restaraunt review | tellmemoreblogger

Merrick Park is an area in Coral Gables with plenty of stores to shop from and some really great locations to grab a bite. Yard House is a place that is well known for its hefty beer selection and American style cuisine. They don’t actually sell yards of beer though, trust me I asked. If you like trying new beers and maybe even ordering a sampler this is the ideal location, though I’ll warn you not to go on a Saturday because there’s no happy hour and the beers are overpriced in my opinion. With a dim lit ambiance, classic rock playing in the background and TV screens lining the walls, this place is great for watching a game. Here’s what Jessica and I ordered…

Bass and Elden Flower

Bass – American Pale Ale. Elden Flower – Champagne, St. Germaine, Hypnotic and Thyme. My beer came to the table just a notch above warm which I didn’t really like. However Jessica’s drink was refreshing and really well prepared.

Spinach Cheese Dip

Spinach Cheese Dip – Baked with feta, jack, parmesan and cream cheese served with crispy flatbread. This spinach cheese dip came piping hot to the table with a unique crispy flatbread as the dipping chip. We definitely enjoyed this spinach dip because of the four-cheese blend and fresh spinach mixture. The only thing that I wasn’t too fond of was the crispy flatbread chips because some of them were more chewy than crispy.

New York Steak Sandwich

New York Steak Sandwich – Steak prepared to your specification, roasted Roma tomatoes, Swiss cheese, fried onions, garlic aioli with thin sliced fries. This steak sandwich was out of this world. Cooked to perfection, the thick steak had great flavor and the fried onions really worked well with the dish. This I would certainly order again if I return.

Mini Chocolate Souffle

Mini Chocolate Soufflé – Served warm with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. As far as chocolate soufflé is concerned, this desert was on point. I wouldn’t say that I loved the desert but it was good and I did enjoy the vanilla ice cream on top.

Though this restaurant doesn’t really make the cut of my top ten, I still think it’s worth giving it a shot. I will try going back to Yard House during the week when they have happy hour and specials to give it another shot. Thanks for stopping by and happy Monday everyone!

Pincho Burger and Bacon Cheddar Fries

Pincho Factory is a small casual restaurant with a big reputation in the Miami area. Known for their pincho’s and burgers, Jessica and I decided to give the burgers a shot. (I’m becoming slightly concerned at how often I order burgers. Leave it to blogging to realize you’re a burger addict!) After placing our order and taking a seat, we could not help but realize the diversity of the crowd around us. People from all walks of life gathered under a small roof to enjoy some really great food. It doesn’t get much better than that. So here’s what we ordered…

Mimosa and Heineken

First order of business is always ordering a drink. I went with an ice cold Heineken (Right) and Jessica went with a fresh Mimosa (Left). Who says Mimosas are only for brunch. We enjoyed both drinks.

Pincho Burger and Bacon Cheddar Fries (Left) Toston Burger (Right)

Next comes the Pincho Burger and Bacon Cheddar French Fries (Left). Obviously this isn’t a meal that I would recommend anyone eat often, but when you feel like taking a break from the healthy stuff this sure does hit the spot. The Pincho Burger was cooked to juicy perfection with lettuce, tomato, potato sticks and their special sauce. The Bacon Cheddar fries came with a ranch dressing on top. Each bite was both delicious and depressing. Delicious in taste but depressing in that I could tell it was a calorie bomb. Another and perhaps more renowned dish is the Toston Burger (Right) which Jessica ordered. Sandwiched between two tostones (fried plantains) comes a well-cooked burger with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and a homemade cilantro sauce. If I return to the Pincho Factory I might consider ordering that burger instead. With the innovative toston buns and that amazing cilantro sauce, this burger is in a category of its own. Keep in mind though that the burger is super filling and likely to be too much for one person. Jessica could attest to that.

2nd Round

Desert ended up being a second round for us. After such a filling meal, it was all that we could bare.

My favorite part of our dinner was honestly the bill. Great prices and really unique food are always a great combination. For anyone thinking of going to the Pincho Factory I would strongly recommend doing so on a day that you’re starving. The burgers are very heavy and a side of bacon cheddar fries might put you in a food coma. Aside from that, I really enjoyed our dinner and plan on trying their Pincho’s next time. Thanks for stopping by!