The Arc of South Florida held their Summer Spree Auction on Friday May 18th, 2018 at the Marriott Miami Airport.
Auctioneer Michael Guyer, was in charge of the live auction. There were also hundreds of silent auction items.
The auction featured a wealth of vacation packages and short getaways, great restaurants, passes for cultural and sporting activities and events, wonderful goods and pampering services and much more.
Every dollar raised at the event (tickets sales, auction proceeds) will go directly to The Arc of South Florida programs for Adults and Children with Intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Arc of South Florida is a local chapter of The Arc, one of the largest volunteer organizations in the U.S. Founded in 1953 by a group of concerned parents, The Arc of South Florida serves the over 60,000 Miami-Dade County citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc of South Florida two-fold purpose is to ensure the rights of all persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities through ongoing advocacy, and to provide specialized programs and services to help individuals lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. The Arc of South Florida has programs in ten locations throughout Miami-Dade County, employs over one hundred seventy individuals, and serves hundreds of participants and their families on a daily basis.
The Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation recently completed its XIII Annual Wine and Food fund raiser on Friday, January 26th. The event sold out quickly and turned into another resounding success with the help and support from the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne, The Nobis Foundation, The ARC of South Florida, our long standing partner Manos del Sur and community members at large.
Thirteen participating restaurants from our community prepared food delicacies to match the wines. Twenty four wineries competed for the recognition of Best in Show White and Red.
According to five independent judges, the winning white wine was B de Chanzy, a Rose from Provence, France, a delightful blend of Grenache and Syrah.
The winning red wine was a Merlot from Deerfield Ranch in Sonoma Valley, CA.
The 5th Annual South Beach Seafood Week is back to kick off Miami’s globally-recognized stone crab season October 17-21, 2017 in the best way South Beach knows how!
This is not your typical Seafood Festival, but a high-end experience that showcases the talents of South Florida’s leading chefs and culinary masterminds via a diverse group of events, benefiting a great cause: CI Foundation’s EAT SMART program.
Saturday’s beachfront event, South Beach Seafood Festival, brought to you by Kendall Jackson and presented by Coca-Cola and Jack Daniel’s, spans four blocks and welcomes over 13,000 seafoodies to enjoy a day of fun in the sun in the Sobe Chic way. And this year, it’s all about the UPGRADE!
This is not your typical Seafood Festival – come prepared to indulge at pop up cafes featuring Miami’s leading restaurateurs serving the freshest seafood. Choose your dishes as you please and pair them with complimentary all day open bars for 21 and over!
This year’s event site entrance will be at 14th and Ocean Drive. Guests will enjoy a day with their toes in the sand at #sobeseafood fest which spans all the way from 10th and Ocean to 14th and Ocean!
So much more than just food, Saturday’s festival includes:
Jackson Family Wine pairing experiences,
Live music at the Main Stage,
iHeart Radio DJs at the Jack Daniel’s Beach Club,
Life-size beach games,
Chef demonstrations in the Whole Foods Market Culinary Showcase,
VIP Experiences in the Land Rover N&S Dade Hospitality Village featuring the GOYA Culinary Pavilion,
The Coca-Cola Dance Club,
Casa Herradura,
Celebrity Cruises “The Edge” showcase,
Jackson Family Wines sensory garden experience, and so much more – right on the sand!
And for the VIPs, the hospitality village will stay open for a VIP-only After Party from 7-9 PM where you can dance the night away.
The 12th Annual Rotary Key Biscayne Wine and Food Fest was held this past Friday at Fairways on the Key.
Thirteen different wines from the New World competed against the same varietals from the Old World to earn the recognition of “Best of Show†in each class. A lovely Italian Prosecco greeted all the patrons upon their arrival in order to “season the palate†for the wonderful wines to follow.
Shari Gherman, president of the American Fine Wine Competition & Charity Wine Gala, served as wine director. Four other noted wine professionals, Patrick Sullivan, wine educator; Wendy Rosano, Sommelier and wine director at Terra Fiamma in Delray Beach; Roberto Colombi, Sommelier and GM of The Blue in the Boca Raton Resort, and Henry Barrow, Wine Educator, completed the professional Judging panel.
The evening’s proceeds went to benefit the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation (RCKBF) and affiliated charities for adults and children.
The Rotary Club continues to collaborate with the Arc of South Florida, a Miami-based non-profit helping adults and children with mental disabilities. Their members organized the details of the evening and received part of the proceeds to fund its programming.
Additionally, the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation has designated proceeds to benefit Fundacion Manos del Sur’s educational work with programs to promote healthcare and disease prevention offered through Fundación Stamboulian and the Rotary Club in Argentina.
Rather than each organization holding an independent fund raising event, The Arc of South Florida and Fundación Manos Del Sur worked together with Rotary to offer attendees not only a wonderful evening, but an opportunity to support different efforts in our community. The Rotary Club is pursuing matching grants from the local Rotary District and Rotary International to further leverage the charitable impact of this event.
And the winners of the “Best of Show†title are:
In the Red Category: “Unmask†a red blend from Vineyard 36, Napa
In the White Category: “Champagne Laculle†Blanc de Noir, France.
Among Tacos and Tequila the competing Chefs battles for the 2016 Chef Showdown were announced this past Monday.
The media gathered in the rooftop of the Dream Hotel where hosted by legendary Chef Ralph Pagano, the Chefs posed for the cameras and challenged each other in a fun and jovial atmosphere. Everyone had a great time!
Here is how the competition stacks up this year between the defending champions and their challengers:
The Chef Showdown assembles Miami’s top executive chefs for an evening of competitive cook-offs where the public is the judge. In a perfect combination of competition level cuisine, tropically fresh cocktails, and live entertainment, the Chef Showdown tours guests through the best of Miami’s culinary scene, featuring 12 of Miami’s most progressive and recognized Executive Chefs. This is a can NOT miss experience for all.
For more information and to get your tickets click here.
This past Tuesday, hundreds of Foodies stormed the Southern tip of South Beach looking to experience the ultimate gastronomic crawl…and my oh my!!!… did they ever!!!
La crème de la crème of the world-class restaurants in the South of Fifth neighborhood rolled out their red carpets and proceeded to showcase their greatest hits to welcome the participants of South of Spice.
Only in its second year, South of Spice is quickly becoming the “must do†event for all foodies in the South Florida area. Its popularity can be attributed to three factors: affordability, quality and execution. Where else can you experience eight Top-Tier restaurants for $45.00?
Now, this is not a one meal, one dish type of set-up. We are talking about an unending parade of samples of the best each restaurant has to offer. You can eat as much as you want. Each restaurant also included complimentary beverages to accompany the samples. We are talking from a wonderful Sterling Vineyards Merlot at Red, The Steakhouse to Caipirinhas at Fogo de Chão.
As if the price and the quality weren’t enough, there are motor coaches, provided by miRide, on constant rotation to effortlessly chauffeur you from doorstep to doorstep. You don’t have to walk if you don’t want to but after several waves of delicious samples, a little walking helps.
Another good thing about the event is that South of Spice benefits the CI Foundation and their community initiative Eat Smart, which finds a balance between battling childhood hunger and providing healthy meals to promote youth nutrition.
One of the coziest events held during Miami Swim Week turned out to be the Style Suite put on by the W South Beach.
One of the townhouse style bungalows served as the setting for this event, which featured a Bikini Beer Garden, a Beauty Bar by Botox Cosmetic Labb and PopUp shopping by RAC.
The 6 Shore Road collection by designer Pooja Kharbanda, who is an industry leader in swimwear & women’s apparel, was inspired by lazy beach days. 6 Shore Road captures the spirit of carefree days amongst friends. Intended for sipping champagne at the bar and dancing as the sun goes down, the effortlessly sexy styles easily transition from day to night.
The authentic Cuervo Margaritas, made exclusively with Cuervo Gold, are the world’s number one ready-to-serve margaritas and come in six flavors: classic lime, strawberry lime, mango, watermelon, grapefruit-tangerine, and coconut-pineapple.
For those of us who count calories, the Authentic Cuervo Light Margaritas offer the same great taste as the original, but they have fewer than 95 calories per serving. These no-guilt margaritas come in three flavors: classic lime, wild berry, and white peach.
We sipped as many flavors as we could (responsibly, of course) and they all tasted great!
Hundreds of people gathered under the palm trees at the W South Beach’s Wet Deck to enjoy the official opening night party of SWIMMIAMI, kicking the Miami Swim Week into overdrive.
The show featured swimwear by Kay & Elle, OMG Miami and a special presentation by Roberto Cavalli.
Musical entertainment was provided by reggaeton singer Vikina Lopez and a special performance by Kent Jones who brought down the house with his #1 hit “Don’t Mindâ€.
This weekend, the South Beach Wine and Food Festival iconic tents on the beach stretched between 10th & 13th Streets off Ocean Drive to house the Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village featuring MasterCard Grand Tasting Tents & KitchenAid® Culinary Demonstrations, which continued to capitalize on the revamped setting and programming structure successfully introduced during last year’s Festival. This gourmet sampling featured the finest pours from the Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida portfolio, and a tri-county array of restaurants, led by Culinary Captains representing neighborhoods across South Florida.
Video and images of The Seed Food and Wine Festival Tasting Village.Held in MANA Wynwood and showcasing whole and organic foods, the Seed Food and Wine Festival Tasting Village in Miami welcomed thousands of Foodies who were able to enjoy free samplings at the ultimate day of plant-based health, wellness conscious and sustainable living.
Hundreds of foodies, wine aficionados and just plain good times seekers braved the elements this past Saturday to enjoy The 6th Edition of the Coral Gables Food Wine & Spirits Festival. The downpour did not dampen the spirit (no pun intended) of festival patrons, who came prepared with umbrellas, ponchos or anything that could shelter them from the rain.
Once under the tents, the attendees were able to enjoy from a variety of more than three hundred different brands of libations; there was Rum, Wine, Tequila, Beer and even water, organized into five separate pavilions.
There were ten different food stations. Each station offered two to three different types of food. For example: Station #1 offered Japanese, Station #2 was Greek and so on.
On Sunday at The Lincoln Motor Company display, attendees took part in a unique test drive experience of its new line of vehicles, including the all-new Lincoln MKX. Participating guests received a luxury gift.
The MKX has one of the smoothest ride of any vehicle I have ever driven. You have to try it!
If it is the first Friday in November it means two things: One is the temperatures are getting cooler (ok…maybe a degree or two) and the other one is: Giralda Under the Stars, that gastronomic celebration of all the excellent cuisine available in that one magic block of picturesque Giralda Avenue known as “Restaurant Rowâ€.
The Coral Gables Business Improvement District organizes the event which this year includes thirteen restaurants. Giralda Under the Stars runs on the first Friday of every month until April. So if you missed it this time you’ll be able to catch it in December.
Miami’s globally-recognized annual Stone Crab season kicked off at the 3rd annual South Beach Seafood Festival. Thousands flocked to 7th & Ocean Drive to experience the seasonal selections of Miami’s top chefs and restaurants during the all-day festival. The South Beach Seafood Festival also featured live music, culinary and mixology demonstrations, a kid’s zone, health village, and VIP hospitality benefits. There was fun for all ages with countless interactive zones, retail villages, and a sports bar showing the day’s college football match-ups right on the sand.
A portion of proceeds from the South Beach Seafood Festival benefit the Community Initiatives Foundation, who’s program EAT SMART fulfills the perfect balance between youth nutrition and childhood development by providing healthy weekend meals and frequent outdoor activity to children in Miami Beach.
Hundreds of Foodies gathered in South Beach to experience one of the most important events of the 2015 gastronomic season: The South Beach Seafood Festival Chef Showdown Competition.
Twelve top chefs representing some of the best-known restaurants in the world went plate to plate at the Goya Foods Culinary Pavilion competing in six categories. The evening was presented by Land Rover of North and South Dade with Warren Henry Auto.
South Florida celebrated seafood, waterfront living and the start of the stone crab season by way of The Coconut Grove Seafood Festival at Peacock Park. For the third year in a row, event organizers brought together an array of seafood vendors offering bushels of shrimp, oysters, crawfish, lobster, stone crab, fish and clams prepared in a variety of ways.
The well known Casablanca Fish Market overflowed with fish from around the world that folks were able to select, purchase and take home after they had their fill at the festival. The Kitchen Lab featured cooking demos by popular South Florida restaurants.
The event was very family oriented. Children played inside the inflatable pirate village in the Family Fun Zone. There was also VIP Island for those who preferred a more exclusive experience.
As if all this wasn’t enough, the afternoon had a constant stream of live music including calypso, steel drum, island escapism and reggae. The Festival also featured several nautically themed exhibitors showcasing art, jewelry and home decor.
The folks at SWARM have definitely put together another winner!…We can’t wait to be back next year!
Peacock Park in Coconut Grove was the setting for Grovetoberfest which served over 300 unlimited beer samplings from around the country and around the world. Beer lovers gathered to try new releases, tap into old favorites and take part in Timed Tappings, which offered unprecedented access to specialty brews.
The Milam’s Kitchen Lab showcased award-winning, South Florida chefs who shared their fusion cuisine, beer pairing and cooking tips.
The Bougainvillea’s Live Music Stage featured South Florida favorite bands and food vendors were on hand selling everything from burgers to beer cupcakes.
Kudos to the crew at SWARM for putting together another awesome event!
One of the most interesting, refreshing and informative ways to spend an afternoon in Miami Beach is to take an Art Deco Cocktail Tour. As the name implies, you will be walking around the Art Deco gems of South Beach while stopping at a few of them to enjoy a libation.
Recently, Christine Michaels of Art Deco Tours invited a group of bloggers to participate in the experience. We all gathered at the Z Ocean Hotel where Christine immediately made us feel welcomed, she introduced us to James Cubby who would serve as our guide along with Christine.
It was an amazing experience!
Even if you’ve been in Miami most of your life (such as myself) the Art Deco Cocktail Tour is a wonderful way to get re-acquainted with Miami Beach’s wonderful history and architecture, not to mention the depth of information that can only be acquired from seeing and walking through these magnificent masterpieces. Just take the tour…you won’t regret it.
More than twelve world-renowned chefs will take place in the competition. The Showdown competitions include:
Coyo versus Bodega in Battle Taco
Red, the Steakhouse versus Smith & Wollensky in Battle Surf & Turf
Poseidon versus Alter in Battle Octopus
CIBO versus Mondrian Hotel in Battle Shrimp
Oceanaire versus Drunken Dragon in Battle Tuna
The evening’s main event will be: Lobster, where Chef Ralph Pagano, owner of Naked Taco and also the event’s Master of Ceremonies, is paired against Miami Beach seafood master, Joe’s Stone Crab and Chef Andre Bienvenu.
The South Beach Seafood Festival has quickly become the premier seafood event of the year! …and this year is promising to be better than ever with four days of non-stop gastronomic pleasure…trust me…you don’t want to miss it! The festival runs from October 21st through the 24th visit their web page for more information.
It is five minutes before noon on a on a hot and humid Saturday and while storm clouds are looming to the west, Gace Della is standing at the entrance of the Wynnwood Walls talking to a tourist-looking gentleman. She is easy to spot, she is dressed all in black and wearing a Miami Culinary Tours sign. I tell her who I am and she tells me to wait by the elephant mural “…we will start exactly at 12:00…almost everyone is hereâ€.
“Everyone†is an eclectic group of South Florida bloggers (from foodies to lifestyle, fashion, beauty and everything in between) gathered by Paola Mendez, creator of the South Florida Bloggers Meetup Group and invited to experience the WynwwodTour edition of Miami Culinary Tours.
At 12:00:49 P.M. Grace Della begins the tour. Her passion and depth of knowledge immediately come to the forefront. Her delivery is fast, articulate and enthusiastic. She prepares us for our first stop on the tour: Wynwood Kitchen & Bar.
Wynwood Kitchen & Bar has outdoor seating but it is 92 degrees outside with like 90% humidity and on top of that it looks like a storm is coming. We opt to sit indoors. Wise choice, it is cool and comfortable, they have a large table set up for us and a great IPA beer at each spot waiting to be sampled. They read my mind.
Grace explains about Executive Chef Miguel Aguilar’s Nuevo Cuisine philosophy and goes on to describe what’s in our plate: Chicken Empanada, Cheese Tequeño and Sweet Plantains with Queso Fresco. Very well prepared and exquisitely interpreted Latin street food. An excellent appetizer, it gets me in the right mood. By this time I was ready to keep on eating but there is an art component to the Wynwood Tour and since the menacing storm has not fully materialized we head to the Walls.
I did mention Grace’s knowledge about the art on the Wynwood Walls but it is her passionate delivery that makes it so exciting to hear about the artists and creators behind the art. I must confess that until that moment I had taken the art on the walls for granted. No more.
After a brief visit through the O. Asciano Art Gallery we are in route to our next stop: The R House.
The R House is either a cool restaurant with great art hanging on the walls or an art gallery with a restaurant inside, either way they serve an excellent red wine and Chef Rocco Carulli’s Short Rib Slider and Tuna Tartare are simply off the charts.
The Tuna Tartare is lightly fried in sesame oil with black and white sesame seeds, a sweet chilli glaze and wasabi cream go on top and it all goes atop a fried wonton crisp. Each dish is great by itself but to taste them together is simply sublime. I could stay here but the tour must go on.
Two very long, humid and hot city blocks later we arrive at Pride and Joy, a barbecue joint.
Pulled Pork Texas Toast with Cole Slaw is served on a simple cardboard tray but as simple as it sounds, it is every bit as good as good can get, they have a variety of sauces to enhance the flavor and the pork is moist and soft. If you are on the mood for barbecue, this is the place.
From Pride and Joy we go across the street to SuViche a sushi, ceviche and pisco bar/restaurant.
At SuViche they serve us ceviche (of course), the traditional Peruvian dish. Each dish at SuViche is prepared individually so some patience is required but the freshness and awesome taste is evident on the plate. If you haven’t had ceviche before this is a good place to try it.
I would advise to take the Wynwood Tour during the cooler months of November through April. If you consider yourself a foodie, the Wynwood Tour is a must but even if you don’t, it is definitely worth it.
The New Times Broward/Palm Beach held its 8th annual Pairings event this past Thursday, once again the Broward Center for the Performing Arts served as host for this magnificent gastronomic event.
Select restaurants from the Broward and Palm Beach areas presented unique signature culinary creations which in turn were paired with local and international wines.
In addition to the flavorful cuisine from South Florida’s best restaurants, hundreds of foodies got to enjoy live entertainment, craft beers and signature cocktails.
Life Is Art & Soul Of Miami presented the River Of Art Pop-Up Art-in-Public-Places Exhibition and Social Mixer at Bahama Breeze on Tuesday, July 21, 2015.  River Of Art was an exciting evening of business networking featuring a beautiful painting show, music, light bites and cocktails hosted at Bahama Breeze in West Kendall. The River Of Art is a gathering place of Miami’s good people, executives, industrialists, innovators, creators, entrepreneurs, changemakers, activists, and artists.
On July 2nd, RAW Artist Miami presented their summer showcase at LMNT.
RAW is an indie arts organization for artists, by artists. It focuses on spotlighting indie underground talent to the public. Every other month, their 60+ locations worldwide hand-select 40 emerging artists in film, fashion, music, visual art, photography, accessories, performing art, hair, and makeup. The artists are able to sell their work, showcase their work, and network with the local community.
The third Thursdays Poplife Social have received a very positive response from the community and to meet the growing demand for the series, they have added pre-ticketing and more food and bar stations.
The menu items included Miso Glazed Chicken Skewers, Pork Belly Bao Buns, Grilled Mushroom Bao Buns, Shrimp Chips and Kimchee pickles.
This was the perfect way to enjoy a Thursday evening: Art galleries, live music and great food!
It was a standing room only for the more than one hundred and fifty people who attended the opening of OBBA Sushi in Coral Gables this past Friday.
The Honorable Jim Cason, Mayor of Coral Gables presided over the cutting of the ribbon together with OBBA Sushi owners Walter Zapata and Tufic Akil. The Mayor also awarded Zapata and Akil with a Seal to City of Coral Gables based on their entrepreneurial achievements.
Once the ribbon was cut the sound of Taiko welcomed guests into the serene and well appointed dining rooms. The sushi creations coming out of the sushi bar were being consumed as soon as they were being put into the trays and the Sapporo kept flowing to the satisfaction of everyone. Definitely a great opening night!
OBBA Sushi is open and ready to make gastronomic history.
This year, the bloggers started the crawl by getting together at BULLA GASTROBARÂ , winner of the 2015 Taste of the Gables Award.
Bulla Gastrobar welcomed us with a choice of white or red Sangrias both of which were full of fruit flavor, talk about the perfect refreshment on a hot Florida June afternoon.
Then the tasting began…
Our sampling menu consisted of:
Salpicón de Mariscos: Grilled octopus, jumbo lump crab meat, shrimp, bell peppers, fresh lemon, oregano and olive oil. This combination of seafood flavors was simply amazing!
Huevos Bulla: Homemade potato chips, Serrano ham and potato foam drizzled with truffle oil. These eggs were just the perfect appetizer.
Bulla Sliders: Homemade garlic herb bread, beef, pork, veal, oyster mushroom patties, piquillo peppers, caramelized onions, crimini port reduction, tetilla cheese, and Portobello fries. This is actually a James Beard Foundation Burger and winner of The Taste of the Gables Award…need we say more?
By this time we were all excited and ready to continue.
Next stop on the list: BRICKTOPS right across the street.
Field Greens Salad: Mixed baby greens, tomatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and focaccia croutons with a homemade house vinaigrette.
Hearts of Romaine Caesar: Hearts of Romaine lettuce with grated parmesan and focaccia croutons with homemade Caesar dressing.
The Wedge Salad: Bib lettuce, thick cut bacon, red onion and blue cheese.
Scottish Salmon: Salmon lightly seasoned and simply grilled. So simple and yet so good!
Prime Sirloin Meat Loaf : Meat loaf made from prime sirloin and topped with a chili sauce glaze. Quite possibly the best meat loaf we’ve ever tasted.
Baby Back Ribs: Danish Baby Back Ribs topped with chipotle barbecue sauce. The ten hour slow cooked process is evident in the meat fall off the bone/melt in your mouth texture.
Obba Sandwich: Shrimp tempura, spicy crab salad, avocado and chives with spicy katzu mayo.
Banana Tempura: Batter fried banana.
Then it was on to BOOKS & BOOKS CAFE where they treated us to a delicious
Shrimp Avocado Tartine: Fresh shrimp, avocado, tomato, basil pesto, garlic aioli on grilled Ciabatta. We washed down with a great-bodied Uintaite BaBa Black Lager.
Our last stop was LA TABERNA GIRALDA, a quaint Spanish style tavern. The offerings:
Croquetas Cabrales: Cabrales cheese croquettes.
Chips de Berenjenas y Miel: Eggplant Chips sprinkled with honey.
Perfecto de Solomillo de Cerdo: Roasted pork tenderloin with caramelized onion and aroma of rosemary.
It was a perfect ending to a perfect evening.
Don’t forget that Coral Gables Restaurant Week ends June 28th so you better hurry and try to capitalize on all the wonderful tastes that the City Beautiful has to offer.
It was an eventful evening full of distinguished people/food lovers at the Westin Colonnade Coral Gables. The standing room only crowd could not wait to sample the best that the restaurants in the Gables have to offer. Each restaurant competing for the distinction of being declared winner of the 2015 Taste of the Gables.
From Ceviche to Oxtail, there was a dish for every palate; each dish meticulously and impeccably prepared but there could only be one winner…
Taste of the Gables kicks off Restaurant Week. For three weeks, restaurants will offer special three-course lunch and dinner prix-fixe menus at a discounted price.
Definitely the best way to enjoy some of the best gastronomical delights in the world!
The Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation hosted the 10th Annual Rotary Club Key Biscayne Wine and Food Fest.
The primary beneficiaries included the ARC of South Florida and the Fundacion Manos del Sur. Founded in 1953 by a group of concerned parents, the ARC, South Florida serves the over 60,000 Miami-Dade County citizens with developmental disabilities. Fundacion Manos del Sur is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to underprivileged children in Latin America in the areas of education, health and nutrition.
This year’s event was again themed after “New World vs. Old World. Wines from some of the top wine producing regions in the world competed to earn coveted awards for “Best Varietal”, “Best in Show-White Wine” and “Best in Show-Red Wine”. Please scroll to the last image to see the winner’s board.Â
Guess also savored delicacies prepared by 14 participating restaurants from the Key Biscayne and general Miami area.
In collaboration with the ARC of South Florida a silent auction took place during the tasting. Auction lots consisted of more than 100 items, which included travel, restaurant, sports memorabilia and other goods and services, with an estimated market value of more than $40,000.
We had to move on…our next stop was Talavera Cocina Mexicana where they extended out the red carpet for us in typical Mexican hospitality fashion.
At Talavera Mexican Cuisine, the welcome cocktail was Pueblito Viejo: Corzo Reposado tequila, lemon juice, simple syrup, sugar, crushed mint served over ice. It is refreshingly sweet and goes down so easy!. The menu featured an appetizer consisting of Gordita Conchinita Pibil: (pulled pork) in a corn masa tortilla with a dry rub of chiles and spices. The taste of toasted corn of the tortillas combined with the flavor of the tender piglet was so pleasing to the taste buds, add to that the hint of chiles and you have the perfect appetizer.
Next were Enchilada Suizas: pulled white meat chicken inside a corn tortilla with poblano cream sauce and tomatillo salsa, topped with Oaxaca cheese and baked, served with crema Mexicana and cilantro. Hot, chewy, soft and delcious!
For dessert it was Crepas de Cajeta: crepes covered in Cajeta served with walnuts and vanilla ice cream. If you haven’t had this dessert I urge to go to Talavera and try it. You’ll thank me later.
The portions at Talavera were very generous and we were beginning to exhibit signs of food exhaustion but we marched on…
The next one up was Divino Ceviche where they welcomed us with a that typical Peruvian drink known as the Pisco Sour: Pisco, lemon juice, sugar and  angostura bitters topped with a frothy egg white meringue sprinkled with cinnamon…ooh so good…! there were Camote (Sweet Potato) Chips ready to be dipped in Aji Amarillo or Salsa de Huacatay accompanied by Canchas (Roasted Corn).
The hot appetizer consisted of Pulpo (Octopus) in Salsa Anticuchera. The octopus was lightly crunchy with a very pleasing smoky flavor. Â For entree we were served the Trio de Ceviches consisting of Ceviche Tradicional, Â Ceviche Divino (the Chef’s specialty) and Ceviche al Olivo. These Ceviches are made with slices of fresh fish and or whole shrimp marinated lightly in lime juice and seasoned with Peruvian limo chili, fresh cilantro and onion; garnished with sweet potato and choclo (Peruvian giant corn), the Ceviche Divino also has mango and avocado. The ceviche is so good that one of the bloggers proclaimed “the best ceviche she had ever had”, I concur.
For dessert, Mousse de Maracuyá (Passion Fruit) and Mousse de Chirimoya (Custard Apple). These are delicate mousses with a refreshing tropical flavor.
From Divino Ceviche we were on to Tarpon Bend for a glass of prosecco and to sample their Braised Short Rib. These ribs are braised for four hours and they are all flavor.
Finally we ended the crawl at Cibo Wine Bar where they started with a wonderfully soft and fresh Burrata and robust yet light Prosciutto di Parma, followed by Arancini: Rice balls stuffed with ragu and melted mozzarella.
The Grilled Whole Octopus with mixed greens, diced tomatoes drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice was amazing!
The Pappardelle with slow cooked lamb ragu covered with pecorino shavings was so delicate and yet robust that it didn’t matter how full I was, I still wanted more.
As if all that wasn’t enough they brought out a Black Tiger Shrimp in a wine garlic tomato sauce that was simply out of this world.
After an incredible twelve different courses, three dessert and five different drinks we were all exhausted, happy and ready to go home. It was an incredible experience!
You are still in time to try out the Gables Restaurant Week Menu but you better hurry because it ends June 29th.
Taste of the Gables was back in a big way this past Thursday to kick off “Coral Gables Restaurant Week†at the Westin Colonnade. More than 20 Coral Gables Restaurant Week newcomers and veterans (among them previously reviewed in this column: Ikura Sushi Lounge, La Talavera and Divino Ceviche) prepared their best dishes and battled to be voted “Best Taste of the Gablesâ€, the winning vote went to Uvaggio, 70 Miracle Mile. The event was presented by Bacardi USA Inc., there was plenty of food, drinks and activities, absolutely no one left with an empty stomach!
La Tagiatella…by the time you finish reading the name, as you enter through the glass doors, you have already stepped a few centuries back in time into a beautiful northern Italian castle.
The decor is simply breathtaking. Nothing has been overlooked in La Tagliatella’s rococo inspired interior. There is so much to see here that you could spend several days just discovering new details…
and then…there’s the food…
But before we get to that, keep in mind that La Tagliatella is part of a worldwide chain of more than one hundred and fifty restaurants. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that they must be doing something right…and that…of course…is the food…
The Handcrafted Meatballs, made with their own home-made sausage and beef, seasoned with garlic, oregano, parsley and Parmesan cheese were juicy and cooked to perfection. They came with spicy Napoletano and pesto rosse panna sauce.
The Arancini, which are risotto balls, filled with mozzarella cheese, breaded and deep fried to resemble small oranges (hence the name) were crisp with a light crunchy exterior. They were complemented with a spicy tomato sauce.
Mozzarella Carpaccio, consisted of imported Italian buffalo mozzarella sliced on top of crushed tomato with fresh anchovies, olive paste and fresh basil. Now for those of you who are staunch anti-anchovies militants, I would strongly advise to try this Carpaccio, the buffalo mozzarella’s soft, moist, somewhat granular, semi-elastic texture and its mild yet slightly sour taste combine to give the fresh anchovies a delicate, natural flavor which will take your eating experience into the fifth taste (beyond salty, sweet, sour and bitter), the one called “umami”. Try it, you won’t regret it.
Branzino alla Mugnaia is Mediterranean sea bass, cooked with a lemon butter asparagus sauce. Served with roasted potatoes, grilled asparagus and arugula salad. This sea bass had a perfect flaky, buttery texture and a delicate well seasoned taste.
To finish an incredible meal, the Bocconcino, a fresh cheese cake with custard and the Tre Bombe al Cioccolato, a trio of chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo with chocolate sauce, were the perfect sonata.
Hostess station. The sign reads: “Where eating is a pleasure”.
The bar area.
The top of the bar is engraved with Coat of Arms
The bar top.
The decor is top to bottom.
The management team L to R: Luca Lanzilotti, Julio Aguilar, Abdel Alfonso and Eduardo Fornós.
Sangria.
Handcrafted Meatballs.
Mozzarella Carpaccio.
You can watch the pizza being made.
Quattro Stagioni.
Arancini.
Pappardelle with Parmigiano and Truffle.
Salume
Tomato, mozzarella and chorizo dressed with a fresh cracked egg and oregano.
Tagliatelle Calabrese.
Fresh tagliatelle pasta with sole de puglia, tomatoes, balsamic onions garlic sun-dried tomatoes pine nuts, basil and Grana Padano cheese.
It was another magnificent evening in Coral Gables during Giralda Under the Stars, that is the seasonal/monthly event put together by Downtown Coral Gables.
Ikura Sushi Lounge debuted new menu items which ranged from crunchy Giralda Rolls to a deliciously baked Tom-Atu Heat.
There’s nothing like a cool Miami night to enjoy a stroll around the Bird Road Art District. No matter what style of art you enjoy the Bird Road Art District has it all. Add to that wine, hors d’oeuvres, Capoeira demonstrations, Cuban Rap music (raw, uncensored protest songs at their best; sung with the pain that only living under oppression can project)…and did I mention the coolest rolling art gallery you ever saw…
To paraphrase Susan Sontag -Art is a form of consciousness, which means that it is an understanding that is constantly in one form or another of evolution. Wynwood fits that definition and much more. Here are some images:
I started my walk at Joey’s. It is smack in the middle of the action.
The Dolce Picante pizza is a must.
This Fiocchi farcito con Pere e Gorgonzola was Outstanding!
If you are looking for real authentic Mexican food made from the freshest ingredients then Talavera Cocina Mexicana is the place for you.
Located in the corner of Ponce de Leon Blvd. and Giralda Avenue, a visit to Talavera will take you on a culinary trip of the best that Aztec cuisine has to offer. As soon as you are in the proximity of the restaurant the distinctive and unique sound of Mariachis will get you in just the right mood; add to that one of their signature Margaritas and you’ll be on your way to taste bud heaven, all the while singing along: Allá en el Rancho Grande!
Recently, we had the opportunity to visit Talavera during Giralda Under The Stars, the event produced by the Business Improvement District of Coral Gables and sponsored by Zacapa Rum. Giralda Under The Stars takes place on the first Friday of every month from November to April, all the restaurants on Giralda Avenue bring their tables outside for a true and unique alfresco dining experience.
If you haven’t been to Talavera, put it in your “must do†list. It is true Mexican cuisine at its best!
CARNE ASADA A LA TALAVERA.
Thin beef tenderloin strip served w/guacamole, roasted Poblano peppers & onions, refried black beans & enchilada w/mole.
MOLE COLORADITO FROM OAXACA.
Prepared with short rib, string beans & house rice.this mole is made w/dried chiles, herbs, spices, raisins & assorted nuts.
PAPADZULES.
Mini chicken enchilada, pumpkin seed sauce & pico de gallo verde
TLACOYO AZULES.
Blue corn masa stuffed with beans, topped with guajillo sauce, cream, cheese, cilantro and onions. Topped with Cochinita Pibil.
BEEF TENDORLOIN DON GUILLERMO.
With huitlacoche (corn truffle), melted manchego cheese and chile poblano cream sauce, served with the house white rice.
EMPAPELADO.
Fish of the day ( in this case it was Mahi Mahi), potato, tomato, corn, zucchini and cilantro pesto cooked in parchment paper.
You can get some art along with your dining.
Great music goes great with great dining at Giralda Under The Stars.
Giralda Under the Stars presented by Zacapa Rum brings dining, music and art outside to the street at over a dozen restaurants and bars. The event takes place on Giralda Avenue’s Restaurant Row (between Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Galiano Street), bringing culinary excellence and popular libations outdoors, under the stars. Restaurant Row is closed to vehicular traffic so that Giralda Under the Stars’ participating restaurants and bars may fill the street with tables and chairs as well as live music and entertainment from 7pm to midnight on the first Fridays of the month from November 2013 to April 2014.
The featured restaurants on this shoot were: Talavera Cocina Mexicana, Spritz, Divino Ceviche and Spizzigo.
Zacapa Rum was serving the award-winning blend of their ultra-premium rums.
“This event allows Restaurant Row to shine, coming together to offer a wide array of food from all over the world with choices to satisfy any and all palates and budgets,” said Mari Gallet, Executive Director of the Business Improvement District of Coral Gables, which produces the event.
Spritz – Linguini alla Bucaniera: Mixed seafood linguini in lightly spiced tomato sauce with mussels, shrimp, calamari, and our catch of the day.
Divino Ceviche – Risotto de Lomo: Risotto with peruvian yellow pepper sauces; topped with lomo saltado.
Divino Ceviche – Arroz con mariscos: Shrimp,squid,and scallops all mixed with rice, peas, red pepper, cilantro, and peruvian panca pepper dressing.
Divino Ceviche – Lomo Saltado: Peruvian stir fry, made with beef, onions,tomatoes,cilantro,soy sauce, and garlic, all this,flambeed with pisco on a wok to very high tempatures, served with crispy, fried potatoes, and white rice.
Divino Ceviche – Ceviche Divino.
Divino Ceviche – Pescado a lo macho Fish accompanied with shrimps, mussels, scallops, and squid; wrapped in delicious, sauce made with garlic, panca chili sauce, white wine, and a special seafood house sauce; served with white rice yucca.
Patrons enjoy al fresco dining outside Spizzigo.
Spizzigo РTiramis̼
Spizzigo – Pizza
Tartare di Tonno. Hand chopped ahi tuna tossed with lemon avocado and truffle oil.
Risotto alla pescatora: Risotto with black mussels, calamari, bay scallops, clams in a light spicy red sauce.
Spizzigo – Pollo al Funghi: Chicken Scaloppini sauteed with mushrooms, parsley and white wine.
Spizzigo – Carpaccio Classico: Thinly sliced beef topped with arugula, shaved parmesan and mushrooms.
Spizzigo – Bruschette: Assorted of toast italian bread with marinated tomatoes.
Don Pasquale carefully pouring the wine.
Spizzigo – Risotto Funghi Porcini: Risotto with porcini mushrooms.
Spizzigo – Spaghetti alla Carbonara: Spaghetti sauteed with pancetta, onion, beaten eggs and parmesan cheese.
Spizzigo – Pappardelle della Nonna: Homenade pasta sauteed with bolognese sauce and mushrooms.
Spizzigo – Burrata: Burrata cheese over prosciutto di parma, dried tomatoes and pesto.
“THE KEY BISCAYNE WINE CHALLENGE†Proceeds went to benefit The Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation’s charitable work in the Miami area and beyond 9th Annual Rotary Key Biscayne Wine & Food Fest. Thirteen varietal wines from the New World competed against wines from the Old World to earn recognition as “Best of Show†in each class. The categories were: Whites 1.        Champagne vs. California Sparkling 2.        Loire Sauvignon Blanc vs. Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 3.        French Burgundy vs. California Chardonnay 4.        Austrian Riesling vs. Ohio Riesling Reds 5.        Bordeaux vs. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 6.        Italian vs. California Merlot 7.        French vs. Argentinean Malbec 8.        Bordeaux vs. California Cab Franc 9.        Italian Primitivo vs. California Zinfandel 10.      Spanish vs. California Tempranillo 11.      Rhone vs. Washington State Syrah 12.      Italian vs. California Sangiovese 13.      Burgundy vs. Oregon Pinot Noir  Shari Gherman, president of the American Fine Wine Competition, was the wine director again this year. Completing the professional judging panel were Roberto Colombi from Cielo at the Boca Raton Resort, Henry Barrow, Wine Educator, Chip Cassidy, Wine Professor at FIU, & Wendy Rosano from Terra Fiamma in Delray Beach. All presented wines were graciously supplied by Strategic Imports and were available for sale at the event through Stefano’s Wine and Liquors, the official Key Biscayne wine retailer. Stefano’s will donate 10 percent of sale proceeds to the Rotary Club of Key Biscayne Foundation. The wine-tasting event featured a UNIQUE experience for the wine aficionado: The Rotary Challenge. Eight guests were invited as “consumer judges†to taste both wines in each category. The participants got to decide which wines were the best from each varietal. The best of show winners were: In the White category: Rex Deerfield Sonoma. In the Red category: Chateau Pierrail.
On Saturday, October 12th, Blue Martini Kendall hosted a Happy Hour to benefit the D Amor Foundation. The D Amor Foundation’s mission is to provide hope, and to help children with autism achieve a better quality of life by providing families with resources, educational tools and access to therapies such as speech, occupational, art, music and sensory integration, all of which are integral to managing the disorder. Several companies donated services for a raffle and silent auction. Donations go directly to fund programs for children with autism, including Tae Kwon Do, soccer, music, art and other activities for families affected by the neurodevelopment disorder. The D Amor Foundation was founded by Maria and Jose Montalvo in honor of their son, Diego, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2. The goal is to help families affected by autism in South Florida and Puerto Rico find resources and access to therapies, which can be costly. Damor FoundationMr Q 305 on fb  Mr Q 305 on Twitter Â
Microsoft opened its second full line retail store in Florida. The store is located in the first phase of the brand new expansion of the Dadeland Mall.
More than five hundred people gathered for the chance to win giveaways which ranged from free tickets to a Lupe Fiasco and Gym Class heroes concert to a “Surface†tablet.
The first person in line had been camping in the mall since 10:30 P.M. the night before the opening. He was awarded several prices including a “Surfaceâ€. Other lucky winners participated via Twitter and had their names called out from the crowd.
John Case, corporate vice president, Office Division presented more than $1 million in grants to different organizations.
True to form, in what now has become the norm in computer store openings, the employees started screaming from inside the store, exciting the crowd. As soon as the ribbon was cut, the curtain which had been covering the front of the store came down. The pandemonium reached an electrifying pitch.
Overall, Microsoft now has of 66 full-line and specialty retail stores.
