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BEST RESTAURANT FOR DINING DURING A HURRICANE

BEST RESTAURANT FOR DINING DURING A HURRICANE Palme d'Or Biltmore Hotel

1200 Anastasia Avenue

Coral Gables

305-913-3201

www.biltmorehotel.com The first thing you might ask yourself in the event of being stuck somewhere with a savage, life-threatening hurricane raging outside is this: How are the rations? At Palme d'Or they're about as good as you're ever going to hope to get. Imagine your post-storm diary: Day one: Supped on pumpkin soup with smoked duck breast, Maine lobster, crme frache cappuccino, and Hudson Valley foie gras with fruit chutney and toasted brioche. Crisp plum tart with pink peppercorn ice cream for dessert. They put us up in quite a pleasant room! Day two: Storm continues unabated. After apologies from kitchen for having run out of sevruga caviar spoons with potato mousseline, we made do with beef tenderloin tartare with basil oil and main course of "braised seven-hour beef" -- we all had a good laugh at the table when I told the waiter: "Why not make it fourteen; we've got plenty of time!" Day three: Chef Philipe Ruiz regretfully announced that the only menu items left for dinner would be ahi tuna tartare, seared lamb rack with vegetable ragout, and a light dessert of tomato confit and fennel salad with basil-lime sorbet -- only so much dry ice in the house, he said. Water has seeped through the glass doors overlooking the famous Biltmore pool and onto the polished Brazilian cherry-wood floors. Gee, they just refurbished the place too. Crystal chandeliers and ceiling frescoes don't appear to be in any danger. Will the rains never cease? Day four: Food rations are gone. To the wine cellar! To the wine cellar! Day five: Hurricane is over. Tremendous tragedy, they say. But it was the best damn vacation of my life!

BEST RESTAURANT FOR DINING DURING A HURRICANE

BEST RESTAURANT FOR DINING DURING A HURRICANE Palme d'Or Biltmore Hotel

1200 Anastasia Avenue

Coral Gables

305-913-3201

www.biltmorehotel.com The first thing you might ask yourself in the event of being stuck somewhere with a savage, life-threatening hurricane raging outside is this: How are the rations? At Palme d'Or they're about as good as you're ever going to hope to get. Imagine your post-storm diary: Day one: Supped on pumpkin soup with smoked duck breast, Maine lobster, crme frache cappuccino, and Hudson Valley foie gras with fruit chutney and toasted brioche. Crisp plum tart with pink peppercorn ice cream for dessert. They put us up in quite a pleasant room! Day two: Storm continues unabated. After apologies from kitchen for having run out of sevruga caviar spoons with potato mousseline, we made do with beef tenderloin tartare with basil oil and main course of "braised seven-hour beef" -- we all had a good laugh at the table when I told the waiter: "Why not make it fourteen; we've got plenty of time!" Day three: Chef Philipe Ruiz regretfully announced that the only menu items left for dinner would be ahi tuna tartare, seared lamb rack with vegetable ragout, and a light dessert of tomato confit and fennel salad with basil-lime sorbet -- only so much dry ice in the house, he said. Water has seeped through the glass doors overlooking the famous Biltmore pool and onto the polished Brazilian cherry-wood floors. Gee, they just refurbished the place too. Crystal chandeliers and ceiling frescoes don't appear to be in any danger. Will the rains never cease? Day four: Food rations are gone. To the wine cellar! To the wine cellar! Day five: Hurricane is over. Tremendous tragedy, they say. But it was the best damn vacation of my life!

BEST RESTAURANT IN SOUTH MIAMI

Two Chefs

BEST RESTAURANT IN SOUTH MIAMI Two Chefs 8287 S. Dixie Highway

South Miami

305-663-2100 Recognizing Two Chefs as the finest dining option in South Miami is like giving the New England Patriots an award for being the best football team in New England. Both are good enough to win outside such limited arenas. For eight years now this engaging contemporary American bistro has been consistently rewarding diners with fresh and innovative fare far from fashionable South Beach in both distance and style -- no pretension, just high-quality ingredients, solid cooking technique, intense flavors, and a deep passion for great food. Chef Jan Jorgenson and his veteran culinary staff, whom you can catch glimpses of through a partially open kitchen, conjure up an impressively eclectic range of menu options: flatbreads from a flaming brick oven in the back of the room with wispy, crisp crusts and creative toppings; inventive appetizers such as cured salmon with bacon and baby artichokes; an amazing risotto with smoked duck and homemade mozzarella; rustic comfort dishes like barbecued meatloaf or escargot potpie; a highbrow beef carpaccio with dwarf peaches and truffle; and soufflés in many flavors. The wine list is as quirky and exceptional as the cuisine, the waitstaff well versed in the selections, and the bar loaded with hard-to-find spirits. Two Chefs isn't hard to find, but for many it's too far off the beaten path. For appreciative residents of South Miami, it's a championship restaurant in their own back yard.

BEST RESTAURANT IN SOUTH MIAMI

Two Chefs

BEST RESTAURANT IN SOUTH MIAMI Two Chefs 8287 S. Dixie Highway

South Miami

305-663-2100 Recognizing Two Chefs as the finest dining option in South Miami is like giving the New England Patriots an award for being the best football team in New England. Both are good enough to win outside such limited arenas. For eight years now this engaging contemporary American bistro has been consistently rewarding diners with fresh and innovative fare far from fashionable South Beach in both distance and style -- no pretension, just high-quality ingredients, solid cooking technique, intense flavors, and a deep passion for great food. Chef Jan Jorgenson and his veteran culinary staff, whom you can catch glimpses of through a partially open kitchen, conjure up an impressively eclectic range of menu options: flatbreads from a flaming brick oven in the back of the room with wispy, crisp crusts and creative toppings; inventive appetizers such as cured salmon with bacon and baby artichokes; an amazing risotto with smoked duck and homemade mozzarella; rustic comfort dishes like barbecued meatloaf or escargot potpie; a highbrow beef carpaccio with dwarf peaches and truffle; and soufflés in many flavors. The wine list is as quirky and exceptional as the cuisine, the waitstaff well versed in the selections, and the bar loaded with hard-to-find spirits. Two Chefs isn't hard to find, but for many it's too far off the beaten path. For appreciative residents of South Miami, it's a championship restaurant in their own back yard.

BEST RESTAURANT NAME

Ortanique on the Mile

Photo courtesy of Ortanique on the Mile
BEST RESTAURANT NAME Ortanique on the Mile 278 Miracle Mile

Coral Gables

305-446-7710

www.cindyhutsoncuisine.com Once we eliminated all one-word monikers owing to lack of distinctiveness (Acqua, Ago, Atrio, Azul, Balans, Baleen, Chispa, Ola, Spris, Talula, Tiramisu, Touch, Wish), we were pretty much down to Schnitzel Haus, Tap Tap, Pacific Time, and a few others. One great other: Ortanique on the Mile. The ortanique is a hybrid tropical fruit (lemon and orange), which fits this contemporary Caribbean restaurant like a garden glove. On the Mile is a romantic phrasing of location. Together the words roll off the tongue like the title of a poem -- unique, imaginative, and functional. Plus Ortanique is a great restaurant, and we wouldn't give this particular award to anything less.

BEST RESTAURANT NAME

Ortanique on the Mile

BEST RESTAURANT NAME Ortanique on the Mile 278 Miracle Mile

Coral Gables

305-446-7710

www.cindyhutsoncuisine.com Once we eliminated all one-word monikers owing to lack of distinctiveness (Acqua, Ago, Atrio, Azul, Balans, Baleen, Chispa, Ola, Spris, Talula, Tiramisu, Touch, Wish), we were pretty much down to Schnitzel Haus, Tap Tap, Pacific Time, and a few others. One great other: Ortanique on the Mile. The ortanique is a hybrid tropical fruit (lemon and orange), which fits this contemporary Caribbean restaurant like a garden glove. On the Mile is a romantic phrasing of location. Together the words roll off the tongue like the title of a poem -- unique, imaginative, and functional. Plus Ortanique is a great restaurant, and we wouldn't give this particular award to anything less.

BEST CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT

Caribbean Delight

BEST CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT Caribbean Delight 236 NE First Avenue

Miami

305-381-9254 Hey mon, we not goin' ta make believe we from ta island -- because nationality is irrelevant when it comes to savoring the home-cooked fare at Caribbean Delight. Sure, those who hail from the Caribbean will view the curry goat, jerk pork, oxtail, and steamed fish with okra through a more nostalgic lens, but what people in the world don't prefer their foods fresh, fully seasoned, and fantastically flavorful? Well, okay, maybe the British, but even they would be attracted to this downtown breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot if only for the affable staff and inarguable affordability. Most everything is under eight dollars, and the Monday-through-Thursday five-dollar lunch special brings a choice of beef stew or chicken curried, jerked, or stewed; pay the extra buck for a side of rice and chicken gravy. Vegetarians can opt for vegetable lasagna or curried tofu, and anyone can quench their thirst with homemade lemonade, fruit punch, ginger beer, soursop juice, or a cold bottle of Red Stripe. The room isn't much to look at (unless you find frayed airline travel posters intriguing), but with the money you save dining here, you can afford to walk over to the Miami Art Museum and pay the entrance fee. Great art, like Caribbean Delight, speaks a global language.

BEST CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT

Caribbean Delight

BEST CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT Caribbean Delight 236 NE First Avenue

Miami

305-381-9254 Hey mon, we not goin' ta make believe we from ta island -- because nationality is irrelevant when it comes to savoring the home-cooked fare at Caribbean Delight. Sure, those who hail from the Caribbean will view the curry goat, jerk pork, oxtail, and steamed fish with okra through a more nostalgic lens, but what people in the world don't prefer their foods fresh, fully seasoned, and fantastically flavorful? Well, okay, maybe the British, but even they would be attracted to this downtown breakfast, lunch, and dinner spot if only for the affable staff and inarguable affordability. Most everything is under eight dollars, and the Monday-through-Thursday five-dollar lunch special brings a choice of beef stew or chicken curried, jerked, or stewed; pay the extra buck for a side of rice and chicken gravy. Vegetarians can opt for vegetable lasagna or curried tofu, and anyone can quench their thirst with homemade lemonade, fruit punch, ginger beer, soursop juice, or a cold bottle of Red Stripe. The room isn't much to look at (unless you find frayed airline travel posters intriguing), but with the money you save dining here, you can afford to walk over to the Miami Art Museum and pay the entrance fee. Great art, like Caribbean Delight, speaks a global language.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS Chispa 225 Altara Avenue

Coral Gables

305-648-2600 With its bright red and yellow colors, Bahamian shutters, and oversize star lamps hanging from the ceiling, Chispa's highly stylized décor screams, "You're not in Kansas anymore!" Those lights aren't the only stars here. Chef/proprietor Robbin Haas is one of our top culinary stars and a founding member of the "mango gang" that more than a decade ago placed South Florida on the national restaurant radar. Haas's dynamic, contemporary, Latin-inspired cuisine is even louder than the interior design: distinctive dishes such as guajillo and soy-glazed short ribs, cazueliata of wood-smoked shrimp, roasted pork belly, and conch chicharones likely to make your guests feel as though they're not even in America anymore. That's the whole point, as Chispa's food reverberates with tropical heat, Latin fervor, and bright, sunny flavors. It's a microcosm of what makes Miami great. Visitors will also get to revel in the sort of sizzling bar scene they may not get at home.

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS

BEST RESTAURANT TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS Chispa 225 Altara Avenue

Coral Gables

305-648-2600 With its bright red and yellow colors, Bahamian shutters, and oversize star lamps hanging from the ceiling, Chispa's highly stylized décor screams, "You're not in Kansas anymore!" Those lights aren't the only stars here. Chef/proprietor Robbin Haas is one of our top culinary stars and a founding member of the "mango gang" that more than a decade ago placed South Florida on the national restaurant radar. Haas's dynamic, contemporary, Latin-inspired cuisine is even louder than the interior design: distinctive dishes such as guajillo and soy-glazed short ribs, cazueliata of wood-smoked shrimp, roasted pork belly, and conch chicharones likely to make your guests feel as though they're not even in America anymore. That's the whole point, as Chispa's food reverberates with tropical heat, Latin fervor, and bright, sunny flavors. It's a microcosm of what makes Miami great. Visitors will also get to revel in the sort of sizzling bar scene they may not get at home.

Best Of Miami®

Best Of Miami®

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