Harvest Moon

Living in Miami and maintaining a diet is a difficult task when you are surrounded by the previously reviewed Cuban eateries. The photo of the frita (from “El Rey de las Fritas”) is enough to make me want to sacrifice my arteries for that tasty, greasy treat. What is a girl to do in the nation’s “fattest city” with swimsuit season right around the corner?

Luckily, there is a gem known as Harvest Moon Bistro located in Downtown Miami Springs where Miamians can eat delicious food for a quarter of the calories. Satisfying to both the eye and taste buds, Harvest Moon offers an outdoor, tropical setting and always fresh, made-to-order fare specializing in sandwiches and wraps. The once 1950’s style gas station is now a thriving eatery which helps you forget about the summer heat in a cool, relaxing setting (a fresh fruit smoothie or vegetable juice wouldn’t hurt either!)

The menu offers an array of salads, wraps, sandwiches, and soups where the ingredients are all hand selected earlier that morning. My favorite items are the hot cheese melts, which could either include gyro, tuna, meatballs, black beans, ham, or vegetables and are served atop four wedges of flat pita bread. The ingredients are rich, but you won't find any item above eight dollars.

Once you try Harvest Moon, you will be a customer for life.

…And our hearts will go on

Harvest Moon Bistro
102 Curtiss Parkway
Miami Springs, FL 33166

Hours
Monday-Friday: 11am-5pm
Saturday: 11am-4pm

Food: *****
Price: $$
Date-Worthy: ♥♥

-Megan Figueroa

Sergio's

Do you want authentic delicious Cuban food at hard to believe prices? Look no further than Sergio’s! With multiple locations (some significantly better than others), good service, and an expansive menu perfect for lunch or dinner, Sergio’s is an establishment in Southwest Miami-Dade. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the Pan con Bistec (a cut similar to flank steak with onions, chips, pickles, and sometimes ham smashed between two long slices of toasted Cuban bread) or the classic Medianoche Sandwich (ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and pickles), for dinner the Vaca Frita (kind of a Cuban shredded beef similar to the more well known Ropa Vieja) or the Palomilla (the same quasi-flank steak but all on its own) are worth at least one kidney.

The décor is what’s expected of small chains, not the mass-produced memorabilia of a Chili’s or a Friday’s, but not the three framed portraits of Thai royalty of, previously reviewed, Siam Gourmet’s more mom and pop style. The service is classic Latin, with the waitress finishing every sentence with mi amor (my love – but probably better translated into my dear). Everything is under 12 bucks, and while it’s certainly never empty you’ll rarely have to wait to get a table. If you want the full Cuban effect, I would strongly recommend washing your food down with any of the Cuban soft drinks – Jupiña, Materva, or Ironbeer, or for the beer lovers out there Hatuey is a surprisingly good light lager, it won’t knock a craft beer lover’s socks off, but it’s certainly better than average. All in all, Sergio’s is the kind of restaurant most Cubans in Miami went to two or three times a month during their childhood. Matter of fact, a Batido de Mamey would not be remiss right about now…

There are a number of locations, but I would avoid the Kendall location and stick with the Bird or Coral Way locales. (the Bird location is the original)


Sergio’s
9330 SW 40 St.
305.552.9626

Food: ***½
Price: $½
Date-Worthy: ♥♥
(Note: Ratings are out of five)

- Eduardo E. Gesio

Fritz and Franz

So yeah, we're Cubans in Miami. Big deal right? I mean that's like a third of the city's claim to fame. Everyone knows about the big populations; Hispanics, Hatians, Jews, old people, gay people, etc. But I'll bet you didn't know we have a very considerable German/Austrian community too. Except by "community" I mean restaurant/bar, and by "considerable" I mean that if you're ever in town you should definitely consider checking this place out. Fritz and Franz Bierhaus! Ya, das goot!

If you've kept up with my blog (Wholest Widest World) or if you're lucky enough to know me personally, then you know how much I love beer and how much I love food. You also know that when you put both of those loves of mine together, it's nearly impossible to stop me from doing that little animated-banana dance out of the sheer joy and excitement it brings me. Cue the traditional Bavarian drinking songs and let me tell you about Fritz and Franz.

The first thing that really impressed me about this place was the unique collection of beers they offer. It's not a particularly large selection, although its size is also worthy of recognition, but what makes the variety so good is the quality. You'll find everything from SchneiderWeisse and Warsteiner to Franziskaner and Tucher, St. Pauli Girl and Erdinger to Gosser and Stiegl. They've got the finest in German and Austrian brew bottled and draught. So that's number one: really nice beer. Number two: They also have pretty kick-ass beer food; a sausage sampler platter that comes with like four different kinds, some potato salad and saurkraut. There's also weinerschnitzel, this delicious pork shank thing and they also have tons of great finger foods to go with your ice-cold pint of Hofbrau.

Fritz and Franz is also located in Coral Gables. A great spot for night life or even just a stroll. It's a very charming area with lots of cool stuff to check out. However, as is the case with many - if not most - things in the Gables, Fritz and Franz tends to be on the expensive side. So unless you're a banker and have some bailout money lying around, you probably won't be hitting this place up every week.

Whenever you do end up going you won't be disappointed, I promise. They've got really friendly staff with great service. Every year during Oktoberfest, the place turns into a mass of people where you can indulge your gluttonous desires with enormous pints of Warsteiner and sausages while you are serenaded by traditional Bavarian music. Oh! I almost forgot. They also have live music several times a week. Wednesdays and Fridays if I remember correctly. They're usually a bunch of old dudes playing blues and classic rock, so it's not gonna be like the latest and greatest of the Miami music scene, but it really does a lot for the atmosphere of the place. They also have like a week (or is it month?) long blues festival every year. I don't really remember when it is, but if you want more info you can check out their site: http://www.bierhaus.cc/default.html.

Until next time.. Prost!

Fritz and Franz 60 Merrick Way,
Coral Gables Fl.
33134 305 - 774 - 1883

Food: *** (Beer: *****)
Price: $$$$
Date-Worthy: ♥♥½
(Note: Ratings are out of five)

- Ivan J. Vargas

Siam Gourmet

If you’re the type of adventurous eater that enjoys discovering a new five-star hole-in-the-wall, then listen up. While driving on sunset drive, you’ll find an array of Thai restaurants in the span of a 1-mile radius, but look no further than 72nd street and 104th avenue. There’s a small shopping center where you’ll find an adult book & video store and a smoke shop, but all the way on the left you find a little restaurant called “Siam Gourmet”. It’s owned by an elderly Thai couple—the husband waits on the tables while the wife cooks. The setting is fairly intimate with a maximum capacity of about 25 and soft Asian music playing in the background. The windows are tainted, the parking is scant, and the location itself may seem uninviting, but (trust me) it’s fantastic.

In order for you to fully appreciate how delicious Thai food can be, it’s vital that you try a few different dishes and develop an appreciation and taste for the overall cuisine. For now I want to start you off on the right track and give you a few different meal suggestions.

On an inevitably hot Miami summer day, try the Thai iced tea, which is basically just Thai tea leaves, condensed milk, evaporated or coconut milk, water, and sugar. It has a distinct orangey, spicy flavor and is a great accompaniment or even desert. If you’re in the mood for an appetizer, their vegetable spring rolls are among the best I’ve tried and they’re always served steaming hot with duck sauce of course.

My personal favorite dish is the traditional Red Curry with chicken—made with coconut milk, crunchy bamboo shoots, red peppers, green peppers, and peas. It is served in a bowl with a side of white rice. The soft sweetness of the coconut milk with the hotness of the spices and the crunchiness of the veggies is simply mind-blowing. Once you’re finished, don’t feel embarrassed, pick up the bowl, and drink what’s left. When you come back for seconds (and, believe me, you will), try the Pad Thai, which is one of their most popular dishes. If you don’t know what Pad Thai is, it’s a dish based on noodles that contains eggs, bean sprouts, chicken, shrimp, and is usually topped with crushed peanuts; it’s also served with fluffy white rice. If you’re a seafood lover, order the spicy seafood soup, which is a clear broth packed with shrimp, mussels, scallops, and other fish. It tastes like the sea smells, but spicier. However, since the soup is considerably filling, I’d recommend having it as the main course.

One of the ingredients that give Thai food its distinct and delicious flavor is fish sauce. Pretty much, fish sauce is a condiment that’s made from fermented fish. It’s a staple in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines that’s used during the cooking process in virtually all meals. The more fermented it is, the smoother and less fishy the taste.

Thai restaurants are abundant in Miami, but, too often, they are operated as concepts or “inventive” cultural fusions (e.g. Sushi Samba, Thai Sushi & Bistro). Siam gourmet is pure, undiluted, and refined Thai fare done right. The food is authentic, fresh, flavorful, and moderately priced. If you haven’t followed my gist, try Siam Gourmet. It’s quite possibly the best Thai restaurant in Miami.

Siam Gourmet Thai Restaurant

10480 SW 72nd Avenue 33173

(305) 273-0486

Food: *****

Price: $$$

Date-Worthy: ♥♥½

(Note: Ratings are out of five)

- Gabriel Heredero

Vizcaya

I am very much a fanatical supporter of Miami, and I honestly believe it is the greatest place on earth. But in terms of traditional tourism, when I compare Miami to, let’s say 2nd tier vacation destinations - essentially only excluding New York and Chicago in the States, Miami lacks conventional hot spots or must sees. Miami lacks a world-class art museum, it has the third largest skyline (as measured by number of buildings over a specified height) but no particularly special skyscraper, and its youth and boom periods preclude historic buildings (Miami Beach art deco not withstanding). Instead, Miami beyond the beaches should be experienced in terms of areas or of absorbing unique populations and places. Little Havana, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Downtown, Coconut Grove, the Everglades, are all very cool and very worth while, but I fear the long weekend vacation your average tourist is on probably lends to very little experiencing other than a sun burn and the realization that your interpretation of Salsa dancing is anything but adorable.

All that being said, I recently visited Vizcaya for the very first time and was incredibly surprised. Vizcaya has a reputation as a beautiful mansion used primarily for Quinceañera pictures, and little else. But the history, architecture, décor, and gardens of the grounds are very impressive. The rooms are magnificently gaudy a cross between Versailles and Miami kitsch. The gardens are massive and worth a long afternoon or two, generally not in the summer where the heat and mosquitoes will feast on your unfortunate neck. The mansion and grounds were built between 1914-1916 by John Deering a capitalist extraordinaire and an anemic who required the gentler climes of South Florida in the winter months. A mere century is not much pedigree by most standards, but considering Miami was incorporated as a city only in 1896, it puts such a massive structure into perspective. Your average Miamian has probably never been to Vizcaya (particularly the male population) and it really is a shame, its well worth the entrance fee (though there is a discount for Miami-Dade residents and students) and is an excellent destination for any wide-eyed tourist. The John Singer Sargent portrait of John Deering viewable in the house was done at Vizcaya and is an excellent example of late Sargent.

- Eduardo E. Gesio

El Rey de las Fritas

Cuban food is like crack, only not as healthy and tastier. Yeah, it’s that good. I’ve often wondered how any individual – let alone an entire country – could possibly survive on a diet so heavy in grease, fat, carbohydrates and other artery-constricting agents. Take fritas for example, a distinctively Cuban morsel as delicious as it is deadly. It is essentially a Cuban variation of the classic American hamburger, but to simply call it an interpretation would be an insult. The frita is a unique creation that deserves recognition in and of itself. Cubans did to burgers what Chuck Berry did to the Blues. You dig?

So what is a frita? Basically, it’s seasoned and spiced meat sandwiched in between a toasty bun. However, when I say “seasoned and spiced” I really have no idea what I’m talking about. You see, the meat used in fritas is dark orange in color, or maybe a bright red. It is the definition of mystery meat. I’ve heard rumors that it’s actually ground beef mixed with chorizo (Spanish sausage), though I have yet to verify that. The meat is grilled with an equally mysterious bright orange sauce and served with freshly diced onions, a slice of cheddar cheese and shoestring potato-fries all placed in the bun, they are not sides.

In Miami, we’ve been blessed with a flourishing and proud Cuban community, and getting fritas is fairly easy. You can find them on most menus at your standard Cuban restaurant, but there’s only one place where you can have the original, the best fritas in all of Miami: El Rey de Las Fritas. They’ve got quite a few locations all around the Dade County area and as their name implies, they specialize in making our tasty little friend. There are two that I’ve been to, one in Little Havana on Eighth Street and the other in the Westchester area on Bird Road and 92nd Ave. by Bird Bowl.* I actually had the privilege of seeing a man who may very well have been “El Rey” himself at the Bird Rd. location. He looked to be in his sixties, was very overweight, wore a thick dark moustache, equally dark aviator sunglasses and spoke very little outside of the orders he gave to the ladies working behind the counter. If he wasn’t “El Rey” then he was certainly one of his top generals.

I have been told however, of another frita supplier in the great MIA that supposedly rivals even “El Rey.” I have yet to visit this place, but they call it “El Mago de Las Fritas,” that’s “The Magician of The Fritas” to you gringitos. That’s a whole other review however, and to be frank, “El Mago” has a lot to compete with. Oh and by the way, “El Rey de Las Fritas” also happens to make some kickass shakes. Hasta luego mis socios!

* Editor’s note: the Rey de las Fritas off Kendall and 137th Str., is noticeably worse than the locations mentioned above, for full enjoyment, the House of Mirrors would suggest the other locations.

Food: *****

Price: $

Date-Worthy: ♥

(Note: Ratings are out of five)

- Ivan J. Vargas

Little Havana

Miami is often depicted as a sunshine paradise full of beautiful faces and places. It is. It’s the greatest place on Earth, no really. Here, you’ll find a kaleidoscopic revelation of humanity on display. However, sometimes the most impacting and culturally defining locations take a little digging. Last Thursday, the gang traveled to the celebrated Little Havana, or Calle Ocho, to trace our Hispanic roots and get in touch with one of the most culturally rich subsets in Miami. We passed bakeries, record stores, cafeterias, domino clubs, and other interesting spectacles invigorated by culture. Cuban old-timers resting on park benches discussing their ancient doctrines and historical recollections. Hordes of citizens packed together in the streets wearing straw hats and puffing cigars, rambling on about the primordial ways of the beloved country they yearn for. It’s impossible not to pause in bewilderment and reflect on the beauty of it all. All these people. United. Reconstructing a city to mirror the life that they so deeply miss.

As you walk down the sidewalk, you can hear the sharp, cataclysmic clatter coming from Maximo Gomez Park, the domino park, where dozens of residents (only ages 55 and up can play at this park) socialize and “hacen agua”—they shuffle the dominoes before a new game—while others play a game of cards or chess. The park is a gathering place and a sanctuary for seniors seeking to mingle with others, but, don’t be fooled, they take their games very seriously. The exhibition is both heartbreaking and beautiful. It illustrates the dying manifestation of Hispanic, particularly Cuban, heritage—a living and breathing link to the past. A piece of history for some and a piece of familial correlation for others. Little Havana was inhabited and established by a cluster of proud, patriotic exiles. They arrived with customs that they sought to integrate in our society and thus created a unique, idyllic offshoot of Cuban life itself. The city was revolutionized musically, artistically, and downright culturally. Consequently, they produced yet another distinct and mesmerizing division in the idiosyncratically remarkable and communal city that is Miami. So swing by, grab a Batido de Trigo and a Medianoche, and immerse yourself.

- Gabriel Heredero

An Introduction to My-ami

Aside from an exceedingly clever turn of phrase, My-ami, is exactly that - mine. As it is every other beautiful person’s that calls this beautiful place home. This near fanatical loyalty comes from the understanding that Miami is a special place, a cross section of so many cultures and walks of life, Cubans, retirees, Jews, and homosexuals basically everything you need to make a pretty cool place to call home. And well, we’ve noticed that there isn’t a place where people can talk about all the little mom and pop shops and eccentric places that naturally spring from such a unique amalgamation. We would therefor make ourselves glorified tour guides and our grandiloquence can and arguably should be reduced to, “and on your right is Bird Bowl, a great place to play 10 frames for three dollars on Wednesday and to hear the native Miami Accent in its natural habitat.”

We would establish this blog therefore as a forum to exhibit and revel in the very heart and soul of Miami - to Miamians and non-Miamians alike, to the extent that we here at the House of Mirrors with our admittedly over-large heads are fit to the task. We would seek to go beyond sunny beaches and high rises and beyond the Miami Vice and Scarface stereotypes, to establish that dulce de leche-like core that is Miami.

In any event, as often as possible, we will be bringing you the sights and sounds of Miami, featuring articles and photos about those cool little nooks and crannies and can’t miss spots, where we ourselves cut our proverbial teeth. We will also have interviews with the townsfolk that are the lifeblood of Miami in its multi-ethnic splendour. This blog will be supplemented by the Hall of Echoes podcast, so be sure to check that out, so until our next installment - Dios te bendiga, abrigate que hay un frio de pipi, y Cuba libre.

- Eduardo E. Gesio