Shake Shack: The Best Thing I Ever Ate

To top off a glutinous Sunday, one cannot go to Lincoln Road in Miami and NOT visit the Shake Shack. As luck would have it, it was 4th of July Weekend. You know what that means right?! Well, as Claire Robinson told us on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, that means corn dogs! Now, the Shake Shack ONLY has these tasty treats once a year, so I HAD to try one, since I happened to be at the closest SS on the very weekend they were on the menu!

I can't say that it was an out-of-this-world corn dog, but it was pretty darn good! I was just glad to have had the pleasure to experience it. Thanks for the tip, Claire!

Michael's Genuine: The Best Thing I Ever Ate

You know when the best chef's in the biz rave about something, it has to be good. That's why I adore the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate. I was even on an episode, remember?! Anyways, so when 3 (THREE!) chefs in one episode raved about the desserts from Michael's Genuine, I immediately put it on my 'must try' list. And lucky for me, this past Sunday I was able to cross it off my list. When I say it is worth the drive to Miami, I really, really mean it! I absolutely adored everything about the whole experience. From the menu (fresh.simple.pure) to the small plates to the excellent service, the whole experience was a 10! Luckily I was there with Matt & Caroline, who are also adventurous eaters and we just ordered one of everything and went to town. Just take a look:

{Left to right: Pig ears, lemon ricotta pancakes, meatballs, quesadilla, adorable server Christine, crispy rice cake, pork fat toast, blueberry upside-down cake, brisket hash, homemade donuts, Caroline at our lovely outdoor table, menu, double yolk egg, breakfast pizza, bar snacks: radishes, homemade pop-tarts}

Now, the menu changes all the time, but every.single.thing we tried was delicious...even the pig ears! My favorite was the crispy rice cake, and the quesadilla gets the silver metal. Three Food Network chefs were right: with tasty bites, very reasonable prices, great ambiance and excellent service, I suggest you put Michael's Genuine on your list too!

Diners Drive-ins and Dives Tour: The Whale's Rib

I know I'm not the only one who sits at home late at night at watches Diner's Drive-ins and Dives and drools on my remote! Luckily my friend Amanda also admits to this guilty pleasure, and loves to partake in a little field trip to try out the places seen on the show! This past weekend we tried out a joint as seen on an episode of DDD, The Whale's Rib.

{menu, sign out front, California pasta, front of building, oyster po'boy}

The Whale's Rib is the typical, funky little joint you would expect to see on DDD. Loud, busy, good eats at good prices. I have to admit, I am NOT the person to judge a seafood joint, being that I don't really eat much seafood, but I went for the experience. I had the California pasta, pretty uneventful.  Amanda had the oyster po'boy, and loved it. I looked around the restaurant and saw that everyone there was thoroughly enjoying their meals, whether it was the oysters Rockefeller or the crab legs, lots of smiles all around. Or maybe it was the $2 beers? For a rainy evening, the joint was packed and there was an hour wait at high time. If you are craving seafood and find yourself in Deerfield Beach, definitely try The Whale's Rib...just get there early! 

I came, I tasted, I conquered.

I had the extreme pleasure of attending the Taste of The Nation Broward, an all out culinary affair raising money to end childhood hunger in America. In it's 20th year, only the most renowned chefs, restaurants and mixologists are invited to hand out samples of their tasty bites, and it is totally a sensory overload! Every booth was as exciting as the next. I couldn't quite taste everything, but I got quite close. After I had made my way through the throws of hungry attendees, I was ready to declare my favorite: Tenderloin Beef tips from Don Shula's (SHOCKER!) and then someone behind a table literally yells at me to go try the guacamole from Dos Caminos, and O.M.G. The.Best. Guac. I have ever had! (The chipotle chicken quesadilla from there was also good). Coming in at a veryclose 3rd was the BBQ Short rib Bao from STK (even stamped with the STK logo!).

Clockwise from left: Guacamole from Dos Caminos, Tenderloin Beef Tips with mushrooms and Boursin cheese from Shula's, and Braised Short Rib Bao from STK.

Does that photo of the guac do it justice? No, you should totally go to Dos Caminos to try it yourself. And you should definitely take me! ;)

By the way, did you know that one in six Americans (mostly elderly and children) go hungry everyday? June is National Child Hunger Month, so make sure you do your part in supporting the cause. Do as I did and attend a Taste of the Nation event, or take a tour of Feeding South Florida. You'd be amazed at what one person and one dollar can do to help.

Thank you,
H

There's something in the water...

Funny how life happens, isn't it?  

I have been carrying around an article from the Food Network Magazine since March 2010 about a great Delray Beach bagel shop called The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company, meaning to go there. I love a good bagel as much as the next one, but wasn't going to go out of the way to hit up this place.

Well, the other day a coworker brought in bagels for the office. After I had inhaled the first one and went back for *just* another half, I had to ask where they were from. Imagine my surprise when she told me they were from the Brooklyn Water Bagel Co! Wow, now I know what the fuss is all about.

Imagine my surprise AGAIN when 2 days later I am getting a manicure, and what is next door??? That's right... The Brooklyn Water Bagel Co! I was happy to have a look around, and of course, get a bagel!

The shop itself is like a museum. They ACTUALLY have a water treatment plant there that replicates Brooklyn Water, and that's what makes the bagels so good! They have other great items on the menu there too, like the iced coffee that everyone raves about. The geniuses there make the ice cubes out of the coffee, so when they melt in this FL weather, it doesn't dilute your coffee...brilliant!

Another exciting tidbit I found out? There are now Brooklyn Water Bagel locations all over the place now, from Palm Beach Gardens to Miami, and even in Beverly Hills. Now even all my West Coast friends can try it out for themselves, instead of coming to visit me (although that is totally fine!).

Funny how life happens, isn't it?

Self Proclaimed Queen of Burgers

Rachael Ray describes herself as the "Self-Proclaimed Queen of Burgers", and for good reason! She will put anything and everything on a burger...and the messier the better!Well, I too love a good burger, and am a sucker for anything spicy, so I had to try this recipe for Poblano Popper Sliders! For lack of patience, I made them in to full size burgers, but that just means more goodness in a serving!

These burgers have it all: moist, spicy, crunchy, ooey gooey and delicious!

I dare to not lick your fingers when eating these!

Way to go, Rachael, you've done it again!

Mama said there'd be days like this

What do you do when your mother says she wants "Brunch or Asian" for Mother's Day? You get the suggestion of a foodie friend, and take her to an Asian Mother's Day Brunch! Enter Buddha Sky Bar. 

We enjoyed traditional brunch items such as omelets and croissants, sushi, dim sum, Buddha's signature Asian fare, and the.tastiest.pastries.ever! I don't know what kind of crack was in those pastries, but I was just as into those as the dim sum...and I really liked the dim sum!
The price was just right (even if they did rip us off on the tea), the atmosphere was pleasant, the service friendly. All in all a lovely Mother's Day feast! I would definitely like to try Buddha again, maybe for Happy Hour next time.