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Category: Food

The Hot Restaurant in Town

One of the “hottest” new restaurants in town is undeniably La Petite Maison. I’ve gone there twice for dinner on a Monday night and each time it was not only full, but they were turning over the tables twice in many cases. It was a monied crowd ( “older” money by Miami standards, as opposed to new money). I saw executives in financial services, lawyers, board members of art museums – you get the picture. And the first time when I was seated in a corner round table with a well starched, immaculate tablecloth illuminated by candlelight and surrounded by works of art, I had a flashback to the glamour days of New York in the 80’s, albeit with patrons dressed more casually as we do here circa 2017.
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High Marks for Byblos

Byblos has one of the most exciting menus I’ve seen in Miami in awhile. The restaurant is named for the Lebanese city that was a crossroads of the Middle East and varied civilizations over centuries. So think Eastern Mediterranean including Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Spain and Greece – its foods, wines and even teas. When we sat down to dinner in the upper level of two stories, a residential like ambiance with 17 foot high ceilings and fabric covered art panels of the Minoans, we could smell the Turkish barberi bread baking from the stone oven. Whatever we ate was uniformly delicious, unusually seasoned, yet with the right touch, and had us craving more. Not surprising that with food like this, the restaurant is a success in its two other locales — Toronto and Dubai — and more outposts on the way.
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Tropical Brunch/Roast Duck+Dumplings/Italian Food Hall

This month's Eating News brings news of the annual foodie tropical brunch of Les Dames d'Escoffier on April 30, a new find for take out peking duck and super delish fried dumplings, and an update on the three story Italian food hall due to open in Brickell City Centre.
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O Munaciello, Fave Neighborhood Pick

I’m often asked where to go for a casual bite with family or a group of friends, a place that’s reasonable and where you eat well,. Pizzerias often qualify, though they often lack style, and the other menu items are just ok. ‘O Munaciello 6425 Biscayne Blvd., in the heart of the MiMo District is my latest place to enthusiastically recommend. Not surprisingly, it’s from Florence -- a leading pizzeria and full menu restaurant import. To add a special twist, the pizza master hails from a long line of Neopolitan restaurateurs and pizza makers, and the chef is from Genoa. And, as you’d expect from Italy, the place is casual and attractive.
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Saffron Supper Club

Lifestyle experiences in travel, food, drinking – you name it, are a major trend. Dining experiences have been around for around five years, some “underground”, such as Cobaya where the venue is a surprise, others that revolve around visiting “name” chefs, and still others with a theme like “Diner en Blanc” where guests dress in white, the décor is white, and you bring a picnic. The latest one on the scene in Miami is the Saffron Supper Club with several novel twists – it explores the food and culture of Persia and the Middle East and there’s a cultural component such as poetry, music, performance or storytelling. There are two dinners coming up in April, so you can give the club a try soon.
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Eating News – Part 2

Eating News, Part 2 has a deserved revisit (new menu, checking out top menu items missed last time) to Izzy's Fish & Oyster House, April 5 a night not to be missed for serious gourmets and wine lovers at Pied a Terre, a new Italian restaurant in Coral Gables landmark hotel St.Michel and a new place for coffee near the Tower Theater. Click here for Part 1.
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Tacology

The popularity of tacos in the US is truly a phenomenon. I’d go so far as to say they have taken the place alongside burgers and pizza as America’s favorite comfort foods, elbowing out fried chicken in the top three spots. Most taco places though are not places you want to linger – they are pretty basic in the décor and “experience” departments. Not so with new entry Tacology in Brickell City Center Centre, close to the soon to open Cinemax. We went there on a Wednesday night and the 205 seat restaurant was packed, and diners were loving it. Think modern street market with colorful painted plank tables and floors and high ceilings with self-contained sections for tacos, ceviche, desserts and a bar. It's well worth a visit -- delicious food, buzzy, and fun.
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Eating News March – Part 1

Eating news this month features new restaurants to watch for, great ladies' night deal, new Greek dining options, dining promo at always delicious spot SUGARCANE, and last but certainly not least, a review of new Brickell eatery and entertainment spot, Level 1 Miami. Part 1 in a two part series.
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Quality Meats Miami: a Relook

Quality Meats Miami is one of my preferred places for a special occasion. As you know, when the top chef changes, it could be a bad thing or a good thing, even when a restaurant is part of a leading management group which tends to have more quality control than independents. So when I got word about a new Executive Chef Daniel Ganem on the scene, off I went to the Miami Beach steakhouse to check it out. For Ganem, this new position represents a return to his Miami roots where he has worked at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, BLT Steak, Bourbon Steak and Aqua.
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Mykonos’ Finest, One Day Only, March 12

Been wanting to go to Mykonos to check out the legendary party scene, globally renowned DJs, and the new post modern Greek cuisine? Here's your chance -- for one day only, brunch and dinner, on March 12.
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