Tuesday
Sep 07th
| North Miami Beach |
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Bamboo Garden 1232 NE 163rd St. 305-945-1722 Big enough for a banquet (up to 300 guests), this veteran is many diners’ favorite on the 163rd/167th Street “Chinatown” strip because of its superior décor. But the menu also offers well-prepared, authentic dishes like peppery black bean clams, sautéed mustard greens, and steamed whole fish with ginger and scallions, plus Chinese-American egg foo young. Default spicing is mild even in Szechuan dishes marked with red-chili icons, but don’t worry; realizing some like it hot, the chefs will customize spiciness to heroic heat levels upon request. $$ Blue Marlin Fish House 2500 NE 163rd St. 305-957-8822 Located inside Oleta River State Park, this casual outdoor eatery is a rare surprise for nature lovers, especially since a young couple took over and upgraded the menu. The featured item is still the house-smoked fish this historic venue began producing in 1938, available in three varieties: salmon, mahi mahi, and the signature blue marlin. But the smokehouse now also turns out ribs and delectable brisket. Other new additions include weekend fish fries with live music. Entry is directly from 163rd Street, not through the main park entrance. No admission fee. $ Café Boogalu 14480 Biscayne Blvd., 305-949-1900 This fast-casual Brazilian eatery is the first U.S. branch of a chain from Recife, where, legend has it, the food is unusually tasty owing to the magical influence of a sacred African rhinoceros named Boogalu, who escaped from a private zoo into the region’s jungles some 150 years ago. Judge for yourself by sampling our more modern pick, the Boogalu salad (sesame-topped shrimp, mixed greens, sun-dried tomato, and mozzarella, with an unusual sweet peach dressing). For heavier eaters there are rhino-size steak, chicken, seafood, and pasta entrées for mouse-size prices. $$ China Restaurant 178 NE 167th St. 305-947-6549 When you have a yen for the Americanized Chinese fusion dishes you grew up with, all the purist regional Chinese cuisine in the world won’t scratch the itch. So the menu here, containing every authentically inauthentic Chinese-American classic you could name, is just the ticket when nostalgia strikes – from simple egg rolls to pressed almond duck (majorly breaded boneless chunks, with comfortingly thick gravy). $-$$ Chipotle Mexican Grill 14776 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-2779 www.chipotle.com Proving that national fast-food chains don’t have to be bad for either diners or the environment, Chipotle serves what the company calls “food with integrity.” The fare is simple, basically tacos and big burritos: soft flour or crisp corn tortillas stuffed with chipotle-marinated steak or chicken chunks, bolder shredded beef barbacoa, or herb-scented pork carnitas. But these bites contain no evil ingredients (transfats, artificial color/flavor, antibiotics, growth hormones). And the food, while not the authentic Mex street stuff dreams are made of, is darned tasty, too. $ Christine’s Roti Shop 16721 NE 6th Ave. 305-770-0434 Wraps are for wimps. At this small shop run by Christine Gouvela, originally from British Guyana, the wrapper is a far more substantial and tasty roti, a Caribbean mega-crepe made from chickpea flour. Most popular filling for the flatbread is probably jerk chicken, bone-in pieces in a spiced stew of potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, and more chickpeas. But there are about a dozen other curries from which to choose. Take-out packages of plain roti are also available; they transform myriad leftovers into tasty, portable lunches. $ El Gran Inka 3155 NE 163rd St. 305-940-4910 www.graninka.com Though diners at this upscale Peruvian eatery will find ceviches, a hefty fried-seafood jalea, and Peru’s other expected traditional specialties, all presented far more elegantly than most in town, the contemporary Peruvian fusion creations are unique. Especially recommended are two dishes adapted from recipes by Peru’s influential nikkei (Japanese/Creole) chef Rosita Yimura: an exquisite, delicately sauced tiradito de corvina, and for those with no fear of cholesterol, pulpo de oliva (octopus topped with rich olive sauce). $$$-$$$$
Flamma Brazilian Steakhouse 3913 NE 163rd St. (Intracoastal Mall) 305-957-9900, www.flammasteakhouse.com The rodizio formula is familiar: Pay one price ($39.90 for dinner, $29.90 at Sunday brunch), then eat till you drop from a groaning salad/appetizer bar and a massive selection of beef, pork, lamb, poultry, sausage, and fish (16 varieties at dinner; 5 at brunch) carved tableside by costumed waiters. What spectacularly differentiates Flamma: its setting on the Intracoastal Waterway. But also spectacular is a Monday-Thursday two-for-one dinner deal with a coupon available at Flamma. Unbelievable but true. $$$$ G-Coffee 3507 NE 163rd St., 305-956-5556 When a cup of regular American joe is as complex and boldly flavored as a gourmet coffeehouse’s priciest brews -- but cheaper -- the creator deserves support, especially when the coffee is organic and the company supports fair trade and sustainable production. To accompany the admirable coffees and teas, G serves paninis plus sweets ranging from guava-stuffed croissants to gelato. Service is speedy, but a relaxed ambiance, comfortable contemporary décor, and free WiFi all encourage luxuriant lingering. $ Hanna’s Gourmet Diner 13951 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-2255 When Sia and Nicole Hemmati bought the Gourmet Diner from retiring original owner Jean-Pierre Lejeune in the late 1990s, they added “Hanna’s” to the name, but changed little else about this retro-looking French/American diner, a north Miami-Dade institution since 1983. Customers can get a cheeseburger or garlicky escargots, meatloaf in tomato sauce or boeuf bourguignon in red wine sauce, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, or a mushroom and squid salad with garlic dressing. For oysters Rockefeller/tuna-melt couples from Venus and Mars, it remains the ideal dinner date destination. $$-$$$ Hiro Japanese Restaurant 3007 NE 163rd St., 305-948-3687 One of Miami’s first sushi restaurants, Hiro retains an amusing retro-glam feel, an extensive menu of both sushi and cooked Japanese food, and late hours that make it a perennially popular after-hours snack stop. The sushi menu has few surprises, but quality is reliable. Most exceptional are the nicely priced yakitori, skewers of succulently soy-glazed and grilled meat, fish, and vegetables; the unusually large variety available of the last makes this place a good choice for vegetarians. $$ Hiro’s Sushi Express 17048 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-949-0776 Tiny, true, but there’s more than just sushi at this mostly take-out spin-off of the pioneering Hiro. Makis are the mainstay (standard stuff like California rolls, more complex creations like multi-veg futomaki, and a few unexpected treats like a spicy Crunch & Caliente maki), available à la carte or in value-priced individual and party combo platters. But there are also bento boxes featuring tempura, yakitori skewers, teriyaki, stir-fried veggies, and udon noodles. Another branch is now open in Miami’s Upper Eastside. $ Hiro’s Yakko-San 17040 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-947-0064 After sushi chefs close up their own restaurants for the night, many come here for a rare taste of Japanese home cooking, served in grazing portions. Try glistening-fresh strips of raw tuna can be had in maguro nuta – mixed with scallions and dressed with habit-forming honey-miso mustard sauce. Other favorites include goma ae (wilted spinach, chilled and dressed in sesame sauce), garlic stem and beef (mild young shoots flash-fried with tender steak bits), or perhaps just-caught grouper with hot/sweet/tangy chili sauce. Open till around 3:00 a.m. $$ Heelsha 1550 NE 164th St., 305-919-8393 www.heelsha.com If unusual Bangladeshi dishes like fiery pumpkin patey (cooked with onion, green pepper, and pickled mango) or Heelsha curry (succulently spiced hilsa, Bangladesh’s sweet-fleshed national fish) seem familiar, it’s because chef/owner Bithi Begum and her husband Tipu Raman once served such fare at the critically acclaimed Renaisa. Their menu’s mix-and-match option allows diners to pair their choice of meat, poultry, fish, or vegetable with more than a dozen regional sauces, from familiar Indian styles to exotica like satkara, flavored with a Bangladeshi citrus reminiscent of sour orange. $$-$$$ Iron Sushi 16350 W. Dixie Hwy. 305-945-2244 (See Miami Shores listing) Jerusalem Market and Deli 16275 Biscayne Blvd. 305-948-9080 Specialties like shawarma, spinach pies, kebabs, hummus, and kibbeh (a savory mix of ground lamb and bulgur) are native to many Middle East countries, but when a Lebanese chef/owner, like this eatery’s Sam Elzoor, is at the helm, you can expect extraordinary refinement. There are elaborate daily specials here, like lemon chicken or stuffed cabbage with a variety of sides, but even a common falafel sandwich is special when the pita is also stuffed with housemade cabbage and onion salads, plus unusually rich and tart tahina. $-$$ Kabobji 3055 NE 163rd St., 305-354-8484www.EatKabobji.com This place makes a very good tahini sauce. In fact that alone is reason enough to visit. We prefer ours with this bright, cheery eatery’s delightfully oniony falafel or a veg-garnished wrap of thin-sliced marinated beef schwarma. They also do a beautifully spiced, and reassuringly fresh-tasting, raw kibbi naye (Middle Eastern steak tartare). It’s hard to resist putting together a grazing meal of starters and wraps, but there’s also a roster of full entrées (with soup or salad plus starch), including tempting vegetarian and seafood meals for noncarnivores. $$ Kebab Indian Restaurant 514 NE 167th St. 305-940-6309 Since the 1980s this restaurant, located in an unatmospheric mini strip mall but surprisingly romantic inside (especially if you grab one of the exotically draped booths) has been a popular destination for reasonably priced north Indian fare. Kormas are properly soothing and vindaloos are satisfactorily searing, but the kitchen will adjust seasonings upon request. They aim to please. Food arrives unusually fast for an Indian eatery, too. $$ King Palace 330 NE 167th St. 305-949-2339 The specialties here are authentic Chinatown-style barbecue (whole ducks, roast pork strips, and more, displayed in a glass case by the door), and fresh seafood dishes, the best made with the live fish swimming in two tanks by the dining room entrance. There’s also a better-than-average selection of seasonal Chinese veggies. The menu is extensive, but the best ordering strategy, since the place is usually packed with Asians, is to see what looks good on nearby tables, and point. $$ Laurenzo’s Market Café 16385 W. Dixie Hwy. 305-945-6381 www.laurenzosmarket.com It’s just a small area between the wines and the fridge counters – no potted palms, and next-to-no service in this cafeteria-style space. But when negotiating this international gourmet market’s packed shelves and crowds has depleted your energies, it’s a handy place to refuel with eggplant parmesan and similar Italian-American classics, housemade from old family recipes. Just a few spoonfuls of Wednesday’s hearty pasta fagiole, one of the daily soup specials, could keep a person shopping for hours. And now that pizza master Carlo is manning the wood-fired oven, you can sample the thinnest, crispiest pies outside Napoli. $-$$ Lime Fresh Mexican Grill 14831 Biscayne Blvd., 305-949-8800 (See Midtown / Wynwood / Design District listing) Little Saigon 16752 N. Miami Ave. 305-653-3377 This is Miami’s oldest traditional Vietnamese restaurant, but it’s still packed most weekend nights. So even the place’s biggest negative – its hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, not encouraging of lingering visits – becomes a plus since it ensures fast turnover. Chef/owner Lily Tao is typically in the kitchen, crafting green papaya salad, flavorful beef noodle pho (served with greens, herbs, and condiments that make it not just a soup but a whole ceremony), and many other Vietnamese classics. The menu is humongous. $-$$ Mary Ann Bakery 1284 NE 163rd St. 305-945-0333 Don’t be unduly alarmed by the American birthday cakes in the window. At this small Chinese bakery the real finds are the Chinatown-style baked buns and other savory pastries, filled with roast pork, bean sauce, and curried ground beef. Prices are under a buck, making them an exotic alternative to fast-food dollar meals. There’s one table for eat-in snackers. $ The Melting Pot 15700 Biscayne Blvd. 305-947-2228 www.meltingpot.com For 1950s and 1960s college students, fondue pots were standard dorm accessories. These days, however, branches of this chain are generally the only places to go for this eating experience. Start with a wine-enriched four-cheese fondue; proceed to an entrée with meat or seafood, plus choice of cooking potion (herbed wine, bouillon, or oil); finish with fruits and cakes dipped in melted chocolate. Fondue etiquette dictates that diners who drop a skewer in the pot must kiss all other table companions, so go with those you love. $$$ Oishi Thai 14841 Biscayne Blvd. 305-947-4338 www.oishithai.com At this stylish Thai/sushi spot, try the menu of specials, many of which clearly reflect the young chef’s fanatical devotion to fresh fish, as well as the time he spent in the kitchen of Knob: broiled miso-marinated black cod; rock shrimp tempura with creamy sauce; even Nobu Matsuhisa’s “new style sashimi” (slightly surface-seared by drizzles of hot olive and sesame oil). The specials menu includes some Thai-inspired creations, too, such as veal massaman curry, Chilean sea bass curry, and sizzling filet mignon with basil sauce. $$$-$$$$ Panya Thai 520 NE 167th St. 305-945-8566 Unlike authentic Chinese cuisine, there’s no shortage of genuine Thai food in and around Miami. But Panya’s chef/owner, a Bangkok native, offers numerous regional and/or rare dishes not found elsewhere. Plus he doesn’t automatically curtail the heat or sweetness levels to please Americans. Among the most intriguing: moo khem phad wan (chewy deep-fried seasoned pork strips with fiery tamarind dip, accompanied by crisp green papaya salad); broad rice noodles stir-fried with eye-opening chili/garlic sauce and fresh Thai basil; and chili-topped Diamond Duck in tangy tamarind sauce. $$-$$$ Paquito’s 16265 Biscayne Blvd. 305-947-5027 From the outside, this strip-mall Mexican eatery couldn’t be easier to overlook. Inside, however, its festivity is impossible to resist. Every inch of wall space seems to be covered with South of the Border knickknacks. And if the kitschy décor alone doesn’t cheer you, the quickly arriving basket of fresh (not packaged) taco chips, or the mariachi band, or the knockout margaritas will. Food ranges from Tex-Mex burritos and a party-size fajita platter to authentic Mexican moles and harder-to-find traditional preparations like albóndigas – spicy, ultra-savory meatballs. $$-$$$ Pasha’s 14871 Biscayne Blvd. 786-923-2323 www.pashas.com (See Miami: Brickell / Downtown listing) Paul Bakery Café 14861 Biscayne Blvd. 305-940-4443 www.paulusa.com From one rural shop in 1889, the French bakery known simply as Paul has grown to a worldwide chain, which fortunately chose to open its first U.S. outlet in our town. One bite of the crusty peasant loaf, the olive-studded fougasse, or another of the signature artisan breads transports you right back to France. As authentic as the boulangerie breads are, the patisserie items like flan normande are just as evocative. For eat-in diners, quite continental soups, salads, and sandwiches are equally and dependably French. $$ Pizza Fusion 14815 Biscayne Blvd., 305-405-6700 www.pizzafusion.com “Saving the earth one pizza at a time” is the motto at this franchise of the only pizza chain to require third-party organic restaurant certification at all locations. Their gluten-free crusts make it mighty friendly to pizza fanatics with food allergies. Starters, salads, desserts, and organic wines/beers are also served. And delivery is available -- in hybrid cars, of course. Specials unique to this NMB franchise include Sunday-Thursday happy hours, a free Kids Organic Club class on Saturdays, 10:00-11:00 a.m., and varied Monday-Wednesday freebies. $-$$ PK Oriental Mart 255 NE 167th St. 305-654-9646 Unlike other Asian markets on this strip between I-95 and Biscayne Boulevard, PK has a prepared-food counter, serving authentic Chinatown barbecue, with appropriate dipping sauces included. Weekends bring the biggest selection, including barbecued ribs and pa pei duck (roasted, then deep-fried till extra crisp and nearly free of subcutaneous fat). Available every day are juicy, soy-marinated roast chickens, roast pork strips, crispy pork, and whole roast ducks – hanging, beaks and all. But no worries; a counterperson will chop your purchase into bite-size, beakless pieces. $ Racks Italian Kitchen 3933 NE 163rd St. (Intracoastal Mall) 305-917-7225 The complexity of the Racks concept makes a sound-bite description impossible. It's part Italian market, with salumi, cheeses, and other artisan products plus take-out prepared foods; part enoteca (wine bar, featuring snacks like addictive Portobello fritti with truffle aioli, especially enjoyable on the waterfront deck); part ristorante (pastas and other Big Food); part pizzeria. What's important: All components feel and taste authentically Italian. Just don't miss the coal-oven pizza. Superior toppings (including unusually zesty tomato sauce) plus an astonishingly light yet chewy crust make Racks' pies a revelation. $$ Roasters & Toasters 18515 NE 18th Ave. 305-830-3354 Attention ex-New Yorkers: Is your idea of food porn one of the Carnegie Deli’s mile-high pastrami sandwiches? Well, Roasters will dwarf them. Consider the “Carnegie-style” monster containing, according to the menu, a full pound of succulent meat (really 1.4 pounds; we weighed it), for a mere 15 bucks. All the other Jewish deli classics are here too, including perfectly sour pickles, silky hand-sliced nova or lox, truly red-rare roast beef, and the cutest two-bite mini-potato pancakes ever — eight per order, served with sour cream and applesauce. $$ Sang’s Chinese Restaurant 1925 NE 163rd St. 305-947-7076 Sang’s has three menus. The pink menu is Americanized Chinese food, from chop suey to honey garlic chicken. The white menu permits the chef to show off his authentic Chinese fare: salt and pepper prawns, rich beef/turnip casserole, tender salt-baked chicken, even esoterica like abalone with sea cucumber. The extensive third menu offers dim sum, served until 4:00 p.m. A live tank allows seasonal seafood dishes like lobster with ginger and scallion. Recently installed: a Chinese barbecue case, displaying savory items like crispy pork with crackling attached. $$$ Scorch Grillhouse and Wine Bar 13750 Biscayne Blvd. 305-949-5588 www.scorchgrillhouse.com Though some food folks were initially exasperated when yet another Latin-influenced grill replaced one of our area’s few Vietnamese restaurants, it’s hard to bear a grudge at a friendly, casual neighborhood place that offers monster ten-ounce char-grilled burgers, with potatoes or salad, for $8.50; steaks, plus a side and a sauce or veg topper, for nine bucks at lunch, $15 to $18.75 (the menu’s top price) at night; and three-dollar glasses of decent house wine. $-$$ Shing Wang Vegetarian, Icee & Tea House 237 NE 167th St. 305-654-4008 www.shingwangrestaurant.com At this unique Taiwanese eatery, run by a trio of Taipei-trained female chefs, all seafood, poultry, and meats in the budget-priced entrées ($6.95) are mock – imitations made from wheat gluten, tofu, and vegetables. But don’t mock it till you try the quite beefy pepper steak, or smokin’ duck, with slices that mimic the charcuterie item down to convincing faux fat. Other main dishes feature recognizable veggies or noodles. As for the rest of the name: icee is shaved ice, an over-the-top dessert that’s a sort of a slurpee sundae, with toppings that vary from the familiar (fresh fruits) to the weird (grass jelly, sweet corn, kidney beans, rice balls, chocolate pudding). And the bubble tea is a must-not-miss. Using housemade syrup, the cold, refreshing boba comes in numerous flavors (mango, taro, even actual tea), all supplemented with signature black tapioca balls that, slurped through large-diameter straws, are a guaranteed giggle. $ Siam Square 54 NE 167th St. 305-944-9697 Open until 1:00 a.m. every day except Sunday (when is closes at midnight), this relatively new addition to North Miami Beach’s “Chinatown” strip has become a popular late-night gathering spot for chefs from other Asian restaurants. And why not? The food is fresh, nicely presented, and reasonably priced. The kitchen staff is willing to customize dishes upon request, and the serving staff is reliably fast. Perhaps most important, karaoke equipment is in place when the mood strikes. $-$$ Sushi House 15911 Biscayne Blvd. 305-947-6002 In terms of décor drama, this sushi spot seems to have taken its cue from Philippe Starck: sheer floor-to-ceiling drapes, for starters. The sushi list, too, is over the top, featuring monster makis like the Cubbie Comfort: spicy tuna, soft-shell crab, shrimp and eel tempura, plus avocado, jalapeños, and cilantro, topped with not one but three sauces: wasabi, teriyaki, and spicy mayo. Hawaiian King Crab contains unprecedented ingredients like tomatoes, green peppers, and pineapple. Boutique wines, artisan sakes, and cocktails are as exotic as the cuisine. $$$-$$$$ Sushi Sake 13551 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-4242 Chic Asian-accented décor, video screens, 99-cent drink deals, and late-night hours make this hip hangout not just a sushi bar but sort of a neighborhood bar, too. That said, the sushi is impressive, mainly because seafood is delivered daily and all except the shrimp is fresh, not frozen (as is customary at most Miami sushi places). Also notable: All sauces are housemade. Cooked makis like a crunch-topped Miami Heat are most popular, but it’s as sashimi that the fish’s freshness truly shines. $$-$$$ Tuna’s Raw Bar and Grille 17850 W. Dixie Hwy. 305-932-0630 www.tunasrawbarandgrille.com The reincarnated Tuna’s has gained new owners, a new name, a dazzling outdoor bar and dining area, and a newly impressive selection of raw-bar specialties: cold-water oysters from the Northeast, plus Blue Points, Malpecs, Island Creeks, and more. Traditional house favorites remain, and the emphasis is still on fresh fish from local waters. Open daily till 2:00 a.m., the place can get rather festive after midnight, but since the kitchen is open till closing, Tuna’s draws a serious late-night dining crowd, too. $$-$$$ |
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