A couple meditations on Spanish themes to start the day:
Por Fin in Coral Gables is offering the chance to "Experience the Running of the Bulls Without Getting Gored." In celebration of the foolhardy annual tradition of running down Pamplona's cobbled streets with six one-ton bulls in chase (typically after staying up all night drinking the evening before), Por Fin is offering two-for-one drinks (including sangria and kalimotxo, the red wine & cola concoction that is one of the Basques' few uncharacteristically questionable contributions to gastronomy), $5 tapitas, and flamenco music from 5:30 p.m. to closing on July 8-12. Only
four people were injured in the opening day of this year's run. Hopefully Por Fin's body count will be even lower.
Meanwhile,
UrbanDaddy reports that
Solea, a Mediterranean (hey - at least it's not a steakhouse!) restaurant in the new W Hotel South Beach, is open for business, and gives a link to the
Solea menu which shows some prominent Spanish leanings. While UD picked up that the restaurant is managed by the same folks who run
Quattro on Lincoln Road,
New Times' Short Order adds that the chef team is Michael Gilligan (formerly of
Atrio in the Conrad) and Norman Van Aken protege Arthur Artiles (last at the now-closed
Brosia in the Design District).
Thanks to South Florida Daily Blog and its readers for voting the three part series documenting my experience in the kitchen for a "Paradigm" dinner at Neomi's in Sunny Isles as the June "Post of the Month."