The Island Cow

Posted in Food & Recipes, Travel & Adventure by listen2mama

Whenever we’re visiting a new place, we like to try unusual or local restaurants. Every time we visit Sanibel Island, we make it a point to eat at The Island Cow. We like everything about this casual, beachy, cow-themed (hence the name) eatery. My husband always says this place makes him feel happy!

Fun for kids outside!

This quirky family restaurant has a fun vibe, with its cow decorations, funny signs, and claims that the food is “udderly great”. I especially LOVE this sign:

The menu here can only be described as extensive with items such as Seafood Fajitas, Steak and Cake (NY strip steak and their famous crab cakes), Moolicious Meatloaf, and Po’ boys. Let’s not forget the extensive breakfast menu, and the appetizers, soups, salads and desserts! We love to start with the basket of muffins they put on your table. They are really yummy, but don’t overdo it, you want to make sure you have room for the main dish.

Yummy muffins!

For my main meal, I had the Islander’s Crab Cakes (I always order this), and hubby chose the “Fish’in Rules”, pick a fish from one of three groups:

Then choose how you want it prepared, however you want from broiled to barbequed, and then pick sides like cheese grits, island yellow rice or hush puppies. Whatever you eat, make sure you leave room for their famous Key Lime Pie, one of the best I’ve eaten in Florida!

Delicious Key Lime Pie!

The Island Cow is right in the middle of Sanibel on Periwinkle Way. Be prepared to wait a bit for a table, the place is usually quite busy, especially during the high season. However, the service is pretty good and fast, and if you get tired of waiting, there are plenty of games, activities and photo-taking opportunities available while you pass the time.

Here are a few more photos of this cute little place:

The Island Cow

Colorful Adirondack Chairs outside

Restaurant Interior Photo Courtesy of The Island Cow

More colorful chairs…

The Island Cow
2163 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel Island, FL 33957

http://www.SanibelIslandCow.com

Have you ever been to The Island Cow…and if you have, what has been your favorite dish?

2Sep2014

Chillin at Chill-N…

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

As the summer sadly comes to an end (well it’s always summer in Miami), we made our last official summer ice-cream run last night to our new favorite ice-cream shop. It’s so cool, it’s chillin (the name of the place)! Not only is Chill-N Nitrogen Ice-Cream absolutely delicious, but the way it is made is what really makes your mouth drop. They make their ice-cream with Nitrogen, yes folks, Nitrogen! The shop is quite small, but in my opinion, small places are typically the best! No matter when we’ve visited this place (usually on the weekends), the line is outside the door.

How they make ice-cream!

When you first walk in, you will find a cool Periodic Table inspired board of all delicious bases, flavors, and toppings, or as they call them, their mix-N’s…brownie bits, mint, marshmallows, Nutella, cookie bites, white chocolate chips, & much more. You first choose your size of dessert, then whether you’d like ice-cream or yogurt. Next, you choose from over 10 base flavors, and lastly, you get to choose all of your add-ins.

Flavors and toppings!

Then the magic begins… While regular ice cream is frozen over night or frozen instantly through commercial freezers, nitrogen flash-freezes the liquid base as it is churned. The nitrogen makes the ice cream really cold, and since it’s all prepared as you watch, you can see the nitrogen fog pour out of the mixers. It’s all really cool, and even the adults in line are watching the process in amazement!

Ice Cream in the making!

The only drawback is that since the ice-creams are made fresh on the spot, you can’t try the different flavors. But no worries, I’m sure any combination you come up with will be heavenly! The first time I visited I got the cake batter ice-cream mixed in with the Oreos and cookie dough (now my daughter’s favorite). Another favorite of mine is strawberry ice-cream mixed in with white chocolate chips. Absolutely delicious, I’ve never tasted creamier ice-cream!

If you’re in Miami and you want a place to chill…go to Chill-N, you must stop by one of their locations:

Pinecrest: 8271 SW 124th Street, Miami, FL 33156

Aventura: 17831 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura, FL 33160

http://www.chillnicecream.com

25Aug2014

Swooning Over Swine

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Miami is a great place to try new restaurants, it seems like there’s a new one opening up almost every day, whether in Coral Gables, Midtown or in Miami Beach. Recently, Gastro pubs have taken over in Miami, sometimes making you feel as if you’re dining in NYC or Chicago, instead of South Florida. Swine Southern Table & Bar, is the latest addition to the 50 Eggs, Inc. family, which consists of Khong River House and Yardbird Southern Table & Bar (both of which I still have to try). Swine describes itself as ”A house of worship to the porcine pursuits”.

Swine Southern Table & Bar Interior Photo Courtesy of MiamiEater.com

My husband first tried this place with some co-workers, and he liked it so much, he suggested we go for a family brunch. At first sight, the place looks very small and cozy, but then you take a look around, and realize there’s a loft-style dining space up on the second floor, which almost doubles the restaurant space. A relaxed ambiance with dim lighting and creative decor make this restaurant everything that a Gastro pub should be. Also worth a mention, some of the friendliest waiters I have ever encountered in Miami!

The menu resembles one of a typical BBQ joint, with items such as pulled pork and brisket. Everything is smoked in-house for around 12 hours, leaving the area with an intoxicating smell of wood, meat, sweetness, and bourbon. In addition to the creative cocktail menu, there’s also an extensive bourbon collection featuring rare, limited editions and house infusions, as well as various beers and wines to choose from.

Jalapeño, Cheddar & Bacon Homemade Cornbread

The first time we ate at Swine, we ordered a muffin basket, with cherry scones, cornbread and banana muffins. Since we’ve been back they no longer offer it, but you can still order the items separately. Remembering how yummy these treats were, we of course ordered the Jalapeño, Cheddar & Bacon Homemade Cornbread, and the Granola Crusted, Cream Cheese Stuffed Warm Banana Muffin, both served with homemade berry jam and maple butter. Delicious!

Granola Crusted, Cream Cheese Stuffed Warm Banana Muffin

Next we had the Crispy Brussels Sprouts with green apple and bacon vinaigrette, one of hubby’s favorite dishes there! And he also ordered a side of the BBQ spiced French Fries, served with spicy ketchup and crumbled bacon.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with green apples and bacon vinaigrette

BBQ spiced French Fries

To top this all off, we all shared the Warm Sticky Icky Bun, with maple-bourbon toffee syrup, pecan cream cheese, candied smoked bacon, and sweet potato “pie” ice cream. As you can imagine, we were stuffed and really couldn’t finish all of this food, it was very filling, but also very delicious!

Warm Sticky Icky Bun, with maple-bourbon toffee syrup, pecan cream cheese, candied smoked bacon, and sweet potato “pie” ice cream.

If you’re in Miami, or visiting soon, make sure you stop in the place that proclaims “the only part of a hog you can’t use is his squeal”, you won’t be disappointed!

Swine Southern Table & Bar
2415 Ponce De Leon Blvd
Coral Gables
http://www.runpigrun.com

17Jul2014

What Is A Montadito?

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

What is a “Montadito” you might ask? Well, In Spanish, montar means “to mount,” so montaditos are tapas-style tiny baguettes that are piled high with meats, cheeses, chocolates…essentially delightful bite-sized finger food.

Various “montaditos”

That is the concept behind 100 Montaditos (you can choose from 100 mini sandwiches, hence the name). They also serve appetizers, tapas, salads, various types of beer, and of course sangria.

100 Montaditos has become a very popular restaurant chain, which first opened its doors in 2000 in the south of Spain, and has now become the largest Spanish-owned franchise in the world. The ambiance is very typical of a tapas bar in Spain, where once folks finish their meals, they like to hang around drinking and having fun.

Ham croqueta appetizer

In 2011, the first US restaurant and Americas headquarters was opened in, where else, Miami. My family and I love to frequent this place because there is such variety, and you can’t beat the prices. The mini sandwiches range in price between $1.00 – $2.50, but on Wednesdays, all sandwiches cost $1.00! Another great feature of these restaurants is their locations. In the Miami area, you can find one in South Miami, Miracle Mile, Lincoln Road, Brickell Avenue, Midtown, Kendall, Pinecrest…just about anywhere. My favorite montaditos are the Serrrano ham, Manchego cheese, tortilla Española with ali oli, and my husband loves the BBQ pulled pork.

My favorite Guava & Cream Cheese Montadito!

My favorite Montadito!

On our last visit there, they had changed up the menu a bit, and I was surprised that they no longer serve the very popular cream cheese and guava montadito, (not sure why it’s off the menu, it was delicious). But if you’re looking for a sweet ending to your meal, make sure you try one of their delicious chocolate montaditos, especially the Cookies and Cream one! Have you been to 100 Montaditos? If you have, which is your favorite?

23Jun2014

Baked by Melissa

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Is there a way of enjoying six cupcakes in one sitting, and not feeling guilty about it? The answer is yes, if you’ve just eaten them at one of the Baked by Melissa cupcake shops in NYC. These tiny, bite-sized cupcakes come in the most delicious and unique flavors from traditional red velvet and s’mores, to the more offbeat PB&J and tie-dye.

Some of our favorite flavors!

Last summer, my daughter and I spent a week in NYC, and we had the luck of having a Baked by Melissa location directly across the street from our hotel in Times Square. Let me tell you, it’s very difficult to decide which ones to try, as there is such an assortment and they’re so small, that you want to try all of them! Needless to say we visited the shop a few times…my daughter’s favorites were the cookie dough and cookies and cream. They also have a mini of the month which switches throughout the year, it was watermelon when we visited, and I loved it! BTW, if you’re into watermelon cupcakes you need to read this post.

Nighttime visit for tiny cupcakes!

Baked by Melissa has several locations in New York and also ships nationwide. So, even if you’re not in Manhattan, you can still enjoy the cutest, tastiest cupcakes around. Their website also has a “cupcake creator” that allows you to customize your own cupcake flavor, which is available for purchase (when you buy at least 300). But what a great idea for wedding or Sweet 16 party favors, or even a large school event?

The cupcakes start at $1 each, but go down in price as you order more. Baked by Melissa now has over 10 locations, mainly in New York City, with its most recent ones at JFK Airport and the Garden State Plaza Mall in New Jersey. I highly recommend a stop by one of their shops the next time you’re visiting NYC.

Have you ever experienced cupcakes from Baked by Melissa? If so, what flavor is your favorite?!

19Jun2014

¡Azúcar!

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

An authentic, homemade Cuban ice-cream shop, named after the trademark shout of the beloved Cuban salsa singer Celia Cruz, located in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, featuring over 40 Latin infused ice cream flavors…how could we not stop in? Of course I’m talking about Azúcar, which in a relatively short amount of time, has become a staple of this historical Calle Ocho community. Although the shop is small, there are a few benches (covered with guayabera shirts) where you can sit down and enjoy your tasty treats.

Beautiful painting of Celia Cruz hanging inside of the shop

Outside of Azúcar

All of the extravagant flavors scream sabor latino, such as, Cuatro Leches (4 milks cake), Guayaba, Platano Maduro (Sweet Plantain), Mulatica (Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie), Besitos (Vanilla & Pink Meringues), and Mamacita (Orange Blossom-Almond). However, Azucar’s signature flavor Abuela Maria, which consists of homemade vanilla ice-cream, infused with sweet chunks of guava, tangy cream cheese and crumbly bits of Maria cookies, was by far my favorite!

Their signature Abuela María flavor Photo Courtesy of Azúcar Ice Cream Company

I recently discovered that this flavor has become so popular, that it’s also being offered in some Cuban restaurants throughout the city. Now I should warn you that although there is a huge list of flavors written on the chalkboard wall, only a portion are usually on offer. (I was looking forward to tasting the Balsamic-Strawberry and Platano Maduro, but they were not available that day). But that’s not a problem, as I’m sure we will be back. Even my daughter, who I have to sometimes bribe to try Cuban cuisine of any kind, really enjoyed her Domino (Oreo Cookies ‘n’ Cream) ice cream.

Visit Azúcar on your next visit to Miami, try one of their delicious concoctions, and let me know which flavor was your favorite!

Azúcar Ice Cream Company
1503 SW 8th Street
Miami, Florida 33135
(305) 381-0369
www.AzucarIceCream.com

4Jun2014

Thanks a “Bundt”ch…

Posted in Crafts & Creativity, Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Another school year comes to an end. It seems like yesterday that my Caro was starting 7th grade, buying the new backpack, uniforms, all the excitement as to what the new year would bring, and all of the new memories to be made. But, now she’s ready for summer and very much looking forward to the break. For me, it’s always a time to look back and appreciate my daughter’s teachers, and what she has learned from them. While there’s always that one that was a bit difficult, (and makes us wonder why they chose to teach) overall, we have been fortunate, and my daughter had a great year, with some fantastic teachers that she really enjoyed and learned a lot from.

As I’ve mentioned, we are a crafty family, and we love to come up with cute, original teacher gifts, instead of the usual mug or pencil cup. In the past we’ve created scrapbooks, summer beach baskets full of goodies, etc. We typically contribute to the end of year collection, but in addition, she likes to give each teacher something extra, just to show her appreciation. However, I thought this would be the year that we would not look for individual gifts, as she no longer has one teacher, but nine! Boy, was I wrong. She tells me at the last-minute that we haven’t bought the teacher gifts yet and that we have to hurry up. What??? So we started brainstorming and browsing Pinterest, where I get a lot of my crafty ideas from. But most of the items seemed to be for teachers of younger grades, and we were running short on time. So I decided to change it up this year, and perhaps get cupcakes or brownies, something that would be enjoyed, rather than just put away in a drawer.

Bundlet tower gifts

That’s when I remembered a new place in town called Nothing Bundt Cakes (they sell nationwide). They make the most incredible, moist bundt cakes, in various flavors, such as Cinnamon Swirl, White White Chocolate, Red Velvet, and my favorite new flavor Strawberries & Cream, all topped with their signature cream cheese frosting. They come in several sizes, and in single servings, perfect for a quick gift or a party favor. Crisis averted. I sent her to school this morning with all of the mini bundt cakes, wrapped up in cellophane bags, ribbons and cute tags, and she was thrilled! You don’t always have to spend a lot of money. You can have your child make something, especially the younger kids. I think many people tend to forget how much our teachers influence our children, but I have a few close friends that are teachers. I know how hard they work and how much it means to them. Please make sure you thank your child’s teachers this year, a warm felt thank you can go a long way!

Different options for bundt cake gifts Photo Courtesy of Nothing Bundt Cakes

Nothing Bundt Cakes
Pinecrest Location
9487 South Dixie Highway
Miami, FL 33156

Kendall Location
12030 S.W. 88th Street
Miami, FL 33186

http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com

26May2014

Keurig and Snapple…A Perfect Combination

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

Ready for some refreshing drinks on this Memorial Day? Take a look at what I found! A few months ago, I finally caved in and purchased a Keurig coffee maker. This is one of the best purchases I have ever made for my kitchen, it’s so easy to use, I love it. Since I’m the only coffee drinker in my house, I was getting tired of wasting a whole pot of coffee, every time I wanted a cup. I love brewing the different Starbucks coffees and the Swiss-Miss hot chocolate too. Iced coffee though…that’s never really been my thing, I like my coffee drinks hot. But recently, I came across a cool new concept, Brew Over Ice K-Cup packs (where else…at Target of course). Now I can also prepare cool iced drinks with my Keurig, perfect for living in this Miami heat.

My favorite Brew Over Ice K-Cups are the Snapple Iced Teas, which come in lemon, peach and raspberry flavors. I’ve also tried the Celestial Seasonings Half and Half (Arnold Palmer) and the Green Mountain Naturals Lemonade, which are both pretty good also.

These drinks are just as easy to make as the coffees. You just fill your cup to the top with ice and place the Brew Over Ice K-Cup into the brewer. Press the brew button, stir and enjoy your drink! It’s so easy, even a child can make these…which reminds me, I think it’s time for me to teach my daughter how to use the Keurig brewer…

Photos courtesy of BrewOverIce.com

4May2014

Pan Con Mantequilla

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

So it seems that now I’m finding tapas restaurants everywhere…you know what they say, when it rains it pours. Recently, we came across Bread+Butter Counter… a “Cuban Gastropub”, in Coral Gables. In Miami, good Cuban food isn’t very hard to find, with historic restaurants such as La Carreta, Versailles and Sergio’s, as well as, hundreds of smaller mom and pop places, all featured in travel books. (This by the way, was one of the main things hubby and I missed when we lived in Raleigh, no Cuban restaurants around, and most locals would refer us to the nearest Taco Bell, yes you heard it folks, Taco Bell!)

Media Noche Croquetas & Pan Con Tomate

At B+B, owner and chef Alberto Cabrera offers a creative menu using Cuban staples with a twist, to serve up innovative dishes. In addition to a complete list of tapas style remakes of Cuban traditional plates to share, there’s also medium-sized rice dishes and a few larger plates, including the Pollo Asado, which is my husband’s favorite! I went for the Media Noche Croquetas served with aioli and soda crackers, and Pan Con Tomate, both very good.

Platano en Tentacion

However, the dish we most enjoyed was the Platano en Tentacion…bacon-wrapped plantains, served with five-spice almibar and topped with sour cream, and chives…in one word, divine!

I also really liked the decor of this place, resembling an old-time diner or counter restaurant. The first thing I noticed when we sat down, were the tin can water cups on the table, very similar to the ones my sisters tell me we used in Cuba when we were little. There are also many beautiful, vintage black-and-white images of the old Cuba my parents are always reminiscing about. I must warn you though, as with many places in the Gables, parking for this place is tough, so if you’re trying to make your reservation, give yourself enough time to find a spot.

Tin water cups

Once again, we didn’t make room for dessert. However, there were a few that caught our eye for our next visit, such as the Flan de Queso de Cabra (a goat cheese flan) and the Torrejas, a traditional dish similar to Cuban “French Toast”, served with guava maple syrup and cream cheese ice-cream. I’m not sure they’ll be as incredible as my Abuela’s torrejas were, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon!

Bread + Butter Counter
2330 Salzedo Street
Coral Gables
http://www.breadandbuttercounter.com

21Apr2014

Bulla Gastrobar

Posted in Food & Recipes by listen2mama

I’ve been craving tasty tapas since I returned from Barcelona last summer. I’m always on the lookout for a good tapas place, and on a recent Sunday lunch date with my husband, I finally found one…Bulla Gastrobar in Coral Gables. Bulla (pronounced boo-ya, not bull-ah) is defined as the ability to create a stir; what everyone’s talking about. And trust me, everyone is certainly talking about this eatery featuring delicious, delicately prepared Spanish and Catalan dishes, in an ambiance that will make you feel as if you’re sitting in one of the many tapas bars on Passeig de Gracia in lively Barcelona.

Photo Courtesy of Bulla Gastrobar

The restaurant is located at 2500 Ponce De Leon, the same spot as the owner’s previous and slightly more upscale restaurant, Por Fin (which I never had the pleasure of trying), but Bulla symbolizes a fun and casual tapas bar. A great place for a light dinner or a quick happy hour with friends. The restaurant also features an upstairs dining room for private events and group gatherings.

There are so many dishes to choose from, it took us a while to decide on a few to share for lunch. A house favorite is the Huevos “Bulla”, their version of the Spanish favorite usually referred to as Huevos Estrellados in Spain (a favorite dish of mine in Barcelona). Huevos Bulla are prepared with organic eggs, homemade potato chips, Serrano ham, potato foam and truffle oil (sounds heavenly). Another house specialty is the Sangria de Cerveza, which is prepared with Ommegang Witte, triple sec, lemon juice, and pear purée. We decided on the very traditional Pan con Tomate, and paired it up with an order of Jamon Serrano. We also had some tiny yummy Croquetas de Jamon, Tortilla Española and Buñuelos de Bacalao (codfish fritters with homemade tartar sauce).

Pan con Tomate & Jamon Serrano

Buñuelos de Bacalao

Tortilla Española

Croquetas de Jamon

Everything was delicious, and very filling, so unfortunately, we didn’t leave any room for dessert. Next time we will have to try a few more dishes and possibly the Cremoso de Chocolate, their three layer chocolate genoise, vanilla ice cream, olive oil, and Maldon salt concoction, which sounds blissful…What are some of your favorite tapa dishes, I’d love to hear?

Bulla Gastrobar
2500 Ponce de Leon Boulevard
Coral Gables
http://www.bullamiami.com

Listen2Mama

lifestyle. family. travel. food.

Category Archives: Food & Recipes

The Island Cow

Chillin at Chill-N…

Swooning Over Swine

What Is A Montadito?

Baked by Melissa

¡Azúcar!

Thanks a “Bundt”ch…

Keurig and Snapple…A Perfect Combination

Pan Con Mantequilla

Bulla Gastrobar

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