My Kind of TOWN

The call themselves "a neighborhood joint", and with good reason because Town Kitchen + Bar is nestled within a cozy street in South Miami and the staff is welcoming and friendly. This place has a certain buzz about it. It feels like one of those restaurants where something important is always happening. From the large group celebrating a birthday to the couple sitting by the projected fireplace, Town really caters to whatever you might have going on.

Luckily, I made reservations because the place seemed full. Although, Town is quite large with outdoor seating available, plenty of bar space, and the usual dining area, with a separate room for extra seating. This night, we were seated in the dining area. It has low lighting, black & white photographs hanging, an industrial floor and roof, and a distinctive aroma of hearth oven pizza (which convinced me to order their personal Margherita).

To start, we had their warm shrimp salad. This was disappointing because it was basically guacamole with 3 large shrimps served atop, and it was not warm. Town redeemed themselves after the appetizer let-down when I received my Margherita pizza. It turned out to be thin, crispy, and delicious--exactly what I was expecting. It came with plenty of pizza, as I could not finish it all.

Town offers a really cool "Sides to Share" menu, which we ordered their 'Town Mac and Four Cheese Sauce' off of. This Mac and Cheese came straight out of the oven onto our table and was everything Mac and Cheese should be. It had a four-cheese blend, melted throughout the bowl, a slight crisp on top from the baking, and it was perfectly portioned for four of us to share. As an end to our meal, we ordered the Town Cupcakes dessert (that's right, cupcakes!). It came with (you guessed it) four cupcakes--two vanilla, two chocolate--and successfully managed to be the only dessert anyone can ever finish after a full meal.

My visit to this Town was not the last. I would recommend it for family gatherings, friendly outings, and even if your just going to get appetizers and desserts.

Address:
Neighborhood: South Miami
7301 SW 57th Ct
South Miami, FL 33143
http://www.townkitchenbar.com/

Price Range: $13-30/plate
Some Menu Favorites: Town Calamari . Margherita Pizza . Lobster Ravioli . Town Mac and Four Cheese Sauce . Town Cupcake Dessert

Revisit: Bonsai Thai + Sushi

Ok, I know I already reviewed this one; however I felt the need to elaborate because a) it was my first entry and b) it's officially my favorite sushi restaurant in Miami.

I recently went here on a Saturday night and its was P-A-C-K-E-D. Suprisingly, we waited about 15 minutes and then we were seated. The reason they had space for us is because Bonsai just expanded, adding a small "lounge room" on the side. This section has black walls with intimate lighting and only offers floor seats. I think this side would be great for a small party and obviously the food would be fantastic! (MiamiBites Launch party anyone?)

Speaking of the food, I'm guilty of doubting Bonsai. As we sat down, I turned and said to my boyfriend, "I really hope they don't take long with the food," and I really meant it. I was very hungry and the servers seemed busy with such a full restaurant. I should have known better because to my delight, our food was actually out extremely fast. We got our salad and appetizer just before I was about to pass out from hunger, finished it, and immediately was hit with our sushi rolls. You can't beat perfectly timed sushi!

Another thing to mention about Bonsai is that even with a packed house, even with to-go service going crazy, they still managed to deliver quality food. We had shrimp shumai to start and those little dumplings were fresh and simple, not overfried, but just right. We also shared chicken fried rice which has ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, and carrots tossed right in.

I can't stress this enough: Bonsai is awesome! Affordable sushi, fresh ingredients, chic decor, and neighborhood friendly service. Just get up and go already!

Address:
14240 SW 8th St
Miami, FL 33184
http://bonsairestaurant.com/


Price Range: $10-12/plate
Some Menu Favorites: Edamame . Shrimp Shumai . Spicy Octopus Salad . Dragon Roll . Crunch Roll . Chicken Fried Rice . Thai Donuts

On Grand Avenue and Bourbon Street

Well that's not the exact location, seeing as how Miami has no Bourbon Street. However, I can see the possibilty of changing the name after the insertion of Christabelle's Quarter into the Grove. This looks, feels, and tastes like the real French Quarters. From emmaculate chandeliers and feathered masks to velvet draped windows and a huge stained glass dome, Christabelle's is capturing the essence that is New Orleans.

From what I understand, the jazz bands that play here are truly entertaining and we were 2 hours early for their Happy Hour, which starts at 5 PM. Lucky for us, the hostess let us in on a secret--"lunch is the best menu we offer"--and right she may be.

For starters, their Crab and Corn bisque is a must! This soup was filled with chunky crab meat that seemed to melt in your mouth. I'm not sure what else was in it besides corn because the soup was so white and all the flavors were blended well, but I do know that this had to be the best part of my meal. I also tried thier blackened chicken wrap, which had jambalya rice in it (because you can't call it New Orleans without jambalya), but was a little too spicy and overseasoned for my liking. Not to worry, Christabelle's finished with an 'A' after we shared thier Banana Foster at the end. Honestly, can you go wrong with bananas, ice cream, crepes, and bourbon? I think not.

This is the kind of place everyone should go to at least once simply for the decor. Every single detail in Christabelle's was hand-picked and purposely integrated. This designer had me sold and I only saw the first floor! That's right, the grand staircase actually leads to a more intimate second and even more VIP third floor.

I feel like Christabelle's should be visited at night. I've passed by there before and the music is lively, the lighting is perfect, and even if they don't offer the hostess' favorite menu, I'm sure it will be a fun night out.

Address:
Neighborhood: Coconut Grove
3157 Commodore Plz
Coconut Grove, FL 33133

Price Range: $8-10/lunch; $15-20/dinner
Some Menu Favorites: Crab and Corn Bisque . Christabelle’s Beef and Andouille Burger . Shrimp Remoulade . Blackened Mahi . Banana Foster . Creme Brulee
Picture Credits: Lauren Doval