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Showing posts from February, 2018

Upcoming Beer & Wine Events!

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Kick off March like a lion with one of these incredible events including NYC Beer Week, Slow Wine and Great Wines of Italy 2018 at the IAC.  There's something for just about any wine and beer lover in NYC~ Cheers! Wednesday February 28th Other Half Beer Dinner at Grotta Azzurra - Celebrate NYC Beer Week in style with a four course dinner at one of Little Italy's most romantic restaurants Grotta Azzurra.  Brewers from Brooklyn's Other Half will be on hand pairing their award winning beers with each course.  Tickets are $85 and available on the NYC Beer Week website or by clicking  here. Thursday March 1st Slow Wine at Eataly Downtown - Over 100 wines from Italy and California will be on display Thursday evening as Slow Wine takes over Eataly Downtown.  Just like its sister organization Slow Food, Slow Wine promotes wine that is good, clean and fair; working with winemakers who focus on traditional, sustainable techniques that promote a better environment.  All of th

Michael's Genuine- Miami

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Sunday morning we checked out of the hotel and hopped in a cab for one last vacation meal at Michael's Genuine. This bustling spot in Miami's Design District has been a regular on restaurant hit lists since its doors opened back in 2007.  Inside guests can watch all of the action from the open kitchen while outside the courtyard boats more of a comfy, serene atmosphere perfect for enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon. I was determined to close out this trip eating as much seafood as I possibly could beginning with the Yellowfin Tuna Crudo; a vibrant blend of pink peppercorn, basil and lime with spicy serrano chili and juicy blood orange slices. Second some Florida Stone Crab Claws served with a classic mustard creme sauce.  I absolutely adore Stone Crabs; they're much more mild than Snow Crabs (which I find too rich) or Blue Crabs (too sweet). The only problem with these perfect little beauties is the price.  It was about $38 for each one of these claws...making

Wakefest, Jimmy'Z Kitchen & Havana 1957

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Saturday morning we woke up and went straight to Wakefest at the Mana Wynwood.  It started out as an absolutely gorgeous day, about 75 degrees with some big fluffy clouds in the sky.  Mr. T and I had VIP passes which meant an hour early access to the festival and a pretty sweet tasting glass. This full hour was incredible.  There were absolutely zero lines at any station we visited.  We were able to walk the entire fest up and down at least three times getting everything we wanted before the crowds started to arrive at noon.   The VIP passes also meant a special VIP Tent where some of my favorite beers were being poured like the insanely delicious I Let My Tape Rock, a maple rye barrel aged stout made with Mostra JBM Coffee, coconut and vanilla beans and Trillium latest Bourbon Barrel Aged Affogato that reminds me of drinking a fudgy bourbon marshmallow. But the very best part of the VIP tent may have been the fantastic Paella that we consumed throughout

Beaker & Gray Miami

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After a quick pit stop at our hotel and a few tasty beverages at J Wakefield, we decided to head to Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop for some Cuban eats.  Unfortunately halfway there I remembered Enriqueta's closed at 7:00 PM each day.  Since it was almost 10:00 PM at this point I had to think fast.  Mr. T was starving and we didn't exactly know the neighborhood we were in...then like a gorgeous beacon of light the sign for Beaker & Gray was suddenly shining bright ahead of us.  Two minutes later we were sitting outside on their patio, cocktails in hand and ready for some food. I was actually still really full from our Kyu lunch and told Mr. T I didn't want anything.  Of course he ended up ordering a bunch of food, which really annoyed me, until I decided I was a little hungry and dove into the Red Shrimp & Uni Risotto. Rich, creamy layers of rice and uni melded together with cheese and green onions, this was every bit as decadent and delicious as it sounded.

Kyu Miami

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Mr. T and I were in Florida last weekend, trading in our annual  Hunahpu  festival in Fort Lauderdale for Wakefest  in Miami.  Of course all of our beercations usually turn into foodcations and this one was no different; first stop Asian inspired Kyu Miami in the Wynwood District. The dining room happened to be closed when we arrived late afternoon (Kyu was celebrating their 2nd anniversary) so we grabbed a seat at the bar and dove into their happy hour menu of $5.00 "bites" like this amazing Roasted Cauliflower with goat cheese and shishito-herb vinaigrette... ....and this enormous Korean Fried Chicken breast served with butter braised chicory and a creamy chipotle sauce.  Both of these dishes were fantastic.  We mixed pungent goat cheese and herbaceous vinaigrette together which gave  a bright, rich flavor to the roasted cauliflower while the outer casing of the chicken was so crispy and well seasoned it could rival any NYC Korean fried chicken spot. P

Vino for Your Valentine

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Next week is Valentine's Day and although many of you are planning a romantic dinner in the city, I highly suggest staying in and wooing that special someone with a meal at home and a delicious bottle of wine.  Most people immediately think of champagne on this holiday (which is always a solid choice if your valentine likes bubbles) but there are plenty of other great wines out there perfect for this romantic occasion.  Here are three of our favorites: Chateau d' Esclans Rock Angel Rose -  Yes it's February but in case you haven't noticed the wine stores are still filled with bottles of Rose.  Because rose is wonderful any time of year and the wonderful pink hues make it the perfect choice for Valentines day. The Rock Angel is fresh and creamy with notes of strawberry and rose water that's incredibly lively but balanced. $30 Bodegas Volver Triga -  This full bodied Spanish wine, a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon explodes with luscious aromas of bluebe

Serious Superbowl Eats at Dizengoff

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Hosting a Superbowl Party this Sunday- then head to Dizengoff for a spread of their  incredible hummus and pita sandwiches that are sure to dazzle any football fan. Located in the Chelsea Market, this small counter style spot is owned by Chef Michael Solomonov of Zahav in Philadelphia; a restaurant known for serving the best Israeli food on the East Coast since its inception back in 2008. The hummus here is unlike any other; it's thick and creamy with a good dose of garlic and sesame served alongside pillowy light rounds of pita bread and Israeli Salad. Dizengoff is offering two Game Day Packages which include an entire spread of Tehinas with all the fixings; Beet, Cabbage & Israeli Salad, fluffy balls of falafel and of course their warm puffy pitas.  Since they are Philly based they are obviously rooting for the Eagles on Sunday so Patriot fans stay away!  Fingers crossed for a great game this weekend. Dizengoff Hummus Chelsea Market 9th Avenue & 16th S