What I Ate Wednesday #50: Tap 42

As promised last week, I wanted to go into a little more detail about one of the places we went for lunch while we were in Florida. I happen to have married the research master when it comes to traveling, and when he sent me this website, I went nuts! Tons of good beer, cocktails that sound incredible, and so many healthy menu options. We didn’t have set plans during our stay, but I knew I wanted to get here.

We took a seat outside and immediately scoured the beer menu. I thought about a cocktail, but when I saw Schnebly Miami Brewing Co. Coconut Blonde, I had to try it. When I asked the server about it, she offered me a sample saying people either love it or hate it. I loved it. No, really.. I loveeeeeddddd it!

It’s brewed with coconut water so the coconut flavor is very apparent. Also, it being a blonde ale, it was perfect for the hot weather; very refreshing and slightly sweet from the coconut flavor. Nathan ordered a Cigar City Jai Alai. He’s had it before but I got a chance to try it this time. I’m not much of an IPA gal, but this has a perfect balance of hops and malt; it doesn’t leave a bitter taste in your mouth at all. Both beers are highly recommended!

With all of the wonderful choices on the menu, we asked the server for her recommendations. Nathan went for the burger.

The Drunken Goat – Lamb and Beef Blend, Tomato Jam, Arugula, Bourbon Red Onions, Goat Cheese, Dijon

This burger was a combination of lamb and beef and was full of flavor. As for the toppings, the goat cheese stole the show; it was hard to really pick out the flavor of the tomato jam or dijon. It was also rather greasy making the bottom bun a bit soggy. He ordered the fresh cut fries on the side which were great. They were nice and crisp and seasoned well.

I, on the other hand, went for the power pack bowl with chicken and a side of kimchi pasta salad.

Power Pack Bowl – Swiss Chard, Corn, Lentils, Avocado, Quinoa, Pumpkin Seeds, Broccoli, Edamame, Carrots, Grilled Potatoes in a Tomato Harissa Sauce

This was a bit different than I expected when it came out, but I dug right in. I expected more of a spicy punch from the harissa sauce; it was rather light and seemed to be more of a regular tomato sauce. I loved all of the different textures from all of the elements of the bowl.

Kimchi Orzo Pasta Salad

The pasta salad was also a bit less flavorful than I had expected. Since kimchi is a fermented cabbage, it usually has a rather notable, pungent flavor that I was hoping to experience in the pasta salad. And even though it didn’t quite hit the mark, it was still an enjoyable side. Next time I’d go for the brussels!

Overall, I would say Tap 42 has an incredible concept, but their execution is lacking. I think they could really have something special if they concentrate on perfecting their flavors. I’m still intrigued by the menu and would love to go back and try some more dishes. Maybe it was just what we ordered.. I’d be up for another trip!

Food for Thought

Which dish would you have ordered?

Would you get a beer or a cocktail?

What I Ate Wednesday #49: Photo Dump

Alright, so it’s actually Thursday, but yesterday was a little hectic. I also just got back from an extended weekend in Florida visiting my family and rather than going to all of the same restaurants we usually do, we decided to switch it up a bit. There was a lot of goodness and I’ll be going into more detail about some of these meals soon, but for now, just a bunch of pictures!

A couple trips to the Whole Foods salad bar.. and a little treat.

A Vietnamese dinner.

A little beach action.

A new lunch spot.

And beer. Lots of beer.

Oh. And a little pizza to end the trip.

I almost forgot!

The winner of my Mara’s Pasta giveaway is Amanda Gibson! Congratulations, Amanda!

Food for Thought

When you go away, do you plan your trip around different restaurants or activities you want to try?

What I Ate Wednesday #26 – Doing It Up Miami Style!

Have you entered my KIND Snacks giveaway? It ends tomorrow night.. don’t miss out!

Friday night, Nathan and I jet setted to Florida for a long weekend. I have family in the Ft. Lauderdale area so it’s always nice to be able to get away and go visit them, especially this time of year when it’s freezing at home! And since it’s not enough to just go to Florida, we planned a full day in Miami; completely revolving around food, of course!

We spent the day roaming South Beach with completely full stomachs. Seriously, this was not planned well. We had far too much food at every stop! But I guess if that’s my only complaint, it’s not so bad 😉

[Brunch]
Yardbird

“A house of worship to farm-fresh ingredients, classic Southern cooking, culture and hospitality.”

This place is great! I loved the decor and all of the little touches, from the clever chalkboard drawings, right down to the paper napkin ring.

The staff was super friendly and really helped to make the experience so enjoyable and relaxing. I think my eyes lit up when we walked in and didn’t stop until we left. The kitchen was open to the restaurant and I loved being able to see everything being made and brought out. I definitely tried to scope everything out as it went by!

Shares
Butter Lettuce and Grilled Mango salad with smoked pecans and benne seed vinaigrette.
Chilled Watermelon with cayenne pepper, lemon, and herbs.

His
Mama’s Chicken Biscuits with homemade pepper jelly and house-pickled cucumber, onion, and okra.
Coffee

Hers
Egg-white omelette with caramelized onions, muenster cheese, and smoked pork, topped with pimento cheese sauce. Buttermilk biscuit and fresh fruit on the side.
Coffee

Thoughts
The salad was tasty and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a light, refreshing salad. Next time, we would definitely look for something that packs a little more punch. Same idea goes for the watermelon; we like bold flavor!

Best biscuit ever? I think we both agreed on that one. It was light and flaky. Just the right consistency to peel layer by layer. The chicken was perfectly fried and the homemade pepper jelly was slightly sweet and spicy which was the perfect compliment. The omelette was chock full of mix-ins and flavor. I’d never had pimento cheese before but I think this may have converted me.

Overall, it was a great experience. I would definitely recommend a visit if you’re in South Beach and I’ll definitely be back again!

[Lunch/Snack]
Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs during brunch, but somehow we managed to put away all of that food. Which meant when lunch time rolled around, we weren’t hungry. Joe’s Stone Crabs were part of the original plan, but not being able to buy 1 or 2 for a little snack meant I skipped them all together.

Instead, we went over to the Hofbrauhaus.

It had been a few hours and we’d done a few miles of walking so it was more-than-time for some beer. Or 1 liter each. And with all of that beer, clearly you need something to wash down!

Enter the meat and cheese platter with a side of soft-baked pretzel. Good thing we had the tiniest bit of room in our stomachs for this mound of deliciousness! We had no idea there would be so much food. But once again, we finished it. All of it.

And it’s worth noting, the people watching in Miami is second to none! You get a great view from the outdoor seating at this place.

[Pick-Me-Up]
Nathan has not stopped telling me about Aroma Coffee since he went to Israel 2 years ago. It’s the only coffee shop over there and they have the best coffee. So when he saw there was an Aroma Coffee in Miami, we had to stop in. And who doesn’t need a little iced cappuccino after a liter of beer?

[Dinner]
With no room left in our stomachs, we made our way over to Michael’s Genuine. It was featured on The Layover so we knew we had to check it out.

Unlike brunch, this time, we shared everything! We started with the Crispy Pig Ear. And if you can forget what you’re eating, it’s really delicious! They’re perfectly spiced and wonderfully crispy (just like the name!)

Next, we got the Crispy Sweet & Spicy Pork Belly with kimchi, crushed peanuts, and pea shoots. I love anything peanut so I was really digging the flavor and crunch on this.

Finally, for our meal we ordered the Grilled Leg of Lamb with salsa verde and the Wood-Roasted Brussel Sprouts with pancetta and lemon aioli. Unfortunately, I have to admit that this part of the meal fell flat. I was disappointed with the portion size of the lamb for the price, not to mention, it was cold when it came out. It wasn’t seasoned well and didn’t have tons of flavor. The brussel sprouts were good, but not anything really special.

In an attempt to make up for the lamb, we were comped a dessert of chocolate cake topped with ice cream and whipped cream. This happened to be the best part of the entire meal (and also the part that I didn’t photograph!)

With such a high price tag, I don’t think we would go back. The whole experience felt a bit over-hyped and even though we had a decent dinner, I’m sure we could have spent half as much and enjoyed ourselves much more elsewhere.

Overall, we had a great day in Miami. We were filled to the gills the entire time and couldn’t get enough of the sunshine and summery weather! Not exactly what you think of around the holidays, but a nice change of pace.

Food for Thought

Have you ever been to any of these restaurants? Have you ever gone to a restaurant that was recommended by someone famous and found that it didn’t live up to the hype?