Smashburger’s Burger Ain’t A Smash

Smashburger started in Colorado in 2007. There are 143 locations (half company-owned, half franchised), with 450 more franchise agreements already on the books. The first Miami branch opened on Biscayne Boulevard at 146th Street a couple of weeks ago (on the lefthand side of the Total Wine strip mall). We…

Pucci’s Pizza Under a Buck in SoBe

Tommy Pooch is hell-bent on digging Miami out from its economic woes — one slice at a time.The pizza mogul/restaurateur has announced a new recession-busting menu at his Pucci’s Pizza South Beach location. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, Cheese slices, spinach rolls, sausage rolls, and even a…

Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar Opens Today in SoFi

Lower Beach-dom welcomes the addition of Mexican food today with the opening of Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar, in the space previously occupied by Nemo. It’s a branch of the existing Lolitas in Boston and Greenwich, Connecticut, two fairly conservative areas we would not necessarily peg as fans of a…

Hungry for Kurtos Kalacs?

Laszlo and Anna Boros came up with a good idea. Why not introduce one of their favorite pastries from Hungary to South Floridians?Kurtos kalacs are sometimes called cinnamon horns or chimney cakes (“kurto” in Hungarian means chimney). This ancient Transylvanian treat dates back to the 15th century. Traditionally the cakes…

Blue Collar Serves Simply Good Food

Blue Collar on Biscayne Boulevard opens its doors tomorrow, and we dropped by for a visit to sample the food. The room’s decor lives up to the blue collar name. Old metal lunch pails (the kind that steel workers take their meals in, not the ones with pictures of Scooby…

Free Coffee at Moloko Grand Opening

Midtown mornings are about to get a little easier to take when Moloko, opens tomorrow, January 13th at the Shops at Midtown Miami.The fast-casual restaurant will feature sweet and savory crepes, as well as international and local coffee drinks. Coffee choices include espresso, cappuccino, cafe mocha, cafe cubano, and Thai…

Vegan Chow at Philippe Chow

Philippe by Phillippe Chow at the south end of Ocean Drive, reminds me of Lewis Carroll’s Alice and Wonderland. There are white chairs with the funky, violin-like curves and elbow-patch like black padding, reminiscent of something the Mad Hatter would have happily rested his rump on. The bright reds and…

Crazy About You is Brickell’s Best Value Dining Deal

Plenty of popular new restaurant concepts — small plates, food trucks, boutique burgers — have recently popped up around Miami. The team at Spanish Grupo La Misión, owner of Brickell mainstay Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita, have pioneered the notion of grabbing attention with a goofy, nonfood-related name…

The Shore Club’s Terrazza Replaces Ago: Dining With an Ocean Breeze

Forget about that restaurant known as Ago at the Shore Club on 19th and Collins. It’s gone. Now you’ll find Terrazza, another Italian eatery featuring the chophouse styles of executive chef Stefano Riccioletti. Walking into the Shore Club, you’re greeted with a pleasant smell of potpourri — or something that…

Bar Tanaka Brings Sushi to the New and Improved Shelborne

The classic Shelborne Resort in Miami Beach has a modern vibe now. It’s a whole new show. In addition to glam brasserie Vesper and Lucy’s taco shack out back, Bar Tanaka brings sushi to the lineup. Modern American, Mexican, and Japanese — all restaurant bases are covered. The menu comes courtesy…

Sex, Drugs, and Waiting Tables on South Beach UPDATED

Here at Short Order, we take readers behind the scenes into kitchens, restaurants yet to open, and even farms and markets. But we don’t talk much about the servers and front-of-house staff who really drive a restaurant’s day-to-day operations.So for the past few months, I went behind the scenes, working…

The MexZican Gourmet: Homestyle Mexican With A Touch Of Class

Chef Ze Carlos Jimenez was behind the burner last evening as we walked into The MexZican Gourmet in South Miami last evening around 9 p.m.Still too cold to sit at one of the outside tables, we walked inside. The small, candlelit space is painted in citrus color and decorated with…

George’s Gets Fancy With New Midtown “Loft”

Francophiles delight! George-Eric Farge is bringing his bistro concept to Midtown (3404 N. Miami Avenue), and although opening day is a bit far off (June), we’re already looking forward to drinking copious amount of red wine upstairs. You see, this restaurant is going to be two stories, the upstairs “Loft”…

Cold? Try Churros and Hot Chocolate at La Palma

Miami isn’t immune from cold snaps like the one hanging out for the past three days, but folks aren’t falling out of palm trees, stunned by the arctic blast. Instead, people rolling in from the frozen tropical tundra on a cold day gather and socialize at La Palma restaurant on…