Where: 2426 NE 2nd Ave., Miami 305-573-3800
What $15 Gets You: A sandwich, panini or salad with a drink.
Located on the fringes of Wynwood, Out of the Blue Cafe feels oddly out of place among the Latin cafeterias and warehouses. Why the owners didn't rent out a space one block east right on Biscayne Boulevard is beyond me. It's obvious this place is looking to capitalize on the influx of young professionals moving into the area looking for a place that is nice enough to feel like it could easily be located on South Beach, but grungy enough that its cred as a Wynwood locale remains intact.
As far as prices go, sandwiches start at $6.95 for the Italiano go as high as $9.75 for the Out of the Blue Burger Trio, a combo of 4-ounce burgers, each one with a different topping. I tried the Midtown Steak Sandwich ($8.95), which consists of marinated skirt steak, roasted tomatoes, and chimichurri dressing on a baguette, and it's worth every penny.
What's surprising right after taking the first bite is how the dressing isn't overpowering. It seems like every chimchurri sauce I've tasted in Miami is so overloaded with herbs, lemon and garlic that it renders anything you pour it over obsolete. But Out of the Blue's sauce is mild enough that it lets you enjoy the taste of the meat, yet savory enough that its not just oil slathered on bread.
I ordered the meat medium-rare, which is perfect for a steak sandwich, because it was soft enough to chew through without pulling a big chunk of meat from in between the bread.
With a can of soda and tip, my entire meal came out to $13 and change. While bit on the pricey side for what's basically a sandwich, this isn't exactly a nuked Subway meal.
