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! 

Possibly the best sandwich spot on South Beach, La Sandwicherie consistently serves up fresh sandwiches, salads and smoothies. Open every day until 5AM, this place is a healthier choice to the normal late night pizza slice. In addition to the fresh ingredients La Sandwicherie uses, the price is perfect. All items range from about $6-9, with a drink and everything you can get a meal for like $11 and everything is BIG. The sandwiches are packed full with toppings and their salads are piled onto humongous plates. South Beach restaurants are typically pricey for mediocre food so finding a place that is inexpensive for a LOT of good food is like getting a 2 for 1 lap dance from your favorite stripper…EVERY TIME YOU GO! 

One of my favorites is the chicken caesar salad (hold the black olives). Lots of dressing and chicken, yummy croutons and they basically give you an entire loaf of bread on the side. 

La Sandwicherie also has their infamous vinaigrette dressing aka The Crack Sauce. Personally, it’s a little too much for me but I know a lot of people who cover their entire sandwiches in this stuff. 

A few warnings about this place though : 

-Outdoor seating only. If it’s pouring rain, don’t even think about going here.

-All their meat is sliced deli meat. Don’t expect chicken breasts or sliced steak. But they can prepare any sandwich “hot” by putting it in a toaster oven.

-After 10PM, they add a 10% gratuity to your check, so think twice before you unknowingly over tip.

-They play the most horrible music. 

Next time you are on the beach, either coming off of the sand or stumbling wasted out of a club or bar, make a stop to La Sandwicherie on 14th Street to fill your tummy (or to soak up the alcohol, you drunk!).

Le Tub, a burger joint in Hollywood Beach, has received many, many accolades praising their burgers. They were voted “Best Burger” by GQ Magazine, boasting to be one of the “20 hamburgers you must eat before you die,” and even Oprah joined the Le Tub love. I thoroughly enjoy burgers and love trying to find the best one down here, so I decided to make a visit to see if this place lived up to its reputation.

Open every day from noon to 4 AM, I would imagine it’s a great alternative to late night haunts like Denny’s or IHOP. Located deep in the cut in Hollywood Beach, both my boyfriend and I drove past it the first time around. This spot is CASH ONLY and self seating. The restaurant itself was kind of weird - all wood, the original owner built the entire place himself.  It was pretty dark and we were stumbling through an unknown layout to try to find a place to sit. I guess the ideal place would be at the tables right by the water to get a breeze. Unfortunately, all those seats were taken so we sat “inside” with no A/C, so I was sweatttiinnnggg!

Now to the food part - 

I ordered their regular sirloin burger with American Cheese. The patty is 13 ounces, which is pretty big. 

We also got an order of large fries.

After eating here, I honestly don’t think this is the BEST burger anywhere. Sometimes people confuse quantity with quality. The burger was just BIG. The patty itself had no type of seasoning and was really dry. My boyfriend ordered his burger medium, just to prevent it drying out and although the meat was still pink inside, it was still dry. There was nothing amazing about it at all. HOWEVER, the fries were delicious. Hot, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside - REALLY good. But like the patty, there was no seasoning, so a dash of salt was definitely needed. The entire time I was eating the food, I just felt that this restaurant was reenforcing the stereotype that white people don’t season their food. 

The burger was $11.50 with NO side, then $5 for fries is kind of ridiculous. And it’s not like I paid for the “atmosphere” either. The tree house feel, the weird decor. All the food was served on styrofoam plates with plastic forks and knives (not eco-friendly at all!). Didn’t care for it much.

And right where I parked my car, someone left an ENTIRE burger in a to-go container. At first I thought maybe it was there for some cats to eat or something but upon further inspection, I saw ketchup and fry remnants, debunking my initial theory. 

I should have taken that as a warning - burgers are wack, fries are great!

I love fried chicken. I love mashed potatoes. I love mac and cheese. I love soul food. I love cheap food. And I think I’ve fallen in love with Esther’s, where you can get cheap, delicious soul food.

I had my first visit today to their location that’s off NW 7th Ave and 46th Street (kind of in the hood, I guess). I was blown away with all the choices and it took me forever to finally decide to get the BBQ chicken combo. (I would have gotten fried chicken, but I ate it for lunch yesterday.) Be warned: this location is take out only! There are 4 Esther’s in all and only two of them offer inside dining. They make the food throughout the day, so nothing is made-to-order but you get your food fast!

There are a variety of lunch specials that range in price from $5-11 and all come with 2 sides. I got a 1/4 of BBQ chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and mac and cheese. The price for this meal was under $6! I also added a corn bread muffin thing for 50 cents extra. 

I don’t know if the pictures capture the whole essence of the meal but seriously, it was really great food and I had a lot left over. The to-go container had to be at least 4 pounds! The chicken was moist and the BBQ sauce had great flavor. The mac and cheese was seasoned perfectly. The mashed potatoes might not be home-made (my boyfriend and I were wondering about that) but they were still good and the gravy had some hickory undertones to it. I kind of liked that everything was mashed together in a to-go box because all of the flavors mixed together to make it a yummy party. Oh, and the corn bread - FANTASTIC!  

I am definitely going to making a return trip because I want to try the fried chicken and oxtail. The hours kind of suck - on weekdays they close at 6pm, on Saturdays they are open until 3pm and they are closed on Sundays. I also wished they had some sort of home-made lemonade or fruit punch to go along with the soul food. They only offer fountain or bottled drinks (boooo). But I think the fact that the food is so cheap but still so tasty evens things out for me.

Recently, my boyfriend and I visited a new BBQ restaurant on US1, Smoke’t. A couple of my friends had eaten there before and raved about the food. As a BBQ lover, I had to see how it was for myself. The menu was a bit overwhelming, I wanted to try EVERYTHING. They also had an impressively large selection of beer. 

We first received some biscuits with butter. The biscuits were really yummy and fluffy. The butter had a hint of maple and tasted perfect on the biscuit. I was pretty excited for my food to come.

I had ordered fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and a side of baked jalapeño mac and cheese and hush puppies with smoked pepper sauce.

Overall, the food was okay. The fried chicken was good - the batter was light but lacked a certain flavor that left me wanting something more. According to my boyfriend, the mashed potatoes probably weren’t fresh. The mac & cheese was good but nothing outstanding. The hush puppies were really yummy and the sauce was spicy and delicious.

I probably will not be making a second visit to Smoke’t because there was one particular thing that turned me off and honestly, made me pretty mad. I didn’t finish any of the dishes, so I asked the server to pack it all up for me. Once I got home, I realized that not everything was in there! I had about half a serving of the mashed potatoes left on my plate and the server didn’t put any of it in the to-go container. And I also did not get any of the yummy pepper sauce that went with the hush puppies. I was so so disappointed and irritated. Who was the server to assume that I didn’t want the mashed potatoes (which I obviously liked because I ate half of them) nor the sauce?! Who does that?!!!

Ok, maybe I am being a bit harsh and I would be open to another visit because I love BBQ that much. But it won’t be any time soon. 

Not that F word! Unless I say “I love me some fucking fair food!” My favorite thing about special events, whether it’s a fair, festival, Redbull Flugtag, or Art Deco weekend, is the prospect of getting a funnel cake and a lemonade (I prefer frozen, but freshly squeezed will satisify). Those two things make admission fees, long lines, and pushing my way through stank children all worthwhile. 

Recently, I have witnessed a string of restaurants trying to replicate the greatness that is the funnel cake. Burger King has their Funnel Cake sticks. I have never tried them but heard they are pretty dry. I did try a version of the sticks at a water park down here (yea, I know…my expectations were not high). Of course, they were disappointing and the only thing that salvaged the sticks was dipping it in vanilla/chocolate swirl ice cream.

Later that same day, I still needed to get my funnel cake fix and luckily at the restaurant we ate dinner at, Rocco’s Tacos in West Palm, they had funnel cake for dessert! What good fortune! Or so I thought. 

The candle was there because it was my birthday. My birthday wish: for the funnel cake to be light, fluffy and fantastic! But alas, it was dry. And disappointing.

I’ve concluded all the funnel cake variations lack the carny touch, which makes them truly delicious and enjoyable. Or perhaps the powdered sugar on top is really carny crack……yea, I think that’s it.

Shake Shack, originally from NYC, recently opened a location in Miami Beach. The opening created a bit of a blog buzz and also some hype from my friends who had eaten at the ones in NY. I went there last week and only ate a Blizzard type of creation (frozen custard with your choice of mix-ins. I chose chocolate truffle cookie dough and hot fudge to go with my vanilla custard). It was pretty tasty. 

I went back today to try an actual meal. I got a single Shackburger, fries and lemonade..

The Shackburger included American cheese, tomato, lettuce and their “Shacksauce.” It was just all right. I wasn’t AMAZED. The patty itself was pretty good but I found the bread too soft and after awhile, it got all soggy. The whole texture of the burger became kind of weird. I kept wishing they had grilled the bread a little and wanted crispy bacon to offset the sogginess. The burger was also on the small side. But I’m actually glad it wasn’t bigger so I wouldn’t have to force myself to finish a soft, wet mess.

The fries were reminiscent of the kind you would get at your elementary school cafeteria. Crinkle fries and very crispy. But still, pretty average.

Overall, I don’t feel that Shake Shack lived up to all the hype. Maybe it’s because all those New Yorkers think everything from their city is the best in the world..but I can say one thing for sure - Shake Shack isn’t. One good thing about the restaurant is that they promote healthy eating (I guess as healthy as a burger joint can get). Everything on the menu is free from artificial trans-fats. Their fries are 25% less fat than average fries. Their burgers are also all natural with no added hormones or antibiotics.

Don’t believe me on this post - try it for yourself and let me know how your food was.

Hands down - the BEST pizza in Miami. Actually, the BEST pizza I’ve ever eaten! Andiamo, located in 55th Station off of Biscayne Boulevard between 54th and 55th street, offers a variety of pizzas, Panini sandwiches and salads. I’ve never eaten anything other than the pizza and the occasional Cesar salad, but I’ve heard their sandwiches are good. 

I never really deviate from my regular order because these two pies are a must-try!

First up is the New Yorker. A very simple pizza consisting of tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmesan, olive oil and basil. However everything is so fresh and every ingredient compliments one another so well that you won’t think twice about ordering it again. 

My second favorite is the BBQ chicken, which has BBQ chicken (of course), red onions (but none for me, please), mozzarella, tomato sauce, smoked gouda, cilantro and BBQ sauce drizzled on top. The flavors are like heaven in circular form. 

If you decide to make a visit and order these two, I must tell you to eat the New Yorker first! Then move onto the BBQ Chicken. If you do it any other way, the New Yorker will seem bland in comparison to the BBQ Chicken because the BBQ Chicken has stronger flavors. To truly appreciate each pizza, remember - New Yorker first, BBQ Chicken second!

Although some people have argued with me about the best dim sum restaurant in South Florida, I can confidently state that Toa Toa is the BEST dim sum restaurant in Broward County. I haven’t gone to any places in Miami…why? Because I have no desire to stray from Toa Toa! 

My older sister first took me here years ago. I knew it had to be good because almost all the patrons were fellow Asians, with a few Whities sprinkled in there. (That’s also a tip on how good the food at an Asian restaurant is - if there’s Asians eating there, that means the food is authentic and not some diluted version.) I still order the same thing I ate the first day I went.

Baked barbecue pork buns - the pork inside is so yummy and glazed to perfection while the bun balances the sweetness of the sauce flavor. 

Shrimp dumplings, or as I like to call them “Ghosties” (Pac-Man reference). Diced shrimp are combined with sliced garlic, enclosed in a rice flour skin and steamed. I always dip it in a soy sauce-Sriracha mix.

The third plate I get is the SIlver Noodles. When my sister first ordered these, I thought the noodles looked like larvae, which was pretty unappetizing and gross. But she told me to trust her and seriously, they are sooooo good! The restaurant makes these noodles from scratch and they are sauteed in a pan (or probably a wok) along with carrots, bean sprouts, egg, shrimp, roasted pork and beef. The flavors are great and make a tummy really happy. 

Dim sum is offered all day and every day except for Wednesday. They make all the items fresh daily so there is always a possibility they may sell out of something if it’s a busy day. I always go during the week when it is slow, usually after lunch hour but before dinner. Even though it’s a little off the beaten path, it’s definitely worth the trip!

My good friend, Phi, showed me the awesomeness that is a “Juicy Lucy” (also spelled “Jucy Lucy”). The unique thing about this particular burger is that the cheese is inside the patty instead of on top. According to Wikipedia:

The Jucy Lucy was apparently invented at The 5-8 Club in South Minneapolis, Minnesota, though this is disputed. The Matt’s Bar, a short distance North of The 5-8 Club, also claims to have invented the sandwich; this establishment uses the “Jucy Lucy” spelling.

I don’t care where the burger originated from, all I know is that they’re good as hell. We made mini Juicy Lucies (pictured above) and it was a perfect blend of burger and cheese. The only thing to be wary of when cooking is grilling the patty too long that the cheese seeps out. Then you will end up with an empty burger and a sad mouth.

Here’s a video by Gullee Boy of his song “Juicy Lucy.” It has NOTHING to do with the burger but it sure does have a lot of buns in it. NSFW 

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