February 24, 2007

SOUTH BEACH: BREAKFAST. SPECIAL.

I'm staying only two doors down from the News Cafe, the place Gianni Versace used to brunch at. It was here that he ate on the morning he was murdered.

But the one time I ate there, the food was extremely mediocre and overpriced.

So when I got a tip about a great spot for breakfast - 8 1/2, a restaurant in the Hotel Clinton - I decided to give it a shot.

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I biked over there this morning to find... no one there. This was a tiny, tiny place wedged between two buildings.

I walked through the hotel lobby, asked the concierge if the place was open and he said yes. All I had to do was walk down a hallway.

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What I found: A pool-side courtyard with tables that was next to the main dining room. The dining room is for lunch and dinner. The courtyard is for breakfast.

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Anyway, the tip I had said to try the Challah bread French toast. The batter includes coffee and the toast is dressed with sliced strawberries, peaches and a scoop of coffee ice cream on top.

I thought for a few seconds about trying the Orange Ricotta Pancakes.

"Which one would you suggest?"

"French toast," said Brian, the server.

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Brian was right.

This was one of the best breakfasts I've had. Hand's down. The challah was fresh baked. The coffee in the batter and the scoop weren't overpowering. Instead, they gave the dish a smoky flavor. And the strawberries and peaches freshened everything up.

Served with a cup of La Colombe coffee and it was absolutely perfect.

SUGGESTED SONG FOR THIS POST: "Black Coffee" by k.d. lang

Posted by Jeff at February 24, 2007 07:15 PM | TrackBack
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