Random Taste for Thursday 12/15/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FORTY-NINTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

WINNER BEST OF 2016 FOR APPETIZER
HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR DRINK
HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR DESSERT

Establishment:  The Spillover
Location:  Coconut Grove
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  A Mead Flight
one each flavored with fig, coffee, chili and "blod"
Appetizer (see below):  BBQ Gator Ribs
two (or three) fall-off-the-bone gator ribs from Clewiston, Florida, slow roasted for 2 1⁄2 hours then finished on the grill with our soon to be famous honey BBQ sauce, served with brussel sprouts and asparagus
Main:  Bababooey Burger (yes, *that* bababooey, as you can see in the photo below)
ground in-house beef burger topped with brie, caramelized apples, cinnamon butter, grilled onions, crispy bacon and honey mustard, served on a challah bun
Side(s):  Fries
Dessert:  Mrs. McHugh’s Banana Créme Pie
homemade crème pie made with vanilla beans, a walnut and graham cracker crust, topped with bananas, whipped cream, caramel sauce and dusted with bittersweet chocolate
Server:  Tina (whom I believe was officially Christina, according to the receipt)
Website:  http://spillovermiami.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/spillovermiami/

When I started this series at the beginning of this year, I set the expectations that most of the establishments would be in the tri-county area (defined as Palm Beach, Broward and Dade), but the reality has been that the overwhelming majority of places have been immediately in and around the FTL here in Broward.  Recently, I finally faced the unknowns of Miami (will I95 be drivable?  where will I park?  will the restaurant be too "hip" for this middle aged eater?) ... and I'm most certainly glad that I did.  Full disclosure:  for this meal, I was the guest of the sister of one of the owners, as the sister was a former college classmate of mine in town on vacation -- a factor which did NOT influence the high Troy-score, as you can see below:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (options make the world go round ... and this establishment had multiple choices ... an outdoor patio type set up out in an open mall courtyard environment, tables in the front near the bar, and a few privacy tables further back the hallway [which is what our party chose to advance our main goal of conversating] ... the feature of our area was a large floor to ceiling reproduction on the wall that kept us guessing throughout the meal as to its origin [the answer to which was that it was a still from the first bilingual seventies TV show 'Que Pasa', quite fitting for the Miami area])
FOOD:            10/10 (where to begin ... seeing as how every bite [and every sip] was delicious ... from the variety of additives in the honey-sweetened mead drinks [as pictured] to the sauced up ribs of the alligator [which our party ordered as an appetizer and shared, because the chalkboard countdown told us that there were still some available, what with only 15 being prepared daily] to the juicy burger with a surprisingly sweet combination of ingredients that came together like a gourmet applesauce as a condiment to the fries with their surprise secret coating [I promised not to tell -- but it *wasn't* ranch dressing mix, like the other entry in this series with a surprising fry taste] to that bananarific dessert ... note that I got to taste my tablemates' dishes of crab cakes and jumbalaya, so they are also pictured)
SERVICE:      10/10 (extra bubbly, super cheerful, and well informed -- for what more could one ask? ... we apparently managed to order just about everything that was also her favorite ... at one point in the process, the cynic in me did wonder if she was just practicing good server protocol in endorsing whatever decisions the guest made, but the final verdict as discussed by our group was that she was being sincere and it was just a coincidence ... PLUS every single employee who passed by the table did so with a smile and, as appropriate, with a polite request to clear any items)
BACON:         8/10 (bacon, bacon, bacon, bacon ... that's one mention for each of the *four* times my favorite ingredient was listed on the menu -- including on my burger ... that being said, it wasn't necessarily presented in any exciting or inventive ways, so this category will be the only one without a perfect score)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for the way those meads made me happy, +3 for that dessert of Mrs. McHugh's [purportedly shared, but I don't think anyone else at our table really had more than one forkful], +3 for urinal cakes with Justin Bieber's face on them [not pictured in this blog ... although they were posted on the FB the night of the meal] and +1 for being a place to which we will return the next time we venture toward Miami -- and by that time, this growing empire might just include more establishments than the three currently in existence)

TroyScore:  48 out of 50 -- aka 96, a high A

Random Taste for Thursday 6/2/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the TWENTY-FIRST of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 FOR SERVICE

Establishment:  Grampa's Bakery and Restaurant
Location:  Dania Beach
Meal:  Sunday Brunch
Drink:  Coke (in a can) that turned into Barq's Root Beer (in a can) instead
Appetizer:  "Heaven on a plate"
complimentary pastry
Main:  French Toast
Side(s):  Bacon
Dessert:  Homemade Oreo Cookie Cheesecake
Server:  Annie
Website:  http://www.grampasbakery.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/grampasbakery/?ref=page_internal

For starters, let's just say that this is yet another place that was featured on 'Diners, Drive-ins and Dives' and that it comes Guy Fieri approved (which I think has now happened thrice in this series).  For in-betweens, let's just say that it was a restaurant that instantly felt like home because it automatically reminded me of a place where family members would fit in perfectly -- as employees.  For finishers, here's how this high score was earned:

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (it's a diner ... and it feels like one in every best sense of the word ... despite a line on a Sunday afternoon, it was a line placed by the baked goods counters [which got people excited] and a line that moved super-fast ... plus there were bonus rooms fully in use and staff running everywhere [but not in a too-rushed way] ... also everyone, including us, got a great tan because of the reflection off the bright red awning at the time of day we visited ... and as much as I want to deduct a point for the Maserati driver out front who couldn't figure out how to back into the space right outside the window, I decided it's not Grampa's fault that someone douchey came to eat at the same time as our party)
FOOD:            9/10 (the meal starts with a homemade pastry, and, when asked what it was, Annie said "heaven on a plate", which was a description that was on point ["warm cinnamon danish" would have also been accepted] ... then the french toast arrived and it was hot and fresh and plentiful and somehow soaked up all the syrup without getting soggy [I'm not the type of guy who normally takes home a doggie bag {unless it's actual bones for the doggies}, and even I couldn't finish it all] ... then there's bacon [see separate category] ... and a scrumptious hunk of cheesecake that also was taken home [and eaten over two nights] ... just a point lost for being a place that served the cola that shan't be named [and despite the fact that she *thought* she had a can of the good stuff {Coke} but could only find a can of root beer])
SERVICE:      9/10 ("hey guys" was the greeting by the kind of waitress you expected to see at a place named Grampa's ... personable and professional and so much on her game that she seemed to float past the tables in her section passing out things that you didn't even know you needed yet while she was infecting folks with smiles and her good attitude ... just a point lost because the busboys, who admittedly had a lot to do to keep the tables turning, were seen being rude to a family arriving at a table [rolling their eyes while pushing their cart and announcing "we're back here" in a less than friendly way])
BACON:         10/10 (after a few weeks in this series of eating establishments without any reference to bacon on the menus ... this was the opposite ... including a single "side" of bacon that was ordered by someone else at our table that arrived on the plate as seen in the photo -- putting to shame any place that considers a "side" of bacon to be a strip or two!)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for "accidentally" getting two sets of "heaven on a plate", +3 for server Annie taking the whole order in her head (and for finishing our sentences because she sensed what we were ordering), +3 for having a jelly container that included apple, orange, grape AND strawberry choices and +1 for being a place to which we'll for sure return to take the puppies' grandparents when they come to visit next year)

TroyScore:  48 out of 50 -- aka 96, the third time that highest score (so far) has been given

Random Taste for Thursday 4/14/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the FOURTEENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Calypso Restaurant & Raw Bar
Location:  Pompano Beach
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  TALL Guinness
Appetizer:  Conch Chowder
Sweet conch with fresh vegetables and tomatoes in a spicy broth
Appetizer 2:  Stuffed Mushrooms
Fresh mushrooms baked with our own seafood stuffing
Appetizer 3:  Smoked Fish Dip
House smoked dolphin dip, served with fresh jalapenos and flat bread crackers
Appetizer 4:  House Salad with House Jamaican Ginger dressing
A small salad with fresh greens, tomato, cucumber and shredded carrots.
Main:  Stuffed Shrimp
6 Large shrimp stuffed with our seafood vegetable stuffing, topped with bacon then baked
Side(s):  Baked Potato (with butter and bacon) and fresh Corn on the Cob
Dessert:  (homemade) Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Server:  Julio
Website:  http://www.calypsorestaurant.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Caypso

Since vacationing here a few years ago before the big move to become a local, we always thought that the southern Florida culinary experience was barbecue ... somehow totally missing the fact that it's a about finding a place that buys fish just pulled out of the ocean every morning to put on your plate for lunch or dinner.  And this is one of those places.  This is also one of only two places since starting this series that has earned the highest score issued so far.  Here's how:

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (in a strip mall [which is a thing down here in Florida], it had plenty of parking [although the parking lot seemed a bit potentially dangerous with lots of traffic, some of it speeding through] ...and the inside was cozy, with two dining sections and a tiki bar along the wall ... the island decorations were a hoot [see photo below for what joined us at our table] ... just one point lost for a sunset that blinded one side of the table in our party every time the door opened)
FOOD:            9/10 (with as much food as was on the table at once, the overall consensus was that everything was delicious ... from the just-the-right-amount-of-spicy conch chowder, to the kick of the house salad dressing, to the firm and flavorful smoky fish/dolphin dip [emphasis on the smoke], to the freshest of fresh seafood ... just one point lost for a feeling at the end of the meal that everything was fresh and tasty, but that it seemed like each dish was missing that extra something something to kick things up a notch)
SERVICE:      10/10 (the server made a point to go through all of the specials, and gave us time to completely review a packed menu ... and each round of food came right on time, served hot ... plus the gentleman I assume to be the owner made the rounds and checked in just often enough to make us all feel very welcome)
BACON:         10/10 (okay, I'll admit it ... I chose this seafood meal specifically for the bacon it featured, and I was not disappointed ... plus the server and the kitchen made it possible for me to get bacon added to my baked potato despite that not being a published option on the menu)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for having so much bacon that I was picking it out of my teeth on the way home, +3 for getting there at 7pm, which apparently was just a few minutes before the line out the door started, +3 for a menu that had so many items that ... this is a place to which we definitely have to return [+1])

TroyScore:  48 out of 50 -- aka 96, a high A (only the second time this high score has been issued so far)

Random Taste for Thursday 2/25/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the SEVENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

HONORABLE MENTION BEST OF 2016 MAIN

Establishment:  Smoke BBQ
Location:  Ft. Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Coca-Cola (in a can)
Appetizer:  Sweet Cornbread Loaf
with cinnamon butter
Main:  2 Meat Combo Platter 
Smoked chicken and 12 hour pulled pork
Side(s):  Seasoned tots and steamed broccoli
Dessert:  not applicable
Server:  not applicable/counter style
Website:  http://eatbbqnow.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SmokeBBQFortLauderdale/

Since regularly vacationing here before making the big move, bbq has been the southern Florida food of choice ... and there are at least nearly a dozen such establishments that have been sampled in the last few years.  True to this concept, though, Smoke (with a 'k' ... not to be confused with Smoque with a 'qu', a quality bbq joint back home in Chicago) was a brand new place to try in 2016 ... and seeing as how it only recently opened near the beach as an extension of an established brand farther to the north, that makes a lot of sense.  Here's the bottom line -- separating out the old school bbq places (where you just know that some black mama [African-American mama?  mama of color?] had a role in making your food) for which Tom Jenkins bbq ranks the highest in that category -- Smoke is *the best* modern restaurant style bbq in the area.  It's most deserving of my highest score to date in this series, as calculated below.  And apologies in advance for the quality of the photos ... but I was so mesmerized by my meal that I didn't get as many good shots as usual ...

AMBIANCE:   10/10 (sure it's a small space, but it's well organized with the line toward the food station and checkout, followed by a few picnic tables with the perimeter taken up by separate sauce [red sweet and a yellow mustard] and "wrap up your leftover meat" stations ... and, like any bbq joint, a quality smoky smell fills up the room)
FOOD:            10/10 (yep, that's a perfect score ... from cornbread to meats to tater tots, everything was fresh and hot and tasty ... rubbed just right and cooked to perfection with straightforward sides that didn't try too hard to be something they weren't ... and the best part may have been the chicken, which had the extra taste of being quickly deep fried and was chopped up in just the right pieces ... plus, while walking to the car afterwards, I realized that I had a pleasant tingle on my lips from all the flavor) 
SERVICE:      10/10 (one point lost since so much of the experience is self-service BUT that same point comes back because it makes complete sense for the space as this is NOT their full service restaurant a few beaches to the north ... and especially because of all three individuals behind the counter who were friendly, personable and conveyed a confidence in their craft)
BACON:         8/10 (there may not have been any bacon on the menu per se [although it might have been available to add to sandwiches], but they did sell shirts that said "I like pork butts and I cannot lie" ... and if that's not worth almost all the points in this category on its own ... I don't know what is)
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for being the best of the "restaurant" style bbq eateries in the area, +3 for letting me sample a hunk of meat whilst waiting in line [I said, "thanks for the meat hunk", and then turned red and explained that there was no comma and that I was thankful for the hunk of meat and not calling the guy who gave me the meat a hunk], +3 for falling on the decidedly unpretentious barely hipster side of the modern bbq continuum and +1 for being a place to which we will most certainly return)

TroyScore:  48 out of 50 -- aka 96, a high A (the highest score given to date)