Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Frank,

I live in Fort Lauderdale. What kind of food are you looking for and what part of town are you staying in? I can make recommendations for Seafood, Cuban, Peruvian, Argentinian, Brazilian Rodizio, just about anything. Sublime, recommended above, is excellent vegan food.

--Lisa

On another board someone has offered the position that Mario's serves overpriced bad food carelessly. Just so you know both sides...

Lisa

I really just like good food...I like to seek out the hidden local (when in Rome...) haunts when I can. I am a omnivore...I had a very good vegetarian meal just outside of Marina Del Rey, CA. so would not exclude vegan. Any of the above would be fine. Can't say that I have ever had Cuban but it might be a good primer since Cuba is my final destination, please recommend dishes. I would assume that Argentinian / Brazillian would be beef, beef, & beef??

I do like good seafood as well...

Hi Frank,

I am going to give you some suggestions here, that are some of my favorites, but not really food guide food. I do love Sublime if you like vegan. I am assuming you will be happy to drive for good food, so these are all over the place.

This is a Miami chain of Cuban food, with just a few locations in Broward County (where Fort Lauderdale is). Excellent Cuban American food. Try the huge combo's to try a few things at once.
La Carreta Restaurant
http://www.lacarreta.com
301 North University Drive
Pembroke Pines, FL
(954) 966-8161

This is a local seafood place specializing in Garlic Crabs. EG Crabs poached in Garlic Butter. Get an outside table and watch the boats come up. On a small tributary of the intercoastal waterway in an un-inspiring area by the airport.
Rustic Inn
http://www.rusticinn.com
4331 Anglers Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
(954) 584-1637

This one is kind of a dumpy old 70's style seafood house, but they have the cheapest and best AYCE Stone Crab deal in town. $49 AYCE. Ignore the wonderful hot but space-stealing fresh hushpuppies they bring to the table. You can check their website the day off to be sure they have enough crabs (Oct - May).
Catfish Deweys
http://www.catfishdeweys.com
4003 North Andrews Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
(954) 566-5333

My favorite Rodizio, Brazilian steakhouse where they bring the meat around on skewers. Excellent quaility beef, reasonable prices. About 30 mins south of Fort Lauderdale:
Area code 55
http://www.areacode55.com
16375 Biscayne Boulevard
North Miami Beach, FL 33160
(305) 947-6202

Another rodizio - very good, closer to Fort Lauderdale, more expensive. In case spending beats driving:
Chima Brazilian Steakhouse
http://www.chima.cc
2400 East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 712-0580

A local sushi joint in a strip mall in Sunrise, they will let you buy a whole fish and have the sushi chef & regular chef make you meal of different preparations of your fresh fish. Very good.
Marumi Sushi
http://marumisushi.net
8271 W Sunrise Blvd
Plantation, FL 33322
(954) 318-4455

Great Peruvian food is all over South Florida, but this Miami outpost has the best cerviche. Parking is a pain though. I recommend the valet.
CVI.CHE 105
http://www.ceviche105.com
105 N.E. 3rd Ave. Miami, FL 33132
(305) 577-3454

And, just so you have one that is in a pleasant beach front area instead of a dingy strip mall, visit this place for a nice drink and some uncomplicated Floridabbean food. Loud music on the weekends, but the Friday happy hour is great, with a roasted pig in attendance.
Aruba Beach Cafe
http://www.arubabeachcafe.com
1 Commercial Boulevard
Lauderdale By The Sea, FL 33308
(954) 776-0001

Have a great visit. Bring sunblock and an umbrella. If you would like to meet for dinner one night, send me a PM and we will be glad to meet you for dinner.

--Lisa

Sadly, due to flight being late I got to FL about 9:00PM the first night, after getting car I ended up at a Macaroni Grill for a "memorable" (not in a good way) meal about 9:45PM.

Breakfast was at the hotel. Return trip (delayed again) got me back to FL about 9:00PM. Had a 6:00AM flight home, went to bed hungry that night (had some popcorn in the room)...3:00AM alarm was painful...ate breakfast at DFW.


Maybe next time....rats!

How was Cuba?

The secret to enjoying Macaroni Grill is to have a couple of "Leaning Bellinis" before dinner. Then it won't be so memorable.

PM'd

So noted..

Oh, I've made the mistake of eating at the Macaroni Grill in Minneapolis. Partly it was what I ordered, I'm sure (I was trying to be reasonably healthy, so I ended up ordering whatever their equivalent of the 'health check' menu item was; big, cheesy and greasy is probably done better in places like this), but it was just so, so, sad. Next time I'll have to drink first!