Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam, Eggs, Spam, and Spam...

More Spam All-Stars music and the crowd loving it and dancing...

Spam & Corn Dogs Mini's...

I like my Spam and I like corn dogs, so this event I attended last week at the Science Museum was successful on so many layers. The Spam was DJ Le Spam and the Spam All-Stars, but the corn dogs, at least, were of the edible kind. This kind of event, which seems to have been pioneered here by the Miami Art Museum with Jam at MAM on the third Thursday of every month (where the great Suenalo seems to be the house band), is also going to be finding a home at MOCA this summer with a battle of the bands event (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). But back to the Science Museum-the Spam All-Stars were swinging, and it was a great crowd with lots of booze. And some corn dog mini's. Adorable all the way around. And this being the Science Museum, everyone, of course, had to try the science experiments-like how fast can you twirl after several rum&cokes and not get queasy. Apparently pretty damn fast...









Event Organizer TonyLima





Wasn't sure what these were, until...



...Exactly...

Bistro 'B', Let's Call It...

It's another mom and pop operation near the Design District, in Buena Vista East, if you will, that replaces the old restaurant 'A', a solid neighborhood spot that, along with 190, and, ahem, Stop Miami, 'W' Wine Bistro, and of course Charcuterie, pioneered the NE 2nd Avenue corridor, or what I like to call, the new restaurant row, formerly known as 'desolation row'. Buena Vista Bistro is not glamorous or filling breathless entries in multiple food blogs, but it has an organic neighborhood feel, and if you know people who live here, or live here yourself, you will probably run into all of them during the course of a visit. The chef cooks simply, and the food is bright and unpretentious.

The pork rillette ($6) is similar to a rough pâté, lots of long-cooked shredded pork mixed with fat, and served in a small crock with cornichons and zingy mayo. Some crusty bread is all you need, and some wine, of course. The place is BYOB for now (and possibly forever), so bring in a decent bottle or two for your pleasure-no corkage, of course. The pace is leisurely, so enjoy it. The crab cakes ($8) were served along with a delicious small salad, and while not the best crab cakes I've ever had, were satisfying and tasty. The skin-on french fries were crispy, tasted like a good fry should, and were $2 (!). I sat outside, smoked a cigar, and watched the world, and the jitneys, go by. A true neighborhood joint.

Okay, maybe a little too much of my neighbors....

Buena Vista Bistro

4582 NE 2nd Ave,

Miami

305-456-5909

Open 11am-midnight

You Wanted Cupcakes....

Yeah, another overly-cute version of yuppie crack (macaroni & cheese being another one) that seems to appeal to the ladies more than anything, other than that other thing. I have never actually heard a gentleman go ga-ga over these, at least anyone over the age of 12, unless of course they were stoned out of their minds in which case it doesn't really count. (Speaking of stoners, didn't the 2nd Harold & Kumar movie really blow? Except for Neil Patrick Harris on the unicorn, of course.)

But I'd like to change all that by saying cupcakes are pretty macho when they're done right. Not too much frosting, an airy and light batter, made by hand, by someone who knows what they're doing. Francis is a fourth-generation baker from France, and he sells his chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with several different frostings at The Upper Eastside Market every Saturday. They are also the right size, just four or five bites, and $1.50 to boot.

The guy used to stay up with his dad in France, trying to stay awake through the baking process (usually from 10PM to 5AM), but he told me he never made it through the night. Baking is a tough job, no doubt about it, but his guava cheesecake was one of the best dessert items I've had this year, worth the tough labor, if you ask me. I brought it to a dinner party, and it was mauled before I could take a photo or even get a cake knife. Covered in fruits, the sweet/tart cheesecake was not dense like Italian (or NY-style) cheesecake, but more light and smooth, like the French style (naturally). It was also beautiful to look at, and a lot more fun than just bringing another bottle of wine to a friend's house for dinner. (In fact, I am no longer bringing wine to dinner parties-it's desserts, or flowers, or something else-but that's another rant, for another post.) He also sells colorful little meringue cookies, coconut macaroons, biscotti, lemon cake, chocolate cake, and some other kinds of cookies and cakes, including regular cheesecake(both cheesecakes were also available by the slice).

And if cupcakes are just for girls, then you can call me a girly-man. I'm hooked.

Upper Eastside Market, Saturdays from 9AM-3PM at 65th and Biscayne Blvd.

www.levinoisbakery.com