Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Summer of Riesling @ Blue Piano 6/30/11

Week 2 of Summer of Riesling is underway...
This week's topic: Intro to Riesling
FEAT. 3 Shades of Rieslings & 3 Food Pairings
$18 per person, plus tax & grats
W A N N A U P G R A D E ?
Get 3 M O R E wines for $10
4600 Ne 2nd Avenue #11  /  Miami, Fl 33137  /  305.576.7919
For info, Email Ani at info@bluepianomia.com
Follow us on Twitter at @bluepianomia & Like us on Facebook.


The Blue Piano
4600 Ne 2nd Avenue #11
Miami, FL 33137
 

Thursday, June 30, 2011 from 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)

Sunday, June 26, 2011

CobayArea31





We've been organizing these Cobaya dinners for almost two years now and they continue to be a lot of fun to plan and even more fun to attend.  If you have not participated in an "experiment" yet or are unfamiliar with the concept, we sell these blind and they sell out quickly, we do not reveal the chef, restaurant or menu prior to the dinner and the location is only provided the day before. Some are "off campus" which keeps the diners in further suspense.  All of this is done in order to maintain the "underground" nature of the events and to add an element of surprise. Obviously, my co-conspirators and I miss out on that aspect. That being said, Frodnesor and I both entered this one on the "blind side" and took a leap of faith this go round.

The latest dinner took place on June 13, 2011 at Area 31, located on the 16th floor of the Epic Hotel in downtown Miami. Chef E. Michael Reidt recently returned to Miami to run the kitchen at Area 31 after successful stints on the west and east coast. When I heard that Chef Reidt was returning to the area, I was excited because I knew he was not only very talented but had Cobaya-esque skills.  That leap of faith I alluded to earlier was because neither of us had been to Area 31 following his return. It's embarrassing to admit and I attribute it primarily to the location of the restaurant since I don't live or work downtown.  Regardless, DON'T make the same mistake I we made.

Although I didn't sample his Area 31 fare prior to the dinner, I was very familiar with his talent.  I enjoyed several meals at Wish (South Beach) during his tenure there in the early 2000's. I was also well aware that he was named one of the country's best new chefs by  Food and Wine magazine in 2001 plus won the prestigious Rising Star award by Star Chef  in 2003.  What also intrigued me was that he left Miami to open his own successful restaurant in Santa Barbara which specialized in Latin fusion. John Mariani via Esquire magazine called Sevilla one of the best new restaurants of 2005. After taking a couple years off to travel the world he returned to his east coast roots and the kitchen at B&O Brasserie in Baltimore. His food at B & O impressively appeared to be a complete departure from what he did at both Wish and Sevilla. Additional accolades soon followed as he was named Best New Chef by the Baltimore Sun in 2009 and Best New Restaurant by Baltimore Magazine that same year.  With a resume like this was it really a leap of faith??

MENU & WINE
Amuse Bouche
Heirloom Tomatoes, Peaches, Truffle Cheese, Flowering Basil
Roederer NV Brut Premier

Cobia Ceviche
Pressed Avocado, Puffed Rice, Granny Smith Apple, Red Pepper Sorbet
Pio Cesare Cortese di Gavi 2010

Foie Gras "Fluff"
Smoked Peach, Crispy Basil Sponge, Pineapple, Tamarind Gastrique
"Cobaya Cocktail"

Flounder
Maine Lobster, Green Asparagus, Grapefruit, Vanilla Turnips
Luca Chardonnay 2007

Diver Scallop
Crab, Farro, Chorizo, English Peas, Coconut Broth
Turkey Flats Rose 2008

Sous Vide Duck
Confit Pork Belly, Carrot, Curry, Pistachio
Bell Syrah 2007

Dark Chocolate
Truffles, Dehydrated Mousse, Yogurt, Cherry Sorbet
Lindeman's Framboise Lambic

 

Amuse Bouche
jsdonn

Chef Reidt immediately got our senses going by encouraging us to put our nose(s) into the bowl where the amuse-bouche rested.  The locally sourced flowering basil had a strong, pleasant aroma that kick started my taste buds.  The heirloom tomatoes, peaches, truffle cheese and tomato water was a light and very refreshing start to the dinner. This was paired perfectly with a glass of champagne.

1st Course: Cobia Ceviche
jsdonn
                  

The first course really set the tone for the rest of the evening from a flavor, texture and color standpoint.  Chef Reidt served us his version of a ceviche which featured small pieces of really fresh cobia. Chef Reidt showcased his ability to combine several ingredients with great flavors and textures that worked in unison to form a standout dish.   Alongside the cobia were apple, jicama, and sweet potato, which was plated on top of pressed avocado and accompanied by a red pepper sorbet and puffed rice.  This was dish of the night caliber except for the fact that there were two other dishes that were even better.


2nd Course: Foie Gras "fluff"
jsdonn
The second course was easily my favorite dish of the night. I'm a huge foie fan and I really enjoy experiencing different preparations. Chef Reidt aggressively and successfully prepared a melt in your mouth puff of foie. The fluff by itself was incredible but it was the accompanying ingredients that tied the ribbon around this gastronomical gift.





3rd Course: Flounder
jsdonn

Up next was my least favorite course of the night.  The flounder I was served was slightly overcooked and on the dry side.  I suspect that this was the byproduct of attempting to plate 30 dishes of fish at the same time. Overall, this had the potential to be one of my favorites of the night because I really enjoyed the flavorful combination of the secondary ingredients which included Maine lobster, asparagus and vanilla turnip puree. But the flounder just missed the mark for me. 

4th Course: Diver Scallop
jsdonn

When I sat down and saw the menu, I was eagerly anticipating dish number four. This dish featured a fresh and perfectly cooked scallop paired with farro, small pieces of chorizo and crab meat along with some English peas. I enjoyed each element of this dish and they rested on top of a broth that was bowl licking good.


5th Course: Sous Vide Duck
jsdonn

The final course before dessert featured a sous vide cooked duck breast paired with confited pork belly, a carrot curry and pistachios.  This is another dish that flirted with excellence but fell just short.  My only knock was the texture of the duck breast. It was juicy and flavorful but on the chewy side for me. Although, I'm sure sous vide cooking fans probably enjoyed it more than me.  Nevertheless, this was another flavorful dish that worked well as a whole.

6th Course: Dark Chocolate

Chef Reidt's dessert was a modern spin of some classic sweet hits, cherries and chocolate.   His plate featured dark chocolate truffles, dehydrated mousse, yogurt and cherry sorbet. This dessert was in sync with the meal as a whole from a flavor, texture and color standpoint.  Plus it tasted great!

I hate to sound redundant but Chef Reidt is clearly talented when it comes to stimulating the senses and obviously has a great palate. Nothing I had was under or over seasoned and every dish contained multiple layers of flavors combined with pleasing textures and colors. 

I'm not sure how a great restaurant with a talented chef, located in a popular national hotel chain in a major city can be deemed a hidden gem, but that's exactly what Area 31 is. Don't neglect this restaurant or this chef, you'll be missing out.   

Chef Reidt is flavor flav BUT he is no Public Enemy!!!

** I just realized that I inadvertently neglected to discuss the wine pairings. Master sommelier Emily Wines, yes that is her real name, is responsible for the wine lists at all Kimpton related restaurants including Area 31.  I do not know if she had any input on our pairings but whoever did selected some nice wines that complimented each dish nicely. We were also served a "Cobaya Cocktail" that paired well with the foie fluff. 

***Thank you for your continued support. As long as you keep coming, we will keep doing them***

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Kings County Pizza (North Miami Beach)




I'm probably a bigger fan of pizza than burgers.  Unfortunately, there just aren't a lot of places in South Florida serving great NY style pizza so I eat less of it.  I'm not claiming to be an expert on pizza nor do I contend that everything in NY is better. That said, I grew up in a city in New York that was inundated with pizzerias (and Chinese restaurants..) and was fortunate to eat my fair share of really great pizza.

As I've previously advised, my favorite NY style slice is being served at Mauro's Pizza on Hollywood Blvd. in downtown, Hollywood.  They do everything the right way from the crust to the dough to the cheese and sauce.  The slice is also huge which is an added bonus.  I've tried a ton of spots down here from Boca to South Miami over the years and nothing has compared until recently.      

Kings County Pizza is sort of hidden in a small strip mall on the west side of West Dixie Highway in North Miami Beach (a couple of blocks South of Miami Gardens Drive). It's a tiny place with almost no indoor seating. They opened a few months ago and the owner/pizza maker worked at the famous Long Island spot, Umberto's.  They have several pizza options including sicilian and grandma style pies along with some wings,  heroes and pasta dishes.  

They clearly no their way around the pizza oven. Their Pizza has a perfectly crisp crust, a nice chewy and tasty dough and a perfect sauce to cheese ratio.  For some reason, I find that most places down here tend to under sauce their pies. If I wanted a white pizza (which I hate and don't really understand) I would order one. It should be noted that the sauce is more spice (oregano not heat) than sweet if that matters to you. I did notice that the tip didn't point down and there wasn't any oil dripping off which I personally like to see but not imperative.  On a side note, the salt and pepper wings were terrific as was the grandma's pie.

I'm not sure I'm ready to crown Kings County  #1 in South Florida ahead of Mauro's just yet but it is very good. Check it out.

***edited to add that I recently tried the baked ziti and it was fantastic. It could be better than the pizza... 

Kings County Pizza on Urbanspoon

http://www.kingscountypizza.com/

18228 West Dixie Highway North Miami Beach, FL 33160 -
(305) 792-9455
Open Tue-Thu 11am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 3pm-9pm

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

FREE Breakfast @ Tobacco Road (weekday mornings)

sign.jpg
Get lucky at Tobacco Road!! Could be a cheap date...


LAST CALL LATE-NITE FREE BREAKFAST!
Introducing the Tobacco Road Breakfast Briskito

For those looking for the last stop of the night, Miami’s oldest bar has the perfect solution: every weekday night, Chef Jonathan Fisher scans the bar at 1:30am to see who’s in for the long haul and in need of his creative creation for the perfect late-night/early morning snack….  The Breakfast Briskito. served up on a corn tortilla is a fresh batch of scrambled eggs, succulent beef brisket fresh out of the smoker, topped with tender vegetables, heat-packin peppers, spices and his signature pico de gallo, wrapped up (like how you should be in your blanket) to create the perfect finale to the evening, or just the fuel you need to make it through the night; after-all, Tobacco Road IS open nightly until 5am. And the best part???  It’s absolutely FREE.

The only catch is you need to be in the bar by 1:30am…. So set your alarm, and get to the Road.

Tobacco Road
626 South Miami Avenue – Brickell


breakfast briskito.jpg

$5 Burgers!!! Racks (Every Wednesday)

I have not tried their burger yet but have heard very good things and you really can't go wrong for $5.00 at a quality place.  Their pizza is great and I recently enjoyed their Friday night lobster deal.  It's summer and a great time for us locals to take advantage of the generous deals being offered.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Michy a go-go!!!!

Okay don't get too excited Burger Beast it's not exactly a new food truck but she will be cooking on one next Tuesday at the BTTR.(address below) AND it benefits Feeding America. ***the food is FREE but donations appreciated***

 




CALLING ALL FOODIES!
HIT THE ROAD WITH MACY’S CHEFS-A-GO-GO
Michelle Bernstein of the Macy’s Culinary Council jumps on board for
the first stop on the cross-country food truck tour!


 

WHAT:        “Macy’s Chefs A-Go-Go,” a national food truck tour showcasing Macy’s Culinary Council (MCC), is rolling into Miami!  Macy’s first-ever food truck tour will feature a MCC chef Michelle Bernstein on board at the Miami stop, cooking her favorite summertime recipes and dishing them out free! Kicking off in Miami on June 28 at the Biscayne Triangle Truck Round-Up and continuing through late summer, the Macy’s branded food truck will visit multiple cities during its nationwide tour.
Many of the MCC’s celebrated chefs will take part in the tour, including Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Cat Cora, Tom Douglas, Todd English, Marc Forgione, Marcus Samuelsson, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai and Takashi Yagihashi. KitchenAid® will provide appliances to prepare timeless, summer-inspired dishes such as hamburgers, a homemade ice cream recipe created by Emeril Lagasse and signature side dishes selected by the guest MCC chef at each stop.
Fans that “like” Macy’s on Facebook (www.facebook/macys), or follow Macy’s on Twitter (@macyevents), will receive a special gift at each food truck stop, while supplies last. Fans can also join the chefs on Twitter as they tweet live from the food truck by using the hashtag #macyschefs. While the chef’s dishes are free, guests can support a good cause by donating to Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. For every $1 donated, Feeding America can help provide seven meals to those in need on behalf of local food banks.

WHO:        Michelle Bernstein is a Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent. Since the late 80’s, this passionate culinaire has dazzled diners and critics alike with her sublime cuisine and a personality as bright and vibrant as the Florida sun. “My food is luxurious but approachable,” says Bernstein, a James Beard Award winner (Best Chef South 2007) and author of Cuisine a Latina (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2008).

WHEN:        “Macy’s Chefs-a-Go-Go” Food Truck Tour Stop
                Tuesday, June 28
                5:30 – 10:00 p.m.

WHERE:        Biscayne Truck Triangle Roundup
                127th Street and Biscayne Boulevard
                Miami, FL  33181

Friday, June 17, 2011

OMG! F&D 6/28/11

  •  
OMG web

the Life of Reilly

If, in 1940, you had a lobotomized aunt, an institutionalized father, a racist mother, and were the only gay kid on the block, what do you think the odds would be that you’d end up a Tony winner, a staple of television, and a generational icon? Enter “The Life Of Reilly”.
The cliché goes that truth is stranger than fiction. In this case, it is also funnier and more heartbreaking. Charles Nelson Reilly takes us through his bizarre, star-studded, hilarious, and ultimately amazing life with a potent blend of tenderness and quick one-liners.

REVIEWS

“Warm & Hilarious” -Village Voice
“There is more to Reilly than kitsch and celebrity” -The New York Times
“At once wickedly funny,warm hearted and wise” -Seattle Times

O-Cinema 

Michaels Genuine 




     
     

Lobstaaaaa!!!!! Racks Fri. Nights

I went last Friday night and the lobsters were great.  I was hesitant to share the deal because it is only available for the first 50 lobsters but that's not how I roll.... FYI, they also have dock space.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Welcome to Miami? Jean-Georges 2012













I heard a rumor recently that Morimoto was opening in the new St. Regis Bal Harbour.  I was unable to confirm this online but would be surprised if this is accurate.  I could be wrong but suspect that his name was initially tied to the newly opened and very good Stephen Starr spot at Bal Harbour Shops called Makoto which probably caused the confusion.

Regardless, it appears that Jean-Georges who won the 2011 James Beard award for best new restaurant via abc Kitchen in NYC is coming to Miami in 2012.

According to the St. Regis Bal Harbour website (hidden and hard to find) Jean-Georges will be opening an outpost of his signature  J & G Grill.

It appears that the J & G grill will feature hits from his international portfolio of restaurants.  It's still early and things can change but he already has a relationship with Starwood Hotels so this sounds like a done deal.  Stay tuned...this should be a welcome addition.  

More information about hm and his restaurants can be found here on his blog or at his website
Jean-Georges.

Area 31+RedLight+Meat Market=Common Threads Dinner 7/19/11

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Grill & Chill Father's Day Beer Dinner @ Lola's on harrison 6/19/11

Logo

Lola's Father's Day menu sounds like the perfect way to celebrate with Dad.  Chef Wagner always delivers a great meal so this should be a hit. 


AMUSE BOUCHE 

Beer Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese
Tellagio & Pickled Onions

Coney Island Lager

APPETIZER

Popcorn Florida Rock Shrimp
New Mexican Chili, Jicama Salad

Blue Point Summer Ale

ENTREE

16 Spice BBQ Beef Ribs
Green Cabbage Slaw, Herb Roasted Corn on the Cob,
Raspberry Lambic Soaked Watermelon, Hop Karma BBQ Sauce

Terrapin Hop Karma Brown IPA

DESSERT

The Ultimate Beer 'Scream Sundae
Milk Stout Ice Cream, Milk Stout Whipped Cream,
Amarena Cherries, Beer Coated Nuts, Milk Stout Brownies,
Milk Stout Chocolate Sauce

Left Hand Milk Stout


$49/PERSON PLUS TAX AND GRATUITY
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED



PLEASE NOTE WE CAN NOT GUARANTEE  
MENU WILL BE AVAILABLE  
WITHOUT A RESERVATION 

CALL 954-927-9851 OR VISIT 

Monday, June 13, 2011

Free Spirit Tasting @ Hollywood Vine 6/17/11

HOLLYWOOD VINE QUALITY SPIRITS!
Friday June 17th, 2011
7:00-9:00 pm
No charge for tastings

David Ortiz Florida's Ambassador of The American Still Life Craft Spirits Collection will guide tasting with cocktail recipes and fun tasting notes.


Germain-Robin California Alambic Brandy Hand Distilled
Considered the finest distilled spirit in the world according to several panels of experts; Germain-Robin uses 19th century hand methods on an antique cognac still, using much better grapes than anyone in Cognac ever dreamed of using.
$44.99 Retail

Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whisky
Balcones Baby Blue is made from 100% roasted Hopi blue corn, its gorgeous midnight blue kernels are packed with a rich, roast nuttiness that is truly exceptional a brief aging in oak certainly contributes some of the recognizable oak notes and characteristic of bourbon, but these flavors do not dominate the rich corn flavors: butter, masa corn meal, marzipan/toasted almonds, smoked chilies, dark chocolate, fresh baked bread aroma.
$51.99 Retail

Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka
A smooth, slightly sweet vodka with no eye-watering after-burn.
$32.99 Retail

Hum Botanical Spirit
Hum is a 70 proof spirit, it has a striking crimson red color from fair trade hibiscus, a peppery kick from organic ginger, heady aromatics from cardamom and the intoxicating fragrance of kaffir lime.
$39.99 Retail
 
 
Stone Barn Red Wing Coffee Liqueur
The Red Wing Roast is a blend of Salvadorian and Yemeni Coffee; Pinot Noir and Apple based brandy are infused with Madagascar  Vanilla, Cinnamon and invert Sugar in order to make the liqueur; in the mouth it has notes of chocolate, tobacco and oriental flavors.
$24.99 Retail 375ml

Hollywood Vine
2035 Harrison Street
Hollywood, FL 33020
954-922-2910


Anthony?? Free Meatballs on 6/13/11



Thursday, June 2, 2011

Sra. Michybaya - The Cobaya Killer!!!

State of Foodorida vs. Chef Michelle Bernstein 

Date of Crime: May 17, 2011
  
Scene of the Crime: Crumb on Parchment, Miami Design District

Charge: 34 counts of cobayamanslaughter and premeditated rodenthomicide

Accomplises: Chef Berenice de Araujo (chef de cuisine-Sra. Martinez), Chef Jason Schaan (chef de cuisine-Michy's), Allegra Angelo (sommelier-Michy's), Vanessa Paz (pastry chef-Michy's)

Accessory before the fact and Conspirator- Jorge Anaya-Lopez (general manager-Sra. Martinez)

Motive: Crime of culinary passion

Evidence: Weapons of  mass foodie destruction: oysters, scallops, uni, foie gras, paiche, shrimp, quail eggs, squid ink risotto croquetas, NY strip, syringe de truffle butter, gnocchi, calamansi soup,  banana tarte tatin. An electric knife was also recovered from the scene. 
 
Plea: Not guilty by way of temporary insanity for agreeing to host a Cobaya dinner

Presiding Judge: Honorable Judge Hslaw

Jury Verdict: Guilty of fuckin' killing it!!

Sentence:  Multiple injections of truffle butter, the rubbing of  Lee Schrager's belly at the conclusion of  the Burger Bash, the shaving of Colicchio's head on the Top Chef finale (plus the production of Padma's digits to me)


OPENING STATEMENT:

Thirty-four fortunate guinea pigs experienced a first class evening and an outstanding meal thanks to Miami's Top Chef, Michelle Bernstein. I've been procrastinating writing about the dinner because I knew my words would not give it the justice it deserved.  It's also difficult to capture that moment when a plate is served or that first bite. Nevertheless, I will attempt to transport you back to this incredible evening.     

I hate to rub it in BUT you really had to be there, it was awesome!!

For the record, I've been enjoying Chef Bernstein's cooking for more than ten years now.  I have fond memories of meals at Tantra, The Strand and Azul. More recently at Michy's, Sra. Martinez, MB at the Omphoy (Palm Beach) and now Crumb on Parchment.  I've also enjoyed watching her frequent TV appearances as Judge on Top Chef and as host of Check, Please! She also deserves recognition for her generous charitable work including but not limited to her work with Common Threads


Jsdonn

Before I move on to the meal I would be remiss without thanking Chef  Bernstein for not only taking time out of her ridiculously busy schedule to host a Cobaya dinner but for serving a fantastic meal and providing us with a first class and really special night.  I also want to thank chefs Berenice de Araujo (chef de cuisine-Sra. Martinez) and Jason Schaan (chef de cuisine-Michy's) for their prominent roles in the meal as well as the rest of the kitchen crew.   Additional thanks goes to sommelier Allegra Angelo who poured some great and interesting wines that paired perfectly with each course.  Pastry chef Vanessa Paz for helping conceptualize the dessert courses.   Extra special thanks goes out to Jorge Anaya-Lopez (GM-Sra. Martinez) who helped coordinate the dinner and for making sure it went off without a glitch.  He was also seen hustling around the room throughout the night.

Also notable was the efficient and proper service we encountered.  It was better than what you see in most restaurants around town and even more impressive given the fact that they were dealing with the pressure of a thirty-four person tasting menu.  The etiquette is clearly a reflection on the training and guidance provided by Chef Bernstein, David (Sr. Martinez) and Jorge.

Additionally, the pacing of the meal was perfect which is not an easy task when serving a tasting menu for a group that large.  We were done in about two hours which is a Cobaya record.

Another highlight of the meal was being able to see Chef Bernstein plate each course table side at various stations.  This was an added treat and one that we all enjoyed.

PROSECUTION CASE IN CHEF:
 
Oyster Chawan Mushi with Scallop and Uni Ceviche
Julien Fouet Saumur 2008

Whole Roasted Foie Gras with Garden Vegetables
and Carrot-Orange Sauce
Kiralyudvar Tokaji Sec 2006

Chupe de Mariscos with Squid Ink Croquetas
Mercy Pinot Noir Arroyo Seco

New York Steak with Truffle Butter and
Gnocchi with Celery Leaf, Lily Bulbs and Budding Chives
Mas Sorrer Montsant

Calamansi Soup with Pineapple and Mint Ice Cream

Banana Tarte Tatin
Rock Wall Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2008



Oyster Chawan Mushi with Scallop and Uni Ceviche
Jsdonn

I'm a big fan of oysters, scallops and uni so the first course hit a
sweet spot and was a real treat. The oysters were paired with a chawan mushi (Japanese egg custard) and topped with enoki mushrooms and green onions. The oysters were great and the combination worked well.  This dish also included a non-traditional scallop ceviche topped with uni. What more needs to be said? It was fantastic.

 



Course two featured another one of my favorites, foie gras. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the tray of whole roasted foie gras pass me on its way to the carving station.  It was cooked sous vide then quickly seared. It was a beautiful site. Chef Bernstein sliced it table side via an electric knife and paired it with turnips, carrots, fava beans and a light carrot-orange sauce.  The foie was outstanding and the vegetables held their own making this an incredible dish.  I was unfamiliar with the wine selection but thought it paired perfectly.  I loved the first course but this may have been better.       


Chupe de Mariscos
Jsdonn

Next on the docket was another winner. The Chupe de Mariscos featured a sous vide cooked shrimp, an Amazonian fish called paiche, mussels, purple potatoes and a fried quail egg.  I enjoyed each component but the melt in your mouth paiche was the standout for me. Even better was the broth that was packed with flavor and a nice spicy kick. I was tempted to pick up the bowl and suck it all back...  Oh wait, I almost forgot about the ridiculously good black squid ink risotto croquetas which were accompanied by a saffron aioli.  These may have been my favorite bite of the night.  Allegra paired this with a very nice pinot noir that worked well with the broth.  This was an tremendous dish all around. 





The last savory course was probably my least favorite of the night but that is only in comparison to the first three.  That said, it was easily the most fun. We were served a plate that consisted of a NY Strip Steak cooked sous vide with truffle butter, gnocchi and a syringe. Yes, a syringe which was filled with more truffle butter.  After Chef Bernstein instructed us on how to inject our beef,  I immediately blurted out "Dr. Martinez and the botox steak".  I enjoyed the creative nature of this dish and there was a buzz in the room during this course from start to finish.  The gnocchi was cooked perfectly and complimented the steak.  I was unfamiliar with this wine as well but enjoyed it.

Calamansi Soup with Pineapple, Mint Ice Cream
Jsdonn
Next up was a very refreshing and palate cleansing calamansi soup which we poured over a raspberry, pineapple and mint ice cream. It was a nice change of pace. 

The last weapon was a banana tarte tatin.  Sounds simple, right? Guess again. This dessert bomb consisted of a chocolate pastry topped with bananas, salted caramel foam and nutmeg ice cream. It was topped off with awesome chocolate pretzels.  I enjoyed watching each chef step up and contribute to the preparation of this dish one by one.             

CLOSING ARGUMENT:

This was a fantastic evening in every way from start to finish. We are very fortunate to have a national celebrity and talented local treasure cooking right here in our backyard. She successfully incorporates classic and modern techniques and never forgets to blow you away with interesting preparations and flavorful dishes. She's Miami's own and She's a Rock Star. 

If you haven't been to Michy's I encourage you to go and experience her work first hand.   If you haven't been back recently, what are you waiting for?? Go! I already booked my next reservation.


Me...