Every August and September, Miami hosts Miami Spice, its annual culinary event. Miami Spice is a restaurant promotion that showcases some of the best restaurants in Miami. Participating restaurants offer three course, pre-fixe brunch, lunch, and/or dinner menus for set prices. Brunch and lunch menus cost $23, while dinner costs $39.
As a native New Yorker, Miami Spice reminds me of New York City’s Restaurant Week, but on steroids. Why, you ask? Miami Spice lasts for two months, August and September. There are more than 200 participating restaurants! Each year, the most difficult decision for me during the two-month culinary experience is choosing which restaurants to visit. But this year, there was one I knew I had to make it to, Blue Collar.
Blue Collar, 6730 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33138
Owner: Daniel Serfer
Price: $$
Ambiance
Blue Collar has an unusual location, the first floor of a motel. It’s a cozy, casual dining restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor space has old school lunch boxes hanging on the walls and a clear view into the kitchen. The outdoor space includes intimate seating with soft evening lighting, perfect for a laid-back meal.
Service
Blue Collar takes “service with a smile” seriously. The wait staff was attentive without hovering and the manager stopped by each table to thank patrons for joining them for dinner. This treatment made for a pleasant dinner service.
Food
I chose Blue Collar for my Miami Spice experience this year mainly for its Spice menu offering. They included their regular menu, along with a few specials and a choice of any beer or glass of wine.
For my appetizer, I had the Seared Diver Scallops. The presentation was lovely, and the scallops were very tasty. The only thing I disliked is that there were too few scallops on the plate. I know that it was an appetizer, but a girl can dream!
I had a Blue Collar classic for my entrée: the Braised Spicy Oxtail. As an Island Girl, I could not pass on this dish, and I am very pleased that I did not. It had a nice kick to it. The mashed potatoes complemented the oxtail very well. The toasted bread was the perfect vehicle to sop up the remaining braising juice. Yum!
For my third and final course, I ordered the bread pudding. This was not your ordinary bread pudding. It was a Butterscotch Heath Bar bread pudding with cayenne whipped cream. There were chunks of butterscotch throughout and it was delicious!
Final Rating
I give this place five out of five old school lunchboxes. The service, ambiance, and food (most importantly) created a dining experience that I would recommend to anyone. I will definitely be back for brunch, lunch and dinner!
