Texas De Brasil

Heralded as one of the top churrascerias(Brazilian meat palaces) by food magazines and other periodicals, Texas de Brasil is a grand castle like restauarant with several locations throughout the country, none in NYC. The spot at 300 Alton Road and 3rd Street sits on the harbor and a seat near the window affords great views while eating great meat. Eating at churascarias is an awesome experience and this one is one of the granddaddys of them all. The space alone is huge, painted red with lot's of wood as if dining in a friend's castle sounds appealing you can see why they can't afford to come to NYC. The salad bar options were similar to other churrascarias with some nice additions like fresh grana padano, sundried tomatoes, olives, grilled eggplant, and two kinds of grilled zucchini and lots of varieties of extra virgin olive oil and balsamics. Also, at the bar are stews and a soup, yesterday was delish lobster bisque. There is a huge wine list with lots of space to store it. The meat here is first rate. Salty and perfectly cooked from medium rare to well done. The meat servers circulate and stop when your disk says green. If you want your meat a certain cut and doneness, they were obliging. They also bring sweet plantains and delish mashed potatoes with red onions and parsley, gratis. Lunch is served only on Fridays at noon and at $27.99 is a bargain compared to the New York churascarias. Dessert is an irrelevant afterthought. Pics to follow.
MUST GO!

Parmelat Gelateria

Hmmm, authentic Italian gelato on Lincoln Road. This milk and ice-cream maker and winner of many best in Miami awards churns out this delish gelato to the locals and tourists alike. With flavors like chocolate, dulce de leche, zabaglione, nutella, and other fruity flavors Parmelat can cool you off divinely. My first cone of the trip was chocolate and zabaglione, the wine custard like flavor I long for when I travel abroad. So smooth, silky and flavorfull with good locally made cones to enjoy your gelato experience. Killer shakes too. Be forewarned that lines out the door on Friday and Saturday nights are not uncommon.
MUST GO!

Lime Fresh Mexican Grill

Lime is the go to restaurant of choice on Alton Road not far from the Regal Cinemas when jonesing for a good, cheap Mexican comida. This spot cooks your food fix up fresh and serves up about 10 homemade salsas to go with your order. My veggie quesadilla at $6.99 was huge on a fresh flour tortilla packed with homemade guacamole, onions a peppers, some tortilla chips and sour cream. Very tasty though a few zucchini would not hurt, but what the hay. The homemade salsas rock and include a delish, suave(mild), spicy bean, mild bean and corn, spicy, and extras like limes and cilantro. There is a tropical outdoor space to eat your comida and a chill vibe to boot.
GO!

World Resources

This Lincoln Road mainstay offers up the freshest sushi as well as Thai cuisine. Outdoor and indoor seating offer up a relaxed atmosphere. Outdoor seating on the road is hot if you can stand the heat. The lunch special is one of the best deals on the Road. For $12.75 their grand bento box features sushi and sashimi, plus a california roll, small salad with homemade ginger or miso dressing, miso soup and a cantalope and orange piece. The fish is super fresh, from the ocean and artfully prepared. There are Thai specials like chicken massaman with avocado, potato with cashews in coconut milk for $10.50. Lunch salads like grilled salmon fillet with steamed asparagus and grape tomato with ginger dressing is $12. Another salad option is the crispy duck salad for $11 Remember that many restaurants in Miami include the tip in the bill so check first. People watching while dining alfresco at World Resources is also world class. Pics will follow.
Must Go!

The Standard Hotel and Spa

The Standard Hotel on Belle Island is a motel style hotel formerly the Lido that eschews a relaxed beachy feel and everyone walks around in robes and havana flip flops. I have been to the Standard many times where you can buy a day pass for $40 during the week and enjoy the luxe facilities which include a lovely pool on the bay, jacuzzi with waterfall, and spectacular vistas especially at sunset. Inside is the delectable, large hamam , and it is a traditional hamam with heated stone floors and heated marble. Off the hamam is a finnish sauna and supersteam with additional metal tubs if you need a soaking. This stuff is the real deal all top of the line luxe. Additionally there is a menu of yoga you can take when you come in for the day. If you do not want to make a day of it, you can take advantage of free yoga on Wednesday with Matteo at 4:15. In the airy though not airconditioned yoga room, Matteo starts the class surrounded by flowers and candles and chanting music. He has an assistant assist people with the postures. The class was about beginner-intermediate level and was a detoxifying experience. At the classes end while we were lying in corpse they came around and put oil on our foreheads. I hear there is bingo on Sunday nights from 8:30-11:00 with door prizes like complimentary spa treatments and free nights at the hotel. The Standard is about a 20 minute walk from the Regal Cinemas on Lincoln Road.
Must Go!

La Provence Bakery

This bakery is probably one of the best this side of the Atlantic. I have braved ten minute plus lines to eat breakfast here in what I would say is in the top 10 of the best in food in what Miami Beach has to offer. Newly renovated at Collins and Lincoln Road with a larger dining space painted in green to resemble it's namesake Provence and a shrunken kitchen. La Provence offers artisan french baking with natural ingredients in true French tradiion. Everything here is absolutely mind blowing and my favorite and there are many are the beignets. Baked properly dark there are three, plain, raspberry and chocolate hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Gorgeous classic pastries, croissants, danish and muffins and of course bread. My breakfast of a chocolate beignet and decaffinated cappucino was $5.30, not bad. This place is the real deal and the folks who steadfastly wait on line here would agree.
Must Go!

11th Street Diner

This classic diner on 11th and Washington has been settled at this spot since 1992, after being moved from Wilkes Barres, PA. Serving classic diner fare in an art-deco diner this Miami institution works well. A full entree section includes Southern Fried Chicken, called the best in Miami by the Village Voice of Miami the New Times.
For $13.95, you get two sides with most entrees, I had the sweet potato fries and mac and cheese with my chicken. I also ordered a strawberry banana shake which was ice-creamy plus a fresh banana with whipped cream on top, yummy. The chicken was dry and flavorless certainly not cooked to order like the Dirty Bird style chicken that is my standard. The sides were tasty with the fries being fresh fried with the skin on and the mac and cheese servicable. Other enttrees include an Argentenian skirt skeak with tomato garlic relish for $14.95. A full burger bar with interesting carne options like the Vermont wiht cheddar and bacon as well as the Canadian Royale with Canadian bacon, mozzarella cheese and shoestring onions. A full breakfast menu including a malted waffle and diner b&e which includes 2 eggs, 2 bacon, homefries and toast. The toilet renovated in the 90's with cheap marble and tile and a small old sink needs rethinking. The spot is despite it's flaws is classic Miami Beach. Pics coming soon.
GO!

MIA tomorrow

MIA was sunny, hot, humid and gorgeous. An international destination with world class hotels, food and locales. The pictures taken from the roof of the Gansevoort South were taken midday where I did not stay, but was able to lounge in a circular wicker chair, unbothered. Many fancy shmancy places let you wander in without a drink or purchase and it is that laid back attitude that makes Miami as chill as it is.


Franny

R & L Restaurant

Never a fan of the old Florent, too much of a scene with mediocre food. Florent had to close at the end of June because of rising rent. The die-hard fans of Florent and it's owner were so upset that he had to close that, when Florent's landlord reopened the restaurant as R&L, the restaurant remained empty for weeks. Well, it is slowly coming back, though some changes are in order. For one, the restaurant needs a new chef, the same chef stayed on from the Florent days and his food is outdated and dull. We had lunch there today and there were about 14 diners including us. What I like about the space is it's red banguettes and vintagey look. I ordered a chef salad with grilled marinated chicken over greens with hearts of palm, black forest ham, tomatoes, cheddar and swiss with creamy balsamic. The only redeeming part of the salad for $13.50 was the dressing. The chicken was dry and tasteless and the cheeses tasted like something I ate at the Sheepsead Bay diner in 1995, very old school. My friend's vegetable cous cous was soupy, but actually tasted made to order. The bread was possibly fresh, though inedible. The bathrooms smell and need renovation, but mostly the menu needs some updating.
Slow Go!

Alphabet Scoop

Do you like your ice-cream with a socially concious twist? This colorful shop on East 11th. Street and Ave. B. is pure Alphabet City and helps kids while creating homemade ice-cream. The Father Heart Ministries runs the shop, employing teens to create better prospects for their future. Alphabet Scoop is open irregular hours as I have passed numerous times and they were closed. Finally, Friday about 2:30 in the afternoon- bingo! With cute names like "street haiku" a rocky road type ice-cream and about average prices, Alphabet Scoop, delivers. I had the street haiku and chocolate cheesecake which was $3.25 for two absolutely gigantic
scoops. There are about 16 flavors total. Not only was the ice-cream quite good, but the cause is too.
Go!

Totonno's Pizzeria Napolitano

There are several Totonno's apart from the old-school original in Coney Island. They are all independently owned and operated. We ate at the Gramercy Park incarnation on 2nd Ave and 26th. Street. A huge space though not designed for high style, it is all about the pizza right? Well we started with a large salad with ice-berg lettuce, corn, avocado, peppers, tomatoes and a dilly ranch dressing which was tasty apart from the ice-berg. For the main course we ordered a large pizza with sweet sausage. The pizza is cooked in coal fired brick ovens, gorgeous, the real deal and so is the pizza. Not overly charred though the dough has a rustic, uneven texture and is slightly sweet with a nice sauce and fresh mozzarella. I was dissappointed that there wasn't a fresher parmiggiano available as the pizza condiments were standard the pizza was absolutely superior.
Go!