Las Olas Cafe – Best Empanadas & Café Con Leche in South Beach, Miami

Brunch for 2 at Mondrian w/ 2 drinks = $200

Breakfast for 2 at Oliver’s Bistro w/ coffee = $35

Breakfast for 2 at Las Olas Cafe w/ coffee = $11

By far my favorite place to eat breakfast is Las Olas Cafe. The $11 bill included 2 vegetable tortilla sandwiches, 2 cafe con leches and 2 bottles of water. But the reason to come to Las Olas is not solely for the price. It has the best cafe con leche and empanadas I have had since New Orleans (for the coffee) and Cartagena, Colombia (for the empanada).

Not only are the prices great and the food authentic and memorable the whole experience of going to Las Olas is fun. There are some tourists but most of the customers are locals. Some stay to eat but most are grab and go before work. The place is packed in the morning; I barely squeezed inside to see if I could see a menu, there isn’t one. The alternative is to walk up to the take-out window and place your order. You can see what others are getting and go from there.

You can’t be shy, there is an informal line outside and you need to shout out your order. Most people speak Spanish so if you can order in Spanish even better. It’s a bit chaotic and not the fastest service but worth the wait. I sat outside at the tables and eavesdropped on the Spanish conversations. Mostly older men swapping tall tales, it was great.

Okay, the food. The chicken empanada was spicy, freshly baked, flaky crust and generous portion. I really wanted another one but it really wasn’t necessary as I was full but wanted to taste more.

I’m a wimpy coffee drinker so when a coffee tastes like a dessert I love it. I tried the cafe con leche without sugar and I was surprised how much I liked it (I know it’s half milk but I still drink it with sugar). I have to admit I couldn’t stop thinking about the cafe con leche. I wanted it all day long…and any other coffee I had I couldn’t stop myself from comparing. I guess you could say I fell in love.

The last item I tried (on visit #2) was the vegetable tortilla sandwich. A huge sandwich they cut in two, it’s big enough for breakfast and lunch.

The consistency of the eggs is hard for me to explain but I don’t remember feeling that taste before. They were not runny but were pulled off the pan just before they were done and tasted like a farm fresh egg, no flavor lost. Pepper, tomatoes and a bit of cheese all served on a quality baguette.

They also serve lunch and I am sure the Cuban sandwiches are fantastic as well as rice and beans. Orange, grapefruit and sugar cane are among the freshly squeezed juices they offer. I look forward to coming back to fall in love again.

Made friends with this little guy who really wanted me to share.

Las Olas Cafe – 644 6th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Floriole Cafe & Bakery‏ – Lincoln Park

Image via floriole.com

My friend April brought me to Floriole Cafe & Bakery because she thought we would both like it. She has a knack for picking good eating spots.

We ordered the Tartine of the Day: Grilled Sourdough Topped with Goat Cheese, Squash and Herbs. It was served open-face with a side salad. I love squash and this was fresh, hearty and filling. I would definitely get this again.

Also the B.A.D.: Bacon, Arugula, Almond Date Spread and Goat Cheese on Grilled Yeasted Corn Bread. A light take on a BLT. The almond date spread gave it some sweetness that was a nice change. If you have a really big appetite the B.A.D. may not be heavy enough satisfy you. In that case I’d get a side of mac and cheese.

My picture of the B.A.D. did not turn out well but there is a good picture on their website for reference.

The cafe itself is on two levels and has a very spacious open feel to it. The top floor has tons of natural light and makes a good spot to enjoy some coffee, lunch and even use as workspace as I saw a few people camped out with their laptop. I was here on a Friday afternoon and it was busy but plenty of seating.

I am looking forward to going back for some sweets (Creme Fraiche Tea Cake, Pecan Sticky Bun, Savory Galette) and more savory, want to try the grilled cheese (Spring Cheddar, Butterkase and Cheddar Spread on Brioche) — they were out when we were there — must be really good.

I also included some other pictures from Floriole’s site to give you an idea of what they have to offer.

I Have a Secret

Julius Meinl has great coffee (they have been around for 150 years), wonderful tea, quality food and a great space to enjoy all of these things in. But here’s the secret, the real reason to come here are the little cookies they serve with the drinks. There is just one little crisp cinnamon cookie that comes with the drink and I savor it every time. It’s baffling how something so small can have so much wonderful. Trust me, these gems are worth the trip.

So invite your friends to go to Julius Meinl but don’t tell them about the cookies and maybe they will hand it over when you innocently ask, “Can I have that biscuit…”

Other good items to try:

Meinl Baked Eggs – any kind, Bacon Cinnamon Roll, Austrian Breakfast, Nutella Crepes, Soup of the Day, any of the pastries, Chorizo Spätzle and of course any of the many coffee and teas offered.

P.S.  You can buy boxes of the cookies at Julius Meinl. Do so at your own risk…

Lakeview   Julius Meinl is at 3601 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613

La Colombe Torrefaction — New Coffee Cafe on Randolph

 

 

 

Image Via lacolombe.com

 

 

I was reading Time Out and saw an article on this new coffee shop that opened on Randolph. What caught my attention was this description from the article, “The latest is La Colombe’s Pure Black, an endurance-strength bottled iced coffee in which Corsica grounds (a blend of Brazilian, Colombian, Honduran and Mexican beans) steep for 16 hours in stainless-steel wine tanks before being pressed, filtered twice and bottled by hand at the roastery’s headquarters in Philadelphia.”

I’m not an avid coffee drinker and that description made my mouth water. I wonder if all of those steps really make a coffee taste better?

 

La Colombe Torrefaction — Cafes.

Coffee For Those That Don’t Really Like Coffee…and beignets

Maybe it’s the chicory, maybe because it is served au lait but whatever it is, I fell in love with this coffee when visiting New Orleans. I was never a coffee drinker and thanks to Cafe Du Monde I became one. Don’t bother waiting to sit on the patio. Head to the to go line and get your cup and beignets. If you really don’t like coffee then the beignets are worth it. And, this is coming from someone who really doesn’t even like beignets.