Today is my birthday and I've been invited to lunch by my employer. Naturally I've decided to take advantage of the situation and find the most expensive cheeseburger within a mile of my office. I called my expert on spending money, my wife, and ask where I should go. She suggests Jake's in South Miami. I quickly check the menu online (jakesbar.net) I'm sold. Located on the corner of SouthWest 57th Avenue and San Ignacio Road in South Miami (although their site says Coral Gables), The Gastropub at Jake's owns a nice spot across the street from the Shops at Sunset Place. The plan was to find an expensive burger but at $8 for the burger and an extra $1 for each additional topping, Jake's hardly fits the bill. A few years ago I would have thought that was a little steep for a burger, but the recent ubiquity of the $10+ burger makes Jake's look like a bargain.
Jake's has recently took on the "Gastropub" moniker and the restaurant is now know as The Gastropub at Jake's rather than Jake's Bar. The menu looks different to me but I haven't been to Jake's Bar in more than 5 years. The selection is diverse and populated with some really tasty sounding items. Especially if your plan is to sit drinking and snacking for a while. I wanted to order everything on the menu but sorry folks, I don't do it like the Beast (I'm dieting). I decide on a burger with cheddar cheese, bacon, and "frazzled" onions. My friends order the daily cocotte, the steak special (16 oz NY Strip for $18, not bad) and a salad with salmon. The order is off to the kitchen and we munch on this tasty corn bread while we wait. This stuff is not your average corn bread, its very moist, almost wet, and a little spicy, which I like. There are hints of paprika and nice chunks of corn too. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Don't come for lunch if your in a hurry because it took about 20 minutes to take our order and another 30 minutes for our food to arrive. We're 50 in the hole and we haven't even started. When it finally does arrive everything looks great, especially the burger. It sure looks enticing in this picture. Its served open faced with a mess of "frazzled onions".
And it tastes as good as it looks too. Not sure what the blend is in the meat patty but I think its mostly sirloin because it tastes lean. Everything on the plate is well seasoned. The bacon is delicious, cooked just right. The frazzled onions are fantastic, very crisp. Nice choice of cheese, just sharp enough without being overpowering. I throw caution to the wind and ask for my burgers medium-rare. Its a dangerous practice, I've been informed of the risk, but I like to live on the edge. Besides its a good test of the chef's burger cookery. Jake's delivered medium, not medium rare. Not too troublesome but I like the blood. Overall a superb burger, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Everyone else in our party seemed very satisfied with their food as well. The Cocotte looked pretty good, I'll be going back for one of those. There are actually a few things on the menu I think I'll be going back for and the burger is definitely one of them. Swing by and check out the Gastropub at Jake's when you have an hour or two to kill. The wait was a little long for lunchtime but maybe I just need a change of attitude. A little more pub than gastro and I'm sure I wouldn't even have noticed.OVERALL: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Jake's
6901 S Red Rd, Coral Gables, FL
6901 S Red Rd, Coral Gables, FL
(305) 662-8632
3 comments:
Happy Birthday!
Looks yummy :) Mid rare is the way to go.
JC, I went to Jakes for the first time this week (after nine years working in South Miami) but did not have the burger. I definitely have to go back, let me know if your down. I liked the corn bread as much as you did. I had the fish and crisps and it was very good although it did not come with vinegar like it was supposed to.
Nelson
PS. Red Road is the Coral Gables/South Miami Boundary so it is in the Gables...
Went to lunch and used my credit card to treat my friends. When I got home to log my account they changed the numbers. I have to report them for fraud. The managment does not return my calls. You think they would want to know what the emplyees are doing. Do not go here and do not use a credit card here there is a scam going on. Bad stuff here.
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