If love is blind, it's a serious shame, because that means it can't get a gander at the striking digs of its namesake new eatery in Coral Gables. Walk into Love Is Blind, adjacent to Merrick Park, and you're face-to-face with a glowing panorama of mounted candles, a tulip-topped gramophone, and a vaulted ceiling rimmed with poetic quotes.

The thematic new spot is in keeping with owners Carlos Galan and JC Chamizo's stylistic sensibilities: dramatic, unapologetic, sexy. The duo is also behind Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita and Crazy About You -- and you can see the family resemblance.

Short Order was invited in to the newly opened spot for a first bite. Check out what we sampled after the jump.

See also:
- Love is Blind Food & Wine Opens in Coral Gables

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All photos by Arlyene Marie Ponce

Gold & Pepper has opened on the corner of 1st and Washington in South Beach. The cozy, 37-seat eatery is touting wholesome, fresh, Italian fare with a twist: everything is covered in 23 karat gold. When we say everything, we mean ever-y-thing: shavings of gold floated in our Prosecco, sheets of gold topped our ravioli, gold dust enveloped every dish.

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All photos by Hannah Sentenac

Step into Barezzito, Miami's newest late-night eatery and music venue -- and South Beach screams from every neon-hued nook and cranny. The sleek new Collins Avenue outpost is offering up live music, specials every night of the week and Asian fusion cuisine with a Latin flair.

The new digs are the product of efforts by Mexico-based Grupo Impluza, owners of a whole host of successful venues in various Latin American countries. This is their first American effort, and they nailed the South Beach vibe. This week, Short Order was invited to sample their recently-launched menu. Pictures after the jump.

See also:
- Barezzito Bringing Late Night Sushi, Music and Lots of Deals to South Beach

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Arlyene Marie Ponce

Outdoor seating at WD555.

Located at 555 Jefferson Ave., Miami Beach, WD555 is a revamped South Beach gem soon to be a local hot spot. The former Wine Depot is under new ownership and has undergone a vibrant redesign with a fresh feel. Driving up, one spots a boring box of a building, but a right turn reveals the first of many pleasant surprises: ample free parking.

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Photos by Carla Torres

San Daniele: fresh mozzarella, real San Daniele prosciutto, arugula, Parmesan, olive oil $15.

Vide Napole e'po umore translates to "See Naples and then die." At Stanzione 87, this is the language. If you've been to Naples and had true Neapolitan pizza, you can die happy. Or at least owner Franco Stanzione believes so. The good news for locals is we don't have to go all the way to Naples to eat Neapolitan pizza, although wouldn't it be nice?

Stanzione 87 opened Saturday as Miami's first truly "authentic" Neapolitan pizza shop. That label means Franco has been certified by the Italian government and must adhere to guidelines set by the Neapolitan pizza gods. We got to attend a friends-and-family gathering to help the restaurant smooth out the kinks before opening and comment on the genuine pies.

See also:
- Stanzione 87 to Open in Brickell: Government-Certified Neapolitan Pizza

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All photos by Laine Doss

MIchael Reginbogen and Jamie DeRosa at Tongue & Cheek's bar.

It's happy hour at Tongue & Cheek. Almost every stool is occupied as the bartender explains the specials, which include $4 craft beers, $8 specialty cocktails, and the daily $10 "family meal." 

Before we get a chance to order, chef/partner Jamie DeRosa emerges from the kitchen wearing a gray utility shirt embroidered with the Tongue & Cheek logo. "No chef coats here," he says. "It's cooler not to wear them."

By cooler, he means temperature-wise in the kitchen, but there's no denying there's also a cool factor in the dress code at the restaurant, which gives off a vibe as much downtown Manhattan as downtown Miami Beach.

In fact, Tongue & Cheek's subway-tiled walls, Atlas lamps, and thick brown tables are reminiscent of Greenwich Village bistro Pastis. Prominently displayed in the dining room is a framed picture of an ox in a top hat and gold chains, one of the quirky animal mascots on the servers' T-shirts, the coasters, and the postcards that come with the check.

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via Google CC

Sandwiches seem enormous, but its just so much bread.

Sandwich Qbano on First Street and Washington Avenue, is one of many. The Colombian chain serves casual fast food, namely sandwiches. Think of it as a Colombian deli.

Then why is it called Sandwich Qbano, instead of oh, we don't know, Sandwich Paisa maybe? Hell, if we know, but the place seems to be gaining the approval of locals.

Upon a friend's recommendation, we stopped by for a late dinner recently and tried the 14-inch teriyaki chicken sandwich combo, which includes fries and a soft drink. The combo set us back about $13.

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Alex Rodriguez

Pistachio and coconut

After just a few months of business, Gelato-Go is already beginning to turn up on local radars.

It's a gelateria. So what? Miami has tons of them.

"But none of these serve good gelato," argues partner Alessandro Alvino, who knows a thing or two about gelato having grown up in Milan.

Unlike other places in town that offer walls of varieties and flavors, Gelato-Go has just one cool case with 12 flavor options. Why?

"Because we have only one man in the back making the gelato himself," Alvino says.

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Courtesy of Casablanca On The Bay

Casablanca Seafood Bar & Grill on the Miami River has been highly successful for more than 20 years, so it's almost surprising it took this long to open another location. Now the Doubletree Hilton near Biscayne Boulevard and the Venetian Causeway is home to Casablanca on the Bay, overlooking the Sea Isle Marina.

Expectations are high with two accomplished toques in the kitchen: chef Joaquin Perea, a Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts graduate who previously worked at the Fontainebleau, and chef de cuisine Wilbert Sauceda, who hails from Sra. Martinez. For now, though, the breathtaking space -- featuring indoor and outdoor seating areas, a 36-foot wraparound bar, and a spectacular view -- outshines the menu.

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Photos by Carla Torres

Downtown still isn't a prime dining destination, yet there's a substantial need among the area's vast working population for good places to eat. So why is it that besides Ceviche 105 and a few other notables, there's not much buzz?

That could be changing with some business owners who saw an opportunity and took it. Three guys from Greece who had the idea to bring an espresso bar to the working nucleus of Miami. Their baby, Freshko Gourmet Espresso Bar, is the first attempt at what they expect to be a franchise.

See also:
- Tikl Closes: Perfecto Mediterranean Restaurant to Open in its Place
- Ceviche House, Florida's First Peruvian Restaurant, Still Around After 30 Years

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