El evento, coordinado por Facundo Asensio representante de Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau en Argentina y Uruguay, el Comité Visit USA en Uruguay, y American Airlines, permitió que 60 profesionales de viajes y turismo de Montevideo, fueran actualizados, por una parte, de las espectaculares novedades que presenta Miami como destino turístico en 2018, y por otra, de las ofertas que los 7 operadores expusieron en las áreas de la hotelería, gastronomía y shopping. (Leer más)

Source: www.visitusauruguay.com

With the United States having restored diplomatic relations with Cuba in 2015 after more than 54 years of estrangement from the Cold War, the hearty island cuisine and stiff rum-based Cuban drinks are poised for a renaissance.

Nowhere has this renaissance gotten more of a head start than at the four-unit Havana 1957 in the Miami area. Read more…

“Tapas y Tintos” is a Spanish/Basque tapas restaurant & bar that has been bringing authenticity and flavor to the Spanish-inspired, historic street of Española Way in Miami Beach since 1981. From ceiling to floor, the walls are covered with authentic photographs and decor of Spanish novelties such as Spanish Matador costumes, Spanish fans, Flamenco dancers and Spain’s beloved soccer teams.

Tapas y Tintos has developed a menu with authentic Spanish dishes that range from “Tapas y Raciones” or small plates, and homemade croquettes with choice of chicken, cod, or ham, priced from $9 to $18, and can be shared on their own as a way to taste the wide menu. The star of the menu, is the house special “Arroces” with choice of Seafood Paella or Meat Paella (chicken, pork loin, sausage) that serves 2 people at $35 each. On the menu, you can also find “Tablas” or cold cuts boards with assortments of cured meats and cheeses with Selection of Iberico Cured Meats for $45, as well as seafood and meet entrees ranging from $21-$32. You can finish your evening with traditional desserts like the “Crema Catalana”, “Tarta de Santiago”, or “Tia’s Flan”, each for $8.95.

Stop by for daily happy hour to enjoy $5.99 Sangria, Mojitos and Beers! Also don’t forget to reserve your seat for the only live flamenco show on Miami Beach, “El Rincón del Flamenco” starting at 9pm on weekend nights. Every Friday and Saturday nights, join “La Marcha Nights” the late night bar kicking-off at midnight with live DJ entertainment. Enjoy brunch every Saturday and Sunday starting at Noon. Hours of operation are: Monday to Thursday from 5PM to close, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12PM to close. For reservations call 305-538-8272. #‎TapasyTintos‬

Compelling variety breathes life back into the 24/7 restaurant at Caesars Palace.

It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that I was telling you how I rarely review 24/7 restaurants located in hotels. Oh wait—it was only a few weeks ago. And then I went on to review Siegel’s 1941 in El Cortez. And now I’m back to write a bit about another around-the-clock casino “coffee shop” worth trying: Café Americano in Caesars Palace.

The latest modest entry into Caesars’ star-studded restaurant lineup replaces celebrity chef Michel Richard’s Central. Unlike many writers (and many members of the public), I actually thought Central was a very good restaurant, especially during chef Todd Harrington’s tenure. But asking a chef who has earned Michelin stars to adapt to the 24-hour hotel cycle was certainly a difficult undertaking. Fortunately, Café Americano isn’t saddled with such lofty expectations. Given its prime indoor/outdoor real estate just off the main lobby of Caesars, it could really get away with putting out the same mishmash of predictable staples you’ll find in just about every casino coffee shop. And don’t get me wrong, you’ll find a lot of those on this diverse and occasionally predictable menu. But you’ll also find a few surprises, which is why it’s worth a visit.

The first thing that caught my eye was the pizza selection. While everyone was oohing and aahing over Caesars’ rather unimpressive importation of Brooklyn’s famed Di Fara Pizza, the folks at Café Americano created an interesting pizza menu. How many other places in town offer a pie with San Marzano tomatoes, hand-cut pepperoni, andouille sausage, braised short ribs, vinegar peppers, whiskey onions, mozzarella and a fried egg? Or another with octopus cured in olive oil, pesto, mozzarella, arugula, Grana Pedano and roasted cipollini onions? And if you can think of someplace that does, I’m guessing you can’t get them at 5 a.m., when you come down with a case of the late-night munchies. And those are just two of the seven pizzas this café offers.

Among the pizza selections, I found the octopus to be a bit too close to a salad for my taste, but that’s just because I’m an unhealthy eater who tends to get scared by too many greens on the dish. If you’re a fan of arugula and octopus, you should love it. The Whole Hog—made with pork belly, andouille, pulled pork, pecan-smoked bacon, house-pickled jalapeños, mozzarella, cheddar and a lightly sweet guava barbecue sauce—was a bit more to my liking. And the pizza oven (gas, despite the decorative wooden veneer) also puts out a wonderful dessert in the form of a Nutella and banana calzone. It’s big, messy and delicious.

The rest of the menu is surprisingly diverse. Appetizers include such predictable options as fried calamari and sliders alongside more interesting dishes, including short-rib tacos and red-pepper hummus. There are, of course, plenty of burgers and sandwiches. The bar boasts 11 beers on tap and another nine in bottles. A dedicated “skinny menu” features entrées that are less than 500 calories.

In the soup section of the menu, alongside French onion and lobster bisque, you’ll find tonkotsu ramen. I’ll admit it might not be as good as what you get at your favorite Chinatown haunt, but it’s still quite satisfying. And a Cubano sandwich I had on a recent trip was solid, but a bit on the salty side. Of all the dishes I’ve had here so far, the only real disappointment was a giant mozzarella-stuffed meatball that was rather dry. Nonetheless, I appreciated the playfulness of creating an inside-out meatball parm, as well as the fact it was accompanied by delicious house-made ricotta and vinegar peppers.

Every time I wander into Café Americano, I see staff I recognize. Some are holdovers from Central, while others I know from various other establishments. But the service has been nothing but fantastic. Although Café Americano is far from fine dining or haute cuisine, Caesars Palace isn’t exactly lacking in those spots. Here, I found a place that’s interesting enough to make me rethink my disdain for round-the-clock casino joints, and satisfy my appetite any time of day.

Al’s Menu Picks

Ramen bowl ($19)
Whole Hog pizza ($20)
and Nutella calzone ($13)

Café Americano

Caesars Palace, 702-731-7110, Caesars.com. Open daily 24 hours. Dinner for two, $40-$100.