November Talk of the Town: Birdies’ Bistro, Burger Bob’s, and More

Burger Bob’s Reincarnation

Until it closed in the beginning of 2022, Burger Bob’s had been a community haven, an old-fashioned diner on the Granada Golf Course that served low-cost American food – cheeseburgers, chili, BLTs – for nearly three decades. At that time the city decided not to renew its lease with then 85-year-old proprietor Bob McGuire, and put the diner up for bid, ultimately accepting none that were offered.

Now Burger Bob’s is back, after a long and painfully slow process that began at the end of that year with community input under the stewardship of Commissioner Kirk Menendez. It took six months after that to pick an architect and six months more to pick a builder and break ground. Now Burger Bob’s is back, reborn this month as Birdie’s Bistro (it seems the nickname “Burger Bob’s” was a brand owned by someone else). The final cost: $1.4 million, up from the original estimate of $800,000.

While the black, white and grey interior is absent the flair of the red leather seats it once had, replacing “retro” with “modern,” the thoroughly renovated space (with a bathroom it never had!) will be operated by Rita Tennyson, the chef at Bob’s for 26 years. Coming full circle, the family-run catering company she started as Bob’s faded has leased the diner from the city and will bring back the old menu.

“We have a lot of new and different things [but] have things that were on his [Bob’s] menu because we want to make sure that everyone’s whose waiting for Burger Bob’s to open back up will be happy,” says Tennyson. That means things like chili, grilled cheese, meatloaf and, of course, the original Burger Bob Burger. “We didn’t want to take away from that. We just kind of, you know, want to make the experience a little bit more elevated,” says Rita, like adding a burger she crafted to win “Best Burger” at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival in 2022.

When the new bistro opens (scheduled for Nov .18), Rita will be joined by son Corey and daughter Saesha, who will help with cooking and serving. “My kids grew up here, so Burger Bob’s was not just a restaurant that we would go to. This is kind of like our family home.” – J.P. Faber

County Commission Seat Goes to Runoff

This year marks a historically tight election year, not just for the presidential race, but for the nonpartisan Miami-Dade County Commission seat that include Coral Gables. Current County Commissioner Raquel Regalado is up for re-election against former Pinecrest Mayor Cindy Lerner, and the two will go to a runoff against each other for the second time to capture the district 7 seat which includes parts of the Gables and Kendall as well as Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, and South Miami. In 2020, Regalado beat Lerner by a mere 1.2 percent margin (1,301 votes) to take the seat. In the August election this year, Regalado garnered 49 percent of the vote compared to Lerner’s 42 percent – just shy of the majority needed to win. The runoff election will take place on November 5, coinciding with federal elections.

A former county School Board member, lawyer, and professor at St. Thomas University, Regalado, 50, is a Republican who champions neurodiversity (she has two autistic children) and business; Lerner, 71, who served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000-2002 and also works as an attorney, is a Democrat with a strong pro-environment record. Her sometimes-inflammatory attitude has drawn both praise and criticism from her constituents. Regalado, meanwhile, has far outpaced her opponent in fundraising, with more than $1 million in the last four years compared to Lerner’s $250,000 during her campaign. Coral Gables City Commissioners have praised Regalado for her support of local issues. – Kylie Wang

Potential Arrests for Recall Petition Fraud

Gableites with a penchant for the political will likely remember the ill-fated Spring recall effort against Mayor Vince Lago, which failed to collect the necessary number of petitions it needed to advance. An “End the Corruption” political action committee accused Lago of “misfeasance and malfeasance.” Chaired by local City Commission gadfly Maria Cruz, who once called Lago a friend, the PAC collected 1,533 certified petitions during the first phase of its recall effort – short of the 1,650 it needed.

Now, however, it has come to light that at least some of those petitions (1,719 total were collected), were fraudulent. “I got a letter from the FDLE [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] stating that they needed to talk to me. It says it’s about a crime that was committed with my information,” explains Jimmy Piedrahita, local resident and owner of Mojo Donuts. The letter, obtained by Coral Gables Magazine, states that “the illegal conduct was caught before any significant harm was done” and requests Piedrahita’s assistance in an FLDE investigation.

Upon meeting with an investigator, Piedrahita was shown a petition supposedly with his signature. “That’s not mine,” he said. Piedrahita was told that over 80 people had been contacted by the FDLE regarding fraudulent signatures on the recall petitions circulated by End the Corruption. The local business owner said he had no knowledge of the recall election except having seen “people walking around the community with shirts saying Recall the Mayor.” Rumors have swirled that there may be arrests over the fraudulent signatures. Forgery is a third-degree felony in the state of Florida, punishable by up to five years in prison. Recall election chair Cruz refused comment to Coral Gables Magazine and, at the time of writing, the FDLE has not responded to repeated requests for comment. – Kylie Wang

Beauty & the Butcher Receives Beautification Award

Beauty & the Butcher has been awarded the 2024 City of Coral Gables’ Commercial Beautification Award! The accolade recognizes local businesses that contribute to the visual appeal and character of their neighborhoods, emphasizing the City of Coral Gables’ commitment to aesthetics. Beauty & the Butcher’s thoughtfully maintained storefront on the corner of Red Road and San Ignacio Ave. reflects this, adding to the charm that defines the area. Nominations for the Commercial Beautification Awards are received from the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, the city’s code enforcement and economic development departments, and the community at large. Winners are selected by the Sustainability Advisory Board and must meet certain criteria that highlight the nominee’s dedication to beauty and environmentalism. Past winners include Bachour, The Globe, Bulla Gastrobar, and Trend Boutique. Judges were impressed by Beauty & The Butcher’s inviting exterior, with natural wood finishes, warm lighting, and an eye-catching corner entrance. Michelin-starred chef Jeremy Ford opened Beauty and the Butcher, his first and only restaurant in the Gables, in late 2022 as part of the Grove Bay Hospitality Group. – Amanda Martell

When in Rome

Students and faculty of St. Theresa Catholic School can now say that their mascot, Louis the Musketeer, has a new special residence – inside the Vatican. Coral Gables City Commissioner Kirk Menendez, also a St. Theresa alumni parent and Church of the Little Flower parishioner, and his wife Maria Teresa, had a unique opportunity to visit Rome and the Vatican while attending a special conference in August. The four-day conference was organized by the International Catholic Legislators Network and consisted of Catholic lawmakers from over 60 countries. Commissioner Menendez, the only invited elected official from the State of Florida, wanted to bring something to the Pope. So, he brought a plastic cut-out of Louis the Musketeer, the mascot of St. Theresa Catholic School, something each student receives at the end of the school year. Menendez says he introduced himself as coming from “the adopted city of Lionel Messi” since the Pope is Argentine and a soccer fan, and presented the cutout as a gift from “the children of St. Theresa Catholic School in Coral Gables.” – Charlene Conill

UM’s Black Enrollment Hits a Low

Last year, the Supreme Court of the United States prohibited colleges from using race as a factor in admissions, overturning a nearly 50-year standard. Since then, colleges and universities across the country have seen a sharp drop in Black student populations. The University of Miami (UM) has not been exempted; Black enrollment has dropped, significantly.

Zuri Greenlee, the president of UM’s United Black Students (UBS), noticed it when only three freshmen showed up to the club’s first general body meeting. Derryl Barnes, an award-winning journalist and Black alumnus, noticed it when he saw almost zero Black students at an event for new premier scholarship recipients.

In a Sept. 16 statement to The Miami Hurricane, UM’s student newspaper, the University confirmed that Black enrollment had declined from nine percent for the Class of 2027 to five percent for the Class of 2028. By comparison, the percentage of UM Black students has hovered around 10 percent over the past decade, reaching a peak of 11 percent in 2020 and falling to last year’s nine percent.

“We’re usually able to build a strong Black community base, and that’s definitely been more of a struggle this year as we don’t have as many students on campus,” Greenlee said. “We’re not in spaces on campus where we can advocate for the Black community.” Greenlee says she would like the opportunity to sit down with the university administration to discuss the issue. “What steps are we taking [to remedy this?]” she asks. “Because this affects our communities and the longevity of our organizations.” – Patrick McCaslin

High Hopes for ‘Canes Football

Every year since 2001, whispers have surrounded the Miami Hurricanes football team. “Will they win another national championship?” fans collectively wonder. “Will they even have a winning record?” For the past two decades, it has been a painful obsession. The ‘Canes follow a troubling pattern of strong opening games, then a pivotal loss that ends with a mediocre season. But this year feels different.

For the first time since 2017, the ‘Canes have opened at 7-0 (at the time of this writing), marching through previously ranked Louisville, rivals University of Florida and University of South Florida, and a talented Cal team. Senior QB Cam Ward has led the charge with remarkable calm, humility, and – dare we say it – swagger. Even facing steep deficits during multiple games, Ward has been unshakeable, nailing it for several thrilling comeback wins. Take last month’s astounding 39-38 win over the Cal Golden Bears. At one point the ‘Canes were down 35-10 but won with three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Miami quarterback Ward is now a consistent name in Heisman Award conversations. He has the most touchdowns and passing yards in the country and is leading a top-ranked offense with the most yards per game and the highest third down conversion rate. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo and running back Damien Martinez are also having strong seasons, while Miami’s defense has performed well, showing up when it has mattered and locking in wins each time. Now to see if the mid-season curse can be broken. – Patrick McCaslin

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