Redlands GrowFest held annually at Fruit & Spice Park encourages you to grow, can and preserve your produce and vegetables! The most popular event there is the Chefs Cookoff and I was honored to be invited again this year to judge with Christine Najac, publisher, author, sommelier and food and wine blogger of South Florida Food and Wine, Farmer Grabiel Marewski of Paradise Farm and Tim from Fruit and Spice Park.
The Chefs did an outstanding job as there were a lot of distractions! Judges asking questions, snapping photos, not forgetting Edible South Florida’s publisher, Gretchen Schmidt, Farmer Margie from Bee Heaven Farm and Fruit & Spice Director, Tim Stribling were describing tropical fruits, spices and produce to the audience the whole time.
Here are some behind the scenes I captured of the Chefs Cook off. Each chef was given a “secret ingredient” and a box of mystery ingredients and allowed to pick anything from the ingredients table. Winner announced below!
Bring your family to the next one and make it a day’s visit cause it’s a drive! There are food booths or bring a picnic, lots of areas to lay out.
Miami Events
Wok Star Supper Club, huge success at Drunken Dragon
Thank you everyone who came out to celebrate my Wok Star Supper Club at Drunken Dragon this past Sunday. Everyone raved about the exotic flavors of each dish, what a successful dinner gathering to conquer the summer blues and celebrate what would have been my mom’s birthday, my mom would have approved!
Chef Xavier Torres had a few surprises for us, see menu below. This is the part I love most about organizing these events, I work with the chefs and staff to make it the best experience for you and your taste buds!
We had other surprises, the General Manager, Ryan Hamilton arranged for their art gallery two doors down to be open so we could view some pretty amazing art before going through a back alley to visit Foxhole Bar. It was a lovely evening with 3 activities rolled into one. Thanks also to Alex Tanaka the manager and Alexia Tapanes who was so patient with my wish list. And of course, Voss who hydrated us all evening.
I hope you’ll return and try other dishes and don’t forget their Korean BBQ, and say that’s what you want to do when you make your reservations, not all tables have the BBQ grill. Visit Drunken Dragon for more details.
Missed my Wok Star Supper Club? You can drool over the photos below. I’ll be organizing more this fall, so stay tuned.
Sign up for my free newsletter in right sidebar so you’ll get first dibs into my Wok Star Supper Club—->>
To find out more about my Wok Star Supper Club (previously called Hoh Wok Club.)
Note: I don’t get paid to organize these events. I do it because I love introducing people to good Asian cuisine in Miami! I do get 2 complimentary dinners.
Wok Star Supper Club at Drunken Dragon
Conquer the Summer Blues in Miami and join my first summer Wok Star Supper Club gathering. I’m very excited to introduce you to Drunken Dragon, it’s tucked away in a nondescript strip mall that still retains a red neon sign, MARKET, except there’s nothing plain about this place. Don’t be fooled by the exterior, on entering, you’re greeted by steamy photography of Japanese bondage on one side and on the other, a 300-pound table made out of reclaimed Douglas fir suspended by chains.
You’re probably wondering if I’ve gone off the deep end choosing this restaurant for our Supper Club but I like to shake things up and take you places you wouldn’t dream of going. Trust me, you’re in for a delightful culinary experience and get into the groove. It’s a cross between an Asian gastropub, Japanese Izakaya and Korean BBQ. We’ll start with a social meet and mingle, cocktails with water throughout the evening sponsored by VOSS and snackies before sitting down to the 3 course dinner, so don’t be shy, introduce yourselves!
Korean BBQ grills in the main dining area are the highlights for most but for me, it’s Chef Xavier Torres’ modern Asian inspired plates from Vietnam, Thailand and Japan that we’ll focus on for this Supper Club. His previous stints at Nobu, The Dutch, Zuma and Sushi Samba culiminated into his current exotic cooking style at Drunken Dragon. It’s fantastic that Chef Xavier and I both learned to cook from our moms. He grew up in Puerto Rico and was encouraged to explore his natural culinary talents by his mom! You’ll get a chance to hear his philosophy about his style of cooking at the end of our gathering. Chef Xavier and I came up with a menu so you can enjoy a taste of all his signature dishes.
Owners, Conrad Gomez, Angel Febres and Navin Chatani, all with nightclub, bar experience decided to open Drunken Dragon after successfully opening Foxhole Bar. I’ve arranged for us to go there after our gathering where you’ll get your first drink FREE! It’s literally behind the restaurant but you wouldn’t know it cause it’s unmarked and in an alleyway. Yes, taking you deeper into a shroud of mystery.
I set the gathering for August 14 to coincide with my mom’s birthday if she were still alive! I think she would appreciate us celebrating with her, enjoying each other’s company and of course the food. My mom was a fantastic cook and entertainer, she would organize lavish dinner parties and I truly think I inherited my love of doing the same thing from her!
Can’t wait to see you all at Drunken Dragon, gather all your friends, family, colleagues and celebrate summer with us with some good food and a few laughs!
Menu and Details below…
What: Eleanor Hoh’s Wok Star Supper Club, Conquer the Summer Blues!
Cost: $45 including tips and tax, excluding beverages.
Drinks: Happy Hour Cocktails are half off usual price, complimentary VOSS water throughout evening, beverages NOT included in $45.
When: Sunday, August 14: 5-7pm
Where: Drunken Dragon, 1424 Alton Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Max: 79 seats without the bar and 92 with the bar seats.
Parking: Valet – $10 (usually $15) OR street parking ($4 an hour, so you’ll end up hot and bothered, go with valet, so worth it!)
Reservations: Plse specify WOK STAR SUPPER CLUB on Drunken Dragon Open Table. My event will be mentioned somewhere in your reservations.
It should take you to Aug.14 page, choose time slot 5pm. Call DD directly 305-397-8556 if you have any problems.
Please don’t leave till last minute and be disappointed you can’t get in! I’ve had loads of publicity in the media, thanks to everyone who helped promote my Wok Star Supper Club!
Eater Miami’s Tastiest Summer Food Events
Hedonist Shedonist News Wire
MiaBites
Mitch and Mel’s Foodie Friday
New Times Miami’s Events Calendar
Soul of Miami’s featured event
South Florida Food and Wine
South Florida Gourmet
Thank You Miami’s August Food News
Voss Water’s Events
MENU FOR WOK STAR SUPPER CLUB AT DRUNKEN DRAGON
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14: 5-7PM
5-5:30pm Meet and Mingle at the Bar with Cocktails & munchies on arrival
Drunken Dragon Fries – curry salt, truffle aioli.
Edamame – black pepper, sea salt, sugar snap peas.
5:30pm sit down…Cold Appetizers:
Hamachi – kalamansi ponzu, cashews, orange and grapefruit segments, red onion, mint.
Salt roasted beets – blackberry, pea shoots, miso yogurt, dry miso, red quinoa.
Next- Mains family style:
Lobster roll – crispy brioche, sriracha aioli, caviar roe, tarragon.
Crack Spare Ribs – serondeng sambal, scallion, coriander, chili
Twice Fried chicken from Happy Hour menu – Asian slaw, miso ranch, red dragon
Sides family style to come with Mains:
Taro Truffle Hash – 63 egg (soft egg), chinese sausage, corn, snow peas, taro chips.
Stir fry veggies – cauliflower, baby carrots, shitakes with sweet soy-ginger, garlic salt.
Dessert
Japanese mochi – scoop of mango and green tea.
FOXHOLE BAR
First drink FREE! Whoa, you heard right! Any beer, wine, liquor of your choice excluding top shelf hard liquor.
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To find out more about my Wok Star Supper Club (previously called Hoh Wok Club), click here.
Sign up for my free newsletter in right sidebar so you’ll get first dibs into my Wok Star Supper Club—->>
Visit Drunken Dragon for more details.