Pastis offers a lively, nostalgic atmosphere that offers high-quality, French Bistro-like dining options.
Our evening at Otome Sushi was nothing short of unforgettable. A high-caliber culinary journey and a must-try if you are visiting Kanazawa.
Fuwari is a buzzing izakaya loved by locals, offering reasonably priced traditional dishes.
Kappo Sato demonstrates unwavering dedication to delivering extraordinary and unforgettable dining experiences.
My lunchtime visit to Kyubey Ginza in Tokyo was far from what I anticipated or expected.
Toronto’s only two star Michelin chef is set to debut his new affordable Omakase restaurant in the heart of Yorkville.
Black and Blue Steakhouse is another upscale steakhouse in Toronto showcasing premium steaks and a muti million-dollar renovation.
The new panoramic restaurant AP (Antonio Park) with sweeping vistas recently opened, where Chef spotlights Japanese/Peruvian food.
Queen, Miami is a fully immersive experience and a total indulgence for your wallet. Over the top, showstopper, luxurious, excessive, dramatic, high end and glamorous are a few adjectives I would use.
After dining out at numerous restaurants in 2022, consuming all types of food from pizza to burgers to special occasion meals. I have come out with my Miami favorites, the best of the best list!
Asiatiko in Aventura, Florida is a kosher game changer. Who knew, a cool, tasty, kosher spot is in Aventura. I guess you must expect the unexpected. Well done.
I’m back recommending my favourite new and notable Miami restaurants along with my tried and true choices for ShaneaSavours 2021 Hit List.
One of Miami’s best-kept secrets is an “underground speakeasy” style Omakase restaurant called Nossa Omakase, hidden in the unlikely location, the back of a poke restaurant in South Beach. If Michelin ever makes it to Miami, this may be one spot they want to check out.
Miami’s Okami is a Nikkei restaurant using Japanese techniques and Peruvian flavours. The menu is not large but well-curated, and I was impressed with the attractive presentations and contrasting flavours.
The dishes are quite hearty at the newly opened Casa Isola Osteria in Miami by chefs Jose Mendin and Santo Agnello. They’re serving a Brooklyn Italian menu that grandma would serve you at home.
Uchi Restaurant in Wynwood, Miami serves elevated food with a modern twist. We were pleasantly surprised and pleased with our entire meal.
Ke-uh Restaurant in Sunny Isles will no doubt become a hot spot in North Miami. The menu is diverse and eclectic, with many shareable plates and fish flown in from Japan and the Mediterranean.
Newly opened Mila in Miami is huge, and seats about 250 indoors and 150 outdoors. Outdoors is where you want to be weather permitting. Inside the dining room is finished in earth tones, with a fabulously large teardrop lighting installation, a beautiful sculpted wooded accent wall and an open kitchen and large bar.
I have always longed for delivery from upscale and delicious purveyors. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic for eateries in Toronto to bring delivery and takeout to the masses. Here is my latest list of restaurants in Toronto offering takeout and or delivery.
The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong provides you with a luxury level of facilities in the heart of the city. It sets new standards in Asia and abroad for ultra-chic accommodations and customer service that’s unparalleled.
More Toronto eateries are jumping on the takeout/delivery bandwagon offering first-rate meals and groceries direct to your home. Many of these places have very difficult reservations to snag, so now is your chance to sample their fare!
In the hope people are continuing to support local eateries and caterers by ordering takeout or delivery from participating restaurants, I’ve created a second edition of my favourite spots in Toronto for takeout / delivery.
I have shared some of my favourite places in New York open for takeout or delivery during the Covid-19 social isolation quarantine. Many of these establishments need our support now more than ever.
I have shared some of my favourite places in Miami open for takeout or delivery during the Covid-19 social isolation quarantine. Many of these establishments need our support now more than ever.
Still during soft opening, I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the new Miami location of Kosushi Restaurant, the first international endeavour for the brand. I found the food priced well, compared to other similar restaurants and every plate was picture perfect.
At Miami’s L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon you will enjoy style, service and exceptional food, with locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, along with an extensive wine list, with good choices of wines by the glass, and a creative cocktail list.
Shunoko Restaurant in Toronto offers fun, creative, inventive and affordable fusion rolls, in a clean, minimalist atmosphere. I think you will be very pleased.
I went to Yakashi Restaurant in Toronto with an open mind, and wallet, to try their “fine dining” omakase experience.
The most difficult dinner reservation to secure in Miami is surely the 8-seat omakase experience at Hiden Restaurant in Wynwood. Located through a hidden door at the back of a taco shop awaits a secret restaurant that is booked months in advance.
Mandrake Restaurant in Miami Beach is a new Asian fusion inspired dining experience in a theatrical space.
I’m overly cautious when I enter a theatrical and stunning chain restaurant. I find these places tend to spend their money on decor instead of investing in a talented chef. Well, unfortunately, Chatto Matte in Miami is no exception.
James Beard award finalist Brad Kilgore opened his latest venture, Kaido in the heart of the Miami Design District. The focus is on fresh, local ingredients and equal emphasis on great cocktails.
Back by popular demand, my personal favourite list of Miami restaurants for 2018/2019 in no particular order, as well as new openings I want to try.
Go to Limo for the view of Cusco, Peru, the ambiance, the Pisco sours, and the chill out music. Beautiful day or night, and one of the town’s better dining options.
Last year I had the opportunity to eat at a gastronomic dinner in Miami, where the special guest was Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura, who cooked an exquisite Japanese-Peruvian fusion meal. He has been voted the 7th best restaurant in the world this year on the San Pellegrino’s list. So I had to return to his restaurant in Lima for another “Nikkei” experience at San Martin 399, in the Miraflores district.
Maido in Lima Peru serves “Nikkei”, a Peruvian cuisine with Japanese influences brought to Peru through Japanese immigrants. It’s voted the 7th best restaurant in the world on the San Pellegrino 2018 list.
Sushi Erika in Miami is always packed, with absolutely no social media, just word of mouth. I always order the Love roll, a spider roll topped with torched salmon, and drizzled with truffle oil.
At Konjikin Ramen in Toronto you can taste the traditional methods used to provide their flavour packed broth and his delicious noodles. Every single step is painstakingly considered.
Olmsted offers sophisticated food at moderate prices. It really is worth the trip to Brooklyn for creative small plates, that are refreshing, whimsical and ambitious.
I say be adventurous, and you will be treated to a super cool, bohemian, urban vibe. Pinky’s Ca Phe in Toronto is a hidden treasure that serves exciting food with unique, bold, healthy, and distinctive flavours.
If you value attentive, smart service in a sophisticated setting with playful and tasty food, I think you will enjoy Akira Back in Toronto.
Michael Schwartz recently opened Genuine Pizza in Miami’s Aventura Mall and will be expanding this new restaurant in 18 locations in the next 3 years.
Wabi Sabi by Shuji in Miami is an intimate eatery that’s elevated sushi and poke bowls. They had us dancing in our seats, and that doesn’t happen too often. Congratulations to the chef!
Finally, Miami has a worthy sushi counter with Tokyo trained chefs. Michelin starred in New York and with a location in Kuala Lumpur, the Azabu Miami offshoot has debuted, and it’s a sublime and memorable experience. The sushi is traditional, of the freshest quality and was superb.
1-800-Lucky in Wynwood, Miami is a buzzing marketplace is already a hangout for locals and tourists alike. It has always been difficult to find good Asian food. Now you can find it under one roof. Just be prepared for crowding and lineups. But that makes it part of the fun.
The food at Habitat in Miami is delightful, and the pricing fair. The food respects the elements and honours simplicity. I was impressed with the level of service from everyone in the restaurant.
Just when you thought you were all caught up with the latest restaurants in Miami, here comes a new list to keep you busy this season. Watch for my upcoming reviews.
Zen Restaurant in Toronto aims to preserve the culture of Japanese cuisine, providing excellent service and beautifully prepared dishes using fresh, unique ingredients. It exceeded our expectations and lit up my umami sensors.
Dashi in Miami’s River Yacht Club serves beautifully presented dishes that tempt all the senses with equally beautiful views. I don’t think you will be disappointed!
Using the best ingredients and some serious skills, Skippa in Toronto is a success story about how hard work can pay off. Each course had a different layering of flavours.
The vibrant menu showcases farm fresh, conscientiously-sourced, truly soul-nurturing dishes. This one is worth a visit. The chefs’ passion and creative expression is reflected in their cooking.
Loving Alan Richman’s 30 commandments for making restaurants—and any dining-out experience—better in GQ. Spot on! Check them out here.
Tanuki in Miami is lively, and colorful, with graffiti-covered walls, reclaimed wood and yellow leather banquets with blond wood tables and digital lights accenting a long wrap around bar. Samurai swords decorate the walls. The central focus of the room is a seven-foot statue of a Tanuki, a Japanese talisman said to bring good luck.
Blue Ribbon Sushi has a brand new spot inside the Plymouth Hotel at 336 21st Street in Miami. Here they will service the hotel with an all-day food and bar program as well as a poolside menu.
I am a big fan of the Pubbelly Group and in particular their sushi restaurant. I was happy to hear they were opening at the Brickell City Center at 701 South Miami Avenue. It is so refreshing to see malls like Bal Harbour and Brickell City Center opening quality restaurants.
Shoushin Restaurant in Toronto only uses the best, purest and most authentic ingredients. The chef’s methods are very exacting and you can taste the difference, with wild caught fish and handmade wasabi.
Scottsdale’s SumoMaya was created by Chefs Matt Zdeb and Hisao Andy Suzuki. Together they celebrate cuisines of Mexico and Asia, with a unique seasonal fusion cuisine.
J&J BBQ in Toronto is dishing up some pretty amazing barbecue. Because of them, I might become a convert to this style of cooking, or even an addict! Their meats have light rubs, minimal sauce and lots of wood smoke flavour.
Ja Bistro in Toronto has good dishes with a modern twist, served up in a beautiful but simple unpretentious manner. The fish is fresh and of high quality.
For me “Dôa” means, “dead on arrival”. Cool place, but you’ve got to upgrade the food and service. I am too old for this and was very disillusioned.
For me, the restaurant was hit and miss, and more on the miss side of things. The rolls were beautiful looking, but not at all traditional.
Miami’s dining scene keeps getting better. Let me introduce you to last season’s favourites, new restaurants and my most anticipated for the Fall and Winter of 2016-2017 …
There really were no standouts except for the amazing Smashed Potatoes. I would rather come for a drink at the bar, but the food doesn’t seem to stop the people from coming. The place was packed and the crowd was beautiful.
We could choose from two tasting menus – a fifteen course plus four desserts, or a twenty course with five desserts. We chose the larger menu to get the full experience. Each dish was artfully presented and explained to us as well as the history of its origin.
Patrons are in for a treat! Kaori is Miami’s first 360-degree cinematography dining experience. The space is so aesthetically pleasing, with cutting edge technology, art, music and scents. The food presentation is most beautiful, a complete knockout in the terms of creativity.
Set in a former auto body shop, they have kept the original garage doors – hence the name. The place looks cool and there was quite a buzz. That may die down once the excitement of a new place opens, especially when they are not delivering a good product.
Zuma, for years, has been a favourite restaurant of mine. They serve weekend brunch from 12-3, at a cost of $95, $135 and $350. We tried the first two options and quite frankly the $95 option is the way to go. The buffet is HUGE. Please come hungry.
20 Most Delish Dishes in Miami – El Cielo, Beachcraft, Pubbelly, Myumi Food Truck, Pinch Kitchen, Le Zoo and More. I tried to do a top 10 list, but I just couldn’t narrow it down! The truth is, I have dined out every night for 3 ½ months … I’ve tried a lot of dishes, to say the least!! Here’s some of my favourites (including honourable mentions (I know, I’m bad …)).
I liked my Insalata di Salmon, which was fresh tasting and perfectly grilled. They serve Lavazza coffee and it was prepared like espresso we get in Italy. In addition, they gave us a tiny glass of limoncello. I don’t think I would run back but it wasn’t a total disappointment. We also really enjoyed dining al fresco.
Unfortunately, SuViche, is going to go in my pass section. The first strike was the lack of cleanliness. This usually means a dirty kitchen as well. All might be forgiven if the food was great but I am sorry to report it was mediocre.
We started with some rolls, like the NaiYaRa Roll, which was probably my favourite. It contained salmon belly, cucumber, avocado and truffle oil. The presentations were all pretty, but if you know good sushi, you are mostly getting pretty rolls. Is the quality of the rice or the fish transporting? No. It is more designer rolls, which is fine.
Hidden in a dingy market where the staff is not so friendly and the place has lots of rules – no phones, no takeaway, no second orders – the Chef works sushi wonders.
The best rolls for me weren’t even on the menu but thanks to an insider I knew what to order. Now I can share this information with you …
The best part about Myumi, a charming food truck in Wynwood, Miami is the sushi, it’s so fresh tasting and the chef explains where each piece comes from. It could be Alaska, Japan, Boston, Florida , Scotland etc. The menu rotates based on availability. The meal is quite traditional, there are no gimmicky surprises.
Here is my list of restaurants that I want to try this year, or that I have already tried and enjoyed.
Only open three weeks, Beaker and Gray is already making an impression with their global cuisine tapas and their craft cocktails. Located at 2637 N. Miami Avenue in Wynwood.
The standout dishes for us were the Spanish Octopus served cold, the Pumpkin Gnocci with pork rib and the Oxtail and sweet potato .
Judging from our experience tonight, the New Nobu Eden Roc will be one of Miami’s new ” Hot Spots” to dine at. The restaurant is located inside the Iconic Landmark Eden Roc Hotel at 4525 Collins. The new Nobu is an improvement in looks from the Shore Club or even the New York restaurant.
We tried a newly opened restaurant in the RBC Water Park Place called Muki. It is located in Toronto’s Harbour front area at Bay and Queens Quay.
Dined at Toronto’s Yasu restaurant on 81 Harbord st. It is a tiny place, minimalist, understated with clean modern lines, and relaxed ,holding about 13 people. It opened 15 months ago.
A 30 minute ride to Etobicoke to a little strip plaza to visit a gastronomic temple of Japanese delights was a highlight of summer dining thus far for 2015. Sushi Kaji is by far the best Japanese meal I have had in Toronto. However I have not dined at the Japanese cultural Center yet.
We were excited to try this new spot in Manning and Harbord formally the home of Ici Bistro. The restaurant is tiny with only 22 seats, and that includes the bar and high tops.