Reckless Fooding

Chicken and Waffles is a brunch staple but sometimes you need to shake things up a little. Smoky, melt-in-your-mouth salmon on a rich, flavorful bed of garlic cream cheese on top of a crisp, fluffy waffle form the basis of one of my new favorite brunch dishes. The Waffle & Lox at Beaker and Gray is as pleasing to look at it as it is to eat. The lemony and smoky notes with a slight bite, permeate this dish topped with fresh radish and dill. It was all a combination I wasn't expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.

Cereal is a staple breakfast food around the world, whether it's served hot or cold or adorned with various fruits or toppings. So today is one of the days that it gets to truly shine as we celebrate National Cereal Day. But sometimes you have to think beyond the bowl to truly appreciate the potential your cereal may hold and down over at brunch spot, Bistro Cafe, you can do just that. The Rey Madame is a Corn Flakes encrusted French Toast Sandwich overflowing with ham, salami, bacon, cheddar and mozzarella cheese then topped with two eggs sunny side up. The sweet and savory combination owes its crunch to some well placed cereal sprinkling and will definitely keep your full and satisfied. What are some of your favorite cereal applications?

My Month of Vegetarianism is coming to a close so I needed one last hurrah before everything was all said and done. I stopped over to Planta South Beach to give this month a proper send-off. Planta is a vegan restaurant with menu items that run the gamut of influences and they even have their own rooftop garden that they use for some of their products.

I went with all of my server's recommendations, leading me to start my meal with the Croquettes and Volcano Roll. The Croquettes were rich and smooth with a touch of mushroom bacon adding a little tender meaty note to the crispy, creamy appetizer. The Volcano Roll provided a bit of spice and lighter texture, contrasting the heavier, luscious croquette counterpart that started my meal. Thinly sliced Hearts of Palm stood in for crab and topped the roll with a Bruleed Cashew Spicy Mayo.

The Frenchie Pizza served as my main course with a Mushroom Cream Sauce as the base, it was covered with Butternut Squash, more Mushrooms, Arugula, Almond Parmesan and lightly drizzled with a Truffle Vinaigrette. The pizza was earthy, nutty with just a light sweetness and echo of acidity to bring a balance to the flavorful pie.

The Chocolate Terrarium was the final part of meal with layers of Chocolate and Peanut Butter of various styles and textures to invoke its namesake. The dessert was fluffy and velvety with sweet, syrupy dates and bright raspberries to add texture and contrasting layers of flavor to the dish.

All in all, Planta provided a wonderful ending to a month of vegetarian exploration. The atmosphere is relaxed and inviting while the space is cozy and intimate. The menu provides enough variety and flavors to satisfy any appetite and the food is full of flavor.

A little over halfway into my month of vegetarianism, I decided to returned to the place that started it all last year when I did the same. Screaming Carrots is a vegan restaurant that features many Asian and Mediterranean influences in their food with hefty portion sizes that guarantee you can't go home hungry even if you tried.

This time around, I decided to try the Stir Fry Noodles with Tumeric which features Mung Bean Glass Noodles tossed with a wealth of vegetables, tofu, tempeh, spices and herbs. I tossed in some of their house made sweet and spicy sauce which beautifully compliments the smoky, nutty, pungent spices and flavors infused into the dish. Screaming Carrots has yet to disappoint.