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.
I so enjoyed Chef Gilligan’s humor, creativity and unique style to food that makes this waterfront restaurant such a pleasure to dine at.
Disclosure: my lunch was complimentary but that doesn’t sway my judgement.
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JUNE EVENTS
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Great Father’s Day Gift Idea!
Wok Star cooking class
Wednesday, June 13: 6:30-8:30pm
Venue: Cooking with Kids, Miami Shores
Bring your Dad & let him be a Wok Star! My Dad was a foodie and great cook and your Dad can be too!
Chef Maria Cummins’ beautiful space is hosting me. We’ll gather round a gorgeous big wood table with 2 woks and gas stoves going! Lots of interaction and many will get a chance to be a Wok Star!
Join me for a unique experience, meet cool people, get tons of tips and learn to Cook Like a Wok Star! My easy, NO-recipe technique for busy weeknights make cooking creative and fun! Savor 3 delicious dishes paired with Fiji Water and Barton & Guestier’s vouvray wine.
Click for full details.
Remembering Dad on Father’s Day!
Here’s a tribute to my Dad, a non-traditional China man, dapper dresser, entrepreneur, foodie and fab provider. Oh, he was pretty eccentric too.
I wish I had a photo of my Dad cooking, he wore an apron and really got into it! He drove my mom nuts because he’d use only stems of veggies & the most expensive ingredients. He’d like my simple but tasty Salmon Bok Choy Soup.
Top Ten Favorite Dishes in the 305 and annual Best of on June 14
Vote for your favorite restaurant in New Times
I need to catch up writing tons of restaurant reviews especially with an Asian slant. Type in Asian Restaurant Reviews in side bar for current ones.
Redland Summer Festival
Fruit & Spice Park
June 16 & 17, 10-5pm
This Festival showcases local agriculture, and tropical fruits. Vendor booths featuring local wines, yummy foods, and rare fruit samplings will be available.
Sakaya Kitchen, Midtown Miami
Richard Hale’s Dim Ssam A Go Go Food Truck debuts at Food Truck Fest
Celebrating Sakaya Kitchen’s second anniversary! Hail to Hale! I so remember when he burst into the Miami midtown scene two years ago today (it’ll be 18th by the time I finish this.) I met his parents on his first day and his dad told me he started experimenting with food at 9 years old. Well, he’s done a nice job of experimenting cause I’ve liked everything I’ve tried!
I love this concept – GOOD Asian fast food, we need to have MORE IN MIAMI!!! It has a modern look with a wall chalk board filled with daily specials, many are Korean street food items. Richard uses many locally sourced ingredients and has the flavors DOWN! His slant is towards Korean flavors even though his mom is Filipino. There’s never a dish where the pickle is too sour or spicy, the balance is perfect. I never mind paying when the food is good, some of the dishes are on the expensive side but so worth it especially when you consider it’s all made from scratch.
From what he’s told me, many of his cooks didn’t even go to culinary school, he trained them. They must have good taste buds or Richard must have good quality testing. I think I must have tried nearly everything on the menu at Sakaya except for daily specials and taken way too many photos to be able to include in one post. People have asked me if I know his famous honey ginger brussel sprouts recipe, why bother, just go eat it there! Pork belly baos, soft shell crab or Calamari baos, everything in a bao is good even though we’re not fans of carbs.
Left: Richard’s wife, mother-in-law & first baby girl, adorable. Middle: menu board kept getting crossed off cause food ran out.
Right: Lines were ridiculous at first Food Truck Fest at Adrienne Arsht Center, downtown Miami.
Here’s my first attempt at shooting video outdoors but great audio of Richard at the Fest.
Random photo gallery from the last 2 years which includes the debut of Dim Ssam a Go Go, at the first Food Truck Fest(above.) He’s now got 2 food trucks and just opened a Sakaya Kitchen, downtown Miami which I must try out. Waiting for South Beach location.
Left: Pork belly buns. Right: my husband and my all-time favorite is the Angus Bulgogi Burger.
Tater tots are delish but too much carbs for us.
Left: Honey Orange Ribs, slurp. Right: Koren Beef on bed of salad and pickled sprouts.
Left: Chef Richard Hales, Chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink paid a visit to congratulate Richard on his first anniversary! Right: Shirt promoting Dim Ssam a Go Go.
I practically ran to Sakaya Kitchen when I got back from my Hong Kong trip in July, so homesick for Asian food! Richard sent over my favorite Korean Banchan! We also had another of our favorites, Dae Ji Pork Tenderloin with buttered broccoli and coconut rice which is so addictive, the balance of sweet, savory and spicy, here’s the post.
For other reviews that give much better background about Richard (I’m just all about the food), check these:
New Times: Serious Asian food with no frills
Food for Thought: Sakaya Kitchen Midtown Miami
Sakaya Kitchen: Eater Miami
Burger Beast
Me. Egg with tater tots. Waffles & wings. Sakaya Friends came out to celebrate 1st anniversary.