Write to her at lbladholm@miamiherald.com.
Persian food is as complex as those intricate flying carpets of legend, mingling threads from the Middle East and India. I first encountered it at Southern Illinois University at parties hosted by Iranian students who would serve up platters of saffron rice and sweet and sour stews in mysterious sauces. Years later, on a trip to India, I renewed my acquaintance at Irani restaurants in Mumbai.
The homey Central American dishes at Café La Union attract a mixed crowd, from construction workers to artists, who grab stools at the long counter in back for a meal or snack or drop by in the evening to have a few beers, shoot pool and watch sports or play tunes on the jukebox.
Enriched with pounded spice mixtures, fragrant herbs, blacan (fermented shrimp paste) and coconut milk, the cuisine Malaysia brings Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai and European influences together in a delicious melting pot.
Named for the threatened turtles that nest on the beach of John U. Lloyd State Park in Dania Beach, the al fresco Loggerhead Café overlooks scenic Whiskey Creek, an ice cube's toss from the ocean. Open every day of the year, it's a well-kept secret among boaters and divers who frequent the beachfront park, stopping in for a bite after a day on the water.
Some restaurants boast of their Zagat listings or four-star ratings. Siam Bistro in West Kendall proudly displays its Thai Select Seal of Approval from Thailand's Ministry of Commerce.
Chilean cuisine is a fusion of European and native influences and ingredients that celebrates the bounty of land and sea in this 2,700-mile-long country sandwiched between the Andes and the Pacific.
Omaar and Naom Yemini were born in a tent on the Liberty City land where their parents' restaurant, Naomi's Meals to Go and Sidewalk Café, now stands.
Peru has some of the most diverse dishes in South America, and El Rincon de Chabuca (''Chabuca's hangout'') showcases many of them with an emphasis on seafood.
A boteco is a casual place to eat and drink with friends and family in Brazil. Some use crates for tables and chairs, others have plastic furniture with beer logos. Here in Miami, Boteco Brasilian Bar was built on a vacant lot two years ago by Italian Stephano Carniato, who also owns Piola pizzerias in Miami and abroad. He lived in Brazil and fell in love with the culture. When he returned to Miami he decided to create a boteco that looked and felt as if it were transported from Brazil.
Elsylee Colon spends hours making, baking and decorating gorgeous cookies for her company, Elsylee Galetes Artesanals (fine artisan cookies). She sees them as portable mandalas that can be appreciated for the work that goes into them as much as for their scrumptious flavor.
Light, refreshing Vietnamese food is perfect on a sweltering summer day, and Saigon Cuisine in Margate, with the refurbished cyclo (rickshaw) at the entrance, is a great place to find it.
After Roemer Cantillo arrived in Miami from Cuba in the 1980 Mariel boatlift, he met up with Abraham Wagner, a friend who owned several bakeries. Wagner hired him, training him at the Rolling Pin in Surfside.
Lox and bagels with cream cheese? Yogurt parfait layered with fruit and granola? Breakfast choices abound at Miami Beach's Taste Bakery Café. Lunch brings more decisions, including breads and fillings for create-your-own sandwiches, and coffee-breakers can choose from muffins, cookies, cupcakes and brownies, some low-carb and sugar-free.
Jay Zhou brought a taste of New York's Chinatown to North Miami Beach when he lured several chefs south to cook at his restaurant, Hong Kong Noodles.
Bocca restaurant is on the northeast corner of a quirky strip of salons and antique shops where cars whiz by on their way to or from Biscayne Boulevard. It is well worth stopping by for the simple, flavorful food and friendly charm.
India has 21 major regions, each with a distinct cuisine. It is rare to find as many of them represented in South Florida as at 4-month-old Indian Palate in Coral Gables, where chef-owner Jay Mariadoss' menu ranges from vibrant versions of street snacks (chaats) to rich Mughlai (royal) dishes.
Moca Café in the heart of North Miami is a hangout for Haitian-Americans who come for Creole cooking that is a blend of Amerindian, African and French influences with plenty of pep from Scotch bonnet peppers.
Pablo Liberato is the exclusive U.S. importer of grass-fed Gaucho Ranch beef from Uruguay. The tall Argentine with striking blue-green eyes often hosts Friday night barbecues at his Northeast Miami warehouse to showcase the meat. Much leaner and beefier tasting than the corn-fed cuts we're used to, it needs just a sprinkle of salt before grilling over a low fire (high heat would toughen it).
Rice Cream Puddings is often mistaken for an ice cream stand at The Shops at Sunset Place, but the cool treats at the pink and black kiosk are based on rice pudding, a dessert adored around the world.
Peru has one of the most interesting fusion cuisines in South America, melding Asian and European influences with native elements. At Cvi-Che 105 in downtown Miami, chef/co-owner Juan Chipoco makes it even more interesting by playing with tradition.
The planets must have been aligned when Harry Harrell and Gary Torrence met. The two were roommates and fraternity brothers at Florida A&M in Tallahassee almost 30 years ago. Today they are business partners and best friends, running Tom Jenkins' Bar-B-Cue in Fort Lauderdale, famous for oak-smoked meats, fried catfish with hush puppies and homemade lemonade.
Two best friends with sweet ambitions launched a dessert catering company that specializes in fresh, hot mini doughnuts and other fun foods made on site. Yojani Blandino and Maria Acosta are the Donut Divas, and they bring a carnival atmosphere along with their doughnut machine.
Fernanda's International Market has been around for over 30 years, but when Bethany Johasky took over, she revamped the menu and added more imports. Everything from Indonesian spice pastes, Dutch salty licorice and Swedish black currant soda to French harissa and Chinese Lapsang Souchong tea is here, organized by country or region of origin.
Vinisimo, a wine and tapas bar on Coral Way, resembles an industrial tavern with its cement floors, exposed ceiling and wine-barrel tables. One wall is painted with a map of the wine-producing countries of the Old World; another, the New World. At night they glow under black lights.
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