Meat Eatery And Tap Room

Last week, my bud, Marvin aka "Mr. Miami" and I, took a small road trip to my second home down south in the Florida Keys. We made our way past Key Largo and Tavernier until we reached this small gem located in a small strip mall in Islamorada called MEAT Eatery & Tap Room. Ever heard the term, “good things come in small packages?” Well that’s exactly what you’ll find here. The decor, a laid back atmosphere, and especially the food and staff are fantastic. 

After receiving a warm welcome, we sat at the bar and quickly started going over the menu. I took us a while to figure out what we wanted, everything sounded amazing. They offer a dozen draft beers, organic wines, micro brewed sodas,"milkshakes" (for adults only) and the bacon takes two weeks to make and it’s also made in house. Not to mention, they make their own homemade sauces.

We started our meal with the housemade pork rinds, served with chimichurri aioli. Mind you, these aren't the ones you buy in a plastic bag in Sedano's. These puppies came to the table fresh from the fryer still crackling! They are a bit spicy but nothing too serious. When it was time for the main course we were in burger heaven. I went with the "Inside Out, Juicy-Lucy" burger. It comes stuffed with bacon and pimento cheese, topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and I added their housemade bacon, and house pickled jalapenos. I decided to get a little fancy and upgrade to the duck fat truffled bistro fries on the side. On the other hand, Marvin went with the American Wagyu burger with cheese, bacon, and beer braised onions. Both burgers were truly gourmet, unlike anything I've ate before in the Keys.

With little to no room for dessert, I was compelled to try the bread pudding. Boy was I happy I did. Amazing and delicious! Covered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, it didn't disappoint.

Are you tired of fish sandwiches or so called “world famous” tuna nachos? In the mood for a cold beer and the best burger in the Keys? Well get yourself on to the overseas HWY and head to MM 88. There, you’ll find MEAT! Sure, it's not upscale, doesn't have a view of the water, or a traditional gastropub, but it’s a great addition to the Keys dinning scene. Do yourself a favor, stop on by… trust me.

Bread + Butter

For months now I’ve heard my friends call me crazy for not having tried Bread + Butter. So I decided to stop in for lunch one afternoon and see what the fuss was all about. The restaurant is small, but trendy and very decorative. The dining room area is decked out with cool coiled light bulbs, vintage Cuban photos, mason jars, books, with the poem "Cultivo una Rosa Blanca" by José Martí's written on a wall. There is also a small L-shaped bar and counter. Agua is served the old school way in small tin cups, very nostalgic for those of us that remember them growing up. Alberto Cabrera is a genius, this place essentially is Miami’s first Cuban-gastropub.

For starters my friend and I decided on the Media Noche Croquetas. They come with soda crackers and mustard aioli. Even though I’m not a big fan of the small round croquetas some of these "modern" restaurants are making, I liked these. TIP: Make sure to dip your croquetas in the aioli, but avoid the dreaded double dip. From there we moved on to the Frita China with napa cabbage kimchee, cilantro, onion, papitas juliana and sriracha ketchup. WOW! Love this frita! Everything came together perfectly. Finally, we indulged in their Cheeseburger! This masterpiece came with bacon, tomato, onion, Swiss cheese, and their house made b+b pickles and steak sauce. Not for the faint of heart, this cheeseburger is piled high with juicy meat, melted cheese and freshly baked bread.

For dessert you must try the flan. Their Flan Cabrera uses creamy Humboldt Fog goat cheese, which makes it a bit tangy. It also contains the customary ingredient of evaporated milk, and is uniquely baked in one of the empty milk cans and served with citrus slices on top. They're small and a little hard to find, but when you’re in the Downtown Coral Gables area, I suggest you make your way to 2330 Salzedo St. Come in for breakfast, lunch, dinner or their Sunday brunch to try traditional Cuban dishes with a modern spin. I'm sure you’ll find something that you can really enjoy.

pan con mantequilla

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Get your tree at Life Pointe Church

16490 SW 304th ST

Homestead, FL 33033