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• The Burger Beast is giving away a chance to win Bobby Flay's new burger cookbook. He's also got a poll going about burger accompaniments — fries are leading the pack by a large margin, not surprisingly. [Burger Beast]

• Chicken and waffles, re-worked Paradigm-style: chicken confit, waffle gelato, maple crumble, candied orange, arugula, and chocolate bacon vinaigrette. [Chadzilla]

• Frodnesor offers his own version of the food bloggers' code of ethics: "Be honest. Don't be a douche." [Food For Thought]

• Is the BLT the world's most perfect sandwich? We're inclined to think yes. [Clean Plate Charlie]

• Looking for the best grub in the Keys? This might be a good place to start your search. [Chowhound]

• From the mouth of chef Jason Hall of Eos: "I don’t really like Miami that much. It’s OK to visit for SOBE but I want to get back to New York." Way to earn some goodwill in the community buddy. In case you haven't noticed, the tourists are gone for the season, and you're going to have to rely on locals for the long summer months. [Food for Thought]

• Everyone's talking about NAOE, the omakase spot in Sunny Isles that is about as authentic a Japanese spot as you're apt to find in South Florida. [Chowhound]

• Golden crabs! They're native to Florida, but we've never seen any before. Neither had Chef Galiano, who just got them at the restaurant from some fishermen. The verdict: "outstanding." [Chadzilla]

• Check out the plate of turkey at Miami institution S&S Diner — it looks like a plate for two or three to share! [...and the eggs]

• The recipe for the jamón serrano and blue cheese croquetas at Michy's, plus two fun facts: Chef Bernstein is adding a spinach and feta croqueta to her menu, and she scours the food sections at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for good deals. Which is awesome, because we totally do the same thing. [Short Order]

Today is the start of National Burger Month, and as if on cue, our Google Reader was bombarded with burger-related items.

• Breeze at The Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach is offering a different burger each day in May. Each of the 31 burgers will cost $12 and include one side dish. Some of the ideas being tossed around: a Sunday Brunch Burger (meat patty with scrambled eggs, hash browns and ketchup), a Black and Bleu Burger (blackened burger with bleu cheese, caramelized onions and bacon) and Smoked Salmon Burger (smoked salmon with capers and dill creme fraiche). [SUP]

• The Chowfather declares the burger at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink "flavorful, juicy, cooked perfectly, and served on a solid bun." Very good, although Red Light continues to be the frontrunner. [Chowfather]

• Gail Shepherd attempts to lay down some guidelines for what, exactly, makes a great burger. Prices over $12 and fillers in the meat patty result in automatic disqualification. She likes the burger at Char-Hut, although finds that the extra lean meat leaves a bit to be desired. Juiciness is a must. [Clean Plate Charlie]

• Frodnesor discovers NAOE, a Japanese restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach, and "one of the most unexpected and special dining experiences I've had in Miami in quite some time." [Food For Thought]

• Here are a few suggestions for Sunday brunch in Miami. [Chowhound]

• The olive-oil poached shrimp at Neomi's Grill looks amazing. [Chadzilla]

• $20 unlimited Bloody Marys? Yes please! Check it out at 8 Oz Burger Bar every Sunday. [Short Order]

• Miami Beach's Chesterfield Hotel serves free booze — vodka, rum and gin in particular — daily between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. [Short Order]

• Jeff declares The Palm Beach Steakhouse a winner, despite the fact that the place makes him wear pants. [Jeff Eats]

• Check out the sheer amount of cheese in the French onion soup at Sage French Cafe. Mmm... [Food of Miami]

• The Chowfather gives his five favorite burgers in South Florida. Char-Hut tops the list. [The Chowfather]

• Mmm...mango. A lovely photo of a fruit that's hanging from the tree, taunting us as we wait for it to ripen. [Miami Every Day Photo]

• Smokey Bones' Smokehouse Burger is good, but you're better off sticking to pork products there. [Burger Beast]

• Le Banyan is a new Thai spot in North Beach, where the food is good but the prices are a bit high. [Food For Thought]

• Going to Sardinia, Indomania or Talula? Here are a few ideas of what to order. [Chowhound]

• Check out the spread at this "Spring Thanksgiving" — looks delicious! [Miami Dish]

• No Florida chefs made Food & Wine's Best New Chefs list, so Short Order comes up with a group of best old chefs from South Florida. [Short Order]

• And Frodnesor replies with a list of his own: best new chefs in South Florida. [Food For Thought]

• The "best steakhouse in Miami" discussion is re-opened. Given the sheer number of steakhouses in the area, consensus is unlikely. On the upside, there's some type of beef for everyone. [Chowhound]

• Here's an Easter brunch deal we missed: a $39 buffet at Michy's. [The Chowfather]

• Where would you want to go on your 30th birthday? Here are a bunch of South Beach recommendations. [Chowhound]

• Lee tells of deals at The Grill on the Alley. [Short Order]

• We generally subscribe to Alton Brown's rule against unitaskers, but that Oxo ginger peeler does look tempting. Check out what other gadgets Jan reviews from the housewares show in Chicago. [Jan Norris]

• Short Order interviews the guy behind Burger Beast, an all-burgers-all-the-time blog. [Short Order]

• Talk about a surprise combination of flavors: the lobster ravioli at Wish comes with cardamom-yuzu foam, pickled radishes and green peas. [All Purpose Dark]

• Is Michael's Genuine Food & Drink — gasp! — slipping? [Chowhound]

• We had a similar reaction to the hog-slaughtering piece in the New Times — not "how awful!" but more like "hmm, that's not a bad idea for the next pig roast..." [Food For Thought]

8 Oz Burger Bar has been making quite a buzz this past week. There was the review in the Herald last week, and there have been plenty of opinions on Chowhound. Most seem to agree that while the food is great, the service can be clueless and disorganized when the restaurant is busy. Natalie over at Natalie's Nibbles visited the burger spot recently and had a similar complaint. But the food! We might put up with quite a bit to get deep-fried chorizo-stuffed olives (which, by the way, are also available at Table 8) and fried mozzarella-topped burgers.

In other Govind Armstrong news, the ladies over at FoodTastic! went to Table 8 to sample the Winter Spice menu. More raves for the stuffed olives, in addition to the cilantro margaritas, duck confit and the vanilla panna cotta.

8 Oz. offers posh noshes at budget prices [Miami Herald]
8 oz Burger Bar lands on South Beach [Chowhound]
Burgers in SoBe [Natalie's Nibbles]
Restaurant Review - Table 8 [FoodTastic!]

Photo, of Chef Armstrong's panna cotta: SauceSupreme/flickr

• The LA Times asks why Miami gets to have all the food festival fun. Seems that Lee Schrager has been thinking the same thing: "The festival will be L.A.-bound, promise," he said. "I hope to move this show to California in the next few years." [Los Angeles Times]

• Lee Klein asks a great question: why on earth was Mario Batali up there representing Miami at the dinner on Thursday night? He lists a few local chefs who would have been much better representatives of the city and likely would have kept the language clean. [Short Order]

• Sara has a recap of Sandra Lee's cocktail party on Saturday. Check out the photo of a model covered in metallic silver paint — apparently they were standing on cubes throughout the patio. Odd. [All Purpose Dark]

• jmdhsmiami has some tips on how to work Burger Bash (get there early and start at the back of the tent) and says that Best of the Best was a bit disappointing. [Chowhound]

• Short Order takes a peek inside the kitchen at Meat Market and provides photos of each station, from the raw bar to the grill to pastry. [Short Order]

• Restaurant Gal is "living the dream" down in the Keys. Or so say some visitors from DC. [Restaurant Gal]

• The Beer Man gives a recap of the Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival. It sounds like a fun event, except it seems to be struggling to manage its own popularity — lines were long, even for people who already had pre-paid tickets. [Jan Norris]

• Balans in Mary Brickell Village has magic glass bathroom stalls that fog up when locked. Kind of cool, except...what if it doesn't work? [All Purpose Dark]

• Blind Mind returns to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink after a month-long absence and is reminded why he fell in love with the restaurant in the first place. [Blind Mind]

• Is the steak better at Red or at Prime 112? Sounds like the steaks are better at the former, but the sides and appetizers are better at the latter. [Chowhound]

• Trina is making an effort to waste less food this year. Check out how she's going to do it. [Miami Dish]

• Check out the artwork-on-a-plate at Casa Tua. It looks so cool. [All Purpose Dark]

• A whole deep-fried egg. Also cool. [chadzilla]

• Jan provides a great recipe for a Southern favorite: buttermilk pie. [Jan Norris]

• Gail imagines what might happen if Jack in the Box actually outsources drive-through orders. [Short Order]

• Natalie checks out Smith & Jones on Las Olas and feasts on alligator cakes, a Cuban sandwich and a Philly cheesesteak. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• Julie has a few good pointers for anyone who's ever had to deal with sunken cupcakes. [A Mingling of Tastes]

• They're not afraid to use peanuts in desserts over at Paradigm. Or some cool-looking "noodles." [chadzilla]

• More cupcakes! Sara tells of Cupcakes Nouveau's opening party next Friday. Free cupcakes for everyone! [All Purpose Dark]

• Dan Oliver writes all about the Jupiter Craft Brewers Festival over at Jan's blog. [Jan Norris]

• Some researchers have found that foodies tend to have lesions in their right anterior cerebral hemisphere. It's the "Gourmand Syndrome." Ha! [Short Order]

• Check out the menu for today's inauguration luncheon. There's seafood stew, a "brace of American birds," apple sponge cake, and California wines. Having your own celebratory dinner tonight? Jan provides the Legal Sea Foods clam chowder recipe. [Jan Norris]

• There is a chocolate festival this weekend at Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Seriously, a chocolate festival. Start making plans now. [Coral Gables]

• Sara provides a course-by-course review with photos of her meal at Gotham Steak. [All Purpose Dark]

• The Coral Gables farmers' market is back for the season. [mango&lime]

• The trees around here are filled with carambola these days. Yum! [Miami Every Day Photo]

• A behind-the-scenes look at Joey's in Wynwood. [Short Order]

• Check out some first impressions of Anatolia in Boca Raton. [Chowhound]

• Sometimes, these crazy out-there dishes look really amazing, and while this one is intriguing, it just looks so gelatinous. Not my favorite texture. [chadzilla]

• Need a dinner idea for a Wednesday night? Check out the Bourbon and Blues night at Bourbon Steak for upscale comfort food and 25 percent off bourbons. Oh, and blues too! [All Purpose Dark]

• How about a seafood spot in Palm Beach? Here are a few ideas. [Chowhound]

• Check out behind-the-scenes photos of Enso, where they're pushing the envelope with molecular gastronomy techniques. [Short Order]

• Trina pays tribute to a few restaurants that closed in the past year. [Miami Dish]

• Sarah walks you through dinner at Asia de Cuba course by course, with photos. [All Purpose Dark]

• As delicious as it is, foie gras just does not look appetizing. [Chadzilla]

• There's some funny business going on in the avocado industry in California; the commission that growers pay to advertise and market their products seems to have misappropriated quite a few funds. [Short Order]

• Julie writes about lentils. We're on the same wavelength apparently, because I made a lovely red lentil soup last night. [A Mingling of Tastes]

• Restaurants are closing left and right in Palm Beach County. No good news here. [Chowhound]

• Carrot sorbet? Can't say that would be high on the list of things I'd want to try, but the dish does look pretty tasty. [Chadzilla]

• Jan talks about Capri Blu closing this weekend. [Jan Norris]

• Check out some interesting observations about the restaurant scene these days from Lee Klein. [Short Order]

• Baklava always seemed so complicated. This recipe, however, looks pretty straightforward. [A Mingling of Tastes]

• Sara indulged in sufganiyot in Israel. Yum! [All Purpose Dark]

• Lobster rolls are coming to Delray Beach soon, courtesy of a granddaughter of the founder of L.L. Bean. If these rolls will in any way resemble the ones we ate at a beachside shack in Maine, well, we're excited. [Short Order]

• The first reviews for Scarpetta are coming in, and so far so good. [Chowhound]

• Check out the pizza at Joey's; it looks delicious. [All Purpose Dark]

• Mixed reviews for Prime Italian: some say great, others say overpriced. [Chowhound]

• If you see a stand selling oranges along the Florida Turnpike, be forewarned that you cannot buy one or two. No, it has to be at least a quarter bushel. [Restaurant Gal]

• There is actually a place called The World Thought Bank, and it has apparently rehashed some food trends and packaged them as new for next year. [Short Order]

• Did you know that some strip clubs serve free lunch (or free food at other times of the day)? [Short Order]

• And the Purple Pie Company wins Miami Dish's trivia contest! [Miami Dish]

• Congrats to Chef Chad Galiano, who won manager of the quarter at the Trump beach resort. [Chadzilla]

• Growing your own food is the best way to economize, right? Well, sort of. [Short Order]

• Did one of your favorite restaurants close this year? Add it to the "RIP 2008" list. [Chowhound]

• Looking for a quiet place to have lunch in Tamarac? Here are a few good options. [Chowhound]

• A night hopping from Sra Martinez to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink for drinks and snacks. Yum! [Daily Cocaine]

• How was the food at Art Basel this year? Sara has the recap. [All Purpose Dark]

• Tere shares the recipe for the mini cannoli at Carrabba's Italian Grill. [FoodTastic!]

• You still have one week to drop off pantry items at Cafe Boulud to help fill the cupboards of local food pantries. [Jan Norris]

• That onion lattice from Paradigm looks so cool. [chadzilla]

• Jan has a few suggestions for those of you who ran the Palm Beach Marathon this weekend. The key: lots of water, and lots of potassium. [Jan Norris]

• A lovely Vietnamese vegetable, growing right here in Miami. [Miami Every Day Photo]

• Lee wonders what's happened to Coral Gables; it used to be a dining hotspot (and still is to a certain extent), but now it seems dominated by chains. [Short Order]

• The first few reviews for Sra Martinez are really great. Considering the place just opened and is still working out the kinks, that's a good sign. [Sra Martinez">Chowhound]

• Another newcomer, Meat Market, also earns good marks. [Chowhound]

• Chef Chad talks turkey sous vide. [Chadzilla]

• Conch fritters! (And fried green tomatoes.) Where to get them in Palm Beach County. [Chowhound]

• Need a recipe for Cuban creme de vie? (Yes you do. It's good.) Get one here. [FoodTastic!]

• The first reviews for Sra Martinez are coming in, and they're good! [Chowhound]

• Vegetarian chili! Yum. [Short Order]

• Guess it's not surprising that vegetarian and vegan restaurants have a difficult time in this steak-obsessed city. [Short Order]

• All about the Osceola turkey, a wild turkey native to Florida. [Jan Norris

• No turkey on this Thanksgiving table! [Miami Every Day Photo]

• Dined out on Thanksgiving? Report back here. [Chowhound]

• It's officially the season when Chowhound becomes inundated with requests for restaurant recommendations for Miami and the Keys. [Chowhound]

• Looks like there's lots of Florida-grown stuff at Josh's Organic Market on Hollywood Beach. [Chadzilla]

• Still haven't made Thanksgiving dinner reservations? Check here for ideas. [Chowhound]

• Large portions of decent barbecue at good prices on South Beach — who knew? [FoodTastic!]

• Check out Gail's Thanksgiving spread. Then figure out how to snag an invitation. [Short Order]

• Rock shrimp! We're fans. Here are a few places to get it. [Chowhound]

• Jan's got the lowdown on area cooking classes and greenmarkets. Unfortunately, the gingerbread houses class is for kids. [Jan Norris]

• Those salt dome crusted beets look pretty amazing. Must try at home. [Chadzilla]

• Things we've learned from fast food news: never keep naked photos on a cell phone — you might leave it at a McDonald's and an employee might upload them to the Internet — and rats, much like humans, get fat from too many burgers and fries. [Short Order]

• Hazelnuts + green beans = YUM. [A Mingling of Tastes]

• Every time I read about the food at Google headquarters, it makes me wish I were more adept at this computer thing. [All Purpose Dark]

• Lee Klein sacrificed his Thursday afternoon to attend the Beaujolais Nouveau party at Casa Casuarina in the interest of his readers. We're sure it was a very difficult decision. [Short Order]

• Duke's Lazy Loggerhead Cafe sounds like a perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon, fish sandwich in one hand, cold beer in the other. [Jan Norris]

• Julie suggests a cornbread-chorizo stuffing for your Thanksgiving turkey next week. [A Mingling of Tastes]

• Mix-your-own granola? Sounds great! [Short Order]

• More steakhouses on the horizon. No, seriously. [Chowhound]

• Daikon cake! Sounds odd, but looks cool. [chadzilla]

• Did you make the mistake of planning to host a cocktail party this holiday season? Never fear — a few local chefs are here to help. [Short Order]

• Weigh in on the Nobu vs. Bond St. discussion. [Chowhound]

• Joe's Stone Crab is trying to survive the recession with a "bailout lunch special." [Chowhound]

• More early reviews for Zed 451. [Chowhound]

• Michelle Bernstein demonstrates how to make the shrimp tiradito from her new cookbook, Cuisine a Latina. [Miami Dish]

• Gail has a few good rules for how to treat your waiter when you dine out. [Short Order]

• Despite the slowing economy, some interesting new restaurants are coming to South Beach. [Short Order]

• Want to know what that crazy-looking monstera delicioso looks like when ripe? Check out these photos. [chadzilla]

• A step-by-step recipe for carne con papas, or a Cuban beef stew. Yum! [Cuban Home Cooking]

• Picadillo: a good way to feed a bunch of hungry firefighters. [Jan Norris]

• Rascal House is gone, but in its place is a fancy new Epicure Market with lovely overpriced food. [South Florida Food Review]

• Miami Dish's "Man on the Street" profiles Soya & Pomodoro, his favorite place for some pre-swim carb loading. [Miami Dish]

• The Biscayne Boulevard Battle: Upper Eastside Market vs. the Vagabond Market. [Daily Cocaine]

• The new restaurant in the old Jerry & Joe's Pizza spot, Il Sole Mio, serves some decent cheap pasta and pizza. Not bad for a night in with a movie. [Coral Gables]

• Brosia has tasty food, outdoor seating, and wifi. Sounds like a perfect lunch spot, no? [All Purpose Dark]

• All about the monstera delicioso: the fruit of the large philodendron that is all over South Florida. [chadzilla]

• The first review for Enso on Lincoln Road is in, and it's mixed. [Chowhound]

• Lee Klein feeds some Gruyere to a mama possum with five babies. [Short Order]

• Natalie wasn't too impressed with Forte Di Asprinio. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• Hollywood Grill, on the other hand, earns a rave review. [FoodTastic!]

• This hazelnut-crusted fried egg (think a hard-boiled egg with hazelnut crumbs on the outside and a runny yolk on the inside) looks awesome. [chadzilla]

• Have just one night in South Beach? Head to Sardinia Ristorante. [Chowhound]

• Chad shares his recipe for barbecued marshmallows. No, not barbecued over an open fire, but marshmallows with barbecue sauce in them. [Chadzilla]

• Please help this LA native with some restaurant suggestions; he'll be here tomorrow as an election monitor in the Hialeah area. [Chowhound]

• Natalie's pumpkin pie creme brulee looks delicious! [Natalie's Nibbles]

• The New Times' Pairings event is coming up, so get your tickets online soon! [Short Order]

• Tere enjoys lunch at the FIU Hospitality Management Dining Room, where she tries frog legs for the first time. [FoodTastic!]

• Jan writes about the new Apron's Cooking School at a Boca Raton Publix. [Jan Norris]

• Happy National Candy Corn Day! Natalie provides a little history. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• Gail provides a Halloween recipe for fried tarantulas that seems serious. I'm a pretty adventurous eater, but I think I'd have to draw the line at that one. [Short Order]

• Last night's Iron Fork in text ... [Chowhound]

• ... and in images. [Short Order]

• Here's a recap, in text, of the Chowhound Chowdown at Paradigm on Friday. [Chowhound]

• And here it is in photos. [Chadzilla]

• The food is still great at Forte di Asprinio, but it was deserted on Friday night. Uh-oh. [Chowhound]

• The Upper Eastside Greenmarket is back! Found so far: stone crabs, baked goods and persimmons. [Chowhound]

• The beers have gone up a dollar at Zeke's on Lincoln Road, from $3 to $4. [Riptide 2.0]

• Lee Klein tells of his experience at the Miami International Wine Fair. [Short Order]

• Apparently October is also National Dessert Month. Natalie writes all about tiramisu. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• Gail recaps the Slow Food Navajo Churro lamb dinner on Wednesday at The Standard Hotel. [Short Order]

• Check out the menu for tonight's Paradigm. [Chadzilla]

• Discuss your baking tips and secrets (well, maybe not all of your secrets) here. [Miami Dish]

• Sara checked out the $30 three-course meal offered at Christy's in October, to celebrate the restaurant's 30th birthday. [All Purpose Dark]

• Jan encounters fried grasshoppers at a restaurant in Houston. [Jan Norris]

• The high season is still a few weeks away, and some restaurants in the area are continuing their offseason promotions. Here's a good roundup. [Miami Dish]

• Meat was king at Saturday's Lake Worth Hispanic Fest. Definitely check out Gail's photos. [Short Order]

• Catfish, surrounded with chicken skin, breaded and fried. How can you go wrong? [Chadzilla]

• Natalie gives some facts about stone crabs, which can now be found all over South Florida restaurants. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• You'll want to read this post about a sanitation nightmare at a British restaurant right about now, while you've still got enough time before lunch to banish the images from your head. [Short Order]

• Amazonia Churrascaria gets lukewarm reviews from chowhounds. [Chowhound]

• Need help choosing a Dine Out Lauderdale restaurant? Here are some ideas. [Chowhound]

• The countdown until the opening of Michelle Bernstein's tapas restaurant has begun. [Chowhound]

• Sara wasted no time in heading over to Loftin's at Casa Casuarina just a few days after it opened to the public. [All Purpose Dark]

• Jan discovers some lovely crepes in Delray Beach. [Jan Norris]

• Colombian food fans have a new spot to frequent in the Gables. [mango&lime]

• Gail makes what looks like a very tasty chowder with some Mayport shrimp from northern Florida. [Short Order]

• The new dish to get at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink is the Fudge Farms pork shoulder. It sounds amazing. [Chowhound]

• Jan shares an Appalachian recipe for a stack cake with dried apples. [Jan Norris]

• Jeff says the bagels at Sage Bagel & Appetizer Shop are the closest you'll get to NY bagels in South Florida. [South Florida Food Review]

• The tailgating menu continues with sausages, peppers and a hoagie roll. It looks delicious, although I can't support the coating of said hoagie roll with mayonnaise. [Short Order]

• Do you happen to have a great conch fritters recipe stashed away somewhere? Here's your chance to get it published. [Short Order]

• No love lost for the late Domo Japones. In fact, there is much rejoicing. [Chowhound]

• South Beach Wine & Food Festival: worth it? Overpriced? Decide soon, because tickets go on sale later this month. [Chowhound]

• Sara provides a review and photos of China Grill in Fort Lauderdale. The curry miso black cod looks delicious! [All Purpose Dark]

• Jan explains the term "airline chicken." No, it does not refer to that rubbery piece of chicken you're served on an airplane. [Jan Norris]

• Last night's menu at Paradigm, with drool-inducing photos to accompany the descriptions. Yum. [chadzilla]

• That there is some good looking chili. Lamb, toasted and ground chiles, black beans — I'm not a football fan, but I'd go that tailgate! [Short Order]

• Jan has the scoop on several new restaurants opening in Palm Beach County. [Jan Norris]

• El Q-Bano brings some Cuban food to Biscayne Boulevard. [Daily Cocaine]

• The list of ingredients in the heath shake from Baskin-Robbins is scary; it's not just the actual ingredients, but the sheer number of them. Also, it packs 2,310 calories. Insane. [Short Order]

• Sara heads to Grass Restaurant & Lounge and is reminded of how much she likes the place. [All Purpose Dark]

• Tootsie rolls? In barbecue sauce? Apparently it has the depth of a mole. Intriguing. [Chadzilla]

• Jan checks out the roast pork dinner at La Sirena. [Jan Norris]

• Gail tried a new method of opening a wine bottle. Not so successful — stick to the corkscrew. [Short Order]

• Trina puts on what looks like a really amazing farm-to-table dinner. [Miami Dish]

• Abokado's lunch Miami Spice menu is totally worth it. [The Chowfather]

• Grapes! In Florida! Jan picks bucketfuls of muscadines in north-central Florida. [Jan Norris]

• More photos from Eastern Europe. Add another place to the "must visit" list. [Short Order]

• If you haven't checked out Lee Klein's very food-centric photo essays of his recent trip through Eastern Europe, do it. Now. Make sure you have lunch nearby, because said photos are likely to induce hunger pangs. [Short Order]

• More photos of the dinner at Paradigm. I want. [All Purpose Dark]

• Paula totally recommends the Miami Spice dinner at Cita's Italian Chophouse. [mango&lime]

• No boys allowed at "Wine, Women and Song," a wine class for women run by Cynthia Betancourt, sommelier at Azul. [Miami Dish]

• Lee Klein presents photographic evidence that the meals on Air France are better than the ones on Continental Airlines. (Not surprising.) [Short Order]

• Looks like everyone's been on vacation recently. Sara shares photos of brunch at Lemonia in the Ritz-Carlton Naples. [All Purpose Dark]

• All of these photos are making me hungry! Danny gives us shots of his sandwich at El Rey del Chivito. [Daily Cocaine]

• Need some hurricane prep tips? Here are a bunch of good ones. [Jan Norris]

• Ladies' night with Project Runway and Buttercream Cupcakes. Fun! [Kate's Plates]

• Check out the Gold Medal Wine Tour, which will be making its way to multiple South Florida restaurants. By spending $150 on a meal, you too can help end childhood hunger. [Short Order]

• The food on the Miami Spice lunch menu at Table 8 gets raves, but the service could use a bit of improvement. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• Chocolate chip cookies loaded with chickpeas. Deceptive, but also delicious! [Miami Dish]

• Tourists demanded that Restaurant Gal be meteorologist, flight traffic controller, and hotel owner just before Fay's arrival. [Restaurant Gal]

• A course-by-course description of the Miami Spice dinner at Talula. It definitely sounds like a good deal. [Natalie's Nibbles]

• Hard candy should be a part of everyone's hurricane supply chest. [Hungry Man]

• You can thank all of those biofuels for a 75 percent increase in food costs worldwide. We're hurting here, so you can only imagine what the situation is like in less developed countries. [Short Order]

• The verdict at Palm Grille: OK wings, excellent skirt steak, fresh veggies, good mashed potatoes, big portions, good selection of desserts. [FoodTastic!]

• Sara takes a cooking class with Juliana Gonzalez, chef de cuisine at Sushi Samba Dromo. [All Purpose Dark]

• Chicken, nectarines and rosemary together on a stick. Count us in! [A Mingling of Tastes]

• Trina got a bunch of allspice from Bee Heaven Farms and photographed it for all to see. It's really quite interesting, especially if, like us, you're used to seeing just the dried allspice. She made some great-looking jerk sauce with it! [Miami Dish]

• Booze should be in everyone's hurricane supply chest. When the power is out and you're all sweaty from picking up palm fronds and tree branches from your lawn, you're going to want a nice cool drink (assuming you can find ice). Here, she gives a recipe for a Hurricane. [Short Order]

• Behold, the power of corn cobs. [Chadzilla]

• Trina points out that fudge (such as the chocolate-peanut butter fudge from Wall's Old Fashioned Ice Cream) does not melt when your power goes out. Not a bad idea — bottled water, canned food, candles, matches...and fudge. Yes. [Miami Dish]

• We're not that great at the whole guess-the-vegetable game. We're stumped for the second week in a row. [Short Order]

• Sara checks out the Olympics Menu at Miss Yip Chinese Cafe, and it certainly looks good. Judging from the photo, that's a ton of food — enough to satiate even Michael Phelps for a couple hours. [All Purpose Dark]

• Trina profiles the Purple Pie Company, a one-woman show that churns out some great-looking pies. And there's a chance to get free samples at the launch this Saturday in Fort Lauderdale. [Miami Dish]

• Sara checks out Cita's Italian Chophouse, which, from her description, is good but could use a little something extra. [All Purpose Dark]

• These photos from Neomi's new menu look great. [chadzilla]

• Hilda loves the Miami Spice menu at Chef Allen's. [FoodTastic!]

• Chef Sandra Stefani of Casa Toscana teaches Paula how to make fresh pasta. We had one bad experience with fresh pasta and never tried making it again; perhaps a class would do us good. [mango&lime]

• Reusable chopsticks: the eco-friendly way to eat sushi. [Short Order]

• A five-ingredient (for the five Olympic rings) drink to keep you going while cheering on the US team. [All Purpose Dark]

• Kate is underwhelmed by the offerings at Fratelli Lyon. [Kate's Plates]

• The ribs at Fat Man's BBQ look so good. [Daily Cocaine]

• Sara checks out happy hour at the View Bar at the Regent in Bal Harbour, where the food is good and the crowd is young and hip. [All Purpose Dark]

• Here's the first review of Cita's Italian Chophouse, and it's a good one. [Blind Mind]

• Danny provides photographic evidence of his meal at Choice Cafe, which looks amazing. [Daily Cocaine]

• Puerto Sagua Restaurant's Cuban comfort food hits the spot on Miami Beach. [FoodTastic!]

• Need a place to watch futbol? Here are a few ideas. [Chowhound]

• A Chicago hound needs some help. Get to work! [Chowhound]

• Take a trip through Kentucky's bourbon country with this photo-heavy post. [Blind Mind]

• This version of chakchouka, an Israeli hash with onions and chiles and an egg on top, looks like it would hit the spot. [Chadzilla]

• Frodnesor found out that the chefs at Neomi's Grill do a little molecular gastronomy in their spare time, so he asked them to prepare a cutting-edge birthday dinner for him and his guests. They did, and it sounds amazing — check out Frod's description. We especially love the idea of a pre-dessert "sweet caprese." [Chowhound]

• If you ask Hy Vong Vietnamese Cuisine owner Kathy to just bring the best dishes of the house, this is what you'd get. And it would be very good. [Miami Beach 411]

• Chowhounds agree: the food may not be up to par at Mai-Kai, but it's a great place to get drinks. [Chowhound]

• Spoto's Oakwood Grill is offering a great deal this summer: every Monday through October 27 will be Family BBQ Night. Pay $17 per person, and you get unlimited ribs, chicken or pulled pork, fries, baked beans and cole slaw. [Hungry Man]

• The food is good and the portions are huge at George's in the Grove. [Blind Mind]

• Here's a detailed review of Nobu Miami Beach. The sea trout and dessert sound incredible. [A Mingling of Tastes]

• Sara finds Adriana Restaurant in Surfside to be pleasant, but not too surprising. [All Purpose Dark]

• Both the food and beer menu seem limited at Red Light, but the items are interesting and the food is great. [Mango&Lime]

• Photographic evidence of cupcakes at the Upper Eastside Bakery. [Daily Cocaine]

• The Miami Spice 2008 Chowhound thread has begun. [Chowhound]

• Chowhounds try to define "Florida cuisine" and come up with all sorts of interesting things. [Chowhound]

• The antipasti at Fratelli Lyon are a hit. [Chowhound]

• Sara heartily recommends the sauteed grouper at Pacific Time 2.0. [All Purpose Dark]

• We think every good home cook should be able to roast a chicken. If you haven't yet mastered that, here's a quick guide, with photos and links to the Thomas Keller recipe.[Daily Cocaine]

• Pacific Time still needs to work out some kinks. [Chowhound]

• You can still catch the final Monday night dinner at Sardinia Ristorante that highlights a different region of Italy. This Monday: Sicilia. [Chowhound]

• Seems that there's a rumor floating around that Michael Schwartz might be opening up another restaurant. [Chowhound]

• Looking for a good sushi splurge? Check out Bond St Lounge. [All-Purpose Dark]

• A photographic food essay of the opening of Little Haiti Park, including an instructional video on how to fry a corn pancake. [Daily Cocaine]

• What are you favorite everyday dining spots in the area? [Chowhound]

• Chains are taking over South Miami. [Chowhound]

• There are some really great recommendations for fishmongers and seafood markets here. [Chowhound]

• Alesh reviews Pepe's Cafe, a small place in Key West that features great fish and some excellent pies. [Critical Miami]

• If you're in Wellington and in need of barbecue, Smokey Bones might just do the trick. [FoodTastic!]

• Check out the photos from Paula's pig roast. They stuffed pork shoulders with ham, bacon, guava shells and prunes and then rubbed brown sugar on it and poured malta over the whole thing. Yum! [mango&lime]

• A BBQ question: if Tom Jenkins Bar-B-Q is closed, where do you go? [Chowhound]

• Tere tells of a new quesadilla spot open on Ponce in the Gables. [Coral Gables]

• Carrabba's Italian Grill is still a crowd-pleaser. [FoodTastic!]

• Sara's been fishing for her own dinner in the Keys, but letting someone else cook it for her. Sounds like a good deal to us! [All Purpose Dark]

• A chowhound provides some great ideas for breakfast in Boca Raton. [Chowhound]

• And here's some very helpful advice for a trip down to the Keys. [Chowhound]

• Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer were spotted sharing food recently at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. We're inclined to agree with cJ that sharing food there doesn't necessarily mean "date." [consumableJoy]

• In case you were looking for a British food market in South Florida, here are a few ideas. [Chowhound]

• Artfish on the Mile gets a couple of rave reviews. [Chowhound]

• Here's an idea for Mother's Day: strawberry squares. Those look so tasty! [Daily Cocaine]

• The new Raja's Indian Cuisine location inside the Flagler Street Food Court features the same owners and the same food, just a slightly larger homeless population. [Chowhound]

• Sara tells us about the $22 lunch at China Grill. [All Purpose Dark]

• Dining with kids can be an adventure! L2M had success with the under-4 set at Oasis Cafe, Jaguar and Havana Harry's. [Spangdish]

• If you're looking for good recommendations for Key Biscayne, here's a good place to start. [Chowhound]

• There is barbecue behind the Publix at 48th Street and Biscayne Boulevard. And it looks really good. [Daily Cocaine]

• Blind Mind checks out a new restaurant in the Grove. [Blind Mind]

• Sara has fun with chocolate pencils. [All Purpose Dark]

• Lots of good options for West Palm Beach dining here. [Chowhound]

• Check out the smoked fish at Mo's Bagel & Deli in North Miami Beach. [Critical Miami]

• Grilled pizza from the cheesemaker at the Upper Eastside Greenmarket! [Daily Cocaine]

• If you're looking for a good place to eat in Homestead, here's a good list with which to start. [The Citizen Cane]

• Hilda visits Hakan Turkish Grill and has a great time. Try the Turkish wine. [FoodTastic!]

• Sara checks out Creek 28 and loves it. Her review of it (photos included) makes us want to go there. Right now. [All Purpose Dark]

• What Miami restaurants would you put in your top 10 list? [Chowhound]

• Happy hour at Tarpon Bend is a hit. Tere recommends the mamasita martini. [Coral Gables]

• So long, Rascal House. [Daily Cocaine]

• Where would you splurge: Michael's Genuine or Joe's Stone Crab? [Chowhound]

• Uva 69 is "stylish but unpretentious." [Miami and Beyond]

• Tere recommends the creamy onion soup at Outback. [FoodTastic!]

• L2M cannot wait until the full menu is unveiled at Red Light. [Spangdish]

• Sara stops by Red Light for a late-night snack. [All Purpose Dark]

• Best burger in Miami? Lots of options here. [Chowhound]

• Trina provides a recap of the Coral Gables Wine & Food Festival, complete with photos. [miami dish]

• Deborah loves the brunch at Pier 66. She's posted a photo of what appears to be a trio of eggs benedict that looks absolutely scrumptious. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Scallops cooked in Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise. Sounds...interesting. [Daily Cocaine]

• Deborah tells of dining deals at Farradday's and Bragozzo Osteria Wine Bar in Pompano. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Looks like the crowd was pretty good at Red Light's opening last night. [Chowhound]

• Food writer Michael Ruhlman stops by Forte Di Asprinio and is pleasantly surprised. [Michael Ruhlman]

• Sara falls in love with Indomania in Miami Beach. [All Purpose Dark]

• Paula gives us gorgeous photos of green mangoes on a street cart in Cartagena, Colombia. [mango&lime]\

• That TV dinner at the Big Pink is a lot of food. [FoodTastic!]

• There's plenty of authentic and tasty Mexican food to be had at Guadalajara. [FoodTastic!]

• Apparently it was a Mexican food weekend at FoodTastic!, because Hilda visited Poblano Cocina Mexicana, where she had duck in mole sauce. We'd never thought of duck mole, but boy does that sound way more exciting that the typical chicken or turkey mole. [FoodTastic!]

• Charles Passy laments the passing of two of his favorite restaurants and braces for the closings that are sure to come when the slow summer months and the recession collide. [The Hungry Man]

• The grand opening at the new Novecento in Coral Gables isn't until March 26, but cJ got in for a pre-opening bite. [consumable Joy]

• Sara weighs in on the small plates phenomenon. [All Purpose Dark]

• When we read this Chowhound post by a new "Miami Design Distric" resident looking for a good place to eat, we imagined local chowhounds letting out a collective exasperated sigh at a question with such an obvious answer. [Chowhound]

• Paula checks out Blu Pizza e Cucina and finds the pizza pretty tasty. [mango&lime]

• The cupcake craze has finally reached Palm Beach County. [The Hungry Man]

• Sara Liss is interviewed on Plum about some new restaurants in Miami. [All Purpose Dark]

• Frodnesor checks out Andu Restaurant & Lounge and Marinheiro Restaurant for drinks and dinner. The former was intriguing and worthy of a second visit; the latter, not so much. [Chowhound]

• Sara tells of a Newman's Own wine dinner she attended at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse for the launch of the wines. She includes photos too, which are making us hungry. [All Purpose Dark]

• Blind Mind declares the falafel wrap at Aladdin's Grill "damn good." [Blind Mind]

• cJ showed up at noon for lunch at Mint Leaf, but found that the owners weren't there yet, thanks to a daylight savings mishap. An hour later she returned for lunch and found the food good, the service a little slow, and the prices a bit high. [consumableJoy]

• A diner calls into question the propriety of naming a dessert "Chocolate Genocide" at the Gables Diner. The owner agreed to change the offending word, but not until after some arguments. [Coral Gables]

• Hilda loved the vegetarian fare at Woodlands and has great descriptions of each item she and her friends ordered. [FoodTastic!]

• Charles Passy has a few dining suggestions for John McCain on his next visit to Palm Beach County. [The Hungry Man]

• L2M is not happy about four proposed bills in the Florida legislature that will impose restrictions on shipping wine from out of state. [Spangdish]

• Sara went to the StarChefs Rising Stars gala in Palm Beach, and both her photos and descriptions are mouth-watering. [All Purpose Dark]

• What are your fabulous five dishes in Miami? [Chowhound]

• A male bartender at Taverna Opa charged Manola $9 for her drink. A female bartender then charged her $12 for the same drink. She is not happy about it. [Sex and the Beach]

• Slow cooker brisket ... yum! [From the Test Kitchen]

• Paula tells of the Friday night beer-and-barbecue dinners at North One 10. The food looks pretty delicious. [mango&lime]

• Sara interviews Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson at last week's SoBe festivities. [All Purpose Dark]

• Mint Leaf is packed already! [consumable Joy]

• Hilda and her husband have an excellent meal at Ruth's Chris Steak House in the Gables. [FoodTastic!]

• L2M suggests sticking to the basics at Abokado.

• There's a great discussion going on over at Chowhound about whether or not the new downtown restaurants are going to make it. We definitely need more warm bodies in those downtown condos. [Chowhound]

• Deborah discovers Florida farm-raised clams. They're called 'pasta clams,' because they're the perfect size for tossing with pasta. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Charles Passy offers a few tips for Starbucks to improve matters. [The Hungry Man]

• Paula's having some trouble storing her lettuce. [mango&lime]

• Miami Dish starts a "Man on the Street" feature, the first of which stops at Pinolandia, a fritanga in Little Havana. [miami dish]

• L2M is a bit frustrated with the Miami Herald's food section, which yesterday led with a feature on casseroles. [Spangdish]

• Do you know where to find good cupcakes in Miami? Join the discussion on Chowhound. [Chowhound]

• Enrique Fernandez gives Marinheiro two-and-a-half stars, although he says the Portuguese restaurant needs a focused identity. [Miami Herald]

• The steaks at Bourbon Steak are poached in butter. The lamb in olive oil. The pork in bacon lard. Oh yeah, and the fries in duck fat. We're not sure we could handle so much decadence. Actually, we probably could. [Miami New Times]

• Fork on the Road visits L'Arte Bianco Bakery, which specializes in Peruvian and French confections, in addition to a few Persian breads. That's because the owners are a Peruvian husband and Persian wife team who took classes in French baking as undergrads in Los Angeles. [Miami Herald]

• The celebrity chefs who were here for the festival mentioned San Loco Taqueria, Joe's Stone Crab, Prime One Twelve and Casa Tua as go-to spots, but Table 8 was the consensus favorite. [Miami Herald]

• Rochelle Koff finds The Jib Room to be a fun place. We're thinking of stopping by just for a slice of that pistachio pound cake, which sounds heavenly. [Miami Herald]

• Stick to the basics at Macchiato Boutique Restaurant, which is trying hard but still feels amateurish. [Miami New Times]

• Gail Shepherd celebrates Fidel's stepping down with a meal at Little Havana. [Broward-Palm Beach New Times]

Photo, duck-fat fries at Bourbon Steak in Detroit: Flickr

Blog content this week was very South Beach Wine & Food Festival-heavy. Not surprising. We promise to have our own account of the events we attended later today. Here's what everyone else has to say about it:

• Sara was everywhere this weekend. Check out her accounts of the Best of the Best event and Emeril's Sugar Shack. [All Purpose Dark]

• Charles Passy gives us 10 observations about the food festival. Among them: it's become the Sundance of the food world. [The Hungry Man]

• Paula gives her thoughts on the Best of the Best event. [mango&lime]

• Sara points out a few of the latest trends that have been popping up on Miami menus: rabbit, polenta, fancy mac & cheese and figs. [All Purpose Dark]

• Danny really digs Boteco, the new-ish neighborhood Brazilian spot on NE 79th Street. Might be a good way to avoid the hordes that will be invading South Beach this weekend. [Daily Cocaine]

• Charles Passy is sad to learn that Iron Chef America is mostly a sham. [The Hungry Man]

• L2M skipped town last weekend for a short offal-themed trip to New York City. [Spangdish]

• After dinner at Bourbon Steak, Sara is ready to name her firstborn after Michael Mina. And really, the meal sounds amazing. She's included photos too, for our benefit. [All Purpose Dark]

• cJ checks out Hiro's Yakko-San and deems its reputation well deserved. [consumableJoy]

• Michael Schwartz, of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, made a hot sauce that seared Danny's tongue and sent him sprinting to the nearest sink. [Daily Cocaine]

• Oh man. Homemade croquetas, with step-by-step photos. Awesome. [Cuban Home Cooking]

• How to make kebab kofteh, also with photos! [From the Test Kitchen]

• Gables residents are a little sick of the chains invading the Mile, but at least the planned Chili's might be good for happy hour drinks. [Coral Gables]

• Alesh finds much to like at Canela Cafe. [Critical Miami]

• "Your grandmother can take her teeth out and eat these ribs." They're called Tenderoni, and you can get them at Fat Man's BBQ on NE 79th St. [Daily Cocaine]

• Charles Passy likes a little spice with his chocolates. [The Hungry Man]

• So it's a little late for a Valentine's Day picnic, but Paula's suggestions would work well for even non-holiday picnics. [mango&lime]

• Blind Mind makes it to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink and finds that it lives up to the hype. [Blind Mind]

• More great photos of the Upper Eastside Farmers Market. Is it lunchtime yet? [Daily Cocaine]

• Hilda went to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink with some friends and loved it. [FoodTastic!]

• Speaking of the Design District, cJ ate with her hands at Sheba, one of the few Ethiopian places in South Florida. [consumableJoy]

• Deborah tells of a celebratory hat work by a man behind the counter at Pomperdale New York Style Deli for the Chinese New Year. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Colombian candy! We're intrigued by ChocoRamo. We love pound cake and chocolate, but we're just not sure they would hold up well to being packaged like that. [mango&lime]

• L2M checks out a new Spanish wine and discusses the state of wine distribution in Miami. It's pretty informative, and we're thinking this new feature will be great. [Spangdish]

• Fried mahi mahi, dirty rice, and ripe plantains at Chef Creole. There's a photo too! [All Purpose Dark]

• Bom bagay to you! We learned that it's a Haitian greeting that means 'nice people.' It's also the name of a small hole-in-the-wall with a tasty 'taxi driver special.' [Daily Cocaine]

• L2M's proposed week-long locavore experiment only lasted one day, but it was a tasty day. Well, except for the canistel ice cream disaster, for which we feel partially responsible. [Spangdish]

• Would you like to eat all of today's allotted calories in one simple meal? Try the Hardee's Monster Thickburger, which weighs in at 1,410 calories. We don't want to see the calorie count after the addition of the soda and fries. [The Hungry Man]

• Too many people and celebrities at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival for Deborah. It's true. And it costs a bundle too! [From the Test Kitchen]

• The food is both plentiful and tasty at DJ's Diner. [Riptide 2.0]

• The verdict on Candela Latin Restaurant: underwhelming.[Ft Lauderdale Today]

• What do you think are the must-haves at Michy's? [Chowhound]

• Where to find organic produce at local farmer's markets. [Chowhound]

• Bonsai gets an A+ from Tere for the price and the pad Thai.[Coral Gables]

• Oh man, homemade mozzarella knots. Yum! [Daily Cocaine]

• Sara likes the fare at The Smoking Rabbit. Prices are a little steep, but portions appear very generous. [All Purpose Dark]

• Catching mullet off a bridge in Miami Shores. Good enough to eat? We're not sure. [Daily Cocaine]

• Oh man, those Thai doughnuts at Oishi Thai sound good! [FoodTastic!]

• If you're looking for places to celebrate the Chinese new year, Paula's got a good list of celebrations at restaurants. [mango&lime]

• Which, would you say, is the best burger in Fort Lauderdale? [Chowhound]

• Michelle Bernstein is the best part of Check, Please! South Florida. [Spangdish]

• These photos of lunch at The River Oyster Bar are making our mouth water. [All Purpose Dark]

• Canistel, heirloom tomatoes and fresh handmade mozzarella at the farmer's market. Yum! [Daily Cocaine]

• Deborah hosts a dinner party! [From the Test Kitchen]

• More tomatoes, plus strawberries and spiny chayote at the South Florida Farmers Market in Pinecrest. [mango&lime]

• Sara has fun with food from Ikea. [All Purpose Dark]

• The neighbors are complaining about the noise coming from Fritz & Franz Bierhaus, and Tere asks exactly what the noise expectation should be when one lives in a downtown area. [Coral Gables]

• Deborah weighs in on the tuna and mercury problem. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Miami Danny runs down this week's restaurant reviews. [Press Chops]

• Paula visits the Coral Gables Farmers Market and finds good local seafood, organic produce and teas. [mango&lime]

• Deborah makes candied nuts at home. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Strawberries are in season! Strawberries are in season! [miami dish]

• Some local celebrity chefs were spotted at the Upper Eastside Greenmarket last weekend. [Daily Cocaine]

• Restaurants in the Gables: one day they're here, the next day they're not. [consumableJoy]

• Jaguar actually lists facts about bottled water usage on the carafe in which they offer filtered tap water. [All Purpose Dark]

• Sara checks out the new Segafredo in Brickell and predicts that it will be popular with office set. [All Purpose Dark]

• Lee Klein gives a rundown of the restaurants that are headed our way. [Riptide 2.0]

• Free caipirinhas Monday through Friday from 5 to 6 p.m. at Grimpa Steakhouse. And they're half off for an hour after that. [mango&lime]

• The Kobe dogs are great at Nexxt Cafe. [Tasting Serendipity]

• Five Guys Burgers gets a good review from a native Californian. [Spandish]

• The Food Gang verdict: good, but a little pricey. [Chowhound]

• A recipe for sweet corn soup from Table 8. [All Purpose Dark]

• Enrique Fernández is excited to find La Rotisserie in Surfside, where the servers speak real French, not faux restaurant French. [Consumed]

• Alesh seems to think the one-liter mug of beer will be the next big thing in the U.S. soon. You can get it at Hofbrau Beerhall on Lincoln Road. [Critical Miami]

• The margaritas and guacamole are great at Rosa Mexicano. [FoodTastic!]

• A tip from Peter Masiello, executive chef at Bova Ristorante: cook octopus with a wine cork to tenderize it. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Charles Passy tries the dreaded durian. We'll give you his description of the smell: "It’s like rotten onions crossed with bleu cheese gone bad crossed with belly-button lint." [The Hungry Man]

• Sara gives us a leblon cachaça cocktail recipe that sounds delicious. [All Purpose Dark]

• Tere thinks California Pizza Kitchen is pretty good. [Coral Gables]

• You know, if we actually got goldfish crackers on a plane, we'd be happy, as we like goldfish crackers. Usually it's something far worse. [Riptide 2.0]

• OneBurger sounds like it might merit a visit. [Tasting Serendipity]

• cJ has certainly eaten well this year! [consumableJoy]

• Tere's meal at the Gables Diner is ruined by an annoying customer. [Coral Gables]

• Alesh discovers a really awesome farmer's market in Homestead. We are drooling over the mounds of dried chiles. [Critical Miami]

• Deborah Hartz-Seeley discovers Antonio's Ristorante in Deerfield Beach and loves it. [From the Test Kitchen]

• We never thought of coconuts as deadly, but we don't spend much time lounging under palm trees either. They're not the best shade trees. [Riptide 2.0]

• Sara visits the Kobe Club pre-opening and likes what she sees. [All Purpose Dark]

• Looks like Angelo Elia is working on opening another Casa D' Angelo in Fort Lauderdale. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Yes, New Year's Eve has passed, but that doesn't mean you can't drink more champagne, or in this case, five good champagne alternatives. [The Hungry Man]

• Looks like all of those changes over at Atrio were for the best. [All Purpose Dark]

• Interesting discussion over at Chowhound: Hiro's Yakko-San vs. Matsuri. Let the battle of the chowhounds' favorite Japanese restaurants begin! [Chowhound]

• Yikes. Harsh words for Kefi Restaurant & Lounge. [Chowhound]

• Michy's, Talula , or Sardinia. Which would you pick? [Chowhound]

• Table 8 gets a glowing review. [All Purpose Dark]

• King Trumpet mushrooms look tasty! [Daily Cocaine]

• A new spot for dim sum: Jasmine Gardens. [From the Test Kitchen]

• The restaurant was busy, but the pastry chef still managed to make a gluten-free apple tart for Restaurant Gal. [Restaurant Gal]

• Charles Passy weighs in on the Whopper Freakout. [The Hungry Man]

• Deborah Hartz-Seeley writes about a press dinner at Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak. "For example, fries are cooked in duck fat and served in three portions each flavored differently: one with smoked paprika, one with herbs and one with truffles. Then there are three sauces: truffle aioli, onion ketchup and barbecue for dipping." Oh man. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Greg Graham checks out Sardinia and loves it. [The Greg Graham Guide]

• Still finishing that Christmas shopping? Here are some last-minute gift ideas for the food lover. [mango&lime]

• And finally, a few options for a tasty lunch that won't make a huge dent on your wallet. [Tasting Serendipity]

• Tere shares exactly what goes into her Noche Buena meal. Funny, but it looks a lot like the menu at our family's Noche Buena, except our uncle has taken to frying a turkey the past couple of years. This does not, in any way, replace the pork; it's merely a secondary meat. [FoodTastic!]

• We're familiar with Stew Leonard's in Connecticut (so we like to visit food stores when we travel), but we didn't realize that Penn Dutch (in Hollywood and Margate) is a clone of the northeastern grocery chain. The owners have even made trips up north to get merchandising ideas! [From the Test Kitchen]

• La Marea gets a lukewarm review. Good food, but it can be better. [Chowhound]

• Sara gives us photographic evidence of the assortment of hot sauces at Lime Fresh Mexican Grill. [All Purpose Dark]

• Empanadas! [The Greg Graham Guide]

• Charles Passy breaks down some key dining trends from 2007. [The Hungry Man]

• A chowhound posted what we think is a great topic: the best and worst of 2007. No replies yet, but we hope there will be some soon... [Chowhound]

• Sara reviews the food at Basel, complete with photos. [All Purpose Dark]

• A review of wine lists at a number of Aventura restaurants. [City of Aventura]

• Mangia Miami talks about the restaurants coming to Wynwood. [Mangia Miami]

• So what exactly is umami? According to Charles Passy, focaccia. [The Hungry Man]

• Deborah Hartz-Seeley is looking for a good Mexican restaurant, except she's doing things like ordering "low-carb" fajitas. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Paula loves the Lost & Found Saloon, which, from the photos, looks like a great place. She also links to an article about the restaurant's problems with their very specific beer-and-wine-only license; the owner was once arrested for letting a guy have his beer before he ordered his meal. Gotta love those City of Miami laws! [mango&lime]

• Deborah Hartz prefers that her Greek dining experiences are void of dancing on tables. [From the Test Kitchen]

• We're already planning our trip to Sheba after this review. [FoodTastic!]

• A celebratory mollejas en coco for the Venezuelans who defeated Chavez on Sunday. [Daily Cocaine]

• Red Lobster haikus! [The Hungry Man]

• Trying to figure out what to do with all of those canned food supplies you stocked up for the hurricane season? Here are some ideas. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Tere gives Dolores, but you can call me Lolita two thumbs up. (For the food, that is. Not the name.) [FoodTastic!]

• Frozen turkeys getting thrown out after Thanksgiving. You'd think the supermarket would find someplace to send them. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Is Gatorade "the sucker's fruit punch?" [The Hungry Man]

• Can wine and fries be considered part of the fruit and vegetable groups? [Restaurant Gal]

• Vote for your favorite steakhouse! Lord knows you've got a lot to choose from. [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• The Restaurant At The Setai has a new Sunday brunch with dim sum carts. But that's not all — there's also waffles, pancakes, brick oven pizza, Chinese, Thai and Indian stations, roast beef, lamb, pork, seafood and desserts. We're exhausted just thinking of all of that food. The post includes a more detailed description — try reading it all in one breath! [Chowhound]

• Is Jaguar a Miami institution in the making? Most seem to answer in the affirmative. [Chowhound]

• Alesh is trying out the local CSA for the first time, and check out the bounty already in November! [Critical Miami]

• Have lots of vegetarian friends/relatives? Take them to Maroosh, where they will be able to eat their fill without feeling like second-class diners. [Miami Dish]

• Charles Passy wonders if the 'jinxed location' does in fact exist. We're of the opinion that a really great restaurant can succeed even in formerly 'jinxed' spots. (See also: La Porteña.) [The Hungry Man]

• Thanksgiving Weekend in West Palm Beach. [Chowhound]

• A positive review for Maison D'Azur. [Chowhound]

• Mahi-mahi, coconut rice and string beans at Cafe Maurice. [All Purpose Dark]

• We too have heard things like "but it's so nice to see the seasons" from both Floridians and non-Floridians alike. But after spending four years in Chicago, we wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments expressed by Restaurant Gal. Fall foliage and snow are pretty for approximately one hour, maybe two, and then they cease being fun because you remember they have to be raked/shoveled/picked at because you let the snow harden to ice and now your wimpy arms can't possibly get your car out of the huge pile of snow. We'll take flip-flops in December any day. [Restaurant Gal]

• The new Nexxt Cafe seems to be having some, um, problems. [Coral Gables]

• Tere learns that boxed macaroni and cheese, even the organic kind, is no good. We aren't surprised. [FoodTastic!]

• A happy couple celebrate their anniversary at Table 8 and are pleased. Aww. [mango&lime]

• Enrique Fernandez ponders the proliferation of braised short ribs at upscale restaurants and the virtues of an ecologically correct menu. [Consumed]

• Deborah Hartz gets invited to what sounds like a pretty spectacular meal at the Seminole casino in Coconut Creek. Unfortunately, you have to be on the guest list to get into these things, but you can read about it at her blog. [From the Test Kitchen]

• The final Miami Spice review of the year: Social Miami at Sagamore. [FoodTastic!]

• A lazy Sunday at A La Folie Cafe. [Daily Cocaine]

• Lee Klein finally gets someone else to interview him but is disappointed when he realizes there are no recorders or notepads to record it for posterity. He does, however, get some Girl Scout cookies out of it. [Miami New Times]

• We, too, lament the lack of restaurants that focus on local food. [Plenty Magazine]

• Pork Belly! We're big fans. As are the chowhounds, it seems. [Chowhound]

• A hog snapper that looks mighty tasty. [Daily Cocaine]

• Looks like Cefalo's in the Grove is a good place. Check it out! In the meantime, we'll try to get that menu. [FoodTastic!]

• Some photos from Epcot's Food & Wine Festival. [Restaurant Gal]

• Some chowhounds have put together a lunch group; here's a review of their first outing at Table 8. [Chowhound]

• Need recommendations for two gals on South Beach? Here's a good place to start. [Chowhound]

• Deborah Hartz wants to hear from you: what restaurant do you consider a destination when you go out to eat? Reply on her blog. [From the Test Kitchen]

• A satisfied customer reviews La Provencal in Coral Gables. [Chowhound]

• Anything that calls for two cans of condensed milk is okay by us. [Babalu Blog]

• The best restaurants to check out during Sleepless Nights this weekend on Miami Beach. [FoodTastic!]

• Deborah Hartz learns that slow-cooker risotto isn't all that great. Best to stick to the stovetop method. [From the Test Kitchen]

• The Coral Gables location of Nexxt Cafe is now open, and it's been pretty busy. [Coral Gables]

• The Hungry Man loves those ham-and-cheese subs at Russo's Submarine Shop. Yum! [Hungry Man]

• We didn't know that "wet" scallops are chemically treated to retain their white, wet appearances. Unfortunately, Paula learned the hard way, with a ruined meal. [mango&lime]

• Deborah Hartz learns that habanero peppers can burn. We feel your pain, Deborah. After our first incident of handling peppers and then touching our eyes, we purchased a box of latex gloves to keep in the cabinet specifically handling peppers. You only need one; hold the pepper with the gloved left hand, hold the knife with the right and chop. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Paula tries mango pickle and finds it a bit, um, strong. [mango&lime]

• Good authentic Mexican in Miami? Here's one suggestion: Mi Rinconcito Mexicano (1961 SW 8th St). [Daily Cocaine]

• La Parrilla Liberty gets a thumbs up. [The Greg Graham Guide]

• Need help sifting through the dozens of steakhouses in Miami? The chowhounds can help. [Chowhound]

• Apparently fried shrimp is common in strip clubs. You learn something new every day! [Daily Cocaine]

• Paula gets 15 minutes with Govind Armstrong of Table 8. [mango&lime]

• Memo to Einstein Bros Cafe: most people like to eat bagels for breakfast, before work. Therefore, you need to hire more staffers for the morning hours. [Coral Gables]

• Paula's got a great review of Sandrine's Cafe & Bakery up on her blog, with mouth-watering photos of a Venezuelan breakfast. [mango&lime]

• We have to admit, Instant packaged agar + one can fruit cocktail = a dessert that doesn't sound too appealing. We'd be willing to give it a try though. [Daily Cocaine]

• Looking for Vietnamese food in Miami? Here are a few good suggestions. [Chowhound]

• The general consensus is La Marea is good. Really good. [All Purpose Dark]

• Asian desserts, part two. [Daily Cocaine]

• A Miami Spice review of Tuscan Steak. [FoodTastic!]

• Deborah Hartz has been busy judging rib contests. That sounds like the best kind of busy. [From the Test Kitchen]

• The grub guru over at Daily Cocaine isn't a fan of Asian desserts. The beans usually weird us out too. [Daily Cocaine]

• Cafe Boulud: very good, but didn't quite live up to expectations. [consumableJoy]

• The Delaware Chicken Farm makes excellent fish dip. Go figure. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Charles Passy thinks Canadian Club 10-Year Reserve is great. We'll have to take his word for it, as we're not big whiskey drinkers. [The Hungry Man]

• Charles Passy discovers some good kataifi in West Palm Beach. [Hungry Man]

• Tony Roma's turns 35. [Emerald Coast]

• A feijoada feast at Boteco! [Chowhound]

• A final Miami Spice rundown. [Chowhound]

• Someone is off robbing Burger Kings. [Miami Herald]

• Can someone explain South Florida's love for Brazilian steakhouses? [Stuck On The Palmetto]

• Again, the new Whole Foods is kind of awesome. [Blind Mind]

• Also, kind of awesome: Boca Raton's Tom Sawyer. [From the Test Kitchen]

• How many ice cream samples are too many? The consensus seems to be two; any more than that, and the customers behind you get annoyed. [Hungry Man]

• Why don't reviewers usually write more than a passing sentence about a restaurant's wine list? Good question. [Daily Cocaine]

• The verdict on the new Whole Foods: awesome. [Riptide 2.0]

• This man finds barbecued ribs and chicken in the parking lot of a thrift store. Wow. [Daily Cocaine]

• You only have a couple more days to get the Miami Spice menu at Cacao Restaurant, and judging from this review, you'll want to. [FoodTastic!]

• Alesh finds lots of style and a good amount of substance at Sushi Samba. [Critical Miami]

• Whisk Gourmet Food & Catering transforms an onion-hater into an onion-devourer. [Blind Mind]

• Paula mentions us in a list of local food bloggers. Aw, shucks. Thanks Paula! She also introduces us to a few new names we didn't yet know about. [Mango&Lime]

• To whoever is behind Daily Cocaine: we would happily accept any lunch invitations you might throw our way. We know of no one else with the same knack for ferreting out good food. [Daily Cocaine]

• Charles Passy loves the TropiChops at Pollo Tropical. We do too. [Hungry Man]

• Support your local sub shop. Find out how here. [MenuPirate]

• Just a few more Miami Spice reviews, this one for Ortanique. [consumableJoy]

• Is the Miami dining scene a disaster? One man's thoughts. [Daily Cocaine]

• Churrasco with chimichurri. Yum! [Babalu Blog]

• Some tips on where to get great fresh produce in South Florida. [Chowhound]

• A short primer on a few traditional Haitian meals, with photos. [Daily Cocaine]

• You can't get authentic dim sum at Miss Yip Chinese Cafe, but you can still get an excellent meal. [consumable Joy]

• Have you made your reservation at The Restaurant At The Setai yet? Only a couple more weeks of Miami Spice left. And the reviews are great. [FoodTastic!]

• Charles Passy plugs his AAA card, which gets him 10 to 15 percent off at certain restaurants. [Hungry Man]

• So far, so good at the new Rosa Mexicano. [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• The Filipino food truck at the Port of Miami is going to be overwhelmed very soon with chowhounds. [Chowhound]

• More Filipino food truck, this time with photos. [Daily Cocaine]

• DeVito's gets panned on the boards. [Chowhound]

• Howie from Top Chef tells the Herald's Top Chef blog that he hopes to open a NYC restaurant in the next six months. Also, he refuses to set foot in Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. [Top Chef Miami]

• Tere is a Cheesecake Factory convert after seeing how well they treat kids and families. [FoodTastic!]

• Bacchus Wine Bar: wine is reasonably priced and good, food is pricey but high-quality, owner is knowledgeable and friendly. [Blind Mind]

• Paula discovers a new Thai/sushi spot, Bays Inn Cafe, on Biscayne Blvd. [Mango&Lime]

• The best buffet in America? That honor goes to Sweet Tomatoes. [The Hungry Man]

• And finally, this isn't food related, but Val posted a poem about 9/11 from a 14-year-old that is making us cry. A lot. We keep re-reading it, knowing full well we're going to have to keep getting more tissues. [Babalu Blog]

• Paula had an awkward experience at The River Oyster Bar, but says she's going to give it a second chance. [Mango&Lime]

• The service is lovely, but the food isn't spicy enough at the newly opened ISHQ. [Chowhound]

• Vote for your favorite BBQ restaurant at this week's SotP's poll. [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• Marta assembles some delicious-looking Cuban sandwiches, and she's got instructions for making them at home. [Babalu Blog]

• Tere visits 1909 Cafe, asks about the proposed Gables location, and is given a curt reply. What's up with that place? We've been calling too, with the same results. We're beginning to doubt that this second location is ever going to open. [Coral Gables]

• Twenty-One Toppings, the new burger guys in town, gets good reviews. [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• Lee Klein reports that Market Grill, a new upscale Argentine meat market, is opening soon on Alton Rd in Miami Beach. [Riptide 2.0]

• Sara checked out the Miami Spice menu at Santo and has a "lovely time." [All Purpose Dark]

• Pork chocolate and fried squid at a Filipino food truck at the Port of Miami. [Mango&Lime]

• The Grill at the Setai's Miami Spice menu wins big points. And they have a $20 wine pairing menu to go with it! [Mango&Lime]

• How can you tell it's low season in Florida? Well, aside from the suffocating heat and humidity. Monthly restaurant promotions! In September: Magical Dining Month in Central Florida. (Must everything in that part of the state have a magical Disney theme?) [Forkhead]

• Charles Passy offers five possible explanations for Krispy Kreme's demise. [The Hungry Man]

• A review of The Room's wide selection of beers from all over the globe. [Still Life With Feet via Critical Miami]

• Alesh explores the new Roma Organic Gelato in Mary Brickell Village. [Critical Miami]

• A list of a few local restaurants with roach activity. Ick. [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• The chowhounds spill on where they get their doughnuts. [Chowhound]

• The Palme d'Or at the Biltmore Hotel is delicious, says one chef. [ReMARKable Palate]

• A menu board that features "Roast Ass" and "Tun Alad." Ah yes. Only in Key West. ["Klotz" As In "Blood"]

• Paula gives us the lowdown on Ver-Daddy's Taco Shop. [Mango&Lime]

• Is it the oven or the pizza maker that makes a good pizza? [From the Test Kitchen]

• Tropical Chinese edges out Kon Chau in the dim sum wars. [Chowhound]

• Vix's Miami Spice experience gets a grade of "excellent." [Chowhound]

• Deborah passes on a tip from a reader on where to buy good flatbreads in the area. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Food blogger Catherine Jheon enjoyed eating in Miami recently, although she wasn't as happy about the heat. [All Purpose Dark]

• Why online menus are better than paper ones: they cannot be used to swat waitresses in the rear. [Restaurant Gal]

• Tere and Victoria learn that by ordering half portions from the regular menu at Michy's, they could get a meal for just under the Miami Spice price. Also, the food is excellent, but you already knew that. [FoodTastic!]

• Plum visits Evolution's chef de cuisine Pierre Saussy, who makes a phyllo-crusted Florida shrimp in an ocean herbal broth that looks like it would be incredibly difficult to make in a home kitchen. [Plum]

• Plum heads to DeVito's for the next installment of "Compliments of the Chef." There, chef Francis Casciato makes panna cotta look really easy. We're not sure we believe him. [Plum]

• According to management, the Cielo Garden & Supper Club is "not a restaurant," but " a place where you go to have fun, with loud music." Good to know. [Chowhound]

• The Thai pickings are slim in South Florida, but Chowhounds do their best to find quality curries. [Chowhound]

• The Miami Spice verdict on Social Miami is good. Good food and lots of options; they even allow diners to choose three savory dishes and skip dessert. [All Purpose Dark]

• The Hungry Man complains about pointless food press releases and photographs his well-stocked home bar. So, when can we come over for a drink? [Hungry Man]

• A cheese house speakeasy. Yes, we like the idea of that. [Chowhound]

• Paula learns that she too can be a wok star. [Mango&Lime]

• There's a birthday party at Paula's house! [Mango&Lime]

• The Chowhounders discuss dim sum options in Miami. Kon Chau seems to be a favorite. [Chowhound]

• Deborah explores Broward food options: Pomperdale's and the newly reopened Lox Haven in Margate. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Dinner at the Palme D'Or, in text and photos. Looks delicious. [Remarkable Palate]

• Deborah reports that Cafe Arugula in Lighthouse Point is gone. Opening soon: Federal Grill. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Two more Miami Spice reviews: Oceanaire and The Food Gang. Make sure to check out the comments too; there are a few more Miami Spice stories in there. [Mango&Lime]

• Alesh, at Critical Miami, wants to know what the big deal is about Miami Spice. [Critical Miami]

• Alex, at Stuck on the Palmetto, was thinking the exact same thing. [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• Charles Passy channels his inner Jimmy Buffett and goes off in search of a memorable frozen concoction. [The Hungry Man]

• Lee Klein gives his first primer on how to be a food critic. Stay away from the free food! [Riptide 2.0]

• Paula samples cakes from Allie Herrera, who's starting her own cake business called No Cakes Like Home. Even that coconut cake looks tasty, and we're not big fans of coconut. [Mango&Lime]

• Deborah Hartz is still in the throes of moving, and the poor thing is resorting to far too many boxed dinners. Here's hoping she can get back to a real kitchen soon. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Tere explains her disillusionment with the Food Network. We feel her pain. [Foodtastic!]

• Tere bemoans the lack of independent coffee shops in downtown Coral Gables. Also, she's not a fan of Cafe Demetrio. [Coral Gables]

• Paula, predictably, loved the mango festival at Fairchild. [Mango&Lime]

• Deborah reports that the Benihana in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea has re-opened after its renovations, mainly the addition of an elevated sushi bar. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Lee Klein reports that Indomania, which opened a few months ago on Miami Beach, will be closed all of August. [Riptide 2.0]

• It was love at first sip for Charles Passy and Metromint. [The Hungry Man]

• Charles Passy finally returns from New York. [Hungry Man]

• Lee Klein tells you where to go to get the best value during Miami Spice, which kicks off next week. [Riptide 2.0]

• Paula weighs in on the anxiety revolving around the Miami restaurant scene. [Mango&Lime]

• Alesh tries an ugly tomato (doesn't look so bad in that photo), expresses approval. [Critical Miami]

• Paula dines with Slow Foodies at North One 10, leaves with a full stomach and a wine buzz. [Mango & Lime]

• Soya & Pomodoro owner considers closing shop, decides to stay put. [Riptide 2.0]

• Deborah Hartz complains about both the bitchiness of Top Chef judges and the summer camp feel-good among the cheftestants. We're not sure in which direction she'd like this show to go. [From the Test Kitchen]

• We've got great local fruit, but good luck finding it. [Riptide 2.0]

• Publix has plans to open a "green" store in Palm Beach Gardens. [GreenerMIAMI]

• Deborah isn't too pleased at J. Mark's Restaurant & Bar in Pompano Beach. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Opium Garden, an open-air club on South Beach, fought all the way to the US Court of Appeals of the 11th Circuit for its right to party hard, and lost. [Critical Miami]

• Everybody's making ratatouille these days! [Foodtastic!]

• Deborah Hartz thinks Top Chef has lost momentum with this Miami season. [From the Test Kitchen]

• Paula picks up some empanadas at La Estancia Argentina. [Mango & Lime]

• City employees (The Chicken Busters!) tackle Miami's chicken problem, catching stray roosters and hens and selling them to local farms. Free-range chicken, anyone? [Stuck on the Palmetto]

• Delicious tarragon butter and escargots at French Kiss in the Grove. Complimentary champagne too! [Blind Mind]

• Summer 2007 dealt a blow to a number of local restaurants, and "set the Miami dining scene back a decade." [Riptide 2.0]

• Having a tough time keeping track of all those summer restaurant specials? Here's a handy list. [Miami Herald]

• Breakfast at the Gables Diner doesn't come cheap. [FOODTASTIC!]

• Marta makes torrejas with a twist: guava and cream cheese. [Babalu Blog]

• Sliders at the last remaining Royal Castle. [Miami Memories]

• Mmm...summer fruit! [Riptide 2.0]

• Paula chows down on tacos at Orale. Warning: photos may induce serious taco cravings. [Mango & Lime]

• A recipe for Kool Aid pickles! [From the Test Kitchen]

•We never need an excuse to eat ice cream, but here's a good one anyway: it's national ice cream month! [MSNBC]

•You know where that fish is coming from, but what about that meat? [NY Times]

•New Yorkers survived their first day of trans fat-free dining. [Forbes]