January 2009

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ou’re trapped in your metal box, leaching out and you wonder how it is What if a passenger train rode those rails? a reality. The state, like much of the shipwrecked with a throng of that America’s playground became What if you could save yourself time, nation, wants to turn back the clock and Ycheerless humanity on a soulless America’s parking lot. money, gas, and frustration, gliding to your revive the greatly neglected passenger- stretch of I-95 or Biscayne Boulevard, A set of railway tracks appears, some- Brickell office on rails instead of drowning rail industry. somewhere between Aventura and down- times snaking alongside the Boulevard, in this slow-moving river of steel? There was a time, you see, when town Miami, and the traffic is creeping sometimes striking off into the urban jun- If the Department of along at glacial speed. On some days, gle. Only rarely do you see a train on Transportation has its way, and gets Train you can almost feel the hours of your life them. And again you begin to wonder: enough money, that vision could become Continued on page 14

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2 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009

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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 3 C OMMENTARY: FEEDBACK

PO Box 370566, Miami, FL 33137 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Glasgow: Prophetic and and his guitar remain my most enduring You’re going to have to do that yourself. Member of the images of such otherworldly men of Obama is not the second coming of Florida Press Association Provocative action. Too powerful to emulate, for me Christ, just a politician who hopefully I enjoyed Kathy Glasgow’s column they are metaphors for battles to be wants to lead the country to a better www.BiscayneTimes.com “Entering the Promised Land” (December fought and for universal wrongs yet to future. He will not walk on water or per- 2008). It brought back memories of my be righted. form miracles. He will not bail us out of PUBLISHER & EDITOR teenage years, when I would roam the Victor Biver our rut. Only we can do that. Stop look- Jim Mullin streets of Miami on my BSA motorcycle, [email protected] Palmetto Bay ing at him like a savior. He’s just a man, and Jackson, Miami, and Edison high a human being, really. Chill out, sister. INTERNS schools were the football powerhouses. I Glasgow: White Guilt or now live in Palmetto Bay and seldom Regarding Jen Karetnick’s article in Andrew Leins Righteous Anger? the same issue on a possible Miami [email protected] venture north of Coconut Grove, but I miss those days when Miami was more At first I thought Kathy Glasgow’s Shores food festival (“Bring Back the Erin Polla open and I was more brave. “Entering the Promised Land” was a Taste of the Shores”), I truly love the [email protected] My wife is Cuban, and she gets her parody. When I realized the article was idea of a food festival in the Shores. CONTRIBUTORS “news” from the local Cuban radio sta- serious, I honestly burst out laughing! When she listed possible restaurants that Victor Barrenchea, Pamela Robin Brandt, tions. All she had to say about Obama Practically comparing Barack Obama to could participate, I was sadly reminded Terence Cantarella, Bill Citara, Wendy was comunista, comunista! But now Moses leading his people to freedom? of just how few dining establishments Doscher-Smith, Kathy Glasgow, Jim W. that she has heard the president-elect Crossing the Jordan? Are you kidding? there are within village limits. Harper, Lisa Hartman, Jen Karetnick, Jack speak, and realizes what a thoughtful Maybe her column was a make-good Publix and Subway at a food festival? King, Derek McCann, Frank Rollason, and intelligent person he is, even she is attempt at the letter regarding her report- Come on! But really, what a small list to Silvia Ros, Jeff Shimonski content with the electorate’s choice. ing that appeared in the same issue. The choose from! Until the village council ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Kathy’s writing style is so prophetic, so letter-writer, architect Najeeb Campbell, becomes friendlier with potential eateries Marco Fernandez full of imagery (even though I’m not much asked Ms. Glasgow to stop the negative and doesn’t practically chase them out of [email protected] of believer) that I still respond to the reporting on Liberty City, where she lives. business, we will not see any changes. The Biblical imagery of those powerful men of Maybe it’s just white guilt on parade. village is just a stale old establishment that Marc Ruehle yore who stand like giants in our minds. She seems to have fallen blindly in love doesn’t want to change for the better. [email protected] My first memory was my father with Obama’s message, as many people Let’s hope that when the construction OFFICE MANAGER singing “Dry Bones,” which was about did. I’m still not sure specifically what is over on NE 2nd Avenue, we will have Wilmer Ametin as religious as he ever got. It was up to that message is, but no matter. a few more choices. [email protected] me to later learn about the struggles of Kathy, baby, get a grip. In the end, A. Acevedo Moses and later of Martin Luther King. Obama is not going to improve the Miami ART DIRECTOR That and the songs of Rev. Gary Davis “appearance of [your] little house.” Continued on page 6 Marcy Mock [email protected] ADVERTISING DESIGN TABLE OF CONTENTS Image Tech Studios www.imagetechstudios.com COVER STORY POLICE REPORTS The Biscayne Times welcomes proposals Waiting For the Train ...... 1 Biscayne Crime Beat ...... 32 for articles and press releases. Submitted material may be edited for length, clarity, and COMMENTARY ART & CULTURE content. All submitted material becomes the Feedback...... 4 Fall From Grace:The Living Room...... 38 property of The Biscayne Times. Please be Miami’s King...... 10 sure to include your name, address and tele- Word on the Street...... 12 Art Listings...... 36 phone number in all correspondence. Culture Briefs ...... 39 All articles, photos, and artwork in the OUR SPONSORS Biscayne Times are copyrighted by Biscayne Media, LLC. Any duplication or reprinting with- BizBuzz ...... 8 PARK PATROL Advertiser Directory...... 8 out authorized written consent from the pub- A Tale of Two Minis...... 40 lisher is prohibited. The Biscayne Times is published the first NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENTS week of each month. We are hand delivered Kathy Glasgow: After 50 Years, Still Going Strong...... 20 COLUMNISTS to all the homes along both sides of Biscayne Frank Rollason: Stand Up and Be Heard! Or Maybe Not...... 22 Kids and the City: Big Music For Little Ears ...... 42 Boulevard from downtown and the Venetian Jen Karetnick: Shores Shootings: Not What You Think...... 24 Harper’s Environment: Green Wishes For a New Year ...... 43 Islands to Arch Creek. Wendy Doscher-Smith: The Big One Blows into Town...... 26 Pawsitively Pets: The Penny-Pincher’s Guide to Pet Happiness ...... 44 Your Garden: Don’t Throw Away Your Holiday Green...... 46 Advertise! COMMUNITY NEWS 305-756-6200 Bunny Remembers Bettie...... 28 Little Park: Eight Months and Counting...... 28 DINING GUIDE WE NOW ACCEPT One Night, Two Wheels, Many Families...... 29 Restaurant Listings ...... 47 CREDIT CARDS Teachers vs. Attorneys: Guess Who Got the Money ...... 30 Wine: Red White & You...... 48

4 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 5 C OMMENTARY: FEEDBACK Letters vendors should be ready with lots of to- ammunition to the controversy you are Wendy’s Fan Club, go containers. attempting to stir with your article. Continued from page 4 Does anyone have statistics about the I have had many positive phone calls Phoenix Chapter: It’s All Kathy Glasgow replies: Contrary to what financial benefits to the businesses that thanking me for standing up to the “big About Vitamin B A. Acevedo asserts, I did not compare participated in prior years? Perhaps the man” on the Boulevard. He can be quite Glad to see that Wendy Doscher-Smith is Barack Obama to Moses. I called him vendors could also offer discount intimidating. I suggest that your reporter back with a pen and pad. We loved her Joshua. This Biblical metaphor has been coupons for dinners at their restaurants attend the January 6, 2009, meeting of latest piece, “In the Land of No Sun” used for many months now by millions of to those who purchase from them at the the Miami Historic and Environmental (December 2008). Clever take on the bit- churchgoers, and even by people like me Shores Taste. Preservation Board. You just might find ter northern people. It makes you thank- who just know the Bible. I also made a Bring it on! out the truth about Eric Silverman’s dis- ful to live in a place where we get ade- point of stressing that even after Joshua Patricia M. Kolski regard for the preservation process. quate amounts of Vitamin B. was “chosen” and the promised land occu- Shorecrest Teri D’Amico Levon Guiragossian Phoenix, Arizona pied, the daunting, drawn-out work by the Vagabond Motel: It’s Not North Miami entire nation of Israel was yet to come. Correction: Wendy’s Fan Club, LA Regarding letter-writer Najeeb About Personalities, It’s Campbell, :I think he’s the one who needs About Preservation Nice Art, Chapter: It’s All About to chill out if he’s equating my writing Thanks to Biscayne Times and reporter Wrong Weirdness with Birth of a Nation! My column isn’t Terence Cantarella for covering the issues Artist As always, Wendy Doscher-Smith had me on the floor laughing with her col- meant to “cover” a Liberty City beat but at the Vagabond Motel (“Don’t Mess with A that umn “In the Land of No Sun” rather to sketch (with limited space for My MiMo,” December 2008). However, I appeared as part of (December 2008). I was afraid we’d background, context, and so on) some of was quite surprised that you published Anne Tschida’s never get to hear her — let’s call it my experiences as a newcomer to an his- Ellen Wedner’s comments about “people” cover story unique — slant on life again when she toric African-American neighborhood. telling her that I was “screaming” at cars “Miami Art Machine” (December left us for the North Woods. It’s nice to I know the popular media have always about “parking illegally.” Since Wedner 2008) was mistakenly attributed to know that even if she turned Yankee on demonized, sensationalized, and stereo- admitted to hearing that from “people,” I New World School of the Arts grad us, she’s still sharing her weird world. typed black people. But that is not the was shocked that your reporter did not Michael Loveland. The drawing, Blow Her Ice Cream Nazi reminds me of the same as telling ugly truths. There are defi- call me to verify that so-called fact, or at Up Bad People!, was actually the work Pho Nazi, a lady who runs a Vietnamese nitely many parts of Liberty City where least get one source to confirm her asser- of Michael Scoogin. Below is a detail restaurant in the high desert above middle-class residents live comfortably and tion before you published it. from a piece by Loveland, Mirror For Mojave. We drive up there just to watch productively. However, the part in which Any statement about me screaming at the Sun (2008), provided by his her. “Soy sauce? You want put soy sauce we ended up — through no one’s foolish- cars is completely untrue. I would never gallery, Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts. on my braise fish? Get out! Get out!” ness but our own — is not comfortable. do that. My issue with the Vagabond is We regret the error. When I talk about foul-mouthed dope only about preservation and code com- Anyone innocently requesting the boys and unbalanced crack-smokers, I’m pliance, not about parking. Fear of bully- Boulevard of Names Condiment of Evil gets the boot. looking at what’s in front of me, not attack- ing and retaliation are unfortunately In “Don’t Mess with My MiMo,” We ordered pho (Vietnamese beef ing the “character and image” of Liberty some of the many reasons why people Vagabond Motel owner Eric Silverman is soup) one cold, blustery afternoon. “No City residents or people of African/ don’t speak out against Vagabond owner quoted as saying: “And who’s done more pho. You eat regular wonton. Pho not for Ethiopian heritage generally. I think anyone Eric Silverman. They are afraid of him than I’ve done? Show me one person on you!” she yelled at us. We ate the won- who cares about anything should be angry and his childish revenge tactics. the Boulevard.” ton, but to this day, we search our souls about some of the things I’ve seen. It’s very clear to me now why Biscayne Well, a few people quickly come to and wonder what it is about us that makes us un-pho worthy, and how she She’s Hungry for Taste of Times asked me to pose for a photo stand- mind: Mark Soyka, Sinuhe Vega, Sandra ing under the Vagabond’s sign. I declined Stefani, Fran Rollason, Bob Powers, Nancy managed to spot it so fast. the Shores because I did not want this to be an issue Liebman, and Jeff Akin, to name a few. Anyway, Wendy’s Ice Cream Nazi In response to Jen Karetnick’s sugges- about me and the owner. This is strictly Clifton Childree, member would be the perfect dessert stop after a tion to bring back Taste of the Shores: about preservation. Publishing that sort of MiMo Biscayne Association no-pho lunch. Yes! I’m salivating at the thought. The cheeky photo would have given more Miami Continued on page 19

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8 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 9 C OMMENTARY: MIAMI’ S K ING Look Ahead, Be Afraid Miami, true to form, wants to spend billions it doesn’t have By Jack King moving again. The CNN reporter pushed front-man puppet with the money guys they have little chance of getting it. BT Contributor Diaz on several items, including one that pulling the strings. After Batista fled, The billion-dollar tunnel seems to be proposed a $1.5 million addition to the Cubans thought they had another on hold for now, again for the no-money h, the end of one year and the Miami’s Grapeland Water Park on one in Fidel Castro, but he crossed reason. But the bigger question is why beginning of another. This is the Douglas Road at SR 836. them up. They are still not sure why do we want to build a tunnel? Since the Atime I usually gather my “I don’t know anything about that,” Castro won’t do anything for money. creation of the State of Florida in 1845, thoughts about the past year and put said Diaz. The reporter then asked the That’s so anti-Cuban. only one tunnel has been built that con- together a column that reminds us of mayor if he had actually read the report. I regrouped from the CNN embarrass- nects public roads (in Fort Lauderdale). what went wrong. In the case of 2008, “No,” Diaz replied. “I didn’t have time ment and headed out the door, wonder- Most engineers do not like the idea of it’s a little depressing, to say the least. So to read it.” ing: Is there anything good in Miami tunnels in areas where there’s lots of this year I decided to look at our little I slumped into my chair and thought: other than the weather? There must be. water that could get into a tunnel. Then corner of the world and see where we My God, can it get any worse? Why would we stay here? there’s the cost, about $1 billion, com- might be going, how good or bad that There’s no question that Miami has a Rather than checking off all the rea- pared to about $150 million to modify could be, and to offer some suggestions long history of electing mayors whose sons we live here, I think it would be on- and off-ramps that could do the same for improvement. I should have known it intellect is less than deep and who are more productive to look at some upcom- thing. Again, why a tunnel? wouldn’t be easy. ing public projects that have lit- And finally there is the wonderful As I got ready for my last cross- tle or no value for Miami, and Marlins stadium. Can someone explain country trip of the year, I began to These projects add up to $2.5 billion, what we can do about them. to me why a business like the Marlins, assemble those thoughts, and there yet not one nickel has been set aside. Can you say Knight Center? worth an estimated $250 million, were many. With CNN blaring in the All we have are “don’t worry” promises How about Miami Arena? needs a place to play that costs $600 background, I put the last few things in that future revenues will cover costs. For reason, local million? Worse than that, they only my bag and headed for the door, but politicos for years have been want to pay $200 million for their before I could turn the knob, I heard pushing the Museum Park share, claiming they’re so poor they the name “Manny Diaz.” concept for Bicentennial don’t have two cents to rub together. I stopped and sat down. What could easily manipulated by whoever the Park and the tunnel connecting the Port The Marlins have agreed to pay for all Manny Diaz, our concrete-pouring power and money brokers are at the of Miami to the mainland. The projects cost overruns, so if the stadium ends mayor of Miami be doing on CNN? time. Manny Diaz has been no different. have a common problem: no money. up costing $800 million, they’ll have After all, hadn’t we given the Obama But he certainly has not been alone. However, that never seems to bother to pony up $400 mil from money they transition team enough on him to make Add to the list Joe Carollo. When it our elected officials, who have don’t have. sure he didn’t get a job in Washington? comes to peddling the office of mayor, embraced the build it now and pay for it All of these projects add up to about Diaz was angling for the top position at he was right up there. None of them, later approach. $2.5 billion, and yet not one nickel has the Department of Housing and Urban however, are in the same league as the The science and art museums are pri- been set aside. All we have are “don’t Development based on his experience late Steve Clark, who was owned by the vate, nonprofit entities that managed to worry” promises that future revenues in Miami, but it turned out that his builders and developers. Clark was low- convince Miami-Dade County voters it will cover the costs. experience and qualifications were budget and didn’t ask for much, but he would be a terrific idea to give them How about something different for a sorely lacking. always gave much more. He was just hundreds of millions of dollars for their change? How about a rule that local The CNN interview started out nice, happy if the developers paid his bar tab plans. The city and county have cut deals governments don’t start any projects but soon got serious. Diaz, in his role as at the Clique Lounge. with them that essentially say public unless they can actually pay for them? A president of the U.S. Conference of The Cuban Diaspora brought us the money will be used for everything but novel concept and a worthwhile New Mayors, was pushing an 800-page report same kind of behavior from Havana, the actual buildings. That’s very nice, but Year’s resolution. that touted 11,000 “ready to go” civic with the last role there being neither group has enough money to build projects to get the American economy Fulgencio Batista, who was just another an anthill, and in this economic climate, Feedback: [email protected] TAX & ACCOUNTING OFFICE DAMAGE TO YOUR HOME? of Mary Robbins • Fire / Smoke Damage A • Roof Leaks / Broken Plumbing MMJFE Personal & Business • Water Damage / Mold P VCMJD Tax Returns • Burglary / Vandals A EKVTUFST *OD • Hurricane / Flood Damage “Your Insurance Claim Ally” Monthly, Quarterly • All Structural Damage & Yearly Accounting Reasonable Rates $BMM$3"*(41&/$&3 LIC# P027238 Serving YOU, the Insured • NO RECOVERY, NO FEE 786-985-6614 t 9165 Park Dr. Suite 12, Miami Shores tXXXBMMJFEQVCMJDBEKVTUFSTDPN

10 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 11 C OMMENTARY: WORD ON THE S TREET What would be your dream job? Compiled by Victor Barrenechea — BT Contributor

Antonio Villaamil Christy Gast Thomas Hollingworth Richard Haden Heather Klinker Kelson Roberts Student Artist/Teacher Writer/Editor Sculptor Charity Executive Hospital Administrator Upper Eastside Little Haiti Upper Eastside Little Haiti Wynwood Buena Vista An astronaut. It’s kind I have my dream job Honestly, my dream job I guess I’m doing my My dream job would be My dream job would be of like being a cowboy. because it’s up to me to would be in conservation. dream job, because I get riding in the Tour de to establish a home for It’s the last frontier. invent the projects that I Specifically, I’d like to go to make things. I get to . The challenge of unwanted children — Space is a pretty crazy do, and invent the ways to to Vietnam and spend a make things with my it. The prestige of it. The and unwanted adults. I place. There’s lots of make them happen. The prolonged period of time hands, make authentic glory of it. Look at Lance want to help give direc- stuff we don’t know process is a super creative crawling around, looking things. I get to talk Armstrong. It’d be exhila- tion in life, in education, about out there. I’d like and engaging, not to men- for turtle eggs, helping through my objects. I rating. I do bike, and I and to try to establish to be like a Buzz Aldrin. tion rewarding. I’ve endangered animals to have the opportunity to have competed, but not their God-given talents. Or maybe someone who always wanted to be an stay alive. I think it’s influence. Except it’s not professionally. I was at Help these people choose explores the ocean. I artist, even before I knew incredibly important that really a dream job one point a professional a career path not based would like to see what’s what it really meant. And we save these animals. because I’m actually skier, and skiers usually on materialistic gain but down there. Eighty per- now I am one. Also I’d like to be able to doing it. I’ve always been make good cyclists. rather to contribute to cent of the ocean has oversee this stuff because an artist, since I was a lit- helping other people. been unexplored. I don’t trust the people tle kid. I’ve always dab- Many children, as well who are doing it now, bled in the arts. as adults, commit crimes having worked for chari- or commit suicide based ties before. And also I on lack of guidance love traveling.

12 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 ON SATURDAY, + L’ANTIPATICO WILL SHOW HIS NICE SIDE.

SATURDAY / JANUARY 10 / 7-10 PM

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/ LUMAS / FOTO. ART. EDITIONS. LUMAS Miami is presenting “VIRTUAL LANDSCAPES,” a solo show of Berlin based artist Gerhard Mantz. Mantz’s digital interpretations of landscapes are sculpted to evoke feelings and moods; the viewer enters the visual environment with an immediate emotional response. At first glance the images appear realistic but, upon closer inspection, the seemingly realistic details shift to reveal a strange virtual realm more closely associated with an interior reality than with the exterior world. Located in the Moore Building_4040 N.E. 2nd Avenue_Suite 103

/ LUMINAIRE X / Lynne Gelfman exhibition at Gallery X. Experience the ethereal art of Lynn Gelfman as we present a new selection of in Gallery X. Gelfman often explores abstraction and its reference to the physical world, architectural structures, and aerial landscapes. Be prepared for unexpected combinations of color, texture, and form. Located in the Mosaic Building_161 N.E. 40th Street_Suite 201 / ARNO VALERE ART GALLERY / ART + Founded by Caroline Herail, Martial Ricart and Arno Valere, the gallery’s principal focus is art as an investment with the representation of an international group of DESIGN contemporary artists. The gallery is currently featuring George Condo, Kenny Scharf, Manolo Valdes, Li Songsong, David LaChapelle, Bert Stern, Vera Lutter, Carlito NIGHT Dalceggio, Dellfina & Delacroix, Carolus and Jacques Gordes. Located at 3900 N.E. 1st Avenue 2ND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH IN + L'antipatico, by Piero Fornasetti, ceramic jar (Detail). Limited Edition, part of the “Themes & Variations” series. On view at Avant Gallery.

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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 13 C OVER S TORY

1968. What was once known as “America’s Speedway to Sunshine” now carries nothing but freight. And although talk of placing commuter trains on the rails has come and gone over the years, no new transit service has materialized in more than three decades, since a violent strike of the United Transportation Workers prompted FEC officials to dis- continue passenger service, which had already become difficult and unprofitable to operate under intense government reg- ulations and growing competition from airlines and automobiles. Today an FDOT study known as the South Florida East Coast Corridor Transit Analysis, which began in 2005 and will be completed late this year or early 2010, looks to finally answer the question of how best to utilize the FEC rail corridor for commuter transit. The goal is to reduce congestion along I-95 and U.S. 1 (Biscayne Boulevard) by uti- lizing the southernmost 85 miles of the FEC corridor, from Flagler Street in downtown Miami to Indiantown Road in Palm Beach County. In Miami-Dade County, the tracks Without FEC’s freight service, cargo trucks would clog Miami’s roadways 24/7. mostly parallel Biscayne Boulevard on their way to downtown, where a Train FDOT’s proposed commuter NE 209th St bustling, six-track passenger station once Continued from page 1 stations, which are subject NE 198th St stood just north of the county court- American life revolved around trains. to change. NE 194th St house, linking Miami to New York’s For more than a century, from before the Grand Central Station. The Miami sta- Civil War until after WW II, nearly every tion was demolished years ago, and the long journey on land began and ended at remaining tracks turn eastward at NE 7th a railway platform. From the romantic NE 163rd St Street, skirting the Freedom Tower and steam engines of the Gilded Age to the crossing by bridge over Biscayne Bay to NE 151st St stainless-steel streamliners of the mid- the Port of Miami. A padlocked gate Twentieth Century, trains were fixtures blocks access to the railway bridge, in everyday life that captured imagina- NE 135th St which opens just once a week to allow tions and came to represent freedom, NE 125th St an FEC freight train to pass. That single, opportunity, and progress. Wherever the weekly train currently handles some railroad went, new settlements, new eight percent of the port’s cargo. industry, and a new way of life followed. NE 107th St Farther north, a spur heads west along South Florida, perhaps more than any NE 100th St NE 73rd Street to the FEC’s 432-acre other region in the U.S., owes its very NE 87th St Hialeah Yard northwest of Miami existence to the railroad. The Florida East International Airport — one of the NE 79th St Coast Railway (FEC), which runs along nation’s busiest shipping yards. Another the coast from Jacksonville to Miami — NE 71st St spur continues on through Medley, and until 1935, to — trans- NE 61st St where rock trains pick up crushed lime- formed the once inaccessible southern NE 54th St stone and other aggregates from the east- peninsula into a booming tri-county mega- ern edges of the Everglades. Other than lopolis. And the man who laid the tracks NE 39th St the weekly run to the port, trains rarely in the late 1800s, oil and hotel magnate NE 29th St stray south of 73rd Street anymore, and Henry Flagler, earned himself the illustri- the tracks below that point morph into a ous title “Father of Miami” for bringing NW 19th St lonely stretch of tall grass, rubbish- the city to life and shaping an entire region strewn lots, graffiti-covered warehouses, NW 8th St with his twin ribbons of steel. Government Center and the occasional homeless man curled But despite 112 years of active service, up on an old mattress. which continues to this day, a passenger train has not ridden the FEC rails since Continued on page 15

14 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 C OVER S TORY

FEC historian and Shores resident This is what we might get along the Biscayne Corridor. Rail advocate Bob Powers. Seth Bramson. Train Tri-Rail, the three-county commuter train the world consulting on transportation eight years to do it and he was dead for

Continued from page 14 that has been breaking national ridership issues. His message: Other than New six of them! So please don’t tell me we records since 2006, is perhaps Miami’s York City and Chicago, no rail system in can’t make this work.” In all, the FEC’s north-south line pass- only rail success story. Yet the system still the U.S. has demonstrated the ability to Making FEC commuter trains work es through the downtowns of 28 cities doesn’t have a permanent funding source, reduce traffic congestion. would seem to be a fool-proof undertak- and towns in the tri-county region, tra- so its fate continually hangs in the balance “Putting a commuter train on the FEC ing. Roughly 60 stations proposed by versing one of the nation’s most densely from one year to the next. And critics often line,” Cox says, “would not eliminate the FDOT (see map), placed along the corri- populated and congested corridors. call it “the train from nowhere to nowhere” necessity of expanding I-95, the turnpike, dor’s commercial and residential areas, Hence the logic of studying rail-transit because it lies too far west of major down- and other urban roads. The test of rail’s should theoretically make pedestrian possibilities. “We got through phase one town and commercial centers to be accessi- success is not the number of people on the access practical, leading not only to a of the study,” says Scott Seeburger, proj- ble without a car, shuttle bus, or other form train, but the number of cars removed successful rail system but also to a ect manager at FDOT’s District 4 office, of mass transit. from the road. Something like 98 percent in north-south automobile traf- “and now we’re going to go full force Already there’s talk within FDOT of of transit in the Miami area is by car. fic. But whether there’s enough popula- with phase two.” Phase one evaluated scrapping the FEC commuter-train idea You’re not going to change that. The prob- tion density within walking distance of the environmental, social, and economic entirely. “Because of how much rail sys- lem is the last quarter mile. International those proposed stations is questionable. impacts of various transit technologies tems cost,” says FDOT’s Seeburger, studies show that anyone who has the When the BT recently hiked the tracks (rapid-rail, light-rail, streetcars). Phase “there are arguments for obtaining the money to own a car is not going to walk from the Miami port bridge to Miami two will analyze details like operations more than a quarter mile to and Shores, it appeared that many of the sites and passenger-station sites, resulting in a A passenger train has not ridden the from a transit station.” were almost entirely devoid of pedestri- specific plan, which will be submitted to The idea that rail transit is ans. Notably, though, several new high- FEC rails since 1968. What was once the Federal Transit Administration. If an impotent white elephant rise condos were situated along the line, that agency gives the nod of approval to known as “America’s Speedway to may be difficult to accept, indicating that developers may have been the project, the state will become eligible Sunshine” now carries nothing especially for some Biscayne aware of FDOT’s commuter-rail plans. for federal funding. Engineering and but freight. Corridor residents who dream Most of the buildings were empty, how- construction could begin soon thereafter. of commuting by train to jobs ever, a consequence of Miami’s spectac- Of course, whether any of that actually in downtown Miami. Bob ular real-estate bust. And until the hous- means anything for the future of local rail FEC right-of-way, paving [the strip of Powers, president of the Palm Grove ing market rebounds and density signifi- transit is unclear. Protracted studies of land beside the tracks], and running Neighborhood Association in Miami’s cantly increases, any commuter-train commuter-rail proposals have come and buses on it. Not that that would be Upper Eastside, couldn’t find enough epi- operation on the FEC line will almost gone over the decades. A high-speed bul- cheap, but it would be less expensive thets to describe how he feels about rail certainly be a park-and-ride system. let train linking Miami, Orlando, and than putting in the additional tracks that detractors and the FEC project: “I went That scenario has some locals worried. Tampa was shot down just five months are needed and all the communication to so many FDOT project meetings it At a 2006 FDOT public hearing, residents before construction was to begin in 2003. systems required.” would make your head spin. When some- who live along the FEC line expressed Baylink, the proposed trolley project City buses running alongside the FEC one tells me they need to do a five-year concern that people arriving from sur- between Miami and Miami Beach along tracks may not have the romantic appeal study, I say, What do you need to study? rounding areas to use the system would the MacArthur Causeway, has been post- of commuter trains gliding along the The FEC made their money bringing cause unwanted commotion, traffic con- poned until 2022. And construction of rails, but opponents of rail-transit make a tourists to Miami! How much money did gestion, and overdevelopment of station 88.9 miles of new Metrorail track, prom- solid case. Wendell Cox, a former Los they just spend making express toll lanes areas. Also on their list of potential draw- ised back in 2002, has stalled indefinitely Angeles County transportation commis- on I-95? Why didn’t they put that money backs: noise and fumes from trains, in the face of low ridership, deficits, inad- sioner and vocal rail opponent, regularly into the FEC? In 1961 JFK said he want- equate funding, and pilfered tax revenues. churns out anti-rail literature and travels ed to put a man on the moon. It took us Continued on page 16

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 15 C OVER S TORY

Train that the whole thing was being done kind Continued from page 15 of hodge-podge. They were concerned continual horn blasts, disrupted traffic pat- that different governmental entities would terns at track crossings, and expropriation be coming at them with proposals and of land for stations, parking lots, and other they didn’t want to jeopardize their well- facilities. FDOT has since addressed two run and profitable freight services, so of those concerns, recommending the they requested a study. They’re involved implementation of “quiet zones” and in the process and their needs are taken clean-fuel technology, but the other issues into consideration.” have yet to be discussed in detail. Archives Photo courtesy Florida State There’s little doubt, however, that com- Naysayers and concerned property muter trains on the FEC tracks will mean owners aside, Miami-Dade’s congested millions of dollars in new revenue for the roadways are crying out for a viable company as local governments would transportation solution. Unstable gas need to lease or buy the right to use the prices, global warming, and a desire for corridor. In addition, some of the compa- “smart growth” have further increased ny’s 2500 acres of real estate would interest in urban rail. increase in value as trackside parcels Seth Bramson, a Miami Shores resi- would be required for stations and double- dent and the FEC’s company historian, tracking. FEC property values would also says, “The steel wheel and the steel rail Aerial view (1962) of the old downtown Miami passenger station. rise as business interests sought to estab- are the most efficient and economical lish themselves along the new commuter way of moving people and goods that on rails. If the FEC was not there to In fact, concern about the FEC’s freight route, a fact that likely did not escape the exist. A single train can carry the load of move the thousands of carloads of freight operation was the very thing that led to multinational Fortress Investment Group. 280 [tractor-trailer] trucks. One gallon of each day, I-95 and U.S. 1 would operate the FDOT study. As Scott Seeburger In May 2007, the New York-based fuel will move one ton of freight 423 at rush hour conditions 24 hours a day, explains, “Miami-Dade had been looking firm shelled out $3.5 billion to acquire miles.” He goes on to stress the critical seven days a week. That’s how important at the corridor for a long time. Tri-Rail Florida East Coast Industries and its real- role the FEC currently plays in Florida: the FEC is. So any commuter operation was looking at it north of West Palm estate arm, Flagler Development. Earlier “The most important part of what the in the corridor would have to be compli- Beach. And there had been one or two FEC does is to serve as a conveyor belt mentary to the freight operation.” studies earlier in Broward. The FEC felt Continued on page 18

16 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 17 C OVER S TORY Train sources: federal, state, and the three Continued from page 16 counties involved. Whether residents the same year, Fortress purchased would approve of a tax increase to sup- RailAmerica, an operator of 41 short-line port a commuter train remains to be seen. railroads across North America. Given Florida’s current $2.3 billion According to Seth Bramson, the FEC is budget deficit, and Miami-Dade slated to become the flagship railroad of County’s history of failed public-transit RailAmerica and will soon begin operat- projects, an FEC commuter train may ing under the name “FEC RailAmerica,” remain an elusive dream. But President- with headquarters in Jacksonville. elect Barack Obama’s massive infra- Fortress Investment Group may or may structure-funding plan might help. not have purchased the FEC specifically Already Miami Mayor Manny Diaz has because they foresaw a boom in passen- asked Obama for $3.4 billion for public- ger service along the corridor, but works projects within the city, some of FDOT’s Scott Seeburger says that shortly which would go to rail development. after his study began, he started receiving The golden age of railroading may be calls from people he assumed were bro- long gone, but the possibility of easy, kers looking for investments. Fortress, it affordable rail travel continues to hold appears, suspected that passenger trains enormous appeal for many thousands of could be in the railway’s future. The FEC tracks cross Biscayne Boulevard at the Freedom Tower. urbanites, especially those marooned Amtrak is also interested in the FEC daily on Miami’s clogged asphalt arter- line, according to the Florida Times- signed an operating agreement with the there will be some kind of commuter ies, slumped behind steering wheels in Union. The federally supported national FEC for a similar route, but the plan col- service along the FEC corridor. “How resignation. And until a viable trans- passenger carrier would like to move its lapsed amid concerns about Amtrak’s long it takes,” he says, “is the real ques- portation alternative surfaces, that’s twice-daily Miami-to-Jacksonville serv- finances. A $15 billion funding bill, tion, because of the amount of money where they’ll remain — in their metal ice from the Tri-Rail tracks to the FEC, approved by Congress this past June, that’s involved. Where are the funds boxes, staring at the railway tracks, wait- where travel time would be shorter and could put Amtrak in a position to pursue going to come from? And there will have ing for the train. trains could make stops in key coastal the plan once again. to be a local contribution.” Financing will cities along the way. In 2001 Amtrak Seeburger believes that eventually likely need to come from all available Feedback: [email protected]

18 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 C OMMENTARY: FEEDBACK Letters Kathy on Cuba: Cubans come from a more educated cul- the Cubans or the people of Liberty City. ture. Hialeah doesn’t have these prob- They cannot be “naturally” compared. Continued from page 6 Insultingly Romanticized lems, and there are tons of Cubans there. Rob Crowley I hope we hear from her again. Wendy, Oversimplifications = Ugh! It’s not a problem of poverty or color in Upper Eastside In regards to Kathy Glasgow’s article if you can read this, tell us more about Liberty City. It’s a problem of ignorance Bashful BT Buff Loves the life in the Bing! “Cuba’s Open Doors” (October 2008), I and lack of education. These two groups Lynne Merrill say ugh! It’s just ridiculous for her to are from totally different societies. Ads? So Tell the Advertisers! , compare a small town in Cuba to Cuba is a mess thanks to Castro, but I don’t want anything with my name on Miami’s Liberty City. there is no fear because Cuban culture it getting published, but I do want you to Editor’s note: Wendy once again reports She wrote: “When I was in Cuba, I is well-mannered and inherently proud. know how much I enjoy and appreciate from the frozen north. See page 26. naturally compared conditions there with They have tried to hang on to some your newspaper. I finally gave up on the those in Liberty City, which superficially sense of dignity despite living under , this from someone who Feeling Sad About a Fine has some of the same demographics (to communism and in utter poverty. I moved here in 1979, loves Miami, and Old Club begin with, a dysfunctional economy and know Kathy was trying to give a com- had the chance to read quality writing Sadly enough, sometimes the truth hurts. I majority black population).” pliment to the Cuban people, but it’s like they used to publish in the Herald refer to Jen Karetnick’s column about the Naturally? She’s really married to a more of a backhanded compliment to and its Sunday magazine Tropic. I just Miami Shores Country Club (“A Country Cuban? Wow! That is an oversimplifica- say Cubans in Cuba are living without could not keep subscribing to the pale Club in Terminal Decline,” October 2008). tion, and I can’t believe these things got fear compared to the fear people experi- imitation it has now become. It is way past time for someone to care past the editor at Biscayne Times. Her ence in Liberty City, implying that we So my paper is the Biscayne Times! I about MSCC. Over the past 25 years I writing style is overly romantic, though have something to learn from commu- love the news and the articles, information have been to a number of functions at this she claims not to be, and she adds color to nism. I’m pretty sure the Cubans in about our neighborhood, features about fine old club. However, the last time I was things that are totally benign. It’s like she’s Hialeah have a good sense of security pets and gardening, restaurant and art list- there I felt exactly the way Ms. Karetnick writing for a junior-high writing class. and would be terrified passing through ings, and even the ads! I’m a big fan of did, and I was saddened by the condition Is she for real? I can’t even imagine Liberty City, and appalled in speaking your paper, as you can tell! So is my mom. of the place in all aspects. how insulted most Cubans would be to to Kathy Glasgow. She moved here from Georgia and loves Hopefully, someone will take notice hear themselves or their circumstances Kathy, I think you need to spend less the news and the flavor of Biscayne Times. before we lose another piece of Miami compared to problems in Liberty City. If time in Liberty City and more time in Thank you so much, BT, for keeping us history to progress. there are poor Cubans, black or white, Hialeah so you can better understand the informed, entertained, and just neighbors. Kathryn Milton they don’t have the problems that Liberty Cubans. Though I am not a Cuban, I Name Withheld by Request Miami Beach City residents have today because the would never oversimplify the struggle of Biscayne Park

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 19 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: LIBERTY C ITY After 50 Years, Still Going Strong Rev. George McRae is living proof that the Lord’s work is never done By Kathy Glasgow place she had been in.” Cardboard boxes BT Contributor of MREs are stacked against one wall of McRae’s office. As we talk, an assistant he Rev. George McRae keeps a comes in to pick up one box to give to a snapshot of a thrilled-looking “homeless lady waiting downstairs.” Twoman in a cap and gown among Out in the church parking lot, an assort- the clusters of photos, notes, books, and ment of men and women — young and

papers occupying the top of his desk at BT photo by Marco Fernandez old, raggedy and spiffy — are arriving for Mt. Tabor Baptist Church. In the daily noontime group session, one of his 20 years as pastor of the Liberty City several moving-on-from-addiction pro- landmark, McRae has participated in grams Mt. Tabor offers. McRae, dressed hundreds of dramatic life stories, but this in gray knit pants and matching pullover, woman’s is a pure allegory. walks out the back door, greeting many of “One morning about ten years ago, I the attendees by name, nodding to all. looked out here —” the pastor motions The reverend is trim and understated, to a large window with a view of a even in the pulpit (I’ve never seen him Dumpster guarding a parking lot on the worked up, but I haven’t been to Mt. north side of NW 67th Street — “and I Tabor in years). He is one of those peo- saw that woman climbing out of that The woman did show up a few weeks receive her Bachelor’s degree in sociolo- ple who is not physically imposing but Dumpster. I went outside and walked later, McRae relates, and he drove her gy from Spelman College in . whose presence is vivid. Other than the over to her and I said, ‘This was made straight to rehab. When she got out, she “She passed three or four months ago,” gray in his close-cropped , McRae for garbage and trash, and God don’t joined the 300 or so recovering addicts McRae says. “She had the [HIV] virus. doesn’t seem to have changed much make trash.’ And I just let her know she who make up a third of Mt. Tabor’s But for eight to ten years she was an awe- since I first met him. Hard to believe it could come to the church and get help membership. Some years after that, she some advocate for addicts and the home- whenever she was ready.” put on a royal blue cap and gown to less, and everyone struggling in the same Continued on page 21

20 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: LIBERTY C ITY McRae of his youth. He was six months shy of his own death. All because God had compile a short autobiography chroni- Continued from page 20 his 18th birthday when he preached his ceased protecting Job from the catastro- cling his half-century career, and he has was more than 12 years ago. Now he is first sermon. It was February 17, 1959, phes and injustices of the world. asked me to help him write that history, about to complete 50 years in the min- at Greater Shiloh Baptist Church in “Early on, the Book of Job became which I am doing (unpaid). istry. His two decades at Mt. Tabor have Palatka, Florida, his hometown. Before important in my life,” McRae reflects, The reverend’s request is a great honor been those of a prophet who has gone that Sunday, most of Shiloh’s congre- “because he suffered a lot of things, and for me, and it means even more because against the established religious grain in gants had never heard McRae utter more I had been suffering too, not exclusively of a singular connection I had to Mt. Miami’s (and the nation’s) African- than a few words without stuttering. His physically.” Job managed to hold onto Tabor even before I saw the church or American community. speech impediment (and a learning dis- his faith through the hellish years and met any of its members. For at least a After assuming the leadership of Mt. ability that today would be recognizable eventually God restored to him twice as year before I moved to Miami in 1992, I Tabor in 1989, McRae was among the as dyslexia) had silenced and isolated much as he had lost. had the same simple dream several times: first local clergy to warn of a spreading him throughout his school years. “As As for George McRae, he has been all I would enter a building that I understood catastrophe among the black population: God is my witness,” to be either a church or funeral home. I AIDS, disproportionately devastating McRae declares today, “I would go downstairs to the basement, African Americans and fueled by homo- was least likely to suc- The reverend is trim and understated, even where people were eating and drinking phobia, poverty, and the epidemics of ceed.” in the pulpit. He is one of those people who punch around long wooden tables, a typi- crack and violence. Facing either antipa- McRae stood up is not physically imposing but whose cal Protestant church social scene. thy or apathy from most religious leaders before the church, and as presence is vivid. Then in 1996, not dreaming, I first (which he asserts has improved little over he spoke it was clear that entered Mt. Tabor for a funeral service, the years), McRae continues to target his something had happened and as I walked in the front doors, my and his church’s resources at society’s to him. His sermon centered on the Old over the world since his dirt-poor, dream came back to me, because there I most wretched, even at the cost of dozens Testament story of God’s righteous ser- dyslexic days in Palatka; he has met with was, once again inside that same build- of moneyed Mt. Tabor members. McRae vant Job, who early in his life enjoyed world leaders and earned both a Master’s ing. Later, after the memorial service, himself regularly visits the enclaves of everything young George McRae did and a Doctorate of Divinity from two of which was conducted by Reverend addicts, dealers, prostitutes, and homeless not: vast wealth, influence, and power. the nation’s most prestigious seminaries. McRae, everyone made their way down who exist just blocks from Mt. Tabor. But then God, on a wager with the devil, In February 2009, Mt. Tabor will those strangely familiar stairs to the In a way he hadn’t envisioned, abandoned Job to the power of Satan, honor McRae with an anniversary serv- basement, for lunch and fellowship. McRae’s calling has led him full circle, who afflicted him with every human ice and ceremony. Full disclosure: His back to the poverty and marginalization form of pain, loss, and torment except congregants have requested that he Feedback: [email protected]

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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 21 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: BELLE M EADE Stand Up and Be Heard! Or Maybe Not Activists do not win popularity contests By Frank Rollason Activism and apathy probably go back BT Contributor as far as man has roamed the earth. It’s just part of our genetic imprint. We have he story goes like this: “The opinions and some of us feel compelled problem with apathy is that no to act on them, while others of us choose Tone gives a damn, and the prob- to let the good times roll. The activist is lem with activism is that activists are constantly trying to persuade the apathist extremists or wackos or both.” I’d say to get involved, to take a stand (the right that both are true and both are false. The stand, of course), and make a difference. way I see it, no one is completely apa- What the activist misses, though, is thetic. The question is how to motivate that the apathist most likely is involved apathetic people to the cause being — just not in the same issues that inter- pushed by the activists? est the activist. For instance, consider So let’s dissect the differences between how many people protest abortion clinics the activist and the apathetic. But first or the wearing of fur. But those same we need a word for people who are apa- skyscrapers towering over residential The establishment — those people people may tune out activists who thetic. Those involved in activism are, of neighborhoods or buildings proposed for who have the power to make decisions oppose things like Miami 21 or residen- course, activists. And those poor apathet- waterfront sites. Local governmental that affect us all — also has the power to tial development of the Miami River. ic souls? Nothing. Let’s coin a new word administrations and elected officials take avoid conflict and to defuse activists. For They simply aren’t interested and so and call them apathists. one position and those dastardly activists example, if Miami’s elected officials they’re labeled apathetic. Generally activists are concerned about take the opposite. It’s a predictable con- made it clear to the city administration This brings us to another type of public issues, being either for or against frontation, almost as if there’s a script that they would not tolerate buildings activist, the one who is paid for his or something the establishment (usually a that has to be followed. I mean, think within a 50-foot setback from the water- her activism. Paid activists who deal government) is promoting. On a local about it: If it weren’t for activists, where front, there would be no issue to protest level, we have matters like zoning — say, would the conflict be? and no activists to confront. Continued on page 23

22 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: BELLE M EADE Activists task. The better they perform and the pro-lifers, pro-choicers, no-growthers, who says, “I am an activist who was Continued from page 22 more successful they are, the more the and all those newly minted “green elected to office, and I will always with the governmental establishment are activists loathe their existence. (By the everything” fanatics. remain an activist while in office,” but called lobbyists. They aren’t much dif- way, the easiest way to tell the differ- Next down the list is the terrorist. who then turns around and says, ferent from unpaid community activists ence between a lobbyist and an activist Terrorists follow immediately after “Activist? I wouldn’t say I was an except they don’t have to actually is that the activist gets two minutes at activists because they are viewed, at activist, but rather an advocate for the believe in the position they’re advocat- the podium while the lobbyist gets as least by the establishment, as activists best interests of the community.” ing, and they’ll readily advocate any much time as his or her political contri- who have stepped over the line. In this And so you can see why apathists are position for which they are appropriately butions will buy.) category would go the PETA activist not easily persuaded to get involved, to paid. In that sense, lobbyists are a lot Over the years, a hierarchy of commu- who throws paint on a woman wearing a take a stand, and make a difference. like prostitutes — willing to embrace nity involvement has evolved here in fur coat, or a pro-lifer who bombs an Activists have a tendency to look more nearly any position and to exhibit a pas- Miami. At the top of the heap are those abortion clinic. Nonviolent activists like members of some fringe group than sion for it as long as the money contin- reviled lobbyists, experienced profes- abhor these extremes taken by the few, respectable citizens. Thus apathists are ues to flow. And they’re equally willing sionals who understand governmental but they often relish the ill-gotten gains. more likely to join an organization of to embrace an entirely different position processes that are often incomprehensi- For instance, if all abortion clinics were advocates pushing for needed research the very next day, if the dollars are right. ble to outsiders, and who are hired to closed down as a result of safety con- on breast cancer than to get involved in In our odd little corner of the world, accomplish specific tasks. cerns for patients and those performing a commission meeting about a zoning lobbyists are an accepted part of the Then you have “advocates,” individ- the services, nonviolent pro-lifers would matter in which competing teams of governmental process at all levels. uals who are usually revered because not be upset. They would exult in the lawyers can’t even agree on a definition Activists may grouse about lobbyists of the nature of their positions. For clinics being shut down but condemn of the issue. and their ungodly access to elected and instance, a child advocate appointed the method that produced the desired While I would like to see larger and appointed officials (the apathist never by the court is held in high esteem by result. It’s the old end-justifies-the- more diverse crowds engaged with the complains because, remember, he does- the establishment and anti-establish- means phenomenon. myriad issues facing our neighborhoods, n’t give a damn), but even local activists ment alike. At the very bottom of the pile we I think it’s unrealistic to believe that will can’t deny the crucial role lobbyists play Farther down the hierarchical slope is have the one-time activist who gets happen — at least not until the apathist’s in the game. I’ve attended many a meet- the activist, the very mention of whom elected to office because of his or her ox has been sufficiently gored to pro- ing at which the bulk of the criticism is sends a chill down the spine of those in activism but who subsequently disavows voke a strong response. aimed at the no-good lobbyist who is power. Activists are tree-huggers, all links to an activist past. And what the merely performing his or her solicited whale-lovers, animal-rights crusaders, heck is this all about? It is the politician Feedback: [email protected] Guarantee Floridian $150 OFF Effective Non-Tent Termite Treatments Must present coupon. Expires January 31st, 2009. Guarantee Floridian Call For A FREE Estimate $75 OFF All Pest Solution All Pest Protection for your home or business. Pest Control - Termite - Lawn. Expires January 31st, 2009. Guarantee Floridian $75 OFF 5RGHQW6HUYLFH3URRÀQJ 3HVW&RQWUROZLWK5RGHQW3URR¿QJ Pest Control Services Expires January 31st, 2009. 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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 23 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: MIAMI S HORES Shores Shootings: They’re Not What You Think No, we’re talking about the joys of film crews and commercials By Jen Karetnick lived on my street; and that my property BT Contributor came with a legacy, having been the backdrop throughout the years in many ou might be forgiven, these ad campaigns. And because the house days, for coming across a house had been under construction and unoccu- Yin Miami Shores where the pied for the better part of three years swales are loaded with trucks and trail- before my family moved in, the exten- ers, and assume that another unfortu- sive yard had been used more often than nate family has been forced to sell and usual. There’s nothing a production team move out. But take a closer look. Do likes better, I discovered, than a site that the men wandering around carrying fur- doesn’t come with a worried homeowner niture and wheeling racks of clothing wringing her hands. have on headsets? Are there thick We found ourselves — that is, our extension cords snaking here and there, house — listed in both companies’ port- and a general humming of machinery? folios. The money, we were told, is And most tellingly, is there a catering good: an average of $2000 per day for an cart of some sort? interior shoot, $1000 for outdoors, and What you’re looking at is actually a more if it’s a big-name company or shoot, commercial productions where these parts, might need that explanation. take pictures of the interior of my requires a lot of live-action filming. one of the village’s properties is the I certainly didn’t know what to make of garage, rhapsodic over the fact that it Money like that is very welcome when location site, set up for either still pho- it, just after moving in, when I saw such had windows, apparently a rarity. you’ve bought a house beyond your tos or film. a chaotic cluster of vehicles at a neigh- I learned very quickly that she was a means and your husband has just begun If you’re rolling your eyes right now bor’s house. I also was pretty bewildered location scout; that my immediate neigh- his private practice after years of medical and saying, “Well, duh,” allow me to add when, just a few days later, a woman borhood was home to not one but two that some of us, especially newcomers to showed up at my house requesting to such professionals, including one who Continued on page 25

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24 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: MIAMI S HORES Shootings time to change the litter, or because the didn’t get that shoot. dirty underwear on the floor; and I’ve Continued from page 24 sink was full of dishes, or because my Sometimes these requests actually also had shoots that are supposed to be school, internship, residency and fellow- office windows have Scotch tape marks result in home improvement. At this indoors and they’ll instead set up by the ship. In fact, eight years later in a reces- on them from the kids’ pictures. I’m not moment we have some pretty begonias, pool. The lesson here is to expect the sion that is seeing my own jobs dry up as exaggerating. I’ve heard comments about planted by the crew filming a tire com- unexpected. publications go out of business — and “what a great house, but way too messy.” mercial, where before we had only As a fellow homeowner who also we still have med and grad school loans On the other hand, our clutter almost weeds. On the flip side, at that shoot hosts shoots wryly observed: Like the to pay off. worked for us once. The client was look- they also seemed to arrive without pain of childbirth, you always manage to The process of actually being ing for a “real-life situation.” The pro- appropriate props. While they were set- forget that part. Perhaps because it’s the approved as a site location has many lay- duction team wanted a home, not a ting up, I was asked first for a lemon, equivalent of being tented or evacuated, ers, and you have to pass through all of house, complete with toys strewn about which I had, then more lemons, which I you’re so happy when it’s over you them. Every time we “have a bite,” the and piles of unfiled papers. But appar- didn’t — but the tangerines were accept- immediately put it out of your mind, and scout must come and take more special- ently, in the end, we were too real. I able. Then it was candles, and oh, by the it’s hard to recall just how awful it is to ized pictures according to what the client think the drapes that are torn in half by way, how about candlesticks? And final- be pack up your valuables, remove the needs (like a garage with windows). If the cats had something to do with it. ly I had to produce a water pitcher. paintings and fragile items from within we make it through that inspection, a Sometimes we’ll be asked strange Had I wanted to complain, I would reach, board the animals, and get out for team representing the client will do a questions about what we’re willing to let have gone to the site manager. This is who knows how long. Or because the walk-through and case the place. Or two the crew do to our property — put in the person who safeguards your property truth is that while a big production at walk-throughs. Sometimes even three. It lights where there aren’t any, take out during a shoot, makes sure nothing is your house is remarkable for both you can get, shall we say, irritating. some “Florida” plants to make room for broken or stolen, and ensures that the and your neighbors by its very inconven- Especially if you’re as lousy a house- “northern” foliage so the clip will be homeowner feels comfortable leaving ience and time consumption, you gener- keeper as I am and have as many ani- more universal. It helps not to be pre- his or her house in the hands of, say, 15 ally succeed in winning one only about mals as we do. cious about these kinds of things, though big dudes in work boots wielding gigan- every six months. By that time, both the Scouts will say such stuff doesn’t real- being relaxed isn’t a guarantee either. tic equipment. In the management inconvenience and the paycheck are ly matter, because when it comes to stag- For instance, when our house was up for department, though, some shoots are memories, and you somehow never do ing the shoot, the crew clears out the a Pepsi commercial, we were asked if we better than others. I’ve been told by catch sight of your house in that FPL room anyway and puts in their own would allow them to paint the Pepsi logo some that they’ll be working outdoors commercial after all. props. But I’ve seen many a potential on one exterior wall (they would repaint when there are suddenly guys setting up shoot slip away because I didn’t have the wall afterward). We said yes, but still lights in my closet and bedroom, with Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 25 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: BISCAYNE PARK The Big One Blows into Town In some scary ways, snowstorms are like hurricanes By Wendy Doscher-Smith “Time for a cup of hot chocolate!” was BT Contributor the response from a native New Jersian who, much to my dismay, wishes he f I ever doubted that I am a Miamian, could return from Miami to the horror of the question became rhetorical when the downstate winters. This response II had a panic attack during what arrived after I began pacing manically should have been, by any other person’s around my dining-room table while two standards, a delightful snowstorm at my of my four dogs watched me from the lovely new home in Binghamton, New stairway landing, their heads, following York. At first I dealt with it by docu- Doscher-Smith BT photo by Wendy my pattern, revolving like the hips of a menting the white blitz and e-mailing dashboard hula girl hitting a pothole on a photos to friends across the country. salted street. “Wow! It’s like a scene out of a Up until this point, despite my bitch- Norman Rockwell . All your ing and whining, I had actually enjoyed dogs look so cozy!” came the response watching the seasons change. Summer from my native-Ohioan friend, who became autumn and then winter. The recently moved back there from West lack of sun frightened me, but the snow Palm Beach. quickly became my friend, providing I glanced at the window and only felt enough. Just who did this snow think it lasts about 30 minutes. Then the sun much needed levity in the face of tomb- my chest tighten. Okay, the snow is pret- was, anyway? comes out. Then the muggy business stone-colored skies. ty but why wouldn’t it stop? It had been If Miami is one thing, it is volatile starts. But during the winter, Miami But somehow this Serious Snow was snowing for three hours straight and it and inconsistent. It is a city that does as goes into a different mode. It is not too different. Alien. It was the Little Snow just kept coming. Frankly, it was begin- it pleases. In this way, I guess hot and not too cold. The sun is always That Could. And would. But so what. I ning to get on my nerves. I could not Binghamton is similar. In Miami, the out. It is pleasant. So the consistency, longer see the sidewalk. Enough was crashing crescendo of summer storms though odd, is not bad. Continued on page 27

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26 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENTS: BISCAYNE PARK Big One blow off or B) cave in due to “hurricane- But then I got hints. Foreshadowing. as her nails dried to a fine lustrous Continued from page 26 force winds.” The can of Sprite I left in my car for a shine, one teacher debated with another am one of the lucky ones. I work from I was safe. Yet the anxiety persisted. week and sipped from periodically as to whether school would be can- home so I didn’t need to venture out Why? (gross, I know) froze overnight. It was celed or merely delayed. (Something onto those sludge-pit excuses for roads I believe it is cumulative. Miamians now a solid mass. Advertising slogans that does not happen in Miami.) A lady and then pray I did not skid on black ice warned me about moving to upstate New aside, it was truly the un-cola. I tried to on a cell phone debated: “Should we into a tree and have to climb my way out York because of the winters. Then, once drink it and nothing trickled. In Miami, take that shopping trip into NYC? Or of a frigid ditch with a mild concussion I arrived here, people rolled their eyes or the same liquid left in the car might have is it too dangerous?” and broken limbs. laughed or shook their heads in pity burned my tongue. Then the forecast numbers began: “Six Then it hit me. And no, I still hadn’t when they learned of my steamy origins. I went out for a walk and came back to twelve inches.” I listened to the local left the house or entered a ditch after with a chapped face. weather nerds toss out those numbers smacking into a tree. It was the realiza- “You need sunscreen!” like so many dirty snowballs, the sort tion that what I was experiencing Okay, the snow is pretty but why wouldn’t my husband’s colleague that the naughty little kids chuck at the Hurricane Stress. It made sense. In it stop? It had been snowing for three hours chastised me. Huh? The crossing guard down the street. “Eight to Miami, whenever the city becomes a straight and it just kept coming. It was sun was anemic at best. fourteen inches.” buzz machine with weather warnings, getting on my nerves. It needed a toasty medi- And then I waited. people run for the grocery and fight over anoche sandwich. But I And in the end, when it arrived, the the last can of Dinty Moore beef . was in Binghamton now eight inches I could have sworn were Gas shortages kick in. Nurseries reserved The winter here comes on slowly, like and the sun that did come out reflected more like two feet. Then came the icy for the expected new kid become Water an Everglades gator stalking a wayward off of snow. Oops. Welcome to the land sidewalks and inevitable skids, even in Bottle Rooms. kayaker. Then, like the gator, it emerges of opposites. all-wheel drive. The barometer dipped to I heard a loud thud on the roof and from the shadows and strikes. BAM! The previous day people were dis- numbers reserved for shoe sizes. But I thought, “Uh oh... Here we go.” You are either human jerky or you are in cussing the first “Big One” (a.k.a. was still around. I’d made it through my I grabbed the six-buck sherry the thick of the wintry beast. Really, both snowstorm) of the season. The guy first Big One. and took a swig. fates are equally horrendous. who packed my Twinkies into the I hope the trend continues, and this Then it occurred to me that it was I had been wearing the same winter paper or plastic mumbled to the cashier tropi-girl stays clear of hungry alligators probably just snow falling off of the clothes since September, and each day that he might not make it up the hill in in frozen swamps. slant of the roof. In fact, this meant that I would wonder: Is this the cold? his clunker because he didn’t have the roof was not, repeat not, going to A) The real thing? snow tires. At the manicurist’s place, Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 27 C OMMUNITY N EWS She Remembers Bettie Miami photographer Bunny Yeager propelled Bettie Page to stardom By Margaret Griffis other side of the lens. In the think of something outstanding that I Special to BT 1940s, the Pennsylvania-born could do with her that would really draw Yeager moved to Miami, a lot of attention and sell to a lot of mag- hen 1950s pinup queen Bettie where she became one of the azines,” recounts Yeager of the now- Page died of heart disease at a most popular models in the famous trip. “If you could think up WLos Angeles hospital on area after graduating from something that nobody else had done, December 11, many in the Western world Edison High. However, it they would buy the pictures.” took notice. Her death at age 85 may not would be a “loaner” camera Yeager picked up Page early one have been worthy of newspaper headlines, borrowed from a photography morning to make the trek up to Boca but Page was special enough to induce the class she later took at the Raton. Page remained in her curlers the likes of founder to Lindsey Hopkins Vocational entire car ride so she would look perfect quietly sit through a funeral service con- School that would set her on when the shutter finally clicked. ducted by none other than televangelist her true path to becoming the Meanwhile Yeager worried whether the Rev. . Picture that! “World’s Prettiest park owners would allow her to photo- Of course, the American media ran the Photographer.” By 1954 the graph Page in a skimpy two-piece obvious stories detailing Page’s mostly trag- Bettie-and-Bunny collabora- bathing suit Yeager herself had made, let ic life, and their foreign counterparts ran tion would fix Yeager in her Bunny Yeager at a recent gallery show of alone without any clothes at all. even longer obituaries. There was mention new role as a celebrated profes- Bettie Page images. But permission was granted, and of schoolteacher Bettie, fetish model Bettie, sional photographer, and propel Yeager photographed Page in the nude. psychward Bettie, and even born-again Page into Playboy magazine and eventual- Yeager’s favorite photo shoot pro- Then, instead of the two-piece, she opted Bettie. But what was perhaps the most mag- ly to cult superstardom. duced some of Bettie’s most memorable for a one-piece suit she’d also made from ical Bettie of all, the Miami Bettie, got scant Naturally, Page’s death has sparked images. The scene was a Boca Raton the same fake leopard print fur. Why the attention. Sure, Nashville may have wit- renewed interest in her as a seductive theme park called Africa U.S.A., which more modest one-piece outfit? Yeager nessed the birth of Betty Mae Page in 1923, model, and Yeager has been extra busy is now a shopping center, office build- says she feared “they would think it was but it was here, in 1950s Miami, where the with photo orders. It’s difficult to catch her ings, and the Camino Gardens residential like a burlesque show. I didn’t want to icon Bettie Page was truly born. between work at her photo lab, visits to development. Back then, though, it was lower what I was trying to do. I was try- The “mother” of that icon was the the post office, and her other obligations, the first “cageless” wild animal park in ing to present something very artistic.” much-younger Bunny Yeager, a local beau- but recently she took time out of her busy the nation. “I had photographed Bettie ty queen whose curiosity had led her to the schedule to reminisce with BT. Page several times, and I was trying to Continued on page 30 Eight Months and Counting Little Haiti Park has developed detractors and defenders alike

By Erik Bojnansky committee, which tried to guide the Special to BT park’s development. On May 3 of last year, thousands fficially it’s still known as Little attended Little Haiti Park’s grand open- Haiti Park, but a sign posted on ing, which included a match between a Othe grounds gives another name Miami soccer team and one based in and reflects the park’s principal function: Haiti. Fifteen acres in size, the park has a

“Emmanuel ‘Manno’ Sanon Soccer BT photo by Marco Fernandez manicured, Bermuda-grass “profession- Park.” Sanon was the Haitian national al” field sandwiched by a covered grand- team’s star player during the 1974 World stand on one side and bleachers on the Cup competition and died this year at other. There is also a worn soccer prac- age 65 of pancreatic cancer. Kenneth tice field, a playground, a kids’ water Newman, an energetic man with a bushy park, picnic pavilions, a paved jogging mustache, smiles as he points at the sign. path and a 5000-square-foot community The name, he says, was his idea. center now under construction. Newman, a part-time referee for the So Newman is happy, right? Wrong. Florida Youth Soccer League and a Stretching his arms wide, Newman says, parks advocate, supported the late “Told you. What a waste.” Miami Commissioner Art Teele’s quest His main gripe: Another sign warning peo- to create some green space in the middle ple to stay off the main, “professional” soccer of Little Haiti’s warehouse section at NE field. “They are keeping people off the field 2nd Avenue and 63rd Street. Newman even served on the city’s soccer park Big field, big grandstand, big fees, few takers. Continued on page 31

28 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 C OMMUNITY N EWS One Night, Two Wheels, Many Families Every Thursday, Biscayne Park bikers get wild and crazy — sort of By Christian Cipriani hands-on from a young age, tinkering in the Special to BT driveway on cheap, rusted-out beauties. That’s how it started for Grant n a perfect Miami night in late Rawson, a 28-year-old ocean engineer November, Joe Chao sets up traf- for NOAA who came with his colleague, Ofic cones around the parking lot Robert Roddy. Rawson’s budding and of Pizza Point, on NE 6th Avenue at eclectic motor collection includes a 108th Street. By 7:30, the quiet strip of Photo courtesy of Joe Chao right-hand-drive Land Rover imported shops just north of the Miami Shores from England. Tonight he’s showing off Country Club comes alive with the a fully restored and customized ‘71 Ford sound of roaring engines and clinking Bronco. The car spent two years at a spe- bottles. Gear-heads of every age and col- cialist in North Carolina, and now boasts lar pull up in classic cars and custom a menacing 425-horsepower engine and choppers to admire each other’s toys and Bike night organizer Joe Chao: A fun-filled block party is next. an interior matched to the truck’s red- talk shop over fresh pizza and cold beer. and-white paint — all for the cost of a It is nothing short of guy heaven. new Camry, Rawson notes. Chao lives just few blocks away in Robert Roddy probably has the only Biscayne Park, and started Pizza Point’s import on the lot, a gorgeous 1976 BMW Thursday-night motor show on behalf of 2002, with reworked transmission, new sus- the Biscayne Park Motorcycle Riders — pension, and an arctic-blue paint job. It’s the an informal group of area riders who hit kind of car David Bowie might have been the road together. Local high school kids zipping around in during the Berlin years. help him spread the word door-to-door For Pizza Point owner Johnny Coetzee, with flyers in exchange for the privilege a native of South Africa, the bike night of hanging out, and e-mail lists and and business strip are a full-on family Facebook drum up attention online. The affair. His daughter’s coffee shop, called goal is to provide a more convenient Just Imagine, opens next door in January. meet-up for Miami motorcycle devotees Don’t let the scary leather jackets fool you — they’re all family guys. It’s a place where moms can unwind over and a chance to hit the road with peers. coffee and cakes and let the kids play. If Currently the best weekly options are at dad is in tow, he can even have a pizza opposite ends of the map — one at sent over. Just Imagine’s owner also hap- Hooters in Hollywood, and another pens to be married to the cousin of bike down near Homestead. night’s resident mechanic, Nicky, whom So far it’s working. The Pizza Point many Miamians know from his days as gathering just keeps growing, and now an infamous Churchill’s bartender. attracts everyone from 9-to-5 hobbyists to Later in the night, Luis Vasquez’s son photos by Christian Cipriani members of chartered clubs like the pulls up in a Chevy Impala with shining Keltics, the kind who still sport matching rims and joins his dad and pregnant leather jackets. This is a come-one, come- mother inside for a family dinner. Mom all, no-dues event for any enthusiast. Rick has two bikes herself, but is off them Case Honda has even asked to set up a until after the delivery. tent and show off new motorcycle models. Far from rowdy, the weekly bike night at One of the flashiest bikes on the lot Luis Vasquez’s flashy BTX (green lights). Pizza Point is all about community. belongs to Luis Vasquez, a Village of Everyone is a friend, a co-worker, a family Miami Shores employee. His polished three years. “The deal was, I would stop forget, but with age comes greater respect member, a neighbor, and Joe Chao is proud Honda BTX is sprinkled with color- biking if my wife quit ,” Chao for the hazards of a speed addiction. of this. A veteran county employee most changing LED lights and a speed-boost- explains. “She broke before I did! I caught Chao, for one, always wears a helmet and recently with Team Metro, Chao is using ing nitrous tank. Long and squat, with a her sneaking around the yard. It’s a good fully padded jacket. Like most of these his bureaucratic smarts to organize permits temperamental 45-degree rake, it’s no thing, too, because I was already planning guys, he’s a husband and father — no and funding for a block party. He envisions distance cruiser, unlike the Harley- to get my next bike in a few weeks.” longer an immortal teenager. the whole corner coming alive one sunny Davidson Electra Glide (the one used by Sentiments like this echoed around the Aside from a love of fast and loud engi- weekend with music, food, and families — police), which showed up later. All told, lot all evening. One guy turned up after a neering, the other unifying thread is the per- and of course, everyone’s mean machines. Vasquez paid $20,000 for custom work cruise to the Everglades and lamented his sonal relationship between man and Keep your eyes tuned to the BT and by Unique Choppers of Kendall, on a failed attempt to shake the habit: “I guess machine. Luis Vasquez helped his friend we’ll let you know when that happens. base model that retails for half that. I got back into it about a year ago.” For Roberto customize his own BTX, in his Or log onto Facebook and befriend the Joe Chao is only 45, yet his obsession those who have been there, the rush of driveway, by hand. Unlike German and Biscayne Park Motorcycle Riders. with high-powered choppers goes back 30 speeding asphalt an inch or two beneath Italian exotic drivers who can’t even change years. That was put on hold only once, for your feet is hard to explain and harder to their own oil, chopper and hot-rod fans are Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 29 C OMMUNITY N EWS Teachers vs. Attorneys: Guess Who Got the Money Thanks to some astute Upper Eastsiders, the teachers won! By Margaret Griffis The collapse of condo UEPC board member Ginger Vela then Special to BT madness gave the UEPC a went to a PTA meeting to learn more much-needed break from about Adopt-A-Classroom, which raises lthough the media portray, not expensive attorneys and money to use in classrooms and provides incorrectly, the housing-bubble courtroom battles. But what moral support for educators. Drastic bust as a severe economic dis- to do with their bank reductions in Miami-Dade County Public

A Photo by Maggie Steber ruption for the entire U.S. economy, account and its unexpected Schools budgets have forced many leave it to a group of Biscayne Corridor financial surplus? Since teachers to spend their own money on residents to make sweet lemonade from their original goal was a the school supplies their students will that huge sack of lemons. Thanks to the quality-of-life issue, UEPC use in class. Those costs can reach hun- bust, community activists from board member Jack Spirk dreds of dollars. Shorecrest and neighboring areas found says they merely expanded Soon after the PTA meeting, the Upper themselves sitting on a nice pile of their mission to other com- Eastside Preservation Coalition voted to money never used for its intended pur- munity needs. They made help adopt the remaining classrooms at pose. So why not “re-purpose” it? contributions to the Miami Miller Elementary — to the tune of The Upper Eastside Preservation Rescue Mission, the $1000. A few more donations filled out Coalition, formed as a nonprofit in 2002 to Pelican Harbor Seabird All smiles at Phyllis R. Miller Elementary: the wish lists for all 50 classrooms. As fight what members saw as inappropriate Station, and other worthy (Front row) UEPC’s Ginger Vela, PTA president thrilling as full funding may be, it also development along Miami’s Upper causes. Then Phyllis R. Stephanie Darring, vice principal Tracy McCloud, makes the school eligible for an extra Eastside — mostly the out-of-scale build- Miller Elementary School, and Jamie Rosenberg of Adopt-A-Classroom. $5000 donation from Adopt-A- ings that were threatening to dwarf the rel- a Shorecrest neighbor, got (Back row) Hal Marshall and Jack Spirk of UEPC, Classroom itself. However, the winner of atively quaint architecture of their historic their attention, as did some- Susie Taylor of Adopt-A-Classroom, and the that grant won’t be announced until later neighborhoods. In addition to raising thing called the Adopt-A- PTA’s Ketha Otis and Evelyn McDonnell. this month, so as not to discourage more money to fund legal challenges against Classroom program. donations to Miller and other schools. unwanted development, the group wanted A group the UEPC works with, the four classrooms at Miller Elementary Adopt-A-Classroom is a Miami-based to educate local residents about their Shorecrest Homeowners Association, when members introduced Spirk and oth- options and unite homeowner associations. had already used the program to adopt ers to the program. Spirk and fellow Continued on page 31

Bunny Yeager she has, and look to see what the good unseen because she was a New York points are and what her flaws are, so that model, and I figured she couldn’t be too Continued from page 28 you can cover up the flaws. And play up bad. That and she said she’d pose nude Although Yeager liked to work quickly the beautiful part of her. That was what I for me. Nobody posed nude down here. I anyway, this shoot needed to really fast. It was always doing with my models. I couldn’t find nude models! This is how had to be wrapped up before the park think that’s what made many of the pic- weird it was. I would never hire someone opened. The pair worked feverishly with a tures look like fine art. They have sold in over the phone, but I was so desperate to large-format 4 x 5 Speed Graphic camera galleries and hung in museums.” get models when I was starting out.” to capture the color images. Then out But her work with Bettie Page seems to Yeager didn’t know what to expect. came a medium-format 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 have transcended even those grand ambi- She imagined Bettie might be a high- Rolleiflex for a series of black-and-white tions and touched people in unexpected model, not a girl who mostly images. “I think Bettie must have loved ways. “Every day I get letters from girls posed for amateur camera clubs and animals,” Yeager recalls. “You can tell and older women who have idolized the fetish photographers. Fortunately there about people whether they like animals or things I’ve done with Bettie Page, and was instant chemistry. Bettie, Yeager want to keep their distance. Well, she they want to be like her,” Yeager says. says, “was the best pinup model I ever went right up to them. They maybe would “Sometimes they cut their hair into bangs worked with. And she thought that I had kiss her on the face. She didn’t care or and try to emulate the same hairdo. They photographed her better than anyone else complain.” The session went perfectly. say I mean so much to them with what I she had posed for.” It was a match for the “After we did most of the animals, I Self-portrait, Miami, from the did — elevating her to the artistic.” ages, and its appeal continues unabated. asked the trainer if we could use the ‘war- 1950s: Yeager was known as the She also notes that Page seemed hap- In 2009 Bunny Yeager is celebrating rior’ who greets everyone at the gate. I saw “World’s Prettiest Photographer.” piest in front of the camera. Perhaps it her 55th year as a photographer, to which some cooking pots and wanted to tie Bettie was that upbeat aspect of Page’s beauty she proudly adds: “All of it in Miami.” up and pretend he’d just captured her. We woman surrounded by equally beautiful that allowed her, through Yeager, to con- You can get a feel for the Miami of an put Bettie in the big black cooking pot as if animals such as Mojah and Mbili, the nect with so many people. earlier era by visiting Yeager’s official he were going to cook her. I know it park’s famous cheetahs, Yeager had a So how did this wonderful collabora- Website, www.bunnyyeager.com. More sounds stupid, but this is what men’s mag- loftier aim in mind. “My big goal was to tion happen in the first place? “I was for- work is available through her eBay store, azines were like then,” Yeager says apolo- make things look beautiful and artistic,” tunate that we met when we did,” Yeager Bunny Yeager , at getically, with a coquettish giggle. she explains. “By all means, if you have says. “I might have still been in photog- http://myworld.ebay.com/bunnyyphoto. Apart from the obvious commercial a live model, make her look as good as raphy school, or just out of it. She called benefits of photographing a stunning possible. Don’t take away any beauty that me on the phone and I took her sight Feedback: [email protected]

30 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 C OMMUNITY N EWS Park fumed when Newman told him the fees time. “In the afternoon,” she says, “it’s Continued from page 28 the city expects to collect from its use. packed with young people from the to make it look nice,” Newman complains. “They build this beautiful facility,” he neighborhood. Not just Haitians, but “But no one is playing on it at all.” says. “Obviously it is for the adult Hispanics and Haitian boys who play While the nearby practice field is open leagues, and that is fine. But the adult against each other [on the practice field].” to anyone free of charge, the city leagues are not there in the middle of the Leonie Hermantin, a longtime activist reserves the main field for those who can afternoon. It would be nice for [kids] to Harper BT photo by Jim W. in Miami’s Haitian community, says the pay rental fees, explains Lara De Souza, be able to play [on the main field].” park’s design could have been better. For spokeswoman for Miami’s Parks and Newman says Little Haiti’s neighborhood example, there are no locker rooms or Recreation Department. “The main field kids would be better served if the fields showers at the facility. However, is classified as a professional soccer were made freely available to competitive Hermantin says the park is “a good result field,” De Souza continues, “which soccer organizations like the Florida Youth to a most tumultuous beginning. They means that we need to protect the grass Soccer League. “Basically the city is in the truly brought something beautiful.” from daily wear and tear that comes 18th Century when it comes to its sports Indeed Little Haiti Park generated the from practice and pickup soccer games, program,” Newman grumbles. “It’s not most controversy at its very conception, so that when a group comes to rent the interested in giving kids opportunities.” when Teele began pushing for its cre- stadium out, they have a field that is Donald Lutton, superintendent of recre- ation in 1998. Back then Teele wanted a usable and we are not placed in a situa- ation for the city’s parks department, coun- 60-acre park. Local property owners, tion where we cannot have a tournament ters that the fees charged at Little Haiti wary of having their properties seized or special soccer event at the park due to Park are comparable to those charged by via eminent domain, fought the scheme the poor conditions of the field.” Miami-Dade County for its stadium park “We need to protect the grass relentlessly for years. So far, in the eight months the park has facilities. Lutton also says the city has its from daily wear and tear.” Many Little Haiti residents, mean- been open, there have been a mere five own soccer program in which residents of while, were more concerned about games on the professional field, two of which nearby parks play against each other, as hours on it before it wears out.” employment than green space, were city-sponsored events. And only once well as teams from the City of North Mulroy says he considered using Little Hermantin says. “It didn’t strike us as a were fees waived by an act of the Miami Miami. Unlike the Florida Youth Soccer Haiti Park for an event and may do so priority at that point to build a park,” she City Commission, according to De Souza. League, Miami residents can play in those again. “I was talking with one of our remembers. “We did not see it as the And what are those fees? The basic games for free, Lutton notes. (Fees at friends and we were looking at doing a kind of investment that would generate facility rental fee is $700, the concession Florida Youth League Soccer vary from celebrity game [there],” he says, “We jobs for the neighborhood.” fee is $150, use of the press box is $100, team to team. For example, the Miami couldn’t get all the I’s dotted and the T’s Eventually a compromise for a smaller lights cost $50 per hour, plus a staff cost Lakes Soccer Club charges kids $325 per crossed [to make the game happen] but park was hammered out. But legal bills of $600. For a three-hour, nighttime soc- season plus $40 per month.) Little Haiti Park would have been where and land costs pushed the taxpayer total cer match, that amounts to some $1700. The fee structure at Little Haiti Park we would have hosted it.” up to $34 million. Commissioner Teele High schools can use the field for a doesn’t bother Tom Mulroy, president of Currently the parks department is himself didn’t live to see the park fin- flat $1000. A middle school can have it Copa Latina, a soccer promotions and mar- looking at the possibility of changing the ished. In the summer of 2005, facing for $300. Youth organizations can use keting company. In fact, to Mulroy a fee system for neighboring schools, says multiple corruption charges brought by the professional field for $125 per hour, restricted field makes sense. “If you have a De Souza. state and federal authorities, Teele shot plus a $50 concession charge, plus $35 park like that, you can’t let just anyone on Although Newman is angered by park himself in the lobby of the Miami for the press box, and another $120 for it,” he asserts. Part of the reason for restrict- policies regarding the main soccer field, Herald. The park’s community center, lights during night games. ing the field’s use is that you cheapen the many nearby residents and business oper- which is scheduled for completion this Lou Confessori, former vice president value of the venue. And then there is wear ators are just glad to have a park at all. April, will be named after Teele. of the Florida Youth Soccer League, has and tear on the field. “If it is a grass field,” Sophia Lacroix, an artist and Little Haiti never visited Little Haiti Park, but he he says,” you can only play X-amount of resident, loves the park and visits all the Feedback: [email protected]

Teachers days, field trips, and other activities successful graduates, so she really under- the community aspect, quite a few of among donors, parents, and the schools.) stands how far the money is going. those postgraduate degrees were earned Continued from page 30 Susie Taylor, a volunteer fundraiser at Miller Elementary operates as a mag- at nearby Barry University. nonprofit organization that distributes Adopt-A-Classroom, is aware of philan- net school in an unusual way: They uti- Earlier in the school year, Darring 100 percent of the contributions it thropists and commercial businesses that lize the Montessori teaching method, notes, budget cuts and other problems receives. The donated money is made have adopted entire schools, but this is which stresses adaptation of the school to had threatened Miller Elementary’s available to schools via online accounts the first time she’s heard of community the child, not the other way around as in Montessori curriculum. But the donation through which individual teachers have members adopting their local school, and more traditional schooling. That can get from the Upper Eastside Preservation access to select vendors. That way it’s certainly the first time Phyllis R. costly, but Darring says the method Coalition means that threat has been donors know the money is being spent Miller Elementary has been fully adopt- makes Miller Elementary an “awesome greatly diminished, if not eliminated. only on classroom materials, such as ed. “It was miraculous,” says Taylor. school for children who are very expres- Furthermore, the effort to secure full learning games, books, and other sup- “They got money from the community to sive.” Perhaps that’s one reason the adoption firmly connected the school’s plies. The vendors then donate a percent- raise awareness and get parents and school maintains an “A” rating from the teachers with the community. “It is so age of their sales to Adopt-A-Classroom teachers active on a face-to-face level.” state, despite its large population of low- much and so fulfilling” Darring says. for its operating expenses. Other charita- Needless to say, PTA president income and minority students — more “Just a little bit from everyone made a ble contributions take care of the rest. Stephanie Darring is also as excited as a than 75 percent. The teachers, Darring huge difference.” (The group also acts as a liaison between cheerleader at homecoming. She has two says, are also exceptional in that many donors and teachers, facilitating career kids currently at the school and two have Master’s degrees. Further enhancing Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 31 P OLICE R EPORTS Biscayne Crime Beat Compiled by Derek McCann Purse Swapping demonstrating admirable restraint. Most 3400 Block of N. Miami Avenue would have Tasered the bastard. When A woman was shopping at Marshalls both arms were finally cuffed, the thug when a purse caught her eye. In a moment verbally threatened them and said he of retail ecstasy, her thinking became would not forget their faces and even clouded. She placed her own purse on the mentioned the names of “friends” he floor and ventured over to examine this had on the force. Nonetheless he was other purse. When she looked back at the thrown in county jail, where he no doubt floor, her old purse was gone. Oh, well. has many more friends. Time for a new purse. The Heterosexual When Sorry Is Not Good Dating Malaise Enough Downtown 6900 Block of Biscayne Boulevard Yet another tale from the horny-drunk At a popular Biscayne Corridor restau- files. A man was partying at Club rant, a man used a screwdriver to pry Space. He’d had a few drinks. He met open a wine shed. Mind you, this an attractive young woman named upscale establishment usually encoun- criminal mastermind chose to resist Kelly and they “spent some time togeth- Name-Dropping Thug Does ters higher-end crooks, those who mere- er.” When he hailed a cab to get back to Not Impress Officers arrest and repeatedly lunged and kicked ly skip out on the bill. But this criminal at the officers who were trying to arrest was different, if dumber. He was easily Miami Beach, the man was horrified to 6200 Block of Biscayne Boulevard caught and held for police. The owner discover his debit card was missing. In Officers have to deal with street scum all him. He even pulled out a folding knife did mention the man was sorry. For a flash, “Kelly” had run up $4000 in day long, and more often than not, when while officers struggled to cuff him. To charges on the card. But how did she these characters are approached, they the officers’ credit, they kept the dread- get his PIN number? surrender. (Miami cops are scary.) This ed Taser in their holsters, thereby Continued on page 33 AUTO BODY EXPERTS ONLINE.US

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32 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 P OLICE R EPORTS Crime Beat Police returned the suitcase to the fraz- by officers, who promptly tossed him can’t go from room to room in your own Continued from page 32 zled man, who, much to his chagrin, into a squad car. house. This victim was watching televi- unknown reasons, this type of contrition learned that numerous purchases were sion when she noticed she had left her has become common in recent months. made in his name with his cheques while Another Problem for kitchen faucet on. She got up to turn it If only they could be sorry before the he was in the hospital. Fortunately this off, but when she returned to her cozy crime, but that would make for a pretty did not cause another heart attack. He lit- Obama to Solve? parlor, her front door was open and her 1700 Block of N. Bayshore Drive boring “Crime Beat.” erally couldn’t afford it. purse was gone. Neighbors reported see- This female victim, a cab driver, was ing a man holding a purse, leaving the Human Vultures being stood up for a fare. When she area on a bicycle. Alternative Way to Avoid asked her customer several times to 700 Block of NE 1st Avenue pay, he responded, “Haitian, don’t you Victim suffered a heart attack at the Velvet Rope know who I am? Obama isn’t going to Word of Mouth Means Camillus House. Right before he was 100 Block of NE 11th Street Who wants to wait on line to get into a help you now!” Understandably the lifted into the ambulance, he gave an Kick in Teeth nightclub, only to be disappointed? This cabbie became fearful, but was fortu- 400 Block of NE 26th Terrace employee his red suitcase, which con- provocateur decided to sneak in through nate enough to hail a nearby police tained $5000 in American Express In lieu of using a reputable storage com- an open fire door. In the process of car. When police offered to take the Travelers Cheques. He trusted this pany, this victim heard about a Miami being cool, he took the liberty of grab- obviously drunken man to an ATM (he employee to hold it for safekeeping. company with a generic name. She bing some club passes for himself and had a card), the man replied, “Haitian, After his stay at the hospital, he asked arranged for them to move and store her his pals — 242 of them for a total value don’t you know who I am? I can take furniture and valuables. However, when Camillus House management to return of $4800! (The nightclub racket is your badge away.” The officers she showed up at the listed address, there the suitcase, but was told they could not apparently very lucrative.) According to arrested him. was no storage facility and no moving find it. A day later he was walking down the police report, club employees were NE 2nd Avenue and saw a woman, a fel- not particularly subtle about notifying company. Attempts to call the numbers low Camillus resident, carrying his suit- police and began screaming at officers Home May Be Your Castle, given to her were fruitless because they case, which had his name prominently to gain control of the heist. The alleged but Please Lock the Door were disconnected. This is a very painful displayed on the front. He called police thief walked briskly away from the club Belle Meade lesson and a message for Miami resi- and they confronted her. She told police but was apprehended. His bag of passes It’s bad enough that you can’t leave the dents to always check references and a Camillus employee had given it to her, was returned to the rightful owners. door open and unattended for more than working phone numbers. without the Travelers Cheques but with a Then the idiot resisted arrest (bad move, ten seconds without some intruder taking free blanket thrown in for good measure. Miamians) and was “forcibly restrained” things, but it’s even worse when you Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 33 A RT & CULTURE Fall From Grace Once an acclaimed work of art, The Living Room now attracts vandals, not admirers By Victor Barrenechea BT Contributor

t rises like a gargantuan doll house, positioned in the heart of the Design IDistrict, but no one seems to be play- ing with it anymore. Just eight years old, The Living Room, located on the corner of NE 40th Street and N. Miami Avenue, is Photos courtesy of R&R Studios now abandoned and forlorn. The 15-foot- tall lamps no longer light up, the oversize sofa cushions and 30-foot-tall curtains are gone, and the walls are marred by graffiti. The building that once surrounded it has been demolished, leaving the art installa- tion standing alone and neglected in the corner a fenced-off vacant lot. In its short life, The Living Room became a Miami landmark. It’s been featured in popular tourist guides such as Lonely Under construction, 2000-2001. Planet, and images of it have appeared everywhere from the New York Times to France’s Le Monde. It was one of the most- photographed buildings in Miami; people from all over the world flocked to the Design District to experience it. “Kids never fail to become astonished by the project, and adults never fail to become kids,” says artist and architect Roberto Behar, who designed and creat- ed The Living Room with artist wife Rosario Marquardt. For more than a decade the Miami Beach couple has been creating public art installations, such as the iconic M (An M for Miami) at the Riverwalk Metromover station. Together they’ve worked throughout the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. The Design District was a very differ- ent place in 2000, when plans got under way to transform a dingy, unassuming The artists at The Living Room warehouse into something new and shortly after its completion. A nighttime view of the installation and its transformed warehouse. unique. “When we started, the Design District was not the same,” Marquardt figuratively turning it inside-out and part of the neighborhood. Entire families The building’s exciting new look set recalls. The two had been commissioned making it much more accessible by would gather at the site and have their the tone for how the Design District to revamp the building by its owner, installing large storefront windows. “Part pictures taken as they sat on the massive, would develop and prosper. “I think it Craig Robins, the developer and arts of the building became public,” bright-red couch. It was also a favorite played a very important role as an inspi- patron who played a key role in South Marquardt explains. “It had been some- of fashion photographers. “It appealed to rational device,” says Behar, who Beach’s renaissance a decade earlier. thing private. We opened it and it everybody,” says Marquardt, adding that believes the building managed to capture Robins subsequently invested heavily in became a public space.” Robins could not have foreseen what the Zeitgeist of the changing neighbor- Design District properties, one of which The eye-popping focus of that openness would happen — that the allure of this hood. But The Living Room, despite its was the nondescript N. Miami Avenue was The Living Room, a monumental installation would cut across economic popularity, wasn’t immune from the warehouse. “He wanted to do something reproduction of a cozy domestic set piece, and cultural lines and that people from vagaries of commerce. attractive on N. Miami Avenue in order built from scratch and meticulously fin- the surrounding neighborhoods would Robins sold the building for $3 million to expand the Design District to the ished (the floral wall paper was hand- claim it as their own. “The project really in 2004 to Ernesto Rimoch and his son west,” Marquardt says. painted, 360 individual flowers in all). played a role as a ‘social living room,’” Diego, a Mexican family prominent in The first order of business, according By 2001 The Living Room was com- says Behar. “The community took own- that country’s film industry. The family to Behar, was to “dissect” the building, plete and instantly became an integral ership of the building.” Continued on page 35

34 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 A RT & CULTURE Fall “Nothing at all in five But it’s a mystery why the cinema Continued from page 34 years ever happened to project has come to a standstill. Ernesto bought the property with the intention of The Living Room,” Behar and Diego Rimoch and their partners building a high-tech movie theater that notes, “and as soon as the were able to move much more quickly would screen independent, classic, and fence went up, the graffiti in Portland, Oregon, where they rehabil- foreign films, a much-needed addition to began to occur. That’s itated a cluster of adjoining buildings in the area. This would not be just any mul- something very telling: An the city’s revived downtown and in tiplex, however. It would feature intimate architecture of hope versus December 2006 opened their all-digital, screening rooms, upscale food and drink, and architecture of fear.” six-screen Living Room Theater com- and the whole thing would be digital — Marquardt contends plex to favorable reviews. A similar films would be converted to digital for- that the installation was project is planned for Boca Raton, but mats and projected on very large, high- essentially removed from their Miami property remains a vacant definition screens. The plan was to tear the public sphere the lot. Diego Rimoch declines to discuss down the existing structure except for moment that fence went the delay except to say that financing is The Living Room, which would be incor- up. “That’s the wrong not the problem. porated into the new cinema complex. approach,” she insists. Behar and Marquardt, discouraged by The Rimoch family formed a company “As soon as you put up a the neglect of The Living Room, would to undertake the ambitious project: fence, people trespass and like to design an open-air cinema and Living Room Theaters. ruin it.” public square and present it to Rimoch as According to Diego Rimoch, the Rimoch argues that the an alternative to the current situation. building was finally torn down in early fence was installed for They remain hopeful, though, that even- 2008, leaving The Living Room free- The Living Room’s protec- tually their installation will be repaired standing and isolated. Shortly thereafter tion. He had already and revived. “We know sooner or later it a chain-link fence was erected, Rimoch removed the couch’s The site today: As soon as the fences went up, will come back and be restored,” says says, to keep people from trespassing cushions and the huge the vandals attacked. Marquardt. “It will come back — maybe and dumping garbage. But the fence curtain so they wouldn’t not in our lifetime, but we’ll see it again seemed to have the opposite effect, at be stolen. Moreover, Rimoch says, the sound following the removal of remod- as it was.” least regarding the installation, which family spent a lot of money reinforcing eled warehouse. They added 10 to 15 feet was immediately attacked by vandals. the installation to make it structurally of foundation last year. Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 35 A RT & CULTURE ART LISTINGS WYNWOOD GALLERY WALK & DESIGN DISTRICT CHAREST-WEINBERG GALLERY DOT FIFTYONE ART SPACE ART + DESIGN NIGHT 250 NW 23rd St., Miami 51 NW 36th St., Miami SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 305-292-0411 305-573-9994 www.charest-weinberg.com www.dotfiftyone.com 101/EXHIBIT Through February 7: Through January 20: 101 NE 40th St., Miami Solo show by Marc Séguin “and let it go” by Leslie Gabaldon 305-573-2101 Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. Through January 22: www.101exhibit.com “Laboratory” by Leonel Matheu Through February 20: CHELSEA GALLERIA “Trismegistus” with Marilyn Manson 2441 NW 2nd Ave., Miami EDGAR ACE GALLERY 305-576-2950 7520 NE 4th Ct., Miami ABBA FINE ART www.chelseagalleria.com 305-877-2401 233 NW 36th St., Miami Through February 9: January 16 through February 1: 305-576-4278; www.abbafineart.com “eARTh Part Two: TERRA” with John Westmark, “Accumulated Knowledge” by Grey Zeien Through January 8: John Mack, Eduardo and Mirta del Valle, TONEL, Reception January 16, 7 to 10 p.m. “Fusion” with Pip Brant, Emanuele Cacciatore, Tony Scherer and Ouporov, Tina Spiro, and Caltabiano, Emmy Cho, Debra Holt, David McConnell, Helga Griffiths EDGE ZONES CONTEMPORARY ART Peter Mackie, Sara Modiano, Kerry Phillips, Susan Reception January 10, 7 to 11 p.m. 47 NE 25th St., Miami Woodruff, and Jayoung Yoon 305-303-8852 January 10 through February 10: DAMIEN B. CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER www.edgezones.org “Recent Installation and Photographs” by Jayoung Yoon 282 NW 36th St., Miami Call gallery for exhibition information. Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. 305-573-4949 www.damienb.com ELITE ART EDITIONS GALLERY ALEJANDRA VON HARTZ FINE ARTS Call gallery for exhibition information. 151 NW 36th St., Miami 2134 NW Miami Ct., Miami 305-403-5856; www.elitearteditions.com 305-438-0220 DAVID CASTILLO GALLERY Call gallery for exhibition information. www.alejandravonhartz.net Rashid Johnson, The New Negro 2234 NW 2nd Ave., Miami Through January 31: Escapist Social and Athletic Club 305-573-8110 ETRA FINE ART “New Work” by Pablo Siquier www.castilloart.com 10 NE 40th St., Miami (Thurgood), Lambda print, 2008, at Through January 3: 305-438-4383 AMAYA GALLERY the Rubell Family Collection. “Four Solo Shows” with Wendy Wischer, Glexis Novoa, www.etrafineart.com 2033 NW 1st Pl., Miami Aramis Gutierrez, Frances Trombly, and Leyden Call gallery for exhibition information. 917-743-2925; www.amayagallery.com Fitch, Leanne Hemmingway-Siebels, Moira Holoham, Rodriguez-Casanova Call gallery for exhibition information. Jill Hotchkiss, Stephen Barron Johnson, Kathy Kissik, FREDRIC SNITZER GALLERY Cyriaco Lopes, Mario Marinoni, Luisa Mesa, Deborah DELUXE ART GALLERY 2247 NW 1st Pl., Miami AMBROSINO GALLERY M. Mitchell, Daniel Ortiz, Tere Pastoriza, Randy 2051 NW 2nd Ave., Miami 305-448-8976 2628 NW 2nd Ave., Miami Polumbo, Susan Radau, Rosemarie Romero, Angelika 305-858-7735 www.snitzer.com 305-891-5577; www.ambrosinogallery.com Rothkegel, Tina Salvesen, Anica Shpilberg, José Call gallery for exhibition information. Through January 3: Call gallery for exhibition information. Pacheco Silva, Loren Squire, Kikuko Tanaka, and “Heavy Manner” by Luis Gispert and “DEATH BY Ramon Williams DIANA LOWENSTEIN FINE ARTS BASEL” with Chim_Pom, Cyprien Gaillard, Daniel ART FUSION 2043 N. Miami Ave., Miami Newman, Eirik Saether, Eric Pougeau, Ida Ekblad, 1 NE 40th St., Miami BARBARA GILLMAN GALLERY 305-576-1804 Item Idem, John Riepenhoff, Ken Kagami, Tai Ogawa, 305-573-5730 4141 NE 2nd Ave. #202, Miami www.dlfinearts.com Yamataka Eye, and Yoshiaki Kuribara www.artfusiongallery.com 305-573-1920 Through February 7: January 10 through March 8: www.artnet.com/bgillman.html “Spill-Over” with Felice Grodin, Perry Hall, Gye-Hoon GALERIE EMMANUEL PERROTIN “Exploration of the Spirit” with various artists Call gallery for exhibition information. Park, Udo Noger, Silvia Rivas, Sterz, Karina 194 NW 30th St., Miami Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. Wisnieska, and Xawery Wolski 305-573-2130 BERNICE STEINBAUM GALLERY “Fantastic Voyage” with Luis Alonzo-Barkigia, Carlos www.galerieperrotin.com ART GALLERY AT GOVERNMENT CENTER 3550 N. Miami Ave., Miami Betancourt, Vicenta Casañ, Rabindranat Diaz Arjona, Through January 11: 111 NW 1st St., Suite 625, Miami 305-573-2700 Michael Loveland, Marc Hello, Cecilia Paredes, and “the PIG presents ...” with Paola Pivi, Gelitin, Alfredo 305-375-4634 www.bernicesteinbaumgallery.com Michael Scoggins Jaar, Mario Grubisic, Jeremy Deller, Simon Martin, and www.miamidadearts.org Call gallery for exhibition information. “$999¢” with Luis Alonzo-Barkigia, Sergio Bazan, Roberto Cuoghi Through January 30: Carlos Betancourt, Trisha Brookbank, Vicenta Casañ, “Overflow” by Wendy Wischer BKHF GALLERY Clifton Childree, Julie Davidow, Tulio De GALLERY DIET 1929 NW 1st Ave., Miami Sagastizabal, Rabindranat Diaz Arjona, Nina Ferre, 174 NW 23rd St., Miami ART ROUGE 305-432-2807 Felice Grodin, Jill Hotchkiss, Rosa Irigoyen, Laura 305-571-2288 46 NW 36th St., Miami www.bkhfgallery.com Kina, Michael Loveland, Katrin Moller, Marc Hello, www.gallerydiet.com 305-448-2060 Call gallery for exhibition information. Cecilia Paredes, Silvia Rivas, Graciela Sacco, Jorge January 10 through February 7: www.artrouge.com Simes, Nicole Soden, Guillermo Srodek-Hart, Sterz, “Counters” by Abby Mannock Through January 20: CAMINERO ART STUDIO Annie Wharton, Karina Wisniewska, and Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. “The Box of Mental States” by José Manuel Ciria 598 NE 77th St., Miami Xawery Wolski January 10 through February 11: 786-597-8467 GARY NADER FINE ART “From Warsaw to Mexico City via New York” with Luis January 30 through February 27: DIASPORA VIBE GALLERY 62 NE 27th St., Miami Sanchez, Leseks Skorski, and Ben Freeman “Last Works of Maximo Caminero” by Maximo 3938 NE 39th St., Miami 305-576-0256 Reception January 10, 7 to 11 p.m. Caminero 305-573-4046 www.garynader.com Reception January 30, 7 to 11 pm. www.diasporavibe.net Call gallery for exhibition information. ARTFORMZ Through January 26: 171 NW 23rd St., Miami CAROL JAZZAR CONTEMPORARY ART “Caribbean Crossroads Series - In Between Time” with HARDCORE ARTS CONTEMPORARY SPACE 305-572-0040 158 NW 91st St., Miami Shores various artists 3326 N. Miami Ave., Miami www.artformz.net 305-490-6906 305-576-1645 Through January 3: www.cjazzart.com DORSCH GALLERY www.hardcoreartcontemporary.com “No Easy Pieces” with Fabian De La Flor, Natasha By appointment: [email protected] 151 NW 24th St., Miami January 10 through March 7: Duwin, Donna Haynes, Anja Marais, Alejandro Through January 10: 305-576-1278 “Daily Scenes” by Ignacio Goitia, “La Ventana Mendoza, P.J. Mills, Ray Paul, Natalia Reparaz, “Limpiesa” by GisMo Girls www.dorschgallery.com Indiscreta VI” by Alexis Perez Montero, and a group Rosario Rivera, Alette Simmons-Jimenez, and Chieko January 16 through March 14: Through January 10: show with various artists from Valencia Tanemura “OTHERWORLD” by Guerra de la Paz “Shapeshifter” with Jenny Brillhart, Elisabeth Condon, Reception January 10, 7 to 10 a.m. January 10 through February 8: “Creatures” with Reception January 16, 7 to 10 pm. Robin Griffiths, Richard Haden, Michelle Hailey, m Natasha Duwin, Natalia Reparaz, and Ray Paul lafille, Martin Murphy, Ralph Provisero, John Sanchez, HAROLD GOLEN GALLERY Reception January 10, 7 to 11 p.m. CENTER FOR VISUAL COMMUNICATION and Kyle Trowbridge Temporary location: 541 NW 27th St., Miami January 17 through January 24: 314 NW 24th St., Miami BAKEHOUSE ART COMPLEX 305-571-1415 “Shapeshifted” with Jenny Brillhart, Elisabeth Condon, 305-576-1880 561 NW 32nd St., Miami www.visual.org Robin Griffiths, Richard Haden, Michelle Hailey, m www.haroldgolengallery.com 305-576-2828 Through January 31: lafille, Martin Murphy, Ralph Provisero, John Sanchez, Through January 4: www.bacfl.org “Rauschenberg in Series: A 30 Year Retrospective” by and Kyle Trowbridge “KAIJU MONSTER INVASION” with various artists Through January 25: Robert Rauschenberg and a solo show by Clarence Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. “Paraphernalia” curated by Carol Damian with Tristan John Laughlin Reception January 17, 3 to 5 p.m. Continued on page 37

36 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 A RT & CULTURE

Art Listings LUIS ADELANTADO GALLERY OUR HOUSE WEST OF WYNWOOD 98 NW 29th St., Miami 3100 NW 7th Ave., Miami Continued from page 36 305-438-0069 305-490-2976 JULIO BLANCO STUDIO www.luisadelantadomiami.com www.oh-wow.com 164 NW 20th St., Miami Through February 28: Call gallery for exhibition information. 305-534-5737; www.onemansho.com “Escape” by Aldo Chaparro Through January 30: PANAMERICAN ART PROJECTS “Sisters in Arms” by Julio Blanco LYLE O. REITZEL GALLERY 2450 NW 2nd Ave., Miami 2441 NW 2nd Ave., Miami 305-573-2400; www.panamericanart.com KELLEY ROY GALLERY 305-573-1333 Through January 31: 50 NE 29 St., Miami www.artnet.com/reitzel.html Francis Acea, Tracey Snelling, and Ana Maria Pacheco 305-447-3888; www.kelleyroygallery.com Call gallery for exhibition information. Reception January 10, 6 to 9 p.m. Through January 31: “Migration” with Joe Concra and Kevin Paulsen MIAMI ART GROUP GALLERY PRAXIS INTERNATIONAL ART 126 NE 40th St., Miami 2219 NW 2nd Ave., Miami KEVIN BRUK GALLERY 305-576-2633 305-573-2900 2249 NW 1st Pl., Miami www.miamiartgroup.com www.praxis-art.com 305-576-2000; www.kevinbrukgallery.com January 10 through February 1: Call gallery for exhibition information. Through January 7: “Global Vibrations” by Jeff League “New Images / Unisex New Images/ Unisex” with Reception January 10, 8 to 10 p.m. PUZZLEMENT GALLERY Kerstin Brätsch, Davis Rhodes, Nikolas Gambaroff, 81 NW 24th St., Miami Adele Röder, Taylor Kretschmar, Georgia Sagri, MIAMI ART SPACE 917-929-8559 Charles Mayton, and Greg Parma Smith 244 NW 35th St., Miami www.puzzlementart.com Through January 17: 305-438-9002 Ongoing show with Kevin Brady, Manuel Carbonell, “Deal or No Deal” by Mika Tajima www.miamiartspace.com Nichole Chimenti, Carter Davis, Stephen Gamson, January 10 through January 31: Raquel Glottman, Jim Herbert, Jennifer Kaiser, Alex KUNSTHAUS MIAMI “Super Iconic” by Paiva Lopez, Andy Piedilato, Tomy F. Trujillo, Jonathan 3312 N. Miami Ave., Miami Raffaele Ammavuta “Depoe” Villoch, and Giancarlo Zavala 305-438-1333; www.kunsthaus.org.mx Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. Wendy Wischer, Angels & Call gallery for exhibition information. SPINELLO GALLERY MIAM-DADE COLLEGE, CENTER GALLERY Ancestors, XVII (detail), 2008, at the 2294 NW 2nd Ave., Miami LEITER GALLERY 300 NE 2nd Ave., Art Gallery at Government Center. 786-271-4223 6900 Biscayne Blvd., Miami Bldg. 1, Room 1365, Miami www.spinellogallery.com 305-389-2616 305-237-3696 MIAMI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ART AND Through January 3: Call gallery for exhibition information. www.mdc.edu DESIGN “Primeval State of Perfection” by Santiago Rubino Call gallery for exhibition information. 1501 Biscayne Blvd., Miami January 10 through January 12: LOCUST PROJECTS 305-428-5700 “Opening Recession - $499.99” with Santiago Rubino, 105 NW 23rd St., Miami MIAMI EVENT SPACE www.mymiu.com Agustina Woodgate, Federico Nessi, Lee Materazzi, 305-576-8570; www.locustprojects.org 7820 NE 4th Ct., Miami Through January 8: Kris Knight, Blackbooks, Christina Pettersson, Typoe, January 10 through February 28: 305-438-9002 Annual faculty exhibition Srta. Cristina, Kerry Phillips, Jen Stark, and TM Sisters A solo show by Loriel Beltran and a solo show by Mike www.miamieventspace.com January 15 through February 13: “Visual Art’s MFA Reception January 10, 7 to 10 p.m. Swaney Call gallery for Graduate Exhibition” by Andrew Grodner Reception January 10, 7 to 11 p.m. exhibition information. Reception January 15, 5 to 8 p.m. Continued on page 38

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 37 A RT & CULTURE

Art Listings FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FROST Fisher, Claire Fontaine, K48, Chris Kraus, Cristina Lei ART MUSEUM Rodriguez, Nicolas Lobo, Martin Oppel, Philip (a novel Continued from page 37 11200 SW 8th St., Miami written by Mark Aerial Waller, Heman Chong, Cosmin STASH GALLERY 305-348-0496; http://thefrost.fiu.edu/ Costinas, Rosemary Heather, Leif Magne Tangen, 162 NE 50 Terrace, Miami. Through February 28: “Intersections” by Florencio Francis McKee, David Reinfurt, and Steve Rushton), 305-992-7652; www.myspace.com/stashgallery Gelabert Lisi Raskin, Julika Rudelius, and Mungo Thomson Through January 17: Through March 1: “Modern Masters from the “Leftovers” with Sarah Peacock, Addonis Parker, Joesph Smithsonian American Art Museum” with various artists THE MARGULIES COLLECTION Strasser, Bayunga Kialeku, Ozzy Perez, Jorge Viera, Through March 9: “Drawing in Space: The Peninsula 591 NW 27th St., Miami Helene Weiss, Glitter Art Diva Sue Zola, q u e v z, Project Illustrated” by John Henry 305-576-1051; www.margulieswarehouse.com Joesph O’Neal, Alex Yanes, Pete Wolleager, and more Through April 4: “Simulacra and Essence: The Through April 25: Paintings of Luisa Basnuevo” by Luisa Maria “Hurma” by Magdalena Abakanowicz, “Western Union: STEVE MARTIN STUDIO Basnuevo Small Boats” by Isaac Julien, “Oil Rich Niger Delta” by 66 NE 40th St., Miami George Osodi, and “Photography and Sculpture: A 305-484-1491 www.stevemartinfineart.com LOWE ART MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI Correlated Exhibition” with various artists Call gallery for exhibition information. Guerra de la Paz, “OTHERWORLD” 1301 Stanford Dr., Coral Gables (detail from installation), 2008-2009, 305-284-3535; www.lowemuseum.org THE RUBELL FAMILY COLLECTION TWENTY TWENTY PROJECTS Through January 18: “Charles Biederman: An 95 NW 29th St., Miami 2020 NW Miami Ct., Miami at Carol Jazzar Gallery. American Idealist” by Charles Biederman 305-573-6090; www.rubellfamilycollection.com 786-217-7683; www.twentytwentyprojects.com January 31 through April 5: Call for operating hours and exhibit information. Through January 6: “Cha-Cha” with John Bucklin, WHITE VINYL SPACE “Las Artes de Mexico” with various artists Through May 30: Robert Chambers, Alyse Emdur, Jay Hines, Justin Long, 3322 NW 2nd Ave., Miami “30 AMERICANS” with Nina Chanel Abney, John Raul J. Mendez, Gean Moreno, and Daniel Newman 305-776-1515; www.whitevinylspace.com MIAMI ART MUSEUM Bankston, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Bradford, Iona Call gallery for exhibition information. 101 W. Flagler St., Miami Rozeal Brown, Nick Cave, Robert Colescott, Noah UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI PROJECTS SPACE 305-375-3000; www.miamiartmuseum.org Davis, Leonardo Drew, Renée Green, David 2200 NW 2nd Ave., Miami MUSEUM & COLLECTION EXHIBITS Through January 18: “MBE: A Flying Machine for Hammons, Barkley L. Hendricks, Rashid Johnson, 305-284-2542 Every Man, Woman, and Child” by Yinka Shonibare Glenn Ligon, Kalup Linzy, Kerry James Marshall, Call gallery for exhibition information. CIFO (Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation) Through January 25: “Moving Through Time and Rodney McMillian, Wangechi Mutu, William Pope.L, 1018 N. Miami Ave., Miami Space” by Chantal Akerman Gary Simmons, Xaviera Simmons, Lorna Simpson, UNTITLED 2144 305-455-3380; www.cifo.org Through February 22: “Objects of Value” with various artists Shinique Smith, Jeff Sonhouse, Henry Taylor, Hank 2144 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Through March 1: Willis Thomas, Mickalene Thomas, Kara Walker, Carrie 305-576-2112; www.untitled2144.com “The Prisoner’s Dilemma: Selections from the Ella MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and Purvis Young Through February 4: Fontanals-Cisneros Collection” with Francis Alÿs, 770 NE 125th St., North Miami “ARTITALIA” with Luca Artioli, Andrea Bianconi, Barbara Kruger, Alexander Apóstol, Rafael Lozano- 305-893-6211; www.mocanomi.org WORLD CLASS BOXING Maurizio Galimberti, Emanuela Gardner, Domiziana Hemmer, Alexandre Arrechea, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Through March 1: Debra and Dennis Scholl Collection Girdano, Patrizia Guerresi Maimouna, Benedetta Alessandro Balteo Yazbeck, Daniel Joseph Martinez, “Purchase Not By Moonlight” by Anri Sala 170 NW 23rd St., Miami Pignatelli, and Alberto Rizzo Judith Barry, Priscilla Monge, Paolo Canevari, Carlos 305-438-9908 Motta, Stan Douglas, Antoni Muntadas, Jimmie MOCA AT GOLDMAN WAREHOUSE Appointment only: [email protected] WALLFLOWER GALLERY Durham, Shirin Neshat, Cao Fei, Julian Rosefeldt, 404 NW 26th St., Miami Call for operating hours and exhibit information. 10 NE 3rd St., Miami Regina José Galindo, Laurie Simmons, Carlos 305-893-6211; www.mocanomi.org 305-579-0069 www.wallflowergallery.com Garaicoa, Eve Sussman, Mathilde ter Heijne, Frank Through March 21: “The Possibility of an Island” with Compiled by Victor Barrenechea myspace.com/wallflowergallery Thiel, Thomas Hirschhorn, Susan Turcot, Jenny Cory Arcangel, Davide Balula, Tobias Bernstrup, Heman Send listings, jpeg images, and events information to Call gallery for exhibition information. Holzer, and Monika Weiss Chong, Peter Coffin, Matias Faldbakken, Cao Fei, Kim [email protected]

38 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 A RT & CULTURE Culture Briefs Free Yoga Classes to Relax magical realism, is about discovering the Did You Hear the Indiana, he would tie rubber bands true identity of a mysterious creature that around the handles of his dresser drawers Mind and Body falls from the sky. It is recommended for One About... and pluck them to play tunes. His parents Instructors Anamargret Sanchez and With the entire world in children ages eight and up and will be on noticed his precocious talent and decided Vanessa Van Dyne are now offering free financial meltdown, a stage from January 14 to February 8. to buy him a violin. The rest, as they say, yoga classes to stressed-out Upper good laugh is worth its Tickets are $15. For more information is history, and today Bell is one of the Eastside residents in the relaxing, tree- weight in — maybe visit www.playgroundtheatre.com or call world’s most celebrated violinists. He’ll shaded setting of Legion Park (6630 gold bullion? So the 305-751-9550. be accompanied by the acclaimed Biscayne Blvd.). The mind-clearing, timing couldn’t be bet- Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the New body-stretching classes are designed for ter for the Fourth Annual MLK at MOCA by World Symphony in Saint-Saëns’s Third both adults and children ages five and South Beach Comedy Candlelight Violin Concerto, overflowing with up. (The kids are taught separately but Festival January 21-24. This year’s observance of Martin Luther pyrotechnics and lush . Also nearby.) The ongoing classes continue on This year’s lineup King Day (January 19) takes on special on the program is Gustav Mahler’s mon- Saturday, January 3, and every Saturday includes Daily Show regu- meaning. The very next day, Barack umental Symphony No. 1 (“Titan”). thereafter from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. You lar Lewis Black, the angriest man alive. Obama will be sworn in as the first Arsht Center, January 24, 8:00 p.m. need to bring your own mat or a large Cheech and Chong will be on hand African-American President of the Tickets at www.arshtcenter.org or call the towel on which you can stretch out. For (BYOW), as will Lisa Lampanelli, Dave United States. In anticipation of that hol- box office at 305-949-6722. more information call 305-289-0416. Barry, and many more. The festival will iday and the presidential inauguration, also feature up-and-coming comedians North Miami’s University Relations Miami Marathon: Friday Night in the Park, performing free on Lincoln Road. Board will host a candlelight vigil honor- Just Finish and Festival events take place at the Fillmore For Free! ing MLK on Thursday, January 15. The Here’s a chance for downtown office at the Jackie Gleason Theater, the You’ll Be a Hero event, featuring spoken-word and musi- workers to chill out to some good music Lincoln Theatre, Colony Theater, and the On Sunday, January 25, thousands of cal tributes to the late civil rights leader, in a great setting on a Friday evening — Lincoln Road Stage. Tickets are on sale runners of all abilities will congregate in begins at 7:00 p.m. on the MOCA plaza and for free, thanks to the Downtown at Ticketmaster and www.southbeach- downtown Miami for a 22.6-mile (770 NE 125th St.). For information call Development Authority and the Knight comedyfestival.com. endurance test that starts in front of the 305-895-9891. Foundation, sponsors of this concert American Airlines Arena (601 Biscayne series. On January 9 at 5:30 p.m., the Mazel Tov To You, MJFF! Blvd.) and finishes a few blocks south at Jacob Jeffries Band takes the stage at The theme for the 12th-annual Miami Bayfront Park. The race starts at 6:15 Bayfront Park’s Tina Hills Pavilion. With Jewish Film Festival: “A new generation a.m., though participants must arrive singer/songwriter Jeffries at the key- of filmmakers explore age-old issues.” well before that. Registration fees range boards, the band has been likened to a This nine-day cinematic feast, which from $70 to $120. For more information hybrid of Billy Joel, Steely Dan, and begins January 24, kicks off with Beau visit www.ingmiamimarathon.com. Jest. Based on the off-Broadway hit, the Randy Newman. New Times went so far The Many Shapes of as to call Jeffries a “superstar in the film explores with warmth and humor a making.” So spread a blanket on the mother’s efforts to find a “nice Jewish Design District lawn, gaze up at the glittering skyscrap- boy” for her daughter. Other films Architecture One Night Only: America’s include Blessed Is the Match, Un Secret, ers, and unwind with your office pals. The Historical Museum of Southern and Vasermil among many more. Hottest Jazz Band Florida invites you to join them for a Screenings take place at the Sunrise Wynton Marsalis is America’s jazz Design District architecture walking tour Intracoastal (3701 NE 163rd St.), the ambassador to the world. He’s a one- on Sunday, January 25, from 10:00 a.m. Regal South Beach (1120 Lincoln Rd.), man preservation movement and a tire- to 12:00 p.m. The museum’s resident and the Cosford Cinema at University of less advocate for music education in the expert, Paul George, will guide you Miami (1380 Miller Dr.). For more infor- schools. He won the Pulitzer Prize for through the district’s wide range of mation visit www.miamijewishfilmfesti- his epic composition Blood on the styles, from contemporary buildings by Photo by Pavel Antonov Photo by Pavel val.com or call 1-888-585-FILM. Fields. He also happens to be a terrific some of today’s most respected archi- musician, a nine-time Grammy winner tects to classical revivals to the nouveau- not just in the jazz idiom but classical Minoan figures on the Buick Building. as well. And he is the driving force You’ll also hear about the district’s García Márquez’s Magic behind the Lincoln Center Jazz Project unique master plan, created by New (www.jalc.org), which includes leading Urbanism pioneers Andres Duany and Comes to the Shores one of America’s hottest jazz ensem- Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk. Meet at The Playground Theatre in Miami Shores bles, the 15-piece Jazz at Lincoln Charcuterie French restaurant (3610 NE (9806 NE 2nd Ave.) reprises Gabriel Center Orchestra. Marsalis brings his 2nd Ave.) and use metered parking under García Márquez’s enchanting A Very Old all-star big band to Miami for one night the I-195 overpass. Tickets are $20 for Man with Enormous Wings in its stage only, January 22, at the Arsht Center museum members and $25 for nonmem- adaptation by Miami playwright and (1300 Biscayne Blvd.). Show starts at Violin Virtuoso Rocks bers. For more information visit Pulitzer Prize-winner Nilo Cruz. The 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $15-$135 and are the House www.hmsf.org or call 305-375-1492. play, directed by Stephanie Ansin and going fast. They’re available at When Joshua Bell was four years old and propelled by García Márquez’s trademark www.arshtcenter.org. living on a farm outside Bloomington, Feedback: [email protected]

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 39 PARK PATROL A Tale of Two Minis Little parks in Belle Meade and Shorecrest tell different stories By Jim W. Harper BT Contributor

he movie trailer might go some- thing like this [Creepy, deep Tvoice]: “In a world gone to the dogs, one woman had the courage to stand up for them.” This movie would Harper BT photos by Jim W. follow the travails of Margaret Tynan, a one-woman crusade (played by Julia Roberts) who overcame the City of Miami’s countless procedural hurdles to convert an empty lot into a neighborhood doggie park. It is miraculous. The Belle Meade doggie park, tucked away in the depths of this close-knit community of single-family homes, Mini Park of Belle Meade: Kids and shade. The Belle Meade doggie park. functions as a town hall for dog owners. A concrete table and bench allow neigh- “I love it!” Forestieri says. “Some The mother of three boys, Forestieri Meade because of its safer feeling than bors to sit and chat while the dogs go moms go every day, religiously. It is appreciates the park’s safety and its tree Legion Park, which also has a play- about their business, off-leash. super cute.” canopy. “I’m impressed that some of the ground and is much closer to her house. For the holidays, the green fence sur- This square in the center of a residen- trees were able to be salvaged after the Belle Meade is clearly doing some- rounding the little triangle of a park was tial street is exactly what every neighbor- hurricanes, two big trees,” she says, thing right, while a few blocks north, decorated with red bows and mini stock- hood needs — a clean, safe, shady play- referring to giant ficuses that were top- something has gone horribly wrong. ings. These touches show that someone ground for kids. This park is the real pled during the 2005 hurricane season. [Cue the dramatic movie music.] is paying attention to this space, a tiny neighborhood association. (Margaret Recent upgrades to the mini park The mini park in Shorecrest should go slice of land that really matters. Tynan also happens to be president of include blue bouncy turf under the swing to the dogs, and a nearby empty lot I never would have found the Belle the Belle Meade Homeowners set and additional benches. The play- should go to the children. Meade doggie park at the end of 76th Association.) ground equipment is spotless, and for the Near NE 86th Street on E. Dixie Street if not for my local informant, The only problem is that a drainage older crowd there are tables and barbe- Highway (the “other” Dixie Highway), a Cristina Forestieri, who lives a few blocks project has turned the streets around the cue grills perfect for a hotdog fest. very large, undeveloped plot of land sits away, near the child-friendly Belle Meade park into a war zone of endless construc- Forestieri says that many families hold idle. Beautiful, mature live oaks and Mini Park. Like other mothers I met tion. “It hasn’t been very enjoyable the children’s birthday parties in the park. gumbo limbos cast dappled shade over there, she gives the mini park, on 77th last six months,” Forestieri observes. Another mother in the mini park says fields of grass. Street near NE 8th Avenue, rave reviews. “The park is full of dust and noise.” that she brings her daughter to Belle Continued on page 41

MINI PARK OF BELLE MEADE MINI PARK OF SHORECREST Park Rating Park Rating

NE 85th St

NE 8th Avenue at NE 85th St E. Dixie Highway at NE NE 77th Terrace

NE 8th Ave 77th Street 84th Street Hours: Sunrise-sunset Hours: Sunrise-sunset Picnic tables: Yes Picnic tables: No : Yes Barbecues: No Mini Park of Picnic pavilions: No Picnic pavilions: No Belle Meade Playground: Yes E Dixie Hwy Playground: No Athletic fields: No Athletic fields: No Mini Parkof Night lighting: Yes Night lighting: Yes Shorecret NE 77th St

NE 8th Ct NE 84th St

40 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 PARK PATROL Tale

Continued from page 40 These acres of open bliss, however, are fenced in and off limits to the public. If Shorecrest were as smart as Belle Meade, it would convert this premium land into a park. A couple of blocks away on NE 84th Street sits the sad excuse of Shorecrest Mini Park, which has also gone by the name of Biscayne Heights Mini Park. This park is like a crime that did not happen: There is nothing to see. Keep moving along. The Shorecrest movie trailer might go Potential park: Shorecrest residents unite! Mini Park of Shorecrest: Fit for dogs only. this way: “In a world where children have nowhere to play, this place went to neighborhood would no longer be lacks that park’s energy. park for people. A million excuses (and the dogs.” This romantic comedy (star- humiliated by the pretense that this park This mini-series of four parcels of land dollars) will probably prevent that ring Spot from Target) would show the provides any use for humans. tells the story of an empowered neigh- from happening, but only one reason is conversion of this heartless triangle of The most notable feature in Shorecrest borhood, Belle Meade, versus an appar- needed to prove its worth: the smiles grass into a setting worthy of Lady and Mini Park is outside of the green metal ently disempowered one, Shorecrest. The on children’s faces when the fence the Tramp. fence. A solar panel sits atop a pole and residents of Shorecrest need to take a comes down and the grassy field The problem here is that dogs are feeds what appears to be a gas meter for page from the playbook of Margaret becomes theirs. officially prevented from walking off- TECO. Way to go green, TECO! Tynan, who saw the potential for a dog The residents of Belle Meade, two- leash, although it assuredly happens. Otherwise the park basically has a few park and made it happen. and four-legged alike, already have their With an official sanction as a doggie trees and a fancy, double-headed street Let the dogs run wild in the Mini Park little slices of heaven. Residents a few park, the Shorecrest Mini Park would lamp in its center. And grass. That’s of Shorecrest. That’s all it’s good for. block north should demand their cut, too. fulfill its puny destiny. Very few about all she wrote. It is slightly larger As for the empty acres on E. Dixie upgrades would be needed, and the than the dog park in Belle Meade but Highway, they could become a fabulous Feedback: [email protected]

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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 41 C OLUMNISTS: KIDS A ND T HE C ITY Big Music For Little Ears A dynamic teacher and a unique program come to the neighborhood By Jenni Person So when I embarked on developer, was the driving force in creat- BT Contributor Ashlee’s class with Izzi, I ing Florida’s prepaid college tuition pro- was blown away by the gram, which now bears his name. If you he Biscayne Corridor has a great classes, which felt not terri- don’t already know about this college new treasure of a neighbor. For bly unlike an aerobics savings program, get yourself immedi- Tanyone in the Corridor who has class. Izzi was completely ately to www.myfloridaprepaid.com to devotedly schlepped to Watson Island or engaged the entire time, learn more. Or call 1-800-552-GRAD Coral Gables to participate in the awe- and the previously sing- (4723) to order an enrollment kit in Photo by Connie Taudt-Ehrling Photo by Connie Taudt-Ehrling some Music Together classes of Ashlee songy music came off English or Spanish. Cramer, you now only have to go as far instead as bold and bright The plan locks in college tuition at any of as Midtown Miami to get some of in a way that didn’t make Florida’s public universities, colleges, or Ashlee’s incredible energy and spirit. me gag. Ashlee, who flies community colleges at today’s rates. If your As an alum of Ashlee’s classes and a around the space like a child ends up going elsewhere for school, diehard fan, I highly recommend you get to Super Ball, ricocheting the plan essentially works as a standard IRS her studio as soon as possible if you’re not from wall to wall, gets par- Section 529 college-savings account. You already familiar with her particular take on ticipants clapping, snap- still get your investment and its earnings to the Music Together program. A national ping, and tapping seamless- put toward the expenses of most accredited organization with franchises all around the ly, without a beat within private colleges and universities. country, including several in our area, Music which to get distracted. Purchasing a four-year university-tuition Together offers research-based music educa- With her background as a prepaid plan for a newborn who would tion for the early-childhood set. The pro- performer and credits enroll in college in 2027 can save a family gram is built on a parent-and-me model, singing and dancing on and up to $25,000. Florida Prepaid College engaging small kids and their grown-ups off Broadway and on TV, Plan prices are affordable. For a newborn, (parents, grandparents, childcare providers) Ashlee brings a very strong they start at a little over three-dollars per in rhythmic, tonal, and melodic exercises stage presence to her work. She also me yoga class. Ashlee says that as she day for the four-year university-tuition through folkloric music from around the brings the instincts she relies on as busy settles into the studio and the area, the option. But purchasing a plan for a child of globe. As taught by Ashlee, Music Together mom of three kids, coddling and nurtur- space usage will expand to other kinds of any age is still worthwhile and can be cal- is intoxicating for all involved. ing her students and fostering confidence mommy-and-me programs and also after- culated on the plan’s site. The “Budget for If you are a regular reader of this col- in every parent through a sense of cama- noon sessions. In the meantime, Music College” section (click the “Affordability” umn, you will not be surprised to hear raderie that is also inherent in the partici- Together classes kick off in the new tab on the home page) helps families figure that, for this writer, on some level the patory structure of Music Together. The space with sessions beginning January 5. out where there may be room in their program’s music selections are a bit too program relies on the grownups modeling Fees for the ten-week session are $150 budgets for college savings. sing-songy. I worried early on that the the musical and movement exercises for plus $38 for CDs and songbook. Call 305- But act now. The deadline to receive song choices were a bit patronizing and their kids through full participation. 519-0362 or visit www.miamichildresns- current Florida Prepaid College Plan dumbed down for my kids, who I aim to Our booming family population along musictogether.com for more information. prices is January 31, 2009. Parents or expose to the arts relatively uncensored, the Biscayne Corridor will certainly ben- grandparents or benefactors only need to presenting the same textured and layered efit from Ashlee bringing her work right Stanley G. Tate Florida apply by then and pay the application fee. things I enjoy while encouraging them to into our neighborhood. Beginning this Prepaid College Plan You then have until April to pay in one get what they will out of it. This, I month, there will be something happen- Miami is lucky to have among its resi- lump sum or begin payments. After believe, promotes creativity and compre- ing in the studio space every day, dents Stanley G. Tate, a visionary who January 31, fees will increase. hension skills, and builds their confi- between her classes and one morning a truly values education and the broadest dence as critical thinkers. week when there will be a mommy-and- possible access to it. Tate, a prominent Feedback: [email protected]

42 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 C OLUMNISTS: HARPER’ S E NVIRONMENT Green Wishes for a New Year Eight Earth-savings things you can do in oh-nine By Jim W. Harper become the basis for most wars in the BT Contributor future. Even if it doesn’t get to that point everywhere, the point is that conservation ith the new year comes new of water is good for society. A great way hope that every day will be to save water is to recycle what has been WEarth Day. Below are a few flushed and drained, which is called wishes for the world and a few pledges reclaimed water. South Florida has a very that you can take to make a difference poor record in this area, whereas other locally. parts of Florida do an excellent job. Wish: New Coral Growth Pledge: I will turn off the faucet while The coral reefs near South Florida and shaving. I will thinkle before I sprinkle. I around the world are in trouble, both will vote for the politicians who try to from warming waters and greater acidifi- hold the Urban Development Boundary cation. The ocean is saturated with car- line and to funnel funding into water- bon dioxide, and these more acidic con- includes every one of the 3000 manatees those of you who cannot break the habit, reclamation projects, if indeed they exist. ditions diminish the capacity of corals in Florida, deserves reconstructive sur- go nuts and take the guilty pleasure of Wish: Breath of Fresh Air and other hard-bodied creatures to form gery and a complimentary spa treatment. locking yourself in the garage all night South Florida boasts some of the their shells and skeletons. South Unsightly scars add decades to one’s with the motor running. In the morning, greatest natural resources in the world. Florida’s waters are home to two endan- appearance, and we do not want our sea you will have a whole new perspective Get out there and appreciate them. Ride gered species of coral, staghorn and cows looking as worn out and torn up as on carbon dioxide emissions! a bike in the Shark Valley section of elkhorn, and they need decades to recov- the Miami-Dade County Board of Pledge: I will walk more and drive Everglades National Park. Take a walk er because they grow very slowly. Commissioners. less. I am a confident individual who is alongside a body of water, or better yet Pledge: I will do something about Pledge: I will motorboat slowly not defined by my mode of transporta- try kayaking. Eat a fish that was caught global warming, period. Also I will not around Biscayne Bay. I will spit at boats tion. I drive therefore I am. Or was. Oh locally, and pick your own tomatoes. If pour dangerous chemicals down the moving too fast. Lord, get me off this highway! I-95 has you know children who seldom play in drain, because they get flushed out to sea. Wish: Bulbous Lights become a toll road? We’re doomed! the great outdoors, whisk them away to Wish: Death to the Plastic Bag How many people does it take to Wish: Easy Green Being the Keys or the beach, and force them This pet peeve may follow me to the replace my current bulbs with fluores- Kermit the Frog was right when he play without electronics! grave, where it will refuse to disinte- cent ones? It only takes one person with sang that it isn’t easy being green, but Pledge: I will appreciate the blue sky, grate, clog the drains, and create a brain and a conscience. The today’s advertising and general hopping the blue ocean, and even the blue moon. cesspools where mosquitoes can get their is even greater than the savings of ener- on the environmental bandwagon would I will show the children that a single tree freak on. These petroleum sacks did not gy, as it teaches the next generation that have us think otherwise. Going green is more valuable than all the world’s exist back in the “good old days,” and we can change our habits. What’s better usually entails a sacrifice of conven- iPods. At least in theory. they should not exist in our healthier, than fluorescent bulbs? Lights out! ience. That is the inconvenient truth. Get These are my wishes for the new year. greener, wiser future. Pledge: I will turn out the lights when over it. Eat more veggies. Please scribble down your own wishes Pledge: I will carry my own bag. If I I leave a room. Especially if that room is Pledge: I will become an informed and send me a note about them. I would forget, I’ll ask for paper, on which I will occupied by my boss — I don’t want to consumer. I will not buy something sim- love to know what on Mother Earth is on write a note to remind myself next time disturb his sleep. ply because it was made in China, your mind. to bring my own canvas bag. Wish: Gasoholics Anonymous except, of course, Chinese children. Wish: Manatee Makeovers Take the lesson from this year’s high Wish: Reclaimed Water Happy Greener Year, Miami! Every manatee sporting huge propeller gasoline prices and apply it at all times. Water is being called the new oil, scars on its back, which essentially You can use less gas, and you will. For because some analysts expect that it will Feedback: [email protected]

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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 43 C OLUMNISTS: PAWSITIVELY P ETS The Penny-Pincher’s Guide to Pet Happiness Don’t let a lousy recession spoil Fido’s fun By Lisa Hartman toy fishing pole they’ve outgrown.) On BT Contributor the fishing line or a piece of yarn tie on a small stuffed animal, or possibly a Birdie t’s no secret out there that times are sock. Now move it around for your pet tough. Everywhere you look, houses to follow and paw at. Iare in foreclosure. People may be working fewer hours or have lost their jobs Pet foods Using a high-quality, natural altogether. Many people are scaling back kibble will help keep your pet healthier, their lifestyles to make ends meet. You can and thus you should have fewer trips to see it in the half-empty restaurants and the vet. Many ear infections and other stores along the Biscayne Corridor. ailments are related to your pet’s diet, so Unfortunately one of the first things to switch to a food with fewer additives and be compromised is the family pet. Many foreign ingredients. Many times you can people are forced to abandon their pets feed a little less of the better foods, mak- as they downsize to smaller apartments ing the bag last longer. If you yourself or move in with friends or family mem- are eating healthy (broiled skinless bers. But even if you are lucky enough chicken, steamed vegetables) and there to keep your pets, or would never under are leftovers, why waste them? Give the any circumstances give them up, you pets a little less pet food and treat them still might be feeling the crunch. But all with some nutritious food that would is not lost. There are plenty of ways to have gone into the trash can. You can use pamper your pets and maintain the some of the leftovers as treats as well, lifestyle to which they have become dice them up and keep them in the fridge accustomed without breaking the bank. instead of buying that expensive brand- In this goal, creativity is your friend. name designer treat. If your pet is over- weight, this might be the perfect time to Pet Beds I have never bought one of feed him a little less. these for my dogs. For one thing, some of the prices being asked are just outra- Grooming Many groomers are feeling geous. For another, both of my current bedding to form a bolster. It doesn’t mat- an animal.” Now is the time to take the pinch like everyone else. But you dogs think dog beds are made to be ter where I put that makeshift bed. Jay-J advantage of this. No need to buy the don’t need to give up your pet’s favorite shredded and dragged around the house. sits on it like a proud prince. latest fad toy if money is tight. Look stylist altogether. You need to make I have also seen many that are poorly A bed for Saffy, my Chinese Crested around you. One of my client’s favorite alterations. Instead of every week, constructed, and one came with such a puppy, was just as easy and inexpensive. toys is what they call the Birdie. It is maybe you can go every ten days strong lacquer or paint odor, it couldn’t She relaxes on a king-size Thermopedic basically one of her husband’s old, dirty instead. Don’t give up, just cut down possibly be healthy for them. pillow I bought on sale at Target for $8. sweat socks stuffed with more old socks until your purse strings are back to nor- So what do I do? Recycle. Jay-J’s all- When it gets dirty I throw the pillow that were ready to be thrown out. The mal. Also keeping your dog clean, time favorite bed is a comforter I grew case (which I change to match the decor) dog loves it. brushed, and relatively matt-free in tired of, and some of that egg-crate foam and Jay-J’s comforter in the wash. Easy. Cats and small dogs also love chasing between appointments will save you ($7) from my day bed. I fold the foam in after moving objects, so why not make money in the long run. quarters and top it with the folded-up Toys As one of my favorite sayings one yourself? Get a stick or an old short comforter. I peel down a layer of the goes: “Everything is a potential toy to fishing pole. (Perhaps your kids have a Continued on page 45

44 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 C OLUMNISTS: PAWSITIVELY P ETS Guide didn’t cost you a thing. situation you are in, make the most of it. Have a swap meet with pet-owning Continued from page 44 Don’t know what to get a human animal- Be creative. Look at how many things friends to trade items. Take advantage. lover, or are you always buying Spending more time at home means Recycle Does your boss or co-worker the wrong thing? Make a small more time with your pet, and really, that have a pet? Show them how thoughtful donation to their favorite animal Many people are forced to abandon is the greatest gift you can give them. you are and give their pet a gift for a shelter in their name, and take their pets as they downsize to smaller Happy New Year! holiday or birthday. Most of us still have some of those leftover treats for apartments or move in with friends wrapped toys, Frisbees, and other stuff the shelter dogs. Lisa Hartman is head dog trainer for we learned our own pets didn’t care for. or family members. Pawsitively Pets. You can reach her at Take a few bags of those unused treats, You It all boils down to you, [email protected] or catnip balls, tennis balls, and so on, and the loyal pet owner. A cheaper www.pawsitivelypetsonline.com. make little gift baggies of them with bottle of wine for you is a few dollars you already own that you can reinvent to pretty bows. Voila! Appreciated gifts that more toward your pet’s care. Whatever save money and add to you pet’s life. Feedback: [email protected]

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January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 45 C OLUMNISTS: YOUR G ARDEN Don’t Throw Away Your Holiday Green Whether poinsettia or shrimp, let it grow, let it grow, let it grow By Jeff Shimonski shrimp plant family, and like the poinset- BT Contributor tia, blooms in the winter when the day length shortens. It is very easy to grow if here is no plant that is associated you remember a few things. It’s very trop- more with the winter holidays ical, even more sensitive than the poinset- Tthan the poinsettia. The plant with tia, and will not tolerate temperatures in the red-colored bracts is one of the best- the 40s. It also prefers acidic soil, so in known tropical plants in North America. BT photo by Jeff Shimonski the more alkaline areas, it is best grown in There are dozens of varieties and many a large container with, of course, acidic colors that range from yellow to red, but soil. When in a container, it will also be red is always the favorite. easy to move into a protected area if cold For years I grew a very large bed of poin- weather threatens. The red shrimp plant is settias. It probably lasted about a decade. very easy to grow from cuttings and the During that time, I tested many different colorful floral bracts (like the poinsettia) varieties of this Mexican endemic to see if will give color for a couple of months. No they would grow better outside. The results sticky sap here. were inconclusive, other than red did best. I attended a lecture the other day on The poinsettias were a lot of work but the red palm mite, Raoiella indica. This they put on a brilliant show every winter. is a recently introduced species of spider They were in a full-sun location, and in The red shrimp plant, Ruellia chartacea, offers excellent color during mite that in many tropical countries is the winter needed to be protected from the holidays and afterward. responsible for the death or poor health wind and frost as the foliage is very brit- of coconut palms. It will also attack tle and easily damaged. foliage sometimes burned. The roots also length of daylight hours. Commercially many other species of palm, bananas, They rarely had problems with insects, don’t like staying wet. in nurseries, the day length is controlled and Heliconias. It is barely visible to the with the exception of a particular species Other than all of the issues mentioned artificially. Outdoors in the landscape, naked eye when found underneath of moth, Ello spinx, that laid its eggs on above, poinsettias are not that difficult to these plants will be affected by ambient foliage, but under a magnifying lens is the plants. The resulting voracious, big grow outside. I would cut them back light. This means a street light, porch completely red, and when rubbed with green caterpillars would devour all the twice a year, once after blooming when I light, or any other light can hold off your hand (or clothes) a red stain will foliage. I was still an avid pesticide user would reduce the plant to half its height, blooming and color. If your outdoor result. As was discussed at this lecture, at that time but I did not want to spray and a second time about two months poinsettia is looking healthy but has not pesticides, or rather miticides, will not the foliage with a pesticide because of before the color would show. This sec- colored-up yet, look around for night- work against these mites in the land- leaf discoloration. So I would pick the ond pruning would only be six to eight time lights. scape, and it will be best to let all of the caterpillars off the plants by hand. inches to encourage more branching, and The poinsettia is a member of the beneficial insects in our area control I also found that if the plants were therefore more floral heads. Euphorbiaceae (hence its scientific name them naturally. allowed to dry out in the summertime, I would use the woody cuttings to Euphorbia pulcherrima) and characteris- they would be attacked by spider mites grow more plants in containers so if there tically has very sticky sap. It may or may Jeff Shimonski is an ISA-certified munic- (spiders, not insects) and the foliage was a problem with the bed plants, I had not be poisonous, but will definitely burn ipal arborist, director of horticulture at would be lost even if I used a miticide. replacements. Poinsettias grow very easi- if you get it in your eyes. Jungle Island, and principal of Tropical They were never watered from above ly from cuttings. I never used rooting I have another favorite tropical holiday Designs of Florida. Contact him at because if the foliage got wet, fungal hormones or fungicides to grow them. plant, the large red shrimp plant. It is [email protected]. problems could start. I also found if the Flowering in poinsettias and the Ruellia chartacea or formally known as foliage got wet on a hot sunny day, the accompanying color is induced by the R. colorata. It is in the Acanthaceae or Feedback: [email protected]

46 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 R ESTAURANT L ISTINGS The Biscayne Corridor's most comprehensive restaurant guide. Total this month: 193.

Restaurant listings for the BT Dining bar and open kitchen, where chef Clay Conley crafts owing to the option of dining outdoors on a covered ter- Plaza is more sleekly contemporary than most of Miami’s Guide are written by Pamela Robin imaginative global creations – many of them combina- race directly on the waterfront. The food is Asian-inspired, rodizio joints, but no worries. The classic sword-wielding Brandt. Every effort has been made to tions, to satisfy those who want it all. One offering, “A with a few Latin and Mediterranean accents (sushi, plus gauchos are here, serving a mind-reeling assortment of Study in Tuna,” includes tuna sashimi, Maine crab, avo- creative fusion dishes like tangerine-anise spiced short skewered beef, chicken, lamb, pork, sausages, and fish -- ensure accuracy, but restaurants cado tempura, and caviar, with several Asian sauces. ribs with scallion pancake, or a tempura-battered snapper 16 cuts at dinner, 12 at lunch. And included in the price frequently change menus, chefs, and Moroccan lamb is three preparations (grilled chop, haris- sandwich with lemon aioli). For the health-conscious, the (dinner $47, lunch $34) is the traditional belly-busting buf- sa-marinated loin, and bastilla, the famed savory-sweet menu includes low-cal choices. For hedonists there’s a big fet of hot and cold prepared foods, salad, cold cuts, and operating hours, so please call ahead to Middle Eastern pastry, stuffed with braised shank), plus selection of artisan sakes. $$$-$$$$$ cheeses, plus additional accompaniments -- like irresistible confirm information. Icons ($$$) represent feta and smoked eggplant. Finish with a vanilla soufflé cheese bread -- served tableside. A pleasant, nontradition- estimates for a typical meal without wine, your way, a choice of toppings: chocolate, raspberry, or Caribbean Delight al surprise: unusual sauces like sweet/tart passion fruit or crème anglaise. $$$$$ 236 NE 1st Ave., 305-381-9254 mint, tomato-based BBQ, and mango chutney, along with tax, or tip. Hyphenated icons ($-$$$) Originally from Jamaica, proprietor Miss Pat has been serv- the ubiquitous chimichurri. $$$$-$$$$$ indicate a significant range in prices Bali ing her traditional homemade island specialties to down- between lunch and dinner menus, or 109 NE 2nd Ave., 305-358-5751 town office workers and college students since the early Il Gabbiano While Indonesian food isn’t easy to find in Miami, down- 1990s. Most popular item here might be the weekday 335 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-373-0063 among individual items on those menus. town has secret stashes -- small joints catering to Asian- lunch special of jerk chicken with festival (sweet-fried corn- www.ilgabbianomiami.com $= $10 and under Pacific cruise-ship and construction workers. Opened circa meal bread patties), but even vegetarians are well served Its location at the mouth of the Miami River makes this ultra- 2002, this cute, exotically decorated café has survived with dishes like a tofu, carrot, and chayote curry. All upscale Italian spot (especially the chic outdoor terrace) the $$= $20 and thrived for good reason. The homey cooking is deli- entrées come with rice and peas, fried plantains, and perfect power lunch/business dinner alternative for those $$$= $30 cious, and the friendly family feel encourages even the salad, so no one leaves hungry – doubly true thanks to the wanting something beyond steakhouses. And the culinary timid of palate to try something new. Novices will want home-baked Jamaican desserts. $ experience goes way beyond the typical meat market, $$$$= $40 Indonesia’s signature rijsttafel, a mix-and-match collection thanks in part to the flood of freebies that’s a trademark of $$$$$= $50 and over of small dishes and condiments to be heaped on rice. Dolores, But You Can Call Me Lolita Manhattan’s Il Mulino, originally run by Il Gabbiano’s own- Once you’re hooked, there’s great gado-gado (veggies in 1000 S. Miami Ave., 305-403-3103 ers. (Free starters: A generous hunk of parmegiano-reggiano peanut sauce), nasi goring (ultimate fried rice), and laksa, www.doloreslolita.com with aged balsamico dip, assertively garlicky fried zucchini MIAMI a complex coconut-curry noodle soup that’s near-impossi- It’s hard to figure why a Mediterranean/Latin restaurant (with coins, and tomato-topped bruschette.) The rest of the food? ble to find made properly, as it is here. Note: bring cash. Asian touches) would be named after a line in a 1950s novel Pricy, but portions are mammoth. And the champagne- Brickell / Downtown No plastic accepted here. $-$$ about a New England pedophile. But everything else about this cream-sauced housemade ravioli with black truffles? Worth casually stylish spot is easy to understand — and easy on the every penny. $$$$$ Abokado The Bar at Level 25 (Conrad Hotel) wallet. All entrées cost either $18 or $23, a price that includes 900 S. Miami Ave., 1395 Brickell Ave., 305-503-6500 an appetizer — no low-rent crapola, either, but treats like Indochine 305-347-3700 On the Conrad’s restaurant/lobby-level 25th floor, the Serrano ham croquetas, a spinach/leek tart with Portobello 638 S. Miami Ave., 305-379-1525 www.abokadosushi.com expansive, picture-windowed space around the corner from mushroom sauce, or shrimp-topped eggplant timbales. And all www.indochinebistro.com Hamachi chiles rellenos? Shiso leaf “nachos” topped with the check-in desks used to be just a lobby extension. Now desserts, from tiramisu to mango carpaccio with lemon crème, Indochine has succeeded by morphing from mere restau- raw spicy tuna, kaiware sprouts, and other Asian ingredients? it’s The Bar, which is not just a watering hole with are a bargain $2.50. The best seats in this hip hangout, rant into hip hangout. Copious special events (art open- The Viva, a sushi roll that starts with standard Japanese panoramic views. At lunch it’s an elegant sandwich bar; at housed in the old Firehouse 4, are on the rooftop patio. $$$ ings, happy hours with DJs, classic movie or karaoke stuff (spicy tuna, cucumber, avocado), adds typical Latin night it’s a raw bar (with pristine coldwater oysters) and nights, wine or sake tastings) draw everyone from down- sabor (jalapeño, cilantro), wraps it all in a flour tortilla, and (best) a tapas bar serving pintxos. That’s just the Basque Fresco California Bistro town business types to the counterculture crowd. Not that garnishes it with South of the Border heat (spicy snow crab word for tapas, but as interpreted by Atrio’s chef Michael 1744 SW 3rd Ave., 305-858-0608 there’s anything “mere” about the range of food served mix)? Miami hasn’t tended to initiate too many food “firsts,” Gilligan, there’s nothing mere about the generously por- This festively decorated indoor/outdoor bistro packs a lot from three Asian nations. Light eaters can snack on but this Japanese/Pan-Latin fusion place is surely one. tioned small plates. They range from traditional items like of party spirit into a small space, a large variety of food Vietnamese summer rolls or Japanese sushi rolls, includ- Intended as the groundbreaker of an international chain, this cod fish equixada (a zingy bacalao salad) and saffron- onto its menu, and a very large amount of informal retro ing an imaginative masago-coated model with mango, stylish indoor-outdoor eatery features inventive makis (execut- sautéed Spanish artichokes to inventive inspirations like California-style fusion food onto its plates. To the familiar spicy tuna, and cilantro. For bigger appetites, there are ed by Hiro Asano, formerly Bond Street’s sushi maestro), foie gras and goat cheese-stuffed empanadas, or Asian- Latin American/Italian equation, the owners add a touch of Thai curries and Vietnamese specialties like pho, richly fla- plus LatAmer/ Asian small plates and meals like pasilla chile- inspired soft-shell crab in airy tempura batter. $$$ Cal-Mex (like Tex-Mex but more health conscious). Menu vored beef soup with meatballs, steak slices, rice noodles, braised short ribs with wasabi-shiitake grits. Prices are higher offerings range from designer pizzas and pastas to cus- and add-in Asian herbs and sprouts. $$-$$$ than at neighborhood sushi spots, but in keeping with Blu Pizzeria e Cucina tardy tamales, but the bistro’s especially known for imagi- Abokado’s Mary Brickell Village neighbors. $$$$ 900 S. Miami Ave. (Mary Brickell Village) native meal-size salads, like one featuring mandarin Iron Sushi 305-381-8335; www.blurestaurantsgroup.com oranges, avocado, apple, blue cheese, raisins, candied 120 SE 3rd Ave., 305-373-2000 Acqua More than a mere pizzeria, this spot sports a super-sleek pecans, and chicken on a mesclun bed. $$ (See Miami Shores listing) 1435 Brickell Ave., Four Seasons Hotel Upper Eastside (of Manhattan) interior. If that’s too formal, opt 305-381-3190 for a casual patio table while you study the menu over an order Garcia’s Seafood Grille and Fish Market La Loggia Ristorante and Lounge Originally an Italian/Mediterranean restaurant, this comfort- of warm, just-made gnocchetti (zeppole-like bread sticks, with 398 NW N. River Dr., 305-375-0765 68 W. Flagler St., 305-373-4800, www.laloggia.org ably elegant, upscale spot switched chefs in 2006 (to Patrick prosciutto and savory fontina fondue dip), or creamy-centered Run by a fishing family for a couple of generations, this This luxuriantly neo-classical yet warm-feeling Italian Duff, formerly at the Sukhothai in Bangkok), resulting in a suppli alla romana (porcini-studded tomato and mozzarella rice venerable Florida fish shack is the real thing. No wor- restaurant was unquestionably a pioneer in revitalizing complete menu renovation. Thailand’s famed sense of culi- croquettes). And don’t worry. The place looks upscale, but ries about the seafood’s freshness; on their way to the downtown; when it first opened, eating options in the nary balance is now evident throughout the global (though pri- prices of even the fanciest seafood or veal entrées don’t rustic outside dining deck overlooking the Miami River, courthouse area were basically a variety of hot dog marily Asian or Latin American-inspired) menu, in dishes like exceed $20. The fare fashioned by chef Ricardo Tognozzi (for- diners can view the retail fish market to see what looks wagons. With alternatives like amaretto-tinged pumpkin yuzu/white soya-dressed salad of shrimp tempura (with merly from La Bussola and Oggi) is wide-ranging, but as the freshest. Best preparations, as always when fish is this agnolloti in sage butter sauce, cilantro-spiced white watercress, Vidalia onion, avocado, pomegranate), a tender name suggests, you can’t go wrong with one of the thin-crust- fresh, are the simplest. When stone crabs are in sea- bean/vegetable salad dressed with truffle oil, and souf- pork shank glazed with spicy Szechuan citrus sauce (accom- ed brick-oven pizzas, whether a traditional margherita or son, Garcia’s claws are as good as Joe’s but consider- flé di granchi (crabmeat soufflé atop arugula dressed panied by a chorizo-flecked plantain mash), or lunchtime’s inventive asparagi e granchi (with lump crab, lobster cream, ably cheaper. The local fish sandwich is most popular – with honey-mustard vinaigrette), proprietors Jennifer rare tuna burger with lively wasabi aioli and wakame salad. mozzarella, and fresh asparagus). $$-$$$ grouper, yellowtail snapper, or mahi mahi, fried, grilled, Porciello and Horatio Oliveira continue to draw a lunch For dessert few chocoholics can resist a buttery-crusted tart or blackened. The place is also famous for its zesty crowd that returns for dinner, or perhaps just stays on filled with sinfully rich warm chocolate custard. $$$$$ Café Sambal smoked-fish dip and its sides of hushpuppies. $-$$ through the afternoon, fueled by the Lawyer’s Liquid 500 Brickell Key Dr. Lunch, a vodka martini spiked with sweetened espres- Azul 305-913-8358; www.mandarinoriental.com/miami Grimpa Steakhouse so. $$$ 500 Brickell Key Dr., 305-913-8254 Though the Mandarin Oriental Hotel describes this space 901 S. Miami Ave., 305-455-4757 Floor-to-ceiling picture windows showcase Biscayne Bay. as its “casual hotel restaurant,” many consider it a more www.grimpa.com Continued on page 48 But diners are more likely to focus on the sparkling raw spectacular dining setting than the upscale Azul, upstairs, This expansive indoor/outdoor Brazilian eatery at Brickell

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 47 D INING G UIDE Red, White, and You Agreeable wine for $12 or less By Bill Citara Chianti production is regulated by law, including though with a faint kerosene aroma to go along with its BT Contributor vineyard age and yield and the type of grapes allowed red cherry, raspberry, and clove scents. Also from the — mostly Sangiovese with smaller amounts of 2006 vintage is Tiziano, the wine in this tasting most ithout Chianti, many of our favorite Italian Canaiolo and white grapes Trebbiano and reminiscent of the California style, with a soft fruiti- dishes might cease to exist. I mean, can you Malvasia. Newer regulations also permit the addi- ness on the palate that makes for ready, easy drinka- Weven think about eating pizza without a bottle tion of nontraditional grapes like Cabernet bility, whether you’re serving it with lasagna or lasa. of cheap Chianti alongside? Imagine spaghetti and Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Chiantis made Two wines that didn’t make the cut were the 2003 meatballs without the spaghetti, eggplant Parmigiana exclusively from Sangiovese. Fossi Chianti Classico, which was plainly past its without the Parmesan, lasagna without the “gna.” The None of which really matters when you’re prime, and the 2004 Casa Moretti, which had oxi- mind recoils in horror. staring at a piping-hot pizza margherita throw- dized and was unfit for human consumption. If you But despite Chianti’s identification with the hardiest ing off clouds of steam scented with tomato and see either of these wines on your liquor store shelves, Italian fare, it’s actually a terrifically versatile wine. basil. For that, and for standing up to all those run in the other direction. Preferably to your neigh- Light- to medium-bodied, with restrained fruit and a robust Italian favorites and more, the 2004 borhood pizzeria and a really good bottle of Chianti. pinch of terroir, plus relatively low alcohol and high Monrosso does the job with some real muscle. acidity, it’s one of the most food-friendly wines around, Its deep purple color and earthy aromas tell you The Folio Chianti costs $11.99 and is avail- playing equally well with everything from burgers to just what you’ll get in the glass — a big, bold able at the North Miami Total Wine & More, as is the Trecciano, which retails for $9.97 coq au vin, Szechuan beef to barbecued salmon. wine with bracing black cherry flavors and powerful (14750 Biscayne Blvd., 305-354-3270). Tiziano’s In the same way that French wines are named after undercurrents of toast, spice, and black olives. Chianti can be found at Publix for $11.49 (price their place of origin (Burgundy, Bordeaux), Chianti takes On the lighter (and less complex) side are a trio of and availability varies among stores), while the its name from the Chianti region of Tuscany. There are younger Chiantis. The 2007 Tenuta di Trecciano is the Monrosso is on the shelves at Aventura’s several subdesignations of Chianti, the most common baby of the bunch, still drinking a little green but with Cellars Wine & Spirits Warehouse for $11.99 here being just plain Chianti and Chianti Classico, consid- tart, pleasant, cherry-berry fruit and tangy acidity that (21055 Biscayne Blvd., 305-936-9433). ered the best wine of the region and recognizable by the would make it a good choice with seafood dishes like label of a black rooster (gallo nero) on the bottle neck. snapper Livornese. The 2006 Folio is much the same, Feedback: [email protected]

Restaurant Listings traditionalists, but the menu is dominated by creative generations) are the main draw at this Overtown institution. But (5:30-7:30 p.m.) offers soup or salad, entrée, dessert, Nuevo Latino items like a new-style ceviche de chernia the chicken is also a winner, plus there’s a full menu of soul and a carafe of wine for $44 per couple. $$$-$$$$ Continued from page 47 (lightly lime-marinated grouper with jalapeños, basil, and food entrées, including what many aficionados consider our the refreshing sweet counterpoint of watermelon), or crab town’s tastiest souse. Sides include collards, yams, and soft The River Oyster Bar La Moon ravioli with creamy saffron sauce. Especially notable are mac and cheese. And it would be unthinkable to call it quits 650 S. Miami Ave., 305-530-1915 144 SW 8th St., 305-860-6209 entrée salads like the signature Ensalada Novecento: without homemade sweet potato pie or banana pudding, plus www.therivermiami.com At four in the morning, nothing quells the post-clubbing skirt steak slices (cooked to order) atop mixed greens a bracing flop – half iced tea, half lemonade. $-$$ This casually cool Miami River-area jewel is a full-service munchies like a Crazy Burger (a heart-stopping Colombian coated in rich mustard vinaigrette with a side of house- seafood spot, as evidenced by tempting menu selections take on a trucker’s burger: beef patty, bacon, ham, moz- made fries. $$-$$$ Perricone’s like soft-shell crabs with grilled vegetables, corn relish, and zarella, lettuce, tomato, and a fried egg, with an arepa 15 SE 10th St., 305-374-9449, www.perricones.com remoulade. There are even a few dishes to please meat- corn pancake “bun”) unless it’s a Supermoon perro, a Oceanaire Seafood Room Housed in a Revolutionary-era barn (moved from Vermont), and-potatoes diners, like short ribs with macaroni and similarly overloaded hot dog. For less dainty eaters, there’s 900 S. Miami Ave., 305-372-8862 this market/café was one of the Brickell area’s first gentri- cheese. But oyster fans will still find it difficult to resist a bandeja paisa, a mountainous construction containing www.theoceanaire.com fied amenities. At lunch chicken salad (with pignolias, stuffing themselves silly on the unusually large selection char-grilled steak, pork belly, pork-enriched beans, rice, With a dozen branches nationwide, Oceanaire may seem raisins, apples, and basil) is a favorite; dinner’s strong suit of bivalves (often ten varieties per night), especially since plantains, eggs, and arepas. One hardly knows whether to more All-American seafood empire than Florida fish shack. is the pasta list, ranging from Grandma Jennie’s old-fash- oysters are served both raw and cooked – fire-roasted with eat it or burrow in to spend the rest of the night. While this But while many dishes (including popular sides like bacon- ioned lasagna to chichi fiocchi purses filled with fresh pear sofrito butter, chorizo, and manchego. To accompany these tiny place’s late hours (till 3:00 a.m. Thursday, 6:00 a.m. enriched hash browns and fried green tomatoes) are identi- and gorgonzola. And Sunday’s $15.95 brunch buffet delights, there’s a thoughtful wine list and numerous arti- Friday and Saturday) are surprising, the daytime menu is cal at all Oceanaires, menus vary significantly according to ($9.95 for kids) – featuring an omelet station, waffles, san beers on tap. $$$ more so. In addition to all the cholesterol-packed regional tastes and fish. Here in Miami, chef Sean Bernal smoked salmon and bagels, salads, and more – remains Colombian classics, there’s a salad Nicoise with grilled (formerly at Merrick Park’s Pescado) supplements signature one of our town’s most civilized all-you-can-eat deals. $$ Rosa Mexicano fresh tuna, seared salmon with mango salsa, and other starters like lump crab cakes with his own lightly marinated, 900 S. Miami Ave., 786-425-1001 yuppie favorites. $-$$ Peruvian-style grouper ceviche. The daily-changing, 15-20 Prime Blue Grille www.rosamexicano.com specimen seafood selection includes local fish seldom 315 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-358-5901 A branch of the original Rosa Mexicano that introduced New Latitude Zero seen on local menus: pompano, parrot fish, amberjack. But www.primebluegrille.com Yorkers to real Mexican food (not Tex-Mex) in 1984, this 36 SW 1st St., 305-372-5205 even flown-in fish (and the raw bar’s cold-water oysters) are This truly 21st-century steakhouse targets today’s health- expansive indoor/outdoor space offers a dining experience Potted plants are the only sign outside this narrow store- ultra-fresh. $$$$ minded gourmets by serving only certified-organic Brandt that’s haute in everything but price. Few entrées top $20. front that the room inside is worlds more charming than beef – antibiotic- and hormone-free, as well as dry-aged, The décor is both date-worthy and family-friendly – festive standard downtown Latin eateries. This urban oasis is an Pasha’s butchered in-house, and smoke-seared by Prime Blue’s but not kitschy. And nonsophisticates needn’t fear; though artsy little white-tablecloth place (with alternating red table- 1414 Brickell Ave., 305-416-5116 intense wood-burning grills and ovens. For noncarnivores, nachos aren’t available, there is nothing scary about zarape cloths warming up the feel), but with no-tablecloth prices. The original branch on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road was the menu gives equal time to fish, all caught wild, and de pato (roast duck between freshly made, soft corn tor- While much of the menu is Miami’s generic Latin mix, instantly popular, and the same healthy Middle Eastern offers dozens of cooked vegetable and salad options, tillas, topped with yellow-and-habanero-pepper cream sauce), there ia a separate Ecuadorian section that’s a playlist of fast food – made with no trans fats or other nutritional including build-your-own. There’s also a raw bar and a or Rosa’s signature guacamole en molcajete, made table- that country’s culinary greatest hits. Standouts: encebolla- nasties – is served at the three newer outlets. The prices small steak/seafood retail counter. The décor is as mod- side. A few pomegranate margaritas ensure no worries. $$$ do, a centuries-old fishermen’s soup given national individ- are low enough that one might suspect Pasha’s was con- ern as the menu. Instead of the stuffy men’s club look, uality by yuca and zingy hits of lime; lighter caldo de bola, ceived as a tax write-off rather than a Harvard Business you have a soaring, light-hued, open-plan, indoor/outdoor Soya & Pomodoro veggie-packed broth with plantain dumplings; and cazuelas, School project, which it was by founders Antonio Ellek and space, with panoramic Miami River view. $$$$ 120 NE 1st St., 305-381-9511 thick layered of mashed plantains and tomato- Nicolas Cortes. Dishes range from common classics like Life is complicated. Food should be simple. That’s owner enriched seafood. No clue? Try a bandera, a mixed plate falafel and gyros to more unusual items like muhammara Provence Grill Armando Alfano’s philosophy, which is stated above the entry of Ecuador’s most distinctive dishes, including shrimp (tangy walnut spread), silky labneh yogurt cheese, and 1001 S. Miami Ave., 305-373-1940 to his atmospheric downtown eatery. And since it’s also the ceviche. $$ chicken adana kebabs with grilled veggies and aioli sauce. The cozy, terracotta-tiled dining room (and even more formula for the truest traditional Italian food (Alfano hails from Everything from pitas to lemonade is made fresh, from charming outdoor dining terrace) indeed evoke the south Pompeii), it’s fitting that the menu is dominated by authentical- Novecento scratch, daily. $-$$ of France. But the menu of French bistro classics covers ly straightforward yet sophisticated Italian entrées such as 1414 Brickell Ave., 305-403-0900 all regions, a Greatest Hits of French comfort food: coun- spinach- and ricotta-stuffed crêpes with béchamel and tomato www.bistronovecento.com Peoples Bar-B-Que try-style pâté maison with onion jam, roasted peppers and sauces. There are salads and sandwiches, too, including one For those who think “Argentine cuisine” is a synonym for 360 NW 8th St., 305-373-8080 cornichons; steak/frites (grilled rib-eye with peppercorn soy burger to justify the other half of the place’s name. The “beef and more beef,” this popular eatery’s wide range www.peoplesbarbque.com cream sauce, fries, and salad); four preparations of mus- most enjoyable place to dine is the secret, open-air courtyard, of more cosmopolitan contemporary Argentine fare will Oak-smoked, falling-off-the-bone tender barbecued ribs sels; a tarte tatin (French apple tart with roasted walnuts, be a revelation. Classic parrilla-grilled steaks are here for (enhanced with a secret sauce whose recipe goes back several served à la mode). Deal alert: An early-bird prix-fixe menu Continued on page 50

48 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 49 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings Bin No. 18 Charcuterie Five Guys Famous Burger and Fries 1800 Biscayne Blvd., 786-235-7575 3612 NE 2nd Ave., 305-576-7877 3401 N. Miami Ave. (Shops at Midtown) Continued from page 48 At this wine bar/café, located on the ground floor of one of This Design District old-timer has hung on for close to 20 305-571-8345 completely hidden from the street. Alfano serves dinner on midtown’s new mixed-use condo buildings, the décor is a years as the District has gone through its mood swings. www.fiveguys.com Thursdays only to accompany his “Thursday Night Live” events stylish mix of contemporary cool (high loft ceilings) and Old But it’s no worse for the wear. The upstairs/downstairs Like the West Coast’s legendary In-N-Out Burger chain, featuring local musicians and artists. $-$$ World warmth (tables made from old wine barrels). Cuisine space looks good as new, and is still almost impossibly this East Coast challenger serves no green-leaf faux is similarly geared to the area’s new smart, upscale resi- cute. The menu, chalked daily on a blackboard, still fea- health food. You get what the name says, period, with Taste of Bombay dents: creative sandwiches and salads at lunch, tapas and tures well more than a dozen typical French bistro specials three adds: kosher dogs, veggie burgers, and free peanuts 111 NE 3rd Ave. larger internationally themed Spanish, Italian, or French char- like chicken Dijonaise or almond-crusted trout in creamy, while you wait. Which you will, just a bit, since burgers are 305-358-0144 cuterie platters at night. Though the place is small and fami- lemony beurre blanc. And the salads, soups, and sand- made fresh upon order, not steam-tabled. Available in dou- No surprise that a place called Taste of Bombay would be an ly-run friendly, Venezuelan-born chef Alfredo Patino’s former wiches are still, invariably, evocative. Rough-cut pâté de ble or one-patty sizes, they’re well-done but spurtingly Indian restaurant. And depending mostly on the predominant executive chef gigs at Bizcaya (at the Ritz-Carlton Coconut campagne, topped with cornichons on a crusty buttered juicy, and after loading with your choice of 15 free garnish- nationalities of downtown construction workers at any given Grove) and other high-profile venues are evident in sophisti- baguette is an instant trip to . Though weekend night- es, even a “little” burger makes a major meal. Fries (regu- time, Taste of Bombay has also served sushi, Philippine, cated snacks like the figciutto, a salad of arugula, gorgonzo- time hours were instituted several years ago, dinner is an lar or Cajun-spiced) are also superior, hand-cut in-house and Chinese food. Best bet, though, is the all-you-can-eat la dolce, caramelized onions, pine nuts, fresh figs, and pro- on-again, off-again thing, so call first. $$-$$$ from sourced potatoes; a changing sign reports the Indian buffet lunch spread, featuring six changing entrées (a sciutto. Free parking in a fenced lot behind the building. $$ spuds’ point of origin. $ mix of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetable curries) plus veggie The Daily Creative Food Co. pakoras, rice, salad, chutneys, hot naan bread, and a Bleu Moon 2001 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-4535 Fratelli Lyon dessert. The place looks plain outside, but it’s pleasantly 1717 N. Bayshore Dr., 305-373-8188 While the food formula of this contemporary café is familiar 4141 NE 2nd Ave. exotic enough inside for a bargain business lunch. $$ Deep inside the Doubletree Grand, this restaurant, which – sandwiches, salads, soups, breakfast food, and pastries, 305-572-2901 has panoramic Biscayne Bay views and an outdoor deck, is plus coffee and fruit drinks – a creative concept differenti- www.fratellilyon.com Tobacco Road one of the few upscale dinner spots near the Arsht Center ates the place. Signature sandwiches are named after This Italian café has been packed since the moment 626 S. Miami Ave. for the Performing Arts. The eclectic menu is more national and local newspapers (like the Biscayne Times: it opened. No surprise to any who recall owner Ken 305-374-1198; www.tobacco-road.com Mediterranean than anything else, from old-fashioned tuna salad with hummus, cucumber, roasted peppers, Lyon’s pioneering Lyon Freres gourmet store on pre- Prohibition-era speakeasy (reputedly a fave of Al Capone), favorites like lasagna to contemporary creations like gnoc- arugula, and sprouts on multigrain bread), giving diners gentrified Lincoln Road (1992-97), another joint that gay bar, strip club. Previously all these, this gritty spot has chi with sun-dried tomatoes, sweet pea purée, pine nuts, something to chat about. For those who’d rather Have It was exactly what its neighborhood needed. The been best known since 1982 as a venue for live music, and ricotta salata. But a few seafood sauces reflect Asian Their Own Way, both sandwiches and salads can be do-it- restaurant’s artisan salumi, cheeses, flavorful bou- primarily blues. But it also offers food from lunchtime to influences, and tropical Latin touches abound. Some of the yourself projects, with an unusually wide choice of main tique olive oils, and more on the ingredient-driven late night (on weekends till 4:00 a.m.). The kitchen is most charming dishes are modernized American, and done ingredients, garnishes, breads, and condiments for the cre- menu are so outstanding that one can’t help wishing especially known for its chili, budget-priced steaks, and well enough to make you nostalgic for 1985: creamy (but atively minded. $ this restaurant also had a retail component. Well, burgers, including the mega-mega burger, a trucker-style not gunky) lobster bisque, lump crab cake with fried capers, maybe later. Meanwhile console yourself with the sort monster topped with said chili plus cheddar, mushrooms, and a retro arugula salad with caramelized walnuts, bacon, Delicias Peruanas of salamis and formaggi you’ll never find in the super- bacon, and a fried egg. There’s also surprisingly elegant gorgonzola, fresh berries, and raspberry vinaigrette. $$$$ 2590 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-4634 market (as well as rare finds like culatello – prosciut- fare, though, like a Norwegian salmon club with lemon Seafood is the specialty at this pleasant Peruvian spot, as to royalty), including a mixed antipasto esplosione aioli. A meat-smoker in back turns out tasty ribs, perfect Brosia it was at the original Delicias, run by members of the that would feed Rhode Island. Entrées include proper- accompaniment to the blues. $$ 163 NE 39th St., 305-531-8700 same family, eight blocks north on the Boulevard. There ly al dente pastas, plus some regional specialties like www.brosiamiami.com are differences here, notably karaoke on weekends - and a Venetian-style calves liver, rarely found outside Italy. Midtown / Design District The reputation that Arthur Artile amassed after years as kitchen that doesn’t shut down till the wannabe American $$$ executive chef at Norman’s and Chispa has made the Idols shut up, around 2:00 a.m. But the food is as tasty Adelita’s Café Design District’s Brosia an instant hit. The menu is as ever, especially the reliably fresh traditional ceviches, Grass 2699 Biscayne Blvd., 305-576-1262 Mediterranean-inspired, with a few items — like gazpacho and for those who like their fish tangy but cooked, a mam- 28 NE 40th St.; 305-573-3355 From the street (which is actually NE 26th, not Biscayne) this Caprese — fusing cuisines, but most retaining regional moth jalea platter (lightly breaded, fried seafood under a After a couple of years in hiatus, this Design District Honduran restaurant seems unpromising, but inside it’s bigger, individuality: Moroccan mussels in curry broth; shrimp and blanket of marinated onions - the fish and chips of your restolounge has reopened in the same outdoor courtyard better, and busier than it looks. Unlike many Latin American clams (with garlic, chorizo, and sherry) that scream dreams). As for nonseafood stuff, no one who doesn’t space. What’s new: “MediterAsian” chef Michael Jacobs eateries, which serve a multinational mélange, this one sticks “Spain!” The stylish space is a draw, too. Inside, all already know that Peru practically invented fusion cuisine and a menu that travels beyond pan-Asian and close to the source and proves a crowd-pleaser. On weekends mahogany, leather, and luxuriant intimacy; outside, seat- (in the 1800s) will doubt, after sampling two traditional Mediterranean influences into the Americas. Entrées range especially, the two casual dining rooms are packed with families ing on an extensive patio shaded by a canopy of old oaks. noodle dishes: tallerin saltado (Chinese-Peruvian beef or from lowbrow comfort food (cunningly reinvented mini pot enjoying authentic fare like baleadas (thick corn tacos), tajadas And the convenient all-day hours (even breakfast) give it chicken lo mein) or tallerin verde (Ital-Latin noodles with pies) to high-status extravagance (stone-seared, authentic (Honduras’s take on tostones), rich meal-in-a-bowl soups packed the feel of a real neighborhood restaurant. $$$ pesto and steak). $$ Kobe steak). For healthy grazers, raw-bar selections include with seafood or meat and veggies, and more. To spend ten ceviches and a large seafood platter (lobster, shrimp, and bucks on a meal here, one would have to be a sumo wrestler. $ Buena Vista Bistro 18th Street Café lump crab with housemade dipping sauces). There’s also a 4582 NE 2nd Ave., 305-456-5909 210 NE 18th St. snack menu (pristine coldwater oysters, a crab salad tim- Bengal If a neighborhood eatery like this one -- which serves 305-381-8006 bale, parmesan-truffle shoestring fries, mini-Kobe burgers) 2010 Biscayne Blvd., 305-403-1976 supremely satisfying Italian, American, and French bistro www.18thstreetcafe.com served till the wee hours, providing a welcome alternative to At this Indian eatery the décor is date-worthy, with the typical food -- were within walking distance of every Miami resi- Most of the seating in this cool little breakfast/lunch the Boulevard’s fast food chains. $$-$$$$$ garish brass/tapestry/elephants everywhere replaced by a dent, we’d be a helluva hip food town. Located in the inti- room is in a sort of giant bay window, backed with ban- cool, contemporary ambiance: muted gray and earth-tone mate space that formerly housed Restaurant A, it’s the love quettes, that makes the space feel expansively light- Kafa Café walls, tasteful burgundy banquettes. And the menu touts child of Quebequoise chef Claude Postel and his wife filled, and quite nicely gentrifies its whole evolving 3535 NE 2nd Ave., 305-438-0114 “Modern Indian Cuisine” to match the look. Classicists, howev- Callie, who runs the front of the house with exuberantly Midtown block. This pioneering place deserves to sur- www.kafamidtown.com er, needn’t worry. Some dishes’ names are unfamiliar, but friendly charm. Like true Parisian bistros, it’s open continu- vive, even if just considering the roast beef sandwich Opened in late 2007 by a brother/sister team (both origi- America’s favorite familiar north Indian flavors are here, though ously, every day (until midnight!), with prices so low with creamy horseradish – an inspired classic combina- nally from Ethiopia, via ), this casual spot is dishes are generally more mildly spiced and presented with (starters $5-8, entrées $8-15) that one really can drop in tion that makes one wonder why more places in this located in the stylish indoor/outdoor, multi-roomed Midtown modern flair. Definitely don’t miss starting with salad-garnished anytime for authentic rillettes (a scrumptious spiced meat town don’t serve it. (We’ll debate later.) Other culinary space formerly housing Uva and Stop Miami. Nothing on Deshi Samosas (which come with terrific cilantro/mint dip) or spread, like a rustic pâté) with a crusty baguette, steak highlights of the classic “Six S” repertoire (soups, sand- the breakfast and lunch menus tops $8, and portions feed ending with mango kulfi, Indian ice milk. All meats are certified with from-scratch frites, salmon atop ratatouille, or many wiches, salads, sweets, smoothies, specials) might an army (or several starving artists). Signature item is the halal, Islam’s version of kosher — which doesn’t mean that changing blackboard specials. Portions are plentiful. So is include a turkey/pear/cheddar melt sandwich, and really observant orthodox Jews can eat here, but Muslims can. $$$ free parking. And it’s well worth a drive. $$ sinful marshmallow-topped brownies. $ Continued on page 51

50 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings Lost & Found Saloon Fresh, organic ingredients are emphasized, but dishes range Orange Café + Art 185 NW 36th St., 305-576-1008 from cutting-edge (crispy beef cheeks with whipped celeriac, 2 NE 40th St., 305-571-4070 Continued from page 50 www.thelostandfoundsaloon-miami.com celery salad, and chocolate reduction) to simple comfort The paintings hanging in this tiny, glass-enclosed café are for formidable Kafa Potato Platter -- a mountain of wondrously There’s an artsy/alternative feel to this casual and friend- food: deviled eggs, homemade potato chips with pan-fried sale. And for those who don’t have thousands of dollars to textured home fries mixed with bacon, ham, peppers, ly Wynwood eatery, which, since opening as a weekday- onion dip, or a whole wood-roasted chicken. There’s also a shell out for the local art on the walls, less than ten bucks onion, and cheese; eggs (any style), fresh fruit, and bread only breakfast and lunch joint in 2005, has grown with its broad range of prices and portion sizes ($4-$8 for snacks will get you art on a plate, including a Picasso: chorizo, pro- accompany. Lunch’s burgers, salads, and overstuffed sand- neighborhood. It’s now open for dinner six nights a week, and small plates to $24-$39 for extra-large plates) to encour- sciutto, manchego cheese, baby spinach, and basil on a wiches (like the roast beef supreme, a melt with sautéed serving Southwestern-style fare at rock-bottom prices. age frequent visits from light-bite as well as pig-out diners. crusty baguette. Other artfully named and crafted edibles mushrooms, onion, sour cream, and cheddar on sour- Dishes like piñon and pepita-crusted salmon, chipotle-driz- Michael’s Genuine also features an eclectic and affordable include salads, daily soups, several pastas (like the dough) come with homemade soup or other sides, plus zled endive stuffed with lump crab, or customizable tacos wine list, and a full bar, with cut-rate weekday happy hour Matisse, fiocchi pouches filled with pears and cheese), and fruit. Not full yet? The pair has recently expanded to include average $5-$8. Also available: big breakfasts and salads, cocktails. $$-$$$$ house-baked pastries. $ night hours with an authentic Ethiopian dinner menu, plus hearty soups, housemade pastries like lemon-crusted wild beer and wine selections. $-$$ berry pie, and a hip beer and wine list. $ Mike’s at Venetia Out of the Blue Café 555 NE 15th St., 9th floor, 305-374-5731 2426 NE 2nd Ave., 305-573-3800 Latin Café 2000 Maino Churrascaria www.mikesvenetia.com www.outofthebluecafe.net 2501 Biscayne Blvd. 2201 Biscayne Blvd., 305-571-9044 There’s no sign out front, but this family-owned Irish Forget impersonal chain coffeehouses. This artist-friendly, 305-576-3838; www.latincafe2000.com This very upscale Brazilian steakhouse has all the fea- pub, on the pool deck of a waterfront condo building independent neighborhood café serves a full selection of The menu is similar to that at many of our town’s Latin tures one expects at a rodizio-style restaurant, including across from the Miami Herald, for more than 15 years coffee drinks made with the award-winning beans of cafés, largely classic Cuban entrées and sandwiches, with all-you-can-eat meats carved tableside and a lavish buffet has been a popular lunch and dinner hang-out for local Intelligentsia, a company that works directly with a smattering of touches from elsewhere in Latin America, of salads, sides, salumi, and hot prepared dishes. What journalists – and others who appreciate honest cheap artisan growers to encourage sustainable agriculture – and such as a Peruvian jalea mixta (marinated mixed seafood), sets Maino apart from typical rodizio palaces is its family- eats and drinks (not to mention a billiard table and 17 one helluva good cup of java. Also served: breakfast and or paella Valenciana from Spain, which many Miami eater- run feel, intimate rather than intimidating, plus its atten- TV screens). Regulars know daily specials are the way lunch sandwiches, imaginative salads, soups, homemade ies consider a Latin country. What justifies the new millen- tion to every detail (immediately obvious in the classy rus- to go. Depending on the day, fish, churrasco, or roast pastries and creamy fresh-fruit smoothies. With tables, nium moniker is the more modern, yuppified/yucafied tic/elegant décor, highlighted by striking onyx accents -- turkey with all the trimmings are all prepared fresh. Big sofas, and lounge chairs inside an old Midtown house, plus ambiance, encouraged by an expansive, rustic wooden bars, tabletops, and more). While it’s rare at most rodizio burgers and steak dinners are always good, and happy free wireless Internet access, the space is also just a pleas- deck. Delivery is now available. $$ joints to get meat done less than medium, Maino’s eager- hour appetizers (like meaty Buffalo wings) are always ant place to hang out. Owner Carmen Miranda (real name) to-please servers here are happy to convey custom-cook- half-price. Additionally, a limited late-night menu pro- says beer and wine will soon be available. $ Lemoni Café ing preferences to the kitchen -- and they’re English-speak- vides pizza, wings, ribs, and salad till 3:00 a.m. $-$$ 4600 NE 2nd Ave., 305-571-5080 ing, too. One other welcome difference: As well as the Pacific Time The menu here reads like your standard sandwiches/sal- one-price (hefty) feast, there are à la carte starters and Moriano 35 NE 40th St., 305-722-7369 ads/starters primer. What it doesn’t convey is the pastas for lighter eaters and noncarnivores, and some 3221 NE 2nd Ave., 786-953-8003 www.pacifictimemiami.com sparkling freshness of the ingredients and the care that lunch specials. Free parking, too. $$-$$$$$ Ultra-thin, crisp-crusted pizzas as good as Piola’s in South Everyone knows Jonathan Eismann’s original, now- goes into constructing these mostly healthy snacks. Beach. Made-from-scratch daily specials like green bean defunct Pacific Time, for many years Lincoln Road’s only Entrée-size salads range from an elegant spinach salad Mario the Baker and parmesan soup, or prosciutto and mozzarella-stuffed serious contemporary restaurant. The question is: How (with goat cheese, pears, walnuts, and raisins) to chunky 250 NE 25th St., 305-438-0228 gnocchi that you really have not seen on every other menu different is its new incarnation? Very, and it’s all good, homemade chicken salad on a bed of mixed greens – a (See North Miami listing) in town. A homemade white chocolate/raspberry cake, starting with far superior acoustics (no more voice-shred- hefty helping of protein without typical deli-style mayo chocolate ganache cake, and other pastries to die for. High- ding conversations!), an admirably green ecological poli- overload. Sandwiches (cold baguette subs, hot pressed Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink quality ingredients, wine and beer, low prices, enthusiastic cy, and a neighborhood-friendly attitude (including kid-ori- paninis, or wraps, all accompanied by side salads) 130 NE 40th St., 305-573-5550 hands-on owners committed to arts-oriented creativity. A ented dishes, plus continuous service of inventive small include a respectable Cuban, but the deceptively rich- Long-awaited and an instant smash hit, this truly neighbor- comfortable hang-out atmosphere. This tiny café, where plates and bar snacks). The food is also more intriguing tasting light salad cream that dresses a veggie wrap hood-oriented restaurant from Michael Schwartz, founding “processed food” is a dirty word, has it all — except a high- – simultaneously complexly refined and accessibly clean. might tempt even hardcore cholesterol fans to stick with chef of Nemo’s in South Beach, offers down-to-earth fun food visibility location or media hype. So discover it for your- the sprouts. $-$$ in a comfortable, casually stylish indoor/outdoor setting. selves. (There’s ample free street parking, too.) $-$$ Continued on page 52

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 51 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings morning, waiting for a seat at the horseshoe-shaped count- brick-oven pies (from a flaming open oven) that are this popu- Casa Toscana er (there are no tables) and enormous breakfasts: corned lar pizzeria’s specialty. Choices range from the simple name- 7001 Biscayne Blvd., 305-758-3353 Continued from page 51 beef hash or crab cakes and eggs with grits; fluffy pan- sake Andiamo (actually a Margherita) to the Godfather, a www.casatoscanamiami.com While the addition of Mediterranean influences to PT’s cakes; homemade biscuits with gravy and Georgia major meat monster. Extra toppings like arugula and goat Tuscan-born chef/owner Sandra Stefani cooked at Norman’s former Pacific Rim menu may sound confusing on paper, sausage – everything from oatmeal to eggs Benedict, all in cheese enable diners to create their own designer pies. Also (and briefly ran the Indian Creek Hotel’s restaurant) before trust us: A meal that includes a butter-grilled asparagus mountainous portions. The lunch menu is a roll call of the available are salads and panini plus reasonably priced wines opening this Upper Eastside jewel, a wine market/eatery with prosciutto, soft-cooked egg Milanese, and preserved usual suspects, but most regulars ignore the menu and go and beers (including a few unusually sophisticated selections whose 30 original seats have been supplemented by a wine lemon; plus an Asian-accented creamy corn/leek soup for the daily blackboard specials. $-$$ like Belgium’s Hoegaarden). $$ room/garden for tasting events and private dining. Stefani with Peeky Toe crab dumplings, coriander, and mustard travels regularly to Italy to find exciting, limited-production oil makes perfect sense on the tongue. $$-$$$$ Tony Chan’s Water Club Boteco wines and inspiration for truly Tuscan-tasting daily special 1717 N. Bayshore Dr., 305-374-8888 916 NE 79th St., 305-757-7735 dishes with honest, authentic flavors, such as grilled wild Pasha’s The décor at this upscale place, located in the Grand, a This strip of 79th Street, formerly known for its live bait boar sausages with lentil croquettes. Favorites that show up 3801 N. Miami Ave., 305-573-0201 huge bayside condo/resort hotel, looks far too glitzy to and auto repair shops, is rapidly becoming a cool alt-cul- often on the menu include pear and ricotta raviolini with sage (See Brickell/Downtown listing) serve anything but politely Americanized Chinese food. The ture enclave thanks to inviting hangouts like this rustic butter sauce, grilled eggplant slices rolled around herbed presentation is indeed elegant, but the American dumbing- indoor/outdoor Brazilian restaurant and bar. Especially goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, and a light ricotta tart Pizzafiore down is minimal. Many dishes are far more authentic and bustling on nights featuring live music, it’s even more fun with lemon and rosemary. $$$ 2905 NE 2nd Ave., 305-573-0900 skillfully prepared than those found elsewhere in Miami, on Sundays, when the fenced backyard hosts an informal Those seeking dainty designer pizzas can fuhgeddaboudit like delicate but flavorful yu pan quail (minced with mush- fair and the menu includes Brazil’s national dish, feijoada, Che Sopranos here. At this New York-style pizzeria (which has roughly the rooms in lettuce cups). Moist sea bass fillet has a beauti- a savory stew of beans plus fresh and cured meats. But 7251 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-8282 same menu as North Beach’s original Pizzafiore, but inde- fully balanced topping of scallion, ginger, cilantro, and sub- the everyday menu, ranging from unique, tapas-like This branch of a Miami Beach Italian/Argentine pizzeria, pendent ownership), it’s all about heftiness. A special tly sweet/salty sauce. And Peking duck is served as three pasteis (shrimp and hearts of palm-stuffed turnovers) to housed in a charming bungalow and featuring a breezy slice/soda deal features two pizza triangles bigger than traditional courses: crêpe-wrapped crispy skin, meat hefty Brazilian entrées, is also appealing – and budget- patio, covers multicultural bases. If the Old World Rucola most Miami mini-skirts. Whole pies come medium (large), sautéed with crisp veggies, savory soup to finish. $$$- priced. $$ pizza (a classic Margherita topped with arugula, prosciutto, large (huge), and extra-large (think truck tire). And with fully $$$$ and shredded parmesan) doesn’t do the trick, the New loaded pizzas like the Supreme Meat Lover priced only a few Le Café World Especial (a Latin pie with hearts of palm and boiled bucks more than a basic tomato/ cheese, it pays to think W Wine Bistro 7295 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-6551 eggs) just might. Also available are pastas, salads, sand- big about toppings too. Other Italian-American fare is also 3622 NE 2nd Ave., 305-576-7775 For anyone who can’t get over thinking of French food as wiches, dinner entrées (eggplant parmigiana with spaghet- available, notably pastas and subs. $-$$ Both bistro and retail wine shop, this Design District spot is intimidating or pretentious, this cute café with a warm wel- ti, lomito steak with Argentinean potato salad), and run by Florent Blanchet, an energetic young Frenchman who come, and family-friendly French home cooking, is the anti- desserts (tiramisu or flan). $ Primo’s was previously a wine distributor. His former gig led to con- dote. No fancy food (or fancy prices) here, just classic 1717 N. Bayshore Dr., 305-371-9055 nections that mean if wine lovers don’t find the bottle they comfort food like onion soup, escargot, daily fresh oysters, Chef Creole Relatively few people except hotel guests and condo resi- want in W’s selection of roughly 200-labels (which empha- boeuf bourguignon (think Ultimate Pot Roast), Nicoise 200 NW 54th St, 305-754-2223 dents are familiar with the Grand’s restaurants (except sizes boutique and organic growers), Blanchet can probably salad, quiche, and homemade crème brûlée. A respectable Sparkling fresh Creole-style food is the star at chef/owner for Tony Chan’s). The imposing, cavernous lobby just get it within 24 hours. Food is sophisticated light bites like beer and wine list is a welcome addition, as is the house- Wilkinson Sejour’s two tiny but wildly popular establish- doesn’t have that “do drop in” locals’ hangout vibe. But a shrimp club sandwich with pancetta and sun-dried tomato made sangria. Top price for entrées is about $14. $-$$ ments. While some meatier Haitian classics like griot (fried this lively Italian spot is actually a great addition to the aioli; smoked duck salad with goat cheese croutons and a pork chunks) and oxtail stew are also available – and a neighborhood. The pizzas alone – brick-oven specimens poached egg; and chocolate fondant. At night there are Canela $3.99 roast chicken special is a hard deal to resist – the with toppings ranging from classic pepperoni to trendy tapas. $-$$ 5132 Biscayne Blvd., 305-756-3930 glistening fish display that greets diners as they walk in prosciutto/arugula – would be draw enough. But pastas When this atmospheric little neighborhood oasis opened, makes it clear that seafood is the specialty here: crevette are also planned to please: diners’ choice of starch, with Zuperpollo Biztro Reztocafe the formula was Cuban cooking at lunch, Catalan tapas at en sauce (steamed shrimp with Creole butter sauce), lambi mix-and-match sauces and extras. And the price is right, 3050 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-8485 night. The menu is now more uniform: contemporary fri (a mountain of perfectly tenderized fried conch), poisson with few entrées (whether traditional veal piccata or www.zuperpollo.com Spanish and pan-Latin tapas, sandwiches, salads, sides, gros sel (local snapper in a spicy butter sauce), garlic or seared ahi tuna) topping $20. The capper: It’s open past Occasionally there’s a sign out front of the office building and entrées at all hours, just a far more elaborate selec- Creole crabs. Note for ambiance-seekers: The Miami branch midnight every day but Sunday. $$ housing this bistro, indicating that a branch of the popu- tion at night. The tapas list is especially impressive, with has outdoor tiki-hut dining; North Miami’s outlet, a former lar Uruguayan eatery Zuperpollo (on Coral Way, since all the usual Hispanic meat and cheese favorites but also Carvel, has the same food but lacks the tropical charm. $- Sake Room 1986) is within. Otherwise, since the restaurant opened an unusually large selection of seafood and vegetarian $$ 275 NE 18th St., 305-755-0122 in 2006, locals have basically had to intuit its presence – items such as espinaca à la catalaña (spinach sautéed www.sakeroom.com way in back, past a guard desk and an elevator bank, with pine nuts and raisins). Must-not-miss items include Dogma Grill Sake takes a back seat to sushi – and sophisticated décor behind an unmarked door. Once there, diners discover an ultra-creamy croquetas (ham, cheese, chicken, spinach, or 7030 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-3433 – at this small but sleek restolounge, which offers South extensive pan-Latin menu of breakfast food, salads, sub- bacalao), grilled asparagus with aioli, and habit-forming www.dogmagrill.com Beach sophistication without the prices or attitude, thanks stantial meat and fish entrées, homemade pastas and Brazilian cheese bread. $-$$$ What could induce downtown businessmen to drive to the to charming proprietor Mario Cicilia. Among the seafood soups, desserts, and sandwiches, including Uruguay’s Upper Eastside to eat at a few outdoor-only tables just feet offerings, you won’t find exotica or local catches, but all famed chivito, sometimes called “a heart attack on a Captain Crab’s Take-Away from the busy Boulevard? From the day it opened, people the usual sushi/sashimi favorites are here, but in more bun”: beef, bacon, ham, eggs, mozzarella, plus sautéed 1100 NE 79th St., 305-754-2722 have been lining up, even in summer’s sweltering heat, for interesting form, thanks to sauces that go beyond stan- mushrooms and red peppers. And naturally, from the The drive-through window says “fast food,” and so do this stand’s sauce-garnished, all-beef, soy veggie, turkey, dard soy – spicy sriracha, garlic/ponzu oil, and many more. , there’s the zignature zuper chicken. $-$$ this long-lived seafood shack’s low prices. And indeed and chicken hot dogs. The 22 varieties range from simple Especially recommended: the yuzu hamachi roll (chopped there are three Captain Crab’s Take-Aways (the others (the Classic, with ketchup, relish, and chopped onion) to Pacific yellowtail with scallions, sesame, roe, citrusy dress- are in Carol City and Fort Lauderdale), all related to the the elaborate (the Athens, topped with a Greek salad, ing, and refreshing shiso leaf), the lobster tempura maki Upper Eastside sit-down Crab House restaurants. But there the resem- including extra-virgin olive oil dressing) to near-unbelievable (with veggies, chive oil, and an oddly wonderful tomato blance to McFauxFood ends. For about the price of a combinations like the VIP, which includes parmesan sauce), and panko-coated spicy shrimp with hot-and-sour Andiamo bucket of the Colonel’s chicken you can get a bucket of cheese and crushed pineapple. $ mayo and a salad. $$-$$$ 5600 Biscayne Blvd., 305-762-5751 the Captain’s savory garlic crabs. The King’s burger www.andiamopizza.com meal or the Captain’s similarly priced fried (or garlic East Side Pizza S & S Diner Sharing a building with a long-established Morningside car boiled or New Orleans-spiced) shrimp meal? No con- 731 NE 79th St., 305-758-5351 1757 NE 2nd Ave., 305-373-4291 wash, Andiamo is also part of Mark Soyka’s 55th Street test. Also popular: crab cakes and conch (fried or in frit- Minestrone, sure. But a pizzeria menu with carrot ginger Some things never change, or so it seems at this diner, Station – which means ditching the car (in the complex’s free ters and chowder). For fish haters, spicy or garlic chick- soup? Similarly many Italian-American pizzerias offer entrées which is so classic it verges on cliché. Open since 1938, lot across the road on NE 4th Court) is no problem even if en wings are an option; for kids, cut-price “first mate” it’s still popular enough that people line up on Saturday you’re not getting your vehicle cleaned while consuming the meals. $-$$ Continued on page 53

52 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings Jimmy’s East Side Diner silky Asian eggplant slices in Thai basil sauce, and other the loss. In its new Little Haiti location, the space is much 7201 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-3692 remarkably low-priced specialties of Matilda Apirukpinyo, smaller but the loose vibe is the same, as are the eclectic Continued from page 52 Open for more than 30 years, Jimmy’s respects the most who operated a critically acclaimed South Beach Thai live bands and some old food favorites: bacalao cake with like spaghetti and meatballs, but East Side also has pump- important American diner tradition: Breakfast at any hour. eatery in the 1990s. Though the casually cute indoor/out- onion, cuke, and tomato salad with lemony aioli sauce; kin ravioli in brown butter/sage sauce, wild mushroom ravio- Admittedly the place closes at 4:00 p.m., but still. There are door place is only open for weekday lunches, “cantina” din- ricotta-walnut agnolotti with butter and sage; and chef Alan li, and other surprisingly upscale choices. The East Side blueberry hot cakes and pecan waffles for sweet-tooth ners can be ordered and picked up after hours. $ Hughes’s unique black-pepper-spiked white chocolate Salad includes goat cheese, walnuts, and cranberries; eaters; eggs any style, including omelets and open-face frit- mousse (now presented as one of a five-item chocolate quaffs include imported Peroni beer. As for the pizza, they tatas for those preferring savories; and a full range of sides: Michy’s medley). $$-$$$ are classic pies, available whole or by the slice, made with biscuits and sausage gravy, grits, hash, hash browns, even 6927 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-2001 fresh plum tomato sauce and Grande mozzarella (consid- hot oatmeal. Also available are traditional diner entrées Don’t even ask why Michele Bernstein, with a résumé that Pineapple Blossom Tea Room ered the top American pizza cheese). Best seating for eating (meat loaf, roast turkey, liver and onions), plus burgers, salad includes top-chef gigs at upscale eateries like Azul, not to 8214 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-8328 is at the sheltered outdoor picnic tables. $ platters, and homemade chicken soup. $-$$ mention regular Food Network appearances, opened a homey www.pineappleblossom.com restaurant in an emerging (but far from fully gentrified) neigh- The interior of this pineapple-yellow building is a soothing Europa Car Wash and Café Karma borhood. Just be glad she did, as you dine on white almond oasis offering traditional full English tea service – or a more 6075 Biscayne Blvd. 7010 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-1392 gazpacho or impossibly creamy ham and blue cheese croque- zingy tropical fruit-flavored Caribbean variation. Whether your 305-754-2357 A real car wash with meticulous detailing takes time. But tas. Though most full entrées also come in half-size portions chosen brew is Earl Grey or pineapple-mint iced Giving new meaning to the food term “fusion,” Europa killing an hour is a pleasure at this stylish car wash/tapas (at almost halved prices), the tab can add up fast. Table-to- tea, the scones (with thick cream and jam), tea cakes, cook- serves up sandwiches, salads, car washes, coffee with bar, where the elegant light fare occasionally even out- table conversations about the food are common, something ies, and desserts, are hometown treats. Owner Frances croissants, and Chevron with Techron. Those who remem- shines the hand-washed automobiles. Vegetarians do espe- that only happens at exciting, if not flawless, restaurants. And Brown is a pastry chef. There’s more substantial fare, too. ber this former no-frills filling station only as one of the cially well, with crusty baguette sandwich combos like brie, at this one, the star herself is usually in the kitchen. Parking in Innovative wraps like Caribbean shrimp salad with tropical Boulevard’s cheapest sources of brand-name gas will be walnuts, and honey, or another featuring grilled artichokes the rear off 69th Street. $$$-$$$$ fruit salsa; salads such as warm goat cheese with fresh astonished at the invitingly expanded interior. Snacks and buttery St. Andre cheese. Lower carb items range from greens, tomatoes, dried cranberries, and candied cashews. match the casual chicness: sandwiches like the Renato an imported olive assortment to an antipasto platter with Moonchine Also offered are tempting take-out baskets like the Tea for (prosciutto, hot cappicola, pepper jack cheese, red pep- Spanish Cantimpalo chorizo, manchego cheese, and gar- 7100 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-3999 Two (with tea, jam, scones, and cookies), great for gifts or pers, and Romano cheese dressing); an elaborate almond- banzos. There are breakfast and dessert pastries too. Like its Brickell-area older sibling Indochine, this friendly for at-home teas. $-$$ garnished Chinese chicken salad; H&H bagels, the world’s Beverages include organic coffee and soy chai lattes, as indoor/outdoor Asian bistro serves stylish fare from three best, flown in from NYC. And the car cleanings — done by well as wines and an extensive beer list featuring Belgian nations: Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Menus are also Red Light hand, not finish-scratching machines — are equally gentri- brewskis. On Thursday nights the car wash transforms into similar, split between traditional dishes like pad Thai and 7700 Biscayne Blvd., 305-757-7773 fied, especially on Wednesday’s “Ladies Day,” when a chic lounge until 2:00 a.m. $-$$ East/West fusion creations like the Vampire sushi roll Only in Miami: From the rustic al fresco deck of chef Kris women are pampered with $10 detail washes and glasses (shrimp tempura, tomato, cilantro, roasted garlic). But the Wessel’s intentionally downwardly mobile retro-cool river- of sparkling wine while they wait. $ Kingdom café also carves out its own identity with original cre- front restaurant, located in a refurbished old motel, you 6708 Biscayne Blvd., 305-757-0074 ations, including yellow curry-spiced Moonchine fried rice can enjoy regional wildlife like manatees (Florida’s own half Garden of Eatin’ This newly renovated, indoor/outdoor sports bar serves or Popeye’s Salad (spicy tuna, avocado, spinach, masago mammal/half meatloaf) while enjoying eclectic regional 136 NW 62nd St., 305-754-8050 low-priced but high-quality steaks, plus more typical bar roe, sesame seeds, and a scrumptious sweet/hot kim- dishes that range from cutting-edge (sour-orange-marinat- Low profile would be an understatement for this place. food that’s actually far from the usual premade, processed chee dressing). Nearly everything is low in sodium, fat, and ed, sous-vide-cooked Florida lobster with sweet corn Housed in a yellow building that’s tucked in back of a park- stuff. Philly cheese steak sandwiches, big enough for two, calories – except desserts (notably the chocolate bomb). sauce) to comfort (crispy-breaded Old South fried green ing lot behind a small grocery store, it’s nearly invisible are made from hand-sliced rib eye; sides include fries and There’s also an impressive sake list, too. Coming soon: a tomatoes). The menu is limited, which makes sense with a from the street. Inside, though, it has the comfortable feel beer-battered onion rings, but also lightly lemony sautéed large rear patio for dining and entertainment. $$-$$$ chef-driven place; and it changes daily, which also makes of a beach bar, and generous servings of inexpensive Afro- spinach. And the burgers rule, particularly the Doomsday, sense at an ingredient-driven place. But several signature Caribbean vegan food. Rastafari owner Immanuel Tafari a cheese/ bacon/mushroom-topped two-pound monster Moshi Moshi specialties, if they’re available, are not to be missed: BBQ cooks up meat and dairy-free specials, like Jamaican that turns dinner into a competitive sport. But even the 7232 Biscayne Blvd., 786-220-9404 shrimp in a tangy Worcestershire and cayenne-spiked but- pumpkin/chayote stew in coconut milk, that depend on smallest Queenburger (a half-pounder that’s no sissy) is a “Spruced up” is a supreme understatement for the space, ter/wine sauce, irresistible mini conch fritters, and home- what looks good at that morning’s produce market. Large perfectly seasoned contender. No hard liquor, but the beer formerly the Haitian hole-in-the-wall Fidele. Now a boutique made ice cream. $$-$$$ or small plates, with salad and fried sweet plantains (plus list makes up for it. $$ Japanese eatery, this younger sibling of South Beach old- free soup for eat-in lunchers), are served for five or seven timer Moshi Moshi is a cross between a sushi bar and an Royal Bavarian Schnitzel Haus bucks. Also available are snacks like vegetarian blue corn Luna Café izakaya (Japanese tapas bar). Even more striking than the hip 1085 NE 79th St., 305-754-8002 tacos, desserts like sweet potato pie, and a breakfast 4770 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-5862 décor is the food’s unusually upscale quality. But this isn’t With Christmas lights perpetually twinkling and party menu featuring organic blueberry waffles with soy sausage www.lunacafemidtown.com surprising given the owners’ previous work: Toshi Furihata noises emanating from a new outdoor biergarten, this patties. $ The ground floor of the Wachovia Bank building may not and Hiro Terada were executive chefs at SushiSamba and German restaurant is owner Alex Richter’s one-man seem a particularly evocative locale for an Italian eatery, Doraku; Yani Yuhara is an ex-Benihana manager. Sushi gentrification project, transforming a formerly uninviting Gourmet Station but once inside, the charming décor and the staff’s ebul- ranges from pristine plain individual nigiri (all the usuals plus stretch of 79th Street one pils at a time. The fare 7601 Biscayne Blvd., 305-762-7229 lient welcome indeed are reminiscent of a café in Italy. The rarer finds like toro) to over-the-top maki rolls like the signa- includes housemade sausages (mild veal bratwurst, Home-meal replacement, geared to workaholics with no time kitchen’s outstanding feature is a brick oven, which turns ture Moshi Moshi (tuna, white tuna, salmon, avocado, masa- hearty mixed beef/pork bauernwurst, spicy garlicwurst) to cook, has been trendy for years. But the Gourmet Station out designer pizzas (greater in variety, lesser in cost on the go, tempura flakes, spicy mayo). Tapas also go beyond stan- with homemade mustard and catsup; savory yet near- has outlasted most of the competition. Main reason: decep- lunch menu, in effect till 4:30 p.m.) and crisp-skinned dards like edamame to intriguing dishes like arabiki sausage, greaseless potato pancakes; and, naturally, schnitzels, tive healthiness. These are meals that are good for you, yet roast chickens. Otherwise the menu holds few surprises – a sweet-savory pork fingerling frank with a superior pop/spurt a choice of delicate pounded pork, chicken, or veal pat- taste good enough to be bad for you. Favorite items include except the prices, surprisingly low for such a stylish place. factor; rarely found in restaurants even in Japan, they’re pop- ties served with a half-dozen different sauces. $$-$$$ precision-grilled salmon with lemon-dill yogurt sauce, and lean No dish exceeds $22. $$-$$$ ular Japanese home-cooking items. And rice-based plates like turkey meatloaf with homemade BBQ sauce – sin-free com- Japanese curry (richer/sweeter than Indian types) satisfy Simplee Salad fort food. For lighter eaters, there are wraps and salads with The Lunch Room even the biggest appetites. $-$$$ 7244 Biscayne Blvd. a large, interesting choice of dressings. Food is available à la 7957 NE 2nd Ave., 305-722-0759 305-754-3100 carte or grouped in multimeal plans customized for individual Hidden in Little Haiti, this Thai/Japanese spot, which One Ninety simpleesalad.blogspot.com diner’s nutritional needs. $$ opened in 2005, remains one of the Upper Eastside’s best- 26 NE 54th St., 305-758-7085 This is actually a restaurant within a restaurant: Sushi kept secrets. But chef Michelle Bernstein (of Michy’s) and www.oneninetyrestaurant.com Square. But don’t be confused. There’s an explanation. Hiro’s Sushi Express other knowledgeable diners wander over from the Boulevard When the original One Ninety, a hip Nuevo hangout The original eatery’s Paris-trained chef/co-owner Julien 5140 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-0914 for simple but perfect pad Thai, chili grouper (lightly bat- in residential Buena Vista, closed because of rent increas- (See North Miami Beach listing) tered fillets in a mouthwatering tangy/sweet/hot sauce), es in 2004, loyal patrons from all walks of life mourned Continued on page 54

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 53 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings Ver-Daddys Taco Shop Garnished with even more over-the-top abandon are jinx location. And Ariston continues the lucky streak with 7501 Biscayne Blvd. Colombian-style hot dogs like the Perro Rico, topped with classical Greek cuisine based on recipes of co-owner Continued from page 53 305-303-9755 chicharron, chorizo, cheese, a quail egg, and pineapple to Thanasis Barlos’s mom Noni Barlou, and executed by CIA- Durosini wanted to open for lunch, but couldn’t lower sushi At this soulful taco shop, the menu descriptions are in cancel out the cholesterol. Ha! But who cares? Strap on trained chef Alexia Apostolidis. Skip the menu’s puzzling prices to lunchtime levels without compromising quality. So common English (“cinnamon puffs” drizzled with honey the med emergency bracelet and bring it on. $-$$ Italianesque and generic Euro-American selections and he decided on a midday morph from sushi bar to salad and lime, not “buñuelos”). But taco fillings range from the concentrate on authentic treats like the lightest, most bar. Choose a green (mixed, romaine, or spinach); load on commonplace (ground beef, shredded chicken) to more Japanese Market and Sushi Deli savory whipped tarama (caviar spread) west of Athens; four choices from an extensive list of veggies, fruits, nuts, unusual pork in chili verde, fried potato, or Baja battered 1412 79th St. Causeway ultra-rich tzatziki (Greek yogurt with cukes, garlic, and olive olives, and cheeses; pick a dressing, all housemade (tangy fish (authentically garnished with Mexican crema and 305-861-0143 oil); bracing avgolemono (egg-thickened chicken/lemon ranch, creamy-rich gorgonzola, and exotic sesame-ginger cilantro-spiked cabbage). And all offerings can be loaded Inside a small market that is, nevertheless, widely consid- soup); char-grilled sardines with greens and citrus dress- are especially good); and pay six bucks — or an extra $3 if with other garnishes from the kitchen (refried beans, ered Miami’s premier source of Japanese foodstuffs, the ing; or an inspired eggplant/ground beef moussaka, bound you want an added protein like shrimp or marinated white cheese, crema) or less perishable offerings from a salsa “Sushi Deli” restaurant component is nothing more than a here with an almost sinfully custardy béchamel. $$-$$$ anchovies. If doing it yourself is a brain strain, there are bar. For the heath-minded, oils are nonhydrogenated, and lunch counter to the left of the entrance. But chef Michio also two daily chef-created salad combos. $ sauces/seasonings are all housemade and free of preser- Kushi, who worked for years at the Sushin, Miami’s first Café Prima Pasta vatives. $ full-service Japanese restaurant, serves up some sushi 414 71st St., 305-867-0106, www.primapasta.com Soyka found nowhere else in town. Example: traditional Osaka- Opened in 1993 with 28 seats, this family-run North 5556 NE 4th Court Wine 69 style sushi – layers of rice, seasoned seaweed, more rice, Beach landmark has now taken over the block, with an out- 305-759-3117; www.soykarestaurant.com 6909 Biscayne Blvd. and marinated fresh mackerel, pressed into a square box, door terrace and multi-roomed indoor space whose walls This expansive, contemporary hangout was often credit- 305-759-0122 then cut into lovely one-bite sandwich squares. While raw are full of photos of their clientele (including national and ed with almost single-handedly sparking the revitalization From the name, one might think this is just a wine shop. fish is always impeccable here, some unusual vegetarian local celebs). Particularly popular are homemade pastas, of the Biscayne Corridor’s Upper Eastside. Now that the It’s actually about wine, food, and art, and how they sushi creations also tempt, as do daily entrées, like curried sauced with Argentine-Italian indulgence rather than Italian hype has calmed down, Soyka remains a solid neighbor- work together. Wines, about 200 labels, are available beef stew, that typify Japanese home cooking. $ simplicity: crabmeat ravioletti in lobster cream sauce, hood restaurant that, like restaurateur Mark Soyka’s retail (at 35-50 percent of their marked prices, which are black squid ink linguini heaped with seafood. Veal dishes, previous ventures (notably Ocean Drive’s pioneering for in-house drinkers), with 40 sold by the glass. But the Mario the Baker such as piccata with white wine-lemon-caper sauce, are News Café and the Van Dyke on Lincoln Road) is a per- place’s specialty is comparative flights of various wine 1700 79th St. Causeway also a specialty. Though romantic enough for dates, the fect fit for its area. Comfortably priced yuppie comfort types from different regions. Food, designed for pairing, 305-867-7882 place is quite kid-friendly — and on the terrace, they’ll food like meatloaf with mashed potatoes, crab cakes includes a new $25 three-course dinner. But the menu (See North Miami listing) even feed Fido. $$$ with spicy-sweet slaw, a wild mushroom/smoked moz- is mostly light bites with intriguingly inventive touches: a zarella pizza, or a Cobb salad may not be revolutionary seared Cajun tuna salad with wasabi sauce; crab cakes Oggi Caffe Tamarind Thai fare, but Soyka continues to thrive while more ambi- with Asian sriracha chili sauce; a three-cheese soufflé. 1666 79th St. Causeway 946 Normandy Dr., tious, nationally publicized restaurants like OLA have Especially impressive are some nicely priced 305-866-1238; www.oggicaffe.com 305-861-6222 come and gone. $$-$$$ cheese/charcuterie platters, served with fig tapenade, This cozy, romantic spot started back in 1989 as a pasta www.tamarindthai.us cornichons, fresh fruits, bread, and multiple sauces. factory (supplying numerous high-profile restaurants) as When an eatery’s executive chef is best-selling Thai cook- Sushi Siam And the art part encompasses revolving exhibits, plus well as a neighborhood eatery. And the wide range of book author Vatcharin Bhumichitr, you’d expect major 5582 NE 4th Ct., 305-751-7818 an art lecture series featuring wines picked by owner budget-friendly, homemade pastas, made daily, remains media hype, fancy South Beach prices, and a fancy SoBe On the fairly standard menu of sushi-bar specialties plus Ben Neji to compliment the art. $$ the main draw for its large and loyal clientele. Choices address. Instead Bhumichitr joined forces with Day a small selection of Thai and Japanese cooked dishes, range from homey, meaty lasagna to luxuriant crab ravioli Longsomboon (an old Thai school pal who’d moved to there are a few surprises, such as a unique lobster maki with creamy lobster sauce, with occasional forays into Miami) at this unpretentious, authentic (no sushi) neighbor- that’s admittedly huge in price ($25.95), but also in size: NORTH BAY VILLAGE creative exotica such as seaweed spaghettini (with sea hood place. Some standout dishes here (like shrimp and six ounces of crisp-fried lobster chunks, plus asparagus, scallops, shitakes, and fresh tomatoes). For those tempt- corn cakes with plum sauce, deep-fried sweet and sour avocado, lettuce, tobiko (flying fish), masago (smelt) roes, Barchetta on the Bay ed by too much, ultra-accommodating servers have been fish, and roast duck with tamarind sauce) are featured in and special sauces. Also popular are red and orange drag- 1601 79th St. Causeway, 305-861-2228 known to allow half orders of two pastas. $$-$$$ the chef’s latest tome, Vatch’s Thai Kitchen, but with on rolls, similarly sauced makis of fried shrimp plus veg- Location, location, location. The truth of the old real Tamarind’s very affordable prices (especially at lunch), you gies, topped with, respectively, raw tuna and salmon. Thai estate cliché could not be better illustrated than at this Shuckers Bar & Grill might as well let the man’s impeccably trained kitchen dishes come with a choice of more than a dozen sauces, reasonably priced Italian restaurant. While pastas like lob- 1819 79th St. Causeway, 305-866-1570 staff do the work for you. $$-$$$ ranging from traditional red or green curries to the inven- ster ravioli in tomato/cream vodka sauce are under $20, “Cheap eats and a million-dollar view” is the sound bite tive, such as an unconventional honey sauce. $$$ and no meat or seafood entrée exceeds $30, the spec- manager Philip Conklin uses to describe this outdoor beach MIAMI SHORES tacular setting on Biscayne Bay is priceless. Floor to ceil- bar, hidden in back of a bayfront motel. The joint dates UVA 69 ing picture windows serve as the expansive indoor dining from South Beach’s late 1980s revival, but the kick-off- Iron Sushi 6900 Biscayne Blvd. space’s rear wall, but the primo seats are outdoors, in your-shoes vibe – not to mention the pool tables and juke- 9432 NE 2nd Ave. 305-754-9022; www.uva-69.com sheltered banquettes and patio tables where the water box – couldn’t be farther from SoBe glitz. The food ranges 305-754-0311 Owned by the Vega brothers (chef Michael and artist view, and carefree tropical party feel, is unimpeded. $$- from classic bar favorites (char-grilled wings, conch fritters, www.ironsushi.com Sinuhé) of Cane á Sucre – now defunct, but one of $$$$ raw or steamed shellfish) to full dinners featuring steak, With three Biscayne Corridor outlets (plus several Midtown Miami’s first cool, contemporary cafés – this homemade pasta, or fresh, not frozen, fish. And since branches elsewhere in town), this mostly take-out mini more ambitious yet casual outdoor/indoor Euro-café and Bocados Ricos about half of the establishment is sheltered, the bites and chain is fast becoming the Sushi Joint That Ate Miami. lounge serves the same purpose on the Upper Eastside, 1880 79th St. Causeway; 305-864-4889 bay view rock even when the weather sucks. $-$$ And why do Miamians eat here? Not ambiance. There helping to transform a commuter strip into a hip place to Tucked into a mall best known for housing the Happy Stork isn’t any. But when friends from the Pacific Northwest, hang out. The menu has grown more sophisticated along Lounge, this little luncheonette joint services big appetites. Sushi Siam where foodies know their fish, tout the seafood’s with the neighborhood. Lunch includes a variety of salads Along with the usual grilled churrascos, there’s an espe- 1524 NE 79th St. Causeway, 305-864-7638 freshness, we listen. And though the bargain prices, and elegant sandwiches like La Minuta (beer-battered cially belly-busting bandeja paisa (Colombia’s sampler plat- (See Miami / Upper Eastside listing) and many menu items, are similar to those at other mahi-mahi with cilantro aioli and caramelized onions on ter of grilled steak, sausage, chicharron, fried egg, avoca- fast-food sushi places, there are some surprisingly housemade foccacia). Dinner features a range of small do, plantains, rice, and beans). But do not miss marginally NORTH BEACH imaginative makis, like the Maharaja, featuring fried plates (poached figs with Gorgonzola cheese and honey daintier dishes like sopa de costilla, if this rich shortrib shrimp and drizzles of curry mayo. And where else will balsamic drizzle) and full entrées like sake-marinated bowl is among the daily changing homemade soups. Ariston you find a stacked sushi (five assorted makis) birthday salmon with boniato mash, Ponzu butter sauce, and Arepas include our favorite corn cake: the hefty Aura, 940 71st St., 305-864-9848 cake? $-$$ crispy spinach. Drink specials and live music on week- stuffed with chorizo, chicharron, carne desmechada It took a Greek place (Ouzo’s, which moved to bigger SoBe ends. $$-$$$ (shredded flank steak), plantains, rice, beans, and cheese. quarters in 2007) to break the curse of this former restaurant Continued on page 55

54 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings Bamboche of its seafood (much of it from Capt. Jim Hanson’s own D.J.’s Diner 13408 Biscayne Blvd, 305-947-6339 fishing boats, which supply many of Miami’s most 12210 Biscayne Blvd., 305-893-5250 Continued from page 54 Buried in a strip mall perpendicular to the Boulevard, upscale eateries). Now there’s a casual but pleasantly Located in a Best Western motel, this place, run by a Bamboche is worth the hunt on one of those head-splitting nautical side dining room with booths, and more recent- Chinese-American family, serves mostly basic American Village Café Saturdays, for a Haitian specialty not found in many area ly added, a sushi bar stocked largely with flown-in diner fare – burgers, sandwiches, about a dozen dinner 9540 NE 2nd Ave. restaurants: bouillon tet cabrit, a soup packed with greens Japanese fish just as pristine as the local catch. entrées, fresh-baked apple pie, and, oddly, a whole section 305-757-6453; www.villagecaferestaurant.com (like spinach, cabbage, cress, string beans) and root veggies Whether it’s garlicky scampi (made with sweet Key of Caesar salad variations. But it’s also a secret source for There’s an official Village Hall a few blocks up the road, that is reputed to be a miraculous hangover remedy. Along West shrimp), housemade smoked fish dip, grilled yel- Chinese food, mostly chow mien/chop suey-type dishes, but but a popular vote would probably proclaim Village Café with bouillon, weekend specials include more unusual dish- lowtail (or some more exotic local snapper, like hog or also a few dishes such as eggplant with garlic sauce and the community center of Miami Shores. Few residents can es like fritay, fried street snacks. Haitian standards (griot, mutton), perfectly tenderized cracked conch, or conch ma po tofu that are a step up in authenticity. $-$$ resist starting the workday with unique breakfast treats tassot) are available daily, as are fresh-squeezed juices, fritters (with just enough batter to bind the big chunks like a pressed panini of ham, Brie, and caramelized lattes, and almost two dozen desserts. $ of Bahamian shellfish), everything is deftly prepared Hanna’s Gourmet Diner apples. Later locals gather over a balsamic-dressed cran- and bargain-priced. $$ 13951 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-2255 berry blue chicken salad (a grilled breast on romaine with Bar-B-Que Beach Sports Bar & Grill When Sia and Nicole Hemmati bought the Gourmet Diner gorgonzola, walnuts, and dried cranberries), pan-fried blue 12599 Biscayne Blvd., 305-895-3141 Casa Mia Trattoria from retiring original owner Jean-Pierre Lejeune in the late crab cakes with beurre blanc and crisp cayenne-fried On Friday nights, there’s karaoke at this expansive eatery, 1950 NE 123rd St., 305-899-2770 1990s, they added “Hanna’s” to the name, but changed onions, wonton-topped salmon Oriental, or homemade though from the décor -- mixing Wild West rusticity with Key Tucked away, off to the side on the approach to the little else about this retro-looking French/American diner, a pasta. As for dessert, the pastry case speaks for village West flip-flops dangling from the ceiling -- it’s hard to know Broad Causeway and the beaches, this charming north Miami-Dade institution since 1983. Customers can residents: Let them eat (fresh-baked) cake! $-$$ whether to brush up your Jimmy Buffett medley or “Tumbling indoor/outdoor trattoria seems to attract mostly neigh- get a cheeseburger or garlicky escargots, meatloaf in Tumbleweeds.” There are specials the other six days of the borhood regulars. But even newcomers feel like regulars tomato sauce or boeuf bourguignon in red wine sauce, ice- Côte Gourmet week as well, from early-bird discounts to open-mike nights after about ten minutes here, thanks to the staff’s gen- berg lettuce and tomatoes, or a mushroom and squid 9999 NE 2nd Ave., #112 to kids-eat-free Tuesdays. But don’t forget the biggest draw: uinely Italian ebullience. The delightful Italian accents salad with garlic dressing. For oysters Rockefeller/tuna- 305-754-9012 the , honest stuff that has been low-temperature don’t hurt, either. As for the menu offerings, they’re melt from Venus and Mars, it remains the ideal If every Miami neighborhood had a neighborhood restaurant smoked for 12 to 14 hours till tender yet resilient. Ribs are mostly classic comfort foods with some contemporary dinner date destination. $$-$$$ like this low-priced little French jewel, it’d be one fantastic meaty (except for the aptly named, bargain-priced “bucket of items as well. Housemade pastas are good enough that food town. The menu is mostly simple stuff: breakfast bones,” and while chopped pork may not totally satisfy low-carb dieters should definitely temporarily fuhgedda- Here Comes the Sun croissants, crêpe, soups, sandwiches, salads, sweets, and North Carolina pulled pork purists, nothing within a 1000- boudit, especially for the tender gnocchi with pesto or 2188 NE 123rd St., 305-893-5711 a few more substantial specials like a Tunisian-style brik mile drive ever does. Biggest winners: succulent sliced better yet, delicate fagottini -- “beggar’s purses” stuffed At this friendly natural foods establishment, one of Miami’s (buttery phyllo pastry stuffed with tuna, onions, potatoes, brisket and delightfully juicy chicken. $$ with pears and cheese. $$ first, there’s a full stock of vitamins and nutritional supple- and tomatoes) with a mesclun side salad. But everything is ments. But the place’s hearty soups, large variety of entrées homemade, including all breads, and prepared with impec- Burritos Grill Café Chéen-huyae (including fresh fish and chicken as well as vegetarian selec- cable ingredients, classic French technique, and meticulous 11717 Biscayne Blvd., 305-891-1041 15400 Biscayne Blvd., 305-956-2808 tions), lighter bites like miso burgers with secret “sun sauce” attention to detail, down to the stylish plaid ribbons that www.burritosgrillcafe Diners can get some of the usual Tex-Mex dishes at this (which would probably make old sneakers taste good), and hold together the café’s baguette sandwiches. $-$$ Originally a friendly little 125th Street hole-in-the-wall that gar- cute spot, if they must. But the specialty is Mayan-rooted daily specials are a tastier way to get healthy. An under-ten- nered raves for its limited menu of terrifically tasty treats, Yucatan cuisine. So why blow bucks on burritos when one buck early-bird dinner is popular with the former long-hair, Mario and Karina Manzanero’s café is now in more sizable can sample Caribbean Mexico’s most typical dish: cochinita now blue-hair, crowd. Frozen yogurt, fresh juices, and smooth- NORTH MIAMI and atmospheric quarters. But the friendly, family-run (and pibil? It’s currently LA’s trendiest taco filling (and morning- ies complete the menu. $-$$ kid-friendly) ambiance remains, as do the authentic Yucatan- after hangover remedy). But that city couldn’t have a more Los Antojos style specialties. Standouts include poc-chuc, a pork loin mar- authentically succulent version of the pickle-onion-topped Ichi 11099 Biscayne Blvd.; 305-892-1411 inated in sour orange juice and topped with pickled onions marinated pork dish than Chéen’s – earthily aromatic from 13488 Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-9334 If it’s Sunday, it must be sancocho de gallina, Colombia’s and chiltomate sauce (roasted tomato/chili); tacos al pastor, achiote, tangy from bitter oranges, meltingly tender from Half sushi/sashimi, half cooked Japanese dishes, the menu is national dish. If it’s Saturday, it must be ajiaco. Both are stuffed with subtly smoky steak, onion, cilantro, and pineap- slow cooking in a banana leaf wrap. To accompany, try a relatively small but covers most of the traditional favorites and a thick chicken soups, full meals in a bowl. But veggies and ple; sinful deep-fried tacos dorados (like fat flautas); and sig- lime/soy/chili-spiced michelada, also authentically Mexican, few surprises. Popular makis include the Dream (shrimp tempu- garnishes vary, and this modest Colombian eatery is a nature burritos, including the Maya, filled with juicy cochinita and possibly the best thing that ever happened to dark beer. ra, avocado, Japanese mayo, and masago), the vegetarian handy spot to comparison-test such typical . pibil, refried beans, and pickled onions. $$ $$-$$$ Popeye spicy spinach roll, and the deep-fried Crispy, a riceless Adventuresome eaters may want to try another Saturday salmon and veggie roll. Among cooked items, there’s a large list special, mondongo (tripe soup, similar to Mexico’s Canton Café Chef Creole of teriyakis, and a few dishes prepared with a different twist – menudo). For Colombian-cuisine novices, a Bandeja Paisa 12749 Biscayne Blvd, 305-892-2882 13105 W. Dixie Hwy.; 305-893-4246 panko-breaded pork or chicken katsu cutlets, for instance, that (sampler including rice, beans, carne asada, chicharron, Easily overlooked, this strip-mall spot serves mostly (See Miami listing) eschew the standard sweet sauce for curry. $$ eggs, sautéed sweet plantains, and an arepa corn cake) is Cantonese-based dishes, ranging from all the old Chinese- available every day, as are antojitos – “little whims,” small- American classics (chop suey, moo goo gai pan, pu pu Chipotle Mexican Grill Jerusalem Market and Deli er snacks like chorizo con arepa (a corn cake with platters) through newer Americanized fusion favorites like 14776 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-2779 16275 Biscayne Blvd., 305-948-9080 Colombian sausage). And for noncarnivores there are sev- honey garlic chicken, teriyaki beef, and crab Rangoon. But www.chipotle.com Specialties like shawarma, spinach pies, kebabs, hum- eral hefty seafood platters, made to order. $$ there are also about two dozen spicier, Szechuan-style Proving that national fast-food chains don’t have to be mus, and kibbeh (a savory mix of ground lamb and bul- standards like kung po shrimp, ma po tofu, and General bad for either diners or the environment, Chipotle serves gur, arguably the world’s most interesting meatball) are Bagels & Co. Tso’s chicken. And there are a few imaginative new items, what the company calls “food with integrity.” The fare is native to many Middle East countries, but when a 11064 Biscayne Blvd., 305-892-2435 like the intriguingly christened “Shrimp Lost in the Forest,” simple, basically tacos and big burritos: soft flour or crisp Lebanese chef/owner, like this eatery’s Sam Elzoor, is While this place is often referred to as Guns & Bagels, one Singapore curried rice noodles, crispy shrimp with honey- corn tortillas stuffed with chipotle-marinated steak or at the helm, you can expect extraordinary refinement. can’t actually buy a gun here. The nickname refers to its glazed walnuts, and Mongolian beef (with raw chilis and chicken chunks, bolder shredded beef , or herb- There are elaborate daily specials here, like lemon location next to a firearms shop. But there’s a lot of other fresh Oriental basil). Delivery is available for both lunch scented pork carnitas, all with choice of fresh garnishes. chicken or stuffed cabbage with a variety of sides, but stuff aside from bagels here, including a full range of sand- and dinner. $$ But these bites contain no evil ingredients (transfats, arti- even a common falafel sandwich is special when the wiches and wraps. Breakfast time is busy time, with banana- ficial color/flavor, antibiotics, growth hormones). pita is also stuffed with housemade cabbage and onion walnut pancakes especially popular. But what’s most impor- Captain Jim’s Seafood Additionally, all pork, plus a large and growing percentage salads, plus unusually rich and tart tahina. For home tant is that this is one of the area’s few sources of the real, 12950 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-892-2812 of the grill’s beef and poultry, is raised via humane and cooks, there’s also a limited selection of imported New York-style water bagel: crunchy outside, challengingly This market/restaurant was garnering critical acclaim ecologically sustainable methods. And the food, while not spices and staples. $-$$ chewy inside. Those puffy half-donuts most places pass off even when eat-in dining was confined to a few Formica the authentic Mex street stuff dreams are made of, is as bagels aren’t even contenders. $ tables in front of the fish counter, owing to the freshness darned tasty, too. $ Continued on page 56

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 55 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings Maleewan Thai & Sushi of this chain (originating in Maitland, Florida, in 1975) are place only dates from the 1970s). Cuisine is similarly retro- 2224 NE 123rd St., 305-895-0393 generally the only places to go for this blast-from-the-past luxe: old-fashioned upscale steaks, chops, and lobster, plus Continued from page 55 Redecorated (tasteful bamboo-matted walls, silk flowers) since eating experience. Fondues are available à la carte or as fancier Continental fare. If you have a yen for chateaubriand, the days — many days — this space was occupied by the full dip-it-yourself meals. Start with a wine-enriched four- duck a l’orange, oysters Rockefeller, French onion soup, Le Griot de Madame John kosher sushi spot Tani Guchi’s Place, Maleewan is now a cozy, cheese fondue; proceed to an entrée with choice of meat trout almondine, wiener schnitzel, and peach Melba, it’s the 975 NE 125th St., 305-892-9333 neighborly nook at which to enjoy all the standard Japanese and or seafood, plus choice of cooking potion – herbed wine, only place in town that can deliver them all. A huge wine list When Madame moved her base of operations from her Little Thai selections. Cooked sushi is the strong suit here, particular- bouillon, or oil; finish with fruits and cakes dipped in your fuels the fantasy. $$$$ Haiti home to a real restaurant (though a very informal one, ly the signature mammoth-size Maleewan roll, given zing by pick- favorite melted chocolate. Fondue etiquette dictates that and still mostly take-out), she began offering numerous tradi- led Japanese squash and savor by a crispy yellowtail tempura diners who drop a skewer in the pot must kiss all other Paquito’s tional Haitian dishes, including jerked beef or goat tassot and topping. If you’re craving more creative fare, check out the hand- table companions, so go with those you love. $$$ 16265 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-5027 an impressive poisson gros sel (a whole fish rubbed with salt written specials board on your way in. $$ From the outside, this strip-mall Mexican eatery couldn’t before with various veggies and spices). But the North One 10 be easier to overlook. Inside, however, its festivity is dish that still packs the place is the griot: marinated pork Mama Jennie’s 11052 Biscayne Blvd impossible to resist. Every inch of wall space seems to be chunks simmered and then fried till they’re moistly tender 11720 NE 2nd Ave., 305-757-3627 305-893-4211 covered with South of the Border knickknacks. And if the inside, crisp and intensely flavored outside. $ For more than 35 years this beloved red-sauce joint has been www.northone10.com kitschy décor alone doesn’t cheer you, the quickly arriving drawing students and other starvation-budget diners with For most chefs a Miami-to-Manhattan move is generally con- basket of fresh (not packaged) taco chips, or the mariachi Lime Fresh Mexican Grill prodigious portions of lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs (the sidered one of those offers you can’t refuse. But after helm- band, or the knockout margaritas will. Food ranges from 14831 Biscayne Blvd., 305-949-8800 latter savory yet light-textured), veal marsala topped with a ing several NYC restaurants for China Grill Management, the Tex-Mex burritos and a party-size fajita platter to authentic Like its South Beach predecessor, this Lime was an instant mountain of mushrooms, and other Italian-American belly- homegrown married team of chef Dewey and sommelier Mexican moles and harder-to-find traditional preparations hit, as much for being a hip hangout as for its carefully craft- busters. All pasta or meat entrées come with oil-drenched gar- Dale LoSasso returned to do their own thing in their own like albóndigas – spicy, ultra-savory meatballs. $$-$$$ ed Tex-Mex food. Though Lime is now franchising, the lic rolls and either soup (hearty minestrone) or a salad (mixed neighborhood. The menu is “creative comfort food”: a chain’s concept is “fast casual” rather than fast food – greens, tomatoes, cukes, brined olives, and pickled peppers) shrimp waffle with basil butter; “steak and eggs” (a grilled Pasha’s meaning nice enough for a night out. It also means ingredi- that’s a dinner in itself. Rustic roadhouse ambiance, notably NY strip with truffled goat cheese frittata, herb demiglace, 14871 Biscayne Blvd., 786-923-2323 ents aren’t canned-type crapola. Seafood tacos are about as the red leatherette booths, add to Mama’s charm. $-$$ and hash browns); a stone crab hot dog the chef invented www.pashas.com exotic as the standard menu gets, but the mahi mahi for for a Super Bowl party. The award-winning wine list inspires (See Miami: Brickell / Downtown listing) fish tacos comes fresh, never frozen, from a local supplier, Mario the Baker playfully themed pairing events like an Italian food/wine and salsas are housemade daily. Niceties include low-carb 250 NE 25th St., 305-891-7641 “Godfather” dinner. But it’s not South Beach, so prices are Paul Bakery Café tortillas for dieters and many Mexican beers for partiers. $ www.mariothebakerpizza.com reasonable, and parking is free. $$$-$$$$ 14861 Biscayne Blvd., 305-940-4443 At this North Miami institution (opened in 1969) food is www.paulusa.com Little Havana Italian-American, not Italian-Italian: spaghetti and meatballs, Nuvo Kafe From one rural shop in 1889, the French bakery known sim- 12727 Biscayne Blvd lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, and hot or cold subs. No 13152 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-892-1441 ply as Paul has grown to a worldwide chain, which fortunately 305-899-9069 imported buffala, arugula, or other chichi stuff on the New Though the neighborhood is decidedly ungentrified, the chose to open its first U.S. outlet in our town. One bite of the www.littlehavanarestaurant.com York-style medium-thin-crusted pizzas; the top topping here interior of this café is an oasis of cultivated Caribbean cool crusty peasant loaf, the olive-studded fougasse, or another of In addition to white-tablecoth ambiance that’s several is the savory housemade sausage. And no one leaves with- and subtly sophisticated global fare. Haitian-born, the signature artisan breads transports you right back to steps up in elegance from the majority of neighborhood out garlic rolls, awash in warm parsley oil and smashed gar- Montreal-schooled chef Ivan Dorval formerly cooked at the France. As authentic as the boulangerie breads are, the eateries, this place features live Latin entertainment and lic ($4 a dozen, $3 per half-dozen, which won’t even last Oasis Café in Miami Beach, as well as the Delano, and the patisserie items like flan normande (a buttery-crusted, dancing, making it a good choice when diners want a night the ride home). New branches are now open in Miami's varied background is reflected in cuisine that’s chiefly cre- almond-topped apple-and-custard tart) are just as evocative. out, not just a meal. It’s also a good choice for diners who Midtown neighborhood and in North Bay Village. $ ative Caribbean but with influences from the Middle East, For eat-in diners, quite continental soups, salads, and sand- don’t speak Spanish, but don’t worry about authenticity. Asia, Greece, and Italy. Homemade, health-oriented dishes wiches are equally and dependably French. $$ Classic Cuban home-style dishes like mojo-marinated The Melting Pot include velvety ginger pumpkin bisque, unusually refined lechon asado, topped with onions, and juicy ropa vieja are 15700 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-2228 conch fritters (light batter, monster chunks of conch), West Plein Sud translated on the menu, not the plate, and fancier cre- www.meltingpot.com Indies crab cakes with citrus aioli, and a signature lavish, 12409 Biscayne Blvd., 305-891-2355 ations like pork filet in tangy tamarind sauce seem univer- For 1950s and 1960s college students, fondue pots were but only slightly sinful, Citadel Raw Fruit Pie. $$-$$$ The Boulevard may not be the Champs-Elysées, but diners sal crowd-pleasers. $$$ standard dorm accessories. These days, however, branches could be fooled once inside this evocative French bistro. Oishi Thai The ambiance is Old World, and the menu is solid and well 14841 Biscayne Blvd. executed. Starters range from country comfort (Lyonnaise 305-947-4338 sausage with warm, vinegary potato salad; a charcuterie www.oishithai.com platter with homemade pâté) to urban sophistication At this stylish, dramatically minimalist Thai/sushi spot, the (Maine lobster tail with celery remoulade). Entrées include regular Thai and Japanese dishes are as good as any- long-stewed, creamy blanquette de veau, or a precision- where in town. But the way to go is the menu of specials, cooked steak-frites (rib eye with crisp shoestring fries). For many of which clearly reflect the young chef’s fanatic devo- dessert there is the ubiquitous tarte tatin, caramelized tion to fresh fish, as well as the time he spent in the apples atop puff-pastry crust. $$-$$$ kitchen of Knob: broiled miso-marinated black cod; rock shrimp tempura with creamy sauce; even Nobu Sara’s Matsuhisa’s “new style sashimi” (slightly surface-seared 2214 NE 123rd St., 305-891-3312 by drizzles of hot olive and sesame oil). Formerly all www.saraskosherpizza.com Japanese-influenced, the specials menu now includes While this mainly vegetarian kosher place is best known for its some Thai-inspired creations, too, such as veal massaman pizza (New York-style medium crust or thick-crusted Sicilian, curry, Chilean sea bass curry, and sizzling filet mignon with topped with veggies and/or “meat buster” imitation meats), basil sauce. $$$-$$$$ it’s also offers a full range of breakfast/lunch/dinner vegetari- an cuisine of all nations, with many dairy and seafood items La Paloma too. Admittedly the cutesie names of many items – baygels, 10999 Biscayne Blvd., 305-891-0505 bergerrbite, Cezarrrr salad, hammm, meat-a-ball, schmopperrr Step into La Paloma and you’ll be stepping back in time, – may cause queasiness. But the schmopperrr itself is one hel- circa 1957. Adorned with antiques (some even real) and luva high-octane veggie burger. $-$$ chandeliers, the over-the-top plush décor was the American fine-dining ideal – half a century ago (though actually the Continued on page 57 ORIGINAL BAVARIAN BIER GARTEN OPEN DAILY FROM 5:00PM TO 11:00PM FRIDAY &SATURDAY TO MIDNIGHT

TEL: 305-754-8002 www.schnitzelhausmiami.com 1085 N.E. 79th Street/Causeway, Miami, FL 33138

56 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings ain’t just ketchup. There’s Asian vinaigrette, gorgonzola, the night and expand its classic griddled-or-fried-things Blue Marlin Fish House grilled portobellos, much more. If choosing is too confus- menu to include a few health-conscious touches like 2500 NE 163rd St. Continued from page 56 ing, try the chef-designed combos.$-$$ Caesar salad, plus a note proclaiming their oils are free of 305-957-8822 trans fats. Otherwise the famous steak sandwich is still a Located inside Oleta River State Park, this casual outdoor Scorch Grillhouse and Wine Bar Two Chefs Too traditional Philly – thin-sliced beef, cheese, and onions on eatery (which is covered, but otherwise open-air) is a rare 13750 Biscayne Blvd., 305-949-5588 2288 NE 123rd St a buttered Italian roll (with tasty housemade sour surprise for nature lovers, especially since an eager-to- www.scorchgrillhouse.com 305-895-5155; www.twochefsrestaurant.com cream/horseradish sauce served on the side so as not to please young couple took over the daytime-only conces- Though some food folks were initially exasperated when yet At this much-anticipated spin-off of Jan Jorgensen’s South offend purists). Extras like mushrooms are possible, not sion, upgrading the menu, at the start of 2008. The fea- another Latin-influenced grill replaced one of our area’s few Miami Two Chefs, there are some differences in the menu. imposed. Drippin’ good burgers, too. And unlike MacChain tured item is still the house-smoked fish this historic Vietnamese restaurants, it’s hard to bear a grudge at a But the concept of New American comfort food -- familiar addicts, patrons here can order a cold beer with the good venue first started producing in 1938 – three varieties friendly, casual neighborhood place that offers monster ten- favorites modernized with the chef’s elegant, unexpected grease. $-$$ (salmon, mahi mahi, and the signature blue marlin), avail- ounce char-grilled burgers, with potatoes or salad, for creative touches -- is the same. So are many much-loved able in a sampler, salads, sandwiches/wraps, or a delight- $8.50; steaks, plus a side and a sauce or veg topper, for dishes like juicy bacon-wrapped meatloaf, flavored with a Zipang fully mild smoked fish dip that may be Miami’s best. But nine bucks at lunch, $15 to $18.75 (the menu’s top price) fusion Chinese black bean barbecue sauce, and perfect 14316 Biscayne Blvd. the smokehouse now also turns out ribs and delectable at night; and three-dollar glasses of decent house wine. dessert soufflés (with crème chantilly plus caramel or 305-919-8844 brisket. Other new additions include roasted red pepper Many other grilled meat and seafood items are also chocolate sauce). New and notable: knockout artisan It’s appropriate that the name of this small strip-mall hummus, crab cakes, a delightfully light homemade Key offered, plus pastas, salads, gooey desserts, and specials cheese platters (with choice of inventive garnishes: brioche sushi spot refers to Japan’s first and only sparkling lime chiffon pie, daily specials, and on weekends, fish (events as well as food). $-$$ frites, celery escabeche, Dijon mustard sauce, marinated sake – something most Americans have never heard of, fries (with live music). For basic diners there are burgers olives, much more) that, with wine (from a relatively high- making the reference pretty much an insider’s joke. and hot dogs. Entry is directly from 163rd Street, not Steve’s Pizza priced but high-quality list) make an idyllic light meal in Since opening several years ago, the restaurant itself through the main park entrance. No admission fee. $ 12101 Biscayne Blvd., 305-891-0202 themselves. $$$$ has been one of our town’s best-kept secrets. But the At the end of a debauched night of excess, some paper-thin perfectionist chef/owner’s concentration on quality and China Restaurant designer pizza with wisps of smoked salmon (or similar fluff) Tokyo Bowl freshness of ingredients has made Zipang the pick of 178 NE 167th St., 305-947-6549 doesn’t do the trick. Open till 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., Steve’s 12295 Biscayne Blvd., 305-892-9400 sushi cognoscenti like Loews’s executive chef Marc When you have a yen for the Americanized Chinese has, since 1974, been serving the kind of comforting, retro This fast-food drive-thru (unexpectedly serene inside) is Ehrler, who has named the unpretentious place his fusion dishes you grew up with, all the purist regional pizzas people crave at that hour. As in Brooklyn, tomato named for its feature item, big budget-priced bowls of rice favorite Miami eatery, while admitting the obvious: Chinese cuisine in the world won’t scratch the itch. So sauce is sweet, with strong oregano flavor. Mozzarella is or noodles topped with cooked Japanese-style items like “Nobody knows it.” $$-$$$ the menu here, containing every authentically inauthen- applied with abandon. Toppings are stuff that give strength: teriyaki fish (fresh fish sautéed with vegetables), curried tic Chinese-American classic you could name, is just the pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, onions, and peppers. $ chicken and veggies, spicy shrimp, or gyoza dumplings in ticket when nostalgia strikes – from simple egg rolls to tangy sauce. There’s also an all-you-can-eat deal – sushi NORTH MIAMI BEACH pressed almond duck (majorly breaded boneless Sun City Café (individual nigiri or maki rolls) plus tempura, teriyaki, and chunks, with comfortingly thick gravy). $-$$ 15400 Biscayne Blvd., 305-940-6955 other cooked items for $14; three bucks more for sashimi Bamboo Garden Super-stuffed crêpes, made to order from scratch, are the instead of sushi. $-$$ 1232 NE 163rd St.; 305-945-1722 Christine’s Roti Shop main specialty here – some sweet (the Banana Split: Big enough for a banquet (up to 300 guests), this veteran 16721 NE 6th Ave. fresh strawberries, sliced bananas, candied walnuts, ice Venezia Pizza and Café is many diners’ favorite on the 163rd/167th Street 305-770-0434 cream, and Nutella or dulce de leche), some savory (the 13452 Biscayne Blvd. “Chinatown” strip because of its superior décor. But the Wraps are for wimps. At this small shop run by Christine Sun City Steak: beef, mushrooms, onions, red peppers, 305-940-1808 menu also offers well-prepared, authentic dishes like pep- Gouvela, originally from British Guyana, the wrapper is a far Swiss cheese, and A1 sauce). But there’s also a smaller No frozen pizza crusts or watery mozzarella here. No pery black bean clams, sautéed mustard greens, and more substantial and tasty roti, a Caribbean mega-crepe selection of custom-crafted wraps, salads, sandwiches, imported designer ingredients either. The pies are New steamed whole fish with ginger and scallions, plus made from chickpea flour. Most popular filling for the flat- and sides, plus smoothies, coffee drinks, even beer or York-style, but the dough is made fresh daily, and the Chinese-American egg foo young. Default spicing is mild bread is probably jerk chicken, bone-in pieces in a spiced wine. Free Wi-Fi encourages long, lingering lunches. $ cheese is Grande (from Wisconsin, considered America’s even in Szechuan dishes marked with red-chili icons, but stew of potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, and more chick- finest pizza topper). Also on the menu are Italian-American don’t worry; realizing some like it hot, the chefs will cus- peas. But there are about a dozen other curries to choose Sushi House pastas, a large selection of hot an cold subs, simple sal- tomize spiciness to heroic heat levels upon request. $$ 15911 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-6002 ads, and a few new protein adds – grilled chicken breast, Continued on page 58 In terms of décor drama, this sushi spot seems to have fried fish, or a steak. $-$$ taken its cue from Philippe Starck: Delano-like sheer floor- to-ceiling drapes, for starters. The sushi list, too, is over the Wong’s Chinese Restaurant top, featuring monster makis: the Cubbie Comfort (spicy 12420 Biscayne Blvd. tuna, soft-shell crab, shrimp and eel tempura, plus avoca- 305-891-4313 Buena Vista Bistro do, jalapeños, and cilantro, topped with not one but three This old-timer’s menu reads like a textbook on how to sauces: wasabi, teriyaki, and spicy mayo); the Volcano, please everyone, with food ranging from traditional Chinese topped with a mountain of tempura flakes; the spicy/sweet to Chinese-American to just plain American. Appetizers sauce-drenched Hawaiian King Crab, containing unprece- include honey garlic chicken wings or Buffalo wings. A crab- dented ingredients like tomatoes, green peppers, and claw starter comes with choice of pork fried rice or French pineapple. To drink there are boutique wines, artisan fries. Seafood lovers can get shrimp chop suey, or salty sakes, and cocktails as exotic as the cuisine. $$$-$$$$ pepper shrimp (authentically shell-on). And snowbirds will be pleased to find a number of dishes that are mainstays Twenty-One Toppings of Manhattan Szechuan menus but not common in Miami: 14480 Biscayne Blvd., #105, North Miami cold sesame noodles, Hunan chicken, twice-cooked pork, 305-947-3433 Lake Tung Ting shrimp, and peppery kung po squid. $$ A shoo-in to top many future “Best Burger” polls, this little joint serves sirloin, chicken, turkey, and white bean pat- Woody’s Famous Steak Sandwich ties, topped with your choice of one cheese from a list of 13105 Biscayne Blvd. seven, one sauce from a list of twelve, and three toppings 305-891-1451 from a list of 21. And since the chef/co-owner is a culi- The has been fired up since 1954 at this indie fast- nary school grad who has trained in several cutting-edge food joint, and new owners have done little to change the kitchens (including David Bouley Evolution), the garnishes time-tested formula except to stretch operating hours into

Open Lunch & Dinner: 11AM – Midnight Sunday Brunch: 11AM - 3PM

Patio Open Weekends

4582 NE 2nd Ave Ɣ 305.456.5909

January 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 57 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings mainstay (standard stuff like California rolls, more com- Iron Sushi Lemon Fizz plex creations like multi-veg futomaki, and a few unex- 16350 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-945-2244 16310 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-949-6599 Continued from page 57 pected treats like a spicy Crunch & Caliente maki), avail- (See Miami Shores listing) www.lemon-fizz.com from, including beef, goat, conch, shrimp, trout, and duck. able à la carte or in value-priced individual and party Like wraps? Then you’ll love this Middle Eastern café’s Take-out packages of plain roti are also available; they trans- combo platters. But there are also bento boxes featuring JC Food version made with saj, a circular Syrian flatbread similar form myriad leftovers into tasty, portable lunches. $ tempura, yakitori skewers, teriyaki, stir-fried veggies, and 1242 NE 163rd St., 305-956-5677 to pita but much thinner, moister, and all-around better. udon noodles. Another branch is now open in Miami’s Jumbo’s regular menu offers a large percentage of Upon order, diners can watch the chef custom-cook their El Gran Inka Upper Eastside. $ hard-to-find traditional Chinese home-cooking special- saj (on a scorching-hot, flying-saucer metal dome of the 3155 NE 163rd St. ties (many using fresh and preserved Asian vegeta- same name), then roll the beautifully surface-blistered 305-940-4910 Hiro’s Yakko-San bles): pork with bitter melon, beef with sour cabbage, bread around one of 27 stuffings, including za’atar and www.graninka.com 17040 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-947-0064 chicken with mustard green, cellophane noodle with EVOO, brined olives and labneh (creamy yogurt cheese), Somehow, when setting off to try Key Biscayne restau- After sushi chefs close up their own restaurants for the mixed-vegetable . Still, most diners come for falafel, steak, even dessert fillings like strawberries and rants (like Miami’s original Gran Inka), we never make night, many come here for a bite of something different. dim sum, a huge selection served at all hours. These Nutella. Also available: soups, salads, and substantial it past Jimbo’s. So luckily, the newer branch of this The specialty is Japanese home cooking, served in graz- small plates include chewy rice noodle rolls filled with globally topped rice bowls, plus fresh fruit juices and upscale Peruvian eatery offers the same menu. ing portions so diners can enjoy a wide variety of the shrimp or beef, leek dumplings, crisp-fried stuffed taro smoothies. $ Though diners will find ceviches, a hefty fried-seafood unusual dishes offered. Standard sushi isn’t missed balls, savory pork-studded turnip cake, pork/peanut jalea, and Peru’s other expected traditional specialties, when glistening-fresh strips of raw tuna can be had in congee, custard croissants, and for the brave, Little Saigon all presented far more elegantly than most in town maguro nuta – mixed with scallions and dressed with steamed chicken feet. $$ 16752 N. Miami Ave., 305-653-3377 (notably a picture-perfect causa con camarones, habit-forming honey-miso mustard sauce. Dishes depend This is Miami’s oldest traditional Vietnamese restaurant, mashed potatoes layered with shrimp), the contempo- on the market, but other favorites include goma ae (wilt- Kyung Ju but it’s still packed most weekend nights. So even the rary Peruvian fusion creations are unique. Especially ed spinach, chilled and dressed in sesame sauce), gar- 400 NE 167th St., 305-947-3838 place’s biggest negative – its hole-in-the-wall atmos- recommended are two dishes adapted from recipes by lic stem and beef (mild young shoots flash-fried with ten- Star of the show at this long-lived Korean restaurant phere, not encouraging of lingering visits – becomes a Peru’s influential nikkei (Japanese/Creole) chef Rosita der steak bits), or perhaps just-caught grouper with (one of only a handful in Miami-Dade County) is bulgogi. plus since it ensures fast turnover. Chef/owner Lily Tao Yimura: an exquisite, delicately sauced tiradito de corv- hot/sweet/tangy chili sauce. Open till around 3:00 a.m. The name translates as “fire meat,” but isn’t a refer- is typically in the kitchen, crafting green papaya salad, ina, and for those with no fear of cholesterol, pulpo de $$ ence to Koreans’ love of hot chilis. Rather it refers to flavorful beef noodle pho (served with greens, herbs, oliva (octopus topped with rich olive sauce). $$$-$$$$ Korean-style barbecue, which is really not barbecued but and condiments that make it not just a soup but a Heelsha quickly grilled after long in a mix of soy whole ceremony), and many other Vietnamese classics. Hiro Japanese Restaurant 1550 NE 164th St., 305-919-8393, sauce, sesame, sugar, garlic, and more. Lovers of fiery The menu is humongous. $-$$ 3007 NE 163rd St., 305-948-3687 www.heelsha.com food can customize with dipping sauces, or the eatery’s One of Miami’s first sushi restaurants, Hiro retains an If unusual Bangladeshi dishes like fiery pumpkin patey many little banchan (included side dishes, some mild, Mary Ann Bakery amusing retro-glam feel, an extensive menu of both sushi (cooked with onion, green pepper, and pickled mango) or others mouth-). Pa jun, a crispy egg/scallion- 1284 NE 163rd St., 305-945-0333 and cooked Japanese food, and late hours that make it a Heelsha curry (succulently spiced hilsa, Bangladesh’s based pancake, is a crowd-pleasing starter. And if the Don’t be unduly alarmed by the American birthday cakes perennially popular snack stop after a hard night at the sweet-fleshed national fish) seem familiar, it’s because unfamiliarity seems too scary altogether, there’s a in the window. At this small Chinese bakery the real area’s movie multiplexes (or strip clubs). The sushi menu chef/owner Bithi Begum and her husband Tipu Raman selection of Chinese food. $$-$$$ finds are the Chinatown-style baked buns and other has few surprises, but quality is reliable. Most exception- once served such fare at the critically acclaimed savory pastries, filled with roast pork, bean sauce, and al are the nicely priced yakitori, skewers of succulently Renaisa. Their new menu’s mix-and-match option also Kebab Indian Restaurant curried ground beef. Prices are under a buck, making soy-glazed and grilled meat, fish, and vegetables; the allows diners to pair their choice of meat, poultry, fish, 514 NE 167th St., 305-940-6309 them an exotic alternative to fast-food dollar meals. unusually large variety available of the last makes this or vegetable with more than a dozen regional sauces, Since the 1980s this restaurant, located in an unatmos- There’s one table for eat-in snackers. $ place a good choice for vegetarians. $$ from familiar Indian styles to exotica like satkara, fla- pheric mini strip mall but surprisingly romantic inside vored with a Bangladeshi citrus reminiscent of sour (especially if you grab one of the exotically draped Matador Argentinean Steakhouse Hiro’s Sushi Express orange. Early-bird dinners (5:00 to 6:30 p.m.) are a bar- booths) has been a popular destination for reasonably 3207 NE 163rd St. 17048 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-949-0776 gain, as some dishes are almost half-price. Lunch is priced north Indian fare. Kormas are properly soothing 305-944-6001 Tiny, true, but there’s more than just sushi at this most- served weekends only except by reservation, so call and vindaloos are satisfactorily searing, but the kitchen With Latin parilla places spreading here as fast as ly take-out spin-off of the pioneering Hiro. Makis are the ahead. $$-$$$ will adjust seasonings upon request. They aim to kudzu, it’s hard to get excited about yet another all-you- please. Food arrives unusually fast for an Indian eatery, can-eat meat spread. But Matador offers far more for too. $$ the money than most. One dinner price ($24.95, $27.95 weekends) includes a salad bar of more than 30 items, King Buffet unlimited grilled proteins (many cuts of beef, sausages, 316 NE 167th St., 305-940-8668 chicken, pork, assorted veggies, and even fish upon In this restaurant’s parking lot, midday on Sundays, the request), crunchy steak fries, a dessert (typically colorful display of vivid pinks, greens, and blues worn by charged extra elsewhere), and even more fun, a bottle myriad families arriving for dinner in matching going-to- of quite quaffable wine per person. $$$ church outfits is equaled only by the eye-poppingly dyed shrimp chips and desserts displayed inside on the buf- Panya Thai fet table. Though there’s an à la carte menu, the draw 520 NE 167th St., 305-945-8566 here is the 100-item (according to advertisements) all- Unlike authentic Chinese cuisine, there’s no shortage of you-can-eat spread of dishes that are mostly Chinese, genuine Thai food in and around Miami. But Panya’s with some American input. It’s steam-table stuff, but the chef/owner, a Bangkok native, offers numerous regional price is right and then some: $5.95 for lunch, $8.95 for and/or rare dishes not found elsewhere. Plus he doesn’t dinner. $-$$ automatically curtail the heat or sweetness levels to please Americans. Among the most intriguing: moo King Palace khem phad wan (chewy deep-fried seasoned pork strips 330 NE 167th St., 305-949-2339 with fiery tamarind dip, accompanied by crisp green Authentic Creole The specialties here are authentic Chinatown-style bar- papaya salad, a study in sour/sweet/savory balance); Authentic Creole becue (whole ducks, roast pork strips, and more, dis- broad rice noodles stir-fried with eye-opening chili/garlic played in a glass case by the door), and fresh seafood sauce and fresh Thai basil; and chili-topped Diamond CuisineCuisine dishes, the best made with the live fish swimming in Duck in tangy tamarind sauce. $$-$$$ two tanks by the dining room entrance. There’s also a better-than-average selection of seasonal Chinese veg- PK Oriental Mart gies. The menu is extensive, but the best ordering 255 NE 167th St. strategy, since the place is usually packed with 305-654-9646 Asians, is to see what looks good on nearby tables, While there are three other sizable Asian markets on and point. Servers will also steer you to the good this strip between I-95 and Biscayne Boulevard, PK has stuff, once you convince them you’re not a chop suey the only prepared-food counter, serving authentic kinda person. $$ Chinatown barbecue, with appropriate dipping sauces included. Weekends bring the biggest selection, includ- CateringCatering Available Available Laurenzo’s Market Café ing barbecued ribs and pa pei duck (roasted, then 16385 W. Dixie Hwy. deep-fried till extra crisp and nearly free of subcuta- 305.899.2729305.899.2729 305-945-6381 neous fat). Available every day are juicy, soy-marinated www.laurenzosmarket.com roast chickens, roast pork strips, crispy pork, and It’s just a small area blocked off by grocery shelves, whole roast ducks – hanging, as tradition dictates, buried between the wines and the fridge counters – no beaks and all. But no worries; a counterperson will potted palms, and next-to-no service in this cafeteria- chop your purchase into bite-size, beakless pieces. $ 13105 West Dixie Hwy. 200 NW 54th Street style snack space. But when negotiating this internation- al gourmet market’s packed shelves and crowds has Roasters & Toasters NorthNorth Miami, FL 33161 Miami, FL 33127 depleted your energies, it’s a handy place to refuel with 18515 NE 18th Ave. eggplant parmesan and similar Italian-American classics, 305-830-3354 305.893.4246 steam-tabled but housemade from old family recipes. Attention ex-New Yorkers: Is your idea of food 305.754.2223 Just a few spoonfuls of Wednesday’s hearty pasta fagi- one of the Carnegie Deli’s mile-high pastrami sandwiches? ole, one of the daily soup specials, could keep a person shopping for hours. $-$$ Continued on page 59

58 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009 D INING G UIDE

Restaurant Listings location, its old-fashioned fish-house ambiance, and its Chef Allen’s heaping platters from several African diaspora regions: outdoor deck. But it has gained a garden setting, and 19088 NE 29th Ave; 305-935-2900 Carolina Low Country (buttery cheese grits with shrimp, Continued from page 58 retained its menu of fresh (and sometimes locally caught) www.chefallens.com sausage, and cream gravy), the Caribbean (conch-packed Well, Roasters will dwarf them. Even a mouth like Angelina seafood – some fancified, some simple (the wiser choice). After 20 years of success in the same location, many fritters or salad), and the Old South (lightly buttermilk-bat- Jolie’s couldn’t fit around a “Carnegie-style” monster contain- Also continuing are Tuna’s signature seasonal specials, chefs would coast on their backlog of tried-and-true tered fried chicken). The chicken is perhaps Miami’s ing, according to the menu, a full pound of succulent meat like a Maine lobster dinner for a bargain $15. Open daily dishes. And it’s doubtful that kindly Allen Susser would best, made even better with the Grille’s waffles. $$-$$$ (really 1.4 pounds; we weighed it), for a mere 15 bucks. All till 2:00 a.m., the place can sometimes feel like a singles freak out his many regulars by eliminating from the the other Jewish deli classics are here too, including just- bar during the two post-midnight happy hours, but since menu the Bahamian lobster and crab cakes (with tropi- Pilar sour-enough pickles, just-sweet-enough slaw, silky hand-sliced the kitchen is open till closing, it draws a serious late-night cal fruit chutney and vanilla beurre blanc). But lobster- 20475 Biscayne Blvd. nova or lox, truly red-rare roast beef, and the cutest two-bite dining crowd, too. $$ lovers will find that the 20th anniversary menus also 305-937-2777; www.pilarrestaurant.com mini-potato pancakes ever — eight per order, served with offer new excitements like tandoori-spiced rock lobster, Chef/owner Scott Fredel previously worked for Norman sour cream and applesauce. $$ along with what might be the ultimate mac’n’cheese: Van Aken and Mark Militello. He has been executive chef AVENTURA / MIAMI GARDENS lobster crab macaroni in a Fris vodka sauce with mush- at Rumi, and cooked at NYC’s James Beard House. Sang’s Chinese Restaurant rooms, scallions, and parmesan. The famous dessert Armed with those impressive credentials, Fredel and his 1925 NE 163rd St., 305-947-7076 Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza soufflé’s flavor changes daily, but it always did. $$$$$ partners launched Pilar (named for Hemingway’s boat) Open late (12:30 a.m. most nights) since 1990, Sang’s 17901 Biscayne Blvd. aiming to prove that top restaurants can be affordable. has an owner who previously cooked in NYC’s 305-830-2625 Il Migliore Consider it now proven. Floribbean-style seafood is the Chinatown, and three menus. The pink menu is www.anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com 2576 NE Miami Gardens Dr., 305-792-2902 specialty, dishes like fried Bahamian cracked conch with Americanized Chinese food, from chop suey to honey The last four digits of the phone number actually spell Reminiscent of an intimate Tuscan villa, chef Neal fresh hearts of palm slaw and Caribbean curry sauce, garlic chicken. The white menu permits the chef to show “COAL.” And that’s what it’s all about here -- a coal-fired Cooper’s attractive trattoria gets the food right, as well rock shrimp spring rolls with sweet soy glaze, and yel- off his authentic Chinese fare: salt and pepper prawns, oven (like that at Lombardi’s, Patsy’s, John’s, or as the ambiance. As in Italy, dishes rely on impeccable lowtail snapper with tomato-herb vinaigrette and a pota- rich beef/turnip casserole, tender salt-baked chicken, Grimaldi’s in New York) producing the intense 800-degree ingredients and straightforward recipes that don’t over- to/leek croqueta. Don’t let the strip-mall location fool even esoterica like abalone with sea cucumber. The heat to turn out, in a mere three or four minutes, a pie complicate, cover up, or otherwise muck about with that you. The restaurant itself is elegant. $$-$$$ extensive third menu offers dim sum, served until 4:00 with the classic thin, crisp-bottomed, beautifully char-bub- perfection. Fresh fettuccine with white truffle oil and p.m. A limited live tank allows seasonal seafood dishes bled crust that fans of the above legendary pizzerias mixed wild mushrooms needs nothing else. Neither does The Soup Man like lobster with ginger and scallion. More recently crave -- at any cost. Expect neither bargain-chain prices, a the signature Pollo Al Mattone, marinated in herbs and 20475 Biscayne Blvd. #G-8 installed: a Chinese barbecue case, displaying savory huge selection of toppings (these aren’t the kind of cooked under a brick, require pretentious fancification. 305-466-9033 items like crispy pork with crackling attached. $$$ clunky crusts you overload), nor much else on the menu And even low-carb dieters happily go to hell in a hand The real soup man behind this franchise is Al Yeganeh, except a hefty salad and some onion-topped chicken basket when faced with a mound of potatoes alla an antisocial Manhattan restaurant proprietor made Shing Wang Vegetarian, Icee & Tea House wings that are also coal-oven tasty. Anthony’s does just a Toscana, fried herb-sprinkled French fries. Located west notorious, on a Seinfeld episode, as “the soup Nazi.” 237 NE 167th St, 305-654-4008 few things, and does them right. $$ of Biscayne Boulevard in the Davis Plaza shopping mall, On the menu: ten different premium soups each day www.shingwangrestaurant.com across from Ojus Elementary School. $$-$$$ (from a rotating list of about 50). The selection is care- At this unique Taiwanese eatery, run by a trio of Taipei- Bella Luna fully balanced among meat/poultry-based and vegetari- trained female chefs, all seafood, poultry, and meats in 19575 Biscayne Blvd. Aventura Mall , Mahogany Grille an; clear and creamy (like the eatery’s signature shell- the budget-priced entrées ($6.95) are mock – imitations 305-792-9330 2190 NW 183rd St. fish-packed lobster bisque); chilled and hot; familiar made from wheat gluten, tofu, and vegetables. But don’t www.bellalunaaventura.com 305-626-8100 (chicken noodle) and exotic (mulligatawny). All soups mock it till you try the quite beefy pepper steak, or If the menu here looks familiar, it should. It’s identical Formerly Ruby and Jean’s Soul Food Cuisine, a popular come with gourmet bread, fruit, and imported chocolate. smokin’ duck, with slices that mimic the charcuterie to that at the Upper Eastside’s Luna Café and, with but strictly neighborhood cafeteria, Mahogany Grille has Also available are salads, sandwiches, and wraps, à la item down to convincing faux fat. Other main dishes fea- minor variations, at all the rest of Tom Billante’s eater- drawn critical raves — and an international as well as carte or in soup-plus combos. $-$$ ture recognizable veggies or noodles, including appeal- ies (Rosalia, Villaggio, Carpaccio), right down to the type- local clientele — since retired major league outfielder ingly chewy curried chow fun. As for the rest of the face. But no argument from here. In a mall – a setting Andre Dawson and his brother Vincent Brown acquired Sushi Siam name: icee is shaved ice, an over-the-top dessert that’s more accustomed to food court, steam-tabled stuff – the place in early 2007. The diner décor is gone, 19575 Biscayne Blvd. a sort of a slurpee sundae, with toppings that vary from dishes like carpaccio al salmone (crudo, with portobel- replaced by white tablecloths and, naturally, mahogany. 305-932-8955 the familiar (fresh fruits) to the weird (grass jelly, sweet los, capers, parmesan slices, and lemon/tomato dress- The food is a sort of trendy yet traditional soul fusion, (See Miami / Upper Eastside listing) corn, kidney beans, rice balls, chocolate pudding). And ing) and linguine carbonara (in creamy sauce with the bubble tea is a must-not-miss. Using housemade pancetta and shallots) are a breath of fresh, albeit famil- syrup (as opposed to most establishments’ store-bought iar, air. $$-$$$ stuff), the cold, refreshing boba comes in numerous fla- vors (mango, taro, even actual tea), all supplemented Bourbon Steak JUST OPENED! with signature black tapioca balls that, slurped through 19999 W. Country Club Dr. large-diameter straws, are a guaranteed giggle. $ (Fairmont Hotel, Turnberry Resort) 786-279-0658 Siam Square www.michaelmina.net 54 NE 167th St; 305-944-9697 At Bourbon Steak, a venture in the exploding restaurant Open until 1:00 a.m. every day except Sunday (when is empire of chef Michael Mina, a multiple James Beard closes at midnight), this relatively new addition to North award winner, steakhouse fare is just where the fare Miami Beach’s “Chinatown” strip has become a popular starts. There are also Mina’s ingenious signature dish- late-night gathering spot for chefs from other Asian es, like an elegant deconstructed lobster/baby veg- restaurants. And why not? The food is fresh, nicely pre- etable pot pie, a raw bar, and enough delectable veg- sented, and reasonably priced. The kitchen staff is will- etable/seafood starters and sides (duck fat fries!) for ing to customize dishes upon request, and the serving noncarnivores to assemble a happy meal. But don’t neg- staff is reliably fast. Perhaps most important, karaoke lect the steak — flavorful dry-aged Angus, 100-percent equipment is in place when the mood strikes. $-$$ Wagyu American “Kobe,” swoonworthy grade A5 Japanese Kobe, and butter-poached prime rib, all Tuna’s Garden Grille cooked to perfection under the supervision of on-site 17850 W. Dixie Hwy, 305-945-2567 executive chef Andrew Rothschild, formerly of the Forge, When Tuna’s moved in 2006 from the marina space it had meaning he knows his beef. (Mina himself is absentee.) occupied for almost two decades, it lost its waterfront $$$$$ Take-out Delivery! Great Food, & perfect ambiance & beautiful artwork... all in the same place. we do catering! 3221 NE 2 Ave MIDTOWN 786.953.8003/4 open 7 days a week for lunch & dinner from 11am to 1am

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60 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com January 2009