New restaurant alert, and it did not disappoint. Ambiance decor and crowd was 10/10. It was absolutely stunning in there. Must try at least once. Ordered the lamb and lobster pasta. If I go back, it would be to try the steak and truffle pasta. I’ll definitely come back for drinks at the bar at the very least: @claudierestaurant #claudierestaurant
Sweat Records x The Standard Present: Sips & Spins
@sweatrecords x @thestandardmiami album listening event where you take a deep dive into the artist while sipping on cocktails and in my case, eating lite bites. Held once a month at The Monterrey Bar inside the Standard Hotel. Admission includes a free drink. (Mine was non alcoholic) Both the short rib tacos and wagyu burgers are a must.🍹 xoxo 💋 #thestandardhotel #thestandardmiami #monterreybarmiami #sweatrecordsmiami
Sparrow Italia, Miami
Sparrow Italia is an Italian inspired steakhouse and is one of the newest additions by my fellow Angelino’s at Noble 33 restaurant group. What can I say, I’ve been here three times now. It’s local, it’s vibrant, the people are good looking, and the food is well thought out. What more can you ask for? I honestly haven’t had anything I didn’t like so I really feel like you can’t go wrong. I endorse all the things that I’ve ordered thus far, The beef carpaccio, the truffle Cacio E Pepe, the Wagyu beef meatball, and I’d even recommend the pizza. I’m getting hungry, just writing this.
Can we talk about the ambience for a minute? This is definitely one of the more opulence and extravagant dining rooms. I’d recommend it for a date nights, girls night out, boys night out. I’ve seen groups of people there on business. It gets really packed so reservations are a must. Getting seated at the bar is also difficult so plan ahead.
Zuri, Miami
Zuri is a Moroccan restaurant I heard about located in Wynwood. Really wanted to check it out and I’m happy I did because not only was the food really good but the ambience was also incredible. I really felt like I had been transported to Morocco.
A Riad, Also known as a garden oasis is what you can expect to find when you visit Zuri as they have outdoor dining that is just splendid with all the greenery and Moroccan aesthetics and decor all around you.
I personally wanted to try their beef and lamb kebab and that is what I ordered however, I did see a table next to me with five men, each of them ordering the Filet mignon. Something tells me someone at that table knows something so now I wanna come back to try that.
You must also try their cocktails and dessert. I wasn’t planning on ordering a cocktail, but After seeing the table next to me and what they had ordered, I knew I had to have one myself. And warm chocolate poured all over ice cream, how can I say no to that?
Salt Restaurant & Bar, Marina Del Rey
Working in an office all day long has really been bogging me down because I’m constantly indoors, and I don’t leave until the sun is already gone. So come the weekend, the ONLY thing I want to do is be outside in the sun. So for Valentine’s Day this year, I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and that is Salt. This perfect, not-so-little spot is nestled right on the water. I had been here before a few years back and enjoyed it thoroughly then. This time I wanted to surprise my husband with this little outing because I knew he’d love it just as much as I did.
Salt is located inside the Marina Del Rey Hotel. If you go past the lobby you’ll come right to the bar with the restaurant surrounded by the harbor. It has such a picturesque view with the water and all the docked boats. We enjoyed sitting there, watching the sail boats and fishing boats pass by, sipping on their signature cocktails.
We started off with what has to be one of the best Caesar salads I’ve had. Romaine lettuce, with capers, pine nuts, and grana padano cheese. I don’t know if it was the fact that I hadn’t had dairy in 1.5 months or what, but either way, it was delicious and I wish I ordered the bigger size.
Next, we went with the oysters, our guilt-free protien choice when we want to splurge and spoil ourselves without breaking the calorie bank. Did I mention we were supposed to be on a diet during this visit?? Yea, that didn’t go so well…read on.
The Tuna nicoise salad was another solid healthy option. Lovely presentation too.
I don’t typically order salmon when I go out, maybe it’s because it’s something I can easily make at home. But I was kinda feeling it on this day. A major switch from the beef and chicken I’ve been having recently. This was filling and great for sharing between the two of us, combined with the other entree we got. The salmon was an ora king salmon, paired with a zuchini ratatouille, caper vinaigrette and what I believe was an avocado based sauce. How perfect is this backdrop??
This next dish, we all but devoured. It’s the loco moco, a Hawaiian dish made here with a steak hache. Steak hache is high quality steak that is minced and then formed back into a steak. This was topped with a mushroom gravy (divine!) and served with a side of white short grain rice and a sunny side up egg. Again, it was devoured.
At the very least, you should go there for coffee and dessert. We went with the pumpkin cheesecake. Ooh my…so unique and delicious. I was clearly not wanting to be bothered by anyone while eating this cheesecake. I feel like that picture is a vibe.
We literally spent three hours here, eating and then later enjoying our coffee. I would recommend this place for a cute brunch with the girls, sunday funday, mother’s day, special occasions, or simply just to treat yo self. I highly suggest you come during the day and enjoy the outdoors. While they do supply blankets, you should also consider bringing a jacket too and dressing in layers cuz I went from hot to cold. We had an absolutely fantastic time. Can’t wait to bring the parentals next. Thanks for reading! Comment below if you’ve ever had waterfront dining like this before.
This Is My Substitute to Alcohol and Soda...
What do you guys think of the current CBD craze? It feels like everywhere I look there is some form of CBD and I found myself a little overwhelmed and confused while choosing which products to integrate into my life and routine. One of the biggest questions I had at the beginning of my CBD journey was: are all CBD products made equal? What I found out… absolutely not.
In my search for pure, high quality CBD products free of chemicals, pesticides, sugars, and additives I found Present CBD-Infused Sparkling Water. Keep reading to hear all about my experience with this amazing drink!
OOk before I tell you more about Present, let me back up a bit. What is CBD anyways? To be honest I wasn't totally sure myself until I did a little research. CBD is a naturally occurring component of the cannabis plant. The cannabis plant has two species: hemp and marijuana. The CBD in Present comes from 100% organically grown hemp, which means it is free of pesticides and the soil is free of harmful toxins (major plus!).
I noticed right away that drinking Present before bed helped me wind down from the day and get a better night of sleep. Actually, some of the best sleep I’ve ever had! The 20 mg of full spectrum CBD in Present helps me fall asleep faster and stay in a deeper sleep for most of the night which has really increased my productivity during the day.
What I specifically love about Present is that it’s a great alternative to drinking alcohol and soda. The taste is so amazing that I almost feel like I'm drinking something that is bad for me, but Present actually has zero sugar, zero calories, and zero sodium! After trying Present sparkling water, I really don't know why anyone would reach for soda. (Yes, it’s seriously that good!)
While drinking it, I also noticed the knot of tension in the pit of my stomach slowly melting away. Within minutes, I was no longer stressing over my long list of to-do's. Instead, I was simply in the moment and in an overall better mood. My favorite way to enjoy Present is rewarding myself with a can after a long day of work while watching my favorite shows. I swear, there's nothing better than winding down like that after a long day! It's the same concept of having a night cap but without any guilt, hangover, or bloating the next day.
I tried 3 different flavors: natural, lemon lime, and blood-orange. All three are incredibly delicious, but my favorite has to be lemon-lime! You can drink them straight out of the can, or turn them into a fun mocktail by adding crushed berries, a fresh wedge of lemon or lime, or even by adding some stevia for a sweet, natural treat.
If you would like to get your hands on Present CBD-Infused Sparkling Water, they currently sell in-store throughout Colorado or you can get it shipped to you anywhere in the U.S. by going to www.drinkpresent.com.
Follow them for more info @drinkpresent!
#beherebeyou
STK, Los Angeles
I recently had the opportunity to treat my cousins to one of the best meals we’ve had in a while at STK. I was told to go on a Friday and Saturday night to really get an idea of their vibe and I totally know why!! It was like a club, but for adult adults….Meaning you get the music and the ambiance without have to worry about waiting in line, having your drink spilled on you, or being hit on by creepy dudes. Here, you get the space to relax in, fancy drinks, and more importantly, the food!!! Oh, and schedule it early enough and you get to be in bed in time to netflix AND chill.
Really, everything we tried was delicious and as expected, so I really can’t recommend one thing over the other. It all just depends on what you are in the mood for.
What I will say is though the dessert that comes in the cotton candy bubble was my favorite! It tasted like the strawberry shortcake popsicle I used to eat as a child.
I would recommend this place for date night, girls night out, guys night out, birthday celebrations. Not the kind of place you would take your grandparents to, or parents in general if they don’t like loud music. Take them to their outdoor brunch instead.
Price point is also as expected given that it is a steakhouse inside the W Hotel in Beverly Hills. Check them out and let me know what you think! Have you been here already? Anything in particular you would recommend?? Comment it in the comment section!
The Dive, San Diego
One of the best and interesting meals I had in San Diego was at the The Dive. Why, you ask? Well, this was my first experience with steam kettle cooking. To understand what steam kettle cooking is, you kinda just have to see it for yourself. I kinda wish they explained it on their About page but no such luck. So good ol Google it is. According to Sandiegoville.com, “steam kettle cooking uses jacketed stainless steel kettles to cook with steam as it travels through one side of the kettle and moves around the jacket of the kettle, heating the food indirectly and very evenly. A large boiler in the back of the restaurant pumps steam through a network of pipes to heat the kettles. Using steam in this method is known to be approximately six times more efficient than gas or electricity by itself, and each steam kettle unit costs around $3,000 a piece.” I mean, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
As for what to order, literally everything was so good. You can’t go wrong with any of the entrees, but there was one that stood out above all the others and if I’m not mistaken, I believe that was the Dive Chowder. Everything had so much flavor and yes they were seasoned differently. Although, if I had to redo it, I probably wouldn’t order the Gumbo AND the Jambalaya in the same visit. The Boudin balls were cool, and the beignets were fire!! (A MUST order). Good news is they have a new location in Temple City so no need to drive all the way to San Diego to get it. Definitely worth trying so go check them out!
Boudin Balls
Brussels Sprouts
Beignets
Picture with the Owner