The dining beat totally goes on in June with a new Bad Bunny happy hour, Grilling Dinner to get ready for July 4, Mexican favorite Tacology new menu,  and reopening of the “new” icon Hoy Como Ayer in Little Havana. And there’s more! Click here for part 2 of Eating News.

There are a lot more reasons to go to the Happy Hour at Gekkō besides the fact that one of the owners is Bad Bunny and some of the lounge music in the attractive bars is his. After receiving an invitation that was a WOW DIY cocktail kit complete with social media tools and playlist, we made it over there and tried the daily happy hour which is in a part of the bar of the Japanese inspired steakhouse on Brickell Avenue.

The HH offers good value considering the quality, like $12 cocktails, wines and sake for $10; beers and hard seltzers for $6; and a selection of 12 light bites for $10 to $14, with one option of Yakiniku sliders for $16. Everything we ate was really delicious, starting with a dish I’d like for lunch everyday: veggie maki. Instead of rice, everything in the roll is of vegetables, cucumber, kampyo and avocado.

The shishito peppers were crispy and had a welcome kick. We enjoyed the salmon truffle handroll with ponzu, delicate and very fresh. The star besides Bad Bunny and the veggie maki was the salt and pepper calamari with pickled fresno. The calamari was so crisply fried it tasted almost like tempura, the inside was the right amount of chewy, and the seasoning was a little piquant, perfectly so. The setting is small and intimate, kind of Asian modern, with Japanese motif wallpaper, pastel colored bamboo lighting fixtures, and strategically placed tubes of magenta fluorescent lighting. Service was friendly and professional. Stay tuned for an upcoming review of the Gekkō steakhouse. Gekkō , 8 SE 8^thStreet, Miami.

Tacology in Brickell City Centre has always been ahead of most of the Mexican restaurants in Miami with its riffs on traditional Mexican fare along with renditions of classics. I like the décor, too.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 buzzy, and fun.

The reason for a return visit to Tacology was the introduction of new dishes which caught my eye. Off we went to first try the enchiladas suizas, rolled tortillas filled with chicken and topped with green tatemada sauce adding just the right amount of spice, together with Mexican cream and gratinated cheese. My friend and I agreed they were really tasty.

Then we tried the “To Share Al Grill” dishes, a meal in one made for sharing. It was a tough choice given how much I like ribeye, to pass up the 16 ounce charcoal grilled ribeye with cambray onion, jalapenos, Mexican chimichurri and corn tortillas, but we opted for the charcoal grilled whole snapper as soon as we heard we could use it to make our own fish tacos.  We were served a whole fish that had been deboned and fileted along with talla dry chili sauce, paired with a green salad, French fries, and corn tortillas.

And make our own fish tacos we did. To accompany them we got some guacamole and asked for pico de gallo to make the filling. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Next time at Tacology I’d like to try the camarones chipotle, pan-seared shrimp cooked with garlic and butter, served in a rich chipotle cream sauce, and paired with spring rice and an arugula salad. Finishing up the meal was another new entry that I never pass up –churros. This Mexican version is accompanied by cajeta, their version of dulce de leche made with goat’s milk which is a little less sweet. Portions are a good size and service is quick and friendly. You can choose to order from an ipad or with a waiter.

Hoy Como Ayer, the iconic live music venue for Latin music in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood for over 25 years, will reopen its doors after a five-year hiatus to locals and visitors under new management on Thursday, June 27.

The musical haven has now expanded to encompass 4,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor spaces and undergone a major renovation with a 65-seat bar, and a 140-seat wine bar offering an extensive selection of wines within a cozy, living room-like setting.

Guests can also enjoy a full bar menu, including bottle service and specialty cocktails  and a bites menu, showcasing an eclectic fusion of Chino-Latino delicacies. Later this summer, the venue will host a rotating lineup of local food trucks including Ted’s Burgers, PizzElla Miami Neapolitan Pizza, and Mr Tacos,  offering a variety of  bites to indulge in while enjoying the live performances.

Hoy Como Ayer, historically known for hosting  talents such as Willy Chirino, Amaury Gutiérrez, Luis Bofill and the Spam Allstars, has partnered with Conecta Miami Arts, a multi-disciplinary arts organization dedicated to producing and presenting socially engaged artistic experiences for the public, to arrange its weekly lineup of live bands and musicians, bringing the vibrant sounds of salsa, son, merengue, and more back to the stage. The venue will also feature  resident DJs, including the Grammy-nominated producer, musician, and DJ extraordinaire, Mr. Pauer.

Hoy Como Ayer will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., inviting guests to immerse themselves in the vibrant rhythms of Little Havana. For reservations and further details, visit www.hoycomoayer.miami . Hoy Como Ayer is located at 2212 SW 8th Street.

Miami Food and Wine Writer & Biscayne Times Restaurant Reviewer, Irene Moore, is co-hosting a 4TH OF JULY  BBQ Grilling Dinner with Meat N’ Bone in Coral Gables.

GRILLING TIPS & BEST MEAT CUTS FOR YOUR JULY 4TH GRILLING PARTY

This 4th of July Grilling Party Dinner is a taste of things to come for the 4th of July Weekend! While you enjoy this immersive, educational dinner experience with Meat N’ Bone’s top Grill Masters, you will learn the best cuts of meat to buy (they have over 400 top tier cuts and products), and the best grilling techniques for your own 4th of July Grilling Party!

Savor a meal of Meat n’ Bone’s best meat products while you listen to the Masters of the Grill’s techniques on how to prepare them.

Meat N’ Bone is a purveyor of premium quality meats for the consumer market. They feature products from the best suppliers in the world, offering the customer the best beef, poultry, pork, and fish. Every product they offer has been curated by an expert team and meets the highest standards for quality.

Date: June 27

Time: 7:00  PM

Price: $150pp + tax. Service charge and wine is included in the price.

Location: Undisclosed Wine Bar, 2207 Coral Way. Miami FL 33145, a boutique wine shop

RSVP: irenemoore305@gmail.com

Menu:
Steak Hot Dog Bites
Caveman Style Heritage Pork Spare Rib
Benton’s Bacon Grilled Wedge Salad
Wood Roasted Midwestern Bone-In Prime Rib (G1 Certified)
Al Trapo Roots
Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie
Grayson Cellars | Cabernet Sauvignon | 2020