BEST VINTAGE STORE 2003 | C. Madeleines | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Miami | Miami New Times
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BEST VINTAGE STORE

C. Madeleines

Size matters. You don't feel cramped inside this spacious emporium, home to an ever-changing smorgasbord of fashions from bygone and more recent eras. The pleasant staff will graciously assist your quest for something specific, be it a Far From Heaven-style cocktail number, a Pucci girdle, or a seriously shouldered Claude Montana dress. Many items are sold on consignment, so depending on your timing, you may strike a mother lode, the moment most every vintage shopper lives for.

Readers Choice: Miami Twice: The Vintage Department Store

BEST VOLKSWAGEN GURUS

The Wizards Repair and Restoration

Enrique Neufeld and crew have been repairing and restoring new and classic VWs in their Commerce Lane shop for 26 years. Neufeld, who owns "about twenty [VWs] in varying states of repair and disrepair," displays his trophies for restored bugs and buses in the cluttered, busy storefront. Drive by the shop to check out some of the classics in the parking lot, but don't be afraid to take a new VW to the Wizards. "Restoring the old cars takes care of my emotional needs," Neufeld says. "The new cars take care of my financial needs."

BEST WINE STORE

Laurenzo's Italian Market

Visiting Laurenzo's is fun even if you're not looking for wine. There is no finer Italian specialty market in South Florida. Even its café can hold its own against most Italian restaurants. The wine selection, however, is something truly special. Over the years it has developed as the idiosyncratic expression of one man's taste -- very good taste. That man is wine connoisseur Matt Adler, who recently left Laurenzo's but whose able protégé Peter Montiel carries on. Adler and Laurenzo's have rightly boasted that theirs is the largest independent wine store in South Florida. By that they mean the store's buyer personally selects each and every bottle you see on the shelf; no mandates from some distant headquarters. The selections are always intriguing -- especially the vast array of Italian wineries -- but the real draw is the pricing. Laurenzo's is almost always less expensive than its competitors, including stalwarts like Crown and Sunset Corners. Frequently Laurenzo's prices are a lot lower, so low you wonder why you'd ever buy wine anywhere else.

BEST SOCCER SHOP

Soccer Locker of Miami

If soccer is your thing, Soccer Locker has you covered like no other store, which is why it has won this honor three times previously. Knowledgeable sales staff will hook you up, whether you're a casual player, in a league, or just want to sport your favorite team's colors. The selection of national team and club jerseys from several continents is impressive. Soccer Locker also sells accoutrements such as scarves, pennants, key chains, and car stickers, representing the melding populations of South Florida.

BEST SEX TOYS SHOP

Megaplexxx Video

Far from being discreet, Megaplexxx, with its huge XXX sign fronting I-95, is proud to announce its presence. Its inventory of sex toys is huge as well. For the men there is an impressive array of vaginas, from the strawberry-flavored pocket model to the industrial-strength Futurotic Sucking and Vibrating Vagina and Ass. Prices range from $15 to $50. For those gentlemen wishing to enhance their package, Adult Video stocks a wide variety of penis pumps, including our favorite, the Legendary XXX John Holmes Pump. Near the magazine rack, filled with fetish titles, is a wall and a counter loaded with paddles, whips, complete bondage kits, choke balls, and every kind of lubricant known to man. Megaplexxx is open from noon until 2:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday, and from noon until 4:00 a.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

BEST SPECIALTY VIDEO STORE

Karate Klassic Video II

Owner Melton Jarrett says Karate Klassic fulfills a primal desire: "Karate movies have a cult following everywhere -- it's just human nature to fantasize about doing these impossible things." The store has been around for almost a decade, although it has changed owners and moved to a Carol City strip mall. "The original owner was a big fan of these movies and he rented the videos from the flea market on 183rd Street," Jarrett says. "I think the business will keep going. Everybody loves karate movies."

BEST USED BOOKSTORE

Brandeis Book Store

Morry Marcus, one of the throng of volunteers who operate the Brandeis Book Store in the R.K. California Club Mall, estimates there are about 20,000 books in the shop, a nonprofit that benefits the Brandeis University National Women's Club (most proceeds go to the Brandeis library or Women's Club educational programs). The volunteers are generally Brandeis University alums, and eavesdropping on their constant kvetching is almost as entertaining as browsing the shelves. The best bargains are generally the 50-cent book boxes out front, but there are plenty of paperback and hardback titles -- starting around $1.50 -- worth the price tag inside. Books are helpfully arranged into more than the few generic sections (romance, fiction, nonfiction) found at many used bookstores. Depending on what sort of donations have been coming in, shoppers might find cinematic and scientific subcategories. Volunteers are also open to bargaining, although occasionally prone to the hard sell. "The people who volunteer here make the place," Marcus says. "They're a cut above." One note of caution: If you're planning a weekday visit, be forewarned that the store is open only from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

BEST GUITAR STORE

Guitar Center

This place carries more than just guitars. You can find musical instruments of all types, plus electronic gear like synthesizers, samplers, mixing boards, and DJ equipment. The guitar selection is huge, acoustic and electric, featuring brand names like Gibson, Fender, Korg, and Roland. What makes Guitar Center unique, though, isn't so much what they sell but who's selling. The sales staff are all experts, mostly musicians themselves, so you won't enter looking for something that sounds like raaa and leave with a piece that goes clang. While some music stores are paranoid about their inventory, Guitar Center allows you to touch everything. In fact it commonly attracts lots of folks who just want to fiddle around. Many resemble Wayne's World types who, like Wayne and Garth, obsess over instruments they can't afford. But most customers here can take home their dream Stratocaster because GC guarantees the lowest prices in town. On the other hand, who puts a price on dreams?

BEST CAR WASH

Leos Car Wash

Sick of driving in a dirty car? At the venerable Leo's you can get your vehicle sprayed, scrubbed, and dried by a team of specialists for as little as ten dollars. Throw down an extra five bucks and they'll vacuum the inside too. You can also spend quite a bit more for a detailing that will make your wheels look brand-new. Be sure to set aside a half-hour or so for a straight wash as the folks here like to take their time and do a thorough job, which they've been doing at this location for years. The resulting gleam that will flicker off your car, an amazing effect that was nearly impossible when it was covered in dirt and bird doo, will be well worth the wait. And the wait is made quite pleasant by the adjacent presence of Andiamo, winner of last year's Best Gourmet Pizza.

Readers Choice: Busy Bee

Klime Kovaceski

Personal Best

KLIME KOVACESKI

CRYSTAL CAFE,726 41st Street, Miami Beach, 305-673-8266

Crystal Café regulars, and there are many, enter through the rear door. They know it's closer to nearby parking. They also know they can poke their head into the kitchen on the way up front and say hello to chef/proprietor Klime Kovaceski, who will stop whatever he's doing to offer greetings. That won't be the last they see of him, though. At some point he'll be tableside, ensuring that guests in his cozy restaurant are happy. It's classic Old World charm from a warmly sincere Old World native. Kovaceski hails from Macedonia, where cooking wasn't his only passion. For a period he was also one of the region's most celebrated rock musicians. He still cherishes his guitar, but today it yields to his restaurant (www.crystalcafe.net), whose "New Continental" cuisine has gained national recognition and made Crystal Café one of Miami's finest dining establishments.

BEST LOCAL LANDMARK

Joes Stone Crab

Respect the everlasting: Ninety years in this business is an eternity. Joe's boasts, besides the best stone crabs and some great seafood, a precision-trained staff the size of city hall who perform like a slick military machine. No wonder U.S. presidents have waited patiently for a table at this American icon.

BEST DINING TREND

Casa Tua

Admire the beautiful: Casa Tua is a gorgeous place to dine, and the cuisine is fresh and clean. Turning a house into a restaurant may not yet be a new trend but certainly places like Casa Tua are helping Miami to become a more sophisticated dining metropolis.

BEST NOT-SO-CHEAP THRILL

La Broche

Recognize the brilliant: La Broche's chef, Angel Palacios, is just that. Two decades ago most of the great chefs were Europeans. Nowadays our homegrown chefs can compete successfully in any competition anywhere. But Palacios's cuisine proves that the Europeans are as inventive as ever -- still a culinary force to be reckoned with.

BEST PLACE TO SAVOR THE FLAVOR OF MIAMI

Normans

Applaud the very best: Norman Van Aken's restaurant reflects South Florida culinary history in the making. You can see the dynamic complexity of Miami on his plates, every one of them.

BEST REASON TO LIVE IN MIAMI

I moved to the U.S.A. in 1984, but if I had a choice, my birth certificate would read, "Born in Miami." Why? Because Miami gives new meaning to the phrase melting pot. The city literally overflows with different nationalities and languages, and has an amazing diversity of dining options: Old and New American, Latin American and Caribbean, Italian and French, steak houses, bagel joints, sushi, fusion, and much more. On your day off you can practice Miami's famous politics while knocking back a café cubano, hit the beach for awhile, then choose from one of a zillion restaurants. Afterward you can dance salsa to burn the calories. Next morning the battery is charged, you feel good, and you've renewed your appreciation for Miami being the hot, crowded, sexy place it is.

RECIPE

CHICKEN KIEV

Serves 4

4 (6 oz) chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

2 cups goat cheese

2 eggs well beaten for egg wash

1 cup flour

1 cup plain bread crumbs

Clarified butter*

1 cup baby mixed greens

2 of each: grilled baby zucchini, baby yellow squash, hearts of palm

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Place each chicken breast between two layers of plastic wrap and place on cutting board. Pound breasts to quarter-inch thickness. Form goat cheese into 4-inch-long sticks and place one in the middle of each chicken breast. Roll the breast around the goat cheese. If the cheese shows through some spot, stretch the chicken to completely cover. Coat in egg wash, flour, and bread crumbs. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours to firm the cheese, but no longer or the bread crumbs will become soggy. Sauté chicken in clarified butter until golden brown, then place in a 400-degree oven, turning occasionally until firm to the touch (when cheese leaks out, it is ready). Place on paper towels and drain for 2 to 3 minutes. Place baby greens in the middle of the plate and surround with grilled vegetables. Cut chicken on a bias with serrated knife and arrange chicken pieces across the greens so a little of the cheese in each slice shows through. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper, and drizzle over the dish.

*Clarified butter: 1/4 lb unsalted butter. Melt butter over low heat. Skim off white film and pour golden liquid into a small bowl.

Best Of Miami®

Best Of Miami®

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