The Broke Baker

Category: Reviews

Restaurant Reviews

  • B & B Butchers (A Review)

    B & B Butchers (A Review)

    On a recent visit to Houston to visit my sister, we agreed that I had to have a classic “Houston Steakhouse” experience.  After all, Texas is cattle country, and they sure do pride themselves on the quality of their beef.  B & B Butchers was not too far from where my sister lived at the time, so it was a good choice for us to try out.  Plus, the reviews were pretty high.  Can’t argue with that, right?

    The restaurant is located at the site of a former bakery.  In addition to the actual steakhouse restaurant, it also features a butcher shop and a deli on the side.  We didn’t visit either of those, and they are not visible from within where we were at the restaurant.

    Not long after you are seated, they bring you a nice basket of bread and a side of whipped butter.  That is pretty standard for a white-linen type of place.  The bread was good, although I don’t know what kind of bread it actually was.

    Their appetizer special was bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp.  While I wish that the bacon was a little more crisp, the dish overall was delicious.  It was served in a butter herb sauce that was subtle enough to keep your focus on the taste of the shrimp and the bacon.  My sister also ordered a crab cake, which was a solid crab cake.  It definitely tasted like a fancy steakhouse crab cake, but there was nothing particularly unique about it.

    For my entree, I got the ribeye club cut.  I had never had a “club cut” before, so I was expecting a long and marbled slab of fatty steak.  At first, I was shocked at getting what looked like a tiny filet.  When the shock wore off, I actually enjoyed my steak very much.  It wasn’t quite as tender as a filet, but it had full-bodied flavor.  It was also surprisingly filling, despite the size.  The steak was served with what I think was a house-made steak sauce and truffle “fries.”  To me, steak fries are more like potato wedges instead of fries, but they did taste a lot better than most potato wedges do.  I appreciated that the potato was soft all the way through, since steak fries have a tendency to taste raw in the middle.

    I enjoyed my meal at B & B Butchers and would definitely eat there again if my travels bring me to Houston.

    For more information on B & B Butchers, visit their web site at http://bbbutchers.com/

     

  • Shilla Korean BBQ (A Review)

    Shilla Korean BBQ (A Review)

    Korean BBQ is a popular method of grilling meat in Korean cuisine.  It is very similar to Japanese yakiniku.  With both types of cuisine, meats are brought to your table, where you can cook them to your liking on a grill that is built into the table. The main differences are that Korean BBQ meats are usually marinated large pieces of meat, while yakiniku features small pieces of meat that have not been marinated.  Shilla Korean BBQ stands out as one of the few sources to enjoy Korean BBQ, because Miami doesn’t have very many Korean BBQ restaurants.

    All of the meals at Shilla come with some traditional banchan (side dishes).  The have kimchi, pickled vegetables, bean sprouts, and some sort of fermented fish.  I normally ignore the banchan, although the pickled vegetables are a good palate cleanser sometimes.

    Your proteins are brought out already prepped and ready for grilling.  We got bulgogi (marinated sirloin strips) and shrimp.  The orders include white rice and some raw veggies to grill along with your meats.

    Shilla uses infrared grills.  I’m not sure if this has any impact on the end result, but our meat was delicious.  It’s hard to judge a restaurant when you are technically cooking the meat yourself. The marinade that was used for the steak has a great flavor, but I wish that the grill had seared the steak a little better.

    If you’re not in the mood to cook your own food, Shilla Korean BBQ also has plenty of pre-made options available.  I ordered a dolsot bibimap (stone pot rice with beef and vegetables).  The bibimap is served in a hot stone pot that toasts the rice and makes it a little bit crunchy.  This means that it gets even better as it sits.  They also provide a side of spicy sauce to add to it.  I’m a wuss, so I don’t use it.

    Shlla Korean BBQ is a great place to enjoy some good Korean BBQ.  They don’t seem to have any large tables, so it’s best to come with a small group.

    For more information on Shilla Korean BBQ, please visit their web site at http://www.sushicafeshillakoreanbbq.com/

  • Miss Saigon (A Review)

    Miss Saigon (A Review)

    Vietnamese food is pretty hard to come by in South Florida.  In fact, it is rare enough that I had never actually tried any Vietnamese food until I was in my twenties.  There was this little hole in the wall around the corner from an office in North Miami Beach where I worked as a receptionist at the time.  I recall always getting the same thing, too.  I would get the Vietnamese crunchy noodles.  I’m pretty sure that I was addicted to them for a while.

    Since moving to the southern part of Miami Dade County, I had not seen Vietnamese food again until I found Miss Saigon.  Well, I didn’t find Miss Saigon as much as it was a regular lunch spot for several of my new coworkers, including a Vietnamese one.  It’s tucked away in a strip mall in Pinecrest, close to the Dadeland South Metrorail station.

    Thai iced tea is a must whenever I pay a visit.  I first thought it was strange to serve a popular Thai drink in a non-Thai restaurant.  I have since discovered that almost every Asian restaurant in the area does it, so it’s not that weird.  Some places don’t make it as strong as I’d like, but the one at Miss Saigon is bold and sweet.

    My entree of choice is almost always the lemongrass beef.  The lemongrass beef is these succulent stir fried strips of beef with spices and just a hint of curry.  It does come buried in onions, which aren’t my favorite thing, but I just move them to one side.  They have offered to make it for me without the onions. However, I feel like they play a big part in what gives this dish a great depth of flavor.  The dish does tend to be a little bit on the greasy side sometimes.  That aromatic oiliness is perfect for moistening your side of rice, though.

    Normally, I don’t get any dessert when I come here.  This day, we got the Thai donuts because we were there for a birthday.  For those that have never had a Thai donut, I think I would describe it as similar to an elephant ear in taste and texture.  They are typically enjoyed with condensed milk, either dipped or drizzled.  They’re a nice treat for after dinner, but a little heavy if you had a big dinner.

    I cannot vouch for the authenticity of Miss Saigon, but everything that I have tried on their menu has been tasty.  The services is friendly, and the food always tastes fresh.  It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something different.

  • Amaize (A Review)

    Amaize (A Review)

    My inner Colombian will always squeal in delight at the thought of eating an arepa.  Whether it’s plain and slathered in butter or split and stuffed with meat and/or cheese, I will have a hard time saying no.  It used to be that arepas were something that we got when our mother made them for us, or at a Colombian bakery.  Amaize, however, is aiming to bring these South American corn cakes to the South Florida mainstream.  This fast-casual restaurant, located in Doral (and now with a Davie location) features a selection of stuffed arepas and platters.

    Filling your arepas with all sorts of savory fillings is primarily a Venezuelan thing.  We Colombians typically do butter and cheese.  One thing we seem to agree on, though, is that Harina Pan (Pan brand corn flour) is definitely the way to go if you want your arepas to be the real deal.  Amaize has an entire wall dedicated to selling you everything that you need to make arepas at home.  Hint: you can also buy this corn flour at pretty much any grocery store in South Florida.

    Amaize lets you order an arepa a la carte, or add a side for a little extra.  I got the Shaggy (pulled beef with shredded Gouda cheese) and a side of chicken soup.  The arepa was meaty, cheesy deliciousness.  And, although they are a little hard to eat without making a mess, it is still satisfying.  Be warned, though, that the arepas are a bit smaller than they look.  If you’re a big eater, you might want to order two.

    For more information, please visit their web site at http://www.amaizeyou.com/

  • PizzaRev (A Review)

    PizzaRev (A Review)

    Good pizza has always been hard to come by in Miami.  And, even pizza places that are great when they first open start to decline after a while sometimes, so the hunt for a good pie is a perpetual one.  I don’t consider myself an expert on pizza, but I know what I like in my pies.  I like fresh cheese, a tomato sauce that is not overpowering, and meat that doesn’t taste like it came out of drug store bag.  On all of these counts, PizzaRev delivered.

    PizzaRev’s menu style is not a new concept.  I typically refer to these kinds of places as “Chipotles for Pizza,” which seems like an accurate estimation.  You’ve got an assembly line setup where you can build your perfect pie, then take it back to your table piping hot.  What really makes or breaks these types of pizza joints is the quality of their ingredients.

    You can pick from four different types of sauces and an assortment of cheeses, including vegan cheese.  They also have baskets of breadsticks, but I didn’t try those.  Their tomato sauce is made with organic tomato.

    The next section is where you add the “heavy” toppings like meats.

    The last section is where you add the “lighter” toppings, like sprinklings of herbs or vegetables.  I like my pizzas simple, so I got pepperoni, basil, and garlic on mine.

    The end-product was an absolute beauty.  The crust is thin enough to let the flavors of the toppings shine through, but not so thin that your pizza just collapses if you try to pick up a slice.  The cheese at PizzaRev had that stretch that comes with any good pizza, and the sauce didn’t overpower the rest of the toppings.

    The counter service was nice, and the place is kept very clean.  I would definitely go back!

    For more information on PizzaRev, visit their web site at https://pizzarev.com/

  • Corleone’s (A Review)

    Corleone’s (A Review)

    Not everyone knows this, but I actually lived in Philadelphia, PA for a while.  More specifically, I lived in Center City and then South Philly.  Back when I thought I could be an artist, I went to an art college in the area.  My life eventually took a different path, but not before I spent a year or two living there.  I don’t miss a whole lot about my broke college says in Philadelphia, but I DO miss those amazing cheesesteaks.  I have always wanted to go back for a visit to eat some of the grub from my college days, but I haven’t found a good reason to justify the cost of a plane ticket.  Still, I really miss a good Philly cheesesteak, and they are nearly impossible to come by unless you’re fortunate enough to have a native Philadelphian move into your town.  That’s where Corleone’s comes in.

    Corleone’s is actually in Phoenix, Arizona.  Thanks to Hurricane Irma barreling towards Florida, I made a hasty retreat to Arizona to stay with my sister and her family.  My brother-in-law was born and raised in Philadelphia, and mentioned this as a place to get an authentic cheesesteak.  Not only is the owner originally from Philadelphia, but my brother-in-law went to High School with the owner’s nephew.  It doesn’t get more Philadelphia than that!  Even better, the traditional Philly attitude is absent at Corleone’s.  Instead, you are greeted at the counter with a smile, and they will answer any questions patiently if you haven’t quite decided what you want when you get to the counter.

    In true Philly fashion, the cheesesteaks are made with thinly sliced ribeye.  And, also in true Philly fashion, they offer CHEEZ WHIZ for their sandwiches.  The bread was soft, but did not get mushy or soggy and held together very well against the moistness of the meat and cheese.  The fries were golden, crispy, and well-seasoned.  The next time I visit my family in Arizona, I would like to try getting one of these to-go and see if it holds up to traveling as well as the cheesesteaks from Philadelphia do.  And yes, I will definitely be asking my family to take me back to Corleone’s during my next family visit.

    For more information on Corleone’s, visit their web site at http://www.corleones.net/

  • Homecomin’ (A Review)

    Homecomin’ (A Review)

    The best part about having a job that requires occasional travel is that you get to try new places to eat in different areas.  I make a big show out of it, too.  I scour the web for what’s around the area where I will be staying with good reviews and a menu that piques my interest.  My trip to Orlando for a conference was no different.

    The main challenge of dining in Orlando is that it’s a very “touristy” city, with the theme parks and all.  So, lots of the restaurants cater to tourists or don’t really bother making great food because they don’t expect return customers anyway.  I can’t tell you how many times I felt like I overpaid for my meals during weekends in Orlando.  I was hesitant to even consider eating at any restaurants in Disney Springs, the themed outdoor mall that was formerly Downtown Disney.  But, my hotel was only a few minutes away and I am lazy about driving in unfamiliar cities.  I found Chef Art Smith’s restaurant, Homecomin’, on the list of restaurants in Disney Springs and knew that I had to go there.  I mean, Southern food by the guy that was formerly Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef!?  Who would say no to that?

    I was able to snag a seat at the bar by hovering by some bar patrons that were settling their tab.  It’s worth pointing out that the restaurant was jam packed in the early evening on a Sunday, and I assume it only gets worse as the evening wears on.  The bar serves the same menu as the dining area, and I opted for an appetizer.  The Thigh High Chicken Biscuits sounded like a winner to me.  The chicken is brined for 24 hours before it is fried, drizzled with hot honey, and sandwiched between two halves of a cheddar biscuit.  The sandwiches also had butter pickles, which I picked off.  The chicken had a crisp, flavorful crust that yielded with little trouble to reveal impeccably juicy meat underneath.  The hot honey added a subtle sweetness and a touch of heat.  The biscuits were of the drop variety, but they were tender and flaky.  Did I mention that they have sweet tea?  Do you really need anything else besides a glass of sweet tea and some fried chicken after a flight?  I didn’t think so.

    The service was also great.  I sat at the bar, which often lends itself to getting ignored in favor of patrons that are drinking heavily.  Instead, each bartender checked on me several times and made sure that I had everything that I needed.  They were also very knowledgeable on the menu, which is GREAT when you’re that annoying diner that asks a million questions about menu items.

    I strongly recommend reservations, or be prepared to wait a while.

    For more information about Homecomin’, please visit the web site at http://www.homecominkitchen.com/

  • Platillos Voladores (A Review)

    Platillos Voladores (A Review)

    This is kind of an unorthodox post.  Most of the time, when I write a review, it’s mostly so that my friends and family know where to eat locally.  Platillos Voladores (Spanish for “Flying Saucers”)  is not exactly local.  In fact, it’s not even in this country.

    I’m actually writing this review at the insistence of my mother, who loves this restaurant so much that she brought me here during my recent visit to Colombia and promised the chef that her daughter would write a review on her blog.  The restaurant is in Cali, tucked away on a street with a tiny sign that makes it very hard to see or find.  Fortunately, I was with family that knew exactly where they were going.  It labels itself a fusion restaurant, and the extensive menu shows it.

    Bread Plate

    Not long after being seated, they bring out a bread plate with slices of white and wheat bread.  It’s served with cream cheese topped with fruit sauce, which I skipped and opted for butter instead.

    Their special cocktail consisted of passion fruit juice mixed with rum and macerated fruit (strawberries and kiwi), which they could also make non-alcoholic.  The drink itself was pretty tart, but refreshing.  And, the fruit was incredibly fresh and sweet, so the drink got sweeter as I drank more of it and let the fruit soak in longer.

    One of the appetizers that we got for the table was the beef carpaccio.  It was served under a bed of Parmesan cheese, greens, and crispy onion tangles.  Eating raw meat in a foreign country went against everything that I was advised, especially since my last visit to Colombia was marred with some pretty horrific food poisoning.  Still, if someone as picky as my mother trusts a dish, then I have no reason to shy away.  I don’t regret my decision, because the carpaccio was one of the best that I have ever had.  The beef was so fresh, and the vinaigrette that accompanied the dish struck a perfect balance without overtaking the dish.

    One thing that I realized during this trip was that, in Colombia, ceviche is most commonly made with shrimp instead of fish.  And, much to my dismay, a popular preparation for shrimp ceviche in Colombia involves ketchup and mayonnaise.  So, I very much expected to have a hard pass on the ceviche when they ordered it, until it showed up at the table.  It was topped with julienned green mango, red onions, and some avocado.  The ceviche marinade tasted like it was a mixture of citrus and vinegar, which made it feel more like I was eating a shrimp salad than a ceviche, but it didn’t make it any less delicious.  My aunt called dibs on the leftover vinaigrette and drank it.

    The star of the dish, to me, was the stuff served on the side.  Those puffy sticks are called carantanta.  Basically, it’s a corn crackling.  They take the dried up corn residue left on the pots when they make corn dough for tamales and other dishes and fry it until it’s puffy and crispy.  Not only was it a great “chip” to eat with the ceviche, but it tastes great on its own.  So much so, that we asked for two orders of the carantanta to take home.  I’m still trying to figure out how to make some at home.

    Lomo Yin Yang

    I had the Lomo Yin Yang for my entree, and the presentation of the dish is actually a pretty nice and clever play on its name.  One side was a beef filet medallion smothered in a mushroom and blue cheese sauce.  The other side was a beef filet medallion topped with crispy onion tangles and a 3-pepper sauce.  Both sauces were incredibly rich, but in different ways.  My meat was cooked perfectly, and the blue cheese sauce was not as intense as I imagined it was going to be.  The pepper sauce had a kick to it, but not unpleasantly so.  I was tempted to mix the sauces to see how they would taste together, but I decided to eat each side separately.  And, it kind of shames me to admit it, but I completely ignored my side salad.

    For the most part, I am usually underwhelmed by the food in Colombia, and had very low expectations.  Yet, Platillos Voladores managed to blow me away.  I hope that I can eat there again during my next visit to Cali, whenever that may be..

    For more information on Platillos Voladores, visit their web site at http://www.platillosvoladores.com/

  • The Parlor Pizzeria (A Review)

    The Parlor Pizzeria (A Review)

    I must admit that it came as a shock to me to find out that Phoenix, Arizona is kind of “on the map” as one of the go-to cities in the US for pizza lovers.  I expected it to shine in Southwestern food, but my few visits to my sister over there have left me a little underwhelmed in that regard.  So, when a pizza place in Phoenix made it on a Food Network list, I used the next visit to my sister and her family as an excuse to give them a try.  We made our way to The Parlor Pizzeria in a caravan of half adults and half kids.

    The walkway towards the entrance is decorated with a small garden.  According to the hostess, they try to get as much of their pizza ingredients from their outdoor garden.  That is one thing that stood out about this place.

    We started with a fritto misto (fried calamari and shrimp) and an order of arancini (fried saffron risotto balls).  We enjoyed both.  The fritto misto had a very light batter and was tender, not rubbery.  None of us were fans of romesco sauce, but discovered that it was fanastic when dipped in the pomodoro sauce that arancini were served with.  I expected the arancini to be cheesier, but it was a little bit dry and crumbly on the inside.  This probably helped the saffron stand out, but I’m used to risotto being creamy and cheesy.

    Unlike most pizza joints, The Parlor Pizzeria doesn’t have a “build your own pizza” option where you pick your size and toppings.  Instead, they have a fixed menu of available pizzas with pre-selected toppings.  I played it safe and ordered a Pepperoni.  It came with giant slices of pepperoni, house-made mozzarella cheese, and basil.  I can’t begin to describe how amazing it smelled when it was brought to the table.  Then I tasted it.  I think I finally understand why restaurants boast about local ingredients on their menus.  This pizza was unlike any mass-produced pie that I have ever eaten in my life.  Even the grease pooling up on top of the pizza was flavorful.  It tasted of all of the love and passion that was used to make every single ingredient.  It tasted like heaven.  Cheesy, greasy heaven.

    For the kids, they also had plain cheese pizza, as well as pepperoni pizza without the fancy cheese and basil.  The kids, picky as they are, all loved their pizza and were excited to come back when their aunt from Miami asked if there was time for a quick lunch before dropping her off at the airport on the day that she was scheduled to leave.  And, I definitely plan on visiting them again the next time that I’m in Phoenix.

    For more information on The Parlor Pizzeria, visit their web site at https://theparlor.us/

  • Pascal’s on Ponce (A Review)

    Pascal’s on Ponce (A Review)

    Pascal’s on Ponce opened in Coral Gables back in 2000, and is still going strong.  Given the general fickleness of the restaurant industry, especially in South Florida, this says a lot.  Since it opened, it has been recognized by food-writers and critics nationwide for its made-to-order contemporary French cuisine.

    Pascal’s on Ponce, like many other restaurants in South Florida, is typically above my price range.  But, sometimes life throws you a bone.  In this case, that “bone” was a discounted 3-course meal promotion and someone else footing the bill.  That’s all the excuse that I needed to show up one night after work.

    This being a French restaurant, we started off with a piece of warm, crusty bread with soft butter.  I don’t think that the bread is made in-house, but it still tasted good.

    We were surprised at our table with an amuse-bouche of salmon cake.  I typically only like salmon in sushi form, as it tends to taste too “fishy” for me once it’s cooked.  However, I enjoyed this salmon cake, and the “fishyness” was quite muted.

    Pascal's on Ponce Lobster Bisque

    I’m a sucker for a good lobster bisque, so I already knew that it was what I wanted to order when it was listed as one of our fixed menu selections.  It was a very good lobster bisque, but my favorite lobster bisque still belongs to Devon Seafood.  The bisque was less creamy than other bisques that I have tried, and was pretty heavy on whatever alcohol was used when cooking the bisque.  Sherry, perhaps?

    Pascal's on Ponce Braised Beef

    For my entree, I ordered a braised beef dish with vegetables and a side of mashed potatoes.  I recall giving my vegetables to the person sitting next to me and keeping the mashed potatoes.  The swirled design of the plated mashed potatoes was a nice touch, and they were incredibly thick and dense potatoes.  I expected the beef to be more tender.  Despite not having that melt-in-your-mouth texture, though, it had great flavor.  The sauce went very well with the potatoes, which were a little bland on their own.

    Pascal's on Ponce Opera Cake

    For dessert, I opted for the Opera Cake.  For me, the cake was a little too heavy on the coffee.   My dinner companions felt otherwise.  I guess I need to be a caffeine junkie to truly understand, because they loved it.

    Service at Pascal’s on Ponce was interesting.  Different workers took our orders or heard our requests.  It wasn’t clear to us exactly who our server was (if we even had one).  The plus side is that, aside from the time it took the kitchen to prepare our food, we never really had to wait for anything.

    For more information on Pascal’s on Ponce, visit their web site at http://www.pascalmiami.com/