You may not have heard of mastiha, but it’s likely you’ve tasted the liqueur’s woodsy tones in a favorite Greek dish. It’s that secret little something that you can’t quite place — part anise, part pine cone, part rye. That flavor comes from the resin of the mastih (or mastic)…
Amidst all the exciting happenings in Wynwood, you may have missed the grand opening of the Wynwood Yard, which after some weather related delays took place at the end of November. That said, this pop-up community gathering space on NW 29th street between NW 1st Avenue and North Miami Avenue,…
The roasted eggplant dip at Driftwood Room, the new restaurant at the revamped Nautilus South Beach Hotel, arrives packed inside a charred zucchini. Diners have two options: Plunge the accompanying pita slices into the tangy eggplant, or cut right into the zucchini and enjoy two tasty vegetables in one bite,…
It’s a new month and a new year. Before we wipe the slate clean, here’s one last look back on the restaurants that opened and closed in Miami this past month and this past year. In December, restaurants hustled to open before the city’s most lucrative time of the year…
It’s a busy week as we step into 2016. Brace yourself with a Monday pick-me-up in the form of a doughnut. Head to The Salty Donut’s pop-up in Wynwood today for a maple and bacon or a mimosa-style doughnut. On Tuesday, try something different by exploring Miami’s best vegan options…
Miami’s restaurant scene is a hotbed of activity. Each month, despite some prophecies of doom and gloom, our city’s openings far outweigh any closures. With celebrity chefs, small indie restaurateurs, and foreign investors all wanting to feed you a piece of the proverbial pie, there’s a lot of speculation to…
Happy New Year! We’ve survived 2015 and are looking forward to a prosperous 2016 filled with fun and happiness. But before we all go about trying to run five miles a day or get that promotion or find the love of our lives, let’s take this weekend to enjoy ourselves…
MIA Brewing Company is brewing up some positive changes for the new year. Foremost, the Doral-based brewery is planning a major expansion of its operations and taproom, more than doubling its footprint. According to owner Eddie Leon, the brewery will now have a total of 21,000 square feet of space…
Certain people complain when something’s not working they way they think it should, but others actually try to fix it. Entrepreneurs, Michael Montero, Gary Vaynerchuk and Ben Leventhal thought the technology restaurants were using to conduct their operations, like Yelp SeatMe, were outdated and overpriced, and so they created Resy…
What do Four Peaks, Camden Town, and Breckenridge brewing companies all have in common? Announcements of their buyouts from Anheuser-Busch InBev all came within a span of less than a week. They’re just the latest breweries to be added to AB-InBev’s ever-increasing craft beer portfolio. With AB-InBev on a microbrewery shopping…
Here we go again — another New Year coming and more resolutions to make. Do you want to work out more? Stop smoking? Spend less money? If getting your finances together is on your agenda for 2016, why wait? Instead of blowing a wad of cash on New Year’s Eve…
As we wind down 2015, it’s time to take a look in the rear-view mirror before we turn to the new year and all its possibilities. This past year, we’ve eaten a lot of food and tried a lot of restaurants in Miami. With our culinary scene doing nothing but…
For chef Santiago Gomez, there’s more to cooking than creating tasty food. He says it’s about fusing one culture with another by making dishes that represent both origin and destination. This is something Gomez likes to do at Brickell restaurant Cantina La Veinte. The new-wave Mexican eatery, helmed by Gomez,…
Renato Viola’s signature pizzas aren’t suited for delivery or take out. Here’s the problem. You order the vegetarian Star Michele ($14.90) or spicy salami flecked Star Luca ($14.90) and by the time the celestial-shaped beauty hits your kitchen table its delicate crunch is lost. The hassle of parking and finding…
Another New Year’s Eve is over and all you have to show for it is a dull, throbbing pain in your skull and a wallet devoid of cash. Sure, the night, fueled by champagne and dancing was great, but what you really need right now is a gallon of coffee…
New Year’s Eve, the big annual celebration fueled by champagne and resolutions, is this week. However, what’s even more important is the major refuel known as New Year’s Day brunch. Many people celebrate the annual brunch with family and friends, hosting a celebration at home filled with good vibes and…
When Alfredo Patino opened Bin No. 18 (1800 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-235-7575) on the boundary between downtown Miami and Edgewater in late 2006, nightfall was a warning sign. “It was prostitutes and crackheads,” he says. But the condo buildings now towering over Biscayne Boulevard were already approved. The writing was…
Andy Rodriguez and Amanda Pizarro love two things: Miami and fancy doughnuts. However, the foodie-obsessed couple discovered a disconnect between the pair. Most cities see craft doughnut shops as often as frozen yogurt stores and juice bars. But in Miami, they’re few and far between, with many defaulting to Krispy Kreme,…
Anyone could be sitting in the dim recesses of Pinch Kitchen. One recent night, six older women in country-club-ready sweatsuits gather around wine and clay bowls piled with bitter brassicas with a fresh snowfall of salty ricotta salata. Nearby, a young couple on what seems to be a first date…
Michelle Bernstein has quite the year. In 2015, Bernstein has seen positive reviews come in for her Seagrape at the Thompson Miami Beach hotel, which opened in November 2014 and reopened her eponymous Michy’s as Cena by Michy. The chef, who admits she has emerged from what appeared to be a…
There are many items that I still want even after getting a mixer for Christmas, and a portable induction burner with its own carrying case is one of them. Celebrity chef Ming Tasi ensures me that my home — and life — is not complete without one. The chef is…
Vegan dining in Miami is a world away from what it was a few years ago. With Seed Food & Wine Festival making national news, new vegan eateries popping up all over the place, and meat-strong chefs incorporating plants into their menus, South Florida is finally coming into its own…
