This French Vietnamese restaurant has high ceiling, fresh flowers and greens, lush retro decor, brass bars, Parisian red, Asian portraits, Vietnamese water scenery painting anchors the main dinning hall, lovely bar, chopstick rests, wonderful music – Ella Fitzgerald lovely, the panels of leaves line the narrow hall to the bathroom … nicely done.
Good service. The first thing the server did as she greeting us, was gently checked the table’s balance.
We’ve
Beet salad
Ribs
Beef rolls / raviolis
They’re all delicious but I prefer the first two. The beef rolls are delicious but too much meat – this is picking bones among the eggs.
I like their chopsticks: if you can reuse it, do take it with you. They’re of good quality and beautiful. Thank you.
Another American city named after a much older city, of another country.
It’s on the west coast of Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico, 125 miles northwest of Miami. Population 19k.
Fifth Avenue South is their main street: filled with restaurants, shops, art galleries, cafes… The western end is on the Gulf of Mexico. Parking is very limited at the beach.
There is an open house on 5th Ave S, one home away from the beach, asking $24m. A young woman who said she’s the greeter, doing the screening. I wondered, at this price range, shouldn’t it be a private sale instead?
In any case, I thought about Great Neck in New York:
Naples, 19k pop, 125 miles northwest of Miami.
Great Neck, 40k pop, 20 miles east of New York City … but couldn’t afford cafes, art galleries, antique shops and decent restaurants like Le Colonial … what’s wrong?!
An odd place for a Chinese restaurant: Hooters, Dollar Tree, Pizza Hut … Google maps directed us into Webb Dixie parking lot.
When we finally find it, I was taken back at its appearance: it’s big, vacant and looks like take out place, or canteen. We went in because we didn’t have time to look.
What a surprise! We liked both dishes:
spicy beef 水煮牛
mapo tofu 麻婆豆腐
Although they’ve beers in the fridge but they couldn’t serve because their liquor license lapsed. Oh well. Food deserves 4 star Service 4 Decor 2 -:)
It was empty when we arrived and was empty when we leave. Hanging there, we’ll come back again.
The final played out in two days at the Gusman Concert Hall. Six kids made it. The organizer divided them into two groups, three tonight and the rest of three tomorrow afternoon. The link up on Saturday is:
William Ge
Angeline Ma
Anthony Ratinov
Parking again, is problematic. There are at least three signs.
The organizer sent us an email, directing us to park at a garage but the attendant, an elderly gentleman looking puzzled, then said, “we’re across the lake from the Hall.” Then gives us the direction to the purple parking lot near the Gusman Concert Hall.
As soon as I get off, I see a valet parking sign and a few men huddling around a sign with their phones in hand. Inside, there is another sign, asking the patrons “Did you remember to pay for parking?”
I think that’s it for me. Hopefully the next one, in five years, will be hosted elsewhere or they got to improve their act.
Among the three kids, I like the last one, Ratinov who’s far more polished.
We didn’t get the Sunday ticket because someone has an event to go. The winning order is:
This Italian restaurant – Gianni’s At The Former Versace Mansion – in South Beach is most famous for it’s previous owner Gianni Versace (1946-97) who was rundown in 1997 by a serial killer. (M2)
We’re seated by the pool, which is swimmable for the hotel guests. Throughout our lunch, we’ve to share or witness other diners’ photop. One Chinese woman gets up four times: first was her husband taking photos of her, then her son. For Pete’s sake, how many photos do you need?
The restaurant offers set lunch menu at $38 each with multiple choices. We’ve
Apparently, it’s the Gabriel Miami South Beach, (Curio Collection), one of many Hilton properties in South Beach. Our server said the hotel doesn’t have a kitchen – I’m wondering if this kind of marriage is common on Ocean Dr., or I misunderstood him.
We chose to sit by the front row on the sidewalk, for a change: getting close to the pedestrians may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
From the archives: “Between 1942 and 1945, Miami Beach played a significant role in WWII. Nearly half a million men, including matinee idol Clark Gable, were stationed there for training by the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command.
Neat, small and well maintained, opposite from the Convention Center and a block away from City Hall. No earth shattering flowers and greens but is a good place to stroll. It has bathrooms and recreation rooms for kids.
… then a cigarette smoke brought me back to
earth – a woman smokes openly: not a hint of apology.
