The iconic Rusty Pelican went through a $9 million renovation that has been transformed into a sexy spot with THE BEST waterfront view in Miami! Every room has spectacular water views. Looking at the Yachts docked on the side make you feel like you’re on holiday in St. Tropez! The spacious outdoor patio has gorgeous views of the Miami skyline, perfect for sunset Happy Hours and dining under the stars. There aren’t many great waterfront restaurants in Miami even though we are surrounded by water, so we’re lucky to have this. Rusty Pelican is located on Key Biscayne, an island off the mainland of Miami, so you feel like you’re going on a holiday.
The menu is Modern American, so it’s interesting that there’s a British chef running the restaurant! Chef Michael Gilligan has that cheeky sense of British humor which he also applies to his food and he does a nice job of it.
So far, I’ve been to Happy Hour and lunch so I got the full experience of Chef Gilligan’s style. And I can tell you I like his style, he’s playful and creative. One of my favorites is a cute presentation of Sea Bass ceviche in a tin can with its lid open, and sits on a bed of ice. That in itself was enough for me to give it a 9 out of 10. Sea Bass is such a rich fish so it requires ingredients that complement it. I liked the sweetness from the sweet potatoes, crunch from the Peruvian choclo (corn) and spiciness from fresh red chillies & Aji amarillo (South American yellow chilli pepper), ummm. Every bite was refreshing and light. A great first course to ‘open the palate.’
I so enjoyed Chef Gilligan’s humor, creativity and unique style to food that makes this waterfront restaurant such a pleasure to dine at.
Lobster Bouillabaisse was another playful dish. The bisque was poured tableside into a dish filled with a melange of seafood, roasted tomatoes and toasted corn relish. I got the waiter to pour slowly so I could get this shot. It was such a colorful and delightful dish.
I’m not a huge drinker but must admit their cocktails were pretty intoxicating and beautifully presented. The Rusty Spice is watermelon and ginger with tequila, srirachi and fresh lime juice, all went down well with everything we ate. I can’t figure out what cocktail is the photo, need to ID this and let you know, oops.
The Eel & Fois Gras on tostone was gorgeous and a very creative dish! The ice wine ‘gelee’ soy truffle glaze was like a sprinkling of delicate glass jewels. It’s not a dish you could eat often because it’s so rich, but it was a palate pleaser and so extraordinary.
Disclosure: my lunch was complimentary but that doesn’t sway my judgement.
September Events
MY EUROPEAN TRIP!
LIKE my Facebook page and view photos from my Italy and London trip, of course they’re mostly food! Scroll down, post coming soon!September is nearly over, but here are a few events you might enjoy…
“THE MID-AUTUMN RECEPTION HONORING CONFUCIUS”
The South Florida Shandong Association has announced that multiple Emmy-Award winning broadcast and print journalist, Julia Yarbough, will be co-hosting “The MId-Autumn Reception Honoring Confucius” which will be held on Sunday, September 23rd 2012, at the FIU North Campus, Wolfe University Center, Ballroom 3pm – 5pm. Mid-Autumn is a traditional time for family gatherings in China, so there could be no better time for the entire South Florida family to come together and enjoy delicious chinese mooncake and celebrate the life, work and ideas of Confucius.
Come and join the Chinese Consulate General of China, Mayors of Miami, Doral, North Miami Beach, Senators, Members of Congress, and representatives of Chinese associations at the Mid-Autumn Festival Reception Honoring Confucius.
RSVP here.
Ready To Cook Like A Wok Star?
A healthy & delicious approach without recipes, measuring or cooking experience! Pepe Calderin Design hosts Wok Star class Sat. 29, 12:30-3pm Only 4 spaces left! $65 per person Join Wok Star Eleanor for a unique experience in a beautiful loft-like space. Meet cool people, get tons of tips and learn how to Cook Like A Wok Star! NO-recipe technique for easy, one-dish, sizzling sensations for busy weeknights. A few fresh ingredients and only 4 seasonings so it’s healthy and light. Eleanor has taught hundreds of people wok cooking using her simple, stir fry process and a Squirt, Squeeze, Shake method of seasoning. It’s very liberating and FUN!Full details here.
Taste of the Beach
Admission to Event is FREE
Admission to Food Tents: $5 General Admission
Includes $5 in food tickets (Kids under 12 FREE)
Saturday September 29th, 11am-6pm
Sunday September 30th, 11am-6pm
Collins Park Miami Beach
21st street and Collins Avenue
What’s happening
The Beach Channel presents the First Annual TASTE OF THE BEACH & End of Summer Block Party, a 2 day outdoor community event that will celebrate and feature culinary creations from Miami Beach restaurants and eateries in company with local businesses, museums, and performing arts organizations.
We invite the community, family, friends, and visitors to come out and enjoy a showcase of great food, music, arts, and entertainment in the beautiful beachside setting of Collins Park and the front lawn of the BASS Museum of Art.
Complete details here.
South Florida Dragon Boat Festival
Saturday, September 29 9-5pm Haulover Beach Park Marina
10800 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33154
A one- day Asian cultural festival that brings together the entire South Florida community for a cultural experience that promotes harmony and understanding among people of all ages, diverse ethnicities and backgrounds.
The South Florida Dragon Boat Festival draws hundreds of competitors, thousands of spectators and an abundance of excitement and cultural experiences. The dragon boat competition illustrates camaraderie, teamwork and inspiration. Dragon Boat Racing was born out of a 2,000-year-old Chinese legend, and it’s still very active, as it remains a tradition to this day. The opening ceremony will be held at 12 noon to kickoff the cultural program.
Details here.
Fire Up The Wok Challenge
Locations: Times Square, New York, NY Time: Thursday, September 27, 2012, 7pm-8pmFormat:
Five top chefs will each be assigned to cook the same Chinese dish. A simple description of the dish, along with ingredients and Chinese cooking facilities will be provided. Each Chef will be assigned a specially designed kitchen and one examiner for the cooking process. The event will be broadcast globally, live from Times Square.
August Events, Google+ live cooking show (Updated)
Please keep checking back for additional events or subscribe to my feed.
Wok Star Eleanor Hoh debuts her new cooking show LIVE on Google Plus Learning How To Cook Like A Wok Star Wednesday, August 15th Join her 6:30pm(ET), 5:30pm(CT), 3:30pm(PT) Hosted by award winning Pepe Calderin Design showroomFREE! I’ll be adding my video promo once it’s uploaded, so check back!
It’s always been my dream to connect with you. Here’s a chance for Wok Stars and wannabes all over the world to join in!
I will demystify wok cooking by showing you how to make easy, one dish dinners in under 30 minutes, using a few ingredients and only 4 seasonings!
Here’s the scoop:
Catch the show on Larry Fournillier’s G+ profile page OR on Hangoutnetworks.com
7 lucky folks can ‘hangout’, ask questions and interact LIVE on webcam with myself and Larry. How cool is that?
1. Sign up NOW for a Google account!
2. Add Eleanor Hoh & Larry Fournillier to a circle.
3. If you want to be in the ‘hangout’, email me at wokstar at eleanorhoh dot com
4. On Wed. Aug.15 @6:30pm ET or at your appropriate time zone (see flyer above), visit Larry’s Google + profile page to view the live stream OR visit www.hangoutnetworks.com
I’ll be cooking in the beautiful showroom of Pepe Calderin Design who hosts my regular cooking classes in Miami, Florida! Here’s a peek…
Chef Larry Fournillier is a private chef living in Trinidad and producer of Learning how to cook series on Google+. Thrilled he’s invited me to be on his show. He has over 500,000 followers on Google+, so must be doing it right. Go check his About page for the full bio and MANY upcoming cooking shows!
Remember, Wednesday August 15, join me and let’s create ‘wok-magic’ wherever you are!
Thanks to Pepe Calderin Design showroom for hosting my first live cooking show!!!
First Annual Artisan Food Fest Coral Gables Museum Saturday, August 11: 11-5pm FREEVisit Coral Gables Museum Events for full details. I have personally tasted 5 of the artisanal foods: Copperpots, Freakin’ Flamingo’s Renee is my friend and makes delish jams, BBQ sauces etc., Proper Sausages (had their lamb sausages, they’re the real deal), And The Crackerman’s chili sauce hits the spot, Novae Gourmet’s Jerky is a crispy treat to sprinkle over salads or just as a protein hit. Look forward to sample the rest! Hope to see you there. I won’t be giving any demos as some think, just enjoying for a change!
On Saturday, August 11 South Florida’s finest artisan food vendors will come together for a one-day Artisan Food Fest at the Coral Gables Museum. Admission is free and the event is held in conjunction with Family Day on Aragon, held the second Saturday of each month at the Museum. The Artisan Food Fest will run from 11:00am – 5:00pm and will include cooking demos, tastings, raffles and more! Vendors will sell handcrafted items from granola to jams to sustainably grown greens to sausages and everything in between! The Fest promises to be a veritable foodie heaven. Parents and adults can participate in the Fest while kids are enjoying arts and crafts and more at the Museum.
Confirmed to date: Copperpots, Freakin’ Flamingo, Cao Chocolates, The Cheesecake Gallery, Novae Gourmet, The Spiced Nut Factory, Proper Sausages, The Crackerman, Laurie’s Pantry Granola, Mr. Green Dean, Om Nom Nom Cookies, Herbal Passion Alchemy, Bottega la Dolce Vita, Pasta Amore, The Empanada Lady and Pickle Delicious.
TONIGHT, Aug.11 go and support The Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation at Bacchanalia, a food and wine festival at Wynwood art walk with live music! Details here.
Tropical Fruit Meets Tropical Fish – South Florida’s Finest
If you’ve not been to Chef Julie Frans’ Seasonal Supper, you really need to. The last Seasonal Supper I went to was sensational! My photos didn’t turn out that great cause it was dark.
This Thursday’s theme is Tropical Fruit Meets Tropical Fish – South Florida’s Finest. Check out the mouth-watering menu, Chef Julie likes to incorporate Asian flavors into many of her dishes, so I’m eager to taste. I can’t wait to experience another intimate supper at Essensia. Met some old and new friends! For reservations, call 305-908-5490. The menu looks a bit small right? Sorry, menu sounds like a winner.
P.S. I can’t wait to see their organic garden which only started last year.
P.P.S. I wrote about Chef Julie for a British magazine, VIVA which got published this past February, here’s the online version! Food shots were taken by my good friend, Brenda Benoit Dudley whose photography I admire so much. So vibrant and jumps out at you.