'Miami Spice'

Miami Spice 2015: Quality Meats Miami Beach

August 9, 2015 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

What a treat to be invited to a Miami Spice, food bloggers’ tasting at Quality Meats Miami Beach! After attending several events there and already impressed with their bites, my hubby and I were super excited to have a sit down dining experience and we were not disappointed and you won’t be either!

Collage — Clockwise, top left: amuse bouche of delightful watermelon and salt with fluffy bread; I love how they use fresh fruits and veggies for decoration; mixologist, Jasper says hello; wonderful dining room punctuated with art deco elements!

As always, I stress it’s not just about the food but the service, ambience and decor, sometimes you forgive one or the other if the food is outstanding but seldom do I give top marks in all 4 areas but Quality Meats Miami Beach definitely made it! I loved how they kept a lot of the Art Deco elements of the historic Bancroft Hotel and enhanced the space with superb fixtures and vignettes. I am a huge fan of good design and appreciated how they mixed vintage with new.

The minute you entered, you immediately realize it’s a first class restaurant. All the wait staff are very well trained, they remind me of staff in upscale hotels and restaurants in Asia. Very accommodating, good manners and well spoken, nothing was too much in order to please you.
As an Asian, I may be biased but I think it has something to do with Craig Koketsu, chef and partner at Quality Meats. Craig is Japanese though French trained. The Japanese are precise and meticulous in everything they do and I could see his attention to the smallest details when I met him when they first opened.

So, what about the food? Executive chef, Patrick Rebholz, a cheery and friendly fellow opened Quality Meats Miami Beach and I must say his brilliant butchery skills and in-house cured meats were very impressive. Here’s how the Miami Spice tasting evening unfolded…
After the amuse bouche of watermelon, salt teaser with their famous bread, Chef sent out two Chacuterie lazy susan trays which were not even on our menu! It’s always a pleasure to get together with fellow food bloggers and compare notes, that’s the amazing thing about food, we all have such different opinions.

QualityMeatsMB-Chacuterie — My two favs were the thin slivers of pork, so tender and fois gras which melted in your mouth. I didn’t bother with corn ball skewers, bacon wrapped sausage or popcorn but they added a fun element to the Chacuterie platter. Thank goodness for a refreshing green goddess salad and kale and manchego salad with chorizo vinaigrette!

QualityMeatsMB-KaleSalad — We all wanted an action shot of the server adding honey to the Kale and Manchego Salad!

QualityMeatsMB-meatballs-bacon-peanutbutter — More appetizers: dry aged meatballs were very crunchy and tasty. House-cured bacon with peanut butter was heavy but the diced cucumber and jalapeno jelly helped cut the richness. After eating his superb slabs of bacon which reminded of bacon I grew up eating in England, it’s hard to eat commercial thin, crispy ones slithers.

QualityMeatsMB-Hamachi-Crudo — Appetizer: Hamachi Crudo, very light!

Yet another appetizer: Appetizer: Perfectly seared Diver Scallops with black garlic reduction and celery leaves. — Yet another appetizer: Perfectly seared Diver Scallops with black garlic reduction and celery leaves.

Finally, the Entrees, clockwise top left: sides were just as good as the mains – corn creme brulee, crispy skillet potatoes which they poured garlic butter over that smelt heavenly, creamed spinach, mac n’ cheese, trumpet mushrooms; Everything-Crusted Branzino; Grilled Bravette; Honey Glazed Baby Back Ribs. Only one missing is Filet Mignon cause it was dark and I was ready to eat!

QualityMeatsMB-Chicken-kumquats — Entree: Roasted Chicken & Kumquats, I don’t know how they got the breast part so tender!

Dessert: Dressed Up Scoop included chocolate cake, with variety of different flavored ice cream.

QualityMeatsMB-ChefPatrick-WokStarEleanorHoh — Of course, we all had to get our shots taken with Chef Patrick Rebholz, thank you chef for a knockout dinner!

Whether you’re a local or visiting Miami, give Quality Meats Miami Beach a try, I think you’ll be as impressed as I was. And do take the opportunity to try many restaurants participating in Miami Spice from August 1-Sept.30. It’s a great way to get a 3 course meal at pricier restaurants you normally wouldn’t go to!
Check out what New Times and Miami Herald say about Quality Meats Miami Beach! I’d love to hear about your experience(s) there.
Note: this Miami Spice tasting was complimentary but doesn’t sway my opinion!
Quality Meats
1501 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 340-3333

August Events 2015

August 9, 2015 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

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MIAMI SPICE
August 1 – September 30

Miami Spice is here! It’s a great way to get introduced to restaurants you normally would find a bit pricey. Lunches run $23 and dinner $39 for 3 courses. Be sure you reserve and mention Miami Spice menu and notice the list on their site is divided for lunch and dinner! Not all restaurants are doing both.
We were invited to a tasting at Quality Meats and it was off the charts! This restaurant would be my top pick if you are an carnivore! Here’s what I thought about it!
Also check New Times and Miami Herald for their take on Miami Spice!
Another of my favs is Hakkasan not so much for their dim sum since they already do a super weekend dim sum lunch for about the same price but for dinner, it’s a steal! Take a look at my last HOH WOK CLUB gathering at Hakkasan for Chinese New Year Yum Cha and everyone adored it, what a deal.
Subscribe to my newsletter in right sidebar to find out about my HOH WOK CLUB

It’s a gathering at restaurants for folks who enjoy Asian culture and cuisine. I work with the chef and come up with a tasting sampler that reflects their cooking style and at a great value.

Feast Miami: Vegan Flavors of India
Sat. August 15, 6-9pm
$60 pp
Locust Projects

FEAST Miami is a series of vegan pop-up events at art venues to financially support new & emerging creative projects. Artists & small arts organizations are invited to present a simple proposal for an art project. A group of panelists will select FIVE (5) finalists to present their project at FEAST. The eventgoers will vote for the project to be funded.
Projects are innovative, feasible and impact the community. The meals will be healthfully prepared with organic and locally sourced foods by Chef Loren Pulitzer of Meals That Heal.

Pecha Kucha: Obscura
Wednesday, August 26, 6:30-10pm
Deauville Beach Resort
FREE EVENT
PechaKucha Nights are informal and fun gatherings where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, thoughts, holiday snaps — just about anything, really — in the PechaKucha format of 20 seconds talk to 20 slides.
PechaKucha Miami in collaboration with Fordistas will feature six local luminaries who will bring to life some of the city’s lesser known stories in short presentations less than six minutes each. Won’t you join us for a night of Miami Obscura?

September Miami Events

August 30, 2013 By Eleanor Hoh 10 Comments

SEPTEMBER IS MIAMI SPICE
Hakkasan: We went for their delicious Dim Sum served at lunchtime on weekends! A little tip: mention to server at the beginning that you want your dishes to come out staggered so they don’t get cold while you are still working on the previous dish! Dim Sum should be eaten hot. The decor is magnificent. Click here for details.
Zuma: Had lunch with foodie friends. They did a beautiful presentation but not sure worth $23, desert was outstanding! They are located inside the Epic Hotel so you don’t wander along Biscayne Blvd. like I did. Click here for details.
I’ll be trying Milos and Sushi Samba Dromo. Do share which restaurants you think are worthy to try or not!

2nd Annual Taste of the Beach in Collins Park

Sat. Sept. 28 and Sun. Sept.29, 12-8pm
Wok Star presentation, Sat. 9/28, 2-3pm

Curated to celebrate and feature the great culinary creations of Miami Beach restaurants and eateries.
This year’s event itinerary includes cooking demonstrations including Wok Star Eleanor Hoh, the “Art of Mixology” cocktail craft, live entertainment provided by Honor Roll, and a performance by the renowned Mango’s Dancers. Attendees will be encouraged to eat-n-tweet from the “BeeFree Lounge”and sip-n-tweet from sponsor themed bars: Sweetwater Beer Garden, Radio Bar, Mango’s Mojito Bar and Charles St. Mixology Bar.
$5 General Admission
Includes live entertainment and a raffle ticket eligible for winnings with ULTIMATE MIAMI Weekend, American Airlines, and a Miami Beach five-star status staycation.
$20 VIP Reception
Includes Access to CHARLES St. NYC Kitchen VIP Reception Saturday, September 28th, 7-9 PM with guest DJ Reid Waters and a LIVE performance by Nikki Blitz.
Click here for schedule, ticket information.

SWEEPSTAKES TO WIN FREE BARCELONA TRIP FOR TWO!

ESTRELLA DAMM WYNWOOD TAPAS JOURNEY

Estrella Damm’s Tapas Journey engages South Florida’s culinary palate with participating restaurants to create three small dishes to be sold with an Estrella Damm lager for the price of $20 between September 16 – October 6, 2013 in Wynwood Arts District. Patrons will have the chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a free trip to Barcelona for two and enjoy tapas at the world’s best tapas restaurant. Estrella Damm works in partnership with the world’s most award-winning chef Ferran Adrià to promote the “Tapas” concept globally.
Visit here for full details of participating restaurants and how to enter sweepstakes for FREE Barcelona Trip for two!

PRESERVATION, WINE WEEKDAYS

18250 Collins Avenue,

Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160

305-974-0273

$30 for 3 courses paired with wines

eatpreservation.com for full menu and details

RyanHarristortellini — Smoked corn and chicken tortellini, basil pasta, “red sauce”, grana padano, Chive oil.

Experience the innovative culinary creations of Chef Ryan Harris at his restaurant, Preservation! Their “Wine Weekdays” menu is an absolute steal, you should definitely go try it and tell Ryan, Wok Star sent you! My hubby and I were lucky enough to enjoy Chef Ryan’s innovative seven course tasting menu and got a chance to sit and get into his head. I will be posting about that experience soon. The food, music, service, atmosphere, decor were faultless! Ryan asked me to caution that wines and dishes are subject to change due to Eat Preservation and Mas Vino’s extreme imaginations! Love that. I’ve chosen Preservation to celebrate my birthday dinner, can’t wait to see what surprises Ryan comes up with.

SHELLEY-BELLY’S UNDERGROUND DINNER

Saturday, September 28

email shelleybelly@att.net

secret address revealed when it’s a done deal!

Everything including menu is shrouded in secrecy till you arrive and see the menu board! Password to get in, meeting eclectic group of folks, beautiful setting, one dish at a time, breaks in between to chat, all the stuff I enjoy about a dining experience. Shelley perfects everything she does, so you’re just spoiled rotten. You’re in for a real treat. Read about my dinner here. Get all the underground details here.

ESSENSIA MIAMI SPICE MENU
The Palms Hotel

3025 Collins Ave,

Miami Beach, FL 33140

They’re offering exclusive Miami Spice lunch and dinner menus! It’s a beautiful setting with outdoor patio dining and the food is always fresh and delicious. Chef Julie Frans uses organic and local ingredients for 3-course farm to table meals.

HOME DESIGN AND REMODELING SHOW

Miami Beach Convention Center

Friday to Monday
Wok Star Demo : Sunday September 1st, 3:30pm

Use #HDRS2013 @FLHomeshows @wokstar on twitter and Instagram

Click the “Like” button on my Facebook page for FREE tickets. Excited I’ve been invited to present at the Home Design and Remodeling Show for a live Wok Star cooking demonstration! Stop by for a tasting of Easy Tender Stir Fry Steak with onions and colorful peppers for busy weeknight dinner (my Hispanic friends know it as Lomo Soltado!) and a Simple Veggie Stir Fry with asparagus, sugar snap, orange bell pepper and maitake mushroom and amaze all the parents with kids because they’ll enjoy eating these crispy, crunchy veggies!
You’ll also get a chance to win a raffle prize for a Wok Star Class certificate for 2 guests valued at $130 and a Giveaway bag of goodies from premium sponsors!

Sept. 20 and Sept.21
James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®

“Local Flavor from Coast to Coast” Traveling Food Festival Comes to Miami

-Tickets on Sale Now-

Tickets are now available for The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast,” a national traveling food festival that will visit Miami on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21.

Saturday, September 21: FREE Cooking demonstration from All-Star Ted Allen and Top Chef Just Desserts winner Yigit Pura of Tout Sweet Pâtisserie, a cookbook signing with Allen, as well as tastings from South Florida artisans Healthy Greek Eats, Laurie’s Pantry, Nikki’s Bikini Pies and Pika Sauce.
Pick up free tickets at Sur La Table starting September 20. Sur La Table, located at 428 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. To purchase tickets and find out more information, visit surlatable.com.
For more information about Taste America events in Miami, visit James Beard Foundation site.
Norwegian Getaway Spice It Up Sweepstakes
From now through September 30, 2013, foodies and travel aficionados alike can enter the “Norwegian Getaway Spice It Up Sweepstakes” at I Love Miami Spice.
Enter for a chance to win a seven-day cruise on-board Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, Norwegian Getaway. With choice of 26 incredible dining options, including Celebrity Chef and Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian’s three dining concepts. The Illusionarium, an all-new dining and entertainment experience that invites guests to experience the astonishing illusions of world-class magicians and supernatural special effects. GRAMMY® Experience includes artifacts chosen and curated by the GRAMMY Museum® along with live performances by past GRAMMY® winners and nominees. To cap off a spectacular cruise experience, every sailing will feature a dazzling fireworks show at sea, set to music, as part of a dance party in the ship’s outdoor club, Spice H20.
POP-UP TAPAS COOKING CLASS

September 21

Edge, Steak & Bar

1435 Brickell Avenue

7th floor inside Four Seasons Hotel

$75 pp excl. tax and gratuity

: photo credit: chatchowtv

EDGE, Steak & Bar offers a great outdoor dining experience, you’d never know you were in the middle of Brickell! We dined there recently, post coming soon! They’re participating in Miami Spice, so take advantage of it. Click here for details.
Special for this class only, Executive Chef Aaron Brooks partners up with Chef Todd Erickson of South Beach’s renowned Haven and HUAHUA’S Taqueria for a “Small Bites, Big Appetites” modern global tapas cooking class. A portion of the proceeds will go to the No Kid Hungry Campaign! A popular monthly interactive cooking class with 20 participants and includes a welcome cocktail, three-course meal, wine and beer during class, hands-on instruction and a take-home gift bag. I have to get to one of Chef Brooks’ classes one day but always seems to fall on same day I’m giving one! Click here for details.