Miami Takes the Heat to Vote, Awaiting a Winner for 2011 Eater Awards

Photo by Alex Rodriguez

Can you hear it sizzle?

What do you get when you put together the three hottest restaurants in Miami? Well, nothing really ... except maybe a lot of heat. That is, until a successor is chosen at the 2011 Eater Awards Gala in New York City tonight. Only at that point will the bloodbath and race for the top subside.

Five nominees made the So Hot Right Now category:

• Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
• Harry's Pizzeria
• Phuc Yea!
• Tudor House
• Barceloneta

Who made the top trio?

Miami voted the semi-finalists and Eater editors will then choose a winner from there. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, Phuc Yea!, and Tudor House made the top three cut.

Though only Chef Jaime DeRosa, of Tudor House, verified to Short Order that he would not be attending the ceremony, all three of the restaurants were flattered by the honor on some level. Executive Chef and Yardbird partner, Jeff McInnis, even grew nostalgic, noting the influence of Flo, his middle school lunch lady. There is even a meatloaf dish on the menu... way to go, Flo! As for the viet-nom-ese pop up, Phuc yea!, 60 days into their 90 day stint and already receiving national recognition? Phuc Yea they are!

Still to be announced is what the winner will receive for triumph. Could it be a monetary prize?  A year's worth of good publicity? A suckling pig? We'll take the latter any day, please and thank you.

Only one So Hot Restaurant can be crowned with victory at tonight's Patrón sponsored soirée. That said, win or lose, cheers to the hangover every attendee will have tomorrow morning. Clink!

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