Cuban Fusion Dinner at Finka Table and Tap

September 9, 2014September 9, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Finka Entrance

In a city where Cuban restaurants and bakeries are plentiful, it’s really quite difficult to find one that is truly unique. Finka Table and Tap however is the exception to this rule. This one of a kind Gastro Pub boasts a bold menu with Cuban, Korean and Peruvian dishes. I first heard about this place about a month ago from a friend who said it was a great place to eat. Soon enough I began seeing the restaurant all over Instagram and Twitter and I decided it was time to go. Jessica and I were excited to try this new little spot and here’s what we had.

Green Acres and Cuban Old Fashioned

Green Acres – Leblon Cachaça, Fresh Cucumber, Pink Peppercorn Syrup, Lime Juice and Kimchi Flakes. Cuban Old Fashioned – Old Forester86 Bourbon, Bustelo Café Syrup, Angostura and Angostura Orange Bitters. These drinks were a true work of art. Green Acres is an incredibly refreshing drink with the perfect combination of sweet, sour, bitter and smooth. The Cuban Old Fashioned was a very interesting twist on a drink that I love and I would definitely order it again.

Mariquitas (Fried Plantains)

Mariquitas – Fried Plantains. It is typical for Cuban restaurants to serve bread while deciding what to order but not at Finka. These Mariquitas were crunchy and flavorful with a really interesting presentation. We definitely enjoyed these.

Croquetas

Croquetas – Fried Ham Pastry and Fried Chicken Pastry. Croquetas are a staple of Cuban cuisine which typically consist of fried ham, chicken or fish. However Jessica and I decided that we would try the ham and chicken Croquetas this time around. These little pastries were cooked to perfection with a crunchy outside and a soft inside served on a bed of alfalfa sprouts.

Garbanzos Fritos

Garbanzos Fritos – Chic Peas, Chorizo, Cilantro and Fried Carrots. What a treat! This little dish is served in a cast iron skillet with the fried carrots on top. Each bite of this exquisite dish was more mouthwatering than the last. I think this was our favorite dish. The flavor from the chorizo and the texture from the Garbanzos made this an unforgettable plate.

Flat Bread Pizza with Vaca Frita

Vaca Frita Flatbread Pizza – Marinated Flank Steak, Cilantro, Caramelized Onions, Mozzarella and Tomato Sauce. This interesting mix was a unique spin on flatbread pizza that I have never experienced before. The Vaca Frita was cooked to a savory perfection while the flatbread kept a hint of its wood oven flavor giving it the perfect taste. A special dish indeed.

Finka Table and Tap was a great Gastro Pub experience for Jessica and I. This is a place that I will definitely return to in the future. For anyone who likes Cuban food, this place is a must. I hope you all enjoyed the post and thanks for stopping by!

Dinner with a Twist at Barley and Swine

August 12, 2014August 12, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / 3 Comments

Barley&Swine – Mac-n-Cheese

Located in Downtown Dadeland, this Gastro pub has earned the title of best croquetta’s in town! Recommended to us by our good friend Kelci, Barley and Swine is a new spot that serves up its own brand of American Comfort food. With Latin and Asian flavors fused into every dish, this spot is great for trying things with a twist. Jessica and I had a great time at this restaurant and this is what we ordered.

Barley&Swine – Croquetas

Croquetta’s – serrano ham, manchego cheese, guava sauce and parmesan cheese. Hands down, best Croquetta’s I’ve ever had. Each bite was both pure joy and pure sadness. Pure joy because of its perfect combination of flavors and pure sadness because of its ability to disappear so quickly. I highly recommend these to anyone who’s willing to step outside of their comfort zone. You won’t regret it.

Beer – American Bourbon Ale and Wine – House white wine. Being a gastro pub, a large selection of beers could always be expected. This one in particular was delicious. Jessica got the house white wine which came chilled and was great too.

Barley&Swine – Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes – pimiento cheese, crispy bacon and pimiento aioli. The presentation of these fried green tomatoes was unfortunately better than their actual taste. While the pimiento aioli was a great addition to the fried green tomatoes, the breading was too thick. This resulted in a mushy tomato with a crunchy exterior which was not terrible, but I wouldn’t order it again.

Barley&Swine – Mac-n-Cheese

House Mac & Cheese – large shell pasta – house blended cheese. Wow. I mean Wow. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy Mac & Cheese from anywhere else ever again. This dish of Mac & Cheese is served in the same cast iron skillet that it is cooked in. While in the picture you may think that the tops of the shells were charred and burnt, you would be incorrect. Those seemingly burnt shells were just as good as the ones on the bottom making this dish an absolute winner in my book. I highly recommend this one to all food lovers as well.

Barley and Swine is definitely a great place to try both new and classic dishes. I will be coming back for an order of those Croquetta’s and I may stay for another Mac & Cheese when I do. Thanks for stopping by!

Brunch at Rok BRGR South Miami

June 27, 2014June 29, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / Leave a comment

Rok BRGR Bacon Jam Sliders

South Miami is an area in Miami that has recently joined in on the food revolution. For about the past five years South Miami has boasted a diverse restaurant and bar scene. On Sunday Jessica and I decided to go to one of our favorite Gastro-Pubs in South Miami called Rok BRGR. From the first time that we went we instantly fell in love. Their Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon selection is great, which is a plus for me as I genuinely enjoy a well-made Old Fashioned cocktail. As for Jessica, she loves mimosas which happen to be free and unlimited for ladies on Sundays. With that type of a deal we just can’t resist going. Here’s what we had.

Rok BRGR Classic Eggs Benedict

I ordered the Classic Eggs Benedict which came with a fruit salad. The flavors were great but I feel that they put just a little too much benedict sauce making the bread wet and soft. The fruit salad on the other hand went extremely well with the relatively heavy dish. I probably would not order this dish again.

Blue Moon and Mimosa

Blue Moon (Left) and Mimosa (Right). Our drinks were both amazing. Though I love my old fashioned cocktail, 12pm is a little early for me to indulge on Bourbon so I went with a Blue Moon instead. It has an Orange flavor to it which is great in the morning and Jessica’s Mimosas were mixed to perfection.

Rok BRGR Bacon Jam Sliders

Jessica ordered the Bacon Jam Sliders which contains Kobe beef, maple bourbon bacon jam and brie cheese (she usually orders better than I do!). I’m salivating just reminiscing on those delicious sliders (I had to steal one of course). These little burgers were cooked to perfection and the maple bourbon bacon jam worked perfectly with the brie cheese. I would recommend this dish to anyone.

All in all our Brunch was successful. Though I wasn’t overly fond of the Classic Eggs Benedict, I don’t want to dissuade you from going to this place. I have eaten their multiple times and highly recommend that you order what they do best, Burgers. Apart from that, the unlimited free Mimosas for women on Sunday’s is hard to beat. This place has a nice homey vibe and a great crowd that could be expected from any worthwhile Gastro-Pub. Thanks for stopping by.

Delightful Dinner at Miracle Mile

June 24, 2014 / tellmemoreblogger / 4 Comments

Inside of Swine

Miami is a great place to try new restaurants and experiment with different foods. Recently there has been a Gastro-Pub revolution in the Miami area. With a more intimate vibe, unique drinks and menus that reflect a Chef’s creativity, they are all the rave. This is why we chose to go to Miracle Mile in Miami, an area that’s known for its shopping, bars and most of all its trending restaurants. Saturday, Jessica and I went to a relatively new Gastro-Pub named Swine. Here’s what we had.

Fried Green Tomatoes at Swine

Fried Green Tomatoes. These delicious little green tomatoes won us over from the first bite. The flavors were so fresh and Earthy that we almost ordered seconds and ditched our meals. Ingredients: FL Tomme, pea shoots and tomato chow chow. I don’t quite know what those things are by themselves, but together I know that they are the best fried green tomatoes I have ever had!

(Left) Orkney Skull Splitter (Right) homestead Bound at Swine

Orkney Skull Splitter Ale and the Homestead Bound. Probably the most creative and refreshing drink I have ever had in my life, of course ordered by Jessica. The Homestead Bound ingredients: Absolut Vodka, Veev Acai, fresh strawberries, orange, lemon basil and mint. This delightful amalgamation of fresh ingredients and properly mixed alcohol is a game changer to say the least. I will definitely order that again when I return. The beer that I ordered was really great too, packed with rich complex flavor that anyone should expect from a good ale.

The Swine Burger

The Swine Burger. Ingredients: Short-rib, brisket and smoked pork blend, homemade dill pickle, thick-cut house smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, American cheese and Swine’s special sauce. The burger was a great choice as all of the ingredients could be savored individually and no single ingredient overpowered another. The lettuce and tomato was fresh, the bacon was crispy and the meat was cooked to perfection.

Cookies&Milk at Swine

Cookies and Milk. Ingredients: White chocolate stuffed homemade Oreos, ice-cold bourbon spiked milk and a dark chocolate dipping sauce. I should say that I’m lucky to have Jessica by my side because if not for her then I would have never tried this desert. The cookies and dipping sauce were warm and the spiked milk was super cold. Every bite was just as delicious as the last leaving you wanting more. Initially skeptical about the spiced milk, we were shocked to find that the subtle hint of bourbon gave the milk just the right amount of flavor to make it perfect.

For those of you who are looking for a restaurant with a unique personality and a world class chef, go to Swine. This Gastro-Pub nestled in Miracle Mile Miami is my new favorite restaurant hands down. A relaxed ambiance with dim lighting and creative décor make this restaurant everything that a Gastro-Pub should be. We had great service and we could tell that the staff was as excited about the food as we were. We felt like we were among friends who wanted us to enjoy this experience with them. Swine is a definite winner in my book and I recommend the spot to anyone who is willing to try something new. Thanks for stopping by.