Il Mercato Cafe & Wine Shop

4 of us had dinner at this tucked away culinary gem last night. Due to the time change we settled on an early 7:00pm dinner and carried in 2 bottles of wine. There is no cork fee...

We got started with appetizers, Mushroom Arancini with provolone and truffle-spiked tomato sauce, a dish of crispi calamari (not at all greasy) with roasted peppers, spinach and citrus dressing, finally the evening's special ravioli.

For main courses we sampled Grilled Hangar Steak with mashed potatos, grean beans and a gorgonzola green peppercorn sauce, a Rioja-braised Chicken with carrots and sweet-potato Spaetzle, finally baked Salmon with olive topping, saffron, beurre blanc, sun-dried tomato and quinoa.

The proteins were juicy, not over-cooked and the sides were perfect. Seasoning was exactly to taste and every plate left the table clean.

Before leaving we had to try the home-made strudel with a scoop of banana gelato...wow!

Il Mercato is tucked away at 1454 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd. in Hallandale, FL. It is next to a Publix and hard to see from the road. I recommend you plug the address into your GPS and make the effort to get to their door.

The food is excellent, half-plates are offered and a certified sommelier is on staff. Service is friendly and prompt; they will make you feel like a part of the famiglia right away.

Our tab came to $78.00 before tip. We did not take advantage of the restaurant's wine selection although it appears well-sourced and researched with reasonable markups.

Final verdict - Go!!!

My Home Made Pizza

For many years I felt that pizza is something you ordered out or had delivered. Recently I broke the pizza DNA code and have been making home-made pizza that is to die for.

You need a pizza stone for your oven; I got the cheapest clay stone from Marshalls that cost $7.00 aqnd have used it many times.

Dissolve 1 packet of instant yeast in a cup of warm (not hot but tap-warm) water. Throw in a bit of sugar for the little babies to start eating and burping for 6-8 minutes.

In a mixer bowl put 2 cups of bread flour and 1/2 a cup of whole wheat flour, a tsp of salt, 3 tsp olive oil and...1/4 cup of minced onion. Add the yeast/water mixture, 2 tsp honey and mix with hook attachment for 1 minute before scraping sides and mixing for 2 more minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour at a time (every 2 minutes) until the mixture begins to clean the sides (not so sticky anymore). Once it reaches this stage flour your hands and pick up the dough; place in a greased bowl (olive oil is best) and make sure to oil top to bottom until well-coated (not dripping).

Cover and let rise for 60-90 minutes (double in size). Then turn oven to 450F and while it is heating up take your stone, cover with a bit of corm masa harina. Pick up the dough and turn in hands to strech a bit. Place on the stone and roll out (you can flour or oil roller) to cover stone.

Place 1/2 jar of Whinn-Dixie brand pizza sauce on top of the rolled out dough, add veggies (onions, jalapenos, mushrooms etc), cheese (Mozzarella) and turkey pepperoni on top.

Place in oven for 8-10 minutes before turning the stone to get even heat on both sides. At this point the oven should reach 450F and you can add 10-12 minutes to your timer. Look at your pizza at the end; if the crust is golden brown, not too much fluid in the venter you have a winner.

Take it out, cut into 8 slices and enjoy after it cools a bit...

Tips - Beer Can Chicken

If you are going to make this delicious, juicy chicken dish I have a couple of tips for you.

First, make sure chicken is close to room temp. Make sure it is well washed, trimmed of fat and dried, inside and out using paper towels. One way to make the bird less greasy is to rub it down with lemon juice before final rinsing.

Once you have a dry bird in hand I suggest a nice massage using light molasses, this will help the dry rub stick and provide a little sweetness, not to mention a nice tan chicken at the end.

You can go wild with spices; the sky is the limit. Also, you don't have to use beer at all, Coke, coconut-water, fruit-juices, anything goes. However, make sure the can is 1/3 to 1/2 empty and at room temp. to start. What you are looking for is good steam to cook and moisten the inside of the chicken.

Don't waste your money on one of those fancy stands, a can and two chicken legs make for a perfect tripod and a stable bird.

Grilling on indirect heat is great; however, your kitchen's oven will produce a great bird every time.

For recipe, tune in another time...

Sushi Rock - Ft. Lauderdale

Talk about a small place that is hot hot hot.

Even on a rainy weekday there was a line in the street waiting for diner seating. The establishment has roughly 14 tables for 2 that are set up against the wall with a bench on one side and chairs on the other. These are dragged together or apart depending on the size of parties that need seating.

We waited for about 20 minutes and decided to try a boat for three. Preparation took 20-30 minutes and a nice boat loaded with sushi and sashimi arrived. The fish were selected by the Chef and included Tuna, Salmon, White Fish and Shrimp in rolls, nigiri and clean slices.

The portion was generous and 4 of us felt full and happy. However, a wider variety of fish would have done the dish a great service.

The crowd was mostly young and beautiful locals with a few exceptions. Music is pumped into the narrow establishment but it is hard to make out what it is; the place it LOUD so come ready to eat, not chat. There are no private spaces and seating is pretty much elbow to elbow so get to know your neighbors.

Conclusions:

Service is friendly if a bit slow

Fish are fresh and of high quality

Décor is non-existent and acoustics are terrible; some treatment will go a long way

Value, at $25 per person without drinks (includes tip) not half bad

My vote, go during the week with a small group; expect a wait for seating and food. However, it’s worth it, try it at least once.

Council Oak Steakhouse - Seminole Hard Rock

Wednesday evening was spent with a supplier having a business dinner at the Council Oak Steakhouse, located within the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.

The restaurant was named to honor the sacred oak tree around which the tribal council would gather. It is located close to the lobby and has a good size bar/waiting area. Live music was playing a bit loud for my taste but enough to block the slot-machine noise from the casino.

We were lead to a table rather quickly despite having no reservation, cool purified water and a bread basket came onto the table top post haste. Our server provided whipped butter and a sun-dried tomato tapenade, as well as French seas-salt, Hawaiian salt and a mixture of black and yellow pepper.

We got started with a couple of blue-cheese, iceberg-lettuce salads and oysters on the half-shell. The oysters were very fresh but a bit sandy; a proper rinse would have done them justice. The salads were full of blue-cheese so if that’s your thing, go for it.

Entrees were a 12Oz New York Strip, two double chops of Colorado Lamb, three 4Oz Filets each finished with a different crust and an interesting salad with watermelon chunks and feta cheese.

The meats were all cooked perfectly as ordered. Tommy and I made short work of his steak and my lamp chops. However, the other two at the table had more mixed results. The salad had very little watermelon and feta (the star ingredients), while one of three filets had a horseradish based crust which really did not work.

No one had room for dessert and the one bottle of 2005 California Merlot held up well to the meats.

Conclusions:

-Ambiance is visually relaxing but quite loud due to the high ceiling and glass wall.

-Service is prompt, friendly and professional if a bit forgetful

-Value - expect to spend around $100.00 per person if wine or spirits are consumed moderately; I suggest focusing on the meats as they are the strength of the kitchen, forget sides and appetizers.

Overall not my favorite but if red meat or lamb is what you crave these are aged well and served cooked perfectly. I would not recommend this restaurant for a romantic meal as it is too loud and lacks in intimacy.

BONEFISH GRILL - Sunrise, FL

So I got this coupon in the mail:

2 people, shared starter, 2 salads, 2 entrees and a shared macadamia brownie dessert at $18.00 per diner. Now I'm not much for chain restaurants but this was one well aimed marketing attack and I had to go.

We were promptly lead to a table by a nice hostess and served by Kathleen, a well-groomed, friendly server. All servers and hosts wear uniforms that remind me of what kitchen staff should wear and keep them tidy and clean. Fresh Ciabata is served with a small plate of olive oil infused with salt and herbs, very nice.

Last night we went for it and started with their "Singapore Calamari" which in essence were fried calamari with a sweet & tangy "Asian" sauce. This was very filling but a bit too greasy for my taste.

We each had a BONEFISH (house) Salad with the house dressing a nice sweet vinaigrette. It included mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and whole, pitted black olives. This was quite refreshing.

We decided to try the grilled Long-fin (Tilapia) with potatoes au gratin and the shrimp & scallop grilled skewer with a veggie medley. The fish came with a tiny bowl of what Kathleen called their "Pan Asian" sauce with some wasabi-mustard in the center; this is a nice, sweet sauce that reminded me of eel-sauce. The dish was well executed and rich.

However, the skewer was a different story; first, the scallops were perfectly cooked yet the shrimp were very over-cooked and chewy. This could be due to the difference in thickness of the two foods that are forced to share a skewer and spend the same time on heat. Also, the veggie medley was not much of a medley but rather some buttered up, salty broccoli florets and a couple of julienned pieces of carrot. All this was server with lemon butter in a tine saucer which really does not fit in with any part of this dish.

The highlight of the evening was the dessert, a rich, chocolate brownie with macadamia-nuts & whipped cream topping it off and served next to a raspberry sauce and vanilla ice-cream. This dessert is enough for 4 adults to share so we took half of it to reheat another day. It is well executed and satisfying; the only part that was a letdown was the cream which was over whipped and not exactly fresh.

Conclusions:

-Decor is well put together, nice rustic feeling with some metallic accents.

-Audio system sounds good although the restaurant is a bit too loud due to reflective surfaces; I did not see the rack but speakers are nice Klipsch units and well integrated into the dark ceiling. TVs are located in the bar, playing sports but hard to see from the dining room.

-Service is friendly, staff is well dressed and nice looking

-Value At $20.45 with a soft drink, before taxes and tips not bad the quantity of food and great service; however, quality is so so.

I don't see going back in my future

Chitralada Thai, Pemboke Pines, FL

I recently returned to this hole in the wall establishment, located on the SE corner or University Drive and Pines BLVD, after a long hiatus. Five of us got together for this culinary experience and we dined family style, moving dishes around the table.

The former owner, Paul Triam, decided to retire and move back to Thailand, selling his restaurant to his friends from neighboring Burma (now Myanmar). The new owners kept most of Paul's menu intact and added some unique Burmese dishes.

One such surprise was the Tea-Leaf Salad, lephet thoke. Taking time to chew and taste each bit of this will help you uncover a complex, rewarding mix of greens, nuts and spices. Keep in mind that due to the nuttiness of the salad it is richer than most and is best used as a shared appetizer.

We tried a variety of wonderful soups with one standout that is a staple of this establishment, the Sunflower Soup. It is made with coconut milk and small bits of chicken. This one is a must try in my book.

Burmese egg noodles are interesting although a bit too close to Italian or Chinese noodle dished to really make a splash. The Thai Masaman Chicken though is brilliant with pieces of avocado really giving the sauce a nice bump on the old taste-meter.

We decided to try the Burmese Chicken & Potato Curry but replaced the chicken with Tofu as one of us is a vegetarian. This turned out a success as each chunk of Tofu was crispy on the outside and creamy inside with a nice, curry flavor.

At this point we were full and even had some left over (my lunch the next day) but had to leave room for dessert. The Crispy Bananas with Home-Made Coconut Ice-Cream is always a hit and a must try at this place.

Conclusions:

-Location is a real hole in the wall, no thrills, quite and simple

-Owner and family provide a nice, friendly service although not all have complete grast of English

-Cost is roughly $20.00 per person based on meal with non-alcoholic beverages, quite the value for the quality of food served

This one is all about the food, no fancy audio system or large flat panels here, just simple folks that are proud of their cuisine and execute it well every time. I suggest coming hungry and trying a soup, appetizer, and a dessert, not just an entree. If you like it hot do not be afraid to ask but beware, you may get what you asked for...

ZUMA Miami

I was invited to a soft opening at the new Zuma restaurant on the Miami river. Located at the bottom floor of the Epic hotel this restaurant is part of an international chain with select locations in London, Hong Kong, Istanbul and Dubai.

As you come close to the door from the hotel lobby the sweet smell of Hibachi grilled beef hits your nose with an inviting scent. If I had to create a term to describe the door and the general decor it would be Japanese-rustic mixed with an open, ultra modern kitchen and Sushi station.

The outside is clearly visible through the floor to ceiling glass wall that stretches from end of the restaurant to the other. Outside seating was not yet available as work on the area is in progress.

My party of six tried several cocktails including a Pink Mojito, made with Tequila instead of Rum, the Ama Mizu, a watermelon flavored drink made with Sake and a Rhubarb and Lemon Vodka based creation. While all were light and pleasant the Ama Mizu deserves a special note as every sip felt like a nice cool bite of fresh watermelon with a hint of alcohol mixed in for good measure. Watch out for this one; it is way too easy to have a few too many.

We started to dine with lightly steamed Edamame served in wooden bowles with shavings of sea salt; it was well executed and along with an order of Cucumber rolls gave the sushi chefs time to prepare the Tuna Tataki that followed. The tuna was of high quality, seared very briefly and served with mashed ginger in its natural, yellow-tinted color.

An almost flat piece of cold slate followed with pieces of Sea bass Sashimi on it. What appeared to be a light chilli-Ponzu dressing was sprinkled on the fish along with pieces of Japanese Scallion. While the texture of Sea bass was not to everyone's liking, I enjoyed its robust feel and amazing flavor. I guess some people don't like their food biting back. Small gobs of freshly grated real Wasabi were gentle enough to put right on top of the fish, no need to dissolve in Soy Sauce.

Our English server soon returned with a long and narrow plate featuring cubes of herb-crusted, lightly-fried Tofu. It is in the nature of this food to take up any flavor; the mind that came up with this herb crust is a brilliant one...pure success even with self-professed "Tofu Haters."

Spicy Tuna Rolls followed by Spicy Yellowtail Rolls landed in dark sushi trays. The fish were fresh and of high quality and the spicy mayo freshly made, light and cool. The Prawn Tempura roll that followed featured toasted sesame and came on a sqaure tray; this one did not last long.

The manager stopped by to let us know that this was the night they pushed the kitchen from 100 to 170 dinners served and wanted to know how everything was executed. No one had anything bad to say at this point and we moved on to hot dishes; first to land was an order of Sweet Corn. The corn was chopped into 1 inch pieces, rolled in a sweet ginger butter and grilled on the Hibachi, This produced bite-size morsels of sweet heaven that everyone enjoyed, quite the pallet cleanser.

What the folks at Zuma call Spicy Beef appeared next. In fact, the pounded Petit Fillets were more sweet than spicy and covered with toasted sesame. The meat was cut into 1/2 inch squares, bite-sized and very tender.

The next dish was another winner, Sweet Black Cod served on banana leaves. Wow, talk about getting it right; the fish was flaky and light, the taste sweet and a bit tangy, amazing. I could eat this as a starter, main dish or dessert and be happy. Someone please get me the recipe for the sauce.

Finally we were served a Mushroom Hotpot which was the low point of the meal and especially disappointing after the amazing dishes that came before it. Small clay pots were brought to the table with rice and mixed mushrooms in them. The flavor was quite off which lead me to guess that one of the line cooks grabbed a fist full of the wrong spice, Tarragon I believe, and throw it into the rice. Somehow this got by the Executive Chef and to our table.

We finished the evening with 3 desserts, a Yuzu Lime Pie, A Grean Tea & Banana Bread Pudding and a Gooey Chocolate mini-cake with Vanilla ice-cream. The Yuzu Lime Pie was cool, refreshing and with its citrus tang, quite cleansing for tired pallets. The molten chocolate streams that came out of the little cake mixed well with the ice-cream and formed a rich, velvety creation. I could have done without the Bread Pudding as it was too dense and heavy; however, opinions around the table were split on this one.

We spent two and a half hours at the table which was a lot for my back considering the low height of the seat backs. The sound system, delivered by a company called TechnoSystems, LLC. delivered crisp music but the massive glass wall, although visually very appealing, amplified the room to volume levels that are a bit high for me.

Total of bill $81.32 per person, $487.92 total without taxes (10%) or tip. Extra charge for hotel valet $10.00 plus tip

ZUMA Conclusions:

-Looks great, the location, interior design and view are all stunning; food & drinks are visually appealing.

-Sound is great, TechnoSystems did a wonderful job, however, some acoustical treatment might be called for to reduce overall audio levels

-Food is fresh, tasty, smells good and well suited to American taste buds; do not expect a strong, authentic, Japanese experience but rather a gentle, breezy dinning adventure.

-Value - Expect to spend over $100.00 per person when taxes and tips are accounted for even if you are not much of a drinker. With the location, view and quality of food this is not a bad deal.

Finally, ZUMA smells good, if you are in Miami plan a visit. Check out www.zumarestaurant.com for more information.