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laureendesigns Laureen Biruk | Art Director -
malcombenites A Piece of Kon's Mind
Morikami Gardens Oshogatsu 2012
The Little Nomsters are celebrating the Year of the Dragon at Morikami Gardens! Located at the Morikami Gardens Museum and Japanese Gardens we knew for sure there was to be great Asian cuisine for the Nomsters to devour. Sure enough, there was.
Let me begin by saying Morikami Gardens is a beautiful place. The gardens offer great scenic locations for any occasion and we were blessed with spectacular 75 degree weather. We witnessed a great Japanese drum session, an authentic style Japanese home, and of course great Asian food. So let’s stop beating around the bush.
The Oshogatsu menu offered foods from both the vendors or their very own in house cafe the Cornell Cafe, we opted with the cafe cause a) the food would be a little more healthier being its not cooked over greasy portable cook tops b) we wanted sushi c) we didn’t have cash and the cafe took credit cards.
Walking over to the cafe from the fair grounds was a sight for everyone to see. There are pebbled walkways surrounding the lake with vista views of bridges and green lush islands. We came across a man made waterfall which emptied out under a bridge and into the lake where koi fish can be seen swimming about. As we stood in line, and there was a very long line, we could hear a demonstration on preparing rice cakes (takes a lot of pounding), and saw many fans of Oshogatsu dressed up in costumes ranging from geisha to anime characters.
Breezing over the menu while standing in line, we decided to order the egg rolls, the cold sesame noodles, shrimp tempura rolls, and the dumplings. The egg rolls were lightly fried but the taste wasn’t heavy and not greasy at all. The shrimp tempura weren’t the best I’ve had, but was tasty nonetheless, the rolls were small but carried a distinct fresh taste and flavor. The dumplings weren’t steamed like how I would have preferred but again lightly fried and the pork inside was a little bland, however a dunk in the lightly salted soy sauce helped it alot. Finally, the item which made a home-run in my opinion was the cold sesame noodles. The noodles were whole wheat, served with mild peanut sauce, with shredded carrots and cucumbers. They were great. Eating them was fun as they give you an entire carton box full, I clearly looked like an anime character stuffing and slurping my face with noodles.
At the end of the day we strolled around the gardens more, but what had me hooked was the entertainment, the food, and the gardens themselves. I can’t say enough about Morikami Gardens and the Oshugatsu Festival. Highly recommened event and location.
NOMSTER: What a treat! Gourmet Food trucks visiting my job! I of course went to the Fish Box first to get my hands on the lovely and oh so delicious Minuta Sandwich! I raved about it before and I’m gonna rave about it again, hands down, the best snapper sandwich I have ever had. The warm Cuban bread roll, the fried snapper tucked away into the sandwich with onions and tartar sauce, just great.
We also hit up The Sugar Rush and got our hands on a vanilla bean creme brulee (not pictured), I think had just the perfect hints of vanilla specs and flavor. I thought it might was well had been ice cream!
NOMSTERITA: OMG I just ate like a horse but here to give you my RAV reviews!
First off, I’d like to mention about all food trucks that they are always extremely friendly, have great service, and though having the likes of mostly high in fat and fried, greasy foods, they somehow manage to always have that FRESH flavor in their dishes. Everything from the food trucks is higher quality than even your favorite café, and tastes like it was taken right out of the ocean (seafood) or just cut (my shitake mushroom on my Asian Slider from The Flying Saucer).
Fish Box: FIND THE TRUCK NOW! Lobster sandwich was very delicious though a little overly chewy at some parts. Overall though, very fresh from the sea taste, great fresh bread, and a nice semi-spicy sauce with again, FRESH chopped onion. I also had a bite of the Minuta sandwich. This thing was so fresh I wish there was another word I could use! So flaky and yum!
Sugar Rush: FIND THE TRUCK NOW! I’m totally not into sweets but we had some vouchers to try out this place. I did steer clear of the fried cupcakes or fried oreos but honestly I’m not into cookies or cake, and definitely not when they are fried. However, they did have an interesting bread pudding made with Krispy Kreme donuts. I did feel like this was overly sweet. Or I believe that the pudding was great but the sauce on top just made it way too sugary. Mostly the chocolately sauce on the top was unnecessary. The Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee was great! I actually even thought the burnt sugar on top was a little too much (I’d say this truck loves their sugar) but checking out the real specks of vanilla bean in the brulee, you know you got a quality crème brulee that was smooth and delicious!
The Flying Saucer: FIND THE TRUCK NOW! I had two sliders, Asian and French Onion. They were amazing. The beef is salted and has delicious flavor. It didn’t just taste like your un-seasoned chuck. The fresh green onions and shitake mushroom on the Asian was fresh and flavorful. The French slider was overflowing with chunks of fresh blue cheese and sauteed onions. I was amazed that the food trucks are never skimping on ingredients. Especially because I happen to LOVE blue cheese. Great all around sliders, that are even totally larger than your average “slider,” which is also a plus.
Ms. Cheezious: FIND THE TRUCK NOW! I actually just had a half sandwich here, bacon, blue cheese and green onion sandwich. Again I have to stress that the thought of melted cheesy goodness makes everyones stomach think, yikes, we are going to feel greasy and full!! But nevertheless, the Ms. Cheezious sandwich was honestly “lighter” and just better quality than your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. And with gourmet additions to each grilled cheese, who could complain?! The do have whole wheat bread – for a helathier alternative, as well as goat cheese (one of the lightest cheeses.)
First things first…We love this event and will be there reviewing our favs so you should come too! Usually $35 for general admission, click here NOW to get your HALF OFF VIP ticket (a private tasting for our small VIP crowd for an hour prior to event start time) for only $32. It’s only for today or while quantities last…which won’t be long.
Join the Little Nomsters (coupon provided =) ) at the upcoming Iron Fork chef competition Thursday, October 20th but MORE IMPORTANTLY….UNLIMITED amazing gourmet food tasting from the best of Miami’s restaurants and even more importantly OPEN BAR! This event will take place at the Ice Palace, a warehouse-like huge studio in Miami which is great because this event has a huge turnout. Last year I tasted things from gourmet mini cupcakes to award-winning paella. I also remember the mini cider donuts being super amazing as well as the tuna tartar. It is literally unlimited food till they run out and not shabby tastes - you will get FULL. They were so well organized last year, though we were elbow to elbow at the event, there was still food and open bar left minutes after closing (since band plays till a little after closing and yours truly was there frolicking around still with the open bar and mini donuts). =) Also enjoyable is the mini photo booth for free photos (i hope they have it again!), musicians, and of course, the cut-throat chef competition in which they time chefs for 1 minute and have them make a delectable 5-star meal (well they maybe give them more than that!) but it sure seems like a ridiculous deadline to me. Certainly very exciting to watch them rush around!!
Sponsors include Miami New Times (so you know it outta be a party!), Rums of Puerto Rico and Rex & Goliath Wines. My favorite restaurants showing up include Segafredo, III Forks, Barton G. and Sawa.
Click here NOW to get your HALF OFF VIP ticket. It’s only for today or while quantities last…which won’t be long.
For a while now, Little Nomster has been aching to attend a public food event. Needless to say, Gourmet in the Park was the perfect first event! We figured we’d try some great foods from the popular food trucks of South Florida and see what all the hubbub is all about. Win/win scenario. Unfortunately, my partner was traveling in New Jersey at the time, and I had to tackle this event on my own (which meant more food for me!).
Whether you know it or not food trucks have been all the rage these past couple of years, even having a feature or two in the local New Times. Gourmet in the Park was clearly an exhibition of the best food trucks south Florida has to offer.
Upon arrival at the park, there must have been easily 1500 people scattered in long lines, sitting down in beach chairs chomping away at their meals, and those like myself wandering around deciding which food truck to brave. While I was meandering around the Esplanade Park admiring the art on all the food trucks and laughing to myself at all the clever names (Nacho Mamma’s Grill, and The Rolling Stove) I found myself craving fish tacos. Jefe’s Original Fish Tacos and Burgers had a line long enough to grow a beard in, however The Fish Box was the shortest seafood line I can see. Bravely, or foolishly depending on where you’re standing (pun intended) I stepped into line.
It was no joke a good thirty-five minutes before I got to order my meal, and by then all the yummy items I was looking forward to order were all out. The Catch of the Day Fish Sandwich, out. The Fish Box “Catch of the Day Fingers”, out. Basically anything “Catch of the Day” equated to me being out of luck. After 35 minutes, I better get something tasty, and ordered The Original “Minuta Sandwich” with a side of tostones (fried plantain chips).
Forty-five minutes since I cued up, I found myself nomming down on a great fried fish sandwich! The Minuta Sandwich, coming wrapped up with the sides twisted into handles and a large fried fishtail coming out the back, was lightly battered and fried, with diced onions and laid in-between a warm and soft Cuban bun. The taste of the fish wasn’t lost with the batter and I think was enhanced with the sauce and onions. I really couldn’t have asked for a better sandwich. The tostones were fried yet maintaining a soft center, salted, and piping hot.
Sadly, when it was all done and over with I hadn’t any more time to venture to the other food trucks. It was even too dark to take adequate photos! I did however come away with a newfound respect/burning hunger for these food trucks, and The Fish Box, in my opinion was fantastic. I hope to catch these food trucks again in another adventure with my full ensemble of Nomsters. I’ll keep you posted!
Album via [Picasa]
What food trucks have you stumbled upon and what’s your favorite food truck meal so far?
