Ok. I did it. I gave Gigi another chance. I went with a friend and my boyfriend after finishing a late night of dancing at The Pickle. I had spoken to a few other people after my first visit and was armed with a list of different dishes to try that would hopefully change my low opinion of Gigi.

We ordered the melons, the fried chicken skin and the meatloaf. When the melons arrived, we were all shocked at the amount of fruit on the small plate. Between the three of us, I think we each had a portion of one and a half pieces. There was some spiciness sprinkled on top that added a nice little kick but it would have been nicer if we had more fruit.

We decided to get the fried chicken skin because that is one of the best parts of fried chicken (and we all know how much I love fried chicken!). We received a mountainous heap of this stuff, which made it look pretty unappetizing. After eating a few pieces, it just seemed kind of gross. Since there was so much, it felt like we were eating scraps of other people’s leftovers.

The meatloaf, on the other hand, was AMAZING! So tasty and delicious. The meat was cooked perfectly and the sauce was a great balance. But it definitely was not a dish meant for sharing. Two forkfuls each and it was gone.

I ended my meal with a cute little cone of the daily flavor of ice cream, which was black cherry. My friend Phi told me about their tiny cones so I had to get one and they were only $1! The ice cream was light and flavorful.

My friend got a brownie and a side of ice cream, which was pretty good.

My boyfriend got a rice krispy treat. I feel like rice krispy treats are one of those safe food items that you think,  “Eh, they can’t really fuck it up” like rice or salad. But boy, did they fuck it up. They must have used a box of Rice Krispies from when they first opened because that shit was stale! We complained and my boyfriend got a lemon poppy seed cookie instead. It turned out to be a much better choice.

This second visit to Gigi has made it clearer to me the type of place it is. It isn’t a restaurant made for eating. It is made for snacking. The menu is set up for you to order a variety of plates for sharing but the portions are small so it’s like a tease. Gigi is basically that girl in the neighborhood that will dry hump the shit out of you but won’t let you touch her underneath her clothes. HOWEVER, the meat, like the meatloaf and the pork buns, are GOOD! They are very well done and sauced up to perfection. And the ice cream – yummy. So those are the only things I will order there – pork, beef and ice cream. The Gigi trinity.

I love the Midtown area. Mostly because Target is there and I LOVE Target. But the area is expanding with new restaurants and shops. I made a visit to Angelina’s, a self-serve frozen yogurt spot. I am not the biggest fan of frozen yogurt but this place had GREAT flavors. And it was so cute too!

There were 8 different flavors when I went - my favorites were cookies & creme and strawberry. They charge you by the ounce and you can pile on loads of different toppings that range from cereals, chocolates, candies and fruits. They also have these little cups so you can sample the different flavors. That’s really good for broke ass, cheap ass people because they can get their froyo fix without really having to pay. But it sucks for the business since they aren’t regulating the samples.

Angelina’s also offers a variety of caffeinated drinks and also WAFFLES! My boyfriend and I got hype on the waffles so naturally, we had to get one.

There is no set price for only the waffle - they just add the weight of it and charge you by the ounce.

My boyfriend and I split up our waffle with our toppings. A bit of froyo, strawberries, condensed milk and I added chocolate syrup and mochi to my half. 

It was really yummy but unfortunately, I don’t remember how much we paid. 

Angelina’s was a super cute place and I think I filled up on at least 4 ounces of samples before getting my waffle. There are definite downsides to this little cafe. I kind of felt bad that since it was a “self-serve” type of place, people were just getting so many samples, eating some of the toppings and didn’t pay! Miami people take advantage of that type of shit. But that is the shop’s bad for not conducting their business properly to prevent that. Another downside is that we went with a group of friends on a Saturday afternoon and there was only ONE girl working. It took FOREVER when we finally did order something. Once we got our waffle, we put the toppings on and had to wait….and wait…and wait to pay. I just kept wanting to eat the strawberries and mochi off but then I realized it’d be like stealing since my stupid waffle wasn’t weighed. AND my damn frozen yogurt was melting! After waiting so long, another employee showed up. I guess he was on a milk run but even his added presence didn’t make the line go any faster. They were definitely understaffed and SLOW!

If you’re strolling around Midtown on a lazy afternoon and don’t have any pressing appointments or errands to run within the next 30 minutes, then I suggest you check out Angelina’s. But if you got somewhere to be, maybe you just should throw a Haagen Dazs bar on top of an Eggo before you leave the house.

I’ve been such a slacker on the blog posts but since my school semester is over so new posts are coming! 

Last month, I went to Morgan’s for brunch. I’ve never quite understood brunch because I will eat breakfast whenever. I’m not restricted by times. I just think brunch was invented as an excuse to make it okay to drink alcohol in the morning time. And nothing is wrong with that!

I started off with some fresh squeezed OJ, which was tasty but of regular quality and kind of expensive. $6 for a glass. Yikes. I tried to ration it out to make it last the entire meal.

I ordered the French toast and it was really good. It came with a side of cinnamon butter, which added a unique touch. The 3 huge slices were enough for my boyfriend and me to share.

I also got a side of maple basted bacon. I love bacon and the sweetness of the maple made it even better. After awhile, it was a little too much but nonetheless, it was still good.

My boyfriend ordered the eggs benedict florentine and I had half of it. I had never eaten this dish before but he said that it was done very well.

Overall, Morgan’s was good food but the pricey menu will keep it from being in my regular rotation of restaurants. The outside patio seating area is awesome on a nice, sunny Miami day. If you want to splurge one day on brunch, then this place is good. And you better order that maple bacon!

I was never a fan of B&B (The Burger & Beer Joint). I had went there when they first opened because everyone was saying how great the burgers were. I did not like. The burgers are overpriced and the one I got was dry and had wilted lettuce and tomatoes on it. And I felt like the fries were trying to hard to be like The Standard’s crack fries…and it wasn’t successful.

BUT my friend Leslie showed me the way. Forget the burgers. It’s all about the mac & cheese at B&B. Prepared au gratin, it’s baked with a nice crunchy top. You can also add extras like bacon, jalapeños or truffle oil.  

I have tried the mac and cheese three ways - 1) with no additions, 2) with bacon and 3) with jalapeños. All three have been soooooooooooooooo good! Everything is better with bacon, so I had no problems with that one. The jalapeño one had a nice kick to it but it could get too much at times. I don’t think I would ever order a plate with both bacon and jalapeños because it would be overwhelming.

I also discovered the mini corn dogs there. Since I don’t like the burgers at B&B, this appetizer is a good alternative and they are so cute!

There are two locations - one on South Beach and one in Brickell. Both are open pretty late but naturally, the SOBE one caters more to the night owls. And be forewarned - if you click on their website, it will take forever to load the “menu” which only features their burgers and doesn’t give you any info on the other food they offer. Their website kind of blows.

A new restaurant, Gigi, opened up in Midtown (on N. Miami Ave and 35th Street) advertising “Noodles…BBQ…Beer” all over their windows. Yes, yes and yes, please. Located on the same block as Bardot, Gigi has a really modern, hip feel with high ceilings and a chill atmosphere. I had heard really good things about the food.

All of the items my boyfriend and I ordered were highly recommended by the hostess, server and all the people who raved to me about how great this place is.

We started off with the roasted pork Gigi buns.

This is what showed up. My first thought, “This isn’t a bun..this is like a taco.” But then I tasted it and it was soooo good. The pork and the sauce were really yummy.

Next was the roasted corn with tofu shmeer. 

It looked nice. But I wasn’t that impressed. The tofu shmeer was supposed to mimic butter - I get that. But did it add anything special? No. The seasoning that was on the corn was a little spicy and a little tasty, though.

For the main dish, we shared the slow braised curry duck leg with coconut risotto.

Eh. It wasn’t spectacular. It was just curry. I felt like the duck was lacking that magical element that makes you want to eat more and more. The coconut risotto wasn’t that great of a match either. I felt as if someone was like, “Coconut is good with curry. It will help with the heat. Let’s do it.” It didn’t really work out.

For dessert, we had the Gigi Bar - Ovaltine dusted on a layer of chocolate Bavarian creme which sits on top of a layer of chocolate rice krispies and chocolate.

It was pretty good but nothing mind blowing. And it was tiny. Like it could be consumed in 3 spoonfuls. 

I really, REALLY wanted to like Gigi. I truly did. The space and decor was cool, they are open really late and the prices aren’t crazy. But the food didn’t convince me. I’m willing to give it another try but I hope it’s worth a second chance.

I LOVE cupcakes. Like for real for reals. In fact, I have a tattoo showing my love for the baked yumminess. 

A few years ago, a friend handed me a crumpled piece of paper she had cut out of a local paper. It was an ad for Sweetcakes. This little cupcake shop is tucked away in a plaza off of Biscayne and 84th Street. It was love at first bite. The cake is light and there is a perfect amount of the buttercream frosting to balance out each nibble. If the frosting to cake ratio is off on a cupcake, then what the hell is the point? 

SInce I have discovered Sweetcakes a few years back, they are my go-to spot for any of my cupcake needs like birthdays, anniversaries, going away presents or for a happy-time snack.

The owner, Barbie, is super nice and can basically do whatever you want to decorate these mini cakes. (Oh yea, she does regular sized cakes, brownies -which are the best!, woopie pies and cookies) The first time I bought a batch for my boyfriends birthday, she did a music theme (because he’s a DJ) and adorned the tops with fondant vinyl records, headphones and music notes. His last birthday, he turned 31 or “thirty guns.”

For my birthday, they did a Hello Kitty theme on them…and they were DELICIOUS!

Sweetcakes is open from Monday-Saturday from 11am-6pm (or until all their cupcakes sell out for the day). The bakery offers a variety of daily flavors including a few drunken cupcakes thrown in there like mojito and kahlua. They also can make custom cupcakes, however they need at least 24 hours in advance. Our favorite custom is dulce de leche filled vanilla cupcakes with a bit of dulce de lech drizzled on top of vanilla frosting. SOOOO GOOD!

FUCK ALL THE OTHER CUPCAKE PLACES! Sweetcakes is where it’s at.

I feel a little spoiled. I have some of the best places to eat a few steps away from each other. Lemoni has the tastiest paninis, salads and dinner specials. Buena Vista Bistro is a cute little French spot that has the best snapper and crab cakes ever. The owner and chef, Claude, opened up a deli on the corner earlier this year. I would go to the Bistro just to eat desserts sometimes. I’m not a big fan of apple pie but the way Claude prepared it was too good to pass up. Swiss-style with sliced apples on top and a perfect amount of filling, complimented by the perfect crust and a scoop of ice cream. So good.

The Buena Vista Deli is like Cheers but with yummy pastries instead of beer. If you visit often enough, you will definitely feel welcomed in this little neighborhood joint. Claude and his pastry chef, Damian, wake up at the ass crack of dawn to prepare the pastries fresh every day. My favorites are the raspberry tart, mille-feuille, duchess and the croissants. I also LOVE the raspberry jelly. I never was too big on jelly because I hate the consistency but Claude’s jelly is different. Home-made and fruity, not gelatinous. 

The Deli also serves salads, sandwiches and an array of breakfast items. I’ve heard the pate is really yummy too. They are open from 6am-9pm, plenty of time to stop by for a little snack or a full meal.

Yakko-San in North Miami Beach is one of my favorite places to go when I want to treat myself. Yakko-San serves authentic Japanese food so the average sushi-eater probably would not have experienced at least half of the items on the menu before. There are definitely some things on there that made me go “WTF O_o” on my first visit. Most of the menu consist of Japanese “tapas” - little plates that are meant for sharing. 

Now that I am a seasoned visitor, I have my own set of things that I ALWAYS order. The spicy tuna sashimi salad is sooooo good! I can eat this EVERY DAY! The greens are always fresh, the tuna is delicious and the dressing makes me want to die because it’s so yummy. You can also order it without the heat but that’s no fun.

I also order the crispy bok choy. Usually I am not a fan of bok choy however the theory that deep frying everything makes it better proves true with this veggie. 

I recently discovered dried kawahagi, which is trigger fish jerky. Definitely not for everyone but I really love it. My friends that aren’t too into it say it’s too fishy for them. For me, it’s like sweet, crunchy fish jerky. I could see myself inhaling a whole plate of these while watching TV. 

Other items that are really fucking good that I didn’t order on this visit are:

• Black pork belly - soo yummy with a side of rice. The pork is crispy but tender.
• Black pork sausage -  great alternative to the black pork belly. Basically the same meat but in a sausage form. (that’s what she said?)
• Sea bass miso - seriously, it’s like butter. Smooth and delicate flavors.
• Yakiniku steak - Sliced BBQ steak covered in a sweet sauce.

When visiting Yakko-San for the first time, I highly recommend you go with someone who has eaten there before. They know what’s up so you know stuff is good. Whatever you do, don’t order the natto! No matter how good this cute little Asian girl makes it look. (I honestly don’t know how she’s downing it like that…yikes!)

You should obviously know by now that I am a fan of burgers. Nothing beats a fat, juicy patty covered in cheese with caramelized onions, a crisp piece of lettuce, and a tomato slice between a lightly grilled bun. Mmm..just writing that made me hungry. 

My pick for best burger in Miami (for right now, and it has been for quite some time now) is….Drum roll, please… ONE BURGER in the Gables! I was introduced to this burger spot a couple of years ago and since the first bite, it has held its place in my heart for best burger.

I always order the Black Castle, which is just a classic cheeseburger with onions and ketchup (lettuce and tomato added upon request). 

There are a lot of not-so-good aspects about this restaurant, though.

• 99% of the time, the service SUCKS. The last time I went, which was the other day, the service was surprisingly GREAT! But every time before that, it was horrible. There was this one douche bag that worked there and it seemed like he was the ONLY employee! It seemed like he hated his job, his life and you. Rude, mean and an all around unpleasant man. 
• The atmosphere is weird. The restaurant inside is all white with black chairs. The seating is pretty awkward. There are 3 two-tops in the front of the restaurant and the rest of the dining area is this little echo-y room. There is absolutely no vibe, no music. It kind of feels like you’re eating in some sterile, medical or mental institution cafeteria. 
• The decor is odd. They have black and white photos hung up around the place - some on canvas and some just printed out on paper. All of them include the restaurant logo photoshopped into the picture. For example, Homer Simpson standing in front of One Burger, the logo super-imposed on a wall that’s in the middle of a crowded beach…just cheesy.
• The food is served on styrofoam plates. They give you plastic forks. The cups are plastic. They must really hate doing dishes.

HOWEVER, I can look past all of these negative things because the burgers are THAT fucking good! They don’t do anything crazy to them (perhaps sprinkle some crack maybe?) and there’s no outrageous gimmick like selling a 50 pound burger. It’s just good. Period. The burger size isn’t too big but enough to satisfy your appetite. The patty is juicy and flavorful. The fries are pretty good. The prices are average - not super cheap but not insanely expensive. 

Even though I would get horrendous service every time I went before, I would still go back because the food was THAT good. Enough said. Wait, one more thing - I really hope they fired that douche. Ok..now enough said.

Since I only took one photo of the food, here’s a bonus picture of my puppy loving burgers as much as I do.

I recently made a stop to Otentic, this new French restaurant that opened a couple of months ago around the block from my job. A few of my co-workers had eaten there and raved about how great the food was. Located on one of the sketchier blocks on Washington, this place stands out. I had eyed the menu beforehand and was shocked at the low prices.

When we walked in, we were greeted by the owner, who recognized my boyfriend from a previous visit. Right when we sat down, we were handed menus and a tiny little glass of white wine. I ordered a chicken and cheese crepe. Normally I’m not too big of a fan of “real food” crepes, I like to eat dessert crepes. But for some reason, I decided to go for it. 

It was pretty yummy but I will probably order something different next time I’m there. It wasn’t bad at all; I did eat the entire thing. I’m just not into crepes that much when they aren’t covered in caramel and stuffed with strawberries.

We also ordered some french fries.

Seriously, some of the best I’ve ever tasted. You can tell that they are hand cut and made fresh. They reminded me of the little potato sticks that you get in the can but way bigger. Thin, crispy and flavorful. Mmmmm so good.

Otentic also offers desserts that range from $5.30-6.45. The first time I saw the menu, I wanted to try to Cafe Gourmand, which is basically a sampler of all their desserts. It includes a mini crème brûlée, mini moelleux au chocolat (molten chocolate cake slice), roasted pineapple, “the best vanilla ice cream” and coffee or tea….and all for $6.15! 

Everything on the plate was delicious. My boyfriend LOVED the roasted pineapple. The cake was really light and moist. The crème brûlée was my favorite. It was flawless. The first “crack” of the sugar top was surprisingly perfect. It was a sign of good things to follow. I hate crème brûlées with a soggy top that seem to drag to the bottom of the plate instead of cracking apart. The custard was the right temperature, not too cold and tasty as hell. The owner did tell us that he put it in a bigger bowl for us to all share, though. So if you order it and get a smaller size, don’t hate me. 

 A little warning: they don’t have their own bathroom, they share a public restroom with the rest of the stores on the block. It feels pretty gross. Like I told my friend, I’ve never been to NYC but I would imagine it would feel a little like that - dingy, grimy and loud yelling next door.

I definitely recommend this place for anyone in the South Beach area that is looking for somewhere new and good to eat. They are open until 1AM from Monday-Thursday and Sundays and close at 5AM on Fridays and Saturdays. Give La Sandwicherie, Big Pink and Rustica a rest and go to Otentic!