Cacao - New Year's Eve at an Argentine Paradise

Cacao - 141 Giralda Avenue, Coral Gables, FL, 33134

305.445.1001

www.cacaorestaurant.com

I'm so glad that we chose to spend New Year's Eve in this beautiful, chic Argentine restaurant. It offered a stupendous 5 course tasting menu that left us pleasantly satisfied yet not too full to dance some salsa.

Atmosphere:

Sleek, modern and welcoming, this place has a way of drawing you in. The exterior has an interesting "pueblo" tiled roof that looks quaint and inviting. And the inside is totally modern. The decor is simple, showcasing clean and tasteful furniture--the ultra-modern light fixtures and oversized photographs of cacao plants are my favorite.

The crowd ranges from twenty to thirty to forty somethings. The clientele is sophisticated and definitely appreciates inventive Latin food. And there's certainly a nice mix of Latin and American patrons.

Food:

Overall, the food at Cacao is top-notch. I can confidently say that it was one of the best quality restaurants I've ever been to.

Our 5 course menu started with duck confit. I've had this dish before (at Island) and it was absolutely horrendous so I was wary of trying it again. But it came with our meal as a fixed plate so I gave it another try. In all honesty, it ended up being my favorite dish of the night--thick, creamy and not too gamey. It tasted like leek soup with perfectly roasted duck!

Next came the mixed greens salad with apples, nuts and balsamic vinaigrette. This was also served beautifully and the veggies were crisp and very fresh--nothing not to like. Our following course consisted of appetizers. I ordered the beef topped with chorizo and chimichurri sauce. Like everything else thus far, it was delightful. The beef was cooked nicely to medium-rare and the chorizo topping really made this dish--I just loved its salty bite and the crunchiness it provided. Dan ordered prawns wrapped in filo dough with curry sauce. I had a bite and it was an interesting combo--the exterior dough provided a nice loud crisp and the prawns were more on the chewy side.

For my main course, I ordered the rack of lamb with mozzarella mashed potatoes. While I loved the potatoes and the sauce, the lamb itself was a bit fatty and hard to handle. Nonetheless, it was tasty but did not surpass my expectations. Dan's seabass with assorted veggies and rustic mashed potatoes on the other hand, was worth raving about. The fish was deliciously flaky, buttery and had interesting accents of miso and chili pepper. But the mashed potatoes were not as good as mine.

Dessert presented two options, the dulce de leche pyramid cake or the berry cookie tart. We naturally got one of each so we could taste both. I liked the cookie tart a lot better because it was super light and filled with fluffy rum cream and plump berries. The pyramid looked very impressive but its consistency was way too rich to handle after a 5 courser.

Service and Cost:

The service was mediocre. It started out shaky--we got our bread and water but no menus? It picked up traction towards the middle but then disappointed us again later--we waited for over a half hour for our entrees! Not sure if they were trying to space out the meal because of New Year's Eve but it still seemed way too long of a wait.

This place is not cheap but for New Year's Eve, it was a decent deal. For a 5 course menu with several glasses of champagne and live music, we paid $110 each. Sound familiar, New Yorkers?

The Station House - An Oldie and Always a Goodie

The Station House - 233 W. Lantana Rd, Lantana, FL 33462
561.547.9487
www.stationrestaurants.com

This place is a Rich family favorite and was often frequented by Dan's late grandmother Lolly. The whole family has amazing memories of dining here and we chose to continue the tradition yet again this year.

Atmosphere:
While a lot of seafood places could have a rather stuffy vibe, this place is not like that. Instead, I'd describe it more as a rustic lobster house where anything goes--meaning that you can dress up or down. Accentuating the natural surroundings here, you'll find one of the coolest--and biggest--fish tanks, resting right in the middle of the restaurant. We once had the pleasure of dining at a table next to the fishies and were fully entertained.

Food:
The reason that we look forward to coming here so much is of course the lobster. Click for menu. Simply put--it's outstanding! But even before diving into our lobster experience, there's a medley of deliciousness that precedes the main course. First off, the bruschetta they put out for the table always hits the spot. It's tangy, a bit on the tart side and topped with crisp basil. The refreshing mixed green salad is yet another hit. And although it consists of the usual, baby spinach, romaine, cucumbers and tomatoes, what makes it special is the creamy raspberry buttermilk dressing.

We continue our gorge-fest with appetizers such as the escargot, crispy calamari and clam chowder. All three are amazing and if you haven't yet tried escargot, I strongly urge you to reconsider. Besides the delicious snail part which actually tastes more like calamari, the surrounding puff pastry crust is incredibly flaky and buttery. In my opinion, you can never go wrong when putting anything in a pastry crust.

Now for the lobster. I wholeheartedly stand by my favorite--the crabmeat stuffed lobster. The crabmeat is super-rich and creamy--I never leave even a little bit on my plate. And once you get to the lobster part, well that's just where the fun begins--I especially relish finding a significant piece of lobster meat, dipping it into the sweet butter and then just closing my eyes and smiling. That's the good life!

Service and Cost:
We have yet to be disappointed in the service department. The food comes out efficiently and is always fresh and hot. I have to say though that the waitstaff is so abundant sometimes, it's hard to tell who our main server is.

Cost-wise, this place can break the bank, especially if you're with a big group--but that's why it's a special treat! Appetizers range from $3.95 - $13.95 and lobster goes for $18.95 - $34.95, depending on the size.

Florida for the Holidays - Oh How Hard It Is To Be Back!

As tradition goes, my winter breaks are spent in Florida with Dan and his family. And oh how nice it is to enjoy the sun, the gorgeous sights and the welcoming onslaught of food. This year was no different, as we visited some eateries dear to our hearts and tried some amazing new ones. From our beloved lobster house to a man's-wildest-dreams steakhouse to an Argentinian gourmet hotspot, the sunny state had a lot to offer our demanding bellies. And in my upcoming reviews, I hope you enjoy my take on some of Florida's not-to-be-missed places.

Sparrow Part Deux - Reyes Reigns!

Sparrow - 24-01 29th Street, Astoria, NY 11102

718.606.2260

N/W Train to Astoria Blvd.

www.sparrowbar.com

You all know that I love frequenting this awesome neighborhood spot. And as I mentioned, the chef here--Reyes--is one of the more interesting and talented characters in town. Besides cooking up impeccable basics and putting inventive spins on all of them, Reyes is known for his unflinching love of his menu--and he will not change anything on it! I had the pleasure of meeting this talented man and have to say that his gregarious manner and toothy smile certainly won me over--even more! Go ahead and try Sparrow--the atmosphere, food and drinks are all spot on.

And let's not forget the delish grub that Dan and I had this evening:

Vegetarian Chili:

Although the regular soup special wasn't available, Reyes offered a hearty veggie chili instead, which was especially good, given the sub polar weather. The dish came festively decorated--as usual--with surrounding tortilla chips and a huge roasted jalapeno pepper. Of course Dan and I didn't dare sink our teeth into the green monster, but the chili itself was out of this world. Hearty with a hint of sweetness, it was rich in color and packed with delicious chopped vegetables. The price was a bit much for soup, $9.50 but we split it and loved it so much that we didn't care.

Pain Perdu:

Now, this is something new and different! Kind of looks like a pancake but tastes a thousand times better. It has a soft bread texture that's infused with all things indulgent--chocolate, butterscotch and maple syrup. Not only is this awesome but you won't feel like a big cow after eating it. I split this with Dan and it was perfectly satiating and not overly gratuitous. The cost is $8 which is also a little steep for dessert but I recommend going dutch with someone to save dough. You can also read about this dish from our friends, Joey in Astoria.