Miami's slow season is beginning and the chic art deco hotels in South Beach want to stay occupied during the summer, so if you book your stay by Friday, you can stay at the Carlton South Beach for $53 a night; this rate is 30% off the regular price and is good through September 7,2009. One of the nicest amenities here is that they lend you beach towels and chairs so you don't have to buy any there or even worse lug any from back home! For a small hotel, it's still got big hotel perks like a 24 hour business center and passes to local night spots.
For another prime location is the Delores for only $60 a night; this rate is 25% off the regular price and is good through September 7,2009. Located only one block from Ocean Drive. They offer free WiFi, as well as a complimentary wine hour, so you can start your vacation partying in your own hotel!. They are also known for their in house restaurant, Bistro 1506, which specializes in Latin Cuisine, so if you want to just stay in, you can order up room service.
Both of these are small "boutique" type hotels, so if you want to save your money to spend on going out in South Beach, stay at one of these places, and use what you save to visit the Fountainebleau for a meal or the nightclub; that's what I call having the best of both worlds.
Food finds, super shops, travel tips, and fun things to make your spirit smile.
Showing posts with label Miami. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miami. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Fontainebleau Miami
The newly renovated Fontainebleau in Miami is beautiful after its' $1 billion dollar face lift. Rooms start around $350, but they are offering all kinds of promotions to get people to come and stay, including prepay discounts, a fourth night free, and a breakfast package.
The hotel itself consists of two parts, the renovated original building and a new adjacent tower with views of the beach. As they say in Real Estate, the best thing about this place is the location, location, location; the hotel is literally steps from the boardwalk that runs the length of the beach and the beach itself just behind the pool area of the hotel.
The pool area is huge, with a poolside bar area and private cabanas that include plasma screen TVs, telephones, and food service. The pool is large enough for several people to swim laps while others wade, and although it is heavily chlorinated, it is a great place to hang out for the afternoon if you don't want to get sand on your bikini and toes.
The interior is as luxurious and hip as James Bond, with the jaw dropping Bleau Bar in the center of the lobby area shimmering in light, the hip LIV lounge with 30,000 square feet of partying area, complete with skybar service and little locked drawers for purses in the banquettes! For spa lovers there is also a new 40,000 square foot spa
Food options include a classic steak house, Gotham, by Michelin-star chef Alfred Portale, and the trendy chic Blade sushi restaurant, but you can get anything from real French macaroons at Solo Patisserie, to American comfort food at Fresh.
Get dressed in your finest warm weather party outfit and live like Marlene Dietrich for at least one night or week, after all, as James Bond used to say, you only live once.
The hotel itself consists of two parts, the renovated original building and a new adjacent tower with views of the beach. As they say in Real Estate, the best thing about this place is the location, location, location; the hotel is literally steps from the boardwalk that runs the length of the beach and the beach itself just behind the pool area of the hotel.
The pool area is huge, with a poolside bar area and private cabanas that include plasma screen TVs, telephones, and food service. The pool is large enough for several people to swim laps while others wade, and although it is heavily chlorinated, it is a great place to hang out for the afternoon if you don't want to get sand on your bikini and toes.
The interior is as luxurious and hip as James Bond, with the jaw dropping Bleau Bar in the center of the lobby area shimmering in light, the hip LIV lounge with 30,000 square feet of partying area, complete with skybar service and little locked drawers for purses in the banquettes! For spa lovers there is also a new 40,000 square foot spa
Food options include a classic steak house, Gotham, by Michelin-star chef Alfred Portale, and the trendy chic Blade sushi restaurant, but you can get anything from real French macaroons at Solo Patisserie, to American comfort food at Fresh.
Get dressed in your finest warm weather party outfit and live like Marlene Dietrich for at least one night or week, after all, as James Bond used to say, you only live once.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Miami Brosia
For my last meal in Miami, we went to Brosia in the Design District. The exterior wall is a huge mosaic of tiles which help shelter the outdoor patio from wind, creating a small calm sanctuary of lit trees far from the noise and bustle of South Beach. (If you are looking for more of a nightlife, go to Sra Martinez around the corner during a live music night; see my post from Tuesday.)
Reading the menu got me salivating when I saw one of their salads included a Caesar with white anchovy; although I loved the dressing and the salad itself, I was disappointed that there was literally only ONE white anchovy, I guess that was why it was listed as anchovy instead of anchovies!
Chantal had the prosciutto and melon and was happy with her choice. The presentation was unusual, with sliced rounds of melon laid into a flat fan around the plate with the prosciutto on top of that and a small topping of arugula, shaved fennel, dried figs, walnuts, and pecorino cheese crowning the center. The side of asparagus with kalamata olives was nicely grilled, but not spectacular. I segued into the Catalan shrimp and clams with chorizo, in a garlic red pepper and sherry sauce, which was by far my favorite dish of the evening. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, the clams were fresh, and the chorizo was the best smoky dense version I have ever had. Even though I was full and I could not finish the sauce with the toasted bread points, I lingered until I finished every last bite of this fantastic dish.
Back to Los Angeles in the very early morning (gotta get up at 5 am!), so I'll post again after I get over my jet lag.
Reading the menu got me salivating when I saw one of their salads included a Caesar with white anchovy; although I loved the dressing and the salad itself, I was disappointed that there was literally only ONE white anchovy, I guess that was why it was listed as anchovy instead of anchovies!
Chantal had the prosciutto and melon and was happy with her choice. The presentation was unusual, with sliced rounds of melon laid into a flat fan around the plate with the prosciutto on top of that and a small topping of arugula, shaved fennel, dried figs, walnuts, and pecorino cheese crowning the center. The side of asparagus with kalamata olives was nicely grilled, but not spectacular. I segued into the Catalan shrimp and clams with chorizo, in a garlic red pepper and sherry sauce, which was by far my favorite dish of the evening. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, the clams were fresh, and the chorizo was the best smoky dense version I have ever had. Even though I was full and I could not finish the sauce with the toasted bread points, I lingered until I finished every last bite of this fantastic dish.
Back to Los Angeles in the very early morning (gotta get up at 5 am!), so I'll post again after I get over my jet lag.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Miami's Jaguar Again
Since we had gotten up late and it was raining on and off all day, Chantal and I decided to walk around Coconut Grove, figuring we could duck into a store or restaurant if it started pouring. The one restaurant I wanted to return to the most on this trip to Miami, was Jaguar, so we knew of at least one spot here where we could wait out the rain. I could not imagine a more perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon than their nice patio, rainy or not, with a good friend, a cold drink, and several spoons of their creative ceviche.
Last time I came here, we were so dazzled by the ceviche spoon sampler of six different options ($12) that we never noted our favorites. Jaguar offers eight kinds of ceviche, but only six are available "spoon" size so you can have a taste without committing to a full "Amazon" serving. My favorites were definitely the ceviche Vuelve a la Vida, made with swordfish, shrimp, calamari, tomato, lime, orange, onion, cilantro, Habernero chile & avocado, and the Ceviche Peruano, made with white fish, lime ,red onion, roccoto chile, and corn. Chantal liked the Ceviche Nuevo made with calamari the best, with aji amarillo, ginger, soy, lime and grapeseed oil. We ordered extra spoons of our favorites ($2 each) and tried to save some room for dinner by bypassing the rest of the menu.
Besides the ceviches, Jaguar carries a full menu of salads, grills (meat and fish), sandwiches, and house specialties like swordfish "o lo macho" with shrimp and calamari, aji amarillo sauce with saffron, brandy & Pernod, served on rice. On our last visit we had lunch here which segued into an afternoon, starting with their Crispy Blue Corn Chicken tacos and Chopped Celia Salad ($11 each) and ending with the spoon sampler.
No matter the weather or the time of day, Jaguar is always a perfect spot to stop for a spoonful of ceviche.
Last time I came here, we were so dazzled by the ceviche spoon sampler of six different options ($12) that we never noted our favorites. Jaguar offers eight kinds of ceviche, but only six are available "spoon" size so you can have a taste without committing to a full "Amazon" serving. My favorites were definitely the ceviche Vuelve a la Vida, made with swordfish, shrimp, calamari, tomato, lime, orange, onion, cilantro, Habernero chile & avocado, and the Ceviche Peruano, made with white fish, lime ,red onion, roccoto chile, and corn. Chantal liked the Ceviche Nuevo made with calamari the best, with aji amarillo, ginger, soy, lime and grapeseed oil. We ordered extra spoons of our favorites ($2 each) and tried to save some room for dinner by bypassing the rest of the menu.
Besides the ceviches, Jaguar carries a full menu of salads, grills (meat and fish), sandwiches, and house specialties like swordfish "o lo macho" with shrimp and calamari, aji amarillo sauce with saffron, brandy & Pernod, served on rice. On our last visit we had lunch here which segued into an afternoon, starting with their Crispy Blue Corn Chicken tacos and Chopped Celia Salad ($11 each) and ending with the spoon sampler.
No matter the weather or the time of day, Jaguar is always a perfect spot to stop for a spoonful of ceviche.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Miami's Sra Martinez
For my first dinner in Miami on this trip, I asked Chantal about going to Sra Martinez in the Design district; ironically she had already planned to take me there because she knows the parents of the chef!
Sra Martinez is in an historical building that was once a post office, and has been immensely popular since it's opening, with waits for tables that exceed an hour on week-ends. Even during the week, it is best to reserve a table, especially if you want to eat at a popular nightlife grazing time like 9pm.
The menu is a range of hot and cold appetizers or tapas which you can mix or match. We chose 5 and asked our server to recommend the order of arrival, which he orchestrated very well. Prices range from about $11-$25, with medium sized portions for tapas; as appetizers, each plate was enough to share for two, but you get just a bite for three people, if you are hungry figure on 2-3 plates per person for a full meal. It can get pricey depending on your choices, our dinner came in over $100 for two of us (not counting wine).
We began with the cold shrimp tiradito in a light white sauce with kernels of popcorn; yes, I found it looked strange too, but upon tasting the combo, I can say I was very happy with the inventive combo, and we ate every bite. Next came the lemon coriander fried baby artichokes with a creamy aioli which we could not stop eating throughout the meal, the lemony flavor and crisp texture stood up even after they had cooled to room temperature. The beet salad was a medley of colors and a light contrast between the plates of hot dishes we had coming of roasted pork belly and lamb lollipops. The pork belly was very rich, but so good we even ate the fat. The lamb was one of my favorites, with a perfectly tender center and crusty glaze that was savory without being sweet or spicy. The lamb was served with a nice light cucumber and yogurt dip that was refreshing and a nice accent to the char.
You would think after all this we would have no room for dessert, but after we finished our wine, but we found we could squeeze in the torrejas, a sweet, warm and rich offering of bananas, figs and bread that would make any dessert lover happy. Perfect espressos finished off our meal as we drifted off in a haze of great food to window shop in the design district and walk off some of our meal before heading home to bed with visions of beautiful furniture and food dancing in our heads.
Sra Martinez is in an historical building that was once a post office, and has been immensely popular since it's opening, with waits for tables that exceed an hour on week-ends. Even during the week, it is best to reserve a table, especially if you want to eat at a popular nightlife grazing time like 9pm.
The menu is a range of hot and cold appetizers or tapas which you can mix or match. We chose 5 and asked our server to recommend the order of arrival, which he orchestrated very well. Prices range from about $11-$25, with medium sized portions for tapas; as appetizers, each plate was enough to share for two, but you get just a bite for three people, if you are hungry figure on 2-3 plates per person for a full meal. It can get pricey depending on your choices, our dinner came in over $100 for two of us (not counting wine).
We began with the cold shrimp tiradito in a light white sauce with kernels of popcorn; yes, I found it looked strange too, but upon tasting the combo, I can say I was very happy with the inventive combo, and we ate every bite. Next came the lemon coriander fried baby artichokes with a creamy aioli which we could not stop eating throughout the meal, the lemony flavor and crisp texture stood up even after they had cooled to room temperature. The beet salad was a medley of colors and a light contrast between the plates of hot dishes we had coming of roasted pork belly and lamb lollipops. The pork belly was very rich, but so good we even ate the fat. The lamb was one of my favorites, with a perfectly tender center and crusty glaze that was savory without being sweet or spicy. The lamb was served with a nice light cucumber and yogurt dip that was refreshing and a nice accent to the char.
You would think after all this we would have no room for dessert, but after we finished our wine, but we found we could squeeze in the torrejas, a sweet, warm and rich offering of bananas, figs and bread that would make any dessert lover happy. Perfect espressos finished off our meal as we drifted off in a haze of great food to window shop in the design district and walk off some of our meal before heading home to bed with visions of beautiful furniture and food dancing in our heads.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Miami's Creek 28 Restaurant
I arrived in Miami around noon, starving for fresh air, warm weather, and food that was not wrapped in plastic from an airport vendor. My friend Chantal picked me up from the airport and drove me to one of her favorite lunch spots in the Indian Creek Hotel. This very conveniently located 61 room boutique hotel is just one block from the beach and boardwalk, and less than 10 minutes from both South Beach and Lincoln Road, with rooms ranging from a standard room to a suite or 1 bedroom for $79-$149 a night this time of year.
Creek 28 was the tonic I needed after my two connecting flights and seven hours of travel from Los Angeles. The restaurant is behind the lobby in a nice courtyard garden surrounded by trees, bougainvillea, and lush plants growing in a small pond. The swimming pool of this boutique hotel was hidden behind greenery, affording privacy for the sunbathers and calm for the diners.
Even though the weather was a balmy 80 degrees, I couldn't resist ordering the tomato soup with white truffle oil. I am glad I gave in to temptation because it was a fabulously complex, light, and mouthwatering choice; I would have licked the bowl if I was not in public! Chantal had the grilled chicken salad, full of vegetables and greens, perfectly dressed and presented. For my second course I chose the grilled pita and 3 spreads, including a lemony white bean puree, red pepper Muhammara and a mixed olive spread.
Lunch was so good we nearly came back for breakfast the next day, but after staying up until 2am, we slept past breakfast, oh well, that just means I'll have to come back on my next trip.
Creek 28 was the tonic I needed after my two connecting flights and seven hours of travel from Los Angeles. The restaurant is behind the lobby in a nice courtyard garden surrounded by trees, bougainvillea, and lush plants growing in a small pond. The swimming pool of this boutique hotel was hidden behind greenery, affording privacy for the sunbathers and calm for the diners.
Even though the weather was a balmy 80 degrees, I couldn't resist ordering the tomato soup with white truffle oil. I am glad I gave in to temptation because it was a fabulously complex, light, and mouthwatering choice; I would have licked the bowl if I was not in public! Chantal had the grilled chicken salad, full of vegetables and greens, perfectly dressed and presented. For my second course I chose the grilled pita and 3 spreads, including a lemony white bean puree, red pepper Muhammara and a mixed olive spread.
Lunch was so good we nearly came back for breakfast the next day, but after staying up until 2am, we slept past breakfast, oh well, that just means I'll have to come back on my next trip.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Asian in Miami
I'll be heading to Miami Beach to visit some friends who moved there from Los Angeles; I can hardly wait for my trip with so many great restaurants in Miami to revisit and try (see my earlier post).
My mouth is already watering at the prospect of returning to Hiro's Yakko-San in North Miami Beach. When I asked them to take me to their favorite place, they drove to this out of the way industrial area with a hole in the wall restaurant tucked in a nondescript business park; I thought maybe my friends had lost their sense of taste or their minds (or both) until I tasted the food.
There is a reason that chefs come here after working at their own restaurants (always a great sign). Besides the fact that they are open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, they also serve authentic Japanese and Korean dishes that most non foodies or chefs would never touch, like cold kimchee tofu and grilled beef tongue steak. If you are not brave enough to try these exotic dishes, they also have familiar comfort food like kon tatsu (breaded and fried pork cutlet), shrimp chili sauce, soba and udon noodle soups. My favorites are their fresh fish selections like the hamachi sashimi with jalapeno pepper, the sea bass miso, and their Manila clam sakemushi (steamed with sake).
Maybe on I'll order something to go for the ride back, I'm sure it will be 100 times better than any food the airline will serve.
My mouth is already watering at the prospect of returning to Hiro's Yakko-San in North Miami Beach. When I asked them to take me to their favorite place, they drove to this out of the way industrial area with a hole in the wall restaurant tucked in a nondescript business park; I thought maybe my friends had lost their sense of taste or their minds (or both) until I tasted the food.
There is a reason that chefs come here after working at their own restaurants (always a great sign). Besides the fact that they are open until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays, they also serve authentic Japanese and Korean dishes that most non foodies or chefs would never touch, like cold kimchee tofu and grilled beef tongue steak. If you are not brave enough to try these exotic dishes, they also have familiar comfort food like kon tatsu (breaded and fried pork cutlet), shrimp chili sauce, soba and udon noodle soups. My favorites are their fresh fish selections like the hamachi sashimi with jalapeno pepper, the sea bass miso, and their Manila clam sakemushi (steamed with sake).
Maybe on I'll order something to go for the ride back, I'm sure it will be 100 times better than any food the airline will serve.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Mi Amo Miami
South Beach in Miami doesn't feel like a city in the US. It's more of an international, tropical, Latin metropolis with US citizenship. The beach is wide, white and has fine sand. The ocean is the clearest I have ever seen on the East coast. The food and nightlife have young, stylish, and very sexy tendencies. Facing the beach and located directly on the lively Ocean Drive is the Hotel Victor which just opened in 2004. It's got all the classic Art Deco style Miami is famous for with some sensuous touches in the rooms (let's just say that you might want to explore your kinkier side with some things available in the mini bar). This place is NOT for families...unless you are Madonna. They should start a new slogan that whatever you try in South Beach may go home with you:). the Victor is part of a large chain so you can get points or use them to stay here if you have a gold passport with Hyatt. Prices are reasonable for being in the center of everything with outstanding accommodations. They have packages available that are better bargains if you plan your stay in advance or with a theme in mind (one package is called the Sensuous, another is for girlfriends only).
The Jaguar Spot in Coconut Grove is a delicious way to spend an afternoon/evening tasting from the spoons of ceviche or their full grill menu while sipping Mojitos or Margaritas on their sidewalk patio. They have the most unusual combinations and flavors presented on spoons that allow you to taste their 12 ceviches. Think of tapas on spoons. There was not one that I didn't like. Their menu incorporates the flavors of Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, so this place truly is a Latin feast of the flavors of Miami. The location in chic Coconut Grove makes it an ideal spot to people watch and shop before or after your meal. Or better yet, have a few ceviches with drinks, walk around the few blocks that make up the center of town, come back for the main course right around sunset, and toast your luck at having found a place to taste all of Miami in one spot with a friendly Jaguar.
The Jaguar Spot in Coconut Grove is a delicious way to spend an afternoon/evening tasting from the spoons of ceviche or their full grill menu while sipping Mojitos or Margaritas on their sidewalk patio. They have the most unusual combinations and flavors presented on spoons that allow you to taste their 12 ceviches. Think of tapas on spoons. There was not one that I didn't like. Their menu incorporates the flavors of Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, so this place truly is a Latin feast of the flavors of Miami. The location in chic Coconut Grove makes it an ideal spot to people watch and shop before or after your meal. Or better yet, have a few ceviches with drinks, walk around the few blocks that make up the center of town, come back for the main course right around sunset, and toast your luck at having found a place to taste all of Miami in one spot with a friendly Jaguar.
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