Trip Notes Miami: A Foodie’s Delight, Plus Roundup Of 135+ Kosher Spots In South Florida!

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Introduction:

It’s been a while since I’ve written a trip report about Miami, though I find myself there fairly often thanks to having 2 married brothers that took their talents from Cleveland to “South Beach.” I’ll try to include a conglomerate of several trips from the past few years into these trip notes.

It’s been amazing to see the quality of food in Miami keep getting better over the years as more kosher restaurants open up. It’s truly a kosher mecca these days!

Needing some natural Vitamin D and taking advantage of JetBlue BOGO tickets for Mosaics, I asked my friend Adam if he wanted to join me for a quick 1 night trip to Miami and we headed south for 1 night 2 weeks ago.

Adam was infected with COVID-19 along with me on a trip to NYC back in February, and has become my COVID travel buddy, coming with on my first trip back to the skies to Chicago and to a nearly private showing of an NBA game.

I haven’t checked my antibody levels since June, so I scheduled an appointment for the new Roche antibody quantitative titer at Labcorp in Walgreens, which was a real pleasure compared to their old office locations. I was done within 5 minutes and learned 2 days later that my antibody count was still sky high, more than 11 months after I got infected with COVID!

My wife tested negative for antibodies, so we cancelled our family trip that we had planned for winter break.

With $20 JetBlue fares and the BOGO promotion only working on paid fares, I used up only a portion of the TravelBank funds that I got from my AMEX Platinum card’s airline credit last year to book us a Sunday morning flight to Fort Lauderdale.

American flies the only late night flight from the Miami area to Cleveland. Once again, with dirt cheap $20 basic economy fares, I used up some of the AA gift cards I have from past AMEX Platinum airline credit rather than redeem miles. Plus, I even got upgraded to first class thanks to American’s removal of basic economy upgrade restrictions!

Flying from Miami Airport means taking multiple trains and long walks, but it also means dealing with tolls. Those were supposed to have been interoperable with E-ZPass by now, but they still are not. Luckily I discovered that you don’t need to bother with a physical transponder, you can setup tolls to go to your Sunpass account online for a set period of time and have it automatically expire when you return the car.

The AMEX Platinum card gives a 4 hour grace period and had no one-way fee for a Fort Lauderdale to Miami rental, so I rented a convertible to maximize our vitamin D exposure with that CDP for $60.

Adam gave the agent at the counter a laugh and she upgraded us from a Mustang to a SLC300 Roadster convertible for free.

Adam doesn’t eat dairy or gluten, so this would be a trip heavy on the fleishigs.

Mendel’s Backyard BBQ & Brew, Surfside:

We had lunch at Mendel’s Backyard BBQ & Brew, located on Surfside’s Harding Ave. The block of quality kosher restaurants here is one of the best in the world, located just a block from the ocean and excellent hotels. Once upon a time, Backyard BBQ was a subpar BBQ joint, but that all changed when award winning pitmaster Mendel Segal took over. I was a judge at Mendel’s 2012 and 2013 Kansas City BBQ Competitions and it’s awesome to see him transition that passion into his restaurant.

Their Sunday lunch menu is very limited, but is still fantastic. I ordered some fantastic poutine fries:

 

While Adam loved the Pico fries that he ordered:

 

The BBQ Burger, loaded with pulled brisket and crispy onions, is always a treat:

 

And the smores dessert was great as well:

 

But you really want to go here for dinner when they have their full smoked meats menu. Alas, they were closed for a private event, but I’ve enjoyed Mendel’s smoked meats several times over the past few years and it’s well worth a visit:

 

Ordering a delicious smoked meat platter on a past trip:

 

On a past trip we had this fantastic BBQ Sundae:

 

But it’s the KC style burnt ends that really shines as a signature dish:

 

Dino ribs are also a must have:

 

And Mendel’s signature pecan pie is a great way to cap off a meal like this one from Mimi’s birthday in 2018. Somehow it’s hard to picture going back to an era of blowing out birthday candles!

 

Hyatt Confidante, Miami Beach:

After lunch Adam and I drove down to mid-beach to checkin at the Hyatt Confidante. The category 4 hotel costs 15K Hyatt points, or you can use free anniversary nights from the Chase World Of Hyatt Credit Card.

As a Hyatt Globalist, I burned my anniversary night and got free parking and waived resort fees, so there was zero out of pocket cost.

Suites at the hotel only have 1 bed, so I took a regular room with a small balcony. The hotel has a mid-century modern retro vibe, certainly nothing fancy, but it did the trick for a simple 1 night trip with a friend.

 

2 queen room:

 

 

View from the balcony:

 

View of the hotel from the beach:

 

On the beach, Ohio State fans were having a good time trash talking Alabama Crimson Tide players, who were staying at the nearby Fontainebleau.

 

 

The Confidante has an adult and family pool, which are well heated. I did some laps before heading out for dinner:

 

Street Kitchen, Surfside:

For dinner I reserved seats at Street Kitchen‘s bar, so that we’d be able to watch the Browns-Steelers playoff game. We met up there with my brother Dovid, who is doing his ENT residency in Miami.

Restaurants in Miami were jammed with lines out the door just like it was pre-COVID times. All 3 of us had COVID antibodies, but I’d be very wary if I didn’t already have COVID.

Alas, we came too late in the day for one of my favorite dishes at Street, the outrageously good Bao Buns that I’ve had in the past:

 

Adam ordered Beef Tacos and veal dirty fingers as his apps:

 

I ordered chicken and waffles, which are just out of this world. Easily some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had!

Last time I had this with a thigh, so this time I asked for breast. Both are fantastic, but you’ll get more meat with the breast:

 

They were also sold out of the surprise steak, so I went with a truffle steak, which was also simply phenomenal.

 

Dovid got a rib-eye, which was a solid steak, but didn’t compare with the truffle steak:

 

And Adam got braised boneless short ribs, which was excellent:

 

Adam loved his lychee creme brulee:

 

And Dovid enjoyed his cornbread:

 

 

The molten chocolate cake was excellent:

 

Street Kitchen is awesome and is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the world. Service is not fast, but that suited us just fine as we were watching the most enjoyable Browns game that I’ve ever seen!

 

Serendipity, Surfside:

Serendipity in Surfside makes very good Cholov Yisroel ice cream, the cheesecake ice cream was delicious:

 

Though they didn’t have my favorite flavor that I’ve had in the past there, the sublime Key Lime:

 

 

26 Sushi & Tapas, Surfside:

For lunch we met up with another friend and went to 26 Sushi & Tapas, where we tried a Passion Rita (spicy!)

 

And a refreshing passion mojito:

 

In the past 26 offered their addictive Edamame with lime juice and with spicy asian sauce:

 

But now they make you choose just one flavor, which is a pity:

 

Their sushi pizza is very good, but not as flavorful as I’ve had in the past:

 

The trio of fries are flavorful and fun:

 

Tempura mozza roll:

 

In the past our kids have liked the fish and chips:

 

Adam thought his Miso Bass was excellent:

 

And the churros here are legendary:

 

Some other dishes from a past trip:

 

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Overall, 26 has great sushi and plenty of options for people who don’t like sushi. I’d place it just behind Chicago’s Shallots and Montreal’s Yakimono for the best sushi around.

 

After lunch we went stand-up paddleboarding on the intracoastal waterway:

 

 

Miami Beach Chocolates, Surfside:

No trip to Miami is complete without a stop at Miami Beach Chocolates, which has now moved up to Surfside. I got some chocolate covered oreos for the kids and their divine sea salt caramels and peanut butter cups for Mimi:

 

 

Meat Bar, Bay Harbor Islands:

For dinner we went to try out Meat Bar.

The welcome was a bit awkward when we walked up to the Maître d’ and the owner started screaming at her for several minutes as we stood there fiddling our thumbs and looking away.

We asked about sitting outside where there were many empty tables, but were told those were reserved for older people. That makes sense, though we later heard from another friend who was there that evening who wanted to eat inside, but was told that only outdoor tables were available.

We were offered a little tiny table in the window, but were able to get a slightly larger table when we agreed not to spend too long eating, which we said would be just fine as we had a 9pm departure from Miami and still had to return our car.

The mojito here is not nearly as good as at 26:

 

The Italian Focaccia was soft and delicious:

 

Arais, or pita pickets filled with lamb, were good:

 

Several people told us to split a chef’s special prime bone-in ribeye, which says it comes with 5 sides and 5 sauces.

5 sauces is a bit generous considering several are condiments, but the real bummer was that we cut into our steak that we ordered medium, only to find it completely brown and dry as a bone, well past the point of well done.

I can’t recall the last time I’ve sent back a dish anywhere, usually I’ll just deal with it and move on, but this wasn’t edible.

The restaurant was jam packed by this point, but after several minutes we were able to point it out to our waiter, who agreed that the steak was very overcooked and brought it back to the kitchen.

 

The steak came back out rare, much smaller, and butchered into chunks. We were not about to send the steak back another time, so we had a couple bites and wrote it off.

 

Several other friends had a poor food experience there that night as well. Perhaps it was an off night as they were dealing with the rush of people? Though I’m not sure if I’d return anytime soon based on our experience.

Well, you can’t win them all!

The Frieze, Miami Beach:

Still hungry, on our way to the airport we stopped at The Frieze, where we had some of their incredible parve sorbet flavors like Champagne, Passion Fruit, and Peanut Butter:

 

 

S. Regis Bal Harbour:

As long as I’m writing about Miami area restaurants, I may as well take the opportunity to write about some other trips.

In August 2018 we went to Miami for JJ’s son upsherin. Summer in Miami is pretty brutal, but on the plus side, there’s not much traffic and you can get good deals on lodging.

I got a bargain last minute deal on a 2 bedroom Airbnb at the S. Regis Bal Harbour.

The privately owned condo is located in the main hotel building, but also has access to the owner amenities, like a private pool.

 

Lobby:

 

 

Dining room/living room:

 

Master bedroom:

 

2nd bedroom:

 

Balcony:

 

Oceanfront view:

 

While you can get some insane last minute Airbnb bargains, there are some big caveats about going that route. The room didn’t have any toiletries, and the hotel won’t give you any, so you’ll need to buy those.

The 2nd bedroom is a converted den, and didn’t have a doorknob inside, so you could get stuck in it if the door closed and nobody was on the outside.

But the biggest problem we encountered was when the key fob stopped working. The hotel says it’s the owner’s problem and not their problem to get you back in the room, so we were locked out of the room the whole day and couldn’t get into the room to change before the upsherin.

But later in the evening the owner arranged for us to get into the room. The battery in the lock had died and it’s apparently quite the challenge to pick the lock:

 

It was nice to get a beautiful 2 bedroom oceanfront view on the cheap, though I’m not sure I’d go through that again.

Alas, while the S. Regis used to upgrade Platinums to oceanfront suites, the hotel has apparently stopped upgrading to suites since converting to Marriott, despite that being against Marriott policy. So if you do want a suite, renting one on Airbnb may be the only affordable path to get one, though as with everything in Miami, winter rates are much higher than summer rates.

 

In July 2019 I flew down by myself for the bris of my brother Dovid’s son.

Residence Inn Surfside:

On that trip I decided to use a Marriott anniversary night at the Residence Inn Surfside.

I had Marriott Titanium status, so at the front desk I asked about a suite upgrade and was told that none were available.

I didn’t need a suite for the night as I was by myself, but I figured pictures of a suite would be nice for a future trip report.

I went up to my room and started unpacking when I decided to take a look at the app. Sure enough, there were standard suites still for sale. I called the front desk and they explained that there were suites, but they weren’t available yet. However, if I checked back later in the day they could switch me over if they were available.

So I went back a few hours later and the front desk agent said that she checked, but everything was sold out.

Not taking her at her word, I opened the Marriott app and showed her the rooms for sale. First she claimed that the app wasn’t updated, so I asked what would happen if I booked the room now?

She went to the back to talk to a manager, who said I couldn’t have the upgrade because I already checked into my room.

But I guess that’s not a surprise when the hotel has memos like these saying that they won’t tolerate upgrades without approval.

#Bonvoyed at its finest.

But it’s a great hotel if you want to see how the do not disturb sign never actually working. There were knocks on my room at 12:30am, 9:30am, and 10:30am…

The hotel charges a $22 resort fee, though it’s not located on the beach. Unlike Hyatt, that fee isn’t waived on awards or for elites. Parking adds $40 as well.

But to be fair, the room is clean (though I don’t care for the shared toiletries in the shower), the location is great, and the ability to use Marriott anniversary nights is fantastic. Just go in with the right expectations and don’t expect an upgrade.

 

 

 

Residence Inn Pool:

 

 

W South Beach:

In January 2018 we stayed at the excellent W South Beach, though it’s a shlep from there to the kosher restaurants:

 

 

Never do get tired of that view:

 

Looking down on Mega Suites with private pools that we had on a previous trip:

 

 

W South Beach pool at night:

 

One of our favorite features at the W is the secondary pool, which is rarely used by most guests:

 

After the W, we switched to an Airbnb in Hollywood for Shabbos, but the place reeked so bad that we bailed and squeezed into Dovid’s house. Some things you just can’t tell from the pictures…

We picked up Shabbos food at the always excellent Kosher Kingdom:

 

 

Rustiko, Surfside:

Back to Surfside restaurants, Rustiko was fantastic.

 

Pappardelle Truffle is delicious:

 

French onion soup:

 

Spinach and Artichoke dip is great:

 

Tequneo cheese fingers:

 

The real star here is is Mushroom Panzerotti. This is only on the dinner menu, but they made it for us at lunchtime and it was fantastic:

 

 

The kids loved the pizza:

 

And the grilled cheese:

 

The oreo cheesecake was excellent on one occasion, but another time it tasted as if it wasn’t made fresh. On this trip it was fantastic:

 

Cafe Vert, Surfside:

Breakfast at Cafe Vert is great:

 

Stuffed French Toast:


Tuna Melt:

 

 

Cine Citta, Surfside:

Surfside’s Cine Citta has great food and homemade pastas, though service has been spotty for us.

Ravioli:

 

Bruschetta:

 

Gnocchi in a pesto sauce:

 

Futticcine Tre Funghi:

 

Pizza for the kids:

 

Caramel cheesecake:

 

 

Levy’s, Surfside:

Going further north, Levy’s is always excellent, though I haven’t made it to their new location in Aventura’s Waterways.

Their felafel is one of the best in North America:

 

Shnitzel and chips:

 

The babka is amazing:

 

 

Sugar Sand Park, Boca Raton:

My grandparents spend the winter in Boynton Beach, and we love meeting them at Boca’s Sugar Sand Park:

 

 

 

 

 

Cinnaholic, Boca Raton:

Boca also has a Parve and Pas Yisroel Cinnaholic, which the kids adore:

 

 

HBK Burger, Hollywood:

On a day trip last month I visited my grandparents, who have been stuck in Boynton Beach since the pandemic. I stopped off at HBK to pickup some lunch for us to eat outside of their house in Boynton.

The burger and onion rings were excellent!

 

Centurion Lounge, Miami Airport:

Flying out of Miami means dealing with tolls, long walks, and multiple trains, but at least there’s a Centurion Lounge.

Alas, the lounge has shortened hours due to COVID, so they were closed on my last trips.

But I did have a chance to check it out in July 2019, while I waited out a delay due to Miami’s daily afternoon thunderstorms. I went to their airport straight from a bris and was trying to get home in time for the Home Run Derby in Cleveland.

 

Most lounges have killed off their newspapers, but they were still available at the Centurion:

 

May as well enjoy a shot while wondering if I’d make it on time to the Home Run Derby that I was planning on taking Rafi to it that evening in Cleveland:

 

Gate D60, home to Miami’s regional jets, is always a long hike:

 

Finally American boarded our flight:

 

And made it to Cleveland in the nick of time:

 

To catch one of the best home run derbys of all time:

 

 

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Rafi even got serenaded on the way home from the All Star Game 😀

 

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Roundup of all kosher restaurants in South Florida courtesy of @miamifoodyenta & @madejewlaugh:

  • CS = Chalav Stam.
  • CS/CY  = Chalav Stam & Chalav Yisroel Option.
  • Downtown/Wynwood:
    • Brickell kosher deli
    • Holy Bagels
    • Zak the Baker CS/CY
    • Shirin Glatt
    • Foozo
  • South Beach & Miami Beach:
    • 17
    • The Frieze CS/CY/Parve
    • Lincoln Eatery- TYO sushi, MED, Marble & Rye, Smoke’d
    • Bagel Time
    • Wok on the Beach
    • Grill House
    • Carlos & Gabby’s
    • Pita Loca
    • Pita Hut
    • Lenny’s Pizza
    • Tasty Beach Cafe CS/CY
    • 41 Pizza
    • Dunkin Donuts CS
    • 41 Miami
    • Florida Grill
    • Kikar Tel Aviv
    • Rita’s 67th & Collins CS
    • Kastners kosher Marker
    • Kosher Price Kosher market
    • Yes! market
  • Surfside & Bay Harbour:
    • Harbour Grill/ Harbour Bistro
    • Serendipity Ice Cream
    • Rita’s CS/CY
    • Kosh
    • 26 Tapas
    • Miami Beach Chocolates CS/CY
    • Street Kitchen
    • Vish hummus
    • Mendel’s Backyard BBQ
    • Rustiko
    • Cafe Vert
    • Cine Citta
    • The Carrot
    • Chai Wok
    • King David
    • Meat Bar
    • Foozo
    • Subres Grill
    • Grove Supermarket
  • Sunny Isles:
    • Mozart
    • Mozart Grill
    • Sultan
  • North Miami Beach:
    • Fuego
    • Bubby’s fish & chips
    • Jerusalem Pizza
    • Grill Time
    • Chai Wok
    • Shalom Haifa
    • Carvel CS
    • Krispy Kreme CS
    • Foozo
    • Hadekel1
    • Krudo
    • Le chocolatier
    • Wall to wall nuts
    • Citrus Kosher Supermarket
  • Aventura/ Hallandale:
    • Kosher Subway
    • Elsie’s Cafe
    • Pita Hut
    • Mama’s Pizza
    • Soho
    • Ha Temania
    • Dixie BBQ
    • Ms. Dixie
    • Holy Schnitzel
    • Chilin Nitrogen Ice cream CS/Parve
    • Levy’s
    • Karne
    • Cafe Cafe CS/CY
    • The Fresh Carrot
    • Bissaleh
    • Kosher Bagel Cove
    • Milk Gone Nuts
    • Pita Plus
    • Hummus Achla
    • Nothing Bundt Cakes CS
    • Kosher Kingdom grocery
    • Sarah’s Tent Grocery
    • Winn Dixie grocery
  • Hollywood/ Fort Lauderdale:
    • Hummus Factory
    • Yumberry
    • Mizrachi Pizza
    • Nava’s Kosher Kitchen
    • Pita Star
    • Pita Xpress
    • Aroma grocery
    • Sushi Addicts
    • Grove grocery
    • Sylvia’s kosher grocery
    • Rita’s (on the beach) CS
    • Grand Cafe CS/CY
    • Cafe Emunah
    • Mini Donut World CS
    • Cafe Noir
    • China Bistro
    • Dunkin’ Donuts CS
    • Gleedaz ice cream
    • HBK burger
    • Lenny’s pizza
    • Moran Patisserie
    • Toast
    • Carvel CS
    • Sara’s Pizza
    • KC market — Sid’s smoke house, bunches of bagels, roll masters, fancy plants (all in KC market)
    • Red Hook Bakery
    • Friendship cafe
  • Sunrise/ Davie/ Coral Springs/ Delray:
    • Sunrise pita
    • Aroma grocery
    • Carvel CS
    • Falafel time
    • Gelato Petrini CS
    • Pita Pan
    • Stefano’s
    • Cheese Xpress
  • Boca/ West Palm/ Boynton:
    • Aroma grocery
    • Grove grocery
    • Boca Grill
    • Carmela’s
    • Century grill
    • Cinnaholic
    • Ditmas
    • Jerusalem Grill
    • Jon’s Pizza
    • Lox & Bagel
    • Menchie’s frozen yogurt CS
    • Orchid’s garden
    • Pita Pan
    • Carvel CS
    • Road house
    • Sobol CS
    • Glicks grocery
    • Winn Dixie
    • Coffee Ark CS/CY
    • Yogurt Rendezvous CS

All restaurants above are KM or ORB besides:

  • Chai Kosher: Zak The Baker, Dunkin, Milk Gone Nuts
  • Sunshine state kosher (cRc approved): Sushi Addicts, Mini Donut World , Tasteful Treats, Carvel Hollywood
  • Rabbi Golowinski: Subres Grill, Mozart, Mozart grill And Ms. Dixie
  • Star D: Rita’s
  • MDK: Lincoln eatery – TYO Sushi, Smoked, MED, Marble & Rye, The Frieze ice cream
  • Rabbi Chaim Lipskar: Brickell kosher deli

Get more recommendations on activities and restaurants in the South Florida Master Thread on DDF

What are your favorite restaurant/dishes and activities in South Florida?

Leave a Reply

140 Comments On "Trip Notes Miami: A Foodie’s Delight, Plus Roundup Of 135+ Kosher Spots In South Florida!"

All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.

Mark

BEWARE: according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, white supremacy groups are recruiting in south Florida by the masses and is calling the West Palm Beach area their new HQ.

Yehuda

Gashmius!

jake

GREAT report! love reading these things! And thanks for sharing what Adam ate for those that are gluten free

Marc

Just REMINDER -antibodies don’t mean that you are safe from transmitting Covid 19 to others. They don’t provide an exception tomquarrantome requirements in NYS and elsewhere.

Sam

LOL

Ok

Ok koolaid drinker

Mendy

It’s so interesting how 1 person saw this comment as a joke and the other person saw this as some sort of political statement 🙂

Marc

I am a physician that takes care of Covid19 Patients and I don’t drink koolaid-any questions ?

CLE

Great report, thanks!
Anyone have experience ordering carry out from Street Kitchen or other hotspots in Surfside during yeshiva week madness?

Ben

Dan – you da man! I was actually going to ask for this on the SunPass thread, and now I have all the info I need. Thanks

eli

thanks dan wat fun! if anyone is not with progam like us at times and does not get reservations for the all the packed places …goto the carrot in surfside get the legal wrap
and hadekel1 is like hitting ur fav israeli brunch and there pizza next door is serios too
get thaat vitamen D yidden

efy

Thank you very much!
I really enjoyed the read and the great and helpful info!

CLE Rocks

Awesome TR! Surprised you didn’t hit Fuego?

david

meat bar- My personal experience in Meat Bar was really nice…

everywhere these days in Miami is swamped!!!

Just my 2 cents- I had many orders at many top restaurants that came back wrong/ late etc.. but they are all overwhelmed now.. on one experience I was sitting next to the register and I heard the waiter speak badly about the way the customers were talking to her etc…

I made sure to be extra nice to all the waiters and thank them and it really made their day…

GREAT TP DAN!!!!

Richie

What about Soho in aventura?

Aj

Reb Dan, must you torture us like this?
I gained 50 lbs just reading this post and another 50 from the pictures

Mendel R

No stops at Vish? Possibly the best Chummus stateside. Every bowl is made fresh on the spot. A must visit!!

Dante

The website https://vish.rest/menu/ shows a store in Tenafly, NJ, will definitely try it out.

Mimb

Agree on the chumus. It was amazing

Chevron

Hadekel1

Cg

I see soho isn’t on the restaurant list. Did it close?

Ari

Just back from a week in Miami. Great weather and beautiful beaches. We did eat out once or twice. Still, posts like this get me nervous. We are not here on this earth to be “foodies” like cows occupied with comparing patches of grass.

I know that not what is meant. And it is helpful to those who want to have a great dining experience and avoid a letdown on their vacation. Still all of this hyperfocus on food is unsettling. Just my personal feeling.

At the same time DDF was helpful in picking out a nice place when we did go out so I’m grateful for that….

Therebbesbocher

@dan can you please elaborate on the free car rental transfer from MIA to FLL?

D. Schwab

On Google Maps, street kitchen is shown as the same location as backyard BBQ. Is it the bar in that location? Or a separate restaurant?

JJ

They are located in Backyard BBQ’s old location…

david

right next door… two restaurants..

Dave

I get my dose of Great Kosher Restaurants (Elan Kornblum) and Dan’s Deals in one.

I miss

I appreciate that Dan is discouraging non-essential travel. It’s incredulous to me that the risk of Covid and infecting loved ones, closing down our schools and possible fatalities is worth a great meal in Florida.

Very disheartening

It’s basically a “do as I say, not as I do” situation. This has been going on since Covid hit us. The rich & famous do and go whatever/wherever the hell they want, when they want, while at the same time, sanctimoniously shaking their finger and lecturing us NOT to do this and NOT to go there, etc… Even these name brand Rabbi’s & dynamic speakers are flying to UAE to party with the rich guys while fellow Yidden are dying in record numbers in Israel now r”l.

ari3

It’s very disheartening when a post about a trip to Florida elicits a response bashing “brand name Rabbi’s and dynamic speaker”
If you don’t want to travel because you are concerned about your health great but don’t air all your baggage.

Marc

I believe he is trying to say that leisure travel puts entire communities and school populations at risk. We all know that to be true. Dan had noted above that he cancelled his family’s trip because he is concerned and acts like a mentsch. So if it was only you that your actions could hurt you could say that it is no one else’s concern. But going to a crowded destination and then back to your home community including shul and school is really everyone’s concern.
People can get sick and die as a result.
You should be happy that people
Care enough about your health to point it it out to you.

Mo

Anyone familiar with kosher food in West Palm Beach or Palm Beach?

david

hi Dan do you have any tips for staying a hotel for shabbos? i noticed you generally switch out to an air b & b. have you ever stayed in the st regis bal harbour for shabbos?

Annie

I watched Mendel grow up and I watched the press for the BBQ events. last year I registered under my maiden name so he would not know I was coming and came for an early dinner in hopes of being able to share some time. Lucked out. Mendel had time. I ordered the burnt tips . I went for the pecan pie and ice cream. Wish him continued mazal

JF

Which car rental company did you rent from?
Does amex plat get u a 4 hour at national as well?

Mimb

The customer service at the residence inn could use a lot of work. They definitely know they have a captive Jewish audience now and make no efforts anymore. The amenity fee is absolutely ridiculous for the “benefits” they provide but par for the course with Bonvoy. Wish I could say I was surprised.

JS

Be aware!

Even most restaurants in the area are under the MK (koshermiami.org) hashgucha, everyone should double check for there self (if you’re makpid) what Shchita chicken/beaf etc they have because I was there last week and a lot of them have different shchita’s separately for chicken and beaf etc. and a lot of ppl are not eating all of the shchita’s and just not taking in mind even if they’re all under the same supervision but they still all carry different shchita’s.

Just go in or call up restaurant’s and ask the mashgiach what shchita they have separately for the chicken/beef…

Another thing, I came back to LGA and they (NYS government) require from everyone to fill out a Covid-19 health form, and the national guards are stopping by everyone in the airport to show proof of a filled out form,

And the NYS contact tracing dept hang on, on some ppl that they call up to check out and ask questions etc…
I guess I was one of them (but my wife they’re not calling), and they’re making me crazy with stupid questions etc…

So if you come back to EWR you don’t have to fill out that form and it’s much easier,
although this what I have is pushing through, but a headache and getting a call daily (or text after you answered the first time there interview questions the could follow up by text daily…..

See example of there translated text…

א גוטן, J.S.. (עלטער:00 ). דאס איז די ניו יארק סטעיט קאנטאקט טרעיסינג פראגראם. ווי געשמועסט, האט מען אייך געבעטן זיך צו קוואראנטירן כדי צו העלפן קאנטראלירן די פארשפרייטונג פון COVID-19.

מיר וועלן אייך שיקן א קורצע אויספרעג יעדן טאג ביז איר ווערט ארויסגעלאזט פון קוואראנטין כדי צו האלטן אן אויג אויף סיי וועלכע סימפטאמען וואס איר קענט האבן און צושטעלן סיי וועלכע הילף איר קענט דארפן. אויב איר וואלט געוואלט רעדן צו א קאנטאקט טרעיסינג פארטרעטער סיי ווען, ביטע שיקט א מעסעדזש ‘CONTACT’ צו דעם נומער.

Marc

Good point.
Returning to New York State from Florida requires a mandatory quarrantine of 7 or 10 days. This prevents people from getting sick. Doesn’t matter where you fly into still need to keep everyone safe.

ari3

Wow! that’s a lot of food in one trip report (although not in one trip). I’m getting a stomachache just reading it.

fan

Any recommendations for a HYATT in the are?. Going with my wife next week and want to take advantage of the HYATT promos and use points. You don’t sound so inspired by the Confidante (I stayed there a couple of years ago too and nu nu). I’m flying into FLL.

Devorah Leah

Hi Dan
How much is “sky hi” for antibodies, my number was 135 what is that considered?
I’m asking in all seriousness.
DLS

Joe

Surfside is amazing

Everything is walking distance from the white shul to restaurants, been there for 10 days without a car, citi bike or Uber (in miami there is no excuse not to bike),

As a new york resident I find miami the most convenient place to take quick vacations

Now with the low airfare it’s almost like taking a bus locally

Thanks Dan for full review, I can feel the ocean breeze!

hr

Thanks Dan! I am very curious how long a post like this takes you to organize and write.
Please do let me know:)

JamesIV

@Dan add Chill & Grill Pita in Boca

steve

@dan any recommendations to eat for family of five six dont want very expensive.. will be there for a few nights

Rikki

Any recommendations on food/restaurants in Orlando Florida for next week? Thanks

AdamW

Great post! Looks delicious!

Mati

Dan, why didn’t you try the new RITA’s on Surfside? Directly across from Backyard bbq and Street Kitchen. And they have CHOLOV YISROEL and pareve options.. It’s a game-changer for dessert! I skipped dessert in Street Kitchen when i was there and got RITA’s instead for cheaper!

od

If I dont have app or internet access when I arrive in Florida can I just but the physical transponder you mentioned for $4.99 and put in my rental car and good to go without doing anything else?

esther12

Dan, thank you so much for the wonderful report. I think some people missed the point of it and took the liberty to express their unsolicited and rather judgmental opinion about travel with or without antibodies, feel free to ignore them.
Is it possible to list dollar signs next to the listing of restaurants, so we know which ones are reasonably priced?
Also, where would you recommend to stay this time of year if my husband prefers an emptier beach and/or pool?
Thanks again!

Marc

Dan didn’t ignore the comments. He said that he cancelled his family trip because he doesn’t consider it safe.

Kelly GC

How can one travel with no antibodies?

where can i rent a villa with a heated pool?

Joe

Dan, the stand up paddle board, did u shlep along, or did u get a hold of one in Miami?

Sunshine

Soho is a great restaurant. I loved every dish I tried. I’ve been to Miami many times in the past few years and always went there, some times even one night after the other

New York Jets

About the 4 hour Am Ex platinum car rental grace period –
Do you have to book it on the am ex play card or do you have to use a specific Cpd code

Also – does am ex offer primary insurance on car rentals??

Thanks Dan. You are the best!!

Cg

I just want to say thank you- I’m going to Miami in a few weeks and was just discussing that I would love some updated knowledge on the restaurant scene as I haven’t been there in a few years and I’m sure things have changed. So thanks Dan! This came at just the right time for me. Appreciate it!!

Nachi Farkas

First and foremost Dan I want to say thank you for the hard work you put in to craft an excellent snd useful resource. As a physician I recognize your rationale for traveling with antibodies although I disagree with it personally and would rather have evidence of safety (ie studies showing antibody titres predict diminished reinfection and transmission rates) but that will likely not be available for many months if at all. That being said I implore you anre your reader to consider the consequences of posting at this time. Many people are experiencing fatigue that has only been exacerbated by seeing prominent members of the community figure out loopholes or ignoring recommendations entirely.
Knowing that you often wait months to post trip reports given how long they take to do right, I am surprised you posted this one st this time and did not wait. Im curious what your gain/ motivation was, as I generally understand you to be a very responsible person who holds to kol yisroel areivim zeh lazeh.
My perspective is definitely biased by having to take care of dying patients (who die in the most horrific way) and telling their family they cant visit them in their last moments, yet, even going and enjoying your vacation without posting would be a noble thing as it would not contribute to this overwhelming stircrazyness and that after 120 years you could with a clean conscience say that your posts didn’t lead to anyone traveling, spreading, and killing others,

od

Dan any balcony/ocean view hotels you can suggest in Miami Or Fort Lauderale that don’t break the bank!

qsman

The Miami Beach Collins Ave buses run frequently, are now FREE during COVID including the Airport Express (yeah, same place where the rental cars are) and plenty of Citibike docks. We were there at the end of December and had no issues getting around the area

od

free rides from Miami airport? how do you get to the airport express

qsman

Take the MIA monorail to the rental car center, follow signs to Metrorail/Buses, after you go through the glass doors turn left, and if you take the elevator down it will put you right at the loading bay for the Route 150 Airport Express. These are motorcoaches, not city buses that run every half hour between 6 AM and 11:30 PM. It enters the Beach area at 41st, runs all the way to South Beach and then back.

https://www.miamidade.gov/transportation-publicworks/routes_detail.asp?route=150

Moovit is great for navigating the public transportation. Keep in mind there are some detours in place where Collins runs 2 way because of construction.

OK Kosher

If you can update the post.
Cine Citta
Cafe Vert
Kikar Tel Aviv
Kastner’s Kosher Market
Are all under the OK Kosher. Which means it’s automatically Pas Yisroel Cholov Yisroel and Bishul Yisroel.
Thank You!

Benji

What’s the CDP that you used?

Deal Guy

Can you provide a link to where you went paddleboarding, as well as the cost?

Vana

Buyer beware: Rented a 3 bedroom apartment in Miami Beach through VRBO (another vacation rental like AirBnb). Photos and written descriptions claimed beautiful ocean views from the balcony which was the clincher for me but upon arrival all we saw was a gray brick wall 20 feet away and 20 stories up. New construction almost completely blocked any “ocean view” advertised. The owner posted photos from over 3 YEARS AGO before construction began ☹. I wouldn’t want any of you to go through the disappointment we did. While neither the owner nor VRBO would offer any sort of compensation, VISA will be hearing from me.
Making the best of it!

Devora Berger

As I am not sure how to contact you directly, I am writing this here. If you are listing all ice cream shops, etc., please add Coldstone Creamery in Aventura and Nektar Juice Bar in aventura. Both are certified by Sunshine State Kosher.

shmilfke

AMEX Platinum gives free one way rentals ??

Verisniff

Did you get your sense of smell back?

Bob

Can anyone advise how to reserve for the street Kitchen bar? i tried emailing and got an auto response that I need to call, I tried calling for 3 days and no response

Hanna

You need to call between 1 and 4. Found this out by walking in and being told that their reservation system closes at 4. Who knew that they only take reservations when they’re not open?!

Ch

They only start taking reservations for the week on mondays at 1 and they only allow you to reserve for that week. They don’t do advance reservations. It’s hard to get through but if you keep calling between 1 and 4 you may get through. I did.

Marcus

Thank you dan!
Great read as usual.

Btw Moshiach will come faster than your food at C & G miami

Marcus

Century grill in boca is amazing!!
I’ve never tasted a better buffalo chicken sandwich

Florida

Anyone want a 530 reservation code for streets tonight June 22 for 4 or five ppl

FineuhNice

Any kosher restaurant’s in Naples- Fort Myers area?

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