We are staying in Coconut Grove the week of 7/11-7/17. We are wondering any and all "great restaurants" to "hole in the walls in Miami. We love all food!!! Thanks in advance.
matt5150
Jul 06, 2008 10:17AM
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CHOW Pick, posted October 03, 2008
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Wine and Drinks, posted July 09, 2008
What kind of food do you like?
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We like everything, but seafood and cuban would probably be most appropriate. Thank you.
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None of the many other threads about food in Miami offer the information you'd like? If not, those of us who live/eat here can provide you more definitive answers with more narrowly framed questions (i.e., please be more specific about what information you're missing).
Thanks.
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We are looking for casual places that are mostly frequented by locals. Thank you.
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matt>
Check out the island community north of the Grove, Jimbo's and the Boater's Grill on Key Biscayne. The restos at the Sonesta and Ritz Carlton pool are well regarded lunchtime too. In the Grove, try George's, Jaguar ceviche spoon bar, Last Carrot and Buchon. For Cuban, Las Culebrinas. The wild card is a place called Ideas for tapas.
AG
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Is Ideas doing a more tapas-style menu now? When I went last (which was some time ago), it was very much a sit-down dinner type of place - very authentically Spanish, but not really a tapas place. The online menu still looks more like sit-down dinner than tapas.
There are some pretty intriguing specials pitched on the website - a $20 3-course executive lunch that changes every day, and a $45 dinner tasting menu.
http://www.ideasrestaurant.com
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AG>
Jimbo's? For food? While it is quite the place to experience, you dont go there for the food (smoked fish is all they have, or all Ive ever seen there anyways). More like canned beer and bocce.
matt>
In the Grove I would recommend a few that AG listed - George's in the Grove and Jaguar. Scottys is fun on a Friday for Happy Hour and its more of a dive. Panorama on the 8th floor of the Sonesta is great for a late day mojito and some Peruvian food with an awesome view of the bay (Ive had a great meal there and a so-so meal, usually just go for the mojitos and view).
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I couldn't agree more with you about the mojitos and view at the Sonesta!
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For Cuban food, Las Culebrinas is your best bet in Coconut Grove. If you're willing to venture out a little, La Casita (40 ave. and SW 8th st.) and the famous Versailles (37th ave. and SW 8th street) are very good. My personal favorite, and a true "hole in the wall", is Islas Canarias (27th ave. and NW 7th st). All these restaurants are within 15 minutes from the Grove.
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Thank you. What are your favorite Cuban dishes?
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For beef, try "bistec de palomilla", a thin sirloin fried with onions and topped with parsley. "Bistec empanizado" is the same cut of beef, except that it's breaded. Also, "vaca frita", which is shredded flank steak fried with onions, garlic and lime juice. For chicken, "arroz con pollo" is a classic dish. It's a chicken and rice dish. But I would only order this at a restaurant if it's a special of the day. For pork, I like "masas de puerco", which are fried pork chunks. For fish, "bacalao" is codfish made in a tomato based sauce.
Obviously I'm missing a bunch of other "traditional" classics, but those are my favorites. Cuban sandwiches, with "mariquitas" (fried plantain chips) are great for lunch or a lite dinner. I always keep an eye for the specials of the day, and ask the waiters for any recommendations, since every restaurant has a couple of specialty dishes.
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Definitely go to Jaguar and Las Culebrinas. Have a drink and some ceviche at the Sonesta in the Grove rooftop. Have a fabulous brunch at the Grove Ritz or Baleen in the Grove Isle hotel. Coral Bagels is a dive with yummy breakfast and you must stop for a cafecito or cortadito at the Versailles window or at least any Cuban retaurant window. Greenstreet also has a decent breakfast. I love Garcia's on the Miami river for a true Miami experience. Great fresh fish/seafood with Cuban sides. As for other Cuban restaurants you can try Havana Harry's, Sergio's, or Versailles which does a decent job and is the quintessential Miami Cuban restaurant.
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I probably should add Basil in the Grove to the list here. A small, affordable, and locally run Brazilian restaurant.
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