South Florida

Scatch San Fran, the VI clan is going south for the winter break. Now, I like to think that I know a fair amount about S. Florida eating, but there's always more to learn, right?

I am especially interested in the following:

- Peruvian roasted chicken

- Cuban influenced seafood, especially places near the Miami river

- Argentinian - both Argentinian/Italian and parillada

- What's new in the way of ethnic dining, meaning what groups are opening up restaurants. Haitian would be one example, anyone have a Hatian place to recommend? What else?

Again, I got lotsa favorites: Tarks, Kilwin's Ice Cream, Rascal House, Joe's Stone Crab, Pita Plus. I'm looking for some places I do not know.

Rob

Rob, you're not one to use such advice , but here goes nothing.

Cuban influenced seafood ON Miami River is Garcia's. That's an easy call. I liked it well enough. Almost like Stop, Life's Too Short, but with decent food on a refreshingly un-sexy, not-Euro, industrial stretch of the river. I just went to a similar place in SF near the new ballpark, but that's another trip.

For stuff you can't find here, I'd focus on Trini roti shops and Haitian. Like taquerias, unless you've been in the extreme recent past, a reco is probably not worth much.

There's a lot of Argentinian, but I'm not so sure how much of it is substantively better than what's on hand here. I mean, I spent a couple of weeks driving around in Argentina, and there is just so much you can do with beef, salt and fire (and noquis). Great stuff, but not a subtle cuisine. Tango Sur is the real deal. Graziano's seems to be your place, however, with more Italian stuff.

Tobacco Road is a good bar, and gives a taste of pre-Sly and Madonna Miami. Ever been to the Forge/Jimmyz? Great steak house, lots to look at, incerdible wine cellar. How about a Cuban at Latin American?

What about Miami Cuban hamburgers seasoned and covered w/ fries (like Primanti Bros.), fritas? A fresh tropical juice bar might be in order.

icuban.com has very accurate reports, especially on Miami Cuban, IME. Good luck.

VI:

Not exactly what you're looking for, but , my two faves in South Florida are 15th St. Fisheries and Rustic Inn Crabhouse. ( Both in Fort Lauderdale )

Rustic Inn is famous for their Garlic Blue Crabs ( allow 2 hours time in order to eat them! ) --- a dish that you will not find around here. It is a casual place that appears to be the influence for Bob Chinn's in Wheeling. It has been around since the mid '50's.

15th Street Fisheries is more of an upscale dining experience---They do many creative things with impeccably fresh seafood.

Best Wishes------

Jeff, do you have any specific Trini/roti places? Sounds good and new.

Cito, where is Rustic Inn?

Thanks both.

Rob

One place, Christine's, is on the beach. Never been, but I've heard good things. Other spots are sprinkled about in strip malls. There's a web site, rotishops.com, believe it or not, that purports to catalog them all over the world.

Here's a link to a good review I found for Christine's while looking for my own travels. Ignore the San Luis Obispo address. Nice Central Cal. town, but no where near Miami Beach.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/streetmiami/3779426.htm

i just moved back to chi from there. there's a great haitian place in s beach on 5th called "tap tap". great visuals, like you're inside a trad haitian painting, plus art gallery upstairs. great music on thurs and sat by the ex mayor of port au prince, mano charlamagne, think gypsy kings w/more soul.

the food is excellent and inexpensive. pumpkin soup, fried akra, curried spinach, grilled conch or any grilled fish, goat, etc... all excellent. save room for the banana biegnets. also, the difinitive mojito w/barbancourt 5 star haitian rum, considered among the best in the world.

truely a great experience. works on many levels.

Agreed on Tap Tap, though it's a little "nice" for Haitian. BTW, Barbancourt is among my favorite Hispanolan beverages. Brugal's not bad either. You know, you should be able to find either in any decent liquor store in Chicago. I've purchased 8yr and 12 at Sam's, Armanetti's, etc.

Rob, I just returned from Tampa and points south and west. One thing that struck me is how many Brazilians have moved into South and Central FL, in the past 5-10 yrs. whereas they used to mostly visit. The strip mall by my High School is a Korean/Brazilian center with a Brazilian store featuring $9 rodizio and feijoada on weekends. I guess what I'm saying is, if I had more time or was looking for stuff in FL you won't find here, I'd look for some storefront Brazilian, particularly Bahian.

Speaking of Haiti, is El Dinamico Dallas, the Hatian/Cuban (Oriente) place still around?

I hope to do a Tampa report soon. Lots of minuta (grouper). I can confirm that Cuban is alive and well there, though the old guard places are starting to weather.

tap tap is owned by a woman that's a documentary filmmaker. she loves the culture, has done well in her career and created a great space to showcase it, like most overzealous converts would if they had the means. a total package that works on many levels and senses.


i always brought people there, segueing from nikki beach to lounge-lincoln road to shop-tap tap for dinner and music ending @ the delano for a nitecap. it never failed to blow their minds. that's a memorable day well spent in s beach.


the music is fantastic but i believe only on thurs and sat from around 8-12. the band starts, and they're very good on their own, but when mano shows up he totally transforms it . a voice you'll never forget. plan around it.