Little Lotus

Downtown Miami

In Downtown Miami—hidden behind layers of cheap watch stores, over-priced electronics, and obscure shops that sell everything from knock-off designer jeans to Hello Kitty lunch boxes—there is a network of shopping malls and courtyards unfamiliar to most. In a tiny unassuming space, tucked inside the Intercontinental Jewelry Center and specializing in Asian and Japanese tapas is Little Lotus [25 N. Miami Ave]; home to two talented chefs creating incredible dishes. Chef Inyoman Atmaja handles the hot dishes, while Chef Michael Asalie oversees the sushi bar. Chef Asalie spent time working at Morimoto’s NYC, making him all too familiar with good food and technique.  His expertise is evident from the minute your first roll arrives at the table. The restaurant is small and fills up quick so if you’re in the mood for a quick bite to eat at a peak hour, this is probably not your best bet. Little Lotus is meant to be an experience from start to finish.

When browsing through the menu it was obvious that sushi would be our focus. We finally came to a decision on an assortment of rolls and waited with anticipation for the first to arrive.  The Angel Heart started us off, a delicious combination of eel tempura, spicy tuna, avocado and mixed greens wrapped in soy paper. The roll displayed an amazing mix of textures from the crispiness of the tempura batter to the freshness of the tuna.  This was followed by a few basic rolls, a Spicy Crunchy Tuna Roll and a Snow Krab Avocado Roll; bright flavors which should not be overshadowed by the signature rolls. Next, was the Rock and Crunchy: shrimp tempura, avocado, snow krab, and masago, wrapped in soy paper and served with the chef’s special sauce; similar in texture to the Angel Heart, but with the addition of the masago and chef’s special sauce that added a touch of salty and sweet.

This was followed by a trio of “Incredible Rolls” that would live up to their name: the Flagler Roll, Big Mac, and MJ Roll. Paying homage to one of Miami’s most influential figures and its location namesake is the Flagler Roll: crunchy spicy white tuna and avocado topped with tuna, salmon, white fish, yellow tail, lemon, cilantro and yuzu miso. The lemon and cilantro give the roll a freshness that served as a palate cleanser for the rest of the meal. Chef Asalie’s version of the Big Mac replaces thoughts of stacked patties and secret sauce with layers of spicy crunchy tuna, avocado, snow krab, tobiko, and a sweet sauce. Don’t let the picture fool you; this sandwich size roll requires a fork and knife, as what you’re seeing are two pieces cut into eight manageable bite-sized portions; absolutely delicious. Last but not least, was the delectable MJ Roll: Cajun rock shrimp and avocado topped with spicy tuna, Japanese seasoning and a honey wasabi sauce.

The presentation of the meal was impeccable, the flavors flawless, and the experience memorable; all this at a very reasonable price. Venture and explore Downtown Miami; you might be surprised at what you find hidden around the corner.

Sparky’s Roadside BBQ

Downtown Miami

It’s lunch time and the usual is just not going to cut it. You jump into your ’66 GTO, crank the radio, and hit the open road. Thoughts of returning to work quickly fade as the wind cuts through your hair. The freedom of the road, the scenery, and the music overwhelm you, you’ve lost yourself in the drive and now have no idea where you are. There hasn’t been another car on the narrow dirt road for miles now. Your running low on gas, hunger is setting in, and in the distance you see smoke billowing out of a shack; at this point you’re just happy to see signs of life. You pull up and notice a hand written sign on a board: “BBQ.” What are the chances? Perfectly smoked ribs, brisket, and ice cold beers await inside. With a full stomach and a full tank of gas [did I mention this is the kind of place that doubles as a gas station? …yeah] you make your way back to the city.

If you rather avoid this overly dramatic movie sequence, make your way to Downtown Miami and stop in at Sparky’s Roadside BBQ [204 NE 1st Street] instead. From the picnic tables and bull skull, to the hand painted birdhouses covering the walls; the minute you step inside you feel like you’ve left the city.  Two chalkboards flank either end of the restaurant displaying the day’s specials and beer of the week. Here, two New York transplants are doing BBQ their way; with a good selection of all the tasty smoked meats you would expect: brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, and duck, with all the usual accompaniments. To wash it down they stock an assortment of microbrews like Dogfish, Magic Hat, and Shipyard.

As we work in Downtown, we are no strangers to Sparky’s menu. We typically order our favorites: the Tyler’s Pressed Sandwich and the Grilled Fish Sandwich. The Tyler’s Pressed is a combination of beef brisket and pulled pork topped with sautéed onions, American cheese, and BBQ sauce, that is pressed to crispy perfection. The smoked meat is tender and flavorful with a slightly sweet BBQ sauce. The sandwich can stand on its own, but with house-made sauces like Sparky’s, Apple-cidar, Hoisin, and Guava-Habanero on the table, it’s tough to resist. If you like a little extra kick to your sauce ask for the Lava Sauce, it’s usually not on the table, but well worth it, just have a beer handy to cool you off. The Grilled Fish Sandwich is a tender mahi fillet, well seasoned, with a hint of lime on a toasted bun with a delicious kicked up tartar sauce on the side. The sandwiches are usually paired with coleslaw and fries. But, these could be substituted for any of their other flavorful sides, such as, spicy macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob, and stewed collard greens.

Now I couldn’t write this post without mentioning the fries, since it has been a source of pain for us and all other Sparky’s regulars we know. Sparky’s used to have seasoned waffle fries that were absolutely delicious. It didn’t matter what you got, as long as it came with a side of fries. However, for some reason they are no longer available. I’m sure there is a rational explanation for this, but we just needed them to know we miss those fries.

If you’re in the need to escape the norm—but don’t have a GTO to hit the road in—think about hitting Sparky’s Roadside BBQ. You won’t be disappointed in what you find; good food, cold microbrews, and a great environment.

Tobacco Road 12th Annual Crawfish Boil & Seafood Fest

Miami’s oldest bar is turning 100 this year and this past weekend it hosted its 12th Annual Crawfish Boil and Seafood Fest. It’s amazing to think that it has been ten years since I first came across Tobacco Road. It was a love affair from the start; from endless happy hours with buckets of Carib, Road Burgers, and amazing live music, to being where Leslie and I first met. It’s not just the personal memories, there is inherent history in this bar that you feel from the minute you step through the door.

I have to admit, this was our first time at the Road’s Crawfish Boil, but as soon as we arrived we knew it’d be a good time. This festival is not just for the crawfish enthusiast, people from all walks of life come together to enjoy good fresh seafood, cold drinks, and live music. In spite of the weather which was not cooperating at times, we—along with a few hundred people—were happy to squeeze in under the tents. At the center of the festival, the crew from Rosey Baby dished out the Mudbugs, Gumbo, and Shrimp Po’boys, while The River Seafood & Oyster Bar provided Fire Roasted Oysters. Along the perimeter, local food trucks like Ms. Cheezious, Latin Burger, and Los Chamos offered their seafood creations along with their regular fare.

As opposed to the smaller backyard boils we’ve been to, [ like this one ] the process here was slightly different. For starters, the crawfish were boiled 50 lbs a batch in two massive square kettles with metal strainers. A hoist was used to transfer the crawfish between kettles. Once cooled, they were lifted to a nearby table and given a final dusting of spice. Having to keep up with the demand of hundreds of festival goers produced short soak times, that didn’t allow the crawfish to take in enough spice. This left the heads lacking of juices and the meat a little bland. But, as the day went on the soak times increased as did the flavor being imparted to the crawfish. The price per order was $18 for about a pound of crawfish.  It seemed a bit steep, considering the average person can put down 3 to 4 lbs.

What’s a Cajun inspired festival without some live music? Taking the stage first were The Wholetones, a local band playing a cool mix of bluegrass, folk, and punk. They were followed up by a Tobacco Road staple IKO IKO with their brand of “urban swamp blues.”

Closing out the night with some cold beers, good tunes, and great company made for another memorable night at the Road. But, we couldn’t leave without having a Grilled Blue and Bacon (or two) from Ms. Cheezious, not exactly Cajun, but a temptation too good to pass up. Whether you make it out to Tobacco Road for a festival or are just stopping in after work, you are bound to have a good time making your own history and being a part of theirs.