Chef Miguel Aguilar of Wynwood Kitchen & Bar.

Last night was the official launch of "A Feast for the Eyes" at Wynwood Kitchen & Bar and we were invited to check it out. In what Chef Miguel Aguilar hopes will become a monthly series, the restaurant exhibits the work of an artist and offers a four-course prix fixe menu that celebrates the artist's nationality and personal palate.

The artist of the evening was Miami-based Santiago Rubino, renowned as a street and graffiti artist as well as for his contribution to the Wynwood Walls. His work was on display as diners nommed on Argentinian-inspired dishes, in honor of Rubino's heritage.

The prix fixe menu consisted of smoked tuna empanadas, an avocado and romaine salad, Chilean sea bass with boniato puree, and chocolate alfajores. The four courses run $50 per person and a $20 wine pairing is available. The wines served last night were Alta Vista Torrontes (2012), Alto De Platas (2012), Terrazas Malbec (2010), and Raza Late Harvest Torrontes (2011), but diners also have the option of choosing from the wine menu.

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Courtesy of Miami Creative

Before Miami native Chef Douglas Rodriguez became the "Godfather of nuevo Latino cuisine," he was a young chef working on Lincoln Road looking for a dedicated sous chef. Luckily, an aspiring artist named Miguel Paredes happened to know a thing or two about cooking. The two not only worked together, but grew alongside each other. Now, nearly 30 years later and after climbing to the top of their respective professions, Paredes and Rodriguez teamed up again to help Hennessy celebrate Latin music and culture Thursday night following the Latin Billboard Awards.

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via Google CC

Last night, it seemed as if The Federal, that trendy Biscayne strip-mall eatery, was feeding an actual army. Crawdaddy Tuesday may just be the worst thing that's ever happened to crawfish.

The specials, crawfish 'n' grits ($12), crawfish fritters ($8), and the traditional crawfish boil ($20 per pound), were flying out of the kitchen and both the inside and outside dining areas were at full capacity. The promotion ran from 6 to 10 p.m., but the crawfish boil sold out by 8 p.m.

See also:
- The Federal Presents Crawdaddy Tuesday and Chicken Fry Wednesday

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For the past 35 years, loyal denizens have gathered every March to party in the street and support the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana. The popularity of the massive Carnaval Miami has afforded the Kiwanis Club the ability to help improve the lives of underserved kids. Though the attractions range from an arts village to stages featuring some of the biggest names in music, there is one thing nearly every attendee partakes in -- the food.

Short Order traveled the entire length of the massive 19-block festival, stopping to chronicle the tastiest treats we could find. Right off the bat, the highlight of our day came at "Cuzn Tim's" food truck with his unbelievable fried lobster tail (below). Doused in garlic and cooked until just the right amount of tender, the tail is to be eaten slowly so as to savor the delectable flavor. Tim's, which can be found at all the popular food truck rallies in South Florida, also featured delicious wings, fish, crabs and shrimp. Tim and crew cater special events and can be reached at 954-485-0637.

See also:
- Photos: The Food of Calle Ocho 2013
- Photos: The Fashion of Calle Ocho 2013
- The Music of Calle Ocho 2013
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All photos by Laine Doss

Thousands of superheros, vampires, zombies, and sexy pirates walked Lincoln Road last night for Miami's biggest Halloween celebration. Restaurants were decked out in black streamers and spider webs, with some putting skeletons in charge of the hostess stands. Not an empty table could be found, as devils, wenches, and SWAT team members hunkered down for the night at their prized restaurant spots to watch the parade.

See also:
- Photos: Halloween 2012 at Lincoln Road

At the Cafe at Books & Books, a table of about a dozen assorted characters played "Halloween Olympics," using a numerical system to grade the costumes as they passed. The best costume of the night according to the judges? Ursula the Sea Witch, complete with a giant tentacle skirt that could engulf her prey.
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All photos by Kareem Shaker

For Dr. Raja Narine, Miami Broward One Carnival and its scantily-clad outfits are a guilty pleasure. "My patients would be shocked," said Narine, a native of Trinidad and Tobago. "It feels good to let loose and celebrate our culture."

Narine and thousands of other native Caribbeans -- as well as lovers of the region, and a good party -- gathered around 18-wheelers packed with speakers Sunday at Sun Life Stadium. About every nation that celebrates the massive worldwide event was represented Sunday. Belize, Jamaica and the Virgin Islands (among many others) all celebrate Carnival at different times of the year, but Sunday it didn't matter when your native country celebrated. Islanders of all types donned fascinating costumes and extremely revealing outfits, gathering around nearly 30 "Custome Mas Bands" parade floats.

Folks had spent between $200-$1000 on costumes with large head dresses and elaborate sequins cost.

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Kareem Shaker

There's just a nice ring to the phrase "Ultimate Miami." a realization Magic City Casino exec Scott Savin and his crew came to earlier this year. This past Saturday Savin & Co. put it to the test with the Inaugural Ultimate Miami Bartender competition at the Flagler Street location. After four heated rounds of competition, Isaac Grillo of Lincoln Road's Haven took home the crown and a $5,000 first-place prize. The winning drink was vodka based with mandatory "secret" ingredients peppermint and chocolate syrup, in addition to club soda, sugar and ginger.

The best bartenders in the city put their hats in the ring, with the following eight finalists selected to compete for the coveted crown.

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via crazyladiesdancewear.eu

Alvany was probably not this cute, even at the beginning of the night

I have great love for both France and its people, as well as Key West.

So it tickled my spine earlier today to read on KeysNet.com that a 23-year-old French tourist named Romain Alvany was ejected from a Duval Street restaurant around 2 a.m. for walking into the kitchen and taking down a cup and a half of raw garlic, a cup of raw onion, a cup of chopped basil, and some cooked lobster meat.

I really hope this kind of thing catches on in haute cuisine. It's like making chocolate milk in your mouth: a scoop of Nesquik, a gulp of milk, and a shake of your head until mixing is complete.

Perhaps José Andrés will make a swift return to the Bazaar at the SLS Hotel, gesticulating wildly as he shoots some kind of espuma into the mouths of his blogger fanboys.

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All photos by Laine Doss

Fireworks, good food, and fun.

It's true that where fireworks are concerned, there's not a bad seat in the house. After all, you're looking up at the night sky -- usually from a beach or a boat. But with so many cities offering fireworks, there are few spots where you can partake of more than one display at the same time. The Rusty Pelican proves time and time again to be one of the best.

With sweeping views of Biscayne Bay, the Pelican offered Independence Night visitors an upscale barbecue buffet complete with a view of fireworks from at least three cities.

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All photos by Laine Doss

The Bazaar general manager Giancarlo Pagani, Jose Andres, and chef de cuisine David Thomas.

Before it even opened, the Bazaar won the title of Best Restaurant Yet to Come. For a little food porn, take a look at our first bite of the Bazaar by José Andrés.

There are some people and places that have an undeniable charisma. Something about them shines a little brighter than other, possibly more technically perfect, specimens.

The original It girl was silent film star Clara Bow back in the 1920s. Though beautiful, she wasn't the most gorgeous woman in history, but she had "it." What is "it"? It's an undefinable quality that just makes people gravitate toward the subject. Possessing an internal magnet, the "it" object draws people.

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