Listen up everyone! We've got a fun charity cocktail event that's open to the public happening on Monday and we'd love for you to come drink with us! One of our own, Amber Love Bond, will be judging the cocktail competition.
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At the end of March I had the opportunity to attend the inaugural events Top Taco and Bourbon Festival in New Orleans. I had never been to the city and I was so excited to see and EAT everything New Orleans had to offer. Once the trip was book I immediately made sure I had a reservation at Compere Lapin. That’s the restaurant inside the Old No. 77 Hotel, where I knew I would find former Miami chef, Nina Compton, who I had been missing since she moved to New Orleans just over two years ago.
Nina was the Top Chef, Season 11 Runner Up and Fan Favorite and always one of my personal favorites. She was previously at Scott Conant’s Scarpetta in the Fontainebleau before she made her way to New Orleans. Since then she’s been nominated for James Beard Best Chef in the South 2017 and was just named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in America 2017. As a fan who is so happy for her New Orleans success I was really pumped to see and taste what she’s been up to lately.
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Jamaica Food & Drink Festival pictures include Chefs Brad and Leah, Miss T's Kitchen, Brad and Leah's Pork Dish and Crackerjack with Jerk Bacon by Smoked Marlin. Photo Credit: Andrew Giambarba.
Like the light from a really bright star, Chef Bradley Kilgore is on fire.
We would love to claim him in Miami as a native son, but we must admit we know that he is originally from Kansas City. The city of Chicago got to watch him shine during some of his formative years under Grant Achatz at Alinea (Boka and L2 as well). When he left the Windy City to come to Miami, few knew what we had just gained.
Soon though, his brilliance was difficult to miss at Azul and Jean-George Vongerichten’s J&G Grill. And then it was time for him to shine in a spot of his own. He collaborated with several local chefs for Basel week pop-ups as the finishing touches were being put on Alter.
When the doors opened in early 2015, night after night, diners sat down, dipped their spoons through a soft cooked egg, Gruyere crisp and scallop espuma and sighed.
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I find it interesting that ever since moving to New York at the beginning of the month, I have seen more Miami chefs in town than I did when I was still working back home. It’s no surprise, considering our talents are making big strides internationally, showcasing the skills that have finally put us in the culinary map of the country, along the more seasoned metropoli that usually lead on the matter.
However, if there is one thing where New York supersedes Miami, it is with the now multi-city Food Network sponsored Wine and Food Fest, which has been Miami’s gastronomical staple destination event for the past decade. It’s "younger" sister, the NYCWFF, has taken roots in the big city, and, very much like our own, showcases a week filled with celebrity-chef star studded events, including grand tastings, seminars and private dinners with top chefs.
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Summer is vacation time...and our MIAbites contributors have been all over the globe; Vancouver, Singapore, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Bangkok, NYC, with the top TravelBites award easily going to The Foodie Teacher and Bowtie Barrister who are still on their " 10 countries in 3 months " adventure through Europe and Asia ( you can follow their travels on TravelEatDrinkRepeat on Twitter or Instagram ).
I personally made a quick weekend trip to Saratoga Springs, NY, ( and not to be confused with Sarasota, FL) famous for it's therapeutic mineral springs and home to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the famous Saratoga Racetrack, where Triple Crown winner, American Pharoah is scheduled to race this Saturday 8/29. A quaint, yet vibrant town about half hour north of Albany, Saratoga Springs is a peaceful upstate NY summer getaway.
A weekend at the historic 1870's Saratoga Arms boutique hotel included a late afternoon treat of their famous homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies...made with Saratoga Potato Chips.
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It doesn't take much to get me excited about a trip to New Orleans. As a Tulane alum, I spent four wonderful years in the Crescent City and - as anyone who has lived there can tell you - that place gets under your skin for life. Add the famously high expectations for food to the mix and a must-attend business conference becomes anything but a burden.
As if that weren't enough, a recent article in New Orleans' local magazine Gambit highlighted their "thirdwave" coffee scene. Link to article by @scbaird here.
Wait, Coffee?
Like, single-source, expertly-roasted, the stuff I'm a fiend for?
You mean I don't have to pack my aeropress, my Clever, my scale?
Lawd, this is going to be a wonderful trip!
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For his first MIAbites contribution, local food blogger, ErGagit, chose to feature a place NOT in Miami but on every foodies bucket list! Enjoy his mouthwatering and humorous account of his "Trip to Bountiful...BBQ".
Austin, Texas....is the capital of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas it is the 11th-largest city in the USA and the fourth-largest city in the state of Texas. It is also home to The University of Texas, South by Southwest Interactive, Film and Music Festival, and Franklin BBQ!
So, The Gagit’s headed on a Foodie trip to Austin, Texas. This trip had been in the plans before but, something had always come up…BUT not this time.
Joining us on this trip to BBQ Mecca was our special Foodie friends, @foodcave, Harold, Lady Laura and her brother Texas Dennis. Although the trip included other restaurants, the main event was the Temple of BBQ...Franklins!
Franklin BBQ debuted in late 2009 as a trailer in an East Austin parking lot staffed by husband and wife, Aaron and Stacy Franklin. As the lines grew…snaking around the block, so did the press. The Washington Post, Texas Monthly and The Cooking Channel offered glowing reports. Bon Appetit magazine named Franklin BBQ as Best BBQ in America 2010. By March of 2011, Franklin had moved from the trailer to a storefront at 900 E 11th St.
And, the lines continued to grow!
Franklins BBQ is Black Friday every day. No door busters here, just get in line early or be sold out. They run out of BBQ every day, sometimes within an hour of opening.
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