And Britain’s Worst Fast Food Nightmare

Rat: It’s What’s For Dinner From today forward, whenever I’m worrying about the questionable sanitation practices of my local restaurants and fast food chains, I’ll only have to remember today’s breaking story of the Wolverhampton Pappu Sweet Center. The owner was discovered by police broiling up some kebabs while the…

America’s Best Fast Food Drive-Thru

QSR Magazine has completed its’ 2008 Quick-Service Drive-Thru Performance Study, and Chick-fil-A took home the gold as America’s Best Drive-Thru 2008. Sherri Daye Scott, editor of QSR, explained the reasons behind the chicken chain’s success: “No bells and whistles, no out-of-the box training systems. Just a strategy focused on getting…

Palm Beach County Greenmarkets Open

The illusion of plenitude, at least We’ve got a breeze. Hurricane season’s almost over. And the Greenmarkets are opening again. It’s everybody’s favorite time of year, and starting this Saturday we’ll be getting used to the quaint sight of folks tottling along our streets with a loaf of bread under…

More on Michelle’s Spanish Joint

Michelle Bernstein Michelle Bernstein hopes to have her new tapas place open “before Art Basel”. She says the menu is “almost done”, and will include items such as boquerones, tortilla española, and artesanal Jamón Serrano. “We’re going to do blood sausage and stuff like that, and I’m playing with all…

Nemo Is Still Swimming on South Beach

Change might carry a lot of currency these days, but Nemo is having none of it. When co-owners Myles Chefetz and Michael Schwartz opened the artsy neighborhood café in 1995, it was the hottest haunt in town (and Esquire magazine’s pick for one of America’s best new restaurants). It looks…

Slow Food Navajo Churro Lamb Dinner

“Baaa…the chef will prepare me four ways.” The Slow Food event of the season is coming up at the Miami Standard Hotel’s Lido restaurant on October 22nd, when Lido chef Mark Zeitouni wows locavores with a menu focused on Navajo Churro lamb courtesy of the Navajo Churro Sheep Association…

A New Palacios Downtown?

El Palacio de los Jugos, which makes the best batidos, arepas, lechon asado — heck, let me just say it’s my favorite Cuban joint in town — is negotiating a lease for a new location across the street from the Federal Courthouse in downtown Miami. Owners Beatrize and Reinaldo Bermudez…

Mayport Shrimp Chowder

[The curious Mayport shrimp A friend called yesterday and said he had a delivery of “head-on Mayport shrimp” for me — was I gonna be home? I’ll tell you I hardly knew how to comport myself all day until he finally arrived about 7 p.m. lugging a cooler full of…

Real Genius: The Bacon Fatty Melt

Adam Kuban Every once in a while, someone comes along that pushes boundaries, that doesn’t let words like “no” or “impossible” cross their lips. A Hamburger Today’s Adam Kuban is one such pioneer. When they said creating the ultimate bacon sandwich couldn’t be done, he didn’t budge. No, he ventured…

The Flavor Bible

Too cool. Just received in the mail a book called The Flavor Bible, and although I’ve only perused the first few pages I’m already hooked. There’s a big part of me that’s totally a list person, so I love the way authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg go about breaking…

Answer to Last Week’s WTF Is It?

That, folks, was a “raisin sausage,” a delicacy evidently delightful to Turkish people. Basically this magic wand is fashioned out of walnuts encased in a jellylike substance made from grape juice. Although purported to be aphrodesiac, I used mine as a fly trap: simply hang in a sunny window and…

Yolks and Yuks With The Podleski Sisters

Janet and Greta Podleski. During which of the following world-famous events did the pizza industry report the highest number of deliveries? a) the final episode of Survivor I b) Superbowl XXXXVII c) the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase d) the opening night of the first Gulf War This is one of…

Good Food at Fair Prices on Biscayne Boulevard

Peru to the Yucatan in 88 blocks. That’s the distance on Biscayne Boulevard between the new Sabor a Perú at 29th Street and the relocated Burritos Grill Café at 117th. The former is a small, informal 30-seat space, so clean and shiny it looks like it could be a fast-food…

Anthony’s Is Busting Out All Over

Thatsa bruciata! I don’t usually approve of chains, but Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza is definitely one of the good guys: Born in SoFla, where not long ago you couldn’t get a decent slice of pie to save your soul, Anthony’s has recently managed to put a coal fire pizza joint…

Cheap Eats – Heidy’s Cafe and Laundromat

I go to Heidy’s Cafe (2804 NE Second Ave., Miami) for the $6 special. The portions are generous and the food delicious. Today, the daily special features carne asada, white rice, refried beans, and spaghetti. I add on Honduran cheese, mantequilla, spicy vegetables and habanero salsa. By the end of…

New Benihana Location to Open in Coral Springs in 2009

“Don’t think about dropping it, don’t think about dropping it…” If you ever needed any proof that the recession is hitting the middle class the hardest, just take a spin around Coral Springs. The sleepy burg – once the ultimate destination for budding family units – is literally covered with…

Wanted: Conch Fritter Recipe For Cookbook

I recently received an email from the New York publisher of an upcoming cookbook featuring American recipes and accompanying backstories from all 50 states. The writer is a well known cookbook author and longtime food columnist for a major publication, and it seems as though she isn’t happy with the…

Michy’s Clarification

This morning, I erroneously reported that Michy’s was moving into the Domo Japones space. Michelle logged on to set the story straight: Hi Lee, Just so you and everyone knows, Michy’s is not and never will be moving. We are opening a Tapas Restaurant, a dream for my husband David…

Grateful Garden Grand Opening Party

The hippest little wine bar in this wicked little town. The Grateful Garden has been flitting around like a psychedelic butterfly for the last couple of years in search of a permanent home. Gayle Coursol and friends have been trying to get this market/cafe/meeting place/music venue/spiritual retreat a place large…