We just returned from 4 days staying at an airbnb in the Redlands agricultural area, just W of Krome Ave (997) in South Miami, found some very good eats there,
First there is a cluster of very good eateries in Homestead, just N of the Everglades Park and convenient to travellers to the Keys, which are worth of visit if you are in this far south area.
Our final dinner of the trip was at the White Lion Cafe , recommended by our hosts which features very good cooking and baking of an american/southern style. (note the online menu is not complete) We both had fish dishes, Jim had a fish and crabcake oscar dish with a lemony sauce,
I had one of their piccata dishes, with fried mahi mahi also with a lemony buttery sauce with mushrooms and capers
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between the very fresh fish, the sauces and the execution these dishes were great (note, served over skinny pasta and spinach and with very nice fresh baked bread and a side salad, it made a full meal. Limited wine and beer menu. However their house made dessert menu is also extensive - even though we were full the key lime pie was excellent - and very thick and large, which this view does not capture. We asked for a box but did not use it.
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this is mostly a lunch place but serves dinner on Fri and Saturday, recommended to reserve.
Chefs on the Run Assorted Cuisine , https://chefsontheruninhomestead.com/ was our second meal in Homestead. It is owned by a Puerto Rican family but featuring eclectic flavors in addition to those of Puerto Rico and also very, very good burgers.
They have many specialties in their list of apps with puerto rican flavors and a talent for frying - would try some of these if we revisited. They also have a special sangria, where the red wine flavor is blended with a hibiscus flower/jamaica/sorrel (whatever terminolgy is familar to you infusion which is spicy and delicous - really excellent and good value ($6.50 for a bit glass!) , all the patrons were drinking, we noticed I had the mofongo platter with fried pork - the mofongo was also presented in a fried disk with lime and cilantro and a bowl of broth to dip it in, along with some lightly pickled onions and arroz con gandules. This was very good save for some dryness in the fried pork (unfortunately gentrified loin not a juicier cut!) - I would get the beef version next time.
Jim order the El Yunque burger, rare and it was excellent, augmented by a layer of mofongo. We really liked this improbable creation. Definitely better eating than a burger + a pile of chips or fries.
I gave in and ordered dessert which was a spectacle, key lime pie fried in a dough layer (they have several fried specialties on the menu) served with pistachio ice cream and a mound of whipped cream. Go for it!
this place is hardly unknown regionally Here is a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znnQOy20urM
There are several mexican places recommended by our host, among which we visited a longstanding popular family tex mex resto, Casita Tejas, https://casitatejas.com/, We had a couple of “wet” burrito versions, mine was the norteno with a nicely seasoned mix of sauteed beef, onions, etc inside and melted cheese on top? Jim’s the chipotle sauced version with chicken, good but one-dimensional, both with big plates of rice and refried beans. the fresh tasting tomato salsa accompanying a huge plate of chips was very good. Sangria was good and winy but at maybe $16 not a bargain. After a day out birding this was a satisfying meal for me and a nice place,
There are other mexicans in the area as well as many other sources of central and south american cuisine to explore. In particular we were told we could get excellent Cuban food to takeout at the resto (Krome Cafeteria?0 adjoining the Exxon Station at Krome and SW 200th Street, but we never got there…
Also in the area, if you take the very pleasant and less frequented route to North Key Largo, the old causeway, intead of US 1, you will pass Alabama Jacks which gives a real flavor of laid back south Florida scene. I didnt like the touted conch fritters all that well, too much dough for me, but it is a really enjoyable place with white yachts pulled up, old license plates on the wall etc and I am sure good fried fish and beer. Another common stop is Robert is Here a fruit stand with a bewildering variety of tropical produce and products, zoo and place to get a remarkable variety of shakes. We were there 2 years ago on a Sunday and it was crowded, with 100s of patrons lined up for the shakes. I had a mediocre cuban sandwith, so I dont think eating is the best idea. This time, we stopped by for fruit, and there were only a handful of customers and we were put off with the smelly conditions for the birds and animals in the zoo, and went off without buying anything. So shakes maybe - if you want to see local or tropical products a place like Maria Corona Produce on Eureka Drive E of Krome is a better bet.
