February 12, 2021
Each Friday, we compile South Florida food-related news and events that we couldn’t fit on the site earlier in the week, as well as other local news that piques our interest. Want to be included in our next roundup? Shoot us an email at bark@miamifoodpug.com.
Chela’s Beer Garden Opens in Miami Lakes
Salt & Straw to Open in Wynwood
Sweet Beach Launches BBQ Sundays
Wine Dinner at Rivertail
Budweiser Launches Vintage NBA Cans
Chela’s Beer Garden Opens in Miami Lakes
The wait is finally over! Get ready to “Chel Out” in Miami Lakes while enjoying South Florida’s winter with the neighborhood’s first-ever beer garden. Chela’s Beer Garden will be opening its doors on Thursday, February 11th as a six-month pop up.
Mauricio Lacayo and Landy Lamas, the duo known for The Bend, have teamed up with notable names in the business, Julio Cabrera of Cafe La Trova, Dan Binkiewicz of Sweet Liberty, and Daniel Gonzalez of Hot Lime Kitchen, to bring a brand new concept to the Miami Lakes neighborhood. The idea behind Chela’s came to Lacayo and Lamas when the COVID-19 pandemic first came about, and the operations of The Bend came to a halt. The duo knew they had to think outside of the box and create another concept that would make guests feel safe while still enjoying food and drinks with friends.
Chela’s Beer Garden aims to be Miami Lakes’ go-to spot for a casual experience with an outstanding food and drink menu. Promoting a fun-filled environment and while focused on outdoor seating like that of a traditional German Biergarten with giant-sized games and a live DJ on the weekends to provide an ambiance the neighborhood has never seen before. There is also a full liquor bar and lounge and an indoor beer garden for Miami’s rainy months.
Julio Cabrera, also a Miami Lakes resident, has created a tequila and mezcal focused cocktail menu, but if a tequila-based Negroni or a reposado-infused Mule is not your taste, the classics will also be available to order from the full service bar. The beer list will include Mexican beers in bottles and draft and feature a selection of local craft brews.
Chela’s Beer Garden will feature a food menu powered by Daniel Gonzalez, who’s Hot Lime Kitchenconcept has already established itself in the Miami Design District and in Fort Lauderdale. Using only fresh and simple ingredients, the menu will be Mexican-driven and infused with our local culture. Guests will get to indulge in traditional Mexican street fare favorites such as guacamole, elote, tacos wrapped in house-made tortillas, ceviches, and even a Mexican-style street burger.
Salt & Straw to Open in Wynwood
The highly anticipated opening of Salt & Straw in Miami is finally here! The beloved Portland-based ice cream company will be opening its first scoop shop on the east coast on Friday, February 19 in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District at 246 NW 25th Street. The small-batch, family-owned ice cream brand will bring their curiously delicious flavors as well as some creations inspired by and uniquely made for the Magic City.
The Salt & Straw team prides itself on their efforts to fully immerse themselves in the communities where they open. This means getting to know and understanding the cities and neighborhoods by way of local partners and organizations.
To celebrate the brand’s exciting milestone opening, Salt & Straw will be hosting an outdoor, socially-distant “Flavors of Miami” pop-up on Saturday, March 6 from 12PM to 6PM. The pop-up will take place in the parking lot of Pharrell
Williams’ apparel and accessories brand store, BBC ICECREAM (255 NW 25th St.), who has designed a limited-edition Salt & Straw x ICECREAM collaboration T-shirt. Flavors of Miami will offer guests complimentary samples of Salt & Straw ice cream as well as booths, giveaways and tasting opportunities by partners featured on Salt & Straw Miami’s opening menu including Panther Coffee, Exquisito Chocolates, Gables Delight, Coconut Cartel, Wynwood Brewing and The Salty Donut.
Overtown Youth Center, Salt & Straw Wynwood’s charitable partner organization, will also be present and accepting donations to support youth and families in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood and surrounding areas. Keeping the health and safety of all staff, guests and the community a top priority, the pop-up will be strictly enforcing limited capacity; social distancing; mask requirements for staff and guests; and will offer hand sanitizer throughout.
Co-founder and Head Ice Cream Maker, Tyler Malek, has created a locally-sourced menu that embraces the spirit of Miami by using local ingredients. The scoop shop’s menu will feature Salt & Straw’s handmade cult classics, seasonal ice creams and specialty monthly flavors that tell the story of Miami through the unique chefs and artisans in the city.
Guests can expect to find all-time favorites such as Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Honey Lavender, Chocolate Gooey Brownie and Salted, Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough alongside unique flavors specific to the 305 and a handful of seasonal offerings.
Sweet Beach Launches BBQ Sundays
weet Beach, a new pop up by Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Co., which recently opened in the tropical Oasis Garden at The Shelborne South Beach, is launching a new BBQ series on Sunday called Beach, Please.
Every Sunday at 12 p.m, the botanical mixology outpost serves a creative barbecue menu by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein, including the Grilled Prawns Aguachile ($15), a flavorful combination of spot prawns, green chili-coconut sauce, cucumbers, tomatoes and avocado, the Sweet Beach Burger ($15), a juicy 8-ounce grilled patty, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, special sauce and melting American cheese with a side of slaw and a pickle, and Choripan ($9), an appetizing grilled Argentine sausage, chimichurri, baguette and side of slaw. Be sure to keep an eye out for guest chefs, including Bernstein, who will be behind the grill cooking up new creations every Sunday until the sun goes down.
The cocktail menu boasts a selection of specialty libations created by award-winning mixologist Naren Young. Notable cocktails include the Lychee Cucumber Cooler ($17), a mixture of Grey Goose vodka or Bombay Sapphire gin, St. Germain, fresh cucumber juice, cucumber bitters, pressed lemon, and Perrier. Additionally, the South Beach Spritz ($15), a flavorful combination of Grey Goose vodka, passionfruit, sparkling rose, and orange blossoms.
Sweet Beach’s location provides plenty of space within the Oasis Garden of the Shelborne South Beach. Sweet Beach is adjacent to the hotel’s iconic Art Deco pool deck, offering an immersive al fresco setting with lawn games, curated music by some of Miami’s celebrated DJs and a chic tropical vibe.
Wine Dinner at Rivertail
Rivertail Fort Lauderdale is pleased to present the second its monthly series of wine dinners. Chef Jose Mendin has created a 5-course menu to be paired with select labels from The Prisoner Wine Company.
First Course – Steak Tartare Toast with black truffles, green mustard, and bone marrow butter; paired with 2019 Unshackled Rosé
Second Course – Cobia Crudo with parmesan leche de tigre, pistachio pesto, and crispy potato; paired with 2019 Prisoner Chardonnay
Third Course – Charred Spanish Octopus—guanciale, black garlic sauce, potato parmentier, and paprika; paired with 2019 Prisoner Red Blend
Fourth Course – Duck Breast with red miso mole, cauliflower puree, sesame seeds, and maitake; paired with 2018 Saldo
Fifth Course – Pastrami Short Rib with braised cabbage, spicy mustard, and pumpernickel jus; paired with 2019 Unshackled Cabernet
The dinner costs $120 per guest, and reservations can be made here.
Budweiser Launches Vintage NBA Cans
While season-ticket seats may have been traded for the living-room couch this season, Budweiser is giving basketball fans something special to cheer about – Limited Edition NBA Budweiser cans.
Beginning February 10, Budweiser will release these featuring vintage designs created by fan-favorite Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co, the sports apparel brand known worldwide for its authentic NBA Hardwood Classic jerseys and premium Headwear. Alongside the cans, Mitchell & Ness and Budweiser have partnered together to release a capsule collection featuring T-Shirts and premium snapbacks. These cans will be available in retail stores across the country and celebrate the greatest dynasties in NBA history, including the Miami Heat.
23 other teams across the league will have their own can, all of them featuring retro designs inspired by the jerseys of the NBA’s greatest dynasties. These limited-edition cans will conjure images of the all-time great Heat players hitting game-winners at the buzzer and countless other superstars throughout NBA history.