The Old Heidelberg

The Oktoberfest is a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany that has been held since 1810. I was amazed to learn that Oktoberfest was actually in September, held until the first Sunday in October. Having been to the real Oktoberfest a few years ago, I have not been impressed with most of the German food I have tried here in the United States. In honor of this fine German holiday, I set out looking for some real German food. Enter the Old Heidelberg, a Mom and Pop establishment that has become a landmark on SR 84 in Broward County. The Old Heidelberg was recently sold to new owners, although the original owners still own the deli located next door to the restaurant and still supply them with their Würstel (sausages).

The decor in the restaurant makes you feel as if you are in Munich as soon as you walk through the door. Lederhosen, German Dirndl Dresses, Cuckoo Clocks, Folk Music, Nutcrackers, and Steins are all here. So far, so good. While we waited for our table, we grazed at the bar. They had no less than ten authentic German Biers on draft. We settled on a traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen or Hefeweißbier in German. This is a nice light wheat beer with yeast. The beers come in two sizes, big and bigger. The beer is good. There is an accordion player and a dance floor where the kinder (children) supply live entertainment by doing a traditional German Folk Dance.

After being seated, we started with an appetizer of their Sausage Sampler Platter with Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Kielbasa, Thüringer and an order of Marinated Herring in Sour Cream. The sausages were served with Mustard and German Potato Salad. The sausages were delicious and cooked well. The mustard has a slight kick to it, and the potato salad was clearly homemade and delicious. The herring was good, it was minced into pieces I thought were a bit too small and lacked onions. The sausages were the clear winner here. Equally interesting are their soups. The German staple, Potato Soup, is served in a cup or a bowl and is worth a taste. Also of note is their liver dumpling soup, it's unique and tasty. A basket of fresh German breads are gratis and taste as if they were flown in from Germany daily.

The main courses are a very tough decision at the Old Heidelberg. The standout above the rest are the schnitzels. They offer "Wiener Schnitzel" Pan fried in Butter, Red Cabbage, and Potato Salad, "Holstein Schnitzel" Anchovies and Egg, Red Cabbage, and Potato Salad, "Paprika Rahm Schnitzel" Red and Green Peppers, Sour Cream Sauce, Rice, and Red Cabbage, and "Jäger Schnitzel", Mixed Mushroom Sauce, Spätzle, and Red Cabbage. They also have an excellent Beef Stroganoff, Sausage Plates, Lamb, and of course, Pork including an excellent Schweinhaxe (Roast Pork Shank). All come with choice of sides: Spätzle, Red Cabbage, Sauerkraut, Rice, or Mashed Potatoes. I strongly recommend the Spätzle, which is like a German pasta dish. I also recommend the Jäger Schnitzel for rookies of German food. They have a huge menu, there will be something for everyone here, it makes a great family restaurant.

By the time you are done with your main course, desert seems as impossible as improbable. However, they do offer Fresh Baked Apple Strudel and Schwarzwälder (Black Forest Cake).

A few notes about The Old Heidelberg, during Oktoberfest on the weekends, you must have a reservation. If you walk in you will be relegated to the bar area or if you are lucky to a rear isolated room usually for private parties. The service is friendly but slow. Plan on spending a few hours with a large group, they are in no hurry to get you out, the place is packed on the weekends.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the Old Heidelberg. I have had enough bad German food to last me a lifetime. While dining at Old Heidelberg, I felt as f I were in Munchen (Munich) walking along the Marienplatz. For those who are a fan of German cuisine, the Old Heidelberg is a breath of fresh air. For those not experienced, it is an eventful introduction to a new cuisine, and culture not often portrayed properly or positively. Give the Old Heidelberg a try you will be impressed.

Christy's Restaurant

I was really excited to go to Christy's this week. Number one, I hadn't been there in many years. Number two, it's still Miami Spice month. Number three, it's nice to get into Coral Gables every now and again. This iconic Coral Gables steakhouse is going to celebrate it's 30th birthday next month in October.

Upon seeing Christy's from the street, I was jogged by memories of years past, and pleased to see the familiar sign with the Christy's logo had survived. As you enter the foyer, you are ensconced with dark masculine colors and brass fixtures that take you back to the elegant 70's. I felt like I had been transported to one of the great reading rooms of Europe. Christy's gave me the feeling it had not been updated in many years.

Christy's Miami Spice menu offered your choice of appetizer: Soup of the day, Caesar Salad, and Fresh Corvina Ceviche. We were only interested in the "World Famous" Caesar Salad and the ceviche. The salad was excellent, anchovies were on the side, and the dressing was great. The only thing missing was a table-side preparation. The ceviche was likewise excellent. The corvina was presented in a small martini glass diced up with red pepper and onion in a lemon juice. I wasn't sure if an old school restaurant could pull off a great ceviche, they proved me wrong. So far so good. Our service was excellent, the gentleman who served us seemed as if he had been there for all of the 30 years Christy's has been open.

The main course was a choice of: 8oz Filet Mignon, topped with gorgonzola butter, with shallot mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus with a red wine sauce, Herb Crusted Seabass, with a baked potato, fresh vegetables and horseradish cream sauce, or Chicken Porcini sautéed in a brandy sauce with porcini mushrooms, served with a baked potato and fresh vegetables. Cristy's is one of the few restaurants to offer a filet on the Miami Spice menu so that was the unanimous choice. We were allowed to substitute a baked potato for the mash, which was a nice allowance, most Spice menu's are not flexible.

The steaks came out cooked correctly, but the quality of the meat was fair at best. I was terribly disappointed in my filet and began rethinking that decision. Christy's is first and foremost known as a steakhouse and they did not deliver this fateful night. The baked potato was great and the fresh chives and sour cream made a nice presentation. The asparagus were likewise cooked al dente and perfect.

For desert, they offered a choice of homemade Key Lime Pie, or Caramel Flan. The pie was very good, a bit on the tart side for my taste. The flan was the better choice. Firm, creamy and smooth, just as you would expect from a Miami restaurant.

It was almost all there. I was ready to give Christy's a glowing review, but alas, I cannot. The service, the appetizer and the desert were magnificent. But the steak took them down. I am not sure who supplies their meat, but I am confident I could have prepared a better filet on my own grill. They could also use a face lift and update their decor. Perhaps we can revisit this in the future, but there is no excuse for such a poor quality of meat to be served in a place with the reputation of Christy's.

DINE OUT IN LAUDERDALE

Thanks to the great success of Miami Spice, Ft. Lauderdale will be offering a similar program aptly named "Dine Out" during October 1 - November 14, 2008. Although not as well known, or advertised as Miami Spice, there are some excellent restaurants on the list such as Cero's, and Jackson's Steak House. This dining program started last year, and was successful enough to bring it back for '08. They also note on the website that there is a special preview at selected restaurants beginning September 15, 2008, check the web site for particulars.

Three course dinners will be offered at $35 per person. A few interesting restrictions are notable: Most Dine Out Lauderdale menus are valid Sunday-Thursday, and not valid during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Oct. 30-Nov 3, 2008. American Express is an official sponsor; however, no word yet whether they will offer any cashback bonus as they did for Miami Spice. The official Dine Out website can be seen here.

South Florida Storm Website

As a typical South Florida Resident, we spend a lot of time checking a hurricane's trajectory. I wanted to share the best storm tracking website out there for now: Stormpulse.com. This is off topic but very relevant to South Floridians.

Click here: http://www.stormpulse.com/ for the latest storm information.

DeVito South Beach

The first thing I always seem to notice when arriving in South Beach is the parking, or lack thereof. I arrived early at DeVito's, luckily grabbing a meter, a block away rather than paying the $15 + tip SoBe standard valet charge. Upon arrival there are a few seating options, inside, outside, upstairs, and downstairs. The action is usually downstairs, while upstairs is a bit more sedate and refined.

DeVito's South Beach, touts itself as an "Italian Chop House" and is decorated in a contemporary twist on traditional Italian decor. It works very well and is a nurturing, inviting environment. Danny DeVito partners with David Manero, a local restaurateur to create this high profile, exciting restaurant set in the heart on South Beach on South Ocean Drive.

Luckily for our wallets, DeVito's is participating in the Miami Spice program. They started us with a hot loaf of bread curiously served in a brown paper bag, along with a gratis tray of antipasto.

On the menu for appetizers were: Caesar Wedge with white anchovy, cherry tomato, Crostini or Jumbo House Meatball with whipped ricotta. The meatball was the winner here. Served in an individual chrome sauce pan, it was the size of a grapefruit and could have easily served two. The presentation was definitely a plus. Topped with a tasty marinara sauce and a dollop of herbed ricotta, it was delicious and filling.

The main courses presented were: Pennoni, Zyr-vodka san Marzano sauce, or Wild Salmon, truffle honey mustard glaze, pomegranate, marinated fennel, or Organic Semi-boneless 10 oz Lemon Chicken Breast, pepperoncini Chile’s, and citrus dressing It was simply great. Given the choice, I would opt for the chicken. The main dishes come alone with no accompaniments. We tried a side of Horseradish Mash Potatoes and were disappointed. The potatoes were good but served cold.

The desert was the crowning jewel, offered were: Vanilla panna cotta with mix berry compote or Cannoli siciliani, ricotta impastata with chocolate chips, blood orange sorbetto. We opted for the Cannoli which was dreamy and could not have been better. It was paired with a lemon sorbet on a bed of pistachio nuts. I did not think the pistachio nuts was a good pairing for the sorbet, but I overlooked it since the cannoli was so good.

I really like DeVito's. The ambiance, decor, SoBe atmosphere, it's all there. What is also there are the SoBe prices. Of course if you go there on a Friday or Saturday night, you may very well run into some celebrities, or maybe even Danny DeVito himself. Treat yourself to a night at DeVito's, especially at Miami Spice prices. It's worth every penny.

Bourbon Steak @ Turnberry Isle

This is tough review to begin. Do I start with the grand entrance to the hotel? The outstanding service? The beautiful chic decor? The ambiance? They are all fantastic. This restaurant is worth a visit, especially with the Miami Spice menu available. The Chef, Michael Mina puts together a nice presentation and has several restaurants based out of San Francisco.

I had been looking forward to trying Bourbon Steak for a while, and I was teeming with excitement. I had been told by several people that one of Mina's signature items were the Trio of Duck Fat Fries. Imagine my surprise as I sat down and a complimentary order of the fries were plopped down in front of me. The item is normally an $8 side dish. Contrary to what one might envision this dish to be, it is simply presented in three varieties: Smoked Paprika and Mustard, Saffron and Garlic, and Rosemary and Onion. Each variety is presented in an individual small glass served standing up. As if the flavored fries were not enough he has paired them with three different dips: Smoked Paprika and Mustard Crème Fraîche, Saffron and Garlic Aïoli, and Onion Ketchup. All I can say is délicieux.

The Miami Spice Menu appetizers offered were: Sweet Corn Soup with Jalapeño and Jack Grilled Cheese, Sausalito Springs Watercress with Mission Figs, Pistachio, Goat Cheese, and Cumin-Dusted Tempura Prawns with Cucumber-Mango Salad. I opted for the Prawns, which were served piping hot and perfectly, lightly fried. They were piled on a tasty salad and overall gets a "A".

The name of the game is steak, so lets take a look at the menu offerings. On the Miami Spice menu, I was surprised to be confronted with an up charge of $10 in order to opt for the Filet Rossini with Crispy Shallot Potato Cake, and Foie Gras. Your other options were: Wood-Grilled Organic Chicken with Chicken-Scallion Ravioli, and Ginger-Carrot Emulsion, or Swordfish with Caramelized Pearl Onions and Yukon Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Beurre noisette Sauce. We ordered the Swordfish and Filet. The Swordfish was marinated and cooked to perfection; however, it was a very small piece of fish. The Filet was good, but I pegged it at about 6 oz., again a very small portion, especially in light of the surcharge. The Potato Cake and Foie Gras were good but not great. The main course gets a "B" rating which is good.

Finally, the desert menu. Your choice of either Doughnuts “Foster” with Bananas, Cinnamon Ice Cream or Beignets and Valrhona Chocolate Pot De Crème. They were both excellent and worthy of ordering.

A few notes about Bourbon Steak. The portions are small, and the prices are high. I reviewed the regular menu as well as the wine list. The regular menu prices about $10 per entree over the other super premium steak houses for their Angus Beef. They also host a plethora of Kobe Beef which is very pricey ($72 for the Kobe Filet). The wine list was a bit on the pricey side as well; however, it was extensive and well stocked. This is one place I would certainly take advantage of during Miami Spice Restaurant Month. I'm fairly sure I would not pay the regular menu prices for Bourbon Steak although I did enjoy the experience. Good job Bourbon Steak.

Get a $50 Gift Card from Miami Spice & AMEX

This is no joke. Dine at any three (3) Miami Spice restaurants, spend at least $75 per visit, charge it to your AMEX card, and get a $50 free AMEX gift card. This is icing on the cake people. Make sure you save your receipts and put it on your AMEX.

Get the rebate form here: FORM