The River Oyster Bar

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GK Bistronomie

A new review has been posted! Go to our new website, zoomintomiami.com!

Pachamamma

A new review has been posted! But check it out in our new website: zoomintomiami.com. Also, take a look at what's going on in Miami in our Events page. And want to know about more specials and happy hours? Look at that page too by clicking here!

New Website!

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Cardón y el Tirano

Photo Credit: Cardón y El Tirano.

Located in Little Havana, alongside Calle Ocho, is a small Venezuelan-owned locale. It's hard to see, unless you're looking for it. And in this restaurant's case, I truly recommend you do. The parking lot is a hassle, with no more than 10 spaces that it shares with a laundry shop, among others. But once you walk in through their glass door, it's another world. To your right is a bar adored with bottles and plants, to your left is the rest of the restaurant: about six tables with mismatched chairs. Strangely, the dim lighting in combination with the intentionally awry setting provides a wonderful ambient. But forget about the atmosphere, because once you get to the food there's nothing besides you and the plate in front of you. The menu has a small variety of appetizers and main dishes. To start, we went with the Lechon Dumplings and the Chorizo y Camarones (sausage and shrimp). The four little triangle-shaped, meat-filled dumplings came first, topped with a few onion slices and in a bowl of jus. I cannot begin to explain the surprise we had as the flavors blended in our mouths. The savory dish blew us away...to the point where we ordered another one. (Tip: do double-dip. You'll know why once you try it!) The chorizo y camarones arrived next. Three large shrimp spiced up with slices of sausage in a wine and garlic sauce accompanied by the occasional olive. The flavor was spectacular. The shrimp were just a bit too mushy, because they literally came apart as I was attempting to remove the tail.

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

However, it was a minor mishap I was all too willing to brush away. It also came accompanied by a loaf of bread--crunchy on the outside yet soft and warm on the inside. For the main course we decided on the Mahi Chicharon, on our waiter's recommendation. Oh my God. That truly was the cherry on top of a perfect dinner. Pieces of crunchy Mahi came atop a bed of white rice over which the waiter poured the most delicious sauce (and left it on the table in case we wanted more. And of course we did). Besides the amazing dishes, the service is astounding. My water glass was never empty, our waiter would come every so often to check that everything was in order, and best of all, they knew their dishes. Hence, they could make knowledgeable recommendations, which new customers like ourselves greatly appreciated. Also, if you're a beer fan, try La Fin du Monde; it's good. All in all, it's a restaurant definitely worth trying, even if you have to fight for the parking space. TIP!! Make a reservation! This place gets full.

Piola

Photo Credit: Piola.

Sitting on the side of North Miami Avenue is Piola, a cute restaurant with great outdoor seating. We visited it on Sunday, and with the cool weather that Miami's been under, the day started off great. There was live music--a soft, acoustic version of all the new and classic hits. Unfortunately, this was as far as the good experience got. My biggest disappointment was that the service was extremely, extremely slow. The restaurant served bread and olive oil on the house; however, we practically had to remind our server about it. About 10 minutes later, the bread arrived and it was cold. A few minutes later the waitress came back around to take our order. We asked for the Carpaccio Nabucco, a Diavola pizza and the Pollo Piola. The carpaccio came first, laid over a bed of arugula. While it was not bad, it definitely needed more seasoning.

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

We poured a little of the olive oil we had left and threw in some Parmesan on top in our attempt to make it more flavorful (which did help!). Next came the pizza and the chicken. The pizza was thin crust, which I truly liked, and it was overall good. The problem for me was that it did not live up to the expectation of the restaurant's slogan: "Famous for our pizza." I was expecting better. (Note: it tasted better the next day in that weird way that pizza does). Finally, the Pollo Piola was not very good. The sauced felt as if it was flour-based--which is not in itself bad, except for the fact that it tasted flour-y. Overall, the atmosphere of the restaurant is great, but the food does not compare. I don't precisely like to discredit restaurants based on one experience, so I might (eventually) try it again. However, Piola really needs to step it up by then.

R House

Photo Credit: Miami.com.

After some time of wanting to try out a new place in Wynwood, we finally went to R House. The first thing to notice about the restaurant is its concept; it's decorated with for-sale artwork. The second thing: It's crowded. The tables are very close to each other and it gets packed. While you may find seating for two, I'd recommend making a reservation, especially if it's a group. The restaurant also has an outside area which is more lounge-y and perfect with cool weather. Now, onto the food. As an appetizer, we went with the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare. It tasted good, although on the simpler side. However, if you dabbed a bite with the sauce that was decoratively served alongside, it gave the dish the flavor it was missing. For drinks, we went with the Japanese Lemonade, the Negroni, and the R House Margarita. The lemonade was fruity, tasting much like a mix between strawberries and raspberries.

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

The Negroni, on the other hand, was incredibly strong (coming from someone who loves hard liquor). It had a hint of orange at the end, but also left you with a raspy throat. The Margarita is also strong, but even more so were the jalapeño that come mixed with the drink. Very simple: if you don't love jalapeños, don't order it. For entrées, we had the Butchered Cut and the Brazilian Moqueca. The cut varies per the day you go--for us, it was rib eye. While it was not unappetizing, it was also not worth the $45 it came out to. It was burnt on the outside and rather plain. And while the chimichurri was on point, it was not enough to make the dish reach expectations. The saving grace of the restaurant was definitely the moqueca. It was a dish of mixed seafood dipped in a delicious sauce. If you have ever tried "Sopa de Caracol" (a Honduran soup) it tasted very much like it. The seafood is served in a skillet with a mix of vegetables and comes with a side bowl of rice. This entrée is definitely a must. Overall, while I enjoyed the ambiance at R House, I was not left entirely satisfied with the food.

La Gamba

Photo Credit: Miami New Times.

One thing I can say about Coconut Grove is that it's a neighborhood full of surprises. Walking down Main Highway, we saw the small Spanish restaurant. It was early still, and a bit empty, so we debated whether it would make for a good dinner. After a few looks around--everything else was full--we settled for La Gamba. We sat down on the high tables and chairs they have outside, next to the bustling Main Hwy and were gladly greeting by servers who immediately served olives on the house. We flew through two servings of olives and a basket of bread with a side of balsamic and olive oil (I was in love with the restaurant already) when we decided on a pitcher of Sangria and two appetizers: Carpaccio de Pulpo con Aioli a la Paprika (octopus carpaccio with paprika aioli) and Mejillones al Vapor con Salsa de Vino Blanco (steamed mussels with white wine sauce). The service was a little slow, but once the sangria came out, the waiters and the kitchen seemed to have gotten into gear. The sangria tasted good, but was a little too watery for my taste. Our server then brought out the octopus carpaccio.

Photo Credit: Zoom Into Miami.

It was a small dish, and when you first put it in your mouth, the flavor is minimal. But once it starts to move around and begins mingling with your taste buds it's an explosion of savors. The one that stands out the most is paprika, which mixed in with the rest of the spices, leaves a tingling sensation. Next arrived the mussels. This dish was larger, with the bottom third of the mussels submerged in the white wine sauce. I enjoyed it; however, much like the sangria, I prefer stronger, more distinct flavors. After another basket of bread and a good look over the menu, we settled on two last dishes: Navajas de Almeja (razor clams) and Gambas al Ajillo (grilled prawns with garlic and parsley). The clams were delicious, flavorful, marinated in a myriad of seasonings with a limey hint at first that turned from one savor to another. As we finished the clams, it (unfortunately) began to rain. We ran into the small locale that is the restaurant with glasses of sangria in our hands to wait for our last dish: the gambas. They were exquisite. Six large shrimp (or "langostines" in Spanish) come next to a small, decorative serving of salad with a spectacular dressing. Needless to say, if you like garlic shrimp, the gambas are a must.