http://www.michaelsgenuine.com/
Choice: Bethany
Average Scores: Food - 3.5, Decor - 3.5, Service - 3.5
Bethany: F-3, D-2, S-2
Sorry for the long time until blogging. As you can see, we're running behind on our MFDs. We went to this place back in July, so it may be hard to remember specifics. I had read a bunch about the up and coming scene in the Miami design district and this was one of the places I had read about. One thing that I liked about the reviews I read was the different sizes of portions on the menu. The menu has different sizes of portions: Snacks, Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large. From the suggestions I had read, it said that all the snacks were good so we ordered a bunch of them: deviled eggs, chicken liver crostini, and hominy are the ones I can remember but I think we ordered more. I thought the crostini and the hominy were fabulous. In fact, I think we ordered another round of these. Once we ate all those, I was almost full, so my dinner was the tuna tartare and the bibb lettuce salad. The tuna tartare was less than memorable. The bibb salad was really very good. The vinagrette was very good and it was very fresh. I tried the other's meals as well and they were all very good. I'll let them tell you about those. The service was ok. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good. We had a reservation but got there early and could be seated outside. The patio is really the middle of a small shopping/office mall. That sounds worse than it is. That area is full of furniture and home design stores so all these are closed on a weekend night. They have lighted trees and umbrellas so the dull surroundings are punched up a bit. The menu online is not the one they give you at the restaurant. One thing I wanted to try was the beef cheek but it is no longer on the menu. I feel as if I gave this place a somewhat negative review for me but it wasn't bad and its a place I would consider going again.
Wendy: F-4, D-5, S-5
The different sized portions at Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink lend themselves to ordering several and sharing. We loved the deviled eggs (well, those of us who eat them in the first place), so much so that we tried to recreate the recipe later at home. The crispy hominy with chile and lime was another big hit with everyone—we ordered a second bowl of it. I highly recommend the wood roasted cluster tomatoes with blue cheese. They're very tasty, and the tomatoes and cheese make a perfect combination. I wouldn’t get the whole wood roasted artichoke (stuffed with blue cheese and bread crumbs) again. I think the idea for it was good, but it just didn’t come out quite right in the execution. The ambiance was very hip and fun.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Thursday, July 5, 2007
May 2007 - Barton G, South Beach, Florida
http://www.bartong.com/
Choice: Clayton
Average Scores: Food-5, Decor-5, Service-5
Bethany: F-5, D-5, S-5
Comments: A complete delight! I don’t know why I was so surprised by this place. I’ve heard it reviewed before and it always gets good ones. We started the night with their nitro cocktails. I had a pink grapefruit martini, which had grapefruit juice, grapefruit slices and a popsicle of grapefruit vodka floating in the middle. Each martini was served with fog/smoke rolling off the top of it from the effects of the nitro frozen elements. This place is known for its presentation of its food. I wish we had a category for that because this place is off the charts. Our first appetizer was popcorn shrimp, which was served in a movie popcorn box with popcorn and a sweet chili dipping sauce. The best part of this was the dipping sauce, the rest was a little disappointing. The second appetizer was lobster pop tarts. These were served in a toaster! They were very good. The last appetizer was the Zen Tuna Trio which was served with a running soy ponzu waterfall on the plate. The tuna selections were a tuna tartare taco, tuna tataki and tuna carpaccio. The tuna tartare was really very good however the taco was so small, it was very hard to share this item. Since tuna tartare is one of my favorites, the others might not be able to review this item. Ok, I’ll only comment on my entrée. I got the BG Sea-Monster. They are not joking about the “monster” part of this. This was a 2 lb. cold-water lobster tail. Holy moly that’s a lot of lobster! And so you don’t have to wrestle with getting that creature out of the tail, they cut it out for you once it comes to the table. Which is good because, at market price, you pay for it!!! Delicious though! It was served with lobster mash and grilled baby vegetables. I’m really sad that we were too full for dessert because there were some crazy looking desserts. I’m most upset about not getting to the “Boatload of Crème Brulee”, 4 different kinds of crème brulee! No worries though, I’m going back!
Wendy: F-5, D-5, S-5
Barton G was a terrific find that we can attribute to Clayton. It was my second favorite MFD so far (after the Biltmore brunch). We started with the smokin' (well, liquid nitrogen) cocktails. Kelly and I had the classic dirty vodka martini with frozen pearls of blue cheese. Absolutely fabulous, although I don’t recommend more than one if you want to remember your dinner! For a very special treat, try the Sin-sation, a glory of nitrogenized Absolute vanilla, rose petal nectar, and Champagne. It’s served in a golden challis and garnished with a red rose. Clayton was definitely the belle of the ball with that cocktail in hand! For me the lobster pop-tarts stole the appetizer show. They’re just as good as you would think creamy lobster goodness baked in a delicate pastry would be. But be warned—don’t fill up on appetizers because the entrees are worth saving space for. (I learned the hard way that wasabi-pea crusted tuna doesn’t keep well. It’s better not to take it home.) The mac and cheese, however, carries home very well, and shouldn’t be missed. It’s pretty much the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had, and that’s not a title that I throw about lightly. The best part is that they bring you the recipe with the dish so that you can recreate the magic at home in your own kitchen. We will definitely have to go back so we can try dessert. Note: The 5 I gave to service refers to the conch shell that the bus boy helped B & K smuggle out!
Choice: Clayton
Average Scores: Food-5, Decor-5, Service-5
Bethany: F-5, D-5, S-5
Comments: A complete delight! I don’t know why I was so surprised by this place. I’ve heard it reviewed before and it always gets good ones. We started the night with their nitro cocktails. I had a pink grapefruit martini, which had grapefruit juice, grapefruit slices and a popsicle of grapefruit vodka floating in the middle. Each martini was served with fog/smoke rolling off the top of it from the effects of the nitro frozen elements. This place is known for its presentation of its food. I wish we had a category for that because this place is off the charts. Our first appetizer was popcorn shrimp, which was served in a movie popcorn box with popcorn and a sweet chili dipping sauce. The best part of this was the dipping sauce, the rest was a little disappointing. The second appetizer was lobster pop tarts. These were served in a toaster! They were very good. The last appetizer was the Zen Tuna Trio which was served with a running soy ponzu waterfall on the plate. The tuna selections were a tuna tartare taco, tuna tataki and tuna carpaccio. The tuna tartare was really very good however the taco was so small, it was very hard to share this item. Since tuna tartare is one of my favorites, the others might not be able to review this item. Ok, I’ll only comment on my entrée. I got the BG Sea-Monster. They are not joking about the “monster” part of this. This was a 2 lb. cold-water lobster tail. Holy moly that’s a lot of lobster! And so you don’t have to wrestle with getting that creature out of the tail, they cut it out for you once it comes to the table. Which is good because, at market price, you pay for it!!! Delicious though! It was served with lobster mash and grilled baby vegetables. I’m really sad that we were too full for dessert because there were some crazy looking desserts. I’m most upset about not getting to the “Boatload of Crème Brulee”, 4 different kinds of crème brulee! No worries though, I’m going back!
Wendy: F-5, D-5, S-5
Barton G was a terrific find that we can attribute to Clayton. It was my second favorite MFD so far (after the Biltmore brunch). We started with the smokin' (well, liquid nitrogen) cocktails. Kelly and I had the classic dirty vodka martini with frozen pearls of blue cheese. Absolutely fabulous, although I don’t recommend more than one if you want to remember your dinner! For a very special treat, try the Sin-sation, a glory of nitrogenized Absolute vanilla, rose petal nectar, and Champagne. It’s served in a golden challis and garnished with a red rose. Clayton was definitely the belle of the ball with that cocktail in hand! For me the lobster pop-tarts stole the appetizer show. They’re just as good as you would think creamy lobster goodness baked in a delicate pastry would be. But be warned—don’t fill up on appetizers because the entrees are worth saving space for. (I learned the hard way that wasabi-pea crusted tuna doesn’t keep well. It’s better not to take it home.) The mac and cheese, however, carries home very well, and shouldn’t be missed. It’s pretty much the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had, and that’s not a title that I throw about lightly. The best part is that they bring you the recipe with the dish so that you can recreate the magic at home in your own kitchen. We will definitely have to go back so we can try dessert. Note: The 5 I gave to service refers to the conch shell that the bus boy helped B & K smuggle out!
April 2007 - Big Pink, South Beach, Florida
http://www.bigpinkrestaurant.com/
Choice: Wendy
Average Scores: Food - 3, Decor - 3, Service - 3
Clayton: F-3.5, D-3, S-3
Comments: This is a tough one. Can’t really compare Pink to the others on the list. It’s good dinner food and I would highly recommend it.
Wendy: F-3, D-3, S-3
Comments: Great value. Very informal and a little greasy, but delicious if that’s what you’re looking for.
Bethany: F-2.5, D-3, S-3
Comments: Good comfort food in a hip, unique setting. This one is hard because it was delicious but I'm trying to compare it to the other places we've been, which you can't really do.
Choice: Wendy
Average Scores: Food - 3, Decor - 3, Service - 3
Clayton: F-3.5, D-3, S-3
Comments: This is a tough one. Can’t really compare Pink to the others on the list. It’s good dinner food and I would highly recommend it.
Wendy: F-3, D-3, S-3
Comments: Great value. Very informal and a little greasy, but delicious if that’s what you’re looking for.
Bethany: F-2.5, D-3, S-3
Comments: Good comfort food in a hip, unique setting. This one is hard because it was delicious but I'm trying to compare it to the other places we've been, which you can't really do.
March 2007 - The Forge, Miami Beach, Florida
http://www.theforge.com/
Choice: Kelly
Average Scores: Food - 3.5, Decor - 3.83, Service - 3.5
Clayton: F-3.5, D-3.5, S-3.5
Comments: Another steak house. I rate it above Flemings and a Hulk sighting is bonus.
Wendy: F-4, D-4, S-4
Comments: Best spot we’ve found so far for celebrity sightings.
Bethany: F-3, D-4, S-3
Comments: Ok, same deal with the steakhouses. However, this place has the added benefit of celebrity sightings (hence the 4 for décor).
Choice: Kelly
Average Scores: Food - 3.5, Decor - 3.83, Service - 3.5
Clayton: F-3.5, D-3.5, S-3.5
Comments: Another steak house. I rate it above Flemings and a Hulk sighting is bonus.
Wendy: F-4, D-4, S-4
Comments: Best spot we’ve found so far for celebrity sightings.
Bethany: F-3, D-4, S-3
Comments: Ok, same deal with the steakhouses. However, this place has the added benefit of celebrity sightings (hence the 4 for décor).
February 2007 - Victoria and Albert's, Walt Disney World, Florida
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/dining/diningDetail?id=VictoriaandAlbertsDiningPage&bhcp=1
Choice: Bethany
Average Scores: Food - 4.67, Decor - 4.33, Service - 4.83
Clayton: F-4.5, D-4, S-4.5
Wendy: F-5, D-5, S-5
Comments: The culmination of the dining experience. Everything was simply lovely and wildly delicious!
Bethany: F-4.5, D-4, S-5
Comments: I’m not sure this place was worth the money but the experience was certainly delightful. They do not miss a detail, but what else would you expect from Disney. Each menu is printed with the person’s name when you arrive. The waiter was always there and extremely attentive. I’m not sure if he had another table but it certainly didn’t feel like it. The food choices were items you would expect from a high end restaurant. The menu is set every evening and you get a few choices for each course. Special items such as the Kobe beef and the foie gras were an additional amount. The wine pairing was also additional. The turkish coffee maker they use during dessert is fascinating. To culminate the service, each lady receives a rose at the end of the evening.
Choice: Bethany
Average Scores: Food - 4.67, Decor - 4.33, Service - 4.83
Clayton: F-4.5, D-4, S-4.5
Wendy: F-5, D-5, S-5
Comments: The culmination of the dining experience. Everything was simply lovely and wildly delicious!
Bethany: F-4.5, D-4, S-5
Comments: I’m not sure this place was worth the money but the experience was certainly delightful. They do not miss a detail, but what else would you expect from Disney. Each menu is printed with the person’s name when you arrive. The waiter was always there and extremely attentive. I’m not sure if he had another table but it certainly didn’t feel like it. The food choices were items you would expect from a high end restaurant. The menu is set every evening and you get a few choices for each course. Special items such as the Kobe beef and the foie gras were an additional amount. The wine pairing was also additional. The turkish coffee maker they use during dessert is fascinating. To culminate the service, each lady receives a rose at the end of the evening.
January 2007 - Norman's, Coral Gables, Florida
www.normans.com
Choice: Clayton
Average Scores: Food - 4, Decor - 3.83, Service - 4
Clayton: F-4, D-3.5, S-4
Wendy: F-4, D-4, S-4
Comments: Delicious cream of mushroom soup.
Bethany: F-4, D-4, S-4
Comments: What I would have expected from Norman’s. Food was good , service was good, décor was elegant.
Choice: Clayton
Average Scores: Food - 4, Decor - 3.83, Service - 4
Clayton: F-4, D-3.5, S-4
Wendy: F-4, D-4, S-4
Comments: Delicious cream of mushroom soup.
Bethany: F-4, D-4, S-4
Comments: What I would have expected from Norman’s. Food was good , service was good, décor was elegant.
December 2006 - Ortanique on the Mile, Coral Gables, Florida
http://www.cindyhutsoncuisine.com/
Choice: Wendy
Average Scores: Food - 4, Decor - 3.5, Service - 3.17
Clayton: F-4, D-3.5, S-3.5
Wendy: F-4, D-4, S-3
Comments: The calamari salad is outstanding!
Bethany: F-4, D-3, S-3
Comments: One of the best places for seafood in Miami. Interesting take on Caribbean food. I've been here a couple times and if I recall, this time they were out of a few items we wanted to order. The Foie Gras and tuna tartare appetizers are to die for!
Choice: Wendy
Average Scores: Food - 4, Decor - 3.5, Service - 3.17
Clayton: F-4, D-3.5, S-3.5
Wendy: F-4, D-4, S-3
Comments: The calamari salad is outstanding!
Bethany: F-4, D-3, S-3
Comments: One of the best places for seafood in Miami. Interesting take on Caribbean food. I've been here a couple times and if I recall, this time they were out of a few items we wanted to order. The Foie Gras and tuna tartare appetizers are to die for!
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