Miami Food Blog

It took just over two months to get it together, but Waxy O'Connor'​s Irish Pub is throwing a Grand Opening soiree this Thursday, November 19th, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The pub and eatery, located downtown on the Miami River, will feature an open bar for the first two hours, followed by "killer drink specials" the rest of the night. Guests will likewise enjoy complimentary bites and live entertainment -- including Celtic dancers, a U2 tribute band, and Irish bagpipers. If you've got a kilt hanging in the closet, that perhaps you bought years ago, at a tourist shop, after a regrettable drinking binge, while visiting Ireland or Scotland, this would be an opportune time to break it out.
 
Waxy's is located in the Neo Vertika building at 690 SW 1st Court in downtown Miami. $5 valet parking. 786-871-7660.  

via Wikicommons

Behold! The Grandeur!

​As Morrissey said, "Meat is Murder." Tasty, tasty murder.

And as we all now, in the beginning, after God warmed up by making man and woman, he set his sights on creating a truly perfect creature--the pig. For what part of the Great and Holy Pig is not tasty?

Hoofs? Tasty. Tail? Tasty. Nose? Tasty.

If the finger-wagging, Vegan Right-wing is correct and humans were not meant to barbecue ribs, roast pork chops, and fry bacon, then why did God make these things so goddamn delicious? The defense rests.

At least we know Harvey's by the Bay (6445 NE 7th Ave, Miami) has our backs--and our baby-backs--because Sunday, November 22 between 3:15 - 8 p.m. they're hosting PIG - Pig is Good.

If you've been to Harvey's, you know the drinks are cheap and the inside/outside space is indeed spacious. A perfect venue for an all-afternoon BBQ prepared by Chef Jeremiah Bullfrog (Rick Ross's personal chef - no joke), who promises to utilize all the delicious parts of our favorite animal. You can also expect a live acoustic set from Afrobeta, along with Elastic Bond, Uncle Scotchy and DJs Christian and Libran from Electric Porkchop. Call 954-394-2763 or visit harveysbythebay.com for prices, etc.

Jacob Katel

The Miami River is calling your name.

​Every bar/restaurant that's into getting green should throw a good reggae night. What better for the kitchen than a high-life crowd of hungry people smoked out on the river?

Waxy's On The River (690 SW 1st Court) is taking a piece of the action with their new Reggae Wednesdays. $3 Budweisers, $4 Red Stripes, and $5 imperial pints of Guinness are the drink specials, and the kitchen rocks til 5 a.m. with signature Irish fare, bar style food, and casual upscales.

The restaurant has teamed with bashment kings Kulcha Shok Muzik to make Wednesdays on the river a reggae party. Short Order called everyday-hustling reggae promoter Lance O. to see how the deal was struck and get some info. Here's what he had to say:

Marsha Talianoff

Back in the day is coming back. That's Rodriguez on the far left.

​Although he calls Miami his home, we don't often hear much about what Chef Douglas Rodriguez is up to locally.  Sure, he still owns and operates OLA in the Sanctuary Hotel (among other restaurants in Philadelphia and New York City,) but you probably saw him most recently on the boob tube, during his brief and unsuccessful stint on Bravo's chef competition reality show spin-off, Top Chef Masters. 

So, like us, you will probably be pleased -- maybe even thrilled -- to know that the "Godfather of Nuevo Latino" cuisine plans to return to his roots after an affair with all things South American.  Rodriguez will celebrate the foods and culture of Miami's second homeland, Cuba, in a new restaurant slated to open December 1 at the Hotel Astor in the old La Maison D'Azur space.

"I'm going back to my Yuca days," he says. "It's what I know, and I've gotten away from it for a while. I'm excited to reinvent it. My goal is for the people to say this is the best Cuban restaurant they've ever eaten in... I'm focusing on classic Cuban dishes done with quality Cuban ingredients and done with a lot of love."

via indianpalaterestaurant.com

Chef/Owner Jay Mariadoss

​Suck an egg daily metro!

This week's Miami Herald food & wine calendar presents factual errors regarding Bollywood Nights at Indian Palate.

Bollywood Nights at Indian Palate goes down Thursday, October 29 at 2120 Salzedo Street in Coral Gables; not tonight, as the Herald reports.

That's according to Chef/Owner Jay Mariadoss who said, "We do it the last Thursday of every month.

We have a live DJ playing Bollywood style music, large screen Bollywood movies, belly dancing, a happy hour, and a dining experience for Indian food covering 21 regional cuisines.

We are the only ones in Miami who represent the whole Indian map including Madras, Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Karachi, and also Sri Lankan food.

We make a homestyle meal. Like how a mama cooks and gives to her whole family.

Last month we had a great response to Bollywood Nights. Around 350 people showed up. We are adding  belly dancing this time. Every month, we'll be adding some other new interesting theme.

Our Bollywood Night special is $4 drinks and appetizers."

Log on to indianpalaterestaurant.com/ for more info, and read Lee Klein's review of the joint by clicking here.

Photo by Lee Klein

Pastrami at Ben's

​David Sax has been called "The M.F.K. Fisher of pickled meats" (A.J. Jacobs), and his just-published book, Save The Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) was referred to as "a voluptuous mitzvah for schmaltzophiles" (Jane and Michael Stern, authors of Roadfood).

David ate his way across America (and other countries, too), sampling the fare at hundreds of Jewish delicatessens in order to gauge the state of this vanishing cuisine. Of course he made it to South Florida too, his chapter on Miami Beach detailing how as the island transformed from haven of Jewish culture to international paradise it lost its great delis, like Wolfie's, Pumpernick's, and Rascal House. Mr. Sax' manifesto for deli lovers is a call to arms to reclaim kasha, kreplach, kugel, knishes, and kishka -- not to mention real, true, fatty, hand-sliced corned beef and pastrami sandwiches.

Short Order spoke with Sax by phone the day after a "massive" kickoff party for the book at Ben's Kosher Deli in New York City:

Ben's Kosher Deli in Boca Raton is your favorite deli down here in South Florida, right?

Yeah, yeah, it's a great deli. "The chain with heart", I like to call it.

But overall you weren't very impressed with South Florida delicatessens.

I didn't think they were bad, it's just that I expected to be blown away. And while there is a lot of good deli, and a lot of delis numerically, there was nothing that was (pauses)...nothing that was setting any standards.

Photo by Elyse Wanshel

Last year's champions Parma, Ohio's Porky-N-Beans.

​Grill smoke carries barbecue flavors through the air as beer, sauce and music flow freely.

Ribfest is coming November 7 and 8 to Homestead Air Reserve Park (Moody Drive and SW 122 Avenue).

Local ribbers Huckleberry Hillbilly and Smoke & Spice battle out-of-state touring barbecue teams like Big Boned BBQ in the rib competition where "12 grill masters will compete for best barbecue meat and sauce; from ribs and chicken, to pork and brisket," according to a press release.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts and Blue Oyster Cult are musical headliners on Saturday night. Country music on Sunday with Tracy Lawrence, appearing later at the Nashville Mission Turkey Fry, and Chuck Wicks, who just played the National Peanut Festival in Alabama.

Tickets are either $15 according to the press release or $10 according to the event's website. Either way, it's $5 to park and kids 10 and under are free. Ribfest goes from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Log on to miamiribfest.com for more info. Also, check out our coverage of last year's Ribfest here.

​Yesterday we wrote of Food & Wine magazine naming her cookbook Cuisine a Latina as one of the top 25 of the year. Earlier in the week we noted that her Sra. Martinez restaurant made Esquire's list of 20 Best New Restaurants in America. Today's Michelle news concerns an upcoming "California Girls" dinner that will celebrate the food and wines of top female chefs from the west coast -- including two greats, Traci des Jardin and Nancy Silverton. Takes place at Michy's restaurant  Wednesday evening, October 28th, at 7:00 p.m. "sharp".
Here's the lineup:

Welcome at the Bar
Rose by Selene (Mia Klein), Napa Valley 2008

Traci des Jardin's Parmesan Reggiano Veloute
with Prosciutto di Parma Crisps
Sauvignon Blanc, Blueprint by Lail Vineyards (Robin Lail), Napa Valley 2007

Suzanne Goin's Roasted Fish and Fennel, Crushed Potatoes, Preserved Lemons, Charmoula
Sauvignon Blanc, Hyde Vineyard by Selene (Mia Klein), Carneros 2007

Judy Rogers' Roasted Chicken and Bread Salad
Pinot Noir by Merry Edwards, Sonoma Coast 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon by Paradigm (Heidi Barrett), Napa Valley 2005

Nancy Sliverton's Butterscotch Budino with Caramel Sauce
Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc by Honig (Kristin Belair), Napa Valley 2006

Price is $90, excluding tax and tip.
For reservations: 305-759-2001. Michy's is located at 6927 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

We also have info about Ms. Bernstein's new discount lunch menu at Sra. Martinez, but we'll post that as Monday's Michelle News of the Day.

via _fxr on flickr

Bubbly

​Champagne + chocolate = wet panties.

Get in on the action when Morton's The Steakhouse (1200 Brickell Ave., Miami) presents An Evening of Decadence: Champagne and Chocolate Tastings on Wednesday, October 21st.

The night begins with Morton's signature hors d'oeuvres like smoked salmon wedges, broiled sea scallops and petite filet mignon sandwiches matched with Piper Sonoma Brut wine.

Next, a press release says, "Guests will take part in the pairing of Champagne and chocolate using sensory vials." The vials use scents like lilac to add an extra dimension to the tasting experience.

Featured champagnes are Piper Heidsieck Brut and Piper Heidsieck Rose Sauvage. They will be paired with chocolates like Gianduia, Ambrosia White Truffle, Naga, and Gogi Berry.

The event is priced at $45 per person. Call 305-400-9990 to reserve your spot, or visit mortons.com/miami for more info.

via arshtcenter.org

Celebrichefs Ingrid Hoffman & Daisy Martinez

​Guess what? Dade County does promote the arts, and if you're a student, you can find out for yourself through our County's amazing Culture Shock program.

All you have to do is be a student aged 13 to 22. You can purchase up to two tickets and the person you go with can be any age.

The Celebrity Chef Series performance/appearance by Ingrid Hoffman and Daisy Martinez is a featured Culture Shock program. That means $5 tickets to a show that costs anywhere from five to 50 times more than that.

Log on to cultureshockmiami.com, go to the event calendar, then click to purchase ticket from Ticketmaster. Print out your confirmation, take it to the box office on the day of the performance, and trade it for your ticket.

You can also make the purchase at any physical Ticketmaster outlet as long as you have proof of age.

Enjoy!

Jackie Sayet

Stick a fork in me: a preparation of calamari that recalls, even may upstage, a lemony baby octopus dish once savored in the Portofino harbor.

​Welcome to October, y'all.  New fall menu items are rolling out today at Michelle Bernstein's South Florida restaurants.  Suckers that we are for nostalgia, it was time to relish some last bites of summer at Sra. Martinez last night, including the curtain call for her Miami Spice menu.  

Favorites included the Korean-style veal pinchos; calamari a la plancha with black rice and a pow from Peruvian mayonnaise; the smokey kick from lime-dazzled Homstead corn (choclo con chiles); and the one and only late summer vegetable salad with the crunchy creaminess of its barely blanched (some raw, some roasted) vegetables, including radish, snap peas, and fennel wading in a pool of perfectly pink, traditional 'red' gazpacho.

Here's the send-off in pictures...

Daisy looking rather un-chef like

​The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Johnson & Wales University, is presenting the second season of its' Celebrity Chef Series for the 2009-2010 season. Over the coming months, three such chef shows will be held on the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall stage. Jacques Pépin, Eric Ripert, and Emeril will be guests at upcoming events, but the first performance of the series will feature Lorena Garcia interviewing "internationally acclaimed chefs" Ingrid Hoffmann and Daisy Martinez -- in honor of  Hispanic Heritage Month.

Not to quibble, but Ms. Hoffmann and Ms. Martinez are food entertainers, which is far different than being an internationally acclaimed chef. That's not to say that the "intimate interviews, live cooking demonstrations and question-and-answer sessions with audience members" won't be interesting -- in fact, these food personalities will likely be more engaging than the dull white guys Ripert and Pépin.

Date is October 16th.
Time is 8 p.m.
And cost is, ahem...$69 to $600!!! Tickets are supposedly by subscription only (meaning to all three chef series events), but individual tickets are on sale as well. Call 305-949-6722 or just go here.

www.smilinggums.com

Come along for the journey

​Simple food made with love meets music of a similar persuasion, as local band Smiling Gums resumes its residence at downtown Italian hideaway Soya e Pomodoro.

Soya is tucked away in a vaulted arcade, like an old trattoria upon which you might stumble on a side street in Rome.  It's a seductive setting for red-sauced and rustic Italian fare, and Smiling Gums' natural mix of rock n roll and afro-Cuban rhythms.  The band will play two sets each last Friday of the month, at 9:30 and 11:30 p.m.

"The nostalgic feeling of the abandoned bank lobby and old book shelves makes me feel like I am in some decayed grandiose old city.  Something like Havana," explains vocalist and guitarist Ruben Millares.  "It keeps our music rich and really captures our sound. Not to mention the authentic Italian food!"

Lion's Paw Scallop BLT via thecapitalgrille.com

​Mano de Leon giant scallops from the Baja Peninsula in Mexico are called Lion's Paw scallops once they cross the border.

According to a press release, harvesting is tightly controlled, making them a rare find on U.S. menus.

Lucky for us, the Capital Grille got muchos dollas, so now the whole chain's got em, but only til November 1.

They're preparing them three ways:

• Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree, Golden Raisins and Brown Butter Vinaigrette. $35
  
• Scallop BLT with Applewood Smoked Bacon and Heirloom Tomatoes. $17
  
• Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops with 12 Year Aged Balsamic. $18 app, $33 entree
  

They recommend pairing the Lion's Paw scallops with Tilia Torrontes wine from Argentina, or Markham Pinot Noir.

We'd just as soon have em' with a Coke, or maybe a batido de trigo, but hey, to each their own.

Capital Grille
444 Brickell Avenue
Miami, FL 33131
305-374-4500

via miamiwinefair.com

​

You might think South Florida needs another Mexican restaurant like Heidi and Spencer need a photo op, but the new Talavera Cocina Mexicana in Coral Gables will change your mind. The owners have found success with their first venture, Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar in Coconut Grove, so chances are they will bring something fresh to the table once again.

Like Jaguar, with its colorful murals and suspended wooden butterflies, this locale will offer treats for eyes as well as tongue; there will be decorated Talavera pottery and pretty Mexican favorites such as crab enchiladas in chile guajillo sauce, huitlacoche crêpes with zucchini, and corn and chile poblano. A variety of moles from San Pedro Atocpan will also be offered, including mole de xico from Veracruz and green pipian from Puebla. The menu promises to be authentic, because partner/executive chef Oscar Del Rivero -- a Johnson & Wales graduate, by the way -- hails from Mexico City.

Talavera is located at 2299 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, and is slated to open this month. For more information, visit talaveraspot.com.

Watch the above video and you'll notice that Miami based international culinary personality Ingrid Hoffman has something more than milk stuck to her lips. According to a spokesperson for the Got Milk? campaign "the milk mustache is a combination of lowfat milk and other lowfat dairy products."

Pressed as to what other products are added to the milk the spokesperson said "That I cannot tell you, it's a secret."

The Got Milk? campaign is a public outreach from the Milk Processor Education Program, otherwise know as MilkPEP, a DC based group "funded by the nation's milk processors and committed to increasing fluid milk consumption," according to their website.

Ingrid Hoffman is the newest milk mustache personality in the campaign, and according to a press release to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month (September 15 - October15) she'll be "educating Latina moms on how to transform an ordinary family dinner into a nutritious and fun fiesta with low fat milk!" Sounds exciting.

Jackie Sayet

Michelle Bernstein teaches last season's Common Threads class proper knife skills with "the claw"; Volunteers for this coming school year are needed!

​Back-to-school doesn't have to mean an end to fun.  It's time to play with your food, and we don't mean spaghetti sculptures of Fluffy the poodle.

Metrozoo and Crazy Pianos are both hosting one-time events for the kid in all of us.

Metrozoo (12400 SW 152nd St; Flooded Forest Room at Amazon and Beyond)
A certain Short Order blogger used to teach a kids' cooking class at Ariana's cooking school when Ms. Kumpis still had the business, and boy was it fun.  Pillsbury biscuits morphed into pizza bunnies and chicken tenders got a coating of crunchy corn flakes. The kids loved it almost as much as your blogger did.

This class, presented by Taste of the Wild (zoo catering) and The Budding Cook on September 26 from 10 a.m. to noon, takes prep to the next level, featuring "age-appropriate recipes that are fun to make, nutritious to eat, and a true learning experience for kids." In addition to learning about other cultures, they get invaluable lessons on teamwork, and time management -- even math, science and food history!  The fun part is proudly going home to cook meals that can be shared with friends and family. Trust us, they will! Members: $32.95 per child age 3-12 plus tax (children two and under are free), $13.95 plus tax per adult; Non-members: $39.95 per child age 3-12 plus tax (children two and under are free), $19.95 plus tax per adult; Includes: Zoo admission, all supplies and food for each child, and monorail all-day pass; Please contact the Group Sales Department at 305-251-0400, ext. 84940 before September 23, 2009, to reserve your place. Advance reservations are required and space is limited.

Crazy Pianos (3015 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove, (305) 567-2462)
The dueling piano concept that originated in Holland is hosting a fundraiser to benefit Shake-A-Leg Miami.  On Sunday September 13 between 2 and 7 p.m, 20 percent of all food and beverage sales will go to the community-based aquatic activities center, which serves able bodied individuals as well as those with physical, developmental, and economic challenges. Family activities include face painting, caricatures, and balloon animals with the backdrop of live music. And yes, there's the aptly named "Crazy Kids" menu, too.

The South Florida Chapter of the American Institute of Wine & Food is getting set to present its annual Labor Day weekend "Sand Bake" on Sunday, September 6th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.. The "casual Florida tapas-style affair" will be held at the private Ocean Club at Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, and the roster of participating chefs includes Daniel Buss (The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club), Gabriel Fenton (Bourbon Steak), Allen Susser (Chef Allen's), Tim Andriola (Timo), Johnny Vinczencz (Johnny V on Las Olas), Giancarla Bodoni (Escopazzo), Giacomo Dresseno (Primavera Restaurant), and Susan Sudaka (Sisters in Pink catering).

Admission is $80 for AIWF members and $100 for non-members, which also takes care of alcoholic beverages, tax, gratuity and valet parking. Attire is "resort casual" -- which I take to mean bowtie, shorts, and loafers, with optional shirt. I'm not sure what it means for the men. I'm also not certain what any of this has to do with a sand bake. And is a sand bake something like a clam bake? Will the tapas be served in little  shells?

Anyhooz, all proceeds will be contributed toward scholarships for culinary students across South Florida -- no doubt in anticipation of the apocalyptic chef shortage coming up. Reservations are required: 305-663-9641 (Dade); 954-396-3875 (Broward); or e-mail. 

Jackie Sayet

Don an exoskeleton, devour theirs

​Let's face it.  There are many reasons to love IKEA, and food is not one of them when you are a foodie.  At the cafeteria, pre-made wraps and salads, plus desserts and a hot line straight from the freezer, hardly equal fuel for a day of combing through 293,000 square feet of showroom and marketplace.  Don't get us started on the cookware section desperate for a consultation with Marcus Samuelsson. 

But when making the haul to spruce a dorm, home or apartment with budget Scandinavian style, hunger inevitably sets in. What to do?  Timing is everything, and August is crayfish season in Sweden.

image via Ra Sushi

Get your roll on

​What's teal and orange and goes down easy? No, unfortunately we're not talking about the Dolphins cheerleaders, we're talking about the new "Fins Roll" at Ra Sushi.

It's an eight-piece spicy lobster roll topped with fresh salmon and avocado, drizzled in spicy mayo sauce and it costs $12. Umm, that's $1.50 a bite, does Ra think we hadn't heard how cheap lobster is now? Seems like kind of a ripoff.

The roll sports an orange and teal color scheme too, maybe that's what you're paying for, though we're not quite sure what's both teal and edible.

Live football enthusiasts may have an incentive to try it though. Bring in your game day ticket stub for $2 off.

According to a press release, linebacker Channing Crowder recently visited Ra Sushi in South Miami. General Manager Timm Timbrook says "We are looking forward to having some of the other players in to try the roll out for themselves." Yeah we bet, Dolphins stay hungry and got money to burn.

We're guessing the only people who go for this roll are the guys in the following picture.....

image via DiLido Beach Club

​ Howl, hoot, holler, eat and drink like a coyote, not the kind that transports contraband, the kind you can find with their eyes to the sky. Tomorrow night is a full moon and that means the beach is one of the best places to enjoy it in South Florida. Sure you can pack a couple bottles and some sandwiches and do it up yourself, but if you're more inclined to relax plush cabana style and enjoy the telescopic accoutrements and culinary finery of the DiLido Beach Club, then 1 Lincoln Road is the place to be. They've got a special food and drink menu just for the event. Top Chef Jeff McInnis will be there, not in the kitchen, just to hang out.

If free Dziaq cocktails (8 - 10 p.m.), fire breathers, belly dancers, tarot card readers, and live drumming are more your speed, then the National Hotel's Luna party (1677 Collins Ave) is where you should go.

After the jump, the DiLido's menu for the evening and the National's flyer for their party.

Conrad Miami

New logo, new menu and concept

​Conrad Miami is no longer chefless. Executive Chef Jonathan McCann fills the four month void at its signature restaurant Atrio, since Michael Gilligan exited in the spring to join the W Hotel South Beach.

McCann now oversees the Brickell luxury hotel's in-room dining, business functions, The Bar, and Atrio, which will officially re-launch as a "Restaurant & Wine Bar" in September 1 for the second month of Miami Spice. The new ingredient-driven new menu will focus on locally-sourced, sustainable produce and seafood. Current menus will still be available now through August 31, along with a Miami Spice menu available Monday through Sunday for lunch ($22) and dinner ($35.) 

Bringing 29 years of experience to the operation, McCann is a graduate of the Bournemouth & Poole Culinary College in the UK and earned his chops traveling the world aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2.  His resume also includes tenure at Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels in England and Monaco, including the Claridges Hotel, The Dorchester Hotel and The Berkeley Hotel in London.

McCann is known for his classic comfort food and gastro-style fare and reads like he'll hold up just fine despite our city's notorious penchant for vanity.  No doubt he's developed a thick skin from multiple Priz Pierre Tattinger competitions in London and Paris, a Celebrity Master Chef episode for BBC TV, and even cooking a lunch for Her Majesty the Queen.  McCann moved to the U.S. in 2008, where at the Hilton Washington he cooked his way through an election year of events including the White House Correspondents dinner, an inauguration eve dinner for President Obama, and the official Inauguration Ball with celebrity attendees like Usher, Kanye West, Kid Rock, Fall Out Boy, Demi Moore, and Toby Maguire.  That's no small feat, but we'll be more impressed if the "taste above all else" philosophy is effectively put into practice . 

Atrio Restaurant & Wine Room
305-503-6529
Level 25 of the Conrad Miami
1395 Brickell Avenue

Jackie Sayet

Same face manning the bar, Sean Patrick Gilroy

​It was a deal owner Patrick Gleber (also of Tobacco Road) couldn't refuse.

Baruch Pletner, an Israeli entrepreneur, strolled into Jake's last Tuesday and expressed interest in purchasing the newly renovated Jake's.  Fast forward to today, and Pletner is already making the place his own, in more ways than one.

Jackie Sayet

The red and white tiles are in

​Mr. Chow, located in the W South Beach (2201 Collins Avenue), will begin to take reservations today, August 3rd, and open the doors tomorrow, Tuesday night. For reservations call 305-695-1699.

Five Guys is at it again. John and Raquel Catalano, owners of the Five Guys franchise in Kendall, are opening one in South Miami -- 1540 S. Dixie Hwy., where Ming's Garden used to be. Slated to open about 6 weeks from now.

Just a spuds throw away, at 1450 S. Dixie Hwy. (where JJ's American Diner had been for some time), the folks from Town Kitchen and Bar are opening a barbecue place. No name yet, but look for an October opening.

A little work still needs to be done

​And yet more fast food for South Miami: Another Pizza Rustica location, at 6800 SW 57th Ave., that is planned for September. This one is going to have what the owner is calling "the first pizza drive-thru in Florida" -- called the Slice Thru.

And Oscar G, new resident at Hoy Como Ayer (does this mean he lives there?), has plans for Café Mambo -- Cuban cuisine and live music. No opening date yet, but it's going to be located in the vicinity of Coral Way and 21st Ave. Keep up with the progress at Oscar's MySpace page.

Jacob Katel

​Short Order's heard a lot about the "Underground Dining" phenomenon. According to rumors, lies, and hearsay the movement started in Oakland in the '80s when 100 train-hopping gutterpunks from around the states formed a consortium of experienced kitchen workers and convinced a local backer to invest in a one-off epic feast in a secret location. Street teams were dispatched with flyers, and local foodheads found them, digitized, uploaded and spread the message via the web and text messages. "The Oakland 500," the original diners who joined, paid, and partook in the experience never forgot their incredible meal.

Jackie Sayet

Last time I was at the "Parrot Jungle," I was in diapers. Can you guess what the re-launch stunt was? You're gonna have to, because my lips are sealed.

 

The Fox nextwork has been pretty adamant about what we can and can't reveal prior to the first airing of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares: Fleming Edition.  Here's what we are able to spill about this past Tuesday's private marketing event for camera at Pinecrest Gardens.

 

@Zillamonster (Chef de Cuisine Chad Galiano) via Twitpic

Chinese short ribs marinating that will be slow cooked for hours and hours and hours so that they fall off the bone on Sunday

With the tourism industry in a pinch, hospitality wants to be BFF with locals this summer. Remember Cuba Gooding Jr.'s Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire? (You're lovin' me now!) Yeah, it's kinda like that.

Trump International Beach Resort in Sunny Isles is the latest hotel to develop a promotion around access to its private pool and beach facilities for locals looking for a "staycation." Normally $35 to take a dip, it'll be on the house for folks who throw down $39 on a new Sunday brunch service from the whimsical cooks behind the Paradigm test kitchen at Neomi's.