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Nice Morning in Miami [Pictures]

Nice Morning in Miami [Pictures]
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  • Nice Morning in Miami [Pictures]

    Post #1 - November 29th, 2006, 9:44 am
    Post #1 - November 29th, 2006, 9:44 am Post #1 - November 29th, 2006, 9:44 am
    LTH,

    Hanging out in South FL for a few more days so, after dropping off the wife at the airport, I headed down to Miami with a LTHish stop or three in mind.

    First up was Calle Ocho , the wonderfully interesting Cuban area just West of downtown Miami. Simply driving on Calle Ocho (8th Street) is an exercise in sensory overload and, as we all know exercise tends to make one hungry, so I stopped at Versailles for coffee and a guava and cheese pastry.

    Image
    Image

    Versailles is by no means a tourist version of Cuban food, with four distinct areas, bakery, restaurant, party room, and outdoor walkup window. Very enjoyable for both culinary offerings and a distinct 'no longer in the States' feel.

    I planned on heading over to Miami Beach/South Beach, but traffic was daunting, took me an hour to go the mile or so to the first causeway over which was blocked off, as were the next two causeways. Basically three hours of driving to finally find an open causeway to Miami Beach. Brutal.

    In need of comfort food, and finding myself much higher up on Collins Ave then I intended, where else could I go but the Rascal House, an old school Jewish style deli of the first order.

    New pickles and slaw were an immediate restorative.
    Image

    One sip of matzo ball soup and memory of the insane traffic started to fade.
    Image

    And, finally, the best mood altering drug I know, pastrami.
    Image
    Image

    Soup was fine, but the pastrami was dead-on, rich, meaty, verging on aggressive spice notes, just terrific.

    My plan was to wile away a few hours and have dinner at TapTap, which Jazzfood recommended in this thread, but 4-hours to go just a few miles had taken its toll and I headed back to Boca Raton.

    Speaking of Jazzfood, he recommended two other places, both of which I will post about. Pelligrino’s in Deerfield Beach, a first cousin to Rao's in NY, which was terrific and Flakowitz for whitefish spread, terrific as well. Jazzfood is two for two on recommendations. :)

    Flakowitz just happens to be next to one of my favorite restaurants in all of South Florida, Fran's Chicken Haven, where, of course, we stopped for lunch prior to picking up whitefish salad.

    Fran's Chicken Haven
    Image

    I do want to emphasize, prior to my post, that Pellegrino's is a real gem, friendly, in a surprisingly understated NY City fashion, clear clean flavored well done food.

    Enjoy,
    Gary

    Versailles Restaurant
    3555 SW Eighth St
    Miami, FL 33135
    3054440240

    Rascal House
    17190 Collins Ave
    Miami Beach, FL 33160
    305-947-4581

    Pellegrino's
    847 SE 8th Ave
    Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
    (954) 418-0611
    Last edited by G Wiv on December 12th, 2006, 9:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #2 - November 29th, 2006, 6:32 pm
    Post #2 - November 29th, 2006, 6:32 pm Post #2 - November 29th, 2006, 6:32 pm
    Gary,

    How about a new rule for the LTHForum:

    Pictures of pastrami in any form, but especially succulent slices piled high on rye bread with deli-mustard lurking in the background are not allowed under any circumstance. Posting such pictures is a hazard to what little remains of the sanity of other members and shall result in a permanent ban"

    Or something to that effect. :P

    Enjoy your vacation,

    Bill/SFNM
  • Post #3 - November 29th, 2006, 8:44 pm
    Post #3 - November 29th, 2006, 8:44 pm Post #3 - November 29th, 2006, 8:44 pm
    A bit off topic but I think it only fair to warn Mr. GWiv that his photos almost ALWAYS cause me to gain weight.

    I'm still dreaming about the Fried Grouper of last week. The pastrami...well....i may not last out the week.

    He's the unerring God of Food Porn.

    shannon :evil:
  • Post #4 - November 29th, 2006, 9:16 pm
    Post #4 - November 29th, 2006, 9:16 pm Post #4 - November 29th, 2006, 9:16 pm
    I heard Gianni Vercace's place (on Ocean) is a hotel now, did you stop by there by any chance?
  • Post #5 - November 30th, 2006, 6:35 am
    Post #5 - November 30th, 2006, 6:35 am Post #5 - November 30th, 2006, 6:35 am
    Snark wrote:I heard Gianni Vercace's place (on Ocean) is a hotel now.

    Casa Casuarina, a hotel and private club.

    Snark wrote:did you stop by there by any chance?

    No, it never occurred to me.
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #6 - November 30th, 2006, 6:49 am
    Post #6 - November 30th, 2006, 6:49 am Post #6 - November 30th, 2006, 6:49 am
    Shannon and Bill,

    Thanks

    If there was ever a gastroporn hall of fame* pastrami would be in the top couple, it's incredibly photogenic and, to boot, tastes good.

    Anyway, I'm still stinging from Bill's duck pics last week, not to mention Cassoulet

    Enjoy,
    Gary

    *Actually there is a Gastroporn Hall of Fame, 2005: The Year in LTHForum Food Photos
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #7 - November 30th, 2006, 8:30 am
    Post #7 - November 30th, 2006, 8:30 am Post #7 - November 30th, 2006, 8:30 am
    Gary,

    Your Rascal House pics came just in time. We just booked our tickets for our annual "visit the snowbirds" Florida trip when we saw your pics.

    Rascal House is one of my favorite places to eat and I look forward to my annual pilgrimage every winter.

    Link to last year's trip.

    Have they replaced the signage out front?

    Best,
    Michael
  • Post #8 - November 30th, 2006, 2:34 pm
    Post #8 - November 30th, 2006, 2:34 pm Post #8 - November 30th, 2006, 2:34 pm
    Bill/SFNM wrote:How about a new rule for the LTHForum:

    Pictures of pastrami in any form, but especially succulent slices piled high on rye bread with deli-mustard lurking in the background are not allowed under any circumstance. Posting such pictures is a hazard to what little remains of the sanity of other members and shall result in a permanent ban"


    Does that also include links to "pictures of pastrami in any form, but especially succulent slices piled high on rye bread with deli-mustard lurking in the background"?

    I ask because I'd really love to share some photos from extramsg's new deli enterprise in Portland, OR. ;)

    http://tinyurl.com/znbl4

    Be sure to check out both pages!

    E.M.
  • Post #9 - November 30th, 2006, 3:20 pm
    Post #9 - November 30th, 2006, 3:20 pm Post #9 - November 30th, 2006, 3:20 pm
    Erik, you need to send that link to the 11 City Diner guy.
    Think Yiddish, Dress British - Advice of Evil Ronnie to me.
  • Post #10 - November 30th, 2006, 4:27 pm
    Post #10 - November 30th, 2006, 4:27 pm Post #10 - November 30th, 2006, 4:27 pm
    eatchicago wrote:Have they replaced the signage out front?l

    Michael,

    Nope, the large Rascal House sign is history. I was going to take a picture of where it had been, but then realized there was nothing to take a picture of.

    Enjoy,
    Gary
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #11 - November 30th, 2006, 4:33 pm
    Post #11 - November 30th, 2006, 4:33 pm Post #11 - November 30th, 2006, 4:33 pm
    Erik M. wrote:I ask because I'd really love to share some photos from extramsg's new deli enterprise in Portland, OR. ;)

    Erik,

    Looks to be a great deli, terrific pictures. Pastrami gastroporn worthy, though the knish and kugel are quite motivating as well.

    Best of luck to extramsg.

    Enjoy,
    Gary
    Hold my beer . . .

    Low & Slow
  • Post #12 - December 1st, 2006, 4:15 pm
    Post #12 - December 1st, 2006, 4:15 pm Post #12 - December 1st, 2006, 4:15 pm
    Thanks.
    Unintentionally retired early by the pandemic, but without the golden parachute.
    Formerly Mi Mero Mole
    Formerly Zapapizza
    Formerly Kenny & Zuke's Delicatessen
    Artisan Jewish Deli at Home Cookbook

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