Amidst the hustle and bustle of

Miami Art Basel, a quiet place

to recuperate and come up with a

new game plan of galleries to attack

is desperately needed: W Wine Bar

comes to the rescue- saving you from

the boxed wine and cheese cubes that

constitute a meal in Miami’s Design

District.W Wine Bistro combines

the décor of a French bistro (dark

red walls, art work, wooden tables

and candles) with the ambiance of

a neighborhood bar (low prices and

friendly owners).

Opened in March 2005, W Wine

Bistro offers over 200 wines, many

of which are featured on the walls,

and a lunch and dinner menu. The

lunch menu consists of sandwiches

and salads; the dinner menu included

more seafood and refined entrees.

Sandwiches on the lunch menu include

a barbecue pulled pork sandwich

($8) or a curried chicken with shitake

mushrooms and cilantro sandwich

($8): a bargain considering that

Einstein Bagels charge the same

for a pre-made salad in a plastic

box! Favorites on the dinner menu

are the “Duck Parmentier” (duck

confit meat with homemade garlic

mashed potatoes: $19) and “Mussels

Mariniere” (mussels in a marinara

sauce served with a green salad: $15).

The main attraction of a wine

bistro is of course the wine and W

does not disappoint- an entire wall

is lined with bottles from all over

the world and at all different price

levels- surprisingly on the lower side

considering it’s Miami! The average

price for a glass of wine is $8 and

bottles can be sold at the store or with

an additional corkage fee of $15 can be

served in the restaurant.

Being in the Design District, W

Wine Bar is about the art. Artwork

on the walls includes nude black

and white photographs of women

by Claudio Beier and paintings with

political and African American motifs

by Miami local artist REALITY.

W offers an ambiance and

environment of relaxation and

indulgence at the right price and I

certainly don’t mind that the staff

knows my name (and my drink) at this

neighborhood bar!

For more information,

call 305.576.7775 or visit

www.wwinesbistro.com.

W Wine Bistro is located at 3622 NE

2nd Avenue, Miami 33173.

Happy Hour Tues- W Wine Bistro

Sat 5:30-7:30pm

Dine, wine and make merryW Wine Bar: Affordable indulgenceBy Louise Hendry

Photography By Kathleen Ross

FO

OD ART BASEL

Who catered Pamela Anderson’s 40th birthday bash in 2007?

Not The Ivy of Los Angeles, not Nobu of New York but Sublime of Fort Lauderdale. Since 2003, Sublime has been a Fort Lauderdale hot spot not only for local vegetarians and vegans, but also celebrities such as Anderson, Alec Baldwin and even Sir Paul McCartney! Sublime’s owner Nanci Alexander is also founder of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF). Alexander claims that almost all of Sublime’s profits are donated to support animal welfare charities. As a vegetarian, I have been frequenting Sublime for years, not

only because of the vegetarian food but also because of eye-appeasing food selections and the comfortable, chic ambiance. A small eater, Sublime is the only restaurant where I order a complete three-course meal and cannot practice restraint. My two best friends are not vegetarians, however it is a tradition for us to go to Sublime around Christmas and have a huge feast instead of buying each other gifts. Meat and chicken substitutes allow meat eaters to get the texture and heartiness they desire without the sacrifice of animal life and tofu is a substitute for dairy. Seitan (wheat

Subtle & Subliminal Vegan and vegetarian infusions delight the palate By Louise Hendry

FO

OD

gluten) and Gardein (a blend of vegetables, grains and soy) are used in such items as the Sublime Sliders and my personal favorite, the Sublime Picatta. Sublime’s Zagat décor awarded dining room consists of booths, tables and a bar. The side room has a beautiful waterfall wall. The restaurant has dim lighting and a rich brown color palette, which creates a cozy and intimate space, despite the large area. Each trip to Sublime begins with a free amuse bouche- a small one-bit sampler of food, that changes daily. Our amuse bouche was pesto polenta cakes. The triangular cakes taste like an Italian thanksgiving stuffing. When I go to Sublime, I am overwhelmed with choices because everything I have ever had has been amazing; however the green tea martini I had this time was absolutely vile and tasted like a medicinal lollipop a child would be given- I could not taste the green tea and it looked like swamp water. A wordof advice: stick to classic cocktails or wine. For our appetizers, we ordered the Sublime Sliders (miniature seitan “steak burgers” with the works including tofu cheese at $12), the fire roasted artichoke with garlic “butter” sauce ($10) and the Florasian sushi (consisting of tempura avocado, mango and toasted coconut for $11). The Florasian sushi is from the entrée menu but it doesn’t really fill you up. The presentation of the food was like art work with balanced compositions and dips and dabs of sauces and garnishes. The Florasian sushi was a perfect combination of flavor- crispiness from the tempura avocado and toasted coconut, sweetness from the mango and saltiness from the soy sauce. The fire- roasted artichoke was disappointing because of the toughness and lack of flavor. Instead try other appetizers

on the menu such as rice paper spring rolls ($8), mac and “cheese”($9) and eggplant rollatini ($11). After a 25 minute wait, we received our entrees: a Tuscan quiche of tofu, artichokes, “mozzarella” and spinach with roasted red potatoes and green beans ($16), linguini puttanesca (olive and tomato based marinara; $13) and Sublime “picatta”(gardein) in a lemon caper sauce with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes ($19). The quiche was huge and quite dense, not light and flaky as I would have preferred and the potatoes and green beans were over salted. The dish looked like a harvest display because of the rich variety of colors. The linguini was cooked perfectly and had a nice kick to the flavor, but the sublime picatta was undoubtedly the star of the show. The picatta had three gardein medallions stacked against a cone of mashed potatoes with spears of asparagus radiating outward, all sitting atop the beautiful yellow lemon sauce. The dessert menu has choices such as a baked apple napoleon, “chocolate” cake, coconut cake (which must be shared with friends, its huge!), a key lime cheesecake and a SublimeSundae ($6). After hearing a couple of twelve year olds at the next table rave about the

sundae, I decided to order it. The sundae is two scoops of vanilla soy ice cream in a “chocolate” shell covered in peanuts and soy whip, an orchid flower sits on top. I was quite disappointed in the ice cream as I have tried many soy ice creams and some of them are hard to distinguish from the real thing but it was obvious this was not “real” ice cream and it did not have a refreshing after taste. Sublime lives up to its name; it is not only for vegans and vegetarians but for anyone willing to be adventurous and try a truly unique menu, which features everything from sushi to salads to brick oven pizza, all cholesterol free, animal friendly and made with herbs from Sublime’s own rooftop garden!

For more information, call 954-539-9000 or visit

www.sublimeveg.com.

Sublime is located at 1413 North Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, Fl

33304. Tues – Sunday 5:30-10pm

I recently had a chance to sample Grass Lounge - a self-proclaimed

Miami hotspot for local elites and socialites. The décor is Asian: cushy white sofas and a backdrop of colorful flora bottled in apothecary jars. As the name proclaims, a carpet of thick grass borders the dining area and shadows are cast on the walls by bamboo trees and vines. Located in the heart of the Miami Design District, Grass is definitely an ideal destination for art and food lovers. The dress code is business formal and gives the establishment a level of sophistication. Sunday nights are the busiest nights. If you’re lucky enough to catch happy hour you can have your choice of top-shelf liquor for twenty dollars. The menu compliments the richness of its ambience with its flavorful fusion of American and Asian creations. Prices are high to steep, but worth the bite for a special occasion or two. The meals are a la carte but they also offer four-course meals for under $40. For social butterflies, Grass Lounge is open until 3am.

Verdict: Worth hitting at least once!

Grass Lounge is located at 28 NE 40 ST Miami, FL 33131.

For more information, visit www.grasslounge.com or call 305. 573.3355

Asian nuances meet American influencesThe artsy Grass Lounge is enchantingBy Bayardo Sinclair

Photographs By Kathleen Ross

FO

OD

“Grass is definitely an ideal destination for

art and food lovers.”

“For social

butterflies, Grass

Lounge is open

until 3am.”

The Chef’s Palette’s secret ingredient:Talent at The Art Institute of Fort LauderdaleBy Louise Hendry

FO

OD

When you’re in college, you can’t expect gourmet food

and an ambiance to match that- that is unless you go to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Located at the Harbor Walk location of AIFL, the Chef’s Palate is AIFL’s student run restaurant. I pass the Chef’s Palate almost daily and always check out the menu, but have been too intimidated to enter because of the white clothed tables and immaculate table settings- a banana from the snack shop seems like a cheaper and quicker lunch option; however recently, a friend and I decided to become “ladies who lunch” and dined at The Chef’s Palate. The Chef’s Palate is run by the a la carte class of AIFL that meets three days a week (Tuesday- Thursday) at 9:30am. The class also includes a lecture on hospitality, followed by kitchen prep and a lunch service. The class is divided into the front of the house (host, waiters, etc) and the kitchen; mid-quarter the teams change positions. The menu has been set by the teacher and head chef, Rich and students compete to create recipes, which will win a place on the menu. Max Italian roast beef sandwich on herb focaccia with arugula, provolone and sundried tomato aioli is the latest item on the menu after winning the student sandwich competition. The menu includes soups, seafood, salads, sandwiches and entrees, the most popular - spice rubbed steak medallions with green peppercorn just for only $12! The wine list is not too badly populated too. Zach Walker, a fourth quarter culinary student from England, was our host and waiter. As we waited for our order, Walker told me that his goal is to change the world’s perception of British food. I am also from Great Britain (I’m from Scotland and Walker from England) and I think non-Britons associate our bad teeth from eating bad food! Walker likes to take basic simple

ingredients-meat, potato and a side of vegetables- and jazz them up- nouvelle comfort food, he also hopes to return to England upon graduation to work. After sitting down at an immaculate table surrounded by large windows that look onto the kitchens, we were served a bread basket. I don’t usually eat carbohydrates but three slices later, all my carb inhibitions were gone and I called for grilled watermelon squares with warm goat cheese ($7), followed by pappardelle pasta in a thyme cream sauce ($11). The warm oozing rich goat cheese was complemented by the crispy freshness of the watermelon and a hint of mint

cleansed my palate. The pasta was beautiful- thick ribbons in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and sprinkled with gorgeous parmesan flakes and thyme. The pasta did not clump together or stick to the bottom of the bowl as overcooked or undercooked pasta often does. The smell was intoxicating and the sauce was the perfect consistency. Although I felt guilty about indulging in pasta with a cream sauce, the sauce was light and fresh. The mushrooms were not as hearty as the menu described, but the overall package did more than its job.

My fellow “lady luncher” ordered the soup of the day ($6) - an Italian bean soup- and the turkey club wrap with potato salad ($8). The Italian bean soup as it was the perfect temperature, the perfect size, and the northern Italian beans were the perfect texture- not mushy or overcooked as they often can be in soups. We were too full for dessert but Walker explained to us that the pastry class provides fresh desserts daily. Overall, my ladies luncheon was extremely successful- it was not just lunch, it was an experience and a learning opportunity. I intend on returning to the Chef’s Palate and I

urge fellow students and faculty to skip McDonalds or Einstein’s and sample the talent of the Art Institute! There is no comparison.

For more information, contact 954.760.7957. The Chef’s Palette Café & Grill is located at 1650 SE 17thStreet, Ft. Lauderdale 33316.

Lunch Tues-Thurs 11:30-2:30pm Dinner Thurs & Fri 6-10pm

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale

Who catered Pamela Anderson’s 40th birthday bash in 2007?

Not The Ivy of Los Angeles, not Nobu of New York but Sublime of Fort Lauderdale. Since 2003, Sublime has been a Fort Lauderdale hot spot not only for local vegetarians and vegans, but also celebrities such as Anderson, Alec Baldwin and even Sir Paul McCartney! Sublime’s owner Nanci Alexander is also founder of the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF). Alexander claims that almost all of Sublime’s profits are donated to support animal welfare charities. As a vegetarian, I have been frequenting Sublime for years, not

only because of the vegetarian food but also because of eye-appeasing food selections and the comfortable, chic ambiance. A small eater, Sublime is the only restaurant where I order a complete three-course meal and cannot practice restraint. My two best friends are not vegetarians, however it is a tradition for us to go to Sublime around Christmas and have a huge feast instead of buying each other gifts. Meat and chicken substitutes allow meat eaters to get the texture and heartiness they desire without the sacrifice of animal life and tofu is a substitute for dairy. Seitan (wheat

Subtle & Subliminal Vegan and vegetarian infusions delight the palate By Louise Hendry

FO

OD

gluten) and Gardein (a blend of vegetables, grains and soy) are used in such items as the Sublime Sliders and my personal favorite, the Sublime Picatta. Sublime’s Zagat décor awarded dining room consists of booths, tables and a bar. The side room has a beautiful waterfall wall. The restaurant has dim lighting and a rich brown color palette, which creates a cozy and intimate space, despite the large area. Each trip to Sublime begins with a free amuse bouche- a small one-bit sampler of food, that changes daily. Our amuse bouche was pesto polenta cakes. The triangular cakes taste like an Italian thanksgiving stuffing. When I go to Sublime, I am overwhelmed with choices because everything I have ever had has been amazing; however the green tea martini I had this time was absolutely vile and tasted like a medicinal lollipop a child would be given- I could not taste the green tea and it looked like swamp water. A wordof advice: stick to classic cocktails or wine. For our appetizers, we ordered the Sublime Sliders (miniature seitan “steak burgers” with the works including tofu cheese at $12), the fire roasted artichoke with garlic “butter” sauce ($10) and the Florasian sushi (consisting of tempura avocado, mango and toasted coconut for $11). The Florasian sushi is from the entrée menu but it doesn’t really fill you up. The presentation of the food was like art work with balanced compositions and dips and dabs of sauces and garnishes. The Florasian sushi was a perfect combination of flavor- crispiness from the tempura avocado and toasted coconut, sweetness from the mango and saltiness from the soy sauce. The fire- roasted artichoke was disappointing because of the toughness and lack of flavor. Instead try other appetizers

on the menu such as rice paper spring rolls ($8), mac and “cheese”($9) and eggplant rollatini ($11). After a 25 minute wait, we received our entrees: a Tuscan quiche of tofu, artichokes, “mozzarella” and spinach with roasted red potatoes and green beans ($16), linguini puttanesca (olive and tomato based marinara; $13) and Sublime “picatta”(gardein) in a lemon caper sauce with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes ($19). The quiche was huge and quite dense, not light and flaky as I would have preferred and the potatoes and green beans were over salted. The dish looked like a harvest display because of the rich variety of colors. The linguini was cooked perfectly and had a nice kick to the flavor, but the sublime picatta was undoubtedly the star of the show. The picatta had three gardein medallions stacked against a cone of mashed potatoes with spears of asparagus radiating outward, all sitting atop the beautiful yellow lemon sauce. The dessert menu has choices such as a baked apple napoleon, “chocolate” cake, coconut cake (which must be shared with friends, its huge!), a key lime cheesecake and a SublimeSundae ($6). After hearing a couple of twelve year olds at the next table rave about the

sundae, I decided to order it. The sundae is two scoops of vanilla soy ice cream in a “chocolate” shell covered in peanuts and soy whip, an orchid flower sits on top. I was quite disappointed in the ice cream as I have tried many soy ice creams and some of them are hard to distinguish from the real thing but it was obvious this was not “real” ice cream and it did not have a refreshing after taste. Sublime lives up to its name; it is not only for vegans and vegetarians but for anyone willing to be adventurous and try a truly unique menu, which features everything from sushi to salads to brick oven pizza, all cholesterol free, animal friendly and made with herbs from Sublime’s own rooftop garden!

For more information, call 954-539-9000 or visit

www.sublimeveg.com.

Sublime is located at 1413 North Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, Fl

33304. Tues – Sunday 5:30-10pm

I recently had a chance to sample Grass Lounge - a self-proclaimed

Miami hotspot for local elites and socialites. The décor is Asian: cushy white sofas and a backdrop of colorful flora bottled in apothecary jars. As the name proclaims, a carpet of thick grass borders the dining area and shadows are cast on the walls by bamboo trees and vines. Located in the heart of the Miami Design District, Grass is definitely an ideal destination for art and food lovers. The dress code is business formal and gives the establishment a level of sophistication. Sunday nights are the busiest nights. If you’re lucky enough to catch happy hour you can have your choice of top-shelf liquor for twenty dollars. The menu compliments the richness of its ambience with its flavorful fusion of American and Asian creations. Prices are high to steep, but worth the bite for a special occasion or two. The meals are a la carte but they also offer four-course meals for under $40. For social butterflies, Grass Lounge is open until 3am.

Verdict: Worth hitting at least once!

Grass Lounge is located at 28 NE 40 ST Miami, FL 33131.

For more information, visit www.grasslounge.com or call 305. 573.3355

Asian nuances meet American influencesThe artsy Grass Lounge is enchantingBy Bayardo Sinclair

Photographs By Kathleen Ross

FO

OD

“Grass is definitely an ideal destination for

art and food lovers.”

“For social

butterflies, Grass

Lounge is open

until 3am.”

The Chef’s Palette’s secret ingredient:Talent at The Art Institute of Fort LauderdaleBy Louise Hendry

FO

OD

When you’re in college, you can’t expect gourmet food

and an ambiance to match that- that is unless you go to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Located at the Harbor Walk location of AIFL, the Chef’s Palate is AIFL’s student run restaurant. I pass the Chef’s Palate almost daily and always check out the menu, but have been too intimidated to enter because of the white clothed tables and immaculate table settings- a banana from the snack shop seems like a cheaper and quicker lunch option; however recently, a friend and I decided to become “ladies who lunch” and dined at The Chef’s Palate. The Chef’s Palate is run by the a la carte class of AIFL that meets three days a week (Tuesday- Thursday) at 9:30am. The class also includes a lecture on hospitality, followed by kitchen prep and a lunch service. The class is divided into the front of the house (host, waiters, etc) and the kitchen; mid-quarter the teams change positions. The menu has been set by the teacher and head chef, Rich and students compete to create recipes, which will win a place on the menu. Max Italian roast beef sandwich on herb focaccia with arugula, provolone and sundried tomato aioli is the latest item on the menu after winning the student sandwich competition. The menu includes soups, seafood, salads, sandwiches and entrees, the most popular - spice rubbed steak medallions with green peppercorn just for only $12! The wine list is not too badly populated too. Zach Walker, a fourth quarter culinary student from England, was our host and waiter. As we waited for our order, Walker told me that his goal is to change the world’s perception of British food. I am also from Great Britain (I’m from Scotland and Walker from England) and I think non-Britons associate our bad teeth from eating bad food! Walker likes to take basic simple

ingredients-meat, potato and a side of vegetables- and jazz them up- nouvelle comfort food, he also hopes to return to England upon graduation to work. After sitting down at an immaculate table surrounded by large windows that look onto the kitchens, we were served a bread basket. I don’t usually eat carbohydrates but three slices later, all my carb inhibitions were gone and I called for grilled watermelon squares with warm goat cheese ($7), followed by pappardelle pasta in a thyme cream sauce ($11). The warm oozing rich goat cheese was complemented by the crispy freshness of the watermelon and a hint of mint

cleansed my palate. The pasta was beautiful- thick ribbons in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and sprinkled with gorgeous parmesan flakes and thyme. The pasta did not clump together or stick to the bottom of the bowl as overcooked or undercooked pasta often does. The smell was intoxicating and the sauce was the perfect consistency. Although I felt guilty about indulging in pasta with a cream sauce, the sauce was light and fresh. The mushrooms were not as hearty as the menu described, but the overall package did more than its job.

My fellow “lady luncher” ordered the soup of the day ($6) - an Italian bean soup- and the turkey club wrap with potato salad ($8). The Italian bean soup as it was the perfect temperature, the perfect size, and the northern Italian beans were the perfect texture- not mushy or overcooked as they often can be in soups. We were too full for dessert but Walker explained to us that the pastry class provides fresh desserts daily. Overall, my ladies luncheon was extremely successful- it was not just lunch, it was an experience and a learning opportunity. I intend on returning to the Chef’s Palate and I

urge fellow students and faculty to skip McDonalds or Einstein’s and sample the talent of the Art Institute! There is no comparison.

For more information, contact 954.760.7957. The Chef’s Palette Café & Grill is located at 1650 SE 17thStreet, Ft. Lauderdale 33316.

Lunch Tues-Thurs 11:30-2:30pm Dinner Thurs & Fri 6-10pm

The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale

At its best, the Wild East Asian Bistro provides Asian cuisine

seekers with a breezy ambiance, attentive service and a convenient location in the heart of Las Olas Boulevard. However, at its worst, Wild East offers an uneven set of entrees delivered through a menu that’s more suitable for a take out joint than a chic $30-a-plate dining destination. Wild East suffers from a personality disorder. The sharp and spacious interior design and waterside seating only set your taste buds up for disappointment. With over 50 choices in entrees, a browse through

the menu can be a bit laborious. How many ways can salmon be prepared? A second browse will let you realize that there are less innovative choices and more words. As is the custom for “chic” Asian restaurants these days, diners can warm up their palates with a selection of sushi or can choose items such as pan-seared pork dumplings

($5) or chicken and lettuce wraps ($8) from the Good Beginnings menu. Upon a third visit from a friendly, quick-witted waitress, we settled on the Oriental Sea Bass ($18) and the Honey Black Pepper Salmon ($19). Highly recommended is the side show portion of the menu where you can supplement your main course with delectable vegetables such as garlic zucchini ($5), beer batter asparagus ($5) or garlic spinach ($5). Each entree comes with a diner’s choice of white or brown rice. Thankfully, the rice doubles as a sponge to absorb the ambitious amount of marinade that your meal arrives in. While the menu may be daunting and disappointing in the same vein, the overall experience is softened somewhat by the pleasant décor and cordiality of the wait staff. However, this is Las Olas Boulevard, home to some of South Florida’s chic eat outs and inconsistency might only go so far.

For more information contact 954-828-1888.

Wild East Asian Bistro is located at 1200 East Las Olas Blvd.

Ft. Lauderdale.

Too much of an Oriental medleyWild East Asian Bistro décor doesn’t match up with flavorsBy Dana DiLeo

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OD