Popular Benh Mi, an underground Vietnamese pop-up, now has a brick-and- mortar location in the heart of Miami Beach inside the Esme Hotel. Benh Mi plays on Chef Benjamin Murray’s (ex Pao by Paul Qui and Azul at the Mandarin Oriental) name and the iconic Vietnamese sandwich, the Bánh Mi. The Bánh Mi is a sandwich created after the French were defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Vietnamese in the south were able to modify French dishes to include local ingredients like replacing butter with mayonnaise and cold cults with vegetables on a French baguette. With an expanded menu serving various homemade delicious Bánh Mi sandwiches, Asian-inspired salads, and snacks, Benh Mi is open lunch, dinner, and late-night dining and also offers takeout and delivery.

The restaurant’s Vietnamese coffee and tea program includes favorites like espresso-based drinks, drip coffee made from Vietnamese coffee beans, and introduces Vietnamese phin style coffee and other specialty coffee creations like a purple Ube Latte, using Japanese sweet potato. I tried a selection of their signature dishes which were uniformly delicious, starting with the savory and flavorful herb and roasted pork banh mi sandwich. Next up, the extra crunchy spicy chicken tenders were perfectly seasoned with the right amount of oomph and were extra crunchy as billed. It came with a choice of huzu kosho ranch, roasted banana ketchup or tamarind BBQ dipping sauces. The chicken was so delicious, I ate it without any sauce. For complementary flavors and tastes, order the green papaya salad, a riff on the traditional one, this made with mangos, green beans, and toasted peanuts. Benh Mi offers indoor and outdoor seating.

Benh Mi is located at 1436 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, just off  Española Way, and the location offers ample metered street parking right on Washington Avenue.

From November 5-14, Brugal 1888, a premium rum produced in the Dominican Republic, will host its second location for “La Ventanita” – a four-part Miami-area pop-up series – in the Aventura Mall. During daytime “cafecito runs” (12:00 – 3:00pm) guests can lounge among plush seating while enjoying Café Con Leche or Cafecito and pastelito selections by catering partner Dos Croquetas. Come happy hour (4:00pm – 9:00pm), La Ventanita will  transition into the Brugal 1888 Rum Bar, a sensory experience unveiling the magic behind the distillery to cocktail process and how 130 years of rum mastery translate into a unique spirit.

Guests can enjoy a variety of immersive experiences that bring the Dominican Republic to life in Aventura, including traditional Merengue dance lessons,  boozy Brugal 1888 infused ice cream in partnership with Aubi & Ramsa, guided rum tasting sessions with Brugal 1888 ambassadors, guest bartender evenings with top local bartenders, and branded dominos. This activation will make two additional stops in top neighborhoods through early 2022, including a pop-up during Art Basel week. Dates and exact locations will be announced in the coming weeks!

Guests receive a complimentary token for a coffee and pastelito during Cafecito Shop hours (1:00 – 3:00pm), or a token for a Brugal 1888 cocktail and pastelito during Rum Bar hours (4:00pm – 9:00pm). You just need to register and reserve at: https://www.brugal-rum.com/en-us/la-ventanita

I do lament the passing of the bread basket in many restaurants in the US, so am always pleased to hear when some not only maintain the tradition, but do well by it. At a recent dinner at the Prime Rib restaurant in South Philadelphia, we throughly enjoyed their basket with the tastiest olive and raisin breads, included in the price of the meal (they also split a single steak order in two, preparing half one way and half the other way — where do you find that!). Another favorite is the blue cheese croissant roll at the Grand Velas Riviera Maya. Some restaurants will tell you the absence of the bread basket is because of COVID, and others say it’s to cut costs. To address the latter, a friend told me about a good solution: one top restaurant in San Francisco gives the first basket free and charges $5 for refills. How do you feel about bread baskets?

Here’s a new restaurant with several notable distinctions: it’s in the historic Women’s Club in Edgewater and boasts the neighborhood’s first rooftop bar overlooking the Bay. Klaw, opening in November, is the  brainchild of Sasha Krilov and Misha Zelman, owner of Burger Lobster, Zelman Meats and more. Its menu features a beef and reef culinary experience  with King Crab coming from Norway and premium cuts of beef from Nebraska. It’s designed by  Martin Brudnizki, the team behind the designs for Soho House and The Surf Club in Miami.

Have you ever wished your fur-babies could enjoy a delicious meal with you? Well now they can at Jaguar Restaurant! Jaguar Restaurant and Top Dawg Treats have joined forces to bring you the first ever Paw menu! The delicious and healthy pet-approved menu, features tender churrasco with rice and beans and fresh wild caught salmon with rice and veggies.

 Both options are home-made and better yet, 100% organic! The menu is only available for outdoor seating at their  patio. While your dog is living the high life, you can enjoy one of their yummy Ceviches washed down with their  Signature Mezcaltini. 

A new outdoors farmers’ market is now offered on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. by the Town of Surfside. With COVID-19 guidelines enforced, visitors can safely shop for home decor, artisan items, apparel, handmade jewelry and baked goods, or fuel up on  fare from a plant-based vendor, healthy acai bowls and more. The Surfside Farmers Market is conveniently located across the street from the beach at 9500 Collins Avenue in Surfside. An added bonus, on the last Sunday of every month there’s live music. Let’s go and support them!