Tag: Miami Beach

I was back visiting Miami. The city was electric as usual. The traffic did seem to be a lot heavier than the last time. It is probably all of the people moving to Florida. While there I decided to head back to Truluck’s and share the experience with another group of people.

The restaurant is still dimly lit but now they have menus that light up. This definitely helps. We ordered a bottle of Piattelli – Malbec for the table. This was a rich wine that had a smoothness to it.

The wine went marvelously with the meatball appetizer that was ordered. The meatballs were a blend of three meats: prime chuck, brisket, and short rib. There is a subtle BBQ sauce on top of the meatballs. The meats were blended together wonderfully and were juicy. The BBQ sauce added a great, tangy taste.

We ordered some Parmesan Yeast Rolls for the table. These are made fresh when ordered. They sprinkle a little Maldon Sea salt on top. The bread was sweet, and that sweetness was accentuated by the sea salt. When butter melted on the inside it created a creamy texture.

Another great appetizer was the calamari. These were fried up along with some vegetables that included carrots and peppers. They were sprinkled with salt and pepper. They served two dipping sauces on the side: a mustard and a sweet Vietnamese chili sauce. I loved the chili sauce. It had a slight amount of heat and the sweet taste was exceptional. I did not even bother trying the mustard sauce.

For my dinner I ordered the Norwegian Salmon. The salmon was seared perfectly with great seasoning that accented the flavor of the salmon. The salmon was flakey and moist. It came with fresh asparagus that was cooked till the stalks were nice and tender.

I was able to try the Sesame Seared Tuna. The tuna was rare on the inside with just a light layer being seared. It was the best way to serve this beautiful piece of fish. They served parmesan mashed potatoes on the side. They were extremely creamy. There was a Tamari reduction on the plate that added extra flavor to the tuna.

The New England Sea Scallops were colossal in size. There was an amazing piccata sauce over the scallops and the parmesan mashed potatoes. The sauce is what made this dish so delicious.

The last dish that was ordered at the table was the 7oz filet. It was barrel cut and cooked perfectly to lock in the juices. They served a clove of roasted garlic on the side. It was so creamy when pulled out and enhanced the flavor of the steak.

For dessert we ordered the Key Lime Pie. This is the perfect Florida dessert. The graham cracker crust was filled with the tart key lime filling. They topped it off with a sweet, whipped cream. It was an excellent blend of sweet and sour.

The meal was amazing at Truluck’s. I would recommend everyone check them out. Check out their locations at www.trulucks.com

Enjoy!

T

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