Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Miami Heat and Pincho Factory Come Together

Years ago, I suggested something that I thought would never happen. Now, not only is it happening, but it’s happening very soon! I love me some Miami Heat basketball. I still reminisce about going to the old Miami Arena to see Glen Rice, Steve Smith, and Rony Seikaly as a kid. I love me some great food as well! I remember going to see a game a few years ago with Nedal Ahmad, CEO of the franchise Pincho Factory. I said to him, “Boy it’d be nice to enjoy a double Pincho burger while seeing Wade dunk on someone.” After a good laugh, he agreed with me. Well, ladies and gentleman, what was initially meant as a joke is finally happening. The American Airlines Arena, or the “Triple A” as its better known, has announced the newest food and drink options for the upcoming Miami Heat season. Pincho Factory is among those options for the upcoming season! 

Pincho Factory will be located upstairs in section 325. The menu will include such local favorites as the “Pincho and Tostón” burger, the “Croquetesa,” steak and chicken sub, salad or pincho, fries, and tots. They’ll also offer 627 Ale, a craft beer made solely for Pincho Factory by the Wynwood Brewing Company. Think of it this way, the Heat have 41 home games! That’s 41 opportunities for us fans to enjoy some of the best burgers and pinchos in town and watch our Miami Heat live! I know I plan to make my way up the stairs, grab some burger goodness, and enjoy the Heat all season long! I hope you’ll be there to join me and LETS GO HEAT!

Friday, April 24, 2015

Miami's Top 5 Chicken Wings 2015

5) Titanic Brewery & Restaurant Oh yes Titanic. Live music, beer, karaoke, beer, jazz and blues, more beer, and a bucket full of wings! Located in Coral Gables right next to the University of Miami, Titanic is the perfect hangout spot. Whether you’re watching the big game or just enjoying a few signature drafts during happy hour with friends, Titanic as yet to disappoint me. The food is good and inexpensive and the service is always above average. But let’s talk wings… Bucket O' Wings! There’s just no way to be civilized when eating these wings! I mean unless you’re one of those sophisticated people that uses a knife and fork to eat wings, HA! Crispy oil fried wings piled high in a bucket and covered with Sriracha and Frank's Red Hot ohhhhh! What’s not to love?

4) Bulldog BBQ It’s hard to find decent BBQ in Miami, let along great BBQ. But there’s a hidden gem located on Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami called Bulldog Barbecue. Former Top Chef season 3 contestant and barbecue master, Chef Howard Kleinberg, has made me a true believer. The biscuits are great, the pulled pork is so good I wish I could sleep with it, and “The Heat” burger is one of the best burgers I've ever eaten. With that being said, these smokehouse wings served with their house made buttermilk blue cheese dressing are out-of-this-world good! The skin was crisp, they weren't too hot, and covered with a bold BBQ flavor that I really enjoyed. Yes, the food is a little pricey, but I feel both the quality and quantity of food offered a great value.

3) Barley: An American Brasserie Another name change but same great food. Owner and Executive Chef Jorgie Ramos is a master or as I like to call him a “mad scientist” when he’s in the kitchen. Located under the Metropolis Condo in Downtown Dadeland everything on the menu you can say yes to! Lechón Hash, the mahi tacos or the fried bone marrow are all excellent, but let’s talk wings. I was fortunate enough to be one of the first to try these fabulous wings. These chicken wings are dressed with a pimiento pepper marmalade, serrano peppers, crushed peanuts, cotija cheese and cilantro. The exterior skin of these wings were crisp, moist and juicy with a distinct fattiness, and the sauce was perfectly emulsified coating the wings. Always-fresh, big and messy, hot and meaty, flavorful wings! Take my word next time you visit Barley have these wings!

2) Blackbrick Chinese I ask this question, is there anything that Chef Richard Hales does that isn't extraordinarily good? I mean, everything at Sakaya Kitchen is amazing. And who doesn't remember the Dim Ssam food truck? One of my favorites. When you think Chinese food you think dim sum, egg rolls, dumplings, duck neck, but you definitely don’t think chicken wings. Well think again! The explosive chili chicken wings at Blackbrick are fire! The best way to describe them is sticky and sweet, deliciously crispy, with a made-from-scratch Thai sweet-chili sauce covered by a mountain of fresh veggies. Juicy and full of flavor and especially spicy, just the way I like it! Believe me, you’ll be licking your fingers.

1) Sports Grill If you couldn't tell, I take wings very seriously and third times a charm for Sports Grill. Home of Miami’s Best Chicken Wings! Sports Grill never fails to mention they have the best wings but they can back up the talk. If you’re a big time sports fan coming to cheer your favorite team or just stopping by to enjoy some cold drinks, I promise that their wings will be delicious! They get fresh wings delivered 3-4 times a week. They’re first deep-fried in non-trans-fat oil to get the crispiness, tossed in one of their sauces or rubs and grilled, before making it to your table! Whether you like Buffalo Style, BBQ or garlic wings, DALE wings and the seriously hot “Miami Heat” or my favorite and perfectly charbroiled, special grilled wings. All the wings are crunchy on the outside, moist on the inside, fall-off-the-bone, and full of flavor. Celery and blue cheese are optional because these wings are perfect just as they come.