MC Kitchen is known for its rich, upscale dinners, and power lunches. In fact, the tony Design District eatery was named one of the top ten power lunch spots by Worth Magazine.

See also: MC Kitchen Is Miami's Power Lunch Hub

But even with all that delicious food, sometimes you just want a drink and a nosh at the bar -- especially during Miami summers, when a big, bubbling plate of cavatelli (even made by the skilled hands of Dena Marina) is just too daunting.

Almost as if reading our minds, chef Marino has launched a bar menu, filled with light fare and refreshing libations. Marino tells us that she created the menu to cater to neighborhood customers. "I wanted to make something fun and easy, but of course delicious. I came up with some items that are a twist on traditional bar food."

Items include the chef's famous Aspen truffle fries with brown truffle gravy ($13); stone oven roasted jumbo chicken wings ($14); crispy Louisiana oyster fritti with backyard mango vinaigrette ($14), and a salumi and cheese board ($24).

If you're looking for something more substantial, there's a half-pound Angus burger topped with provolone cheese, thick-cut bacon, caramelized onions, and Dogfish Head-battered onion rings ($17).

Or, opt for one of Marino's personal favorites -- the meatball calzone, filled with a cheesy blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and Calabrian dablo salsa ($19) or the Molinari pepperoni pizza, made with a special pepperoni from San Francisco ($13). As the chef says, "I can't even tell you which one I like best. They're ridic -- along with the oysters!" Guess you'll have to grab a few friends and order them all.

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Special bar drinks include a selection of cocktails, but we're going for the shandys. The Free Warren is a blend of Dogfish Head Aprihop and Bruce Cost's ginger ale ($10); and the Big Brown Bunny is a playful mix of Dogfish Head Indian Brown, St. George B&E bourbon, ginger ale, and macadamia nut ($12). Sounds like a refreshing libation with a kick.

MC Kitchen's bar menu is available every day for lunch and dinner, seven days a week (at the bar, of course).

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• Cocktails and Spirits