Uvaggio Wine Bar & Restaurant - Coral Gables, FL

Altaroses Garnacha

Lazy Magnolia Imperial Rye Pale Ale

House-made Yorgurt Naan Bread

Salt Cod Croquetas

Butternut Ricotta Gnocchi

Braised Beef Short Rib

Blueberry Prosecco Frother

Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding

 

 

The restaurant has more of a focus on wine than on the food but despite that, the food still shines. Food is served tapas styles representing different parts of the world.

Uvaggio Wine Bar & Restaurant
70 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 448-2400
http://uvaggiowine.com

Chiba - New Orleans, LA

Short Rib Tempura

 

Pan-roasted Mussels

 

St. Charles Ave Roll

 

Fried Rice

 

 

 

Basically I wanted to go to the restaurant next door, but the were booked with over a two hour wait. I was not waiting that long so we came here instead. I never heard of this restaurant before so I had no expectations. Not expecting anything, I was not disappointed, but I was not dazzled. It was all-right.

Chiba
8312 Oak Street, New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 826-9119
www.chiba-nola.com

Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill - Midtown - Miami, FL

Hibiscus Blossom

Rating: Amazing

Spice of Love

Rating: Amazing

Rum 'n' Bramble

Rating: Amazing

 

Louisiana Purchase

Rating: Amazing

American Wagyu Slider

Rating: Amazing

East & West Coast Oysters

Rating: Amazing (Some of the best I've had)

Spicy Tuna

Rating: Amazing

Octopus

Rating: Amazing

 

Fun that includes crafty cocktails and tasty tapas on a beautiful outdoor patio, need I say more!

Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill
3252 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33137
(786) 369-0353
www.sugarcanerawbargrill.com

Salú Restaurant - Small Plates & Wine Bar - New Orleans, LA

If you are looking for a cool happy hour spot in a classy setting perfect for catching up with girlfriends or meeting a client and away from the traditional debauchery, then you have to check out Salu. 

Their happy hour includes Classic Margaritas, Mojitos, Sangrias and Caipirinhas at half price (currently $2.50). And for a dollar more you can add a seasonal flavor such as mango, blackberry or orange, but if that is not your thing, they also have deals on specialty drinks and beer.  

Classic Mojito

Classic Caipirinhas

If you happen to get the munchies, they also offer a special discount on all Mussels and Flatbreads. They have more than enough options to choose from, but I decided on the Chorizo Mussels (housemade Chorizo, Beer, Garlic and Roasted Tomatoes). It was good but I wish it were a lot spicier; the broth needed to infuse the flavors a little more.

My friend decided to get the Steak and Cheese Flatbread (slow cooked Onions and White Cheddar). I liked the crispiness of the bread and the quality of the steak and cheese. It was really good and not greasy.

Oh, and the service is amazing too. Salu has some great, funny and friendly wait staff. Salu's happy hour happens every Monday thru Friday from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.

Salu Restaurant
3226 Magazine Street New Orleans, LA, US, 70115
(504) 371-5809
www.salurestaurant.com

Cafeina Wynwood Lounge - Miami, FL

Cafeina Lounge, at its core, is a venue known for its private events and nightly live performances. My question was as amazing as it is at night, would lunch be as amazing as well? To test my theory, I headed there for lunch. I didn't expect the restaurant to be packed but I didn't expect it to be empty either. There was only one other party and they were seated in the outdoor garden, so we choose to dine indoors, especially considering, this is Florida, in the middle of the day and the temperature wasn't cool enough for me to dine outside.

It was a very unique experience dining inside the restaurant, since it also doubles as an art gallery and we had it all to ourselves. It was nice to dine and look around at all the various artworks on the wall. Concept wise, it was really cool.

Our server was nice but not friendly. He was however a pleasure to have, since he was very attentive and offered assistance in our menu selections and making sure we had everything we needed. I'm not sure if he smiled, but he was good at his job. 

For lunch, they offer a few drink specials, so I ended up getting a glass of Tinto de Verano. It was light and refreshing!

We started off the meal with the Ahi Tuna Mini Tacos. I would describe it as a cold ginger soy ceviche on top of a crispy tostada. It wasn't what I would call a taco or what I was expecting it to be, but it was fresh and nice light starter to our meal.

My friend ordered the Cafeina 8oz Burger. Despite everything on the menu being tapas size, it was a fairly big burger. It was very good and the beef was nicely cooked. Based on the menu, I had thought the meal came with a choice of fries or mixed greens but we recieved neither. I had forgotten to ask and didn't want to make a fuss, so I left it alone.

I ordered the Jibarito Sliders. This was a somewhat unique dish, at least to me. Instead of the typical bun, it was sandwiched between two tostones (fried green plantains). That added so much to the taste of the dish that a piece of bread counldn't. The pork in the middle was tender and well seasoned. I really enjoyed this dish, it was truly amazing.

Since we had assumed the meals came with a side, we had only ordered the Goat Cheese Croquettes so I could try them. I know the are suppose to be tapas size, but it was only 3 little miniature ball. I was expecting to get a little more than. In any case, they were hot and tasted very good.

For desert, we had the Fried Ice Cream. It was crusted with flakes and sat in melted chocolate, mmm mmm good! It was delicious, it was just also an extremely small portion.

The food here was exquisite, the gallery was beautiful, and the service was respectable. it was a unique dining experience I enjoyed. 

Also while your in the area, be sure to walk around and check out some of the amazing street art.

Cafeina Wynwood Lounge

297 NW 23rd St Miami, FL 33127

(305) 438-0792

www.cafeinamiami.com

Dollar Mania Wednesdays at 100 Montaditos in Pembroke Pines (Other Locations)

What is Dollar Mania you ask? Wednesday Dollar Mania is where booze (wine and beer), montaditos (mini sandwiches) and everything else on the menu except platters and salads are just a dollar at 100 Montaditos. Yes, $1. To me it means tapas and a bargain, so count me in on that.

The restaurant is self service. The best thing to do since it gets really packed, especially on Wednesdays, is to first grab a table. At the table, you can go over the menu and figure out what you want to order before going up to the counter. It may take some time to figure it out when you have over 100 choices to choose from. Once you place your order, they will call you when your food is ready.

The food itself isn't so spectacular, but everything is $1 and with so much choices, you have to expect that there are going to be some misses but there are a few hits in the bunch. Out of the all the montaditos I have sampled so far, the Calamari with Ali Oli is my favorite. The Brava Potatoes also are really good too. Again, at $1 the beer, wine and sangria aren't quality but can you expect that at such a price? Put it this way, I've had the same quality at a higher price point so I am satisfied with what I got in that respect. The sandwiches are small (but you can fill up on 2-3 or if your greedy 4-6). The drinks are regular sized which is awesome.

With such high traffic and turn around, they are very good at maintaining the cleanliness of the restaurant. As soon as someone leaves, they come around and clear the table for the next customers. However, as good as they are at doing that, wouldn't it make sense to also restock the table with napkins, menus and order sheets at the same time?

I would sum up this place as quantity over quality. It is more about getting a great deal than receiving quality food. Not saying the food is bad, but your not leaving thinking that this was the best sandwich you ever ate. In addition to their Wednesday mania, on Thursdays beers and sangria are $1, but everyday is a pretty good deal since all the montaditos are under $3 and almost everything else is under $6 (except the beer buckets and wine by the bottle).

100 Montaditos

Pembroke Lakes Square
175 North Hiatus Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33026
(954) 353-3390

100montaditos.com