Cascata Grill Restaurant

Overall rating:★★★★★

Last Friday my friends B and I decided to go to Cascata Grill to take advantage of Miami Spice event. The terrace of the restaurant faces the golf course of Turnberry Resort and Spa in Aventura. There is also a cascade that goes really well with the rest of the ambiance.

I ordered the caprese salad as appetizer, the skirt steak for entrée and the lemon tart for dessert. All three dishes were delicious. The caprese salad had a reduction of balsamic that was a real treat to the palate. The meat was really tender and seasoned to perfection. The lemon tart was exactly as I expected it: strong lemon taste and not very sweet.

The service was excellent. Just a note: this is a restaurant to go to enjoy food and view without rush – i.e. if you’re on a schedule this would not be the place to go.

Service:★★★★

Value: (based on Miami Spice prices):★★★★★

Bulla Gastrobar

Overall rating:★★★★

Last week my family and I ended up in Bulla Gastrobar almost by accident. We were looking for a Spanish restaurant in Coral Gables and voila! It was a Tuesday night so it was not very busy.

We ordered different tapas (small appetizers), one main dish, and two desserts to share. It was more than enough.

The food was really good. I was particularly surprised with the gazpacho – for a cold soup it was much better than I expected. Our entrée was one of the specials: monk fish with clams, shrimp, and calamari in a red sauce, very good as well.

We had a great time at Bulla. Our waiter, James, was very nice and attentive. I would go back.

Service:★★★★

Value:★★★★

OTC Restaurants

Overall rating:★★★★

My friend K recently introduced me to this unpretentious place in downtown Miami. The differentiator is that OTC has beer from small breweries and I understand they also brew some of them.

The food was much better than I expected… also the portions were bigger than what I had anticipated. It is better to share if you don’t want to end eating all the calories by yourself. Everything I tried that day was great! I highly recommend the pesto quinoa – it is a guiltless pleasure.

The ambiance was relaxed. They have a combination of self-service and waiters. I ordered my food at the counter and someone brought it to the table. Other people in my group ordered directly to the waiter… I was a little confused, but I guess they’d play it by ear.

To visit their website click here.

Service:★★★ (partly self-service)

Value:★★★★

IHOP

Overall rating:★★★★

IHOP may not be a fancy choice for breakfast or brunch but it is a convenient one. Last weekend I did not have time to plan and prepare a brunch at home as I usually do. Plan B was IHOP. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised not only with the variety (after all they are a breakfast place) but with the healthy choices.

When in need, IHOP could be a lifesaver. We had the garden omelet and garden crepes. The food was good, vegetables were fresh. Our server was very nice.

Service:★★★★

Value:★★★★

Maroosh - Mediterranean Restaurant

Overall rating:★★★★★

My friend KRE celebrated her birthday at Maroosh. We had a table for 11 people in the center of the room. The waiters and the manager/owner were very accommodating and the service was excellent.

Let’s talk about the food. Everything in the menu is delicious. A way of selecting the favorites is by personal taste. I cannot leave this restaurant without having the fried cheese, the falafel, and the hummus. I have also tried the tabouleh and the kibbeh. The ingredients are fresh, the combination tasty, and I believe, being no expert, each dish is authentic Mediterranean food. 

Maroosh’s menu has a variety of small dishes and entrees. For the first time I tried the lamb kafta kabab. I thought it was really good – I am no fan of lamb. Usually, we would order various small dishes; this way we could try different ones in each visit.

On weekends there is a belly dancer. The ambiance is relaxed, great for a night out with friends or significant other. All the times I have been to Maroosh I enjoy the food, music, and dancer, and I leave feeling satisfied and a bit happier. To visit their website click here.

Service:★★★★

Value:★★★★★

Casola's Pizzeria & Sub Shop

Overall rating: ★★★★

It was the second time I visited this place. I was in the mood for a real burger – one with seasoned patties, sauces other than ketchup, and plenty of taste - , and we were already in Coral Gables.

Casola’s is a very simple place, which could use additional cleaning. They offer pizzas, subs, and burgers. I have only tried the burgers with French fries. They were delicious! Burger was tasty, a little greasy, and interesting. Casola’s opens late and only accepts cash.

Service: Self-service

Value: ★★★★

Cabo Blanco Restaurant

Overall rating: ★★★★

I have been several times to this place. It is really convenient for lunch. The service is fast and they have many lunch specials both Cuban and Peruvian. Some of my favorites are sauteed calamari, skirt steak, and the fish. Waitresses are nice and prices are very affordable. To visit their website click here.

Service: ★★★★

Value: ★★★★

El Corral USA

Overall rating: ★★★★

In all my trips to Colombia even those that were merely layover I made an effort to go to this burger place. This chain opened recently in Miami. Of course I had to go and check it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it tasted very close to the ones in Colombia. Burgers were very tasty; French fries are delicious. To visit their page click here.

Service: Self-service

Value: ★★★★

Miami Art Cafe

Overall rating: ★★★★

This small café in downtown Miami is perfect for a quick lunch. I have been there a couple of times and it is always good. The last time I was there I had the chicken avocado wrap. My friend K had the combo of soup and quiche; according to her both really good. Service is fast, waitresses are nice… good food for the price.

Service: ★★★★

Value: ★★★★

Sirocco Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge

Overall rating: ★★★

We went to this restaurant a couple of days ago. I had bought a Groupon so we decided to take advantage before expiration. After reading some of the reviews I have to confess that I lowered my expectations to the minimum. Thankfully, our experience was good at Sirocco. Our offer included one appetizer and two entrees.

We ordered the falafel for appetizer. They were very good, fresh, and tasty. It comes with tahini sauce making an interesting combination of flavors.

For entrees we ordered the lamb kebab and the seafood risotto. The kebab was average. The seafood risotto had an unexpected level of spiciness (not too much); I personally liked it.

Would I come back and pay full price for the food? I am not sure. The food was good, not great. As many of the restaurants in the Hard Rock Café area, proportion of price vs. quality is not the best. The same food could be found somewhere else with higher value (better quality at the same or lower price).

Service: ★★★

Value: ★★

Malulo's International Seafood

Overall rating: ★★★★

I have been to this restaurant several times and it is one of my favorites for Peruvian food. My last visit was with a group of colleagues and they all loved it as well. The food is homemade and prepared as ordered rendering a unique taste and freshness. Prices are very reasonable and service is very good. Some of the dishes we ordered in the last visit were ‘Lomo Saltado’ (sauteed beef), ‘Chaufa de Carne’ (fried rice with beef), and ‘Ensalada de Pulpo’ (octopus salad)… my mouth is watering just rethinking about it. If going off office hours try the pisco sours; they’re delicious! To go to the restaurant's website, click here.

Service: ★★★★

Value: ★★★★★

Octopus Salad

Fried Rice with Beef

Pollo Saltado (Sauteed chicken)

Lomo Saltado (Sauteed beef)

D'Angelo Pizza

Restaurant website: http://www.dangelopizza.com/

Overall rating: ★★★★

Two weeks ago we went to this restaurant for the first time. I was personally very curious about it as I pass it frequently. D’Angelo would be your classic trattoria with a modern decoration. Their menu is mostly pizzas, salads, tapas, and of course gelati. The pasta would be in their daily specials.

In our first visit we started with the zucchini flowers with mozzarella – the cheese melts in your mouth, it is a refreshing combination of vegetable and dairy; and the mozzarella and tomato salad – the mozzarella they used was really fresh, soft, and tasty.

As main course we had two of the specials: roasted chicken – seasoned with rosemary and roasted until tender and juicy; and trout with a crust of pistachio – the fish was fresh and for me it was the first time that I saw this combination.

For dessert, following the recommendation of our waiter, we tried the creme brulee. I know it is not your classic Italian dessert, we just couldn’t resist – it was delicious! Next time we’ll try the gelati.

Service: ★★★★

Value: ★★★★★

100 Montaditos, Plantation

Overall rating: ★★★ 

I recently visited this place with my friend C. One of the things I liked the most when I visited the first time after their opening in South Florida was the high quality of the food compared to their very reasonable prices. When I went to 100 Montaditos last month I was slightly disappointed in the quality of the food. I got the impression that they were cutting corners with the ingredients. The place is nice to have an after-work ‘tinto o blanco de verano’ (wine with clear soda) and some montaditos as long as one is not expecting anything extraordinary. To visit their website click here.

Service: Self-service

Value: ★★★ 

El Molino Restaurant - West Palm Beach

Overall rating: ★★★★

I recently discovered the existence of this restaurant in West Palm Beach. It was purely coincidental – one of those times when one goes to a place and finds another. El Molino is a gem hidden in Military Trail south of Forrest Hill in West Palm Beach. El Molino offers Colombian food and at least on Fridays live-music. I ordered the burger – it had been ages since I had a Colombian burger – and it was fantastic – it had a special pink sauce, the burger pattie was especially seasoned to provide a unique taste… I call it the anti-date burger since there is a real risk of having the sauce run down from the burger to the hands and arms. The service is good. El Molino is very affordable for high quality great taste food.

Service: ★★★★

Value: ★★★★★

Broadwalk Restaurant and Grill - Riverside Pizza

Last week we tried this pizzeria in Hollywood Beach Boardwalk. We have been curious about it for a while. According to our friends it is the best pizza place on the Boardwalk. Since I have only had this one I am not sure if it is the best or not. It is actually pretty good. Our server was very nice and accommodating. Prices are great for the value.

Le Vinois Bakery

I passed in front of this bakery by accident last week. I was in the mood for dessert and coffee. All the desserts they had on display looked really really good. I decided to try a date tart with almond paste. It was paradise in my mouth. It was soft, tasty, not too sweet, just perfect… totally worth it!

Cha Baa Thai and Sushi

I have been going to Cha Baa Thai and Sushi restaurant for a while now. They have consistently delivered good Japanese and Thai food. It is a great place for lunch. The service is fast; they have great lunch specials like teriyaki chicken, pad thai, and sushi box. Prices are right for the value. 

Jack's Hamburgers

I have been passing in front of this place for quite some time now. Yesterday I decided to give it a try. I have to say that I was disappointed. The burger tasted the same as if I had made it at home and burgers are not my specialty. They charge extra ($0.39) for the lettuce and tomato which is fine but the least I expect is that they’d put them inside the burger… they gave us 1 leaf of lettuce and 1 slice of tomato in a Ziploc bag. For the same price I could get a much better and healthier burger somewhere else.

Antonio's Pizza

This week I decided to try Antonio's Pizza for the first time. We had the spinach pizza and it was really good. The service was fast – we had take out. The crust was light and tasty, and the vegetables well cooked with a lot of flavor. It is a great option for any night of the week (except Mondays since they are closed). They also deliver in the Dania Beach area.

Zona Fresca - Ft Lauderdale

I have been going to Zona Fresca for a while now. Just recently I realized that I have not reviewed it. Zona Fresca is a Mexican food restaurant. Their specialty is the burrito – they have a good variety; I have tried most of them and they are all great – and they also have tacos, quesadillas, and salads. Their food is fresh, made to order, and the service is fast, with a smile. It is one of my favorites to get something quick before getting back home.