The joint finally has a name and an opening date. Naked Taco, formerly known as “Ralph Pagano’s Yet-Unamed Mexican Joint,” is set to open Friday, February 21 — just in time for South Beach Wine & Food Festival attendees and celebrity chefs to seek refuge from the elements and enjoy…
“It’s somewhat of a miracle,” Cathy Vedovi says of the way her new endeavor, Mmmm, came about so quickly. The cafe, located in the former Lester’s space at 2519 NW Second Ave. in Wynwood, is set to open any day now. “Hopefully by the weekend,” she says as she nearly…
The neon sign is still lit as dusk approaches, but a gander inside the Sunny Isles restaurant makes it very clear that Chef Ho is closed. Tables at the restaurant, which had a loyal following, are still set, but a lobster tank is dry and the bar is deserted. A…
The biggest boozy, bon vivant blowout of the year is almost upon us. Hello South Beach Wine and Food Festival, we’ve missed your many charms. Even if you’re been procrastinating like crazy ahead of the big affair, you’re in luck. There are still tickets available to some of the best…
Timon Balloo doesn’t want to dazzle you. At Bocce Bar, he cooks things simply — braising duck legs in stock before plunging them into a pan with orecchiette, squash, and Parmesan. They are finished in a sauce that’s thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and tastes of sage and…
Hong Kong Noodles in North Miami Beach and Hitching Post BBQ in Hialeah were among six restaurants in Miami-Dade closed last week for health violations. Other restaurants ordered to close include Jennifer’s Cafeteria in North Miami Beach, Mindy Supermarket in Hialeah, Nacha Cafeteria in Allapattah, and Marcelo’s Restaurant Pescaderia, also…
Are you prepared for next week’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival? Comfy shoes that can endure walking on sand? Check! Fully charged phone so you can Instagram that picture of you and Anthony Bourdain? Check! Tickets to all those yummy sold-out events? Um, not checked. If you think you’ve…
It’s an old complaint: Miami needs more French food. Enter Yann Rio, who owned three restaurants in France, including Sequoia in Montpellier, which earned a “three forks” designation in the Michelin Guide. Rio has moved to the States and delivers French fusion with nontraditional ingredients to Miami. Nothing but the…
At Bocce Bar, Timon Balloo doesn’t replicate Italian dishes. “My goal wasn’t to see a recipe and repeat it, but to learn about the culture behind it,” he explains. Before opening the two-month-old restaurant in midtown, he took two research trips to Italy. There, he explored markets, ate copious amounts…
Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time in Miami knows what areas to avoid during certain times of the year. Unless you are in the mood to dodge throngs of tourists and spend exorbitant amounts of money, South Beach is a no-no during the upcoming South Beach Wine…
Timon Balloo doesn’t want to dazzle you. At Bocce Bar, he cooks things simply — braising duck legs in stock before plunging them into a pan with orecchiette, squash, and Parmesan. They are finished in a sauce that’s thick enough to coat a wooden spoon and tastes of sage and…
A new concept put together by Zevents called Kitchen Hop kicked off its first event last Saturday in Mary Brickell Village. For just $35, guests enjoyed a dish from seven restaurants — Dolores, Brother Jimmy’s, Tapas Benidorm, Toscana Divino, Oceanaire, Balans, and Taverna Opa — from 2 to 4 p.m….
A California-based meat processor has issued a recall of nearly nine million pounds of beef products, and Florida is one of the states involved. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, Rancho Feeding Corporation, based in Petaluma, is recalling approximately 8,742,700 pounds of beef products from “diseased…
As a general rule, mall food courts aren’t the best places for vegans. The roundabout of edibles is usually a gauntlet of smiling employees doling out jerk chicken and sloppy joe — a no man’s land for the meatless. Without proper preparation and snack packing, a lengthy trip to the…
Before the Design District became what it is today, few restaurants dared open north of 36th Street in Miami. Soyka took a chance. In 1999, the restaurant began operating after its owner, the legendary Mark Soyka, purchased the space as a garage for his vintage car collection and then realized…
A trip to Miami Springs requires maneuvering over one way canals and a circle park, but it is so worth it. We came for the deep fried bread pudding and fried chicken at Crackers Casual Dining but we stayed for the bacon jam. This homey restaurant serving delicious Southern comfort…
Mariana Cortez started baking vegan sweets back in 2009 as a way to fulfill her son’s dietary restrictions. At the time, she never imagined she’d be the first person to open a vegan bakery in Miami. Now, Bunnie Cakes is celebrating its one year anniversary — just a few days…
Express your unpopular opinion. That Twitter hashtag gave me the courage to admit the unthinkable: I really hate brunch. OK, I know what you’re thinking. Whenever I admit this to someone, I’m confronted with looks of disbelief and the follow-up question, “Do you hate puppies?” Though I dressed up as…
They say third time’s the charm, and with Spris opening its third location in midtown today, the Graspa Group will certainly be hitting a successful trifecta. The Lincoln Road location has been a staple for 15 years, so to celebrate, the neighborhood restaurant is inviting the public to its grand-opening…
To say Michael Mina knows good food is an understatement. Last year, the Egyptian-born chef was named to the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America. He owns 20 restaurants across the nation, including the Michelin-starred Michael Mina in San Francisco. His empire encompasses two spots…
Michael Mina 74 might remind you of a nightclub. Lingering behind the ivory counter in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach lobby, a leggy hostess in a tiny red dress is the restaurant’s gatekeeper. She subtly eyes you and then escorts you downstairs, her black heels clacking on the marble steps. Inside…
Miami has several good destinations for fried chicken, but nothing beats the hidden places. Maybe it’s because we can all walk into Publix and get a box of crisp golden breasts, thighs, wings, and drumsticks. So everything else better be tastier and have some sort of allure. If you’re already…
