Bourbon Steak: Shanks for the memories

Duck fat fries, truffle popcorn, killer cocktails, foie genius, and of course some of the best steak in Miami...what was I thinking?  I mean, I really don't know how I waited so long to give Bourbon Steak a try!
   The Turnberry Isle is a stunning, immaculate resort in Aventura, located just behind the infamous Aventura mall.  Just inside the hotel's lobby you see Bourbon Steak...dim, sexy, and absolutely stunning.  On my first visit, we arrived a bit early to take advantage of happy hour at the bar (Monday through Friday from 5 to 8), and immediately my eyes we drawn to the Aviation.  A mixture of Plymoth Gin, Crème de Violette, Maraschino, and fresh lemon, this lavender lovely smells a bit like Provincial France (a result of the Crème de Violette).  A classic cocktail that has gone awry many a time in the wrong hands, prepared with the masterful skill of the Bourbon steak bartender it was smooth perfection.  To my everlasting delight, while we imbibed they also brought over some complimentary truffle popcorn.  I should first warn that I'm so addicted to popcorn I practically consider it a food group, but this also means I am super critical of bland, burned, or over-seasoned varieties.  Thankfully, Bourbon Steak again hit the nail on the head.  While some of my companions have bemoaned the lack of a dominant truffle flavor, I happen to think it is just enough without being overwhelming.  I find it really hard not to fill up on the stuff!

   Since it just so happens to be Miami Spice season, we were able to partake in the Spice menu (in which you pay a set price for choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert).  If you haven't tried Miami Spice and you live in Miami, you are seriously missing out. Some restaurants are definitely more generous than others, and some menus are downright boring, but every now and then you get lucky with a killer deal on that pricey restaurant you've been dying to try.  In my opinion, Bourbon Steak offers one of the best values, with generous portions of interesting options.
   Anyways, when you are seated in the main dining room, they also bring out a complimentary order of duck fat french fries with three different dipping sauces.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to get a clear picture, since our table always inhales them before I got the chance.  Among the seasoned fries, one is BBQ, one is onion salt seasoned, and the third option is seasoned some kind of herb (I think rosemary).  As for the dipping sauces, there is some kind of ketchup variation, a creamy onion aioli, and then a third sauce I'm not quite sure of.  Among the trio of options I think the table consensus was that the onion aioli was our favorite, along with any of the savory rosemary duck fat fries.
      For the first course I always go with the corn ravioli with brown butter and chanterelle mushrooms.  It sounds simple but the layers of flavor in this dish are anything but, with a surpsingly assertive boldness from the corn blending with the coolness of the ravioli filling.

I have also been able to coerce one of my dining partners into sharing his wahoo appetizer, which I must say was incredibly fresh and flavorful!  With local wahoo, Haas avocado, tomato gelée and pickled onion, the fish melted harmoniously into the creamy avocado puree and the gelée added a synergystic zing of flavor.

Next up is a choice that isn't part of the Spice menu, a masterpiece of foie perfection that happens to be one of the restaurant's specials.  It is a playful version of PB and J done two ways.  The first preparation involves  a huge slab of voluptuous foie perched on a duck fat biscuit, which is then doused with a sweet and tart cherries jubilee.  If that weren't enough, the chef accompanies this indulgent treat with a foie parfait of sorts, with layers of whipped foie and "jam," topped with oats, which was also served with with toasted brioche.  A far more opulent version of your standard lunch sandwich, the smooth creaminess of the foie spread lusciously over the slightly golden brioche.  It is a masterpiece of foie proportions, and I highly recommend trying any foie dish from Executive Chef Gabriel Fenton.  He is truly a expert of calibrating the ideal composition of this luxurious treasure.

The 60z. prime New York Strip Pavé is my typical Spice entree selection of choice.  Accompanied by roasted eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, black garlic, and caper vinaigrette, it is single-handedly the most juicy and hearty slab of meat I've had in a long while.  There is a gorgeous char on the outside, while the inside remains a dusky rose pink.  The beef itself is succulent and sops up the complimentary components quite well.  Alongside the main, you also have the option of choosing additional add-ons, and for a mere $10 extra, I highly recommend the Alaskan King Crab Béarnaise, an ethereal accompaniment full of tender crab meat in a beguilingly indulgent sauce.

The first time I went for dessert (for my birthday dinner), I chose the pecan butterscotch parfait with Snickerdoodle crumbs, and vanilla chantilly.  The rich parfait is so smooth and thick, it is on the verge of being custard, which plays of the Snickerdoodle crunch and pecan quite well.  It is the kind of fun that makes your inner child do cart-wheels, and yet, it is meticulously executed for the discerning adult palate.

I also have gotten the wild blueberry shortcake with ginger shortbread and local corn ice cream.  The shortbread kind of reminds me of a biscuit, but combined with the cream, the tart and sweet blueberries and the fabulous corn ice cream, the whole combination really works, and keeps the dish from being overly cloying.
     Meals at Bourbon are a spectacular progression of some truly phenomenal cuisine.
If all that food isn't enough, they also bring a final sweet bite, a little dark chocolate bourbon truffle "pop," to officially seal their fate as one of Miami's top restaurants.

I've also heard they have one of the best burgers in town, and I'm looking forward to heading back to give it a try at some point (during Miami Spice, it is pretty difficult to resist getting that menu)!  With creativity and culinary acumen, Chef Fenton is elevating steakhouses to new heights.  I mentioned the cocktails, but they really have quite the exceptional wine list as well.  Furthermore, our service is always beyond impeccable, and the staff go above and beyond to ensure that our experience is flawless (they even brought some truffle popcorn over to the table when I was seated before having a chance to snag some at the bar on my second visit).  Oh, and to really put the cherry on the sundae, the valet is free with validation from the restaurant!

Bourbon Steak is absolutely worth trying so make reservations and head to:

  Bourbon Steak at the Turnberry Isle
  19999 West Country Club Drive
  Miami, FL 33180
  (786) 279-6600

  

San Francisco Treats: The Slanted Door, Nopa, and Good Mong Kok

On a recent venture to San Francisco I couldn't help but to swing by the acclaimed Slanted Door.  Hidden in the back of the Ferry Building, it's sleek, refined, and got a killer view.

Often restaurants that are reallly hyped up end up wildly disappointing me, so I definitely entered with a bit of trepidation.  We had made reservations in advance, which is prudent, since by the time we finished our meal there was not a single table to be had in the entire place!
     On a cool day there is nothing better than a bowl of warm soup.  Subscribing to this philosophy we began with a bowl of piping hot Pho Bo. This Vietnamese beef soup come with Prather Ranch London Broil, brisket, and wide rice noodles.  It is every bit the hearty soup you would imagine, with giant hunks of tender meat.  You can even see the wispy tendrils of steam curling off the hot bowl below...Mmm...

We then decided to try the Vietnamese Crepe appetizer.  Unlike the typical French crepe, the Vietnamese version is more of an omelet, which is then filled with gulf shrimp, pork shoulder, bean sprouts, and yellow onions at the Slanted Door.  The "crepe" itself is deftly cooked, and also kind of crispy without being burned, which was a pleasant departure from the usual omelet.  We were also given massive leaves of lettuce to make little wraps, which I thought was only enhanced by the addition of the delicate fish sauce.

Since we hit up Slanted Door following a mini-vacation to Napa and Sonoma (in which we really indulged and gorged ourselves), we opted for some lighter salads.  Luckily, these were not your average garden salad.  A splendid visual and gustatory assault on the senses, the grapefruit and jicama salad is prepared with red cabbage, pickled carrot, and candied pecans.  It was crisp and really interesting, with the seemingly disparate flavors melding really well together.

The green papaya salad is to die for too with pickled carrot, rau ram, crispy shallot and roasted peanut.  It was refreshing, and really managed to tap into multiple flavor components...sweet, sour, salty, and crunchy.

Making our way to the entrees,we selected the grilled wild gulf shrimp from the "noodle" section of the menu.  Of the dishes we received this seemed the most traditional Vietnamese.  Accompanied by rice vermicelli noodle, vegetarian imperial roll, cucumber and mint it is served with a light broth.

Finally we came to the end of our meal, and with so many satisfying dishes we couldn't restrain ourselves from also indulging in dessert.  Although several sounded pretty creative, the chocolate croquettes with avocado ice cream and sweet chili jam really piqued our curiosity.  I'm glad it did because it was  unlike anything I have ever experienced.  The avocado ice cream was rich and smooth.  You could taste it was avocado, but the flavor wasn't so dominant as to make the dish savory.  Also the crunchy balls labeled as croquettes were filled with a tantalizing liquid bittersweet chocolate. Overall, both components worked quite well too with the sweet chili jam which was neither overly cloying, nor too spicy.

From start to finish we were completely enamored with every aspect of our meal at Slanted Door.  It was one of my favorite stops in San Francisco.  To find the restaurant for yourself, head to the back of the Ferry building at:

The Slanted Door
1 Harbor Bay Isle
San Francisco Ferry Building #3
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 861-8032

   
     Among other stops I thoroughly enjoyed in San Francisco, I'd also recommend a meal at Nopa (again make reservations in advance), and picking up some dim sum from Good Mong Kok.
     Nopa is a cool American Nouveau place that uses seasonal, local ingredients.  They also have a ridiculously phenomenal brunch.  The Ramos Gin Fizz was spot on and extremely well balanced.  Made with Hayman's Old Tom gin, cream, lime, lemon, and egg white, it tasted like a Key Lime Pie in a glass.  As for the cuisine, favorites included the custard french toast with lavender honey glazed strawberries and lemon butter, and the savory goat cheese breading pudding with blueberries and arugula.  Like I previously mentioned though, they use seasonal ingredients, so the menu is constantly changing depending on the chef's creativity and what's available.


Nopa
560 Divisadero Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 864-8643



     Good Mong Kok Bakery is little more than an informal to-go kind of place where the menu isn't even listed in English.  It's often packed to the gills, and it is cash only.  Caveats aside, it is one of the best finds in the city, with some seriously rocking dumplings that are so cheap you feel like you're robbing them.  The shumai are juicy and flavorful, the pork buns are fluffy balls of dough stuffed with a tangy BBQ pork, and the shrimp and chive dumplings are umami bliss.   I think I actually walked away with about 8 dumplings plus a sesame ball for dessert and the whole thing only cost about $5. An exceptional hole-in-the-wall that I find myself gravitating towards on every visit to San Francisco.

Good Mong Kok
1039 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 397-2688

The Dutch takes on Korean BBQ

     Recently it seems like every restaurant in town offers some gimmick to lure in hungry diners.  Gone are the occasional wine and food pairings, and instead, Miami is replete with beer dinners, special tasting menus, and weekly clambakes (not that this is a bad thing). The Dutch decided to throw their gauntlet into the ring as well, offering a weekly summer BBQ series at a meager $30pp ("meager" compared to a normal full price meal here).  With the promise of Andrew Carmellini's genius and a generous serving of Korean BBQ whetting our appetite, we made our way to the Dutch.
     The W Hotel has always been one of my favorites spots on the South Beach, a chic and lavish spot that oozes sex appeal.  Color me surprised to discover that amidst the deep woods and sumptuous fabrics, the Dutch appeared as a beacon of comfort.  It is definitely still elegant, however, there is something about it that reminds of an IKEA-obsessed, retro-toy collector's living room.  While it verges on kitsch, somehow the fanciful pictures and knickknacks compliment the streamlined whites to make the entire venue feels laid back yet classy.

Part of the draw to the dinner series was undoubtedly the collaboration with Bar Lab, the geniuses partially responsible for the Broken Shaker.  Accordingly, we could not resist getting one of the specialty pitchers offered that evening, the Not So Standard Mule, which came with generous amounts of raspberry puree, and tasted kind of citrus-y, like it was made with grapefruit juice.  An ideal summer beverage.

We also ordered an English Rose off the normal drink menu.  Plymoth gin, Dolin Blanc, rhubarb syrup, muddled strawberries, lemon, Burlesque bitters, and egg white combined to produced an immaculate dusky rose pink cocktail.  It was light, smooth, complex, and so utterly addictive, I probably could have downed ten in a row without even realizing.

While waiting for our main meal (and sipping drinks that look like the alcoholic embodiment of Valentine's day), we were brought a jalapeno cornbread accompanied by a luscious butter.  It was moist, and the jalapeno added a much appreciated kick, however, I was disappointed by the absence of actual corn, which I personally feel always enhances the taste and monotony of a loaf of cornbread.

The Korean BBQ delivered a pretty generous range of dishes, which were served family style and portioned out depending on the party's size (in our case, there was four of us).  This is what it looked like when split for each person:

On the main platter the meat was served up several different ways.  There was beef bulgogi skewers, pork belly with grilled napa cabbage, and kimchi glazed beef ribs.  In addition, this was also where they placed the pajeon, which are basically green scallion pancakes.  The bulgogi skewers were phenomenal, really flavorful and tender.  While I did also enjoy the fall off the bone meat of the ribs and the pork belly, both erred on the fatty side, in my opinion.  However, these may have just been the pieces I received since my dining companions were far happier with theirs.  As for the pajeon, I thought the were a bit chewier than the traditional versions I've had elsewhere (like Gabose), but this is not to say they weren't still quite delectable.

The meal was also accompanied by bibimap, white kimchi, and cucumber kimchee.  The cool white kimchi provided an appreciated contrast to some of the hotter elements of the meal, like the pungent heat from the other kimchi.  Also, the bibimap was served in the traditional style, with the bottom crisping ever so slightly, and a lovely egg perched on top of the rice in the skillet.

In honor of the Korean BBQ theme, they offered a white miso ice cream for dessert.  While I was concerned it might be too savory a selection to cleanse the palate, I was pleasantly happy to admit how wrong I was, instead finding it entirely gratifying, and a unique balance of sweet and salty almost like a salted caramel.  We also chose one of the regular menu item desserts, devil's food cake with vanilla meringue, fudge sauce, and White Russian ice cream.  The golden meringue peaks were the perfect accompaniment to the rich chocolate layers of cake and buttercream, and I appreciated the bitterness and crunch from the crumbles, which tasted like they had a tinge of espresso beans.

The biggest gripe of the evening was the unexpected water charge, which was not too outlandish ($12 total), we just hadn't foreseen it since we hadn't been informed.  Overall though it was a great experience, and I would definitely go back to try another of the themed dinners.
    The regular menu is quite interesting on its own too, with choices like a lobster salad with hearts of palm and mango, or mustard glazed pork chops with cannellini bean ragout, and kale, or Colorado Lamp Chop with spicy Merguez and stewed peppers.  Caremellini's Miami outpost, manned by Chef de Cuisine Conor Hanlon, really delivers on upgrading American cuisine and is well worth checking out.  The comfortable spot manages to deliver on quality while never quite feeling pretentious, making it ideal to take a date, a business associate, or that out of town visitor.

   To check out the Dutch for yourself head to:
 2201 Collins Avenue  Miami Beach, FL 33139

(305) 938-3111