94th Aero Squadron

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

Brunch: Check! Unlimited Mimosas: Check! That's how my Sunday started at 94th Aero Squadron. Located right next to the airport, 94th has a perfect view of MIA's runway, allowing its clients the unique experience of enjoying a good meal while watching the planes take off. Even though 94th offers both lunch and dinner, what I've heard it been recognized the most for is its Sunday brunch. With food lined up in practically every corner of the location, you certainly have where to pick from. At the far west of the establishment is the breakfast station. A chef is there, ready to prepare your omelets the way you want them. Alongside the multiple ingredients available for the omelets are the waffles--toasty and delicious--which you can top with butter, syrup, strawberries and whip cream. In this area, the north wall is made up of windows, making it one of the better areas to watch the airplanes. Towards the center is a long table with a variety of breads and coffee--beware: Leave this for last! Don't fill yourself up with breads, believe me. If you keep making your way east, you'll reach the main part of the brunch. In the center of this room is the bar, surrounded by all types of meat, such as roast beef, pork, BBQ ribs, pepper steak, lamb, and chicken.

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

As far as seafood is concerned, you need not worry; there were practically piles of oysters, shrimp and crab legs as well as salmon and even paella. Moving into the carbs section, there was penne pasta, mashed potatoes and potato salad, and rice. Most of the food tasted really good. The biggest disappointment was the Chicken Marsala; it was too dry and not worth eating when other, better food was available. If you move a little more to the east--and if you fall within the category of the chocolate-addicts--you will melt as soon as you spy curtains of chocolate cascading down a fountain. Welcome to the Sugar Overdose section. Name it: flan, cheesecake, red velvet cupcakes, brownies, chocolate cake, tres leches (or three milk cake), arroz con leche (rice and milk)--the variety and the quality are great. I could've finished the whole flan tray on my own had I not felt like exploding first! Additionally, 94th not only offers a variety of food, but also every area is different from the other. The entire location lends itself towards a more rustic look, but once you step outside and into the patio, the atmosphere is entirely different. On a cool Miami day, it's the perfect place to have brunch. Overall, 94th offers great food--and unlimited mimosas, let's not forget!--for only $35, which I found quite reasonable. I definitely recommend you visit it at least once, but do remember to make a reservation ahead of time, especially if you're looking to go after midday.

109 Burger Joint

Photo Credit: Google.

Located in a very small locale, at the corner of 109 and 7th, is a joint that has garnered support in the college student community. Standing only a few blocks from FIU, and across the street from several student apartment buildings, it's no surprise it has become a local attraction. 109 Burger Joint offers the traditional sandwiches and make-your-own burgers, but specializes in artisan burgers of the kind you may not have heard before. Their burger menu goes something like this: The Blue Moon, Truffle lovers, Wakeup, MAC Addict and so on. In our visit, we ordered the first three. Most burgers are made with 100% Angus beef and come with a side of your choosing (we, of course, went with the truffle fries!). The Truffle lovers burger was a combination of several ingredients, including mushrooms, caramelized onions and the house's aioli. The Wakeup burger gets a little crazier, as it's served with bacon, hash browns, balsamic onions and the must-have fried egg. But above all stands The Blue Moon burger--aged with Blue Moon (for my beer lovers)--is accompanied with blue cheese, onions, mushrooms, lettuce, and

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

tomato. To add a little extra flair, I also asked the waiter to top it off with a few strips of bacon! However, when the burgers came, I reconsidered my decision of having added the bacon. The burger was HUGE. I had some serious struggles trying to take the bites. As far as taste goes, the ingredient combinations of all the burgers were ingeniously amazing. The problem lied in that the patties were not spiced adequately. The meat was somewhat bland, and that took away a lot from the overall experience. Nonetheless, the truffle fries and house aioli were their redeeming factor. Absolutely delicious! I plan to return soon to give them another shot; plus, I've been recommended the MAC Addict, a mac and cheese burger. I also look forward to trying several of their desserts, such as the Brownie from Cloud 9 and the Cookie Pie, both of which are the perfect disaster for a sweets-induced heart attack.