Swank Southern Kitchen Restaurant - Davie, FL

My desire for some Southern Swank since leaving New Orleans left me no choice but to check out the new spot in town. The location was not in an area I would have expected this restaurant to be, but it is near my hood so I embrace it. I mean it is really quite odd to find a modern Southern eatery such as this outside of Miami, much less in Davie and on this stretch of University Drive.

Beyond my excitement to find a spot like this in my area, I was equally impressed by the restaurant decor and atmosphere as well as the service. The decor was a modern take on the saloon yet offered that inviting Southern charm. The charm extended to the employees, although I can only really speak about our server who was super sweet and a pleasure the entire meal.

As if it couldn't get any better, since it was a Monday night, they were offering shots of moonshine (as a shot or mixed in a cocktail) for Moonshine Monday! The alcoholic in me definitely took part, and while it wasn't the high-proof drink I was expecting or a beautifully crafted drink, it was $3 and worth it.

I hate when a menu has so many good and interested choices and you have to choose one (you don't have to but if you don't, you are just being greedy). After some going back and forth and some consultation from our server, we settled on the S'Wings. They came out super hot and I was pissed because I was so hungry and I was being forced to wait to started eating. I ended up not waiting and just using a knife and fork but anyway that I ate them, they were tasty. This was not your typical buffalo sauce or blue cheese, it was if you didn't like any of these two sauces before, you might have to reconsider that now.

They have a dish called Beer Can Chicken on the menu, so it was not right that at least one of us try it. The fries and the cole slaw weren't stars, but the gravy was beerrific and the chicken was ridiculously moist. Add a little bit of their hot sauce to the mix and you got a superstar dish on your hand.

Even though I would have went for the ribs, since I knew my fiancé was ordering the Beer Can Chicken, I decided to order something that wasn't out of the smoker and went with the Hanger Steak. It was well prepared and cooked just to my liking. The house jus and the horseradish cream were the perfect quantity and compliment.

We also ordered cornbread which was not only a huge piece but good. I wish it were warm, but it did come with this really amazing butter that I think I may have liked even more than the cornbread itself.

Dessert has always been my favorite part of a meal, but today it was my least favorite. We ordered the Walnut Bread Pudding and although the flavor was there, the consistency was too mushy and I had trouble enjoying it.

What I like about Swank Southern is that the food wasn't ordinary and that creativity was involved in creating the menu. I loved the chill atmosphere and despite my lack of love for my dessert choice, I can see myself going there again and again.

Swank Southern Kitchen
4198 S University Dr, Davie, FL 33328
(954) 727-5497
www.swanksouthern.com

Shake Shack - Boca Raton, FL (Nationwide)

All I ever hear about is how amazing Shake Shack is, yet I never tried it, so I did!

One of the reason I have never eaten here, is because finding parking to get to their South Beach location is dreadful, I am never in South Miami and I rarely go to Boca Raton. I never even knew that they had a location in Boca Raton, but I was driving past, spotted a cool looking building, realized it was Shake Shack and made the u-turn.

Looking over the menu, my eyes locked on the SmokeShack (Cheeseburger topped with all-natural applewood smoked bacon, chopped cherry pepper and ShackSauce). The main improvement I saw from other burger chains like this, was that they cook their burgers medium and not well done. It tasted fresh and all that jazz, but I found their shack sauce to be a bit too tangy and that kind of messed with the flavor for me (I am more about ingredients than sauces). Overall it was tasty and I enjoyed eating it.

The fries are the basic crinkle cut kind, but the crisp outer coating gave an improvement in taste from the regular, and I did enjoy them.

I also had a Vanilla Shake. A place with shake in its name, I expect to have better shakes, but this was quite average. Fresh ingredients shouldn't stop at the burgers; give me some vanilla bean with my shake.

My shack experience was good, but the accolades that they receive is a little questionable (at least for me). Is it the best I ever had? NO! Would I choose it over most (not all) other fast/casual burger joints? YES! Would I go again? Possibly, but it is not something worth going out of the way for.

Shake Shack
1400 Glades Rd Boca Raton, FL 33431
(561) 923-0847
www.shakeshack.com

El Agave Azul Mexican Taqueria - Davie, FL

I have never eaten at their other location, but when this new location opened up a couple of months ago, I figured it was about time I check them out.

The staff was really nice and the atmosphere was clean and very pleasant, and although the food wasn't "authentic" Mexican (not that I was expecting that), when you state always fresh, never frozen, I did expect a little more than what I got.

The Tacos de Trompo (5 small corn tacos) were good and I can agree that it did not appear to be previously frozen but the fresh factor was a little iffy. Flavor was good but it was obvious that it had been sitting there for some time and the tortilla also didn't taste very fresh.

The Carne Asada Burrito was more or less the same. The meat was extremely salty.

There is so many of these Mexican type places like this, so not giving me full satisfaction makes it a place I wouldn't return to.

El Agave Azul Mexican Taqueria
13040 W State Road 84, Davie, FL 33325
(954) 530-4321
www.elagaveazul.com

Aunt I's Jamaican Restaurant - Pembroke Pines, FL (Other Locations)

In the words of Nicki Minaj, where the f**k my curry chicken and my rice and peas? With those lovely thoughts in my mind, I headed to Aunt I's Jamaican Restaurant.

Unlike most Jamaican style restaurants, the food is not displayed and it seems like they are trying to be a real sit down restaurant, but everyone that I saw come in just did takeout anyways.

What I notice first about the food was that they quality of the rice was much better than most. The flavors of the food weren't impressive (it was typical/usual), but quality stood out. I didn't get the curry chicken, but I sure got the Jerk and Fried Chicken. The plantains looked ugly but tasted good.

The Oxtail is based on market price which means expensive, but I hoped that would indicate quality. Some places just give you scraps, fat, and bones and so my eyes lit up when I saw actual pieces of meat.

Stew peas is one of those dishes I would't try unless I know you, but I tried the one here and I liked it a lot. It was well prepared.

The food was great but what I liked most was the fact they offer combos and you can selected two meats (instead of the typical one) which is awesome for an indecisive person such as myself. I am always scared to try new Jamaican places, but now it might become my new go to spot.

Aunt I's Jamaican Restaurant
10111 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026
(954) 433-0223
www.auntis.net

Village Tavern - Pembroke Pines, FL

I stopped by Village Tavern with a group of friends for happy hour to celebrate a birthday. It is a chain, big and not unique in anyway, but they serve top shelf during happy hour so that made it the place to go.

This was my first time here so I had no idea of how the food would taste. I had the Crispy Thai Shrimp and the thick and sugary batter just was not my thing.

I also tasted the BLT Cheeseburger Sliders. They were decent but not something I would ever choose to order. The bread was a little bit rubbery for my taste.

The Chipotle Shrimp "Street" Tacos were not the kind of quality you would expect in the "streets" but they weren't half bad.

In conclusion, the food here it not very different than most chain as well as the service, but when you can order Johnny Walker Black, Ketel One or Patron at happy hour prices, I feel forced to kind like the place.

Village Tavern

14555 SW 2nd St, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 (954) 874-1001 www.villagetavern.com

Machiya - Midtown - Miami, FL

Based on Machiya's decision to change from including Ramen in their name to what it is now likely means the Ramen craze has not caught on in Miami, but regardless, you can still enjoy Ramen at the restaurant, as well as a fusion of traditional and contemporary Japanese dishes.

With only three Ramen options, I settle on the Tokyo Ramen. It is made from the traditional pork based broth and absolutely delicious but the highlight was the gyoza. Three pieces just weren't enough and they were so amazing, I wish I could have had more.

I couldn't go to a Japanese restaurant and not order sushi so we ordered the Spicy Salmon and the Yellowtail sushi rolls. Each roll that I popped into my mouth was pure goodness. The way the rice is prepared in a major factor in what make good or bad maki rolls (at least to me) and Machiya's rice was on point.

The Baked Crab Roll (snow crab/kani/mayo/sesame soy paper) was small and not what I was expecting, but despite its small size it was packed with yumminess. It was soft and very delicate but not mushy.

With a social network check-in we got a free Tuna Hand Roll. They didn't skimp even though it was free and I couldn't be happier with my unexpected extra.

The food does take some time to come out, and that may be a problem to some but when it comes out steaming hot and fresh, that makes the wait worth it. Aside from that aspect and the order in which the dishes were presented, I have no complaints. Our server did lack personality but he did do a descent job of taking care of us.

I don't consider myself to be a Ramen aficionado, but what I had was quite good and the sushi was tasty and slightly different than the usual so I will definitely return.

Machiya

3252 NE 1st Ave #116, Miami, FL 33137 (786) 507-5025 www.machiyamidtown.com

Recipe: Caribbean Jerk Macaroni & Cheese

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 16 ounces penne pasta
• 1 scotch bonnet (habanero) pepper, seeded and minced 
• 2 green onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (Jamaican pimento)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 24 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (divided)
• 4 ounces gruyere cheese
• 1/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Cook pasta in large pot per package directions with a little bit of salt and oil. Drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
3. In a small skillet, saute the scotch bonnet pepper and green onion until soft (about two minutes).
4. In the same large pot you cooked the pasta in, melt butter. Once melted, whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly (about two minutes).
5. Slowly add milk in a thin stream, whisking until milk is incorporated. Continue to cook, whisking, until the sauce begins to thicken (about five minutes).
6. Remove pot from heat and add sautéed pepper and onions, spices and molasses. Stir to combine.
7. Adjust seasonings to taste, then stir in cheese until melted.
8. Add cooked pasta to the pot and stir to combine.
9. Load mac and cheese into greased 9" x 12" baking dish and top with remaining cheese and then Panko bread crumbs. Bake in a 350 degree oven for twenty minutes.
10. Remove from oven and allow to sit, resting, for five minutes. 

Notes

You can pair it with whatever you want, but it was a barbecue day at my house and I made Sliders with Gruyere Cheese, Bacon, Caramelized Onions and a Roasted Pepper Garlic Aioli.