If you go

Casablanca tries bayfront outpost

We’ve been a fan of Casablanca since it was a wee shack selling catch-of-the day on Watson Island 20 years ago. The market at the rustic Casablanca restaurant, which opened in 2007 on the Miami River, is still one of the best places in town to purchase fresh snapper, mahi-mahi and grouper.

Gossip extra

Pacific Time’s Jonathan Eismann charged in Miami car crash that killed pedestrian

Miami restaurateur Jonathan Eismann has been charged with a felony in connection with an October car crash that killed a pedestrian, Gossip Extra has learned.

Restaurant review

Barbecue worth waiting for at Coral Gables’ Swine

Since the tsunami of pork belly, fried pigs ears and chocolate-covered bacon began washing over the food scene, I’ve been a little pigged out. But Swine has renewed my love of the other white meat.

Restaurant review

Grove’s Timo’s bears no relation or resemblance to Sunny Isle’s Timo

“We get that a lot,” said the guy who answered the phone when I called to ask if Tim Andriola, the chef-owner of the beloved Sunny Isles eatery called Timo, was involved with Coconut Grove’s new Timo’s. The answer is a definite no. And a cease-and-desist order is unlikely to result in any name changes.

Restaurant review

Lucali’s Brooklyn pizza lives up to the hype

There is pizza, and then there is Lucali. And while some are griping about the prices, even carbo-phobes should make an exception for this much-ballyhooed Brooklyn pie.

Restaurant review

Superb food matches elegant setting at Michael Schwartz’s Cypress Room

Just when we’ve grown accustomed to sharing small plates and accepting the willy-nilly randomness of food hitting our tables whenever it’s ready, leave it to Design District dynamo Michael Schwartz to throw a white tablecloth on it all and remind us of the pleasures of fine dining.

Restaurant review

Charles St. a tasty, comfy go-to spot for Beach locals

South Beach has a new go-to spot for locals who want fresh food at prices not meant for tourists. Charles St. is so laid back and easy that you nearly forget that it is on one of Collins Avenue’s most upscale blocks. And although it’s situated in a hotel, its storefront entrance doesn’t plunk you down in the middle of a lobby.

Restaurant review

Fantastic bites, super sips at Gables’ Bulla

It still looks like a majestic Mediterranean mansion at the corner of Ponce and Andalusia, but it’s a whole new juego de pelota inside the former Por Fin. The white tablecloths have been stripped, the chandeliers traded for filament bulbs and the main bar moved downstairs to the center of the action.

Restaurant review

Cuban classics go gourmet at Gables’ Bread + Butter

Latin American cafeteria grub gets globalized at Albert Cabrera’s new Bread + Butter in Coral Gables. Some in the rice-and-beans crowd may find it too precious, but if you’re open to trendy homages to classic Miami dishes, you’ll be tickled by what this native son conjures up.

Neighborhood gem Tutto’s Mare a bring-the-family kind of spot

Though Brazilian, the charming chef-owner of Tutto’s Mare extends his love of seafood across borders and continents, from spaghetti alla vongole to Creole shrimp in mashed yuca, with mostly good results.

Television Commentary

‘Burger Land’ turns focus on Miami’s best Latin burgers

When I visited Paris, my girlfriend spent the whole flight chattering about Coquilles St. Jacques and goat-cheese tarts and escargot. Except to annoy her by interjecting “You mean snails?” every time she mentioned the escargot, I mostly kept quiet. My first meal was going to be at the McDonald’s on the Champs-Elysees, where I wanted to check out a report that Le Big Mac was stuffed with foie gras. (It wasn’t. Damn Internet.) I like gourmet food, but nothing beats eating a cow. At heart, I’m a burger guy.

Restaurant review

Eating House brings excitement to Gables dining scene

Giorgio Rapicavoli, the first Miamian to take the top spot on Food Network’s Chopped, used some of his prize money to launch a pop-up with childhood friend Alex Cassanova last winter. That temporary gig has taken permanent root in a place that really needs its.

UPPER EASTSIDE MIAMI

Blue Collar: Miami's newest restaurant

This post was produced by Open Media Miami a community news partner of the Miami Herald. --

WYNWOOD

Wood Tavern in Wynwood holds grand opening with free drinks, DJs

Editor's note: This article was produced by Open Media Miami, a community news partner of the Miami Herald.