Quick Bites
Still the Real Deal
Not that we entirely trust the readers and editors of NewTimes, but their latest Best Of edition voted Miss Saigon the best Vietnamese restaurant in Miami. A few years earlier they voted it best restaurant in Coral Gables, period. Not sureabout that, but the eatery on Giralda Plaza continues to impress with their fresh, light cuisine. Among our favorites isthe spicy shrimp salad ($11.95) that combines the flavors of lemon grass, lime juice, and chili. According to our server the five Bun Xao dishes ($16.95) are the customer favorites, large bowls of noodles and vegetables topped with shrimp spring rolls and your choice of protein. We opted instead for the beef with broccoli in garlic sauce, still too much to eat ($12.95).
Saturday Fresh
Del Monte’s FRSHST concept, with its prototype café at their corporate site on Sevilla Avenue, has become a popular, healthy, quick stop for the office crowd near Ponce Circle. Now they are entering the weekend market with an all-day brunch menu. Yes, you can get their eggs & bacon wrap or their eggs benedict starting at 9 am and right up until 7 pm. Good for takeout but nothing like breakfast during sunset at one of their outdoor tables. Delicious, too; just no bottomless mimosas.
Affordable Dining
Who says you can’t get a great meal for a great price in Coral Gables? One of the things we love about La Casita, on the northern spur of the city between Ponce and Douglas, is that the menu doesn’t change for dinner. You still get all those great Cuban dishes – ropa vieja, lechon asado, bistec de pollo – along with rice, black beans and plantains for $10.95 to $12.95. Our recent dinner for two of masas de puerco (pork chunks with onions), ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce) and two large café con leches, came to $35. Plus, it’s still a comfortable, family place with booths and tablecloths that hasn’t changed in decades.
Speaking of Healthy
When the folks at Grove Bay Hospitality Group repurposed Shula’s steak house on Red Road into Public Square, they still hung on to the beef roots of the iconic Dolphin coach’s trademark restaurant. They added some nice touches, too, especially in the seafood department. They also offer superb grilled vegetables. And here is what we love: Order one of their cheeseburgers for lunch ($18) and ask for grilled veggies instead of the fries. You will thank us, and your aorta will thank you.