A Nicaraguan Breakfast at Pinolandia

Pinolandia is a 24-hour Nicaraguan fritanga in Miami’s Little Havana. It takes its name from pinol, the Nica national beverage of ancient mesoamerican origin made from a rough powder of the same name. Pinol is made of crushed corn kernels, herbs, and flavorings. The dueño of Pinolandia told us, “Es…

First Bite of Zuma at Epic Hotel

Does Miami really need another sushi restaurant and robata grill? We couldn’t help thinking the same thing when we heard Zuma opened its doors in the Epic overlooking the Miami River last month. So we didn’t rush in. But soon we started to hear people raving about just how good…

Quarterdeck (Which Wasn’t Really a Quarterdeck) Closes in SoBe

I drove by Quarterdeck Seafood Bar on Alton Road in South Beach yesterday and noticed that the sign had been taken down and the windows were papered over. I put in a call to Frank Zaffere, who is partner of Quarterdeck Restaurants (seven outlets in Broward and Palm Beach) with…

Sneak Review: Mercadito

A sneak peak at next week’s Cafe review of Mercadito Margarito:…Margaritas are spiked with unexpected additions such as mango, chile morita, a blueberry float…and that’s just in one concoction, the delectable Smoky Pablo. The bar drinks are great.It wouldn’t have surprised me to see those same ingredients in one of…

Fire Eater: LC’s Hot Sauce

LC’s Roti Shop is known for the wonderful flavors in the dishes she manages to put out year after year from the tiny kitchen of her restaurant in North Miami. The secret is in the sauce and this sauce is for sale.LC’s hot sauce and mango chutney ($3-$15) are made…

Pastelito de Guayaba at Alicia’s in Allapattah

A pastelito de guayaba is a delicious, flaky, puff pastry filled with semi-gooey guava paste. To make it, you seal the dough with egg wash, bake it, then brush it with syrup for a finger stickin’, flake-stickin’-to-lip experience. They can be found at most any Latin bakery, coffee shop, or convenience store…

The Inspector: Smell of Death, Live Rats, and Roach Legs

Furry bodies, segmented tails, whiskers from hell, transluscent brown wings, antennas of doom, beady black eyes; these are the visions restaurant inspectors must see in their nightmares.Luckily most of us don’t have to bear witness to these images of living disgustitude.On the other hand, we might be consuming the results…

Coral Gables Restaurant Week Begins Monday

Yes, it’s that time of year again. No, we don’t mean the beginning of summer. Nor are we referring to the upcoming “Best of Miami” issue or, for that matter, the upcoming Flapjack Flip-Off X. (OK, we can move on now; I’ve gotten in all the necessary plugs.)Yes, it’s that…

Tuscan Restaurant Slated For Design District This Fall

Vino E Olio, an Italian restaurant specializing in Tuscan fare, is slated to debut at 139 NE 39th Street in Miami’s Design District sometime in September. News of a new Italian restaurant opening doesn’t exactly set hearts aflutter around here, but the chef of Vino E Olio, Andrea Menichetti, brings…

Cushy Cakes Are Raising the Cupcake Bar

It’s getting harder and harder these days to distinguish between the slews of gourmet cupcake operations that keep springing up. So here’s some help. Cushy Cakes uses Guinness Beer and Kahlua coffee liqueur in certain recipes. Owner and self-taught baker Melissa Wilde Jarquin is breaking the baking sheet mold with…

The Water Club Opens in North Miami Beach

Last night The Water Club opened its doors to the public after an expensive and extensive makeover to what was once the famous Shooters location. The new look includes a to-the-ceiling wine room, ’70s style yellow lounge sofas, and portrait photo collages of Miami icons.Inside, guests can can sit and…

Sneak Review: Bombay Darbar

A quick peek at next week’s Cafe review:Bombay Darbar Indian Restaurant inhabits a neat, neighborly room with 34 seats, linen-draped tables, a tile floor, and pale-yellow walls judiciously adorned with Indian art. Alfresco dining on Commodore Plaza permits patrons to peer at passersby and speculate on “For Sale” signs posted…

Sra. Martinez Tuesday, Texas de Brazil Wednesday, Area 31 Thursday

Beginning next Tuesday evening, June 1, and continuing on succeeding Tuesdays, Sra. Martinez will be cooking up an all-you-can-eat Cuban pig roast. The slow-cooked-in-a-caja China porker is due to be accompanied by heirloom tomato salad, roasted fingerling potatoes, and other side dishes — all served family style. The menu will…

Naturally, Gatorade Joins Natural Drink Craze

Gatorade was created back in 1965 by several “scientists” at the university of Florida, according to the company’s website. After speaking with football coaches about the problem of dehydration, “researchers then took their findings into the lab, and scientifically formulated a new, precisely balanced carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage that would adequately replace…