The Betsy Hotel

I've been sharing great #MiamiSpice dinner spots with you but I haven't shared any lunch spots. That's about to change. Put on your sun dress, head over to The Betsy Hotel, located at 1440 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach and get ready to be spiced at BLT Steak. In case you didn't know, BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel (not bacon, lettuce, tomato), named after its renowned French chef and owner. Chef Tourondel also owns a slew of other restaurants throughout the country, has received numerous awards and has published three cookbooks.

Photo courtesy of The Betsy Hotel

I'll start by saying this place is spot on. BLT Steak was voted as "Miami's Best Steakhouse" in 2014 by the Miami New Times and has received accolades from both local and international travelers alike. Just think, for only $23, you can get your lunch groove on at BLT Steak during Miami Spice, and then go stroll up and down Ocean Drive.

Photo Courtesy of The Betsy Hotel

Anyway, even though I just experienced my Miami Spice adventure at BLT Steak, I'm already planning a return trip for dinner, the spa, a romantic rendezvous, who knows? Their lunch menu was great but I think it was the experience as a whole that sealed the deal for me. First of all, whether you're coming during this promotion, or any time for that matter, you are going to be treated to a few things that make a difference. Before you begin your dining experience, a board with a couple of huge Gruyere Popovers is going to be placed in front of you, filling your soul with a fresh-baked scent that will cause you to momentarily begin to drool. Make no mistake, it will happen. The homemade, flaky, warm bread will be served with soft butter and its very own recipe. You'll want to eat it all but it is my duty to advice you not to. There is plenty more delicious food coming and trust me, they taste just as good the following day. As if that wasn't enough, BLT Steak continues to pamper you by bringing out a complimentary jar of Chicken Liver Mousse, served with sliced bread and pickled vegetables (dinner only). It is insanely good, but again I warn you...pace yourself. You will not want to stop eating it once you start.

Gruyere Popovers

Chicken Liver Mousse

All this and we haven't even begun talking about the actual three courses of the Miami Spice Lunch Blackboard. Here we go.... There were two appetizers to choose from on the menu and we tried both: the Roasted Peach Salad and the Porkbelly Katsu Sushi Roll.  Both of these selections were fresh and flavorful, and a great way to begin the food journey. The salad consisted of fennel, stracciatela, crispy couscous and juicy peach drizzled with a citrusy peach vinaigrette. If I had to describe a taste of summer, this would be it. It offered me the sweet and salty fix I always love in dishes. The porkbelly roll was original and detonated a flavor explosion in each bite. The unagi, cabbage and serrano pepper topped with the mind-blowing porkbelly, created a symphony for the senses, while the creamy kewpie added the finishing touch to the roll.

Roasted Peach Salad

Porkbelly Katsu Sushi Roll

The entrees were just as intense despite this menu being offered midday. We sampled the Pan Roasted Stone Bass, served with marinated tomato escabeche and guacamole, over a citrus emulsion and the CAB Prime Brisket Panini.  The bass was so tender and buttery, it practically dissolved instantaneously in my mouth. I loved it. And the guac..oh the guac. I wasn't expecting that outstanding taste when I scooped it up with the fork and it made quite an impression. The Panini was also something to savor. Well seasoned brisket and bergenost cheese, came together with honey mustard nappa cabbage slaw and rested in between two toasty breads. It was perfect. This dish was served with seasoned fries and I confess, I licked my finger a few times when my dining companion wasn't looking.

Pan Roasted Stone Bass

CAB Prime Brisket Panini

Next up was dessert and there were two on the blackboard lunch menu: the Strawberry-Valrhona Chocolate Mousse Cake and the Coconut Lime Cheesecake. They were both decadent but being the chocolate lover that I am, my favorite was the mousse cake. I especially loved the strawberry jelly and merengue kisses on top. Now I've probably told you before that I'm not a fan of coconut but the taste of coconut in their cheesecake was so subtle, I was spooning it in more ways than one. It may have been the mango compote or the brown butter tuile but something in that recipe was calling out to me.

Strawberry-Valrhona Chocolate Mousse Cake

Coconut Lime Cheesecake

It seems BLT Steak just loves to present its guests with complimentary treats and dessert was no exception. At the end of our meal, our server brought out a basket of rich, soft Madeleines and we went to town. There's always room for... even more dessert.

Complimentary Madeleines

So there you have it. If you're planning to do a Miami Spice lunch, this is the place to go. For more information on BLT Steak visit their website or call them at 305-673-0044.