Serious Eats: miachef's Profile

I fix this all the time and prefer it over "turkey day" eatings. I'll buy a breast just so I can make the file' gumbo. I like to use hot sausage like my mother did. She would also add diced leftover roast and ham, but I make mine with only the turkey and hot sausage. Of course she had a houseful to feed everyday so I guess it went further.

ghc630 at 7:03PM on 11/23/09

From Recipes

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey Gumbo

In the past I've always made turkey chili the day after Thanksgiving, but last year I made gumbo too, following Marvin Woods recipe from his New Low Country Cooking. The beauty was I'd made and frozen the creole sauce in the summer and just had to make the turkey stock. It was a delicious way to use up so many leftovers and have a meal very different from the day before. My cousin and aunt were literally sticking their forks in for a taste before it was even done!

Otabenga at 5:26PM on 11/13/09

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

I just came back from Miami and wanted to report on the experience since you all were so helpful with the recs. We ended up going to Michael's, Prime 112, Michy's, Cacao and Osteria del Teatro. Michael's is a MUST. It was our favorite of the trip. It offers homey yet inventive fare and the atmosphere is wonderful, full of life, vibrant. Truly a fantastic restaurant. Prime 112 was a TOTAL scene and they made us wait an hour before seating us, but it was an experience and the food was pretty good. If you go, it is for the scene more than anything else because I am sure there are other steakhouses that offer the same quality food. Cacaos was very good, beautiful presentations, more low key. We also loved Osteria. Osteria has a great atmosphere (the SOBE location is a big part of it) even though it somehow seems more old fashioned than the others (it's been there for a while). Still, it was refreshing and the food was delicious. Get the specials! Michy's, although good food and wonderful service, was just ok, and I guess this is because it has the most hype surrounding it and it's not as exciting. We liked Michael's better.

Thanks again to all for the help!

cristi at 12:57PM on 03/19/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

Leave China Grill & Prime 112 off your list. Cheese central and over rated. If I had to choose the top 3 restaurants in Miami my picks would be Michy's, Macaluso's and a new one, The Smoking Rabbit. Food is amazing at all 3. Ribs at Michy, meatballs at macaluso and everythin at The Smoking Rabbit. I'm from Chicago and lived in NY for 20 yrs. I know GREAT food.

jonkington at 12:00AM on 02/20/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

I've been to Las Culebrinas a bunch of times... i did not know there was one in Coconut Grove, because the one I;ve been to is in Hialeah's West side... on 12th W Ave and 45th street... around there... and it's not too fancy at all. I go in wearing bermuda shorts and sleveless shirts all the time.

If you do indeed go... Las Culebrinas' chicharritas de platano con mojito are super duper good. I also quite enjoy in Hialeah Las Delicias. It's on 48th street and on a marginal road next to 4Th W Ave. it's almost on the mall righte these on 49th street/4th W ave. They do, in my humble opinion, have THE BEST chicharritas de platano ever. They are super thin and their mojo rocks!!!! it's cool to go for lunch if you're in that area... not touristy at all.

MadelynRodriguez at 2:39PM on 02/19/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

you have a good list there.

Def do Michys, Ortanique (for a weekday lunch) and Osteria de Teatro (on a weekend night), ask for a table by the window, that way you get a window and a show! ;) i love Prime 112, i see there's mixed reviews here, but it's really fab. Tallulah is inconsistant for me, but others in my fam love it all the time. I liked the hominy at Michael's as well, but that was it, the choc cremoso dessert was um, 'interesting'. Go for dinner though, i went for lunch and thought it was no big deal, apparently for dinner it's a diff story.

I second Macaluso's for Italian, but beware of chatty waitress, it could take 30 minutes for her to go over the verbal menu. For Cuban, do Versailles in the middle of the nite! lol. We were just there on Sat at 12:30AM and had to stand in line in the parking lot to get in. lol. The wait was worth it, fab late nite meal. For Peruvian, try Salmon Salmon, the restaurant is teeny, but the fish is incredible (try the ceviche or tacu tacu). For Chinese, forget China Grill, CG sucks. Try Tropical Chinese, it's delicious and they serve dim sum daily. OR try Tony Chan's Water Club also excellent. For sushi, if you are looking to splurge, try Nobu. If you are just looking for great fresh fish, try Sakura. For a good burger, try the new Five Guy's Burgers and Fries in midtown or my personal fave but it's a drive Keg South for their famous Keg South burgers.

Have a great trip and enjoy your Miami good eats! :D

girlyhome1 at 11:16AM on 02/18/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

as an ex-miami resident but frequent visitor there, i have three recommendations: 1) graziano's may be the finest argentinian parilla north of buenos aires. it may be the best argentinian restaurant in the world. go to the bird road (original) one,it's the best. as you might expect, their italian dishes are also superb. 2) versailles on calle ocho - not going to versailles is indeed like not going to the eiffel tower. the food is fine, but it is the archetypal cuban restaurant, and definitely the place to see and be seen. it is also open nearly 24 hours, and has great breakfasts. 3) las culebrienas - very elegant latin restaurant, stunningly good food. mainly cuban but seriously upscale. there are two - the one in coconut grove is a bit fancier. DO NOT MISS THESE RESTAURANTS! rks

rkscher at 1:44PM on 02/16/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

There's a good blog about Miami's eats here...http://dailycocaine.blogspot.com/

The blogger is also a regular food writer for a number of Miami publications, whose web sites might be checked as well...

weinoo at 10:00AM on 02/16/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

Michael's is so good, enjoy that first night!
I have to recommend Prime 112, if not only for the food, but the experience. Just be prepared that even with a reservation you will have to wait for a table ( we waited for about a half hour for ours). But since the weather is so nice you can just wait outside and stare at the cars and the celebrities coming in.

As for the food, I found it better than most steakhouses that we have been to. My husband had the filet and I had a really good cod dish. Everything else that we tried, we really enjoyed.

adeaner at 6:29PM on 02/14/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

I'm in night-school and working full time but that won't stop us from having a great night. Homemade pasta with a 10-minute puttanesca sauce (seems appropriate given its, um, amorous origins), sparkling wine from Trader Joes and chocolate mousse from Cooks Illustrated. Inexpensive, delicious and special foods either prepped in advance or assembled in minutes after getting home. Peaceful, simple dinners from our kitchen inspire more romance than white tablecloths at a crowded restaurant, I say.

fancypants at 4:29PM on 02/14/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

Tap Tap (a haitian restuarant just slightly off the beaten path) was the best meal of my trip last spring. Fantastic mojitos, and my friend and I both had some sort of fish in lime sauce that we both still talk about dreamily.

http://miami.citysearch.com/profile/2504786/miami_beach_fl/tap_tap.html
(Ignore that first commenter, sounds like she has a bug up her you know what)

And I second the suggestion of getting Joe's crabs to go, way better to just enjoy them without all the restaurant hoopla.

LizNYC at 1:58PM on 02/14/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

China Grill is a bit cheesy and overrated in my opinion. Michy's is a must, and if you go don't you dare pass up the ham croquettas or the spare ribs. Macaluso's is fabulous. The meatballs are to die for. I've heard good things about a new spot on the quiet end of Ocean Drive- a gastropub called the Smoking Rabbit. If you need a low-key fun night, Big Pink is a delicious better-than-average diner. Nemo is a beautiful place, as well as Escopazzo (all organic Italian, though pricey). Dromo Japonaise is a new spot in the Design District near Michael's and is Japanese French fusion. Enjoy!

lesliepariseau at 1:23PM on 02/14/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

Thank you all for the recommendations!! I think we may try Michys, Cacao, or Talula, maybe one of the Italians suggested. I have heard great things about Sardinia and am tempted to try it but we shall see. I am from Panama and I am half Cuban!, our local food is similar to Cuban food so that's why no Cuban food except maybe for lunch : ) When we visit the U.S. we try to take advantage of dishes and atmosphere that we cannot get over here so that is mainly what we are looking for. Maybe we'll try Joe's for lunch since it's such a tradition. China Grill I have been to in the past and have mixed feelings about it. Thanks again : )

cristi at 10:36AM on 02/14/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

Palacio de los Jugos on the NW corner of Flagler and 57th ave. Go for lunch - it helps if you speak a tiny bit of Spanish... this is a true Miami Latin experience. Joe's and China Grill...ummm, no thanks. If you want stone crabs I would go to a fish market and buy them, cracked. It's the same thing you get at Joe's, just 1/4 the price. Stone crab claws are steamed immediately out of the water, then refrigerated , and served cold, so I wouldn't go out of my way to pay big bucks for them. Just get them from a clean, reputable fish market - but do try them! Save you money for Ortanique, or some of the other recommendations. I've been gone from Miami for a year or so, so I'm not up on all the newest places, although I do remember Miami being one of the most hit-and-miss towns for food and service. Good luck!

GingerSnap at 10:06PM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

We go the fondue route every year -- mixing up the cheese & alcohol, with as many different cured meats, veggies, and breads we can fit on our table. I just got a great goat milk sharp cheddar from the Farmer's Market and some vegetables to go with it... Not sure what alcohol for it yet -- could be either beer or wine, I think. Last year, we made a red wine fondue with manchego and another cheese to make it more fluid. Purple, but yummy!

NinaMW at 7:49PM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

My Partner and I have a tradition of eating Popeye's Chicken and really nice chocolate truffles on Vday.

Gayngry at 6:30PM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

Our VDay dinner is always at home and is simple and planned around something that goes with heart shaped biscuits. This year I'm branching out to heart shaped cornbread muffins using those heart-shaped foil cupcake liners from Reynolds.

PattiA at 5:57PM on 02/13/08

From Talk

Miami Eats: Need Recommendations

One of Mario Batali's holiday meals included stone crabs from Joe's, you can't get a better recommendation than that...it 's touristy but going to Miami Beach and missing Joe's is like going to Paris and not going to the Eiffel Tower...maybe a poor simile but you know what I mean. We've been going to Joe's since the mid 70s and wish it were still the much smaller restaurant it use to be but times change..... their seafood is still better than any you'll find anywhere in South Florida.

elaine nan at 5:23PM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

After so many years of expensive (not unappreciated, though!) dinners out on Valentine's Day, the decision for this years' celebration was simple. Since we moved to a new city last year, we determined that Friday evenings would be our date night out to experience and enjoy our new environment. We haven't run out of new places to dine yet, but we do eat out on a weekly basis.

Another resolution was to be more spontaneous and to take advantage of the many events and activities available to us now. Our Valentine's Day night out will be so much more casual and we're really looking forward to it. We will be heading uptown to one of our favorite microbreweries to sample a new batch of Chocolate Chili Stout and some of their wonderful nibbles. Just so happens that there is a Schokolad store right next to the pub. Might have to stop in for a minute. Then home to curl up in front of the fire with some port and maybe a game of Foodie Fight or a movie.

Just for a little something extra special, I'm making him some chocolate almond bark and peppermint patties, two of the few sweets that he likes.

frederika at 2:24PM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

I definitely vote for staying in. As a waitress dating a cook, I am so excited about us both being off this Valentine's - it's never happened before! That being said, we're not doing anything over the top, spending the afternoon in bed with books, cheese and champagne, making dinner and maybe having a game night or watching a movie.

Charcuterista at 1:47PM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

I've done an indoor crab boil/picnic before with great sucess.
I boil up some crab legs, shrimp, potatoes, some sausage and a little old bay & some beer in there. I set out a bucket of mexican beer salt &limes on our big picnic blanket and the feast is on. We can almost fool ourselves we are at the beach.

bisbee at 11:37AM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

I think I'll bake a devils' food cake with chocolate cream frosting, and replace the current batch of tulips (which I've just noticed have become very dead) with some nice fresh ones. Plus, we have several seasons of ''Allo 'Allo' and 'Little Britain' to get on with...

mongoose at 11:29AM on 02/13/08

From Serious Eats

How Can You Make Valentine's Day Fun Without Pressure?

Cooking at home is the way to go! Even if it's not cooking and just a bunch of cheeses, meats, and olives. The biggest thing about Valentine's Day for us is being able to set the evening aside for just us - no tv, computers, or phones, or anyone else. No matter how much people say that if you love someone you should be able to do that anytime - doing this is hard for busy people and it's nice to have a day where it's a given.

mayam at 11:14AM on 02/13/08

From Recipes