Food Tours of Miami

Enjoying a toast at Food Tours of Miami

​Stephen Rosenthal is a social worker by trade, but his true passion is food, drink, and stories. So, about a year ago, he started Food Tours of Miami, which conducts walking tours for foodies.

The food tour business seems to be thriving in Miami, but Stephen doesn't see competition as a bad thing -- especially since he's convinced his are the best. "Mine is a unique food tour. I'm a local -- born in Baptist Hospital and raised in Miami. I love this city, it's my home and I share that perspective with both visitors who want to get an insiders point of view ... but also locals who maybe haven't been to South Beach in a while because they think it's too touristy".

Food Tours of Miami conducts both food tours and pub crawls. The food tours go out Saturday and Sundays at 12:30 p.m. and last about three hours. Each day's tour visits different restaurants, each serving an appetizer and drink (many of the restaurants offer alcoholic beverages). "We go to four or five restaurants during the tour.  From little mom and pop restaurants to larger places. The goal is to allow people to discover interesting places that, hopefully, are new to them," Rosenthal told us.

Though Rosenthal didn't want to name all the restaurants that participate in his tours ("I like to keep them a surprise"), Otentic and Tap Tap are two on the rotating list -- choices that would resonate with locals and tourists alike.
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Paradise Farms owner Gabriele Marewski

​Paradise Farms Organic is preparing a night of ravishing romance for the organically inclined.  Drive out to the Redland and treat your sweetheart to a magical evening.  It's going to cost you ($165 p/p), but keep in mind that proceeds from the event benefit the Slow Food Miami Edible Garden Program, which means that it's probably a tax write-off.

Signature cocktails provided by Square One Vodka.  Tunes will be spun by DJ Trendy Wendy and DJ La-Di-Da,  Three well-known local chefs, Kira Volz, Christopher Siragusa and Rebecca Kleinman will be preparing the romantic, creative dishes that will include most of the produce grown at Paradise Farms.  The first part of the evening's wines will be provided by Schnebly's Winery and guests are encouraged to enjoy the informative and edible tour of the 5-acre organic farm, given by Founder and Owner Gabriele Marewski. Afterwards everyone will have a chance to mingle and mix and eventually meander towards a comfortable wide open-air gazebo decorated with a "Slow Love Theme."

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Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne

Come on, isn't this better than a sports bar?

​Watching the Super Bowl in Miami does not have to mean going to a sports bar and having your $700 Prada loafers stick to the floor. This is Miami, after all. The home of excess.

Sure you want to pay attention to the game (you may even have a hefty sum riding on the Giants ... or the Patriots), but you want something a little more than sliders and beer. Here are some places to watch the game -- Miami playa style.
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All photos by Laine Doss

Chef Timon Balloo shows a JWU student how to plate his beet salad.

​The students at Johnson & Wales University's culinary arts program got a taste of what it's going to be like in the real world when Sugarcane executive chef and JWU graduate Timon Balloo took over the kitchen as part of the school's Distinguished Visiting Chef dinner series.

The event, held last Friday, January 27 at the University's North Miami campus, brought Balloo back on campus. Balloo graduated in 2002 and the former student became the teacher for one evening. And teach, he did.
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Jonathan Waxman is taking over Harry's for one night.

​Jonathan Waxman, chef/owner of Barbuto in New York, Top Chef Masters alum, and author is taking over Michael Schwartz's Harry's Pizzeria Wednesday, February 1.

Waxman is hosting a pop-up dinner event, featuring dishes from his book, Italian, My Way: More Than 150 Simple and Inspired Recipes That Breathe New Life into Italian Classics. The evening will feature welcome cocktail, hors d'oeuvres, four courses, a signed copy of Waxmam's cookbook, wine and beer. Tickets are $160 and include tax and gratuity. You can purchase them here, or you can win a pair!

Short Order is giving away a pair of tickets to Waxman's special pop-up. Just post a comment on our Facebook page convincing us why you should win. Most convincing plea will win the tickets. We'll announce a winner tomorrow at noon.

We spoke to Jonathan Waxman about the pop-up, his favorite Miami restaurants, and Top Chef Masters. Here's what he had to say:
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ING Miami Marathon

Congratulations! Let's go eat!

​About 25,000 runners will take to the streets of Miami and Miami Beach this Sunday for the ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon. The race starts and ends in downtown Miami and after running for hours, there are going to be some mighty hungry athletes prowling the streets in search of something good to eat.

We say skip the dried out hard bagel at the finish line and limp your tired, drooping body over to one of these restaurants for some well-deserved nourishment. Best part of all? They're all within walking distance of the finish line and they're all casual enough so you can go all sweaty and salty. Eat first, shower later.
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Here are photos of last night's Dining in the Dark experience at Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Bar. It was quite the task to aim a spoon full of mushroom broth and an orgasmic pork wonton in the right direction without spilling all over yourself and your neighbor.... on that note, sorry, neighbor.

All Photos by Kristian Andrew

Who knew a flute of Corona would make it taste so much better? Maybe it was the fresh ginger. Either way, we downed it.
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Active.com

If you're running on Sunday, you're gonna need some pasta on Saturday.

​The ING Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon is this Sunday. Nearly 25,000 runners are expected to run the races, which start at the American Airlines Arena at 6:15 a.m.

The event brings runners from all over the world to Miami, filling up hotel rooms and restuarants. According to the ING Miami Marathon's official website, the 2011 event has 21,147 registered runners from 79 countries and all 50 states.

Unfortunately, race directors haven't arranged an official evening pasta party for the event (there is, however, an afternoon buffet lunch cruise on January 28 at noon for $50 per person). 

That means if you're running on Sunday morning, you're going to have to find a place to carbo load on your own. In a way, that's a good thing because we've found some Miami restaurants offering marathon specials. Enjoy a steaming, hot bowl of pasta and fill up with stores of energy for the 13.1 or 26.2 mile journey through Miami and Miami Beach's most beautiful neighborhoods.  See you on the course!
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Courtesy of GMG Advertising

​Who wants dinner with an undeniable kink factor? We do! You can come too -- we like things extra-kinky. Tonight's repast is sold out, but tomorrow evening, give Dining in the Dark with chef Adrianne Calvo a shot.

Calvo, whose episode of Food Network's Chopped aired October 25, is hosting a blindfolded dinner at her restaurant, Chef Adrianne's Vineyard, Restaurant & Wine Bar, and in honor of the Chinese New Year (that's your cue to roar like a dragon), she has created a multiple-course Chinese menu.
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We stopped by Fairchild's International Chocolate, Coffee and Tea Festival to give everyone who couldn't attend a tasty nibble of what they missed.

All photos by Alex Rodriguez

Lavande citronade chocolate morsels by Oliver Kita Chocolatiers were but one of the many mixed flavor bites they offered.
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