8 March 2011
Where I Ate in South Beach
After returning from my third visit to South Beach, I admit, the dining there is mostly overpriced and geared toward desperate tourists. But there are some gems. Here are the highlights from this trip:
Yes, this is a (GASP!) chain, but the menu is creative and the food is extremely fresh-tasting. The highlight: Calamari with a Latin spin — “cornmeal crusted calamari with tomato, mint, plaintain, tamarind.” One of the best calamari dishes I’ve had, hands down. Plus, the restaurant has a pretty unique interior and I love the ambiance.
This restaurant, located at the Z Ocean hotel, came recommended by our concierge. We were wary about their commendations at first (sometimes hotels have deals with each other!), but this was easily one of the top five brunch spots I’ve been to in as long as I can remember. The highlight: green eggs made with pesto and pepper jack cheese. Pesto, as we all know, makes everything better. Also, the weather was gorgeous when we sat on the “front porch.” That can make even a mediocre meal seem fab.
Again, we dined here on the recommendation of the concierge at our hotel. Again, we were skeptical because we didn’t want to end up at one of those dime-a-dozen South Beach restaurants that hawk their food/drinks as you walk by (you know the ones I mean if you’ve been there!). But Quinn’s (located in the Park Central hotel) was great. When we walked up, we knew it was a little different. They didn’t hawk us, and they had a little display out front with all their reviews in local papers (their key lime has been called the best in Florida by the Miami Herald!). It was definitely pricey, but worth it. The highlight: The steak au poivre my boyfriend ordered. I LOVE pepper steak and this was definitely one of the best versions I’ve had.
I’ve never been a big fan of tapas — they just don’t do a lot for me. But this tapas restaurant, located on Espanola Way, made me a believer. Their small plates are flavorful, authentic, and rich. And their sangria isn’t bad, either! The highlight: baked goat cheese in tomato sauce. I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with goat cheese, but this dish was extra hot, creamy, and flavorful. Definitely won me over.
What we missed: Authentic Cuban food! We went to one Cuban restaurant for lunch, but it didn’t impress me much.
South Beach isn’t a foodie paradise, for sure, but you can find good stuff there if you look. We didn’t wander off the beaten path much, but I think we did pretty well!
