They just don't like Coconut Grove's food for some reason
Question: Has a Miami Herald food critic ever liked a Coconut Grove restaurant? I mean ever?
Here's a recent review on Angelo and Maxie's. They weren't that crazy about it.
I know I just put down the Dirty Deli and I call Coral Bagels the Dirty Deli, but I am a Grovite and I usually praise most places in the Grove, even when they are roach infested like Basil. So you can't put me in the Herald reviewer category.
Here's a recent review on Angelo and Maxie's. They weren't that crazy about it.
I know I just put down the Dirty Deli and I call Coral Bagels the Dirty Deli, but I am a Grovite and I usually praise most places in the Grove, even when they are roach infested like Basil. So you can't put me in the Herald reviewer category.
posted by Tom Falco at 4:00 PM
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18 Comments:
Geez, Grape, I appreciate the fact that you try to promote the Grove but the Herald reviewer gripes about clams that chew like gum, over-priced wine and an inadvertant chunk of chocolate in a salad and you are willing to give a place a pass even when it's infested with roaches?
Why don't people read what I write. No, I am saying that the Herald has never once in the past few years given a good review to one Grove restaurants. Those of us in the know find it fishy. We talk about it daily.
Has a Miami Herald food critic ever liked a Coconut Grove restaurant? implies there is more than one, and in New York Times or Washington Post. Nope. It is the Herald. Just one, and sadly this particular food critic apparently would rather waste ink on giving a bad review than simply concentrate on writing about places she considers worthwhile, which would be more interesting to the readership. I would rather read about a good place to go than waste time reading about what someone else thinks is bad. Especially one who takes such delight in writing about what she thinks is bad, which is not limited to the Grove.
It's a cliche. Perhaps it would be a bit more interesting if she simply turned her reviews into a column titled "What's Wrong With this Restaurant"
I like everything I have eaten at A&M and while I prefer the old decor, this is a steakhouse, and just because it is, does not mean it needs to look like Smith & Wollensky or Capital Grill. The staff has always bee very attentive and, for heaven's sake its a bloody steak house. Steak, creamed spinach, dinner rolls-- not exactly Adrian Ferria fare, but hey if she can find something wrong with it, she will.
Our Grove needs to have a greater presence in the quarterly Dining Out.
We need to bring the foodies back to the Grove and out of the Design District.
Does Coconut Grove really have a fantastic array of serious restaurants? Honestly no. The Grove is by no means a gastronomy center of Miami. There are successful restaurant businesses but I can only name a few food lover's joints that offer something special: George's, Bouchon, also one of your favorites: Foccacia Rustica. But the number does not reach a handful IMHO. Christabelle's was meant to be the restaurant everyone was waiting for but now who knows what will go in there.
We went to A & M for the wings and beer tasting tonight and it was a very nice time! The wings were decent enough but the beer tasting was great! Chris, the rep from Fresh Beer, was a pleasure to talk to and learn from. We'll be back with friends and coworkers. Check it out if you haven't been; it's definitely worthwhile.
Anyone who actually reads the Herald, and there are fewer by the second, knows that the food reviewers are awful. However, in this case they are not incorrect. Angelo & Maxies just plain isnt good. The food is blah, blah, blah. Its nothing you cant get 5 minutes away and the prices are high for a location that is DEAD. There is no point of differentiation from other mainstream steakhouses that do steak much better, besides that it happens to be in the Grove.
I think its silly to think there is a "conspiracy" against the Grove. There are 3 restaurants worth of mention here and those are Jaguar, Ideas, and Le Bouchon du Grove. George's gets an honorable mention and Focaccia for brunch/lunch only. But the first 3 are really the only ones pumping out something unique and different.
Dont hate on the Design District because they have real estate priced for restaurateurs to open up shop and create a solid space and vibe to compliment their food. Thats what is cool about the DD - there isnt a cookie cutter "theme" that a chef must follow. That an its affordable.
+1 to Blind Mind's comment. The fact is there aren't many exceptional restaurants in the grove.
It is a little disappointing that Cita's didn't/couldn't make the list but frankly, despite three visits there, the service was an abomination.
Three of us went to Cita's last night and had fantastic service -- we were happy to give the $50 tip. A lovely experience.
I wanted to put Cita's on the list of good/unique restaurants because I really like the atmosphere and personally never had bad service. However, 50% of the times that Ive been there the food has been sub-par at best and thats being nice.
Coconut Grove has some pretty bad restaurants compared to the rest of the city. Greenstreets is one of the most overrated places, but its all location location location.
I agree with the Blind One. I frequently dine out with clients and work colleagues. The Grove isn't on anyone's radar screen for great food.
To understand what the Grove is competing against, you have to get out to the places in the Design District, or to Tony Chan's Water Club (amazing Chinese) at the Double-Tree Grand, or downtown at Il Gabbiano. There is nothing in the Grove that can lay a glove on those restaurants.
Even when it comes to quality family dining, other parts of town offer superior product and service. Try Casa Juancho in Little Havana, for example. And for informal dining, I prefer places on Coral Way like Xixon and Maria's.
I have eaten at Angelo's and Maxies once with the beer tasting, another I went to the actual restaurant. I was unimpressed. It was a bit pricey
Just walked by Berries today shortly after noon............maybe they have the right food formula -- the place was packed. Also last night around 7pm -- jammed.
I agree with Blind Mind and others. The problem is not the Herald's editorial staff, but the lack of destination dining in the Grove. Unfortunately, the Grove is synonymous with Cheescake Factory, Hooters, The Knife and Sandbar. And while those places have their rightful place in my heart and in my belly, they're not at the height of the culinary ladder.
While I agree that the Grove does have some gems like Ideas, George's and Le Bouchon, most of the other restaurants fall flat or cater to those folks looking for a quick fix and not an interesting or compelling meal.
But with that said, I'll always come back for wings and burgers from Flannigans, slices from Slice n Ice and breakfast with a view at Greenstreet. Grove has a special place in my heart and always will.
Way back, Grove was a drinking destination, and before that it was a hippie haven. It would be cool to have top notch restaurants but does any sound minded restaurateur want to have to deal with parking problems and Code enforcement and shifting rules and on top of that rising costs. The problem is people at the helm, who want to change the character of the area without any long term vision. At the helms here we have not had one visionary who also happens to be competent and honest. Roll back the 5am liquor and purge all the other unnecessary rules including parking fees, stop removing the old street lights, stop trying to mold the Grove into a Gables, South beach or South Miami, all the politicians' wranglings have made Coconut Grove uncool. Let Grove be.
With Cita's, Jaguar, Atchana's, A&M, LeBouchon, Greensteet, Le P'tit Paris, George's, Sekai,Foccacia, Akashi, Calamari, Anokha, Panorama, Belen, Bizcaya at the Ritz, we have something for everyone - run that wicked lady from the Herald out of town. Send her to Broward - she probably gets angry when the sun comes out.
I propose we kidnap Michael from his Genuine Food Spot!
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