Exotic Bites - Hollywood, FL

I was doing some work in Hollywood when I started to get that lunch itch and that itch was saying it wanted Middle Eastern food. I did a quick search for nearby restaurants and found Exotic Bites. 

Exotic Bites is a cute little restaurant located on Harrison St. It has a lounge feel setup with not only tables for dining but a small bar and couches for those looking to chill out and smoke a little Hookah. We choose to sit outside, since the restaurant was a bit dark and stuffy and because it was a nice day out.  

Although it was tempting, it was the middle of the day, so I had to pass on the Hookah. I didn't however, pass on their Falafel Entree. Along with the Falafels, it came with salad, couscous, and pita bread. Everything was fresh and tasty. I really liked their Falafels because they were huge and packed full of flavor and not dry. 

My boyfriend who met me for lunch isn't a fan of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food. So stupidly, he decide it would be a good idea to order the Philly Cheese Steak off the American portion of the menu. Obviously, he was disappointed. It wasn't even an attempt at a Philly but simply a Middle Eastern take on the sandwich. On top of that, it was cold, the cheese wasn't melted and the fries looked like they were chopped up into itty bitty pieces.  

Despite that little mishap, the waitress was one of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever encountered. She was very sincere and apologetic that my boyfriend didn't like his food and made every attempt to rectify the situation, although we didn't take her up on any of her offers. She has a sort off of beat personality but she was really fun and funny. I truly enjoyed having her as our server. 

So the conclusion is that the food here is good, just don't order food that a restaurant doesn't specialize in because it probably won't be very good. However, Exotic Bites, if you don't intend to make it good, just don't put it on the menu. The service was spectacular and the best part of the meal!

Exotic Bites

1848 Harrison Street Hollywood, FL 33020

(954) 929-7042

www.exoticbitesrestaurant.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

Visit New Orleans: The Big Easy (Day 4)

I am sad to go, but our final day in New Orleans had finally arrived. Without really wanting to leave, we packed our bags and got ready to head back to Florida.

Before heading to the airport, we decided to head to the original Cafe Du Monde (on Decatur St) for breakfast since we hadn't gotten a chance to experience it. 

We again had the delicious beignets! 

And I got to try the Frozen Cafe Au Lait since it was a bit warmer that morning. It was way better than the hot one! No matter the weather, I will always go for the frozen one. It is way better!

Since it is the original location and in the French Quarter, this location was a lot more packed and service seemed less personal and rushed so I didn't enjoy the experience as much. 

Sad to leave, we made our way back to the hotel to grab our bags and catch a cab to the airport.

At the airport, we waved our final farewell to my new love, New Orleans!

Before our final stop, Fort Lauderdale, we had a layover in Dallas again. Like on the way there, we were hungry so we stopped to eat something at Blue Mesa Taco & Tequila Bar. 

They had a 2 for $20 which isn't really much of a deal, more like $1 off but we both wanted burritos so we
took advantage of it anyway.

The chips and salsa were good for what it was! We ordered the Desert Fire Salsa (Hot) and surprisingly it was really as spicy as advertised. It was almost too spicy, but I'm a G, I can handle it!

My boyfriend had the Steak Relleno Burrito which for airport food was pretty good. 

I was also surprised by my Chicken Club Burrito. It was full of ingredients, no stinginess there. I enjoyed it! 

Although we ate food, Blue Mesa is more a bar type setting but it was good to know that the food was just as good as the drinks (assuming the drinks are good).

That was the end of my trip. Back on the plane to home sweet home!

Cafe Du Monde

813 Decatur St New Orleans, LA 70116

(504) 581-2914

www.cafedumonde.com

Blue Mesa Taco & Tequila Bar

Terminal D, Dallas Airport Dallas, TX 74235

(972) 973-4310

www.dfwairport.com