It’s beginning to be all foodie in South Florida, and that’s a good thing! Along with great month-long deals (more about that below), comes the third Taste America: “Local Flavor from Coast to Coast” epicurean tour. One of the cities in this national James Beard Foundation’s Taste America tour is Miami, and our weekend is Sept. 18-19.
On Sept. 18, The Forge (432 W. 41st St., Miami Beach, 305/543-8533) hosts “A Night of Culinary Stars,” where you can nibble on hors d’oeuvres from local chefs and restaurants (such as Sugarcane, Zest, Alter, Glass & Vine and The Federal Food), then sit down for dinner prepared by two James Beard Award-winning chefs—Taste American All-Star Rocco DiSpirito (pictured) and local star Chef Christopher Lee, from The Forge—and Pastry Chef Sergio Navarro. Tickets start at $250, and you can purchase them here. Part of the proceeds benefit the Taste America Scholarship Fund.
On Sept. 19, there are free events at Sur La Table in Mizner Park (438 Plaza Real.)There will be a cooking demo by DiSpirito, book signings, tastings and product demos. Click here to make your reservation for the free cooking demos.
Feasting in the tropics with Miami Spice
Running full-tilt in its 14th year, the Miami Spice Restaurant Program means you can taste your way through the amazing restaurants, with lunches at $23 per person and dinners at $39 per person. That includes appetizer, entrée and dessert. You just can’t lose.
The program runs only during the months of August and September, so you have a few weeks left to cram in some goodness. There are 190 restaurants to choose from. Step out for seafood, steak or this beautiful polenta dish (pictured) from the Fontainebleau’s Scarpetta restaurant (4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach), for instance. You can book through OpenTable, too.
Beautiful dining in Broward
Speaking of ways to eat fabulous food at cut-rate prices, be sure you know about Dine Out Lauderdale, a six-week program that features three-course, $35 prix fixe meals all around the county. It started Sept. 1 and runs through Oct. 12, with a long restaurant list, including: the Mai-Kai!, Chanson, III Forks at Gulfstream Park, Bongos Cuban Café, Le Bistro, Las Pampas Grill, Café Maxx and Ireland’s Steakhouse. Click here for the full list.
About the Author
Lynn Kalber wasn’t born in Boca Raton, but she attended elementary through high school there, so she might as well have been. She’s a graduate of the University of Florida and has been in journalism most of her life, including 26 years at The Palm Beach Post. She’s written feature and food stories, and edited food copy among other jobs, including blogging about wine (The Swirl Girls). Her husband is writer and author Scott Eyman. They live in West Palm Beach with an assortment of cats and dogs.
