Essencia’s Summer Kisses, Disses to Miss Yip and Miami Spice

*Essencia Restaurant & Lounge at The Palms Hotel & Spa has just introduced a new summer menu. Executive chef Frank Jeannetti, who refers to his restaurant food as “the pure essence of taste”, is including new items — for instance, miso-glazed black cod with celery root puree and shaved radish salad…

Miami Chefs Take Advantage of Free Agency

Chef Micah Edelstein left Grass Restaurant & Lounge. Then chef Brian Cantrell left A Fish Called Avalon. Then chef Brandon Benack left Emeril’s Miami Beach. Then chef Sean Bernal left Oceanaire Seafood Room. Then chef Justin Albertson left The Villa by Barton G. Then chef Jeff McInnis left the Ritz-Carton…

Uncle Luke Remembers a Neighborhood Legend

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke eulogizes one of Miami’s unseen black leaders.Miami’s black community recently lost a great person, a man who…

Eden Roc Steak House: Let’s Name It!

Come this fall, the Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach will premiere a “farm-friendly steak house” co-conceptualized by Seth Greenberg, my dentist. Wait — sorry, that’s just a coincidence. This Seth Greenberg is a hospitality impresario from the Northeast. “Earth, fire, water, air, and space” will be the classical elements brought…

Kevin Burns Bounces Check, Attacks Rival (Updated)

Former North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns abandoned his campaign for U.S. Senate to run for state Senate, but maybe he should concentrate on getting his financial house in order first. This past June 28, Florida’s division of elections notified Burns via letter that his bank did not honor a $1,781 check…

Miami-Dade Republicans Name Drop Ronald Reagan

Last night’s monthly meeting of Miami-Dade Republicans was an entertaining respite from the LeBronomania enveloping the county. As promised, congressional candidate Paul Crespo demanded that David Rivera, the Republican frontrunner in the U.S. congressional race to replace Mario Diaz-Balart, resign as the local GOP’s chairman. Contender Marili Cancio also demanded…

Banana Republican Fails at Cop School

Banana Republican is watching a projection screen inside a chilly classroom with no desks.On the screen, a police officer in a tan uniform talks to a middle-aged man in farmer duds on the side of a rural road. It looks like a scene from the TV show Cops, except Banana Republican is…

Snooki, JWoww and MTV Sued Over Miami Beach Club Brawl

The girls of Jersey Shore came through Miami like a wrecking crew hell bent on bitch slapping anything that got in their way. They left a pile of beaten and bruised bitches and bros lying on the floor in their wake of tanning gels and hair sprays.Unfortunately this is not…

Ten Years After Elian, Alex Penelas Is Back at County Hall

Ten years ago this past June 28, Elián González was returned to his father in Cuba, and Alex Penelas’s rising political star imploded. Miami-Dade’s then-county mayor dug his own grave in 2000. Sure he won a second term as mayor, but he double-crossed Al Gore during the presidential election and…

Blast From the Past and MP3: Pin Kai – Greasy Kid Stuff

Greasy Kid Stuff (Smooth Lips Records)pinkai.com Truants? Cute Catholic High School kids in leather jackets? Social deviants? Future business leaders of America? All of the above? Yes and no. But mostly yes. Pin Kai’s small reign of terror was one marked by incredible creativity and a lack of intentional direction. That’s…

Elena Kagan Will Make a Fine Supreme Court Justice

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke analyzes Elena Kagan’s nomination to the highest court in the land. I’m happy to see that Barack…