Cocktails and Dragons and a Brad Kilgore Pop-Up
Plus, check out the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival and adopt a cutie.
Welcome to the Miami Checklist, first edition. We’re glad you’re here. Twice a week, we’ll profile the best things to eat, drink, and do in Miami and throughout South Florida.
Eat This: Oise Ristorante by Brad Kilgore
Brad Kilgore is best known in Miami for his culinary prowess at his much loved and highly successful MaryGold's by Brad Kilgore at the Arlo Wynwood Hotel. But Kilgore’s had a lot on his plate lately — he and his wife, Soraya just welcomed a baby girl to their family and Kilgore launched a Philadelphia-based pizza company called Pizza Freak with partners Matt McKenney and chef Brad Daniels.
The pizza, by the way, made it to Daniel Boulud’s kitchen, where he raved about it on Instagram!
Kilgore also launched a collaborative pop-up with chef Andrew Mayer called Oise Ristorante by Brad Kilgore. The pop-up, which runs through the summer of 2024, will offer Itameshi dining — a marriage of Italian and Japanese cuisine. Dishes at the pop-up include a chicken parm katsu sando, udon carbonara, cacio e pepe breadsticks, pizza, and more. If the marriage of Japanese and Italian food seems unusual, Kilgore says the two have a bold umami taste profile in common (like the earthy, rich, salty tastes found in soy and parmesan).
Order Pizza Freak at pizzafreakco.com and check out the Oise Ristorante by Brad Kilgore pop-up at 2335 N Miami Ave., Miami until early summer of 2024.
It’s Dragon Baby-Making Season
Did you know that the Year of the Dragon is considered so lucky, that there are upticks in the birth rates of countries that use the Chinese zodiac calendar since a “dragon baby” is considered to be born lucky and to have better life outcomes?
Before you work on that dragon baby, you might need a cocktail, so head out to Jaya at the Setai this weekend for its Asian Night Bazaar. Guests will enjoy nightly lion and dragon shows, martial arts demonstrations, drummers, a contortionist (take notes), and a DJ. Partake of a cocktail or a mocktail like the Golden Garden (green tea infused with ginger).
Friday, February 9th to Sunday, February 11th beginning nightly at 6 p.m. at Jaya at the Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.
Visit Fort Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival’s Robust Roundup
Earlier this week the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival (formerly the Greater Fort Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival), made its annual return to the city — with plenty of culinary-themed events still to come. The weeklong festival kicked off Monday, and runs through Sunday, January 14, spotlighting dozens of local chefs and restaurants with an epicurean-themed event lineup that includes cooking demonstrations, culinary-themed classes, a seated dining series, wine tastings, and more.
Those interested in attending can still partake in a Southern cooking experience with celebrity chef Jason Smith at Sistrunk Marketplace; a wine tasting highlighting New World vs. Old World wines with Olive & Sea sommeliers Amanda McCrossin and Anthony Giglio; the festival's Grand Tasting taking place on Saturday; and "Picnic in the Park," a free family-friendly event set for Sunday. Proceeds from VLFWF will benefit Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
Tickets and the full schedule lineup can be found at VLFoodWine.com
Take Home This Proper French House Gargoyle
London is a nine-month-old Frenchie that’s currently awaiting adoption at Miami-Dade Animal Services. Her number is A2533218 and she’s located in the receiving kennel. If you’ve ever wanted a designer gargoyle that fits on a sofa, then a French Bulldog is for you. London is one of hundreds of dogs available at Miami-Dade Animal Services. If you’re looking to bring a new best friend into the family, this is the place to start your search. Adoptions are only done in person, and you should bring a current picture ID and proof of current address. Dogs older than four months carry a $65 adoption fee and puppies are $85 — all dogs come home fully vaccinated, are dewormed, and have been spayed/neutered. In other words, adopting a dog is the best deal in Miami.
Miami-Dade Animal Services. 3599 NW 79 Ave., Doral; 305-884-1101; miamidade.gov/animals
Awesome read!