Sunday, July 31, 2011
PROFILE / Bravo Italiano Ristorante
via Alexandra Roland @ WINE & DINE July / August Edition
BUZZ Bravo, is not at all pretentious in nature. “I want (guests) to feel like they’re walking into their own home,” said Russ Dickson, owner.
MENU Specialty soups such as the Eggplant and Roasted Pepper Bisque or the Minestrone “pizza soup,”are offered on a “soup of the day” basis... The Penne Vodka is one of Bravo’s most popular dishes... a huge fudge brownie topped with caramel, big squares of chocolate, drizzledwith nuts and served a la mode.
SERVICE gregarious black clad servers
>>> read the entire article
BUZZ Bravo, is not at all pretentious in nature. “I want (guests) to feel like they’re walking into their own home,” said Russ Dickson, owner.MENU Specialty soups such as the Eggplant and Roasted Pepper Bisque or the Minestrone “pizza soup,”are offered on a “soup of the day” basis... The Penne Vodka is one of Bravo’s most popular dishes... a huge fudge brownie topped with caramel, big squares of chocolate, drizzledwith nuts and served a la mode.
SERVICE gregarious black clad servers
>>> read the entire article
LOL / Scott Presents: The Greatest Pizza Box On Earth
People send me pizza boxes from all over the world, but I may have found the best one this week in NYC (although it is made in Italy).
Saturday, July 30, 2011
REVIEWS / Hollywood Prime In Hollywood @ The Westin Diplomat
BUZZ High-end steakhouse civility. The steakhouse meal that follows is one of the finest you'll have in South Florida.
MENU perfect lobster bisque ($14.95) relies more on the flavor of lobster than cream... nails it with this intensely flavored version... One bite of the prime rib ($44.95) and I'm inclined to believe that this is some pretty incredible beef. While restaurant critics are reluctant to use the words, "the best," this may be the best prime rib I've ever had the pleasure of cutting into... Family style sides include very good white cheddar mashed potatoes ($9.95)
SERVICE wait to be pampered by the charming staff.
>>> read the full review
Friday, July 29, 2011
THE BEZT / Fuego Latino voted best Cuban restaurant in South Florida by Sun Sentinal readers
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| Fuego Nachos |
BUZZ "Fuego is very much a family affair. The elder Nietos arrive at the restaurant early in the morning to prep for the day. They're gone by 2 p.m., when the sons take over."
$$$$ "Average dinner check is $12. Lunch specials start at $3.95."
>>> Read the entire Sun Sentinal review
FEATURE / Why Florida Tomatoes Suck "TomatoLand"
from npr - "It takes a lot to grow a tomato in the sand of South Florida: tons of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers... about eight times as many chemicals per acre on tomatoes as California...
- from October to June, virtually all the field-grown tomatoes in supermarkets come from Florida.
- They are picked when they are green; the only reason they are red in the stores is that they've been gassed with ethylene, which changes their color...
- saw tomatoes falling off a truck going 60 mph; when he stopped to examine the tomatoes that hit the road, he says, they "looked smooth and unblemished. Not one was smashed."
EVENT / Miami Spice (starts monday) Video Overview
Toni Gonzalez walks you through everything that is Miami Spice!
NEW PRODUCT / The Ultimate Angus Cool Deli Sandwich - Try It And Get FREE drink and fries
The Ultimate Angus Cool Deli features oven-roasted, thinly sliced USDA Choice Top Round Angus beef served cool. It is topped with Swiss cheese, banana peppers, garlicky pickles, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato and onion, tangy herb vinaigrette and mayonnaise, served on a customer’s choice of either a toasted Italian-style roll or whole grain wrap. The offer is valid from Friday, July 29 through Thursday, August 4 (coupon required).* >>>> get the coupon here
THE BEZT / Miami Herald Offers It's Picks For Miami Spice Event Which Starts On Monday
BLT Steak at the Betsy: Great food (don’t skip the popovers), friendly service and prime Ocean Drive views
NEWS / The food truck craze comes to Fort Lauderdale!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
TV / Sneak Peek of The Chew, ABC's New Daytime Food Show
Today, ABC announced that The Chew, its new daytime lifestyle show, will air live beginning Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. EDT. The series, which replaces the soap opera All My Children, will feature an eclectic mix of hosts, including Italian cooking icon Mario Batali, Iron Chef Michael Symon, Top Cheftestant Carla Hall, entertaining expert Clinton Kelly, and healthy cookbook author (and Dr. Oz progeny) Daphne Oz.
MINI REVIEW - CG Burgers Fort Lauderdale
Blog Editor Comments - "first stop at CG Burgers not so good.... fries soggy and greasy so took them back. They apologized and brought me another batch of "hot" soggy and greasy fries. Had the South Beach (Lo Carb) Burger wrapped in a wilted and yes "soggy" lettuce leaf with tasteless goat cheese.
Place felt cramped. Soda machine has table less than a foot away.
"Five Guys" I'm sorry I won't do this again. I'll go next door to Pei Wei"$22 for two. Pricey for what you get. Maybe the lamb or buffalo burgers were better. The salad bar did look nice. $9.95 all you can eat.
Gary
REVIEWS / Sea & La Dolce Vita
Sea (Lauderdale-By-The-Sea) 7/23
"It was the best conch chowder I’ve ever had, and the best tuna bolognese I’ve ever had. And the cake was as good as could be. So what is a 5 star meal if this isn’t it? So 5 stars it is."
La Dolce Vita is a sweet Fort Lauderdale discovery 7/28
SCENE "There’s much that’s sweet about the 50-seat cafe owned by three guys who left Italy five years ago and met working in Miami restaurants."
MENU 'We savored every last sip of a special of potato and sausage soup... he makes most of his own pasta, including the ravioli, lasagna, cannelloni, gnocchi and “square” spaghetti... Another hit: Seafood pasta, with sautéed mussels, littleneck clams and shrimp... Our friendly waiter told us the tiramisu was terrific, and he was right."REVIEW/ Hotspots Magazine Scans "Richie's Gourmet Italian Ices & Cappuccino"
"The man who introduced this fruity, low-fat phenomenon (Icies) to Fort Lauderdale is Richie Childs. Born in Philadelphia, Childs decided to move to South Florida when he met his partner, Raul Diaz."
"Cotton Candy is his most popular flavor of Italian Ice, but his (owner)personal favorite is cherry and tangerine swirled together. He said that the most popular coffee drink he sells is Cuban Coffee. His personal fave is Double Espresso Italian-style."
PROFILE / "Farm Fresh" Pickles from Fort Lauderdale
via John Tanasychuk @ Sun Sentinal
" Many of their products take just 24 hours to get from field to store. Since they're freshly packed and unpasteurized, they're always crispy">>> find out more including where to buy them
THE BEST / Top 50 restaurants in the US with the most scenic view. None are in Florida. 22 are in California...
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| Pacific's Edge Restaurant, CA |
Editor's note - What's your favorite restaurant view in South Florida? Leave a comment below
HOW TO / What to do with all those mangoes. How about mango ice cream?
View full recipe at: http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2011/07/25/mango-ice-cream/
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
BLOG OF THE DAY / South Florida Beer Blog -
>>> visit the blog
recent posts
BEST DEAL / NEW TIMES - South Florida's Top Four Prix Fixe Picks for Summer
HOW TO / Pecorino cheese & pancetta spaghetti carbonara - BBC's Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escape
Rick Stein teaches you how to open a packet of pasta in a true Italian style whilst talking through a delicious spaghetti carbonara with pecorino cheese and pancetta. Great recipe clip from BBC cookery show 'Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escape'. Garlic, parsley, pancetta, eggs, pecorino and spaghetti. Quick and simple to make!
NEWS / Healthier Happy Meals? Adding fruits or vegetables... 20% fewer calories.
By cutting the portion size of fries by more than half and adding fruits or vegetables, McDonald’s is undoubtedly making its meals more healthful. The chain says that the new meals will have about 20% fewer calories. (Of course, kids can decide to cut the calories even further by skipping the apple slices or carrot sticks.) Although the company doesn’t seem eager to point this out, the smaller portion of fries will also have about 5 fewer grams of fat.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
WEIRD FOOD / Live 'Dancing Squid' Seafood Dish
Odori-don, or literally a "dancing squid rice bowl," is a Japanese dish where a live squid is decapitated and served on top of a bowl of sushi rice along with thinly sliced pieces of its severed head. Seasoned soy sauce is then poured over the squid to make it "dance" (or flail, depending on how you want to look at it.
David Letterman - Julia Child
Julia Child shows what a great improvisor she was ~ who would have guessed she could wield a blow torch like that? :) I _think_ this is from 1987 - my apologies for the choppy editing; i taped this near the end of a tape and wanted to make sure it didn't run out before the segment was over :)
DID YOU KNOW ? - Why is chocolate bad for dogs?
Dogs have a difficult time metabolizing "theobromine," a stimulant found in
cocoa beans that's similar to caffeine. Our four-legged friends process this
alkaloid much slower than humans, making the stimulant more potent--particularly
for smaller dogs. Theobromine affects dogs much like caffeine affects us, except
on a more powerful level, making even an ounce of chocolate a trigger for
nervous system and cardiovascular strain--not unlike drinking 16 cups of coffee.
Bottom line: Always let your pet pass on dessert.
WINE / 95+ Point Pinot Noir & Chardonnay tasting with the Wine Wizards
There are only a few wine tasting groups that deserve my immediate attention in South Florida and the Wine Wizards are one of them. I have been to just a few tasting events that they have put on and they have all been "once in a lifetime" tasting events.
FYI / Our Ultimate Grilling Guide - Check out our 26 great tips, products, and recipes to get you cookin'.
C is for Cheese
Warm Brie is divine, but you can take it to a whole new level by heating it on the grill. Wood planks add rich flavor to the elegant appetizer, but you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil, too. Be sure to choose cheese with a rind around the entire piece, or it will melt and run onto the grates. Sunday, July 24, 2011
DEAL / Cafe Jamm - $20 for $40 Worth of Contemporary American Cuisine....
review summary
"We were welcomed at our table with their homemade potato chips and bleu cheese dressing... the special warm red velvet cake was particularly good... great service, very reasonable prices, lovely wine selection, and mom and pop vibe... even taken a simple cheeseburger to the next level... Decorated in black and white, the place is sleek yet cozy, with a wine bar and soft lighting... Grilled Angus New York strip ($28) has a wonderfully seasoned exterior char that comes from their signature spice rub. The steak was cooked perfectly... salmon with miso hollandaise ($23) and garlic-marinated skirt steak with chimichurri sauce ($18) — were the winning entrées... They have created a comfortable dining room that is cool and hip, and they are focusing on doing fresh food and doing it well."
>>> read more @ Yelp / Urban Spoon / Miami Herald / Sun Sentinal / New Times / Mark's List
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Fast Blueberry Jam - Video and Recipe - The Minimalist -
Mark Bittman makes his favorite easy jam, which is fruitier, and less cloying, that its grocery-store counterparts
>>> read about it get recipe
>>> read about it get recipe
Friday, July 22, 2011
NEW / For Foodies On Las Olas Blvd
Open now - Uddersweets - ice cream and candy shop at 920 E. Last Olas Blvd
Opening soon - Cheese Culture; a cafe and retail shop
specializing in international and domestic artisan cheeses, boutique
wine, craft beer, charcuterie, classes, daily fresh foods and more.....
Keeping and eye on - East Side Eats & Las Olas Wine Cafe. DID YOU KNOW? - All about wine glasses from Naked Grape in Fort lauderdale...
DEAL / $10 for $20 Worth of Delivered Restaurant Cuisine from Doorstep Delivery in Coral Springs, Parkland, Coconut Creek, Margate, and Tamarac.
PITCH Doorstep Delivery transports restaurant edibles straight to hungry homes, offices, and parties seven days a week. Diners order online, by phone, or by grumbling stomach to receive their food in 45–60 minutes. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner come from an expanding restaurant list that includes Jamba Juice, Mythos Greek Taverna, and Toro Sushi, with delivery fees included. Customers can search by restaurant or by item. For example, type "caesar" into the site's search bar to view a list of eats including Quizno's chicken-caesar salad ($5.99) and a chicken-caesar wrapfrom Tijuana Taxi ($7.99).
>>> get the offer
REVIEW / Shin Ju Japanese Buffet in Davie
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| photo via Urbanspoon |
SCENE "The dessert area alone might be worth the price of the buffet... $16.95 adults, $8.95 children, eniors get $2 off. At lunch, it's $10.95 for adults and $6.95 for kids"
MENU "My husband declared the barbecue pork ribs transcendental, and also raved about the thinly shaved steak rolled around asparagus spears, as well as calamari... The best, though, was the maple salmon—small bites with a smoked quality, both sweet and salty. Delicious!"
PEOPLE "Friendly. When our daughter gave the lemonade a thumbs-down, the waitress nicely replaced it with a fruit punch.
>>> read article
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review archive
USERS Urban Spoon - Google Place - Yelp
CRITICS New Times
Thursday, July 21, 2011
William and Kate's Sexiest Wedding Present: a Giant Seychelles Nut
While honeymooning in the Seychelles,
Prince William and Kate Middleton received a rather risque present from
the islands' foreign minister: a gigantic nut famous for looking like a
lady's nether regions and being a strong aphrodisiac.
DEAL 7/21 - Word Of Mouth - Fort Lauderdale - 50% Off -
Pitch Start with the signature sun-dried tomato and pesto pâté, while you ponder ever-changing specials in the open kitchen's showcase, choosing coconut-crusted snapper with caramel-banana drizzle, perhaps, or osso buco, or lobster lasagna. Dine inside or out on the new patio, but be sure to finish with the unquestionably well-named Chocolate Orgasm dessert. Bring your appetite and devour this delicious deal before it disappears.
>>> get the offer -----------------------------------------------
Review Summary
" Who cares about decor when you get great food and service consistently?"... "Small room and a bit noisy, but the food overshadows the little stuff"... " The food was very well prepared, an excellent meal, decor is a little downhome"... "Small and cozy atmosphere"
HOST Website
USERS GooglePlace / ZAGAT / Tripadvisor / Yelp
Host provided video
NEWS / A 1,500-seat McDonald's - Serving more than 1.75 million people in 29 days...
For the 2012 London Olympics, fast-food giant McDonald's will be building its biggest restaurant ever.The 32,000 square-foot, two-story facility will have seating for 1,500 hungry spectators - and athletes. It's one of four temporary McDonald's to be constructed for the Olympics, including one in the athletes' village.
>>> read more
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
LOL / Food Truck Names That Should Be Banned Slideshow...
Great Balls On Tires (Los Angeles)
The Dump Truck (Portland, Ore.)
Hit n' Run (Houston)
Shut Up And Eat (Portland, Ore.)
Truckin' Good Food (Phoenix)
>>> read more
HOW TO - Local chef / restaurant owner Steve Martorano makes fresh mozzarella...
I always thought fresh mozzarella was difficult to make. But I decided if I was going to make a great product everything I put in it had to be great. So I asked my friend Peter (who's been making it for years) and that's when I realized this shit is pretty easy. So at my restaurants we now make fresh mozzarella, every hour.
>>> watch the video now
>>> read about the series
OMG / Cheesecake Factory On List Of Most Calorific Menu Items....
Take a slice of red velvet cake, top it with a layer of cheesecake and then throw a second layer of red velvet cake on top of that. Oh, and add another layer of cheesecake. Not dead yet? Probably not, but you have consumed 1,540 calories and 59g of saturated fat. According to CSPI, that's the equivalent of eating one Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pepperoni Pizza plus two Quarter Pounders with cheese... with an additional days' worth of saturated fat.
>>> read more
DEAL / Bongos Cuban Café – Hollywood - Groupon - 7/20
Bongos Cuban Café pays tribute to vintage Cuban supper clubs while distinguishing itself with chic décor and a menu packed with authentic Cuban fare, including family recipes from co-owners Gloria and Emilio Estefan.
>> get the deal
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more info
host - Website - Facebook
user - Urbanspoon -- Yelp - Tripadvisor
critics - InsideFortLauderdale
video - Grand Opening
DEAL / Arby's Classic 64 cents on Saturday
In celebration of its anniversary, this Saturday, July 23, Arby’s Restaurant Group, Inc. is offering customers nationwide its signature sandwich, the Classic Roast Beef, for just 64 cents all day long, with purchase of a 22 oz. drink (coupon required).* To receive a coupon, people must “like” Arby’s at www.facebook.com/arbys.
Arby's Trvia
- The first Arby’s, in Boardman Ohio, had just 10 seats and was shaped like a Conestoga wagon
- In addition to the Classic Roast Beef sandwich, potato cakes and Jamocha shakes are two other original menu items that remain among the most popular today
- The Raffel Brothers originally wanted to name the restaurant “Big Tex,” but settled on Arby’s, which stands for R.B. (Raffel Brothers); to this day, many people still believe it stands for roast beef
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The high-tech cocktail: Future happy hour is now!
It's no surprise that when award-winning modernist cooking maestro Grant Achatz opened a bar, The Aviary in Chicago, its menu was devoid of appletinis and vodka tonics. The chef decided to rethink everything about the cocktail, as he had done with food at his celebrated restaurant Alinea.
Monday, July 18, 2011
EVENTS / Food Trucks In Fort Lauderdale
Food Trucks will be pulling into Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday July 27th at Esplanade Park at 5:30pm. The trucks in attendance will be CheeseMe Mobile | The Fish Box |Nacho Mama’s Grill | Ms. Cheezious | Sugar Rush | Latin Burger | Sugar Yummy Mama | Nacho Bizness | SFT Slow Food Truck | Big Kahuna | The Rolling Stove | Dim Ssam A Go-Go
Esplanade Park 20 North New River Drive East Fort Lauderdale, 33312
OMG / Fear of frying? Raw bacon hogs spotlight at Fancy Food Show
“I like to eat it raw or just very lightly cooked,” he said. “You don’t want to crisp it or you’ll lose the fat. You want the fat to just melt in your mouth.”
>>>read all about it
DEAL / St. Tropez Bistro – East Fort Lauderdale French Cuisine and Drinks for Lunch or Dinner
For $25, you get $50 worth of French cuisine and drinks during dinner.
>>> get the deal
owner / Website- Facebook
reviews / Google Places - Yelp - Urban Spoon - Tripadvisor - Open Table
critics / InsideFortLaudedale
video in French (English subtitles)
Sunday, July 17, 2011
REVIEW / Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor - Sun Sentinal Video & Check Please South Florida 601
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SECOND-GRADER DEMI NIKOLE BERNADOTTE SAYS HER PICK WILL TRANSPORT YOU BACK IN TIME. ITS OLD-FASHIONED AMBIENCE AND HUGE PORTIONS OF KIDS FAVORITES ALWAYS MAKE IT A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. FOR HOUSE-MADE ICE CREAM AND PLENTY OF EYE-CANDY, SHE HEADS TO DANIA BEACH. ITS CALLED JAXSON'S ICE CREAM PARLOR AND RESTAURANT.
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Owner info Website Facebook
User Tripadvisor - Urbanspoon - Google Places
Saturday, July 16, 2011
REVIEW / Rendez-Vous Bakery - A Touch of Paris in South Florida
Friday, July 15, 2011
FOOD TRUCKS / Pembroke Pines food truck rally Saturday
Party in the Pines Food Truck Rally takes place 5-9 p.m., Saturday, July 16, at Maroone Dodge of Pembroke Pines, 13601 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines.>>> list of participating trucks
EVENT NEWS / 2011 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival details revealed
•Hawaii, the Caribbean islands and Portugal all debut Marketplaces – look for Kalua pork sliders in Hawaii, ropa vieja in the Caribbean and calamari salad in Portugal.
>>> read more
Video Highlights from "last years event"
Rick Howard and Rhino Ken taste some food and wine from around Epcot's World Showcase in this final episode of the 15th Annual International Food & Wine Festival
DEAL / (Groupon) Steve's Wood Fired Pizza – Boca Raton - $12 for $25 Worth of Italian Fare
>>> Get the offer
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users Google Place
critics Sun Sentinal A four-star restaurant doesn't have to have white tablecloths or dinner jacketed waiters. It just has to be the best of its genre, and Steve's Wood Fired Pizza fits the bill. Everything — from appetizers to pizza and desserts — was first class.
Inside Fort Lauderdale But this is the most expensive pizza anywhere, when you consider that this is a medium pizza. And charging the same for a half topping as you charge for a whole one is just wrong; heck if you charge $2.00 for a half it’s rude; charging the same is downright obnoxious.
Inside Fort Lauderdale But this is the most expensive pizza anywhere, when you consider that this is a medium pizza. And charging the same for a half topping as you charge for a whole one is just wrong; heck if you charge $2.00 for a half it’s rude; charging the same is downright obnoxious.
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