For the people that relocated to MIA

[deboinair]

Originally Posted by elchevere

I enjoy the foodie scene in SoFla, but let's not get carried away....NYC dining has been superior for a longer time than Florida, it is a much larger metro area, and has cuisine and people from virtually every nationality in the world represented there with a VERY demanding and critical dining population.

But rather than arguing subjectively, there are 76 Michelin star restos in NYC, followed by 38 in the SF Bay Area and 22 in Chicago....how many Michelin star restaurants does Miami have?....how many James Beard restos does Miami have and/or chefs been nominated v. these other powerhouses?.

James Beard Foundation

we've seen famous chefs from elsewhere (i.e. NY and SF) set up shop in Florida--Jean-Georges, Daniel Boulud, Michael Mina, etc. etc....how many chefs and/or restaurants from Miami have set up shop and been successful in NYC or SF (not talking Burger King).....I will defend the food and restaurants in South Florida and claim it is very, very good but it is still not NY or SF....that would be like saying University of Miami is in the same league as Columbia, Cornell, and Stanford. It's not (outside of marine sciences)....the food scene is very good in Miami, but it's not in the rareified air level as a couple of other US cities--at least not yet....and pizza and Chinese, among other items, IS better than Miami....try Di Fara, Grimaldis, Rubirosa, Patsys, Lombardis, Motorino, Paulie Gee's, and many others on your next visit to NYC (and that's not even including great spots on Long Island...if your experience is based on a meal you had at tourist oriented Little Italy or a slice in Times Square then you need to try these places, and others, I mentioned). What place matches up with Eleven Madison Park or Alinea (CHI)?....and I LOVE steak and enjoyed my meals at most of the top places in SoFla (Bourbon Steak, J&G Grill, Meat Market, Edge, Red The Steakhouse, and 4 NY outposts, S & W, BLT, Wolfgangs and Quality Meats)--believe me, none can touch Peter Luger.

I really don't care to be honest. I think it's over rated. I'm not saying South FL is some super star Foodie place. But when people put the big airs on like NY or Cali is way better by a million miles, I disagree. There are more options so of course there are going to be better venues. Miami is so small compared to NY and Cali but are giving them competition in every area. That says a lot. It's really David and Goliath in the size of the places compared to Miami.

[Majami]

Originally Posted by elchevere

Komodo

Had Komodo last Friday. I tried the Crab Lo Mein, Wagyu Beef. They had some nice cocktails, their passion fruit mojito was great, they had some whiskey from Japan I forgot the name, and they also had a Lucky Buddha (from China as opposed to Funky Buddha from Miami).

I love this place but mostly for the ambiance, the food was good but failed to go above and beyond. However it's huge, and somewhat sexy. You are greeted to a window case of Peking Duck, opens to a huge and shiny foyer that looks like a dining place in Hong Kong. Ample outside seating, tikki style, 3 bars altogether. Extremely courteous and professional waitstaff.

The food though was merely ok, I was not left "blown away." It's definitely a fusion place, when I asked the waitress she told me it was a Southeast Asian - Vietnamese, Thai - with Chinese and Japanese thrown in That's pretty much every oriental asian kitchen right there. I pointed out the name 'Komodo' would be more appropriate for an Indonesian restaurant, she stammered back at me "I never had Indonesian before" I pointed out to her that it's similar to Malaysian.

Overall, I recommend, as kind of a chic-sexy spot to hang out. Have some good food, have some drinks, laugh, enjoy life.

[SDreem]

Outside of South American and Caribbean cuisine Miami restaurants are San Diego level at best. Just as cheese ball filled South Beach clubs remind me of lame arse Gas Lamp clubs. Tying to find a good arepa place in SOCAL is near impossible.

[Majami]

Originally Posted by SDreem

Outside of South American and Caribbean cuisine Miami restaurants are San Diego level at best. Just as cheese ball filled South Beach clubs remind me of lame arse Gas Lamp clubs. Tying to find a good arepa place in SOCAL is near impossible.

Not at all, there are about 10x as many high-end options in all cuisines - Asian included - as there are in San Diego.

What's more you forgot to mention Italian, French, Russian. Those are some cuisines besides South American/Caribbean that Miami is better at all levels than San Diego.

[elchevere]

I live in San Diego and that is far from a world class food city....LA and SF, yes; SD no...there is better food in Tijuana (not a knock at all on TJ, rather, praise) than in SD....yes, if your travel to Miami are confined to Ocean Drive you will find touristy restaurants that are not that great (BLT Steak an exception).

Originally Posted by SDreem

Outside of South American and Caribbean cuisine Miami restaurants are San Diego level at best. Just as cheese ball filled South Beach clubs remind me of lame arse Gas Lamp clubs. Tying to find a good arepa place in SOCAL is near impossible.

[elchevere]

throw in steakhouses and, yes, by far high end (there's a reason why Jean-George, Michael Mina, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Jose Andres, etc. etc. have avoided SD--good food could bite people in the nose there and they would not appreciate it....the 'flagship' steakhouse of SD, Donovan's, does not even offer one cut of dry aged meat....the only cuisines that might be better in SD than Miami are Thai and Baja Mexican--again, influenced from Tijuana...not Aunt Ginny Ruth and Harold from Branson, MO who relocated to SD and prefer Americanized lard filled burritos with sour cream; same goes for Italian, or Eye-talian, in SD (Ronzoni noodles topped with Heinz ketchup and Kraft grated cheese)....heck, it is very hard to find consistently good bread and wine by the glass offerings at many SD restaurants....SD should do its best to emulate the food scene from Portland (either Oregon or Maine).

Originally Posted by Majami

Not at all, there are about 10x as many high-end options in all cuisines - Asian included - as there are in San Diego.

What's more you forgot to mention Italian, French, Russian. Those are some cuisines besides South American/Caribbean that Miami is better at all levels than San Diego.

[quickques]

Guys!?.....This thread was not intended to be about food

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by quickques

Guys!?.....This thread was not intended to be about food

sometimes threads just have a life of their own.