Tongue & Cheek

With one meal left in Miami before our cruise aboard the Allure of the Seas, we pondered about what to eat.  Instead of eating Cuban food again (hey we needed some diversity), we headed over to Tongue & Cheek in South Beach.  Surprisingly, I was able to find a parking spot, but not without controversy.  Someone tried to save a spot for their buddy by standing in it.  I parked there anyways to the chagrin of the buddy.  The driver arrived a few minutes later to ream me out...  Uh...  Really?  Someone is messed in the head...

Anyways, we ignored the lunatic (not before making sure he didn't do something to our car) and made our way to the restaurant. We were started off with some Cheddar Biscuits which were cheesy, super airy, eggy and light.  These were really good.  As for the appies, the first one to arrive was the Escargots of Snails with garlic herb butter and cognac which were both plentiful and soft.  Of course the whole thing was buttery and garlicky.  However, there was a serious lack of seasoning as if they didn't add salt.  The lemon wedge was not merely a garnish as it added the necessary acidity.  Next up was the Veal Tartar with pickled mushrooms and cured egg yolk Béarnaise.  Mixed together, the salt and crunchy bits accented the mild and smooth veal.  The creamy tenderness was a nice contrast to the well-charred crostinis.

One item that really caught my eye on the menu was the Chicharrones of Chicken Skin with Japanese mustard.  As much as I liked the first few bites, there was no way I could eat the whole thing.  Unlike the traditional pork chicharrones, these were much lighter and airy rather than crunchy. Viv decided to order off the Miami Spice 3-course meal menu starting off with the Calamari prepared 2 ways.  Both versions were really tender while still maintaining a bite.  Although not seasoned particularly aggressively, the pickled onions added a nice acidity and the necessary flavor to the dish.  My son decided to order off the kid's menu and opted for the Mini-Burgers with American cheese and French fries. These were pretty good with a barely-done patty which was moist and flavourful.  The sesame seed brioche was really nice being soft and not dry.  The accompanying fries were both plentiful and crunchy.

For my main, I wanted to pay homage to the name of the restaurant by ordering the Crispy Florida Grouper "Cheeks n' Chips".  By description, I envisioned something more grand than what was presented on the table.  Served in a small red plastic basket was 5 small cheeks with a modest amount of fries.  I did like the cheeks though as they were moist and crispy, if not quite greasy.  Being creamy with onion and tarragon, the tartar sauce was a nice compliment.  My parents went for the Grilled Beef Ribeye "Cap" with duck fat potatoes and baby carrots.  Despite the small portion, making up for it was the beautifully prepared tender and fatty cap. Viv's main course was Beef Bourguignon with egg noodes a la Julia Child.  Nestled within the soft noodles were tender morsels of meat and wonderful mushrooms.  However, there was a lack of flavor, in particular the absence of a wine essence.

We also got some sides including the Roasted Summer Corn with lime, espelette, aioli and Parmesan.  The sweet corn had a nice pop which was further enhanced by the plethora of butter and a slight kick from the espelette.  Second, we tried the Brussel Sprouts with whipped ricotta, orange and pistachios.  We found the sprouts to be a little too soft, but in the end, it was a decent side.  The combination of flavours worked, in particular, the noticeable tang.  We were all pretty stuffed at the end, yet Viv still had dessert (Mango Mousse with orange cake, white chocolate crumble and raspberry) as part of her meal.  As much as it appeared to be small in size, the dessert was quite substantial.  Fortunately, it was light and refreshing and only semi-sweet with a real mango hit.  Afflicted with a few flaws, this was still a relatively decent meal (albeit a bit pricey).

The Good:
- Some interesting eats
- Nice vibe and decor

The Bad:
- Seasoning issues
- Service was okay, but took our server a long time to warm up

Tropical Chinese

With a slightly below average Dim Sum experience in Orlando, we were going to test our luck again in Miami.  Having read numerous good reviews of Tropical Chinese and their Dim Sum service, we were chomping at the bit to try it.  We arrived near opening on a Saturday to avoid the dreaded lineup. Interestingly, there was much more staff than actual customers.  Were we too early or was this a bad omen?  We didn't have too much time consider that as the push carts descended on our table...

We started with the Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) and egads, they were terrible.  After we were able to penetrate the super thick and equally super doughy skin, it only served to hide the really crappy shrimp filling.  It was pure mush and was really fishy (or would I call that shrimpy?).  Obviously, they did not prep the frozen shrimp properly (as in rinsing it for many, many hours).  The Sui Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings) were equally horrid.  The pork was chewy, gritty and dense while the predominant seasoning was salt (and lots of it). This was literally and figuratively hard to swallow.

Next up were the Deep Fried Glutinous Dumplings.  Despite being fried, these were not crispy nor crunchy.  The mashed glutinous rice was far too dense and thick.  At the very least, the ground pork filling was acceptable, but then again, they put too much green onion in it.  The Lo Mei Gai (Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaves) appeared to be really dark for some reason and I'm not talking about the wrapper. It was super salty and wet.  On the other hand, the ground pork managed to be dry and mealy at the same time.  Suffice to say, this was not very good either.

With the same poorly prepared shrimp, the Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll sucked.  Obviously, the shrimp had no real texture (such as a buttery snap nor meatiness). There was really no excuse for this as even non-Asian restaurants don't prepare shrimp this way (for instance, we had great shrimp at Versailles and Yardbird).  The rice noodle roll was hard and dense with very little give.  For some reason or another, the BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Roll was better with a thinner and somewhat softer rice noodle.  In addition, it was packed with lean BBQ pork.

And still on the bad shrimp wagon, the shrimp mousse in the Stuffed Eggplant was dry and mealy.  It had no bounce and again, it was fishy tasting.  Did they not even attempt to rinse the shrimp here?  As for the eggplant, it was pale and overfried.  To top it all off, the whole dish was just plain salty.  At the very least, the Preserved Egg and Salted Pork Congee was not bad.  It was homestyle with a light thickness. There were ample large pieces of preserved egg as well as chewy pieces of salted pork.  The congee broth was not too salty either.

The Steamed Spareribs seemed a bit dark for some reason and the answer to this was apparent after one bite.  There was far too much soy sauce in the marinade which made every piece super salty.  The meat itself was over-tenderized where it was soft with very little meat texture left.  The same could not be said about the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet).  They were not fried long enough, hence, underneath the slightly chewy skin was undercooked cartilage which was crunchy and chewy rather than being soft and gelatinous.  Flavorwise, it was okay though being sweet and salty.

Lastly and mercifully, we had the Egg Tarts which were dry and not very silky. And really, I'm not going to say much more because the Dim Sum was very sub-par, even for South Florida.  Sure, I'm from Vancouver, where some of the best Dim Sum can be found.  However, if I had to compare only locally, you would be best advised to eat at Toa Toa in Sunrise instead.

The Good:
- Lots of servers
- Push carts for your enjoyment

The Bad:
- Dim Sum blows
- Basic techniques were not employed

POC American Fusion Buffet & Sushi

Continuing on with our food adventures in Miami, I decided that more variety was in order.  Hence, I looked to the ol' standby - the buffet.  Hey, you gotta admit, nobody does a better buffet than the great US of A.  Wanting to be a little bit different, we did not hit up anything like a Hometown Buffet or Golden Corral.  Instead, we went to POC American Fusion Buffet & Sushi (excuse the fuzzy photo, was anxious to start eating...).  Yes, before you laugh, remember, this was Florida...

Unlike similar buffets I've been to in the Pacific Northwest, the spread at POC was not as extravagant.  In fact, it was only modest in size with the Sushi and Sashimi at the forefront.  With a pretty good selection of rolls, there was a little for everyone.  If we looked at its construction, there was a lot left to be desired, but we understood the venue and thought it was acceptable.  I found the rice to be slightly dry and lacking in flavour, but it wasn't offensive either. In terms of the sashimi, it was not exactly cut artistically, but in the end, it was okay. Referring to the plate of sushi, you can see how the sashimi was cut uniformly, but a little strange at the same time.  Appearance-wise, it was actually quite appetizing as well as the colorful sushi rolls.

Right next to the sushi and sashimi, there was a modest display of Seafood including snow crab legs, Kiwi mussels, peel n' eat shrimp and oysters on the half-shell.  The oysters were okay while the cooked shrimp and mussels were pretty typical, but decent.  I found the snow crab legs to be a bit salty though.  Nearby, there was a small selection of soups with the Lobster Bisque being the headliner.  For a buffet, it wasn't bad with a nice lobster aroma, but it was really salty.  Facing the soups was the salad, appetizer and dessert bar.  Salads were fine as well as the fresh fruit.  We liked the Beef Carpaccio, but it could've used more seasoning.  I tried a couple of desserts and although nothing was memorable, nothing was terrible either.

Onto the Cooked Food, there was a variety of items including pork gyoza, potato skins, fries, chicken nuggets, tempura, king crab cakes, spring rolls, chow mein, fried rice, sweet & sour chicken, ribs, calamari, honey shrimp, saffron clams, seared fish and fried crab body sections.  Only a few things were worth going back for in my opinion.  These included the honey shrimp (which were somewhat crisp with a snap inside while being sweet and saucy) and fried crab body sections.  Otherwise, everything else was forgettable.  Adjacent, the last hot section included a roast, grilled meats and sausages. I found the meats acceptable being neither super tender nor tough to chew.  But then again, we didn't have high expectations.

Lastly and the most popular station, particularly for the kids, was the Chocolate Fountain.  Although the selection of fruit was minimal, we just went to the salad bar to get a bigger variety to dip into the chocolate.  Now, by reading this post, you would think we disliked the buffet.  On the contrary, we thought it was pretty decent considering the variety, price and overall edibility.  I'm not saying it was great food though.  Yet if you were looking for that, you wouldn't eat a buffet anyways.  With reasonable exceptions, POC does the job if you had the buffet cravings.

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Decent quality for a buffet
- Service was quite prompt

The Bad:
- By virtue of being a buffet, food is never served in its optimal state
- Cooked food variety is small

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

As much as Miami is famous for its great Cuban cuisine, I wasn't planning to eat it everyday.  Hence, for varietal purposes, we headed to Yardbird, named one of the top 50 best new restaurants for 2012 by Bon Appetit.  Located in trendy Miami Beach, the interior decor and vibe reflected that with what can be described as a modern rustic.  With a menu focused on elevated Southern cooking, we were more than enthused to try some of their offerings.

We started with the Fried Green Tomato BLT consisting of Heritage Acres Farm pork belly, frisee, fried green tomatoes, tomato jam and house-made pimento cheese. There was only one way to describe this dish - freakin' awesome.  First of all, the breading was crunchy and not greasy while the crisp thick-cut belly was meaty.  There was a great balance of flavors including the acidity from the tomato jam, spiciness from the cheese and savoriness from the belly.  Next up was a side of Corn³ which included fresh grilled sweet corn, lightly fried hominy and crispy fried cornbread crumbles.  Every item came as advertised.  I particularly liked the crunchy bits of cornbread.

Viv went for the Crunchy Yardbird Sandwich that was a mouth-watering concoction of fried chicken with sweet tobasco, house-made bacon, lettuce, tomato and buttermilk dressing.  Another home run in my books because it was just plain awesome.  The crunchy piece of thigh meat was moist and sweet.  Of course the kicker was the thick-sliced bacon which offered up fatty and salty goodness.  The addition of pickled onions added the necessary acidity to cut the richness.  We got a side of House-Cut Fries with buttermilk dipping sauce and bacon "salt" (bacon bits).  The crispy fries were nicely accented by the creamy and spicy dipping sauce.

My parents decided to share the large order of Shrimp n' Grits consisting of Florida shrimp, crisp Virginia ham and Adluh South Carolina stone ground grits. The big mound of grits were prepared beautifully in my opinion.  It was fluffy and soft while exhibiting a firmness that was not too moisture-ladened.  The large shrimp on top had a buttery snap where the onions added a natural sweetness.  Lastly, the reduced beer sauce displayed depth and a rich shrimp flavor as well as saltiness from the ham (maybe a touch too salty).  We also got an order of the Macaroni & Cheese made with 5 artisanal cheeses.  The al dente pasta was caressed by a cheesy sharpness accented by a slight spice.  We loved the crunchy herb crust as well.

Lastly, I decided to order the Strawberry Shortcake for dessert.  The whole thing should've been called strawberries with a bit of shortcake since there was a wealth of ripe sweet berries with basil syrup.  The shortcake was airy and light.  This was a nice way to finish off a very good meal at Yardbird.  We came here with certain expectations and they met everyone of them.  The food was delicious and soothed the soul.  I wish I didn't have to travel all the way to Miami to get it.

The Good:
- Nice take on Southern cuisine
- Attentive service
- Loved the decor

The Bad:
- Rich food, will be heavy
- Parking is a bit of a pain

Isla Canarias

There I was.  Sitting there in our hotel room in the dark looking for a place to eat.  It was nearly 10:00pm and the kids were asleep. Normally, that would mean pizza delivery or a quick run to McD's.  But with the grandparents in the same 2-bedroom suite, it meant Viv and I could escape for some real food.  Since we were in Miami, it meant that Cuban was a good bet.  I briefly considered some smaller joints in Hialeah, but not really knowing the area, we took the safe route and headed over to Isla Canarias.

Since they were out of beef, we ended up with 2 ham & cheese and 2 chicken Empanadas.  Although on the greasier side, we found the pastry to be really crispy and flaky.  It was the right thickness where it wasn't heavy or overbearing to eat.  As for the fillings, the chicken was our favorite since it was moist and flavorful from the jalapenos and onions.  The ham & cheese was too salty for our liking.  I'm pretty sure that the flavor profile was pretty much so, but it was just not our personal favorite.


We got the single portion of Shrimp & Chicken Paella which was a decent size and in a deep shade of yellow thanks to the Bijol powder.  Hence, the flavour profile was definitely different from the traditional Spanish version (which uses saffron).  That is not to say it wasn't good though.  The plethora of onions and peppers afforded a certain sweetness and savoriness.  The rice was not overcooked while the chicken was sufficiently tender and the shrimp had a sweet snap.  Lastly, we shared the Sampler Criollo consisting of roast pork, shredded flank steak Creole style, croquette, rice, black beans, yuca and plantains.  If I had to compare, the roast pork was way better than that of the one I had at Padrinos.  It was moist and I could really taste the pork.  Although the flank steak was stringy and chewy, the flavours from the peppers and stewed tomatoes were intense and rich.  The croquettes were not that hot nor that crispy while the yuca was a little firm.  The same could be said about the plantains.  In the end, we found the food to be decent here and it helped quell the late night munchies.

The Good:
- Big menu
- Decent service
- Good portions

The Bad:
- Super cramped seating in the middle
- A little salty