320 GastroLounge

Vibrant, bold, dynamic and diverse accurately describes the ambiance and food at 320 Gastrolounge. The Latin-Asian fusion of flavors will make your taste buds dance and the incredible live music will provide the beat! You must make this your next spot for girls night, date night, brunch, break from shopping, "I am hungy but bae can't decide" spot, or your "I need some gooooood food NOW" spot!

A good meal always starts with a good appetizer!

Pulpo 320
Charred, marinated, tender octopus with a nice frisse salad
topped with pico de gallo and aji (pepper) aoli.
Afraid of trying Octopus? Don't be! I popped my cherry at 320!

*Warning: If you are sitting on a bar stool, 

this octopus might blow you away!

Let's give you a closer look:

Photo Credit: 320 Gastrolounge

Gastro Sliders
These babies are delicious, the secret ingredient: bbq aioli!

Did I mention they have equally amazing drinks!?! 

They have a full bar so feel free to get creative or try one of there signature cocktails!

Sweet Potato French Fries

If you just thought to yourself, what is so special about fries? You are not worthy!

320 knows how to balance sweet and savory!

These babies have sauteed peppers, the perfect amount of salt,

they are crispy, soft, sweet and amazing all in one bite!

The Carne Croquettes 

a/k/a The Mac Daddy of all Croquettes!

Golden, crispy, hand breaded and stuffed with tender meat

and olive aioli will make you melt!

I am looking forward to trying their Brunch soon, so keep an eye out for a follow-up post!

Now RUN to 320 Gastrolounge, let one of their amazing and friendly staff members hand you a drink and a menu- don't forget to tell them iDreamofSpice sent you!!

Check out their menu: 320gastrolounge.com

Don't forget to check out Instagram! @iDreamofSpice

320 GastroLounge

Vibrant, bold, dynamic and diverse accurately describes the ambiance and food at 320 Gastrolounge. The Latin-Asian fusion of flavors will make your taste buds dance and the incredible live music will provide the beat! You must make this your next spot for girls night, date night, brunch, break from shopping, "I am hungy but bae can't decide" spot, or your "I need some gooooood food NOW" spot!

A good meal always starts with a good appetizer!

Pulpo 320
Charred, marinated, tender octopus with a nice frisse salad
topped with pico de gallo and aji (pepper) aoli.
Afraid of trying Octopus? Don't be! I popped my cherry at 320!

*Warning: If you are sitting on a bar stool, 

this octopus might blow you away!

Let's give you a closer look:

Photo Credit: 320 Gastrolounge

Gastro Sliders
These babies are delicious, the secret ingredient: bbq aioli!

Did I mention they have equally amazing drinks!?! 

They have a full bar so feel free to get creative or try one of there signature cocktails!

Sweet Potato French Fries

If you just thought to yourself, what is so special about fries? You are not worthy!

320 knows how to balance sweet and savory!

These babies have sauteed peppers, the perfect amount of salt,

they are crispy, soft, sweet and amazing all in one bite!

The Carne Croquettes 

a/k/a The Mac Daddy of all Croquettes!

Golden, crispy, hand breaded and stuffed with tender meat

and olive aioli will make you melt!

I am looking forward to trying their Brunch soon, so keep an eye out for a follow-up post!

Now RUN to 320 Gastrolounge, let one of their amazing and friendly staff members hand you a drink and a menu- don't forget to tell them iDreamofSpice sent you!!

Check out their menu: 320gastrolounge.com

Mi Rinconcito Mexicano

There is nothing fancy about this little restaurant but, it packs a ton of flavor and a large portion size! Located in the ever so famous, 8th Street "Calle Ocho" and just before the light of 19th Avenue- eating at this little "hole in the wall" is a must! The ambiance is very relaxed and casual, the prices make it even better! It is as authentic as you can get outside of Mexico and it is a family owned restaurant. 

Complimentary fresh homemade chips are very light, warm and airy, they come served with spicy salsa and lime. Warning, they are addicting and bottomless!

This giant blanket of soft, crumbled and slightly salty cotija cheese, has serveal delicious crispy golden fried treats below! This is a combination platter for 3, as it comes with 3 of everything. Tostadas, Flautas, Enchiladas and Sopes and it comes served with homemade fresh guacamole and pico de gallo. I decided to go with the all meat but, it usually comes with a combination of pork and chicken also. The meat is very flavorful, well seasoned and tender. The pork is also very tender and delicious.

Flautas are tightly rolled and deep fried tacos with choice of meat in the center. Tostadas are open faced tortillas with shredded lettuce, tomato, meat and cheese- very tasty. Enchiladas are soft flour tortillas with a homemade green sauce- salsa verde and filled with cheese. Sopes are open faced thick cornmeal shell that hold refried beans, meat, lettuce, cheese and sour cream. 

Here is a different view of the Combination for 3, along with the pico and guacamole.

This is a combination platter for 2 and it brings the greatest quesadilla, ever! Flautas, Gorditas and Sope are also included and of course, the side of fresh pico and guac. Gorditas are like mini cornmeal "sandwiches" they are stuffed with meat, lettuce, cheese refried beans and topped with sour cream.  And the quesadilla, which I got with steak.

As I mentioned before- worlds greatest quesadilla! This is their Quesadilla Chilanga and it brings pork, beef and cheese. It is a wonderful combination of flavors with a creamy, stringy cheese. As I mentioned before the meat and pork are very tender and flavorful however, I preferred their all meat quesadilla over the Chilanga version. Simply because I felt it had so much meat that the cheese was over powered by the great flavors. Just a personal preference. 

The prices are affordable, so feel free to try every last thing on their menu! 

Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar

I have been to some amazing restaurants and I must say, Chef Adrianne's is hands down the best I've had! Her food is full of flavor, it is culinary gold! Enough with the fluff, let us get right to the meal...

I knew the food was going to be amazing once I tasted the pesto. The consistency was perfect, the ingredients were fresh, bright and delicious in this shallow pool of olive oil. You could taste every ingredient down to the parmesan cheese- the pipping hot bread is the perfect vehicle to deliver such a tasty treat.

Niman Ranch Crispy Braised Pork Belly with Asian Honey Mustard topped with a Pork Rind Crunch. The meat was very tender and the mustard complimented the dish to perfection. Everything we ate was spectacular however, this was my favorite dish.

Chef Special Appetizer with Aioli is such a light and fresh appetizer. The creaminess of the sauce with the sea salty shrimp form an amazing duo.

Surf and Turf Filet Mignon Tip with Grilled Wild Shrimp, Truffle Au Jus, Cognac Au Poivre all served over creamy mash potatoes. This plate was perfection, the steak was cooked nice and pink with a well done exterior. The shrimp was tender and brightly seasoned to compliment the full dish wonderfully. The sauce was my favorite part, as I mentioned it was perfect. 

Brown Sugar Crusted Salmon with Sweet Chili Garlic Aioli, the salmon was the perfect balance of savory and spicy, the potatoes were tender and the sauce was spectacular. The intense flavors of this dish really brightened up the fish. Amazing. 

I can't think of a better ending to such a wonderful flavor explosion. Dark Chocolate Nutella Croissant Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Milk Chocolate Ganache was decedent, gooey and yummy. Surprisingly the chocolate was not over powering and it was just fresh, creamy and delicious. 

Maximum flavor is the phrase that sums up Chef Adrianne's cooking! You must go experience her food first hand, you will fall in love. If you have the chance to meet her, like I did, she is very down to earth and an overall amazing person. 

Meat Market- Miami Beach

After hearing so many great reviews about the Meat Market, I decided to check it out for lunch. With so many delicious options, it was hard to decide. The food was so delicious! The ambiance is very inviting and the decor sets the mood for a perfect date or just a nice spot to stop in and rest your feet from shopping on Lincoln Road.

Slow Braised Shortrib Empanadas with Apple and Bleu Cheese Salad. The empanadas were very flavorful, I liked that they serve the Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce on the side, it avoids the sauce overpowering the delicious and tender meat. The Apple Bleu Cheese salad was perfect a balance of sweet and tart, it was a pleasant sidekick for the savory empanadas. Note: The menu mentioned fontana cheese however, I did not get any on my plate- had I not checked the description I would not have known something was missing. Even without the fontana cheese they were still amazing. 

Tomato Mozzarella Salad, this is not your ordinary cheese and tomato. They drizzled balsamic vinegar and basil oil over the top of a perfectly grilled slice of red onion, a slice of ripped tomato and a buttery fresh mozzarella slice. They topped it off with red sea salt and a Mediterranean relish. The relish had artichokes, capers, olives and sun dried tomatoes, which really helped spice up this dish. 

Meat Market Buffalo Burger, is hands down the best burger I've ever tasted! The brioche bread was so buttery soft it just melted on my tongue, the meat was juicy and flavorful. It came topped with delicious creamy melted gouda cheese, ripe tomato, thick cut chipotle pickles, caramelized onions and crispy onions. The fries served as the perfect utensil to pick up all the juicy goodness that I was leaving behind. 

One of my favorite cuts of meat is the rib-eye, so naturally this was my entree of choice, The Char-Grilled 12 Oz. Rib-Eye Steak. I asked for my steak, with just a hint of pink in the middle. The outside was cooked perfectly, and the marbled fat around the meat was charred and delicious. The meat was very tender and flavorful as it should be and I did not use the sauces. The Atomic Horseradish sauce was bold yet did not over power the steak, it was a very good sauce overall. The mushroom truffle sauce was actually very muted in flavor, the truffle was very aromatic however the taste fell short a bit. The crispy onions was a nice touch for plating however, they were just too greasy and in my opinion didn't go well with the steak so I tossed them to the side. I ordered mashed potatoes as a side (not pictured) it was so lightly whipped and airy, almost like a cloud of potato in every bite. It made the perfect pairing to my savory rib-eye steak- not a single charred piece of fat got left behind! Perfection!

The Chocolate Gazpacho was a very nice dessert, at the perfect ending to a great meal. The cinnamon sponge cake was airy, fluffy and it was very subtle floating in a pool of chocolate with vanilla crema, the berries added a nice tart kick to break the monotone of the chocolate flavors. It was good to the last drop, very good.

Overall, the experience was wonderful. The staff was very attentive, polite and knowledgeable of the menu items. It was a great experience and I am looking forward to returning soon, this time for their happy hour. 

SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill- Midtown, Miami

If you are looking for a nice place to grab a few bites and drinks, SUGARCANE Raw Bar Grill is the spot. The staff is friendly, fast and attentive. Most importantly the food is simply plate-licking good. SUGARCANE has a three-kitchen setup that all merge international inspired flavors together. They prepare small-plate portions and encourage guests to share plates, so everyone can enjoy the many flavors they have to offer. This particular visit, I decided to try their Miami Spice Menu and it was better than expected!

Five Spice and Honey Spare Ribs, Drinks: Hibiscus Blossom and Garden Essence. The ribs were so tender, they were almost falling off the bone. The sweet yet spicy sauce, is thick and caramelized to perfection. The drinks were delicious however, beware of the Garden Essence it is garnished with whole peppercorns that sneak up the straw, leaving a bitter taste. Overall, the drink was very crisp and nice, hopefully they can find a way to avoid guests from choking on pepper.

Blood Orange Bubbles and Strawberry Balsamics. The Blood orange was very crisp and refreshing however, the Strawberry Balsamic is the winning drink at SUGARCANE. It is delicious and compliments most of the dishes we had very well. 

Split Pea with Ham Hock Soups and Warm Eggplant & Watercress Salad. The soup tasted like it was made by Mom, at first bite I was sitting at home with my family. The crunchy split pea topping mixed with the salty ham hock made the perfect combination of flavors. The salad was good, they should have drained the excess moisture out of the eggplant before serving, to avoid a soggy dish.

Kalbi Beef Flap, Summer Vegetable Risotto and Jorge's Smoked Pork Shoulder. The beef was tender, juicy and cooked to perfection, the kimchee and udon noodles complimented the steak spectacularly. The risotto was creamy with a flavor that was perfectly balanced. The pork shoulder was also, very tender and flavorful. The crispy onion rings and the mustard fingerling potato salad made the dish complete.

My favorite part of any meal, dessert! Mini Torrejas with Maple Caramelized Apples, the torrejas (Latin American French Toast) were warm and buttery, they simply melted in your mouth. The apples added a nice sweet flavor and when mixed with the vanilla ice-cream- it was an explosion of delicious flavors. Next was the Summer Blueberry Cream Cake with blueberry caramel & sweet corn gelato, the sweet corn was so creamy and just the right amount of sweet to balance this sweet dessert, the edible flowers were a nice touch.  Nutella Sundae, the Nutella gelato was perfectly balanced, had just the right amount of flavor. The nutella hazelnut brownies were so rich, the gelato helped mute the over powering chocolate yumminess, when topped with homemade crackerjacks the dessert was perfect- just make sure you have a nice tall glass of water to help wash down it's richness. 

A little history: Since their opening in 2010 SUGARCANE has been awarded Best New Restaurant, Best Restaurant, Crowned Restaurant of the Year and topped the charts as Miami's 10 Most Exciting Restaurants alongside, a 3-star review by the Miami Herald. Executive Chef and Partner Timon Balloo even received his own awards, including Best Up-And-Coming Chef in The Miami New Times' Short Order Awards; Best Chef, Miami from the Eater Awards; and the opportunity to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City in November 2010.