Brunch at Swine Southern Table & Bar

If there is a meal that for me stands above the rest it's brunch. The brunch at Swine is one of the yummiest in town. From the cocktails (personal fave is the blackberry bourbon smash) to the appetizers and entrees, everything is great.

On my last visit I was happy to find some items from their sister restaurant Yardbird now in the menu. For our starter I knew what I wanted as soon as I saw it on the menu, the Yardbird BLT - fried green tomatoes, house smoked pork belly tomato jam, pimento cheese, frisée and lemon vinaigrette. The tomatoes are not overly breaded or fried and the pimento cheese with the porkbelly adds an amazing blend of flavors in every bite.

 Another favorite item of mine is the mac & cheese, with bacon of course, five cheeses and a crunchy topping. This is cheesetastic because in my book there can never be too much cheese!

We also ordered the shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles (yardbird) and the tater tot poutine hash which comes with you guessed it, lots of cheese! We ended our amazing brunch with the Swine sticky bun, because you just have to, it is warm, sweet, sticky, comes with ice-cream and candied pecans. I always have to end my meal at Swine with it.

If you haven't been to Swine in a while or ever then you definitely want to make a reservation and check out their new menu items. Swine Southern Table & Bar: 2415 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33134, (786) 360-6433.

Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill

I love barbecue, the taste, the smell, everything about it. At Smokey Bones I got my barbecue fix. I visited their Plantation restaurant which is beautifully decorated with outdoor fire pits, illuminated signage inside and friendly service. 

For starters we chose wings with their sweet and tangy sauce. These were cooked perfectly, fire grill taste, not overly sauced, moist meat. I paired it with their smooth bourbon blackberry lemonade which was not overly sweet or strong, just right. We also ordered the skillet cornbread with honey-pecan butter, it was so good I could have eaten the whole skillet myself.

For main entree I chose the baby back ribs which the menu stated were award winning. After eating them I can tell why. They are smoked for 4 hours which makes them fall off the bone tender and then fire grilled to give it that slight crunch when you bite down. For sides I chose mashed potatoes with gravy and baked beans. I love baked beans and these were just how I like them, meaty and slightly sweet. The dish also comes with a yummy slice of garlic bread.

When it came time for dessert and I saw leaning tower of chocolate cake on the menu, I knew I had to get it. This was so good! In my opinion there is no such thing as too much chocolate, and this cake is chocolate gold. Six layers of chocolate cake, dark fudge, sweet chocolate frosting, vanilla ice cream and a chocolate drizzle. I mean, come on!

So if you're a bbq lover like me, check them out. Smokey Bones, 809 S University Dr, Plantation, FL 33324.

Because foodies need to relax too

Although my blog is usually all about food, I have a little gift for all of my readers: the Soothe App, download it, trust me. I was able to enjoy one of the best Swedish massages right in the comfort of my own house thanks to them and my amazing masseuse Laidy (you have to call to be able to request her.) How does it work? Once you have the app downloaded, select the book massage icon, select your massage preferences, preferred date/time, confirm your appointment and that's it! You will receive a confirmation email once your appointment is booked and later you'll receive a separate email with your masseuse details.

Your masseuse will arrive with a table, linens, massage oil and all else needed for your massage. They'll set up the table where you'd like and wait for you to get ready for the massage. You will be asked your massage pressure preference and if there is anything else they need to know before your massage will start.  My masseuse had relaxing spa-like music playing during the massage which made it that much more enjoyable. The massage itself was exactly what I needed, I had told her about the tension on my shoulders and she made sure to concentrate on those areas applying just the right amount of pressure to loosen them up.

When the massage ended she allowed time for me to get dressed again and packaged all her supplies up, leaving the house exactly as she had found it.

I highly recommend this app based on my experience with Laidy. If you'd like to give them a try, here is a coupon from me to you - use my code KYOKY for $30 off your first massage!