Grand Tasting Highlights: Part II

We arrived bright and early for the farewell to SoBe Wine & Food Fest Sunday morning. The Grand Tasting Village was abuzz with eager eaters waiting to get into the tents and begin the party. Some familiar faces returned, but for the most part, visitors tend to choose just one Grand Tasting to invest in. After Saturday's sold-out rain-and-shine event, we were chipper when we arrived to see rays of sun bouncing off the ocean. Sunday seemed more well-behaved following Saturday's spread of antics in the tents, and the only thing we can think to attribute is Monday being a workday. But, the food tasted twice as good, and we spent time chatting with local chefs, relishing our last day of the fest.

Sunday's Memorable Moments. Highlights and Lowlights:

1) The Absolut Berri Acai Sour shots were too tempting to pass up. The display alone was worth Twittering. The cups were a lively mouthful combined with mint for freshness and a blueberry to bite. We decided we'd be happy to switch from tequila and lime to Absolut shooters with blueberry for the day.

2) Mercadito caught our eye and we knew we had to go over and introduce ourselves. With a mixologist shaking fresh, tart margaritas and a signature taco to pair, we only wished we got a sneak preview of the guacamole bar. But, what's a couple more weeks? We can tell Mercadito is worth the wait.

3) Across the way, Rosa Mexicana, one of our Near-Epic rated spots, was mashing up the fresh guacamole we were scouting out. Huge chunks of avocado were rich, creamy and settling following some greasier bites we kind of wish we didn't indulge in. Although our Mexican resto scene is busy progressing, we still know we can count on Rosa for some delicious green dip.

4) After a decent showing at Thursday's Burger Bash, we made our way over to Meat Market, hoping they'd have some more of those oversized tater tots or even a luscious bite of steak. It was hard to get past the sloppy plate of chili and polenta, and once we did, we were unimpressed. We've always loved Meat Market, but their showing at Sunday's Grand Tasting did not represent Sean Brasel and his talented line in the least.

5) A longtime friend, Chef Danny Serfer, came out to represent his joint 15th Street Fisheries, a post he joined after leaving Chef Allen's as Chef de Cuisine last summer. Serfer's take on surf and turf ceviche was one of the most unique offerings of the day. The chilled concoction was a blend of beef, smoked shrimp and sweet citrus. Too many chefs were tossing up sliders, and after Burger Bash and BubbleQ, we thought Serfer delivered with his creative spin on a most popular pairing. We're hoping to escape to Fort Lauderdale for a sit down with Serfer and his team in the next few weeks.

6) We had been hearing the chatter about Misha's Cupcakes at the back of the first tent for quite some time. The sweet station was set up next to the Moet & Chandon booth, and nothing sounded more appetizing than a cupcake with a sampling of rose. Once we finally made our way over, the cupcakes were gone! We scored a few sips of the last bottle of rose at M & C and called it day. Besides, we really didn't need a few extra cupcakes….Or did we?

So, we were too tardy to delight in Misha's cakes, one of our favorite cupcake bakeries in Miami, but a quarter-glass of bubbly was just the right sendoff. After a long and filling weekend, Sunday's gorgeous weather and better spread reminded us how lucky we are to live in Miami and be a part of such a booming and satisfying culinary scene. Thanks SBWFF, see you next year. We really will need at least a year to digest.