Thursday Dining Roundup for January 17

I've figured if there's something already being done right, why improve on it? Carolina at the South Florida Menupages blog recaps dining reviews of the week similar to what my dining roundup did. From now on I'll defer to her to be the local roundup source. But I'll still comment on some of these reviews from time to time. But thanks to Carolina for taking the time to put this together week after week.

Thursday Dining Roundup for January 10

Lee Klein reviews Michael's Kitchen in Sunny Isles and doesn't like it. When the chef actually states that the restaurant is "all about the show" you know you're in trouble. Luckily Lee took the hit for us and waded through what appeared to be vast quantities of highly caloric food. But what first gave me warning about Michael's Kitchen was seeing Chef Michael Blum on a Food Network Challenge show where contestants had to make dishes representing Miami's culinary heritage. He was the only local in a competition taking place in South Beach. It was embarassing. His food came out on wood planks with flowers and palm fronds. All it was missing was sparklers. Now the city of Sunn Isles is ready to let a landmark like Rascal House go (here's a link to a petition to save it) but they're willing to put up with a mediocre, pseudo-chain restaurant?

Also in the New Times, Pamela Robin Brandt checks out Sushi Club in North Beach and compares it to Hiro's. Considering that Hiro's is pretty mediocre there wasn't much to look forward to in the review. At least it was well written.

Two Chefs Too and Jason's at the Harrison open according to South Florida Gourmet. Both are run by chefs with South Florida ties. Two Chefs continues running but Chef Jason McLaine's other ventures haven't panned out too well. I wish him luck.

Normally nocturnal-focused Lesley Abravenel's Miami Herald column, Velvet Underground, takes a detour towards the culinary side of nightlife and looks in on Il Gabbiano, Joley, Segafredo Brickell, Domo Japones, Kobe Club and, something having nothing to do with food but it sounds cool anyway, the Stoli Hotel.

Victoria Pesce Elliot heads south and reviews Village Chalet in Cauley Square.

And a story that doesn't have to do with restaurant critiques but it's worthwhile for anyone who loves the unique produce we grow in South Florida, Maricel Presilla writes about the plight of farmers growing typical Cuban produce in Redlands and their battle against cheap imports and development.

Linda Bladholm visits a home for Ecuadoreans called Latitude Zero Cafe. And if the food is as good and the people are as friendly as in Ecuador it should be a winner.

Miami Danny himself gives an awesome roundup of the farms and other stops in Redlands and Homestead. Robert is here is missing though, along with Knaus Berry Farm and the Homestead Farmers Market. But heck, it'd take more than a day to hit up all of these places. Great job Danny.

First 2008 Thursday Dining Roundup

Yes, like many I slacked off last week with the holidays. Now back with renewed energy here's the first roundup of 2008:

Victoria Pesce-Elliot kinda blasts Kefi in Aventura. The owners run the cafeteria at my girlfriend's company and she says that although they're great at salads and sandwiches, she's wary of how they'll do running a fine dining establishment. We wish them well.

I always meant to give Sunfish Grill a try when it was in Pompano. Now that it's got nicer digs and much closer in Fort Lauderdale I have no excuse. The food sounds good too, though I hate it when critics describe anything as "delightful".

Lee Klein at the New Times reviews Escopazzo's organic, slow food-centric cuisine. I'm a fan of the restaurant and I'm glad to see it's on the cusp of the organic, slow food movement in Miami. Chef Giancarla Bodoni is cooking at the Pardise Farms Dinner in Paradise event on March 9 with Michael Schwartz, but alas, it's sold out.

Bill Citara pushes readers out of their comfort zones and into the Thai section of the menu at Sushi Siam. I'm not really a fan of the chain, but it serves it's purpose. But after eating Northern Thai food at Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, I'm spoiled forevermore.

Lastly, from the Biscayne Times, a look at Sweet Tooth chocolate store and factory. It's all chocolate, all handmade, and all kosher. L'chaim!

The Thursday Dining Roundup for December 20, 2007

Enrique Fernandez takes over the critic duties this week from Victoria Pesce Elliot. I hope it's for good. He reviews Rosa Mexicano and gives us some background on the origins of this Mexican chain. It looks like Rosa is doing for Brickell what it did for NYC over 20 years ago as yuppies cram the bar for tequila and margaritas. Figures we're always behind the times here.

Lee Klein unsuccessfully tries to review the upscale La Piagga and downscale S&S Diner in the same article. Lee, you're a food critic, not Studs Terkel.

Bill Citara finds Copas y Tapas in the Gables cheap. I find it overpriced and inferior to Xixon.

The Sunpost's Mark Goldberg rips Food Gang which is unfortunate given the potential.

And finally, the "I don't know why I still have a job. Oh yeah, it's because the Sun Sentinel's standards are so low" writer Deborah Hartz-Seeley describes her night out at Michael Mina's newly opened Bourbon Steak in Aventura. She describes how if you sit on the love seats which take the place of banquettes your feet won't touch the floor, and also wonders why dishes come in variations of three (she doesn't seem to realize nor research that one of Chef Mina's trademarks is trios of things), and lastly, she ponders how one cannot improve on foie gras as she describes the foie gras sliders, but apparently she'd rather just have raw foie gras. Somebody tell this woman she's in the wrong business.

The Thursday Dining Roundup

Thursday is foodie day in the major and not so major publications in South Florida. I'll try to recap what's being reviewed, what's new, and what sucks.

Miami Herald
Victoria Pesce-Elliott gives a Dolores...Lolita a great review, which figures because she always seems to give good reviews to places that seem mediocre.

Linda Bladholm finds a French cafe/ice cream parlor run by a transplanted New Yorker and Dominican.

Miami New Times
Lee Klein makes us want to avoid South Miami's Alta Cocina. Too bad, I had high hopes for it.

Pamela Robin Brandt ventures to Lemon Fizz, a place I've passed many times but never thought to stop. Now my interest is peaked.

Miami Sunpost
Mark Goldberg is the last of the reviewers to try Ishq. I think he's like it more than most.