However, friday morning we left the family behind and headed to an all together different type of playland in Miami Beach - decidedly for the adults this time. Our ride down led us to Le Tub, home of the best burger in the world (as voted by GQ and Oprah). I can't say that I disagree - this huge burger (13 oz) was perfectly cooked to a medium leaving the center a perfect warm pink and delicious even without any toppings (I decided to go without the cheese as to taste the burger better but I did make use of the lettuce and tomato slice). This stop was recommended by a fellow music writer on Hidden Track and I have to say it was the perfect way to start our Miami Beach vacation - from the gritty Ex-New Yorkers telling a story in the booth next to us telling a story that would be more appropriate for a frat boy than a 50 year old man to the gorgeous boats that floated by allowing us to day dream as we waited to meet our burger.
We spent the next few days drinking frozen concoctions at the Clevelander, checking out a local sushi spot, and trying Greek favorite,which was featured on Rachel Ray's $40 a day show, Taverna Opa! (which did have a pretty awesome happy hour deal). We also made sure to check out the local gelato shop that was featured on the MTV's Jersey Shore for a double guilty pleasure. To start off our birthday day of fun, we had brunch on Ocean and enjoyed an interesting take on a Eggs Benedict at the Park Central Hotel. While the English muffin and poached egg were there, pancetta, spinach and fresh mozzarella replaced the standard ingredients.
Our last night we decided to dine at WISH in The Hotel of South Beach. Wish is located on Collins which is one of the main streets in South Beach filled with stylish art deco hotels. The first night when we were walking around we noticed the patio area at The Hotel and assumed it was some sort of bar however WISH is much more. As a four Diamond restaurant, you anticipate an exciting experience and WISH delivers. From the glowing menu to the electric cocktails, you never forget that you are on one of the trendiest street of South Beach. I really enjoyed the maple cream on the Pan Seared Diver Scallops and just couldn't get enough of the pickled radish on the Maine Lobster Ravioli. The pairings were exciting and had me peaking back at the menu at times amazed at the synergy between the ingredients.
