Month: August 2018

Café Charlotte – Miami Beach, FL

I found a really cute Argentinian restaurant on a recent visit to Miami Beach. Café Charlotte offered up fresh made, authentic Argentinian dishes.

     

Since I wanted to try a few things on the menu the best option was their mixed platter. This allowed me to have four different things that were the perfect size.

First were the croquettes. These were ham and cheese. These were very similar to what I have had at tapas restaurants. The chopped up pieces of ham were blended in creamy potatoes and cheese.

The ham and cheese empanada was like a grilled ham and cheese sandwich wrapped up in dough. They used generous slices of ham and lots of creamy cheese. When the dough was fried up it melted the cheese so when I took a bite it oozed out.

The beef empanada was really interesting. They use steak that was chopped up and mixed with onions, potatoes, and chopped up hard boil eggs. It was not a combination I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised. The fried dough that formed the empanada kept the savory juices locked inside.

The final item on the plate was a tequenos. This was actually a Venezuelan specialty. It is basically their version of a fried cheese stick. A dough (which reminded me of a wonton wrapper) was wrapped around a chunk of creamy cheese and then deep fried. The dough added a nice crunch to the cheese that you do not get with a traditional cheese stick. There was no dipping sauce but I did sprinkle a little hot sauce on it to add a little kick.

Café Charlotte is a nice little spot to get a bite to eat. While walking up and down the street they are a great stop to get out of the heat and enjoy some homemade dishes. Check them out at http://www.cafecharlottesouthbeach.com/

Enjoy!

T

Two Urban Licks – Atlanta, GA

There is a popular restaurant in Atlanta that was always booked solid when I tried to visit – Two Urban Licks. I was excited that during my last visit my group was able to get a reservation.

The restaurant was bustling with patrons and wait staff moving back and forth all over the place. While we waited for our table, we grabbed a drink from the bar. They had infused vodkas above the bar that looked refreshing. They also had several quirky named cocktails.

     

I went for the Peruvian Pirate. This concoction blended rum, key lime and Persian lime juices and Aji Amarillo chili simple syrup. This cocktail was not sweet at all, which is unusual for me to try since I tend to prefer sweeter drinks. There was some heat to the drink from the chili simple syrup. It was not overpowering it just gave a kick at the end.

When we were taken to our table, I was in awe of where our seat was. We were seated right in front of a huge “Living Wall”, which is a wall of fresh greenery plants.

There was also a waterfall that trickled all the way across the table. It had a kind of calming effect.

Once again since I was at dinner with a group of people, we ordered a bunch of appetizers for the entire table to share. We started off with a Caesar salad. The Romaine lettuce was still in large pieces so it made it a little difficult to share. They added a generous amount of Parmesan cheese and the spicy chili dressing on top. And a Caesar salad would not be complete without crunchy croutons.

The salmon chips were very impressive when they came out. The chips were a large homemade potato chip that was loaded with smoked salmon that was flaked apart. Drizzled on top were a chipotle cream cheese sauce, capers, and red onion. The sauce added creaminess and went surprisingly well with the smoky flavor of the salmon. The capers added saltiness while the red onions added crunch.

Up next was the shaved calamari. The calamari was lightly breaded and had a sweet and spicy taste. They served it with a wasabi aioli. The aioli had a interesting flavor, almost like horseradish, but I preferred the calamari plain.

The empanadas are a must try. These were not your typical empanadas. The pastry dough was stuffed with BBQ brisket. It was cut in half and topped with a garlic crema, feta cheese, and fresh pico de gallo.

The brisket filling was fantastic. It was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. It was truly the star! The pico de gallo and feta were nice additions but not necessary at all. The crema added an additional layer of flavor to the meat.

The hush puppies were not what I was expecting. These are not your typical hush puppies that come with fish and chips. These were made with ground up rock shrimp and pork belly that created a filling that had the texture of mashed potatoes. On top of the hush puppy was cabbage unagi and kimchi aioli. It was a pretty presentation.

I really did not eat the cabbage unagi. I focused on the hush puppies themselves. The filling was sweet and creamy. The outside breading added a crunchy texture. After tasting a few bites, I realized that these hush puppies were very similar to a potato croquet.

For my main dish I ordered the Halibut. The flaky piece of fish was seared so that the outside skin was crispy. The sauce they poured over it was a Thai chili miso butter. It added a rich taste that was both sweet and salty.

They also served a generous amount of fresh vegetables on the plate that included fresh baby bok choy, shishito peppers (not spicy at all), fairy tale eggplant (a small size eggplant) and baby corn. The bok choy tasted great with the miso butter. The peppers added crunch. The fairy tale eggplant was something new for me. They had a sweet, creamy taste and the skins were soft. The baby corn was just a fun addition.

Everything that I ate at Two Urban Licks was amazing. I am so glad I got to try a little bit of everything. It was a lot of food so I did not get to try dessert because I was so full. I highly recommend you check them out if you are in Atlanta. Visit their website at www.twourbanlicks.com

Enjoy!

T

 

 

 

AG – Atlanta, GA

I was visiting Atlanta for work and I got invited out to a dinner at AG inside the Ritz Carlton in downtown Atlanta.

Luckily since there was such a large party, we got a private room all to ourselves. It was decorated almost like an old fashion parlor with hunter green plaid wall paper. The shelves were filled with liquor bottles. All that was missing were the cigars.

     

While the group looked over the menu the waiter brought out these delicious biscuits. They were loaded with cheddar cheese and bacon pieces. They were still warm. The cheese made the biscuit creamy and the bacon added crunch and saltiness.

They served a honey butter along side the biscuits. It melted as soon as I spread it over the warm dough. It had an amazing sweet taste that complemented the saltiness of the biscuit.

I started off the meal with the She Crab soup. It paired perfectly with the biscuits as well. The creamy based soup was loaded with crab claw meat that had a sweetness to it. They drizzled sherry around the top of the soup. It added a rich taste to the soup, plus there was a hint of Old Bay throughout.

     

I had a hard choice when it came to picking my entree. The steaks looked and smelled wonderful. The salmon looked extremely fresh. I went for the Saint Jacques Scallops. The four jumbo scallops were pan seared and covered in a tangerine red wine reduction. The scallops were placed on top of leek and Reggiano risotto.

The scallops were soft and tender. They had a creamy texture to them. The risotto was amazing. It was extremely creamy and it was not too rich even though it had all that cheese. It was a good pairing with the scallops.

Since I was there with a large group of people, all the sides were ordered to be shared around the table.

(1) Truffle Fries – these has an earthy flavor to them

(2) Mashed Potatoes – these were smooth and creamy potatoes that had a hint of the cream they used to whip them up.

(3) Asparagus – these were grilled up with a slight smoky taste.

(4) Mac & Cheese – a homemade classic full of cheese and a crispy layer of cheese on top.

(5) Brussels Sprouts – these were crispy from cooking and had a wonderful sweet taste to them, not bitter at all.

There was so much food the entire table was full. So unfortunately there was no room for dessert. I would for sure come back even if it was just for something sweet. You should check them out at www.ritzcarlton.com

I would recommend a reservation because they got really crowded.

Enjoy!

T

 

Park Bar – Atlanta, GA

Several years ago when I visited Atlanta for the SEC championship basketball game I checked out a place called Park Bar. So when I recently went back I was excited to get to go back. It was just like I remembered when I walked up and saw the green awnings.

What I had forgotten about Park Bar is their huge selection of bourbons and whiskeys.

     

I decided to go for an old fashion with 1792 bourbon. The bartender made it perfectly. It was smooth and had a garnish of a cherry.

To start out, we ordered the Savannah Spuds for the group to share. These were NOT typical loaded potato skins. These potatoes were loaded with a soft melted cheese sauce (almost like a queso). On top was a giant pile of pulled pork BBQ. The sauce they used was sweet and it complemented the saltiness of the cheese.

They had several burgers to choose from. I went for The Cumberland. This burger was covered with a bourbon-bacon jam and melted brie cheese. The burger was extremely juicy. The ground beef was so fresh it fell apart as I took a bite. The bacon-jam added both a sweet and salty element. The brie cheese was super creamy and complemented the taste of the jam. This was the best burger I have had in a long time. It came with some grilled asparagus but after eating that burger the asparagus was an afterthought.

By the look of the crowd, Park Bar is tremendously popular in Atlanta. Check them out at www.parkbaratlanta.com They are worth a stop by.

Enjoy!

T

Bangkok Tokyo – Bradenton, FL

There was this little whole in the wall place I found that served up a combination of Chinese, Japanese, and Thai dishes – Bangkok Tokyo Restaurant.

It was the perfect place to pop in to grab some lunch with a group of people. We were greeted right away when we walked in. The staff was extremely attentive, always making sure we had everything we needed.

     

I started off with the ginger salad. It has become a staple when I go to an Asian restaurant. This salad was huge compared to the typical salad. Their ginger dressing was great, full of minced ginger that gave both a sweet and tart taste.

We got the pan fried dumplings to share with the table. The dumplings were prepared perfectly with the outside crispy but still soft enough to bite in to. The meaty filling was tender and full of savory flavor. The dumplings tasted great on their own and they were even better when I dipped them into the soy sauce that came with it. The soy sauce had a slight sweet taste.

For my main dish I ordered the Pad Kee Muo (Drunken Noodles). These were a wide, flat rice noodle, scrambled egg, onion, carrots, and bell pepper. I also got it with chicken. It was cooked in a Thai chili sauce.

The sauce was not too spicy, it added a subtle kick. The vegetables added crunch to the dish. The chicken was tender and cut into perfect size pieces. The rice noodles took on the full flavor of the sauce. This is one of the reasons I love rice noodles in Asian dishes.

The table also ordered a shrimp and crab fried rice. The rice was great, full of salty flavors. The shrimp and crab were great add-ons to the rice but not as good as with beef or pork.

When beef and pork are cooked in fried rice, they help add additional flavor, probably from the oils that come out during cooking.

I really enjoyed everything I ate at Bangkok Tokyo. Not only was the food good, it was reasonably priced and came out fast. I would definitely make another visit.  You should check them out at www.bangkoktokyoonline.com

Enjoy!

T

Firefly – Las Vegas, NV

There is a wonderful tapas restaurant that I found off the strip during my last trip to Vegas. I had not eaten any tapas since my trip to Barcelona, so I was excited to try Firefly.

The restaurant was not that crowded yet when I arrived. I knew I was there early. The décor of the restaurant was a great blend and red and black, with some Spanish inspired artwork.

     

I had gotten there right when happy hour started, which I was thrilled about. They had a whole happy hour menu filled with cocktails and tapas.

I looked over the menu, my very cheerful waiter brought me some fresh bread and their homemade butter spread. This butter had almonds and honey throughout. The butter’s texture was smooth; the almonds were very fine within. The honey gave a sweet taste that was perfect on the fresh bread. I would love to have this butter on a warm toasted bagel.

While I chomped on the bread, I ordered a sangria. I could not eat tapas without a sangria. I started off with the sparkling version.

This sangria was extremely sweet. The bubbles from the wine added a little pop. They included a nice assortment of fresh fruit. This was the perfect drink to have when my first tapas came out.

The ham and cheese croquetas were filled with Serrano ham and Manchego cheese. A tomato aioli was drizzled on top. It reminded me of exactly what I would get in Barcelona.

The breading on the outside was very crispy. I had to slice into them so they could cool off a little. The inside was loaded with chunks of ham. The cheese made the entire bite creamy. The ham added a salty, meaty taste. They were a great starter and complemented the sweet sangria.

The next tapas that came out were the dates. These tender dates had their seed removed and replaced with an almond. This added great crunch when I took a bite.

Each date was wrapped in crispy bacon. The saltiness from the bacon complemented the sweet BBQ like sauce that was poured over the dates. They sprinkled blue cheese on top for added tanginess. This entire dish had wonderful savory notes.

It was time for another sangria. This time I tried the red. This one was slightly dryer compared to the other. I knew this would pair well with the last tapas dish, the Albondigas.

Albondigas are meatballs, that were covered in a Sherry tomato sauce along with a few roasted red peppers.

The meatballs were soft, moist, and tender. They had great flavor because of the sauce. The shaved parmesan cheese on top was an added treat.

Happy hour was a lot of fun at Firefly. I would go back to try all the other tapas on their regular menu. Check them out at www.fireflylv.com

Enjoy!

T

 

Yong Kang Street – Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas really is the city that never sleeps. After seeing a late night show I was hungry. However, I was not quite sure what I was hungry for. As I traveled between Bally’s and The Paris Hotel I came across Yong Kang Street. This is a Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant that was nestled between shops that had the façade of a Paris street.

They were extremely crowded that late at night. I was really excited when I saw the dim sum carts moving around the restaurant. I could not wait to select a few things.

The Lo Mai Gai (sticky rice) was the first thing I pointed to. It had been years since I got to enjoy sticky rice. This rice is steamed in a lotus leaf. What makes the rice sticky is the actual type of rice used. It is glutinous rice that becomes very sticky when cooked.

I unwrapped the lotus leaf like wrapping paper on a Christmas present. The hot steam poured out very quickly. This type of rice is really easy to eat with chopsticks, so if there are folks out there that normally find chopsticks a challenge this is the dish for you.

The rice had a wonderful sweet taste. The saltiness came from the chopped up pieces of Chinese sausage that was cooked inside the rice. The flavor combinations were perfect together and a great start to the meal.

The next item I pulled off the dim sum cart was the Siu Mai. This is another type of Chinese dumpling that is a traditional dim sum dish. It is “open face” were part of the filling is exposed. I got the pork Siu Mai. The chopped up pork also had chopped up pieces of shrimp. They are then topped with a little salmon roe. When I took a bite there was a great, savory taste from the pork. The shrimp added a little extra texture. The wrapper did not add any flavor, it just help everything together.

A dim sum meal would not be complete without some steamed pork dumplings (or pot stickers). The pork filling was very tender and different from the filling in the Siu Mai. They mixed in some extra spices that had a slight peppery taste. The dumpling taste even better when dipped in the sweet soy sauce that comes with it.

Now all of these dishes sounded like a lot of food but they were all small bites that were perfect for sharing. I wanted one more thing for myself. I had to get the Hong Kong Wonton Soup. This is not your typical local Chinese restaurant wonton soup. What I love about Hong Kong style is in addition to the actual won ton dumplings, the chicken broth is loaded with noodles, fresh shrimp, bok choy, broccoli, and mushrooms.

The bok choy added crunch and the mushrooms added an earthy taste. The won tons were very tender and had lemongrass accents. This created an extremely fresh taste. The shrimp added more protein. The noodles had to be eaten with chopsticks because they were so long. They also soaked up the flavor of the broth. It is an extremely filling soup.

Yong Kang Street was an amazing find inside The Paris Hotel and Casino. I never expected to find this authentic Chinese / Taiwanese restaurant in-between French pastry shops. I loved this place. I wanted to go back in order to try some other dishes and to get more sticky rice!

Check them out at www.yongkangstreet.com

Enjoy!

T