Kyu Miami

My sister Sarah and I

This weekend I had the opportunity to dine at the infamous Kyu Miami (pronounced Q). All the hype around this restaurant got me really excited to experience the Asian-inspired cuisines that locals, travelers and celebrities seem to flock to for the experience and taste that can't be found anywhere else.

To prepare for this food-venture, I reviewed their website for menu options. I  was surprised to find that they list full menu details including their cocktails, wine list, and brunch menu. I paired their website menu with the food pictures that were posted on Yelp* by patrons of Kyu to navigate which were the most popular items and which were the least popular (for your curiosity - the tiger prawns seems to be the least chosen food on their menu). 

The Boxer

Getting to Wynwood for those who have never traveled to this area of Miami, can be a little daunting. Narrow streets, lots of cars, lots of walkers, and a lot of one way roads can be confusing. To make things easier on you - I'd recommend taking an Uber or Lyft. Plus it will allow you to enjoy a few of their signature cocktails without the worry of driving 😏. Once there, your greeted by a beautiful wall of green vines with stone tables and a metal sign #KYUmiami 💚. 

Soft Shell Crab Steam Buns

Our reservations were for 7pm on a Saturday. Quite the "rush hour" for food as I opened the door and found myself in a line that already had a few people awaiting for the hostess. So I took the opportunity while waiting in line to scope out the place. I've always loved decor that mixed natural elements with hard elements like wood and stone and that is definitely what you get at Kyu. Metal pipes with wooden shelves against grey washed concrete walls, stone counters, wood tables and metal chairs adorn the dining room. Greenery, glass and books decorate the restaurant while a projected image of a gold car is maximized on the wall as an artifact. 

Mussels

It didn't take long to be seated and once there a nice gentleman by the name of Marlon was quick to provide us with water service at our table. He introduced himself as the server's assistant and that our server would be Chris. It is a nice touch to have a tag team when dining out. 

When Chris arrived he provided us the details of the special that was available for that evening and an overview of the menu options. We ordered Mollydooker "The Boxer" to start as well as the Snacky Snack- Soft shell crab steam buns and Mussels.

Pork and Shitake Gyoza

This was my first time tasting Mollydooker. I'm not a wine connoisseur but my professional opinion is that the boxer is delicious 😜. 

I like the presentation of the soft shell crab steam buns. The steam buns were lighter than a traditional Chinese steam bun which for me, was better and the soft shell crab was seasoned well, crispy with a garlic citrus aioli. It could have used a little more of the aioli but all in all a very good dish. 

Beef Tenderloin with Fire Roasted Kimchi

The Mussels were also good. It had a broth at the bottom that was great to soak up with the grilled bruschetta bread. Server recommended to squeeze the lime over the entire dish and mix which we happily followed directions. 

Next up we had the Pork and Shitake Gyoza. It was topped with a dried fish which when added to steaming hot potstickers causing the dried fish  to "dance". You can see video of the dancing Gyoza online. While the Gyoza was tasty it is not something I'd order again. Living in a Chinese household where Chinese dumplings are easy to come by, there was nothing that signified it's worth. 

Thai rice in a stone pot with egg

Next up, the Beef Tenderloin with fire roasted kimchi. This is another that I won't order again. While good - there are other items on the menu that are much tastier. The beef was tender but ordinary and the Kimchi was too salty. 

Florida Red Snapper

My favorite dish of the night - the Thai fried rice in a stone pot with a fried egg. The presentation was spectacular. The server breaks the egg and scrapes the pot sides to release the sticky rice from the wall. The end result is crispy and soft rice with hints of lemongrass and thai spices. I can eat many pots of this rice... Line them up and I'd be one happy camper.😍

Next we had the Florida Red Snapper with brown butter and white miso. This fish was perfectly cooked and full of flavor.

Korean fried chicken

Last but not least the infamous Korean Fried Chicken. I've heard about this fried chicken from a number of sources as being the best. Had I not known about it prior my reaction to the fried chicken may have been different. My expectations of being the best was that it was going to be - well... THE BEST. It was very good but it was an Asian version of Popeyes chicken. 

For dessert we had the coconut cake and the dark chocolate smores cake. Of the two - coconut cake is hands down the best! It was a moist cake that wasn't too overpowering on the coconut side. If you're telling yourself you don't like coconut - I implore you to try this one. It may change your mind. In terms of places to eat desserts this is in my type three places to have dessert! 

Dark Chocolate Smores cake and Coconut cake

 One thing I forgot to mention and one that I think Kyu should emphasize during service is there work with planting trees. On the menu it states vow to plant trees for each tree they burn and you can help for $5. If the server would have reminded me, I would have added an additional $5 to the cause but I forgot and missed out on the opportunity to help. Great work though! 

Back to food :-)   All in all Kyu is definitely a place I'd revisit especially knowing that there are more things on the menu that I'd like to try.You can definitely find flavors of the Orient in each bite. They even have the option to have a dinner experience where the chef chooses the food for you and you can add wine pairing with it! That is definitely an option for the next time I go. 

Happy Eating 😋

Raphsodic Cooperative Company

Raphsodic Cooperative Company

Vegan anyone? I stumbled upon this place. Wait, let me rewind. My sister, Sarah stumbled upon their website when trying to find out a place to make a cake for my son Phantom. We both called and spoke to someone and they said they could do it. If you knew Phantom and how very delicate he is, it was unbelievable to find someplace that could make him something he could eat.

Phantom is allergic to many foods which prevent him from eating normal pastries. He's allergic to soy, dairy, egg, nuts, corn and a number of other things. So to find a bakery that could make him his birthday cake, almost had me in tears of joy. I literally cannot wait for him to enjoy something new.

So on to Raphsodic. This little place is located on Mills just north of Colonial/HWY 50. It is a self-proclaimed, “Urban Pastry Art House”. They pride themselves in using organic ingredients and are advocates of being “green”. They specialize in 100% vegan, cruelty and animal testing free products and services. They don’t use dairy, eggs, or any other animal products. Your yummy pastries are dye-free and can be made without gluten and/or soy. So you know when you eat their pastries, you have nothing to feel guilty about. If you are Vegan and have a special occasion like I do, they can make beautiful cakes for any occasion including weddings.

You can find out more about Raphsodic on their website at www.raphsodic.com.

Boba Tea

Chewy Boba Company

Chewy Boba Company, previously called Lollicup, has now changed their name for bigger and better things! Your same favorite people are still there making the best milk teas, smoothies, slushies your heart desires. Chewy Boba Company on Orange Blossom Trail across from the Florida Mall is my favorite place to go to get my Thai Tea fix. John and Angela are always so welcoming and I never forget getting my stamp on my rewards card! Stepping into the place is like stepping into a hip Japanimation café.

This weekend when I pulled up to the parking lot, my heart sank and for a moment I thought, I don’t get to have Boba any more? The sign that said Lollicup was no more. My life was over and I was going to cry from the tragedy. But when I pulled up further, the sign that used to say Lollicup now says Chewy in huge letters then Boba company right underneath it and the inside of the establishment was still the same place. WOOOOOSH. Sigh of relief and my happiness is restored. I go in inquisitive about the name change and happy to know my favorite place to have Boba is just wanting a little more liberty to do what they want to do; nothing wrong with that as long as they keep serving me boba. Now I usually get a large Thai Tea with Boba, a super yummy milk tea that comes to you with a beautiful separation of colors between the tea and the milk layered on top and the boba on the bottom. It comes sealed so when you shake it to mix everything it turns a pretty orange color and taste oh so yummy. But today, I decided to try something new. When I walked in there was a sign with two new drinks. I decided to try the pineapple green tea with boba. The tea was magnificent but I felt that the boba, while still great, didn’t mix as well as it did with my favorite Thai Tea. No big deal, still a delicious drink. My friend and eating partner, Leandra, had a large half chai tea and half boba milk with boba. I have to say, that my beloved Thai tea might have a challenger because tasting hers was an explosion of yumminess!

So some of you may want to know what Boba is. People have called this Bubble Tea, misusing the term bubble for Boba, which are not the same. Bubble tea was actually used to call the tea drinks because it is customary to shake your drink to enhance the flavors and bubbles would form at the top. Boba is actually tapioca balls that are made from cassava root that has a light sweet flavor to it.

So now you have it. Chewy Boba Company is the only place to go for the best “bubble tea” in Central Florida. The only place I go! They have two locations – on Highway 50 just east of Mills and Orange Blossom Trail across from Florida Mall. Get your photo taken at the Downtown location or test your drawing skills or write a message at the OBT location. On my visit, I took a picture of my feelings for Boba Tea. Will you marry me?

Bonefish Grill

Gluten Free. It’s a trend we’re seeing a lot of now where people are finding they have a disease, allergy or intolerance to a protein found in rye, wheat, and barley called gluten. Bonefish Grill has been a leader in providing gluten-free food to their guest but has mostly gone unnoticed. I was invited to try out their gluten free foods, beverages and desserts.

Mitzi Dulan, a registered dietitian and co-author of The All-Pro Diet (Rodale, 2009), has been working with Bonefish Grill bringing awareness to this trend and providing valuable information on healthy living to her clients. She was present to talk a little bit about Bonefish Grill’s commitment and menu selection for those with the need for gluten free foods.

On a beautiful night in Dr. Phillips, an intimate gathering of people were in attendance to taste their gluten-free options and me, being the food lover, was delighted to indulge on what Bonefish Grill had to offer. We started the evening fabulously with a delicious strawberry infused martini plainly called strawberry martini that is actually far from plain. It is Square One Botanical vodka, hand-muddled strawberries + chamomile citrus tea infusion. It’s a lot more complex than the simple name implies which makes it more amazing. It is a definite taste bud pleaser and something I know to order the next time I dine there. 

We started off with steamed edamame, saucy shrimp, and mussels Josephine.  Out of the three, I personally enjoyed saucy shrimp the most. It had this amazing sauce (hence the name) that was full of flavor and was perfect with their gluten free bread to sop up the sauciness. What came next baffled me because everything I knew about beer told me that there was a pretty good chance there was gluten in it. But Bonefish Grill has gluten free beer called Redbridge. It’s an amber lager that I am told taste best when drunken from the bottle. However, I am not a beer connoisseur, so to me, it tastes like any other beer. You’ll have to go there yourself and try it out and tell me what you think. 

Before entrees came out, we dove into their signature house salad. I’m a big fan of salad so I was elated to find that their salad had the perfect balance of their citrus herb vinaigrette, kalamata olives, and tomato. I found that the pepitas gave the salad a nice crunch, a perfect replacement to the crouton. Just after the salad we were given, yet another sample of their beautifully prepared Skinny Rita-Tini. This adult beverage is only 140 calories per glass. They substitute the margarita mix with agave nectar. Being a big fan of margaritas, I would say that this was a light refreshment where the taste is sacrificed to keep calories low. It definitely wasn’t bad, but I’d prefer my calorie filled regular margarita.  When the entrees came out, my stomach was already feeling satisfied but I had to try everything as to not let our readers down. So off I went into the depths of my plate with Lily’s Chicken, Sirloin Steak, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Grilled Atlantic Salmon, and Grilled Chilean Sea Bass.

Lets go down the list. Lily’s Chicken is fire roasted topped with spinach, goat cheese and lemon basil butter. The chicken by itself was a little dry but the butter and goat cheese helped that along nicely. The goat cheese on top was a larger quantity than I would have liked, but overall it was pretty tasty. The Sirloin Steak for me was just like any other steak. There was no fan fare with this but if you like a nice piece of meat, you can’t go wrong with steak. Grilled Mahi Mahi was topped with their Chimichurri sauce, something I’m used to having with a skirt steak, but a fan of the sauce nonetheless. 

If you’ve had chimichurri prepared at a Latin restaurant, the one at Bonefish Grill is a little milder on the taste buds but paired nicely with the mahi mahi.  The Grilled Atlantic Salmon was topped with the lemon butter sauce. The fish was very nicely cooked but with this salmon, I felt it was just as I expected. The Grilled Chilean Sea Bass was topped with the mango salsa and I would say my favorite of the three fishes. Chilean Sea Bass has a different texture of all fishes in my opinion, but paired with the mango salsa was a delectable treat.

As if, all this food would be enough, they came out with an Espresso Martini that was rimmed

with sugar and chocolate, Crème Brulee and Flourless Chocolate Macadamia Nut Brownie. The Espresso Martini was yummy because who could really resist sugar and chocolate. A few of these, and I would have been sent to bed early. Crème Brulee is my favorite and Bonefish Grill did not let me down here. It was fantastic. You always have room for Crème Brulee no matter where you go. As I really wanted to dive into a chocolate brownie, I couldn’t because of my allergy to macadamia nut. But as the wonderful women by my side stated, it was to die for and worth traveling to Bonefish Grill just to have that brownie. I’ll take their word for it.

Overall, the gluten free options at Bonefish Grill proved to be a fine choice for a meal dining for any occasion. If you are someone who is looking for gluten free food, I’d highly recommend going to Bonefish Grill. When you do, make sure you tell your server of your concerns and a manager should be alerted to your needs and assured that there is no cross contamination when preparing your meal; part of the promise and service that Bonefish Grill is committed to. I myself will be returning to try their sea bass with the saucy shrimp sauce as recommended. 

For all you Food and Wine Enthusiast, The beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek is hosting it's first Food and Wine Conference! Tell me you aren't excited about this because I am!

Make plans to attend. It's gonna be a fantastic week!

Yellow dog eats' version of Chicken and waffles. 
I'm a huge fan of chicken and waffles when it's done right. So when my favorite place says they got it I jumped at the chance to try it. Unfortunately they failed miserably! It was such a disappointment that I couldn't finish it. That says a lot for me since I hate wasting food and I love eating. You know the saying to remember the north east south west. Never Eat Soggy Waffles! That is exactly what I had, soggy undercooked waffles, with overly breaded chicken (not tasty) and overcooked bacon. Then they put a white gravy on top that took away flavor and caused soggy waffles. If you want to try good chicken and waffles, try banana's diner. Usually they do well but I've had it on good and bad days. Or fly to Harlem where the best chicken ad waffles are! Sorry YDE. Truly disappointed.

Aji sushi

First time here. The lighting was very dim, decor nice, food - not so much. I got seaweed salad which was typical but a larger portion than usual. Edamame as seen here which did not look appetizing and was cold. And the rock n roll sushi roll which did not wow me. For that price I'd go to the place in metro west and get two rolls that were better than that one I just had. Never hurts to try new places but now I know better.