January was rough for us in Baltimore (and for much of the East Coast) because of a really gnarly snowstorm that delivered both snow and ice and then we were in sub-freezing temperatures for nearly two weeks, so when the opportunity to go to south Florida for a few days in early February came up, we both jumped at the opportunity. (Our heater also wasn’t working so well, so that was extra motivation with the added incentive of having a promotional companion pass with Southwest.) Flying into Fort Lauderdale and then renting a car to get to Doral, we stopped in the Miami Design District to get a lovely lunch at Mandolin Aegean Bistro. We went here back in the spring of 2019 as the last big group meal for a joint-bachelor Miami trip, and M was not impressed at the time because the people who selected it opted for a mostly vegetarian menu which was fine, but we didn’t realize how many great meat dishes we were missing as a result! The spiced ground lamb on yogurt was divine, as was the mushroom, lemon, and herb orzo pasta that was a special that day and I enjoyed as leftovers the next.
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I had some lovely birria tacos at Sr De Los Tacos for lunch one afternoon, complete with a rich beef consomme for dipping, and I would absolutely go back there in the future, but my favorite spot was the Tripping Animals Brewery a little further down the street. The beers are solid, but what really sets this place apart is the fantastic food menu. They change it up seasonally, but it seems like there are a few dishes that stay on year-round like the corvina ceviche and tuna tiradito. When we were there they also had a beef tartare that hit the spot in a big way, and I think M and I were bummed that we hadn’t gone there before the last night of our trip.
The other highlight was going to Pepito’s Plaza before heading to Fort Lauderdale for the night. Featured in the Miami episode of Parts Unknown, it’s attached to a large gas station where you can get really fantastic Latin-inspired burgers and hot dogs as well as tostones, pepitos, cachapas, and tacos. Most of the dishes come with the six house salsas, including a guasacaca that inspired me to make it at home multiple times in the following months to go with my weekly chicken thighs.
Harland + Tripping Animals Märzen (Picked up at Windmill Farms). A 3 of 4. A pretty-standard beer for the style -- nice roast and caramel malt in the nose with some grass and pine, and a nice clean body with a similar profile. Nice bitterness in the finish keeps the roasty sweetness in balance.
