D. Rodriguez Cuba at Hotel Astor Debuts Tonight

D-Rod Cuba, as we like to call it, opens in the Hotel Astor on South Beach tonight. Dinner starts at 6 p.m. daily, and through the month of December all first-time diners will get choice of mojito or daiquiri on the house. Tapas encompass traditional bites such as ham croquetas…

Q&A With Chef Jonathan Eismann

His new Q and Fin restaurants in the Design District are getting set to open. Short Order be taking a peek tonight and reporting it tomorrow, but we wanted to at least find out one or two things about those new ventures beforehand, and Jonathan obliged.New Times: Could you give…

Publix Headquarters in Lakeland Protested for Farm Workers’ Rights

This past Sunday, more than 500 voices rang out strong in Lakeland at Publix headquarters. Students, farm workers, religious leaders, and concerned citizens came together to protest the supermarket company. It has refused to align itself with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) in protecting against human rights abuses and…

Fin, Jonathan Eismann’s New Joint in the Design District, Sneak Preview

“We’re doing great. Everything’s totally perfect and organized” says Chef Jonathan Eismann with a sly smile. “Look. The last week before opening a restaurant is really frantic, and we’re three weeks away officially. We’re actually gonna be doing a special private event here in a week, but the idea of…

From Andouille to Bangers: Ivy Opens in Christabelle’s Space

Ivy at the Grove, which has taken over the 535 seats of the three-story former Christabelle’s Quarter, is being billed as “British-style” —  not a very nice thing to say about a restaurant! (More specifically, it will feature “modern American and British comfort food.”) The ground floor will feature a…

Sneak Review: Stone Grill 95

A short preview of next week’s New Times Cafe review:There are certain things that rookie restaurateurs can do to increase their odds for success. For instance, having a workable phone number can be surprisingly helpful. When we dialed the month-old Stone Grill 95 in Surfside in order to make reservations,…

Brooklyn’s Clever Collective Bake Sale for Art Basel Miami 2009

The Clever Collective is an art consortium from Brooklyn who we saw set up in the driveway of a house on 29th Street between North Miami Avenue and NW Second Avenue selling cookies, lemonade, and custom bags.The bake sale benefits the Clever Collective and the girls procured their prime real…

Interview: Ken Lyon Gets The 10

Recognize the name? Chef, caterer and restaurateur Ken Lyon is the force behind the Design District’s Fratelli Lyon, catering company Lyon + Lyon, and the new Cape Cod Room in The Bath Club. He’s served up three decades worth of food all over the eastern United States, but Lyon started his career as…

Palme d’Or Sweeps Zagat 2010

The Biltmore Hotel’s Palme d’Or swept the Top Food, Decor and Service honors in this year’s just released Zagat 2010 Miami/So. Florida Restaurants guidebook ($14.95). That’s the Triple Crown baby — and a well-deserved accolade. We like the way chef Philippe Ruiz cooks too.Hakkasan nabbed the nod as top newcomer…

Carbonell Olive Oil Dinners Pouring Into Miami

Chef’s Fest by Carbonell, “Spain’s favorite olive oil”, will take place December 9th to 19th. This translates to Carbonell olive oil running through various three-and-four course fixed-price menus ($35 to $45) served for this special occasion at the following establishments: Au Pied de Cochon; Casa Juancho; Graziano’s Brickell; La Cofradia;…

Zagat Miami Survey To Be Released Tomorrow

The results of Zagat’s 2010 Miami/So.Florida Restaurants Survey are out tomorrow. The new survey, which incorporates the opinions of some 6,100 local diners, will be available in print, at ZAGAT.com and on ZAGAT TO GO for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry.Only info we have thus far is that this year, 34%…

Ciro’s Kitchen Bar & Grill Is A Global Thing

Ciro’s Kitchen Bar & Grill is a new restaurant that recently opened up where El Guayacan used to be (don’t feel bad, I can’t remember where El Guayacan used to be either). World Fusion Cuisine reads the ad, which right off the bat differentiates the food from the dreaded American…

Art Basel Miami 2009 Restaurant Guide Vol.2: Wynwood

So you’ve ditched South Beach-side pretensions, crossed the bridge into Miami, and now all you see are more stuck up Art World tourists gorging at the MidTown troughs of Five Guys Burgers, Lime Fresh mexi, Cheese Course gourmet, and Primo Pizza. You’re hitting up every fair from Fountain to PhotoMiami…

Interview: Andrea Curto-Randazzo Gets The 10

Now here’s a gal who really knows her way around a kitchen: Chef Andrea Curto-Randazzo of Talula. She co-owns and co-cooks with husband Frank Randazzo and has been since June 2003, dishing up eclectic eats inspired by Italy, Asia and the Southwest. They labeled their style “creative American cuisine,” but…

Puck Fublix, Join The National Supermarket Week of Action

Hey America, this Thanksgiving let’s buck tradition and not go out of our way to kill indians.So, maybe you don’t know, but, most of America’s tomatoes are grown in Immokalee, Florida, just up the street from Naples, and across the way from Miami, and most of the workers in the…

Top Seven Art Basel 2009 (Mostly) Free Food & Drink Events

The first week of December in Miami is a time for art, food and music, and if you’re smart, or local, getting all three for free.Here’s our guide to the top seven food and drink events for Art Basel (December 1 – 6), but don’t forget there’s a whole lot…