#SobeSavvy Recaps @SOBESEAFOODFEST #CHEFSHOWDOWN @ THE SEAFOOD & SNEAKERS BALL!

October 26, 2014SobeSavvy 1 Comment

The 2nd Annual Hess Select South Beach Seafood Festival brought forth Miami culinary flair and swanky fashion at new event before Festival Day.

While the main Saturday Festival was the talk of the town, the Chef Showdown at the Seafood & Sneakers Ball offered the most exclusive ticket in town for sea-foodies on Friday, October 24, 2014. This event served as the sizzling appetizer before the main event and featured Miami’s finest culinary master chefs showcasing amazing seafood dishes along with some fun and fashion as a complete “Made in Miami” experience!

Miami is all about style and the Seafood & Sneakers Ball, sponsored by Range Rover and Bacardi, showed how Miamians do things just a little bit differently. Taking place at 9th & Ocean Drive in the GOYA Culinary Pavilion at the event site, the Chef Showdown @ the Seafood & Sneakers Ball featured Miami’s finest, participating in cook-offs on the 305-KITCHEN.com demo stages throughout the venue, hosted by none other than Celebrity Chef and current owner of Naked Taco, Ralph Pagano. Attendees participated in the public vote as guests visited the Chef’s restaurant tasting stations around the event space, sampled their signature dishes showcased on the demo stages, and voted on who is the best in each showdown category. The “Cutting Board” experts also lended their expertise to assist in choosing the final winners at the end of the evening. Participating restaurants for the Chef Showdown included: Lure Fish bar, Siena Tavern, Red the Steakhouse, Florida Cookery, Oceanaire, Dolce Italian, City Hall, Café Avanti, CIBO, De Rodriguez, Naked Taco, Park Central, and Poseidon. All sustainable seafood for the event was provided by hosting sponsor, Whole Foods. To see the full list of winners, see Instagram.com/p/ukhve7enbl or https://Twitter.com/SobeSeafoodFest/status/525886440568524800

The Seafood & Sneakers Ball focused on highlighting our seafood masters in South Florida, the event also featured a major fashion element with a “Made In Miami Fashion Show” taking place during the Sneakers Ball. Hosted by fashion blogger Kelly Saks, the fashion show showed the latest styles by some of Miami’s best local designers to include: The Edition Boutique, Pretty Beachy Swimwear, accessories by TAudry Jewelry, and The Fashion Poet. Lyfe Brand Apparel, known for their creation of the popular “Heatles” shirts during the Miami Heat’s quest for their NBA Championships were also be present. All guests were encouraged to be part of this amazing fashion spectacle by wearing their most stylish, outrageous, swankiest sneakers.

SobeSavvy.com joined in and captured the fun for the “gala” evening of the weekend that helped kickoff the fundraising for Hess Select South Beach Seafood Festival’s beneficiary, Community Initiatives Foundation and their new EAT SMART Campaign. Find out more at http://www.cifoundation.org. Miami Cigar Company provided complimentary cigars and a silent auction was also part of the evening , hosted by Marty Wallach/Whip Fundraising . More at http://www.WhipFundraising.com

For more information about the festival please visit: http://www.sobeseafoodfest.com. Follow Facebook: Hess Select South Beach Seafood Festival | Instagram: @SobeSeafoodFest | Twitter: @SobeSeafoodFest use HASHTAG: #SobeSeafood

Here is my photo recap of Friday night’s Sobe Seafood Fest Event, “Chef Showdown at the Seafood & Sneakers Ball ” ! *Additional Photo Credit: Barry Heigh , Rebecca Darling

#SobeSavvy Presents #thePowerofHappyHour! Vol 7 @socialclubatsurf @KimptoninFl #southbeach #miami #happyhour

October 19, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Social Club–A social club may refer to a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation or activity (e.g. hunting, fishing, science, politics, or charity work)

The above definition defines The Surfcomber Hotel’s happy hour held at their restaurant, aptly named The Social Club. The unifying common interest is a great happy hour with good food, Old fashioned quality cocktails and great service.

The level of cuisine and mixology here is in a league of it’s own. Thanks to head bartender Chad Phillips, drinks are made the way they were meant to be. Too often here in Miami do drinks come with glow sticks or an umbrella. Neither is anywhere to be found at The Social Club. The signature happy hour drink is the Pisco Punch. It is a handcrafted special that is featured during their “punch the clock” special. Between 4pm to 7pm the punch costs between $4 -$7 depending on the hour it is ordered. It was delish. The happy hour also offers various small bites to order. The Crab & Sweet Corn Fritters were good. Since I am from Maryland it is rare to find a crab recipe in Miami that is authentic. I met their new executive chef Blair Wilson. He hails from Alexandria, Va which is chesapeake bay country, so it makes sense. The Social Club happy hour also has $7 classic cocktails and $5 microbrews and $5 house wine. Once again head bartender Chad Phillips’ deft touch makes each drink perfect every time. I ventured off their happy hour choices and tried a Manhattan In The Fall cocktail. It’s made with a bit of maple syrup as one example. Just that touch of sweetness brought the bourbon to life in a way I have never experienced before. My hubby tried The Will You Daiquiri Me. It was incredible.

The Social Club is also participating in the October ” Drink Pink” campaign. When you order one of the rose colored cocktails during this month they will donate $1 of the price to the fight against breast cancer with the American Cancer Society

We were ready to try some of Chef Wilson’s dishes off of the main menu. The gator bites melted in my mouth. Blair said it took him a while to find the right alligator meat supplier to attain this quality. His perserverance paid off. Next up were the St Louis Ribs. Meat fell off the bone. Epic success. The Pork Belly with mango chutney was excellent. Succulent tasty chunks of pork with very well done yucca. The roasted Chicken was superb. Chicken done well is actually a rare thing indeed. People are used to chicken being mediocre. This is not the case. We ended this wonderful food ride with the Ricotta Doughnuts. They were sinfully good. Next time you want a good happy hour or even a great dinner. Head over to The Social Club Restaurant and Bar. You can thank me right now.

#SobeSavvy Presents #BeachyBrunches ! Vol 8: @Barceloneta #Brunch #BarcelonetaMiami #SouthBeach #Miami

October 9, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Can’t make it to Cantalonia for brunch next Sunday ? Do the next best thing and make your way to Barceloneta Restaurant in Miami Beach http://barcelonetarestaurant.com/south-beach/. To call this Spanish import a “tapas” restaurant would do it a disservice. It is much more. The decor is definitely Spanish. Smoky wood furnishings and long tables are present. So is excellent customer service and delicious food.

Their brunch offering are ecclectic in a very good way. We started with a glass of sangria and a mimosa to get our Spanish journey started. Croque Monsier was up first. They put a spanish spin on this iconic french sandwich with serrano ham. Next we tried the Caracoles a La Llauna, which is escargot with rabbit sausage. Both were uniquely good. I loved how you sink the light pastry puffs in the escargot to soak up all of it’s flavors. Next up was their Revuelto De Gambas, which is best described as eggs w/langostines and caramalized onions. Pure heaven. The flavors just burst on the palette. We finished our Spanish culinary trip with the Torrijas.That is Spanish French Toast with quince butter and apple and maple syrup. They soak the bread overnight in the batter so it permeates in every inch of the bread when they cook it in the morning. It was incredible.

Save $900 for a flight to Barcelona and just go to Barceloneta. You will leave happy.

‘Lovely’ Leslie Heigh ~ Freelance Photojournalist ~ Bon Vivant Blogger
Follow @IJust_LoveThis #SobeSavvy

@Elitbystoli #elitbystoli @elitMiami Pairing Dinner @LureFishbar @LoewsMiami Cocktails by @RJFerrara3 ~ Photo Recap by #SobeSavvy

October 9, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

On October 8, 2014, Miami New Times Best “Seafood Restaurant” , Lure Fishbar, partnered with Russian vodka brand, Stolichnaya, to host a six-course pairing dinner. Guests enjoyed dishes crafted by Lure’s Executive Chef John Iatrellis expertly paired with cocktails made with Elit by Stoli vodka by Lure’s mixologist, Rob Ferrara.

The evening was curated by Stoli Brand Ambassador, Meagan Sacher, who guided eager imbibers through each pairing and the vodka’s flavor notes. The enticing menu included fresh seafood from Lure’s extensive raw bar as well as a number of savory dishes.

Elit by Stoli Pairing Menu at Lure Fishbar

ESTATE CAVIAR

Tsar Nicoulai from San Francisco

AMUSE

Crispy Rice Cake

Cocktail Pairing

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Chilled Elit by Stoli with Gold Flakes

RAW BAR PLATTER

Wianno & Blue Point (East Coast), Kushi & Kumamoto (West Coast), Shrimp and Clams

Cocktail Pairing

50/50

Elit by Stoli, Dolin Dry, Orange Bitters

SUSHI PLATTER

Tuna and Salmon Nigiri, Hamachi Rolls, Lure Roll, Yellowtail Jalapeño

Cocktail Pairing

NIKOLAI VOLKOFF

Elit by Stoli, Ginger, Lemon, Orgeat, Apple Juice

FISH ENTREE

Whole Daurade, Watercress, Agrodolce, Steamed Jasmine Rice & Charred Lemon

Cocktail Pairing

KORNIKOVA

Elit by Stoli, House-Made Lavender Cordial, Lemon, Orange Bitters, Sparkling Wine

MEAT ENTREE

Tenderloin, Mushroom & Pear Onion Demi Herb with Mashed Potatoes

Cocktail Pairing

DRAGO

Elit by Stoli, East India Sherry, Angostura Bitters

DESSERT

Pot of Gold & Ice Cream Sandwiches

Cocktail Pairing

THE BIG LEBOWSKI

Elit by Stoli, Almond Milk, Vanilla, Panther Coffee Reduction, Nutmeg

Lure Fishbar is located in the historic St. Moritz Tower at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel – 1601 Collins Avenue. Valet parking is available. Website: www.lurefishbar.com

For more information about Elit by Stoli , go to elitbystoli.com

Enjoy my photo recap of this ultimate pairing experience! *Additional photo credit: Rebecca Darling

Cheers,
‘Lovely’ Leslie Heigh ~ Freelance Photojournalist ~ Bon Vivant Blogger ~ Follow @IJust_LoveThis

#SobeSavvy Presents #BeachyBrunches ! Vol 7: @Iceboxcafe #Brunch #PurdyAvenue #SouthBeach #Miami

October 3, 2014SobeSavvy 1 Comment

Want a brunch where locals are valued ? Want a brunch where not one item you ingest has ever seen the inside of a freezer? If so than Icebox Cafe is your spot. On a recent lazy Sunday morning the family and I meandered up to Icebox Cafe on Purdy Ave here in South Beach. We were promptly seated and treated to one of the most delightful brunch experiences one can ask for in a casual setting. Their decor speaks to the calm sophistication of the establishment. Icebox has been a Miami Beach mainstay for many many years. The reason for that is simple. They cater to residents more than most in their service, value and quality. It has a reputation for chef inspired fresh dishes and inventive drinks. We started with their Bubbles & Berries Sangria for two. It is served in simple but unique fashion as the picture of it below attests. All the fruit was fresh and muddled already in the flutes. All you need to do is add Presecco. Easy enough and awesome enough. Since we had our daughter with us she wanted a fruit plate. Freshly cut and nicely presented. I had the shrimp and grits and my hubby had the guava stuffed french toast. Both were great. My husband loved the fact that he was having breakfast and dessert in the same plate. They also have great handcrafted Bloody Mary’s and cocktails. Their Purdy Pear cocktail is made from their own fermented Pears in Vodka. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Icebox Cafe’s stylish and airy atmosphere just added to the relaxed mood. Next time you seek a causal yet stylish brunch with great food and great drink. Don’t think too long about where to go. Go to Icebox Cafe. Tell em Sobesavvy.com sent ya !

@VeuveClicquot #ClicqoutMail @VillaAzur @TheDutchMiami @WSobe – #SobeSavvy Recaps

October 3, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Veuve Clicquot went on a cross country mail truck tour – adorned in Veuve Clicquot’s iconic yellow hue and delivering exciting surprises in cities across the country, the Clicquot Mail truck last stop was in Miami. The public was invited to attend these events and SobeSavvy.com joined others on the Clicquot by Mail truck’s stops in Miami !

The celebration of the Clicquot Mail Truck’s debut in Miami began on Thursday, October 9, from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., at Villa Azur! Guests enjoyed light bites and sipped on Yellow Label by-the-glass for $20 and Rose for $30, while enjoying the Clicquot photo booth and live music. There was also a calligraphist on site where guests had hand-written post cards created to mail to friends and family or post it to the Clicquot Post Board! Here are some pictures from the evening :

Stop 2 was on Friday, October 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Conrad, where guests enjoyed a Veuve Clicquot Happy Hour. Stop 3 was outdoors on the covered patio at Sea Salt & Pepper on Saturday, October 11, from 4:00 p.m.to 7:00 p.m.

The final soiree was on Sunday, October 12, at the W South Beach Hotel & Residences where they hosted a fried chicken and bubbles party at Grove and on the terrace of The Dutch from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Guests had the opportunity to check out the truck while enjoying a menu of hot fried chicken, honey butter biscuits and house made Anthony’s slaw. Unlimited glasses of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label will be available for $99 and food for $45. Yellow Label will also be available by-the-glass and by-the-bottle. Enjoy these pics as seen on the scene :

SobeSavvy.com enjoyed the #ClicqoutMail tour. Be sure to Follow @VeuveClicquot to stay informed on any future events !

Cheers!

@YardHouse Scores a Touchdown with their New Menu Items Reviewed by #SobeSavvy

September 27, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

The NFL season is now in full swing and you are looking for a place to watch the game. You can choose from :

A. local hole in the wall bar with one tv.

B. local hole in the wall bar with one tv that serves frozen winglets and cans of PBR

C. A modern stylish bar/restaurant with dozens of flat screens showing all the games while you enjoy a truffle cheeseburger and a pint of Irish Stout

If you choose C { who wouldn’t} than look no further. Yardhouse Restaurant is your spot. http://www.yardhouse.com/FL/miami-beach-restaurant/

They have recently expanded their menu with some delicious and eclectic choices. If you are already a YH fan, then you already know YH is THE place on Sunday afternoons to cheer for your favorite team while trying one of their MANY MANY beer choices. If you have never been to YH..well what are you waiting for ?

They invited Sobesavvy.com to sample their new items at the Miami Beach location. New burger choices include a Lamb burger and a Truffle Cheeseburger. Both oh so good. Appetizer choices did not dissappoint either. Their take on crispy brussel sprouts was inventive and it succeeds.The queso dip took me back to my days living on the Mexican border in Brownsville, TX. It is THAT good. If you want to try something out of the ordinary than try the Banh Mi sandwich. Lots of things on it,but it all goes together rather well.

No matter who you root for always know that YH has the winning score everyday. Especially on Sundays. Since I am originally from Baltimore..GO RAVENS !!

#SobeSavvy Presents #BeachyBrunches ! Vol 6: @MayasTapas_Grill #MayaTapasandGrill #Brunch #LincolnRoad #SouthBeach #Miami

September 14, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

In the heart of Lincoln Road sits a place that tourists and locals alike have been frequenting for over a decade. That place is Maya Tapas and Grill

http://mayatapasandgrill.com

You can have breakfast brunch/lunch or dinner. Their superb service and attention to detail is what sets them apart from the other tourist traps on Lincoln Road. This past Sunday the family and I decided to try their breakfast. We were seated promptly and given a choice of seats. Being late summer we chose a seat underneath one of their many giant fans they use to keep the heat at bay. We asked our waiter what are the most popular dishes on their breakfast menu. He advised their sausage omelette was great as was their eggs benedict made w/smoked salmon. Our little one opted for their fruit salad. Our refreshing mimosa and bellini kept us company while waiting for our meal. My daughter even took a quick visit to the art gallery on Lincoln Road opposite Maya’s. In prompt fashion our food came. Along with cranberry and peach juice. Peach juice is very hard to find in a restaurant and it was delicious. Everything was well prepared and quite good. The fruit salad was uber fresh and looked like a work of art , albeit a disappearing work of art !!

We all were all fueled up and raring to go attack the shops after our meal. Looking for a breakfast that has quality and a reasonable price with great service to boot ? Check out Maya. Tell em SobeSavvy.com sent ya

PS ..Show local ID and get 10% off your check

‘Lovely’ Leslie Heigh ~ Freelance Photojournalist/ Bon Vivant Blogger ~ Follow @IJust_LoveThis
#SobeSavvy

What’s #BetterThanSex ?! #SobeSavvy Travels to #KeyWest to find out! @BetterThanSexKW #Dessert #Restaurant

September 8, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

The place is called “Better Than Sex”.http://www.betterthansexkeywest.com/ With a name like that the bar has been set pretty high! It is a A dessert restaurant.That is correct. A restaurant where ALL THEY SERVE IS DESSERT! My kind of place. We entered through a candle lit doorway into a new kind of experience. Erotica adorns the ruby walls. The main room is darkened. The mood they are setting is obvious. They have two main dining areas; the red room and the gold room. We were seated at a table with a sheer curtain that can be drawn for some privacy. The menus are on tablet computers. Guests can pick drinks which are rimmed with all sorts of goodness like chocolate or caramel. Wines, coffee or beer can be rimmed with whatever you choose. You can come up with your own unique concoction. We tried the ” Kiss Me Carolyn” which is Ayala Champagne in a Caramel Brulee’d Rimmed Wine Glass. It was a perfect pairing. The champagne and caramel truly complimented each other. Everyone has to come up with their own methodology in how to drink/taste their beverage. I went with 2 sips and one lick. You come up with your own ! We also had the “Tia Ticker”, which is Piper Rose Champagne in a White Chocolate Rimmed Wine Glass .

Next up were the dessert choices…Started with the “Chocolate Grilled Cheese”…not exactly a “normal” combination of foods but it was exquisitely deliciously and uber sinful. Next up was their namesake dessert. It is their version of chocolate bread pudding with a side of white chocolate mousse. Awesome chocolate goodness that melted in my mouth. Was this dish better than sex? Only YOU can decide that. Also the “Missionary Crisp ” is not to be missed. If you like apple cobbler you will LOVE this variation.

Between the decor, vibe and the incredible drinks and desserts I left there feeling good and in the mood for _ _ _.See if you feel the same. Next time you are in Key West make sure you have something that just might be Better Than Sex. Tell em Sobesavvy.com sent ya.

#SobeSavvy Presents #thePowerofHappyHour! Vol 6 @IceBoxCafe #southbeach #miami #happyhour

September 5, 2014SobeSavvy Leave a comment

Last week prior to dusk I visited a new happy hour being hosted by an old friend. That friend would be Icebox Cafe on Purdy Ave in South Beach.http://iceboxcafe.com/ I have been a big fan of this place for years at their old location off of Lincoln Road. I love their relatively new location even more. One thing they never had at either was a happy hour. That has recently changed. Happy hour usually means microwaved frozen wings and cheap beer. Not so at Icebox Cafe. For a restaurant named “ICEBOX” I was dumbfounded when Debbie the manager advised me that “we do not even have an actual freezer in our restaurant”. Everything that comes out of their kitchen is FRESH NOT FROZEN..ever. What an interesting repudiation of their name ! In the processed frozen food world we now live in, this is a refreshing change.

Their happy hour menu is drawn and sourced from their actual mainline menu. Happy hour can be enjoyed inside their decidedly beautiful Martha’s Vineyard-ish decorated interior at the bar or outside at one of the high top tables. We tried the Mini Mushroom Sopes and the Homemade Flatbread with Chicken. Both were top notch examples of how happy hour food can be creative and delicious when a restaurant decides taste and quality trump cheap ingredients for a higher profit margin. The veggie potstickers were also delicious. What can one choose as the side lubricant to all of this good food ? How about one of their many hand crafted cocktails for $7. No plastic bottles of syrup mixers either. The “chocolate delight” martini is a chocolate lovers dream come true. The “Cosmo Not” is their creative take on the old standby Cosmopolitan. Only better since they use my favorite high end liqueur, St Germain as one of the ingredients. They also have 2-4-1 well cocktails and draft beers. Debbie also had me try something not on the happy hour menu but is a bit of a bar secret. Homemade Limoncello. Made with fresh lemon juice on the premises. It tasted like lemon sunshine. The Cucumber Margarita was exquisite. Perfect balance of Tequilla, Triple Sec and fresh lime juice.

If you’re looking for a slushy drink out of a machine with a white handle than hit Ocean Drive. Do you want a laid back happy hour with a sophisticated vibe with hand crafted drinks and food ? Icebox Cafe is your new happy hour friend. They will also be opening up a new outpost in South Florida in the not so distant future. Stay tuned and keep your eyes/ears open . You don’t want to miss it. Cheers !

Oh, by the way. You cannot leave Icebox Cafe without a slice of one of their iconic cakes or bakery item. I decided on the most famous of them all. The Chocolate Delight. Take a look at the last picture. It is truly worth a MILLION words !