oliver twist eats

i have to admit that lately most of my fine dining has been at my home or at the homes of my friends. suffice it to say, i've still had the chance to try some new eats for you to hear about. these will keep you warm for now and saying "please sir, i want some more."

the pub in pembroke pines
http://www.luvthepub.com/pub_pembroke.html

english pot roast
this is the ultimate holiday meal to enjoy at a bar. tender pieces of beef with peas, carrots and chive whipped potatoes served over a bordelaise sauce. accompanied with a great glass of cabernet sauvignon while it's a little chilly outside will make it feel like you're in a scene right from the movie 'the holiday.' albeit, jude law would have been a much nicer side to the roast than red wine.

nirala sweet house in sunrise

i love, love, looooooooooooove this restaurant. i'm pakistani and this is a hole in the wall pakistani joint which really means it is incredibly delicious and i always feel like i'm celebrating my birthday when i get to eat here. so when my second family a.k.a the wildest group of women i know informed me that we would be going to nirala for their infamous sunday brunch, i kinda cried with joy. i have a lot of foodie friends but mimi, zara and maliha are a whole other world of food eaters. some have described us as "beasts" and my favorite "garbage disposals." what's the harm in getting a tad bit excited about the food you eat?

finding atlanta

atlanta is a wonderful mix of old southern hospitality with a new, vibrant urban movement. the friendly factor was extremely overwhelming for me, almost something i wasn't familiar with but i accepted it with open arms. and the food scene is glorious! my host for the weekend was jenna cloyd -a great friend who i share many fond memories with during college and beyond, and is now embarking her own journey in the budding town. her taste is only the best which ultimately meant great food spots and a lot of memorable sight seeing.

canyon southwest cafe

canyon southwest cafe
ft. lauderdale, fl
www.canyonfl.com

cozy, dark and packed with young, hip diners all eating some of the best locally produced food in ft. lauderdale. the music is loud and the wait is long. here's the deal - they don't take reservations, they're only open for dinner and happy hour doesn't exist. but what does exist are their infamous prickly pear margarita's, which you must order. they describe their cuisine as 'american artisanal' with southwestern fusion and exciting hints of asian and south american influences. a few girlfriends and i went on a saturday night and had a ravishing time - the prickly pear margarita's were great company.

georgetown cupcake bakery

i recently visited my family in virginia for the weekend which consisted of a lot of necessary bonding, teasing and most importantly - home made pakistani food. it's safe to say that eating and loving food is the family glue. my cousins sauira and humaira wanted me to try cupcakes from, the now very popular, georgetown cupcake bakery. they have been fans of the bakery before tlc gave them a tv show, so we drove to d.c. for a short visit that was all the worthwhile.

racks downtown eatery + tavern in mizner park

mizner park in boca raton is hands down a destination spot for out-of-towners and residents of south florida alike. there's pretty much a restaurant for everyone's liking - sushi, mexican, irish, italian and of course, american. but regardless of the amount of dining options the high end park offers, something was missing. and that's where racks comes in - talk about a game changer.

finding las vegas

let's spare the "what happens in vegas, stays in vegas" what not and go straight to "what happened in vegas was amazing and i wish i stayed in vegas longer."

first things first, my partner in crime, jessica brager who i am so thankful that i got to share this trip with - especially because we were always on the same page, which made the "finding" so much better. she's the friend that truly wants the best for you, the friend that understands that leaving your id at the hotel room could actually happen to anyone, the friend that hopes dessert will follow every meal and the friend that you can laugh and dance with until the early hours of the morning with a clutch in hand and all the hair accessories possibe on -while making plans to probably eat again. and then there's jordan spitz, who provided for the ultimate vegas experience and will forever be indebted in our hearts. jordan is the man.

upon arriving to the las vegas airport, brager and i were greeted by a man holding a very formal sign with her last name. i was so excited that such a finely dressed man was waiting for us with an actual sign that i went straight for my camera from my purse and within five seconds my face was planted on the floor. i had managed to trip over some woman's luggage and then in the feet of brian, our chauffeur. poor jess had to admit that i was with her but brian was so sweet about the fall even though deep down inside he was thinking "she won't last an hour in this city." minutes later, after the dessert heat settled in, we reached our next destination - the phantom. now most vehicles can't be considered "destinations" but when it's a rolls royce, it is. we were swooning with so much joy that truly the trip could have ended there and we'd be completely fine. brian told us stories about wild nights with tourists and something about drawing the line at animals - all while frank sinatra played in the background. we knew already that this was going to be one the best weekends ever.

bbq, pound cake & falafels

bulldog bbq in north miami
http://bulldog-bbq.com/

who can really resist bbq food? it's savory, sweet and if done right - the portion is enough to keep you satisfied for quite some time. bulldog bbq in aventura fulfills all of the above and just a little more. the restaurant isn't your typical tablecloth style joint. it's small in size but with a stainless steel bar and tables topped with butcher-paper, the atmosphere provides for a place to enjoy a great meal with your family and friends. the menu is simple with unique choices and a few of the favorites. for an appetizer, we ordered the 'bbq chicken flatbread' which was topped with pulled chicken, roasted corn, jack cheese, charred onions and their house sauce. i know your mouth is watering! it looked more like a pizza to me but call it a flatbread... it was delicious!

joie de vivre's for april

new food fantasticals. place's that will keep you wanting to come back.

epicure gourmet market in sunny isles beach
http://www.epicuremarket.com/

i have a tendency to spend my lunch breaks at either fresh market or whole foods because what's second to eating food, looking at food. so when i discovered epicure on collins avenue, i was afraid that completing  important work tasks was going to be impossible. between their deli, hot foods, produce, full bar, wine collection, exetensive cheese collections, seafood varieties, isles and isles of international groceries and my cryptonite - desserts, galore... i just didn't know what to do with myself. i wanted to unleash my grazing muscles when i saw the assortments of chocolates, baked goods and cakes. there was a point where my face was so close to the glass case, that my breath had created a fog. i didn't stay long once i realized that i was close to grocery shopping for items that would have hit an all time carb high. this was a serious charlie and the chocolate factory moment. amazing.

seasons 52, florida room & primanti brothers. top night.

what's better than good food? that's easy. enjoying it with good company. this past saturday night's adventure is better told with my two friends who accompanied me.

the unusual suspects:
jessica brager - foodie/fashionista/friend-to-the-end

michael hidalgo - foodie/dj/way too literal for his own good/superstar

curiouser and curiouser - alice in wonderland inspired

after seeing tim burton's alice in wonderland in 3d, i was entirely captivated by the movie's cinematography, art direction, sound and mostly, storyline. lewis carroll's original has been told and told in many different ways but regardless if you read the book or saw the original movie, alice's journey always takes us to a world full of fantasy and utmost wonder. i was so inspired by the whimsical marriage of  naiveness & growing up, therefore i'm sharing with you a few finds that even the mad hatter himself would approve of.


 

serendipity 3 at the boca resort

serendipity 3 in nyc is adored by both tourists and locals. with a vast history and whimsical interior, crowds swarm to the restaurant for their extravagant desserts such as the 'outrageous banana split - $22.50,' 'can't say no sundae - $15.00,' and the infamous 'frrrozen hot chocolate - $8.95.'

to not that many dessert lover's knowledge, serendipity 3 expanded their location to south florida at the ultra-private boca raton resort around the end of 2008. you pretty much have to be a guest at the resort or be a member (we are talking mucho mula here) to be able to enjoy their many amenities. believe it or not, bare with me people... i'm not a member. so getting into the club was a little mission impossible. but i was in a 'if there's a will, there's a way' mood at work and my co-worker sam and i disguised a "work errand" at the resort into a quick "to go" order at serendipity 3.

sobe wine & food fest - grand marnier diner en rouge

the food network south beach wine and food festival is a mecca of an event and i was determined to crash at least one extravaganza this year. so you can imagine how loud my little girl scream was when i found out i was going to be able to attend grand marnier's very exclusive diner en rouge at the temple house in miami beach on thursday, february 25th.

joie de vivre's for february '10

february has been quite a month for me and i've had the pleasure to explore some new places and some new delicious charms. although not everything i eat is going to excite me, i can still certainly attest to a few food fantasticals and i'm calling these 'joie de vivre's' because simply put, they're my joys of living.

yucatan combination plate at rocco's tacos, boca raton
561.416.2131
http://www.roccostacos.com/

mexican food is pretty much a first choice for me when i like to dine out. always start off with the fresh made quacamole (yup, they make it infront of you) and serve it with well-seasoned chips. for dinner i ordered the yucatan combination plate (chicken enchilada with two skirt steak tacos) but switched one of the tacos for 'rocco's taco.' ridiculously good- it's a meatball taco with roasted peppers, cotijaa cheese, crema and cilantro. que rico! fyi- their chimichanga is worth the try too!

allegria frozen yogurt & cupcakes

for my weight-conscience and could care less about weight friends- i present to you 'allegria frozen yogurt and cupcakes.' located in coconut creek at the promenade, this is your place for incredibly light and satisfying frozen yogurt.

made from non-fat yogurt and skim milk, their flavors range from the originial ( a great, tart taste), chocolate, green tea, pomegranate and a secret flavor every day. try each sample and then make your choice of delicious healthy toppings such as, fresh cut strawberries, granola, blueberries, pineapples, almonds, coconuts, bananas, mangos and some fun toppings such as, cocoa pebbles, graham crackers, chocolate chips and cap'n crunch. first you order the size, then yogurt of choice and then your toppings- voila!

you had me at fried oreos

i recently celebrated my 23rd birthday at prime 112 in miami beach. i have been yearning to go there for quite some time and found it most fitting to dine there on my birthday since i was born on january 12th- 112... cheesy, i know. the actual number stands for the restaurants location (112 ocean drive) and is considered one of miami's finest dining establishments. in fact, the restaurant's owner (Myles Chefetz) has an empire of establishments all just a few blocks within the area. He owns Nemo, Big Pink, Shoki Sushi and his newest addition, Prime Italian. Every restaurant lives up to its hype with celebrities always dining there, superb service, ambiance that is simple yet refined and most importantly the food, beyond par excellence.