Hi all

Thanks again for your help re: Miami restaurants. I just have a couple of questions that maybe you can help me with.

I'll be in South Beach for 5 days, and I'd like to make a day trip to Coral Gables. I won't have a car, so would a taxi be exhorbitant? Also, once there, is it feasible to see the sights on foot? I'm referring to specifically the Venetian Pool, the international "villages", and/or the Botanical Garden.

Has anyone ever done a waverunner tour? It sounds like a lot of fun, but I'm a beginner when it comes to those kinds of things, and I'm rather nervous about it (I'm a klutz, for one thing).

Thanks !
Betsy

You did not mention what budget constraints you were on if any, so I will just give you my restaurant suggestions, based on what I feel are the best bang for the buck.

Food quality is inconsistent in Sobe, but is getting better. These restaurants are nearly always good, and will give you the true Miami flavor.

China Grill - carribean/asian fusion
the bar is fantastic too

Davids Cafe (lincoln road) Cuban - excellent value not expensive and nice place

Van Dykes - Lincoln road, very good for breakfast or brunch

Pacific Times - Lincoln road one of the best in Miami

Nemo's - Great sunday brunch, dinner

Cafe Prima Pasta (71st street) excellent local hangout, very cool and inexpensive

Despite the rhetoric of what you may hear don't get ripped off at: B.E.D. (terrible service and food), or Blue Door too expensive for the quality, or Nobu (but the bar is a must see)

As for Gables, taxi is approx 28$ each way. The stuff you talk about is ok but I am not sure it is worth the trip, but if you go you might want to tie it in with a day of shopping at the new Galleria that opened just off of Bird rd.

Parrot Jungle is now located not far from Sobe.

Have fun!

Saw your other post so I will fill in a few more blanks here, and you can take this advice as someone who eats out 6 nights a week....80% of the time alone.

Normans is one of the top restaurants in Miami....better than Chef Alan, but I am not sure it is worth the cab fare to and from Gables.

Your list is fairly good, but I would seriously consider plugging in China Grill at the top of the list. Especially if you are dining by yourself....I sit at the bar and have dinner all the time, and a lot of other regulars do as well. The food is excellent, and the portions are huge....some of my favorite "duck salad", "lamb dumplings" "lobster pancakes" but truly everything is great!

The setting is very south beach, upscale and sobe crowd. Not overly expensive but in line with your other choices.

Wish is good but it can be inconsistant, but a nice romantic place.

Marks is ok but I would place it way donw on the list. Same with Ballens, I've been their three times, and can barely remember what I ate.

I see you like Italian, my favorite in Miami is Carpaccio in Bal Harbor, and Rigatzia just down the road from Carpaccio. Rigatzia is very authentic Italian but it is a tiny narrow place, and always a wait list. Italian restaurants on South Beach and lincoln road(my opinion) are pasta noodles with Chef Borardi poured on top...sorry.

Yuca is good, nothing to right home about, but if you like the menu definately worth a try. I would take Davids Cafe over Larios though, unless you want a nicer atmosphere, Lario is more upscale.

Someone mentioned you might be intimidated in Little Havana at Versailes or La Carretta, I don't agree if you are normally someone who travels a lot, they provide english menus and there is always someone who speaks english and more than helpful, but I think you will have just as good food at Davids.

Another that you may want to check out is Joie, excellent, very upscale, but perhaps not the best environment for dining single. This is a hangout of Robert De Niro who is seen ther often.

If you are in the mood for sushi I would recommend Toni Sushi on Washington, good place to dine single.

Hope this will help, and as I mentioned, I would put China Grill at the top of the list, and dine at the bar.

Hi I agree with Markover general recommendations, one thing I do not agree instead of Rigatzia if you ever come to Ball harbour try Specchio a real Italian little trattoria, I think the people in Rigatzia are Argentine and frankly I feel Specchio is ten times better.
I agree with his appreciation of China Grill's ambiance , although for better food I prefer Pacific TIme
and Nemos.
Versailles if you can manage to get there is a great ,popular, inexpensive Cuban restaurant with good food, colorful, and great mojitos drinks and excellent cafecitos.

Hmm don't know the other Italian rest you mentioned but now I will have to try.

i agree that the food is better at Pacific Times, but I think you would agree they are two different animals.

China Grill, while perhaps not quite as good as Pacific, it still is good, and that coupled with the Sobe crowd which is always interesting people watching, you have to admit it is one of the best dinner/sobe bar scenes in the city.

More importantly she is dining alone, and as someone who eats out alone 80% of the time, this place is the best....the bartenders (especially Strech) always make you feel at home.

The bar dinner/bar scene is so busy, you are both entertained, and it almost never fails that you will end up talking to someone rather interesting.

This is the hip Sobe crowd type of place, so that is another factor, you want to be in the mood for Sobe, but if you are looking for a laid back quiet place then Pacific Times is definately the best.

Hey thanks for the Italian tips!

In case you want to check out the China Grill or the others, this is a good website:

http://www.miamibeach411.com/Restaur...hinagrill.html

Wow....thank you, Markover and Graziella! You've given me lots to think about.

NYC has a China Grill, so I'm not sure that I will make it to the Miami version. On the other hand, part of the reason I'm coming to South Beach is to experience the "scene", and it sounds as if China Grill would be right up my alley. I hadn't thought much about Pacific Time but now I'm going to.

Thanks for the web site; I'm going to check it out.

Betsy

Markover...I guess I missed somewhere along the way that you live in SoBe/Miami....excellent,superb comments on the restaurants....also very interesting that a "native" does indeed refer to SouthBeach as SoBe.Not too long ago there was a more or less definitive comment that only "tourists" and fashionistas referred to SouthBeach as SoBe,which I had never heard before or since.I have always thought that if I travel to Miami,stay at the Loews,eat at SoBe restaurants,buy some souvenirs,etc etc, then I am a "tourist".However,other people doing the same thing wouldnt be caught dead being referred to as a "tourist".Anywayz, I liked your comments..............S