Eat It Panda

Jamaican Me Hungry

Wed, 30 May 2012 16:27:00 -0400

Ok ok ok ok! I am FINALLY returning and updating (hopefully) regularly now. I got stuck in a lazy, procrastinating cycle but now I’m out and back in the foodie world.

(The baby panda represents me returning to the blog..and the person dressed up in the panda suit is a crazy person dressed up in a panda suit.)

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One of my favorite spots for a quick bite to eat is Charlie’s Pastries in Lauderhill. The BEST Jamaican beef patties and coco bread! And everything is SO CHEAP too!

It’s right off of 441, just north of Sunrise Blvd. It’s in this kind of sketchy looking shopping plaza but trust me, it’s a hidden gem. Charlie’s is not a “sit down and be served” type of place- you walk in, most likely have to wait in line, place your order, grab the food, and go. The patties and coco bread are constantly being pushed out, like kids coming out of the Duggar wife (don’t get the reference? Click here or here). But unlike her vag, these pastries are fresh and hot.

I always get a spicy beef patty and coco bread. I CRAVE this meal and it pains my heart that I haven’t found a similar restaurant in Miami. I’ve heard of Sonia’s Patties, but I’m not going to drive all the way to Kendall unless I have at least 5 other things on my “To Do” list.

For both items, it’s a little under $3. THREE FUCKING DOLLARS! If you add a drink (fruit punch or Ting are my favorites), then your meal will be under $5. FIVE FUCKING DOLLARS!

For readers who didn’t run out of their house to go to Charlie’s after reading how cheap the food was or for those who aren’t keen to Jamaican cuisine and are wondering, “What in the heck is this coco bread she keeps mentioning?” I made a guide on how to eat a patty and coco bread properly.

According to Wikipedia (and we ALL know how reliable Wikipedia is), “coco bread is eaten in Jamaica and other areas of the Caribbean. As the name suggests, the bread contains a bit of coconut milk. It is starchy and slightly sweet. It is often split in half and stuffed with a Jamaican patty to form a sandwich.”

So first you take the coco bread and find the little slit along the side. Then dig your fingers into the scalding hot middle until it opens completely and you have suffered third degree burns from the steam escaping.

Next, take the patty and place it onto one side of the bread, like so:

Then, close that fucker up. (I like to use that Barbara Walters soft focus lighting when taking photos of food I’m in love with.)

Finally, eat that shit!

I'm the Worst

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 14:42:35 -0400

I have been sucking at updating my blog. I have a bunch of restaurants that I have been to but I’m just too lazy to post anything. I promise I will have something soon! In the meantime, look at this cute baby in a panda costume :)

Whisk'd Away

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 02:28:00 -0400

Two different people recommended Whisk to me, my good friend Phi and a fellow Tumblr, Juan from Dead Fix. Phi described the restaurant as “really good, fresh food” and Juan told me that I HAVE to go on Fridays to try their burgers. So, I went.

The restaurant is located a couple of blocks away from all the hoopla and hype of the Sunset Shops area. When my boyfriend and I first walked in, the space and atmosphere was very cute and quaint but a little smokey from the kitchen. Our server, Alex, was super friendly and informative. She forgot to put in our order for our soup (which was tomato basil bisque that day) but after eating our entrees, it was a blessing in disguise. I’m not even sure I could have eaten all that food.

I was torn between ordering the spicy seared beef or the burger of the day, which was an 8 oz Cumin spiced pimento cheeseburger with bacon, onion, tomato, arugula and I think cheddar and parmesan pimento cheese. Alex explained to me that they only offer burgers on Fridays and the other dish was always on the menu. I ended up getting the burger and my boyfriend order the beef and we also asked for the cornbread.

So……the burger. Yea. It looks a little funny because I had to order two bottom buns because of my sesame seed allergy. But uuhhh…the burger. It was okay. It didn’t rock my socks. I asked for it medium well and it was pretty pink in the middle. I had debated getting it medium and I was glad that I didn’t since it kind of came cooked that way already. The patty had the interesting flavor of the cumin but was a bit dry in texture. I did not enjoy the cheese on top. It was not a slice of melted cheese but a mix of cheddar and parmesan with pimento so the consistency was a bit mushy and textured, similar to cottage cheese…..or a yeast infection. (Yea, I said it!) It was terrible..I DID eat it but it didn’t make it to the top of my burger list. However, the homemade chips on the side were yummy and the shredded parm on top was a nice touch.

I should have went with my gut instinct and ordered the spicy seared beef.

It was an 8oz sliced churrasco in a garlic chili coconut sauce with jasmine rice and sauteed spinach. I had a couple of bites from my boyfriend’s plate and the meat and sauce was REALLY yummy. I know “garlic chili coconut sauce” is a mouthful to say but the flavors were very subtle and didn’t overpower the taste of the meat. However, the steak was cooked more on the rare side even though my boyfriend asked for it medium. But it was still good because steak should be enjoyed with a bit of blood, right?

As I mentioned before, our server forgot to put in our soups, along with the cornbread. We still wanted to try the cornbread though so we told her to go ahead with that and we ate it after our entrees.

SO GOOD! 3 thick pieces of cornbread that were baked to perfection. A little crunchy on the edges and soft everywhere else. Paired with scallion and honey butter on top - I died. We were both happy that we decided to still order it, even after completing our meals.

For dessert, we ordered the peanut butter pie with Oreo crust. I’m not really big on pie because I don’t like the consistency but this pie was really good. The slice was enough for my boyfriend and me to share. It wasn’t a peanut butter slap in the face. The pie was surprisingly light, fluffy and really tasty.

After discussing my burger thoughts with Juan, he told me that he had eaten their “Black and Blue” burger before, which he said was amazing. He couldn’t vouch for the pimento cheeseburger. Sorry, but Latin House Grill still is my #1 for best burger. This burger thing wasn’t a make-it-or-break-it for Whisk. The food is still delicious and they have interesting things on their menu that I still want to try. I will definitely make a return visit.

EatItPanda on Twitter!

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:35:13 -0400

EatItPanda now has a Twitter account….so follow us to stay up with the newest posts and any other food thoughts I feel like sharing!

Click to follow @EatItPanda now!

just found you blog and I love this. I read the best burger in miami and I think you need to go to Whisk in South Miami on a friday. It's the only day they make burgers but I think it might be the best burger I've ever had. I'm a huge food junkie so I really enjoy what you're doing.

Cheers,
juan

Sun, 08 May 2011 01:17:56 -0400

Thanks!! I will definitely try Whisk. My friend has been telling me that the food there is good.

EatItPanda's Panda!

Thu, 05 May 2011 01:41:46 -0400

I just had to make a post to thank my friend, Spen, for FINALLY making my panda and giving my blog a little mascot. He’s so cuddly and chubby and I ♡ him!

Eat that shit, Panda!

UPDATE! Yakko-San's NEW Location!

Wed, 04 May 2011 23:34:00 -0400

Yakko-San has recently moved a little farther east on NE 163rd Street. The space is much bigger and fancier now but it seems that the clientele is staying the same. The menu is about the same, except now there is a big selection of sushi available, and there are a few items that have gone up in price. One of my favorite dishes, Yakiniku Don (Yakiniku steak over rice), increased by $2 but the portion was bigger so I was still really happy!

Their new address is 3881 NE 163rd Street, North Miami Beach, FL 33160. They are now open from 12pm-3am every day! The new spot is located in Intracoastal Mall and if you are going East, you have to turn into the plaza BEFORE the big draw bridge! My first trip out there, I went too far and had to make a U-turn :(

For my original review of Yakko-San, click here

best burger? we all know that's at BURGERS AND BEER. Or Shake Shack, word....

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 23:02:06 -0500

ew, no and no. you need to try Latin House Grill food truck. That shit is the best.

Your Tumblr is excellent who are you? I dig food and you do too!

D Ross

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:21:13 -0500

Thanks so much! I’m just a girl from Miami that loves good food and is in a never-ending search for the best burger everrrr.

Food Truck Band Wagon

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:06:30 -0500

There has been a recent drastic increase in food truck popularity in Miami. It seems as if it happened overnight. Now there’s a different food truck meet up going on every night at different locations. And I HATED the whole idea. The food trucks I came across had mediocre food at expensive prices. What the fuck is the point? I thought the appeal of food trucks is awesome cheap food. You ARE trading atmosphere and comfort in opting to eat from a vehicle but being charged restaurant prices. Makes no damn sense!

This is what I thought (and still do think, for the most part) until I was introduced to pretty much the best food truck ever, Latin House Grill. My boyfriend, a few friends and I went to the Wynwood food truck meet up a few weeks ago. We went in with the plan of getting a few plates from different trucks to comprise our dinner. Our first stop was Latin House Grill, or LHG, because one of our friends LOVED the food. With every event or stop, LHG offers a variety of different items. What I have seen from stalking them on FB is that their staple items include muffin tops (1/4 pound mini burgers), flattons (a flatbread type of sandwich of either chicken, rib eye or shrimp) and masitas (which I haven’t tried but from the tiny photo, it looks like a shit load of stuff on top of a tortilla).

That night, they were offering a combo of a muffin top, flatton jr., nachos and a drink….for $12! My boyfriend and I planned on sharing it and we ate the nachos, ate the flatton jr and it was all good. Once we got to the burger, it was over. We looked at each other with the same thought of ordering another and ended up ordering 3 more muffin tops and their specialty dessert (I’ll get to that later.)

After that first half of a burger, we decided that we didn’t need to go anywhere else. No other trucks could woo us away. LHG has bumped Oneburger out of its spot of “Best Burger in Miami” for me. The patty is juicy and full of flavor. And a variety of sauces are offered, such as sweet BBQ or mango chutney if you want to spice it up a little.

On our second trip out to eat at LHG in Wynwood, one of the combos offered was 2 muffin tops, sneaky nachos and a drink for $10!

LHG also offers an awesome over-the-top dessert, Balls to the Walls. Balls of triple chocolate brownie that is half baked then frozen then dipped in funnel cake batter then fried and finally drizzled with condensed milk. Once I heard the “dipped in funnel cake batter” part, it was a wrap! Those balls were going in my mouth and they were delicious, moist, gluttonous and completely yummy.

LHG is everything I ever wanted in a food truck. Amazing food at reasonable prices and Michel (the chef), his wife and their employees are SUPER nice! Their friendly, welcoming personalities in conjunction with the food make me an avid follower of this food truck.

You can “like” them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter (@latinhousegrill) to stay up to date with their whereabouts.

Mary Ann Has the Best Buns!

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:51:59 -0500

Every major city in the US has a “Chinatown,” where one can go and experience the culture, taste the food and buy cheap, bootleg ass shit. Except for Miami. The closest thing Miami has to a Chinatown is the 1/2 mile stretch of shops on NE 163rd Street that’s across the street from that weird mall. For about 5 consecutive shopping plazas, there are Chinese restaurants, nail shops, Oriental markets, cheap photo places that Asian girls LOVE to take pictures at and one of the greatest bakeries ever - Mary Ann Bakery.

Mary Ann Bakery sits between a liquor store and a tax preparation place and there’s a Dickies store in the same plaza. (Don’t let the red flags scare you off. There isn’t a baby selling weed on the corner, so it isn’t situated in the deep ghetto.) The bakery offers an array of Chinese pastries - cookies, buns and my favorite, roll cake. I’ve nicknamed this cake “Cloud Cake” because it’s the softest thing ever. The cake and creme is a perfect balance. It isn’t too sweet where it makes your cheeks shrivel up at the first bite. Mary Ann Bakery ships their roll cakes to other Oriental markets as far north as Lauderdale Lakes (this is how I first discovered the cake). They offer their cake in different flavors such as vanilla, chocolate and lemon (I think lemon, anyway..I just stick to the OG vanilla and sometimes mix it up with the vanilla cake that has vanilla creme with bits of chocolate in it. Ugh so good!)

The bakery also sells a variety of Dim Sum type snacks. I’ve heard good things about their curry puffs and beef jerky buns. I usually get one or two baked BBQ pork buns. I made a recent visit and got two pork buns and a slice of roll cake for only $3.50!

This spot is open everyday from 8:30am-5:00PM. It’s perfect for someone who wants a great snack that’s quick and cheap. Fuck a drive-thru, go to Mary Ann Bakery!

2nd Chance for Gigi

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 00:19:57 -0500

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.

My FroYo Is Self-Servicing

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:28:52 -0500

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.

Bacon Brunch!

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 04:23:00 -0500

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!

B&B Should Be M&C

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:57:39 -0400

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.

Gigi is So-So

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 02:22:13 -0400

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.

The BEST Cupcakes in LIFE!

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:58:00 -0400

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.

Buena Vista's Best Pastries!

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:00:30 -0400

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.

Yay Yay for Yakko-San!

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:58:00 -0400

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!)

Best Burger in Miami (for now)

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 02:10:51 -0400

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.