A Taste of Coral Gables: Cookbook and Culinary Tour of the City Beautiful
By Paola Mendez
()
About this ebook
A Taste of Coral Gables is brimming with all the great food and good vibes that make this sunny city in South Florida such a magnet for food lovers of all stripes. Filled with recipes, restaurant descriptions, menu highlights, chef profiles, wine pairings, and more, this one-stop resource on the Coral Gables food scene doubles as a restaurant guide and recipe resource to the best places the city has to offer.
There are approximately seventy-five restaurants covered in the book, each with a two-page spread that contains color photographs, informative text on the origins and highlights of the restaurant, what makes it unique, and who the people are behind the restaurant’s unique atmosphere and cuisine. Each also features a recipe for one of the restaurant’s signature dishes for easy preparation at home.
From such venerable dining establishments as the Palm d’Or at the Biltmore (haute cuisine in Old-World charm with New World sensibilities) to fun and funky specialty joints such as Ms. Cheezious (grilled cheese in every manner imaginable), to ethnic standouts such as Talavera (down-home Mexican), all bases are covered in this comprehensive culinary treasure trove paying homage to the “City Beautiful.”
Paola Mendez
Paola Mendez is a serial entrepreneur, the founder of Coral Gables Love, and the kind spirit behind The Blogger Union. Paola’s talent for creating communities began in 2007 when she founded Pinkghost, a designer toy store, gallery, and haven for local and international artists. Pinkghost artist products, a collaboration between Paola and her favorite artists, were sold at stores around the world. Today, Paola continues to run an eclectic portfolio of online businesses, including Coral Gables Love —the most influential online hub in Coral Gables— Dapper Animals, and Cool Gifting. Previous to life online, she was a web developer in the finance and media industry. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Miami and a Masters in Information Systems, where she graduated as the valedictorian of her class at Florida International University. On her down time, you can catch Paola playing drums in her cover band (along with her partner Brian, her sister, and brother-in-law) or snuggling with her toy Yorkie, Pancho.
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A Taste of Coral Gables - Paola Mendez
A TASTE OF
CORAL GABLES
A Culinary Tour and Recipes from the City Beautiful
Paola Mendez
Coral Gables, Florida
`
Copyright © 2019 Paola Mendez.
Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.
Cover Design: Elina Diaz
Layout Design: Vicky Shea
Mango is an active supporter of authors’ rights to free speech and artistic expression in their books. The purpose of copyright is to encourage authors to produce exceptional works that enrich our culture and our open society.
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Coral Gables, FL 33134 USA
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A Taste of Coral Gables: A Culinary Tour of the City Beautiful
Library of Congress Cataloging
ISBN: (print) 978-1-63353-770-5
(eBook) 978-1-63353-771-2
Library of Congress Control Number: Has been applied for.
BISAC category code: TRV022000—TRAVEL / Food, Lodging & Transportation / Restaurants
Printed in the United States of America
Acknowledgments
The publisher gratefully acknowledges Coral Gables restaurants for their assistance in supplying information and images, and for providing access to their establishments during the research, writing, and photography for this book. The publisher also acknowledges:
• The City of Coral Gables and Vine Communications for making introductions and providing input;
• Paola Mendez for supplying much of the writing and some of the photographs;
• Andrea Mendez for supplying some of the photographs;
• Nabila Verushka for supplying some of the photographs;
• Mike Urban for supplemental writing, editing, photography, and overall project management;
• The staff of Mango Media for general support and project guidance and for supplying production and manufacturing expertise as well as cover design;
• Vicky Shea of Ponderosa Pine Design for text design, page makeup, and overall design guidance.
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Aragon 101
Aromas del Peru
Bangkok-Bangkok II
Bellmont Spanish Restaurant
Biltmore Culinary Academy
New and Notable in the City Beautiful
Bulla Gastrobar
Café at Books & Books
Caffe Abbracci
Caffe Vialetto
Christy’s
Chef Sucre Café
Chocolate Fashion
Copper 29 Bar
CraveClean Protein Bakery
Cibo Wine Bar
Crema Gourmet
Delicatessen Patagonia
Divino Ceviche
Coral Gables Landmarks
Eating House
Fontana Biltmore
Fratellino Ristorante
Fritz and Franz Bierhaus
Gastronomicom
Graziano’s Restaurant
Graziano’s Market
Gusto Fino
House Kitchen and Bar
John Martin’s Irish Pub
Kao Sushi & Grill
La Dorada
Lan Ramen-Ya
Le Provençal
LOUI
Coral Gables Landmarks
Madruga Bakery
Maroosh
Mikuna
MesaMar Seafood Table
Miss Saigon Bistro
Morelia Gourmet Paletas
My Ceviche
My Cupcake World
Ms. Cheezious
Pascal’s on Ponce
Ortanique on the Mile
Palme d’Or
Pincho Factory
Plomo Tequila & Taco Bar
PokéBao
Pummarola Pizzeria
New and Notable on Giralda Plaza
Raw Juce
Rice Mediterranean Kitchen
Sacha’s Café
Salumeria 104
Shula’s 347 Grill
Tinta y Café
Small Tea
Spring Chicken
Sushi Maki
Taco Rico
Talavera Cocina Mexicana
The Bar
The Globe
The Local Craft Food & Drink
The Seven Dials
Threefold Café
Uvaggio
Veganaroma
Whip N Dip Ice Cream Shop
Zucca
Restaurants Contact Information
Recipes Index
Photo Credits
Foreword
A few years ago, after my wife and I had moved to Coral Gables, the restaurateur Danny Meyer from New York asked me to suggest one place to eat while he was in Miami for a work trip. The pressure! I went through my mental Rolodex of what was new and hot. The restaurants that immediately came to mind, clustered mostly in South Beach and Wynwood, were very good. But I didn’t feel that they were Danny Meyer good. So I went out on a limb and pointed him to Eating House in Coral Gables. Open for a couple of years then, some of Eating House’s new-restaurant buzz had worn off. But I believed that talented chef-owner Giorgio Rapicavoli was cooking at the top of his game at that moment. He was: Danny loved everything about Eating House and was wowed by Giorgio’s creative cuisine.
That memory exemplifies what I love about dining in Coral Gables. We, too, have our share of flashy new restaurants and hotly anticipated openings. But we also have—more than many of our neighboring communities—established restaurants that are acclaimed by critics and beloved by locals. Places like Ortanique, where I know chef Cindy Hutson is going to make me happy with her Caribbean-infused cooking and the best mojito in town. Places like Mikuna, where the Peruvian food is some of the best I’ve tasted outside of Lima. Places like Palme d’Or, where chef Gregory Pugin’s food is served with such exquisite care and hospitality, you feel like a VIP every time. And places like Eating House, where Giorgio’s food seems to evolve with changing seasons, tastes, and trends.
Miami is fortunate to have pockets of great dining options in just about every neighborhood. But there’s something special cooking in Coral Gables. If you ask me for a restaurant recommendation, it’s probably going to be somewhere in The City Beautiful.
Evan S. Benn
Former Food Editor, Miami Herald
and Editor-in-Chief, INDULGE magazine
Giralda Plaza at night.
Introduction
Coral Gables is a treasure trove of culinary delights. From busy Giralda Avenue and Miracle Mile to the outlying coffee houses and eateries, there’s plenty to explore in this vibrant city.
A Taste of Coral Gables is a cookbook and restaurant guide filled with great recipes and colorful descriptions of the City Beautiful’s best, most notable food establishments. Organized alphabetically by restaurant, and with a recipes index in back, the book is easy to navigate and fun to peruse.
You’ll find many places you’re no doubt familiar with, and hopefully some new ones to explore. And the recipes reflect the diverse, multicultural culinary landscape that helps make Coral Gables so special to residents and visitors alike. Enjoy!
Aragon 101
In September 2012, Coral Gables native Erica Guzman opened Aragon 101, a home décor boutique and cooking school in the heart of the City Beautiful. She drew her inspiration from many of the interesting and intimate European shops she enjoyed while living in Milan.
Aragon 101 brings together the best of those concept stores, while adding the distinct tropical flavor of South Florida. Regular cooking classes, together with private dinner parties, allow guests to enjoy delicious food and sharpen their culinary skills in a relaxed setting. There’s a variety of international cuisines featured at the dinners.
Guest chefs from throughout South Florida and beyond preside over the cooking classes and private dinners. Diners sit at Aragon’s long, white counter in the back of the store and take in a culinary floor show—all while enjoying a glass or two of wine and lots of lively conversation. There’s plenty of back and forth between chefs and diners, making Aragon 101 a truly interactive dining experience.
Erica continues to travel to spots near and far, looking for décor items reflecting originality and fine craftsmanship. She believes in doing what you love and sharing that love with others.
Gougères (Savory Cheese Puffs)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
Large pinch coarse salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.In a small saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil. Over low heat, add the flour, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes. The flour should just begin to coat the bottom of the pan.
3.Transfer to an electric mixer and bowl fitted with a paddle attachment and let cool for a minute. Beat on low speed, adding eggs one at a time. Make sure each egg is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next. Add the Gruyère, mustard, and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg.
4.Transfer the batter to a large, sealable plastic bag, and snip off 1/2 inch from one corner.
5.Squeeze 2-teaspoon-sized balls onto the baking sheets. (You may use a small ice cream scooper in lieu of the plastic bag method.)
6.Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of each ball, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Serves 6.