The Grind

For months I was looking forward to The Grind, I mean who wasn’t? A burger showdown between some of the top restaurants in South Florida, add to that all you can drink and this event had “awesomeness” written all over it… so I thought. The concept was good and so was the set up. They had a DJ playing a good mix of dance and house music and later a live band. Not to mention plenty of beer, soda and bottled water stands. Unfortunately the biggest problem besides the joke of a VIP section, location and bathrooms was the smoke!

Not sure who ever thought 30 grills cooking indoors was a good idea but HELLO, last time I checked unless you're using a Foreman Grill, you grill outdoors. By the time we arrived, it was as one foodie put it, “Hot and smoky.” And boy was it ever! From my understanding the main A/C unit crashed and that’s when the trouble started. That didn't surprise me; I mean the place is a dump! It’s a concrete box (Miami Entertainment Complex) in the middle of a not so pleasant neighborhood. And a few open windows and doors weren't going to stop that crazy amount of smoke. Many of the people I spoke to were very uncomfortable and upset. By the end of the night I was known as “Captain Red Eye.” It was about 8:45pm when I noticed the fire marshal telling people to shut down the grills. At that point I knew it was all said and done. I was only able to sample 6 burgers and Smokey Bones Grill was the best of these.

The Grind's director, Tony Albelo, a few days later gave an explanation and what I thought was a sincere apology for that happened. Also e-mail The Grind at half@TheGrindMiami.com, give them your ticket number, contact info and your concerns to receive 50% off your ticket for next year’s event. Participating restaurant Pincho Factory was nice enough to offer 50% off their delicious Pincho Burger by just showing your Grind ticket. I do plan on attending next years event to see if people really do learn from their mistakes. I think we could all agree that this event has the potential to be great! Till next year...