June 29th, 2009
Only two days ago I noticed the ‘coming soon’ sign on the door of Cafe Hellas in the Gables. Today, driving home from work I noticed a little something different when I passed by (no, I’m not stalking them; it’s on my evening commute route). Some of the paper on the windows was gone and hours of operation now appeared printed on the glass door. A “now hiring” sign was also posted.
It turns out they were more ready to open than I thought. Cafe Hellas opens Wednesday, a gentleman who was walking into the place told D. I really hope they bring us some good food.
Cafe Hellas will serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours of operation will be Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m.-11:00 p.m. and Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Cafe Hellas
70 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables
June 29th, 2009
Lately I’ve found myself caught in the South Florida rains quite a bit. It happened yet again yesterday at Toyota’s Los Sabores del Mercado Venza. The rain surely deterred many from coming, which in a way made it better for those who attended because we were able to watch the chefs and taste the food without fighting crowds. Still, a good amount of people showed up even with the poor weather conditions. Here are some pictures.
There were four tents, two on Lincoln Road across from Gelateria Parmalat and two on Euclid Avenue right around the corner.
The first tent I visited was handing out tiradito from Adriana Restaurant.
At the next tent, Andrea Curto-Randazzo of Talula served mango barbecue slow roasted pork with orange corn salsa with the help of her daughter Isabella. I’m glad I got a taste before the rain intensified and chef Curto-Randazzo had to stop serving her dish.
Event staff gave out potted herbs to anyone who accumulated four stamps on their Sabores del Mercado passport. I brought home some basil.
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June 28th, 2009
Walking to Ben & Jerry’s yesterday afternoon, I noticed an interesting sign in the space that 1909 Cafe used to occupy at 70 Aragon Avenue.
Coming Soon
Cafe Hellas
Fine Greek Cuisine
A few online searches yielded little information about Cafe Hellas and who’s behind it. A filing for Cafe Hellas with the Florida Department of Corporations show Ni.Ka Star LLC as the owner and Nikolaos Katsimpris as the registered agent. They’ve also applied for signage permits with the City of Coral Gables. There’s no knowing what “coming soon” might really mean (probably a while) but this could be an addition to look forward to in the area. Has anyone heard anything?
June 26th, 2009
Driving South on Le Jeune toward Miracle Mile, shortly after you pass the Courtyard Marriott on the right side of the road, you may miss the sign on the window that reads Gusto Fino Italian Deli Market. I know I did for months after I moved to the Gables. And even after I took notice, the place remained only a mental note until last weekend when I visited thinking it was a market. Gusto Fino does sell a few things but I wouldn’t call it a market. It does, however, have a pretty big selection of sandwiches, pastas and salads.
The small deli only has about five tables and some extra room for the display cooler containing meats and cheeses. Space doesn’t seem to be a huge issue though as on two visits I noticed that they get a lot of business from take-out and delivery.
From a choice of 24 made-to-order sandwiches (16 cold and 8 hot), I ordered Mario’s Ultimate ($9.95) — prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, mixed greens and balsamic. I chose the whole wheat ciabatta (you can choose between white and wheat). D ordered the Don Tomasino ($8.95), which has prosciutto, roast turkey and spicy pecorino cheese. The sandwiches aren’t that cheap, but they’re big and a good value. For an extra dollar, you can add your choice of Sicilian potato salad, soup, chips or pasta salad, and a soda or water. The potato salad is prepared without mayonnaise but I felt it needed a bit more seasoning. It really didn’t matter though once my tasty, fat sandwich arrived.
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June 24th, 2009
What do Toyota and farmers markets have to do with each other? I don’t know. But this weekend Toyota is sponsoring los sabores del mercado Venza, a bilingual event that pairs local chefs with vendors at the Lincoln Road farmers market. Each chef will prepare Latin American-influenced dishes showcasing their assigned vendor’s products. Visitors will be able to sample these dishes, learn about buying seasonal food – and (surprise) test drive Toyota’s Venza if they so wish. The event takes place on Sunday, June 28 from 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. on Lincoln Road where it intersects with Euclid Avenue.
Here’s the line-up for the afternoon:
Tent 1:
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Chef Juan Carlos Jimenez of Bella Cuba and Campo D’Ozo
2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Chef Marcelo Marino of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and Tropical Treescapes
4:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.
Chef Luis Lopez of Soyka and Campo D’Ozo
Tent 2:
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Chef Andrea Curto-Randazzo of Talula and Campo D’Ozo
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Chef Joao Euzebio of Grimpa Steakhouse and Veggie Hut
4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Chef Morgan Nims of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and Beeland
Tent 3:
2:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m.
Chef Xavier Bonnafous of Bartolome Grill and Mediterranean Organics
3:15 p.m. – 4:15p.m.
Chef Jorge Allendes of El Rancho Grande and Ryan Smith
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Bernie Matz of the Cafe at Books & Books and Veggie Hut
Tent 4:
1:45 p.m. – 2:45p.m.
Chef Adriana Engelhard of Adriana Restaurant and Campo D’Ozo
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Chef Harry Coleman of Charlotte Bakery and World Flavors
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Master Gelataio Lucas Pozzi of La Gelateria Parmalat and Veggie Hut
