Rachel Ray: Sheehan claims that celebrity chefs should not show up in FHM. They should be fat, and covered in cheese at all times. (We tend to agree. Nice photoshop job though)

What would we add? Giada DiLaurentis in any form (if a person can be a trend, if not, Food Network’s oversaturation of her and all she’s peddling), sliders of any type (it’s a mini sandwich, people), pork belly (it’s delish, but bacon is just fine, thank you), cobb salads (this is a holdover from the 1990′s) and Starbucks (why buy from the commercial giant when there are so many regional roasters making great beans?)

Sheenan also takes exception to the term “foodie” saying, “if you’re bothered by the inclusion of this entry on the list, you’re part of the problem, friend.” Point taken, but we’re not changing the name of this blog, friend.

What trends do you think should be put to rest this year?

Matsuri serves Ankimo (monkfish liver)

Located in a downscale South Miami strip mall at Bird Road and SW 57th Avenue, this little Japanese outpost opened in 1988, serving the best sushi in town without the comparable South Beach price tag. Our favorites include the Ankimo in ponzu jelly (a monkfish liver, almost like a Japanese foie gras), hamachi, hokkigai and torigai (surf and cockle clams) and the “Mr. Bush’s 3p.m.” roll–tuna tartar with avocado and cucumber drizzled with a spicy sauce and playfully topped with a single miniture pretzel.  Total bill for dinner for two at Matsuri including sake, eight sushi selections, tax and tip cost a reasonable $85. Closed Mondays. 5759 Bird Road, Miami, FL, 33155. Tel: (305) 663-1615.

A Christmas Eve tradition: Bacala. Courtesy of Epicurious

What IS the Feast of the Seven Fishes? When I reference this Christmas Eve tradition that runs deep in Italian families, many times I get a blank stare or a reaction of,  “huh, SEVEN?” Mario Batali best described this tradition as “what Italians do when they say they’re fasting.”  Since fasting in my family is next to impossible, this is the only time of year that we get to claim that we are fasting– and that’s only because the Feast of Seven Fishes doesn’t include meat. (And in case you are wondering,it’s not a typo– it really is Fishes, not Fish.) In my clan, Christmas Eve dinner has morphed from spaghetti with tuna sauce (still one of my favorites), smelts and bacala (room temperature salt cod) to course after course of over-the top seafood.
This year, I’m hosting Christmas Eve for my nearest and dearest- and I’ve decided to put my own twist on the family standard. Here’s what we are serving: Oysters, ceviche and crab dip to get things going, a first course of salmon and leek ravioli with a light cream sauce, then oranges with anchovies, olives, dried oregano and EVOO and Blue Caesar Salad (Caesar plus blue cheese and spiced pecans in a zesty lemon dressing) and finally, a new recipe from Mario’s Seven Fishes menu, Shrimp Marsala “Housewife style” or if we are being official, Gamberoni Casalinga Siciliana. Dessert will be a pomegranate crème brulee, if we can muster up the energy to eat anything else.Cheers, Florida Foodies–wishing you a wonderful Christmas full of family, friends and good food!

The kitchen is housed in an old school bus. Courtesy of yborcitystogie.com

All mexican, all the time. Courtesy of Metromix

A sign outside Taco Bus says “broken english perfectly spoken,” but translation of any kind is unnecessary, everything is just plain delicious. 913 E. Hillsborough Ave, Tampa FL 33604. Tel: (813) 232-5889.

Vosges Exotic truffles.

Vosges has stores in Chicago, Las Vegas and New York, but you don’t have to travel to their stores to sample their scrumptious offerings. Now through December 31, Vosges is offering Zest Foodies a special holiday discount! Zest readers will receive 10 percent of their purchases of Vosges when they use promo code BLGF09 at checkout. The Vosges site features holiday collections at a variety of pricepoints and are a time-saving solution for gifts for out of town friends and family. Order online or call (888) 301-9866.

It's more than just steaks at Meat Market

The restaurant’s name is a bit of a misnomer. Yes, the beef at the Meat Market is the cornerstone of the menu, but seafood also plays a prominent role. We started with the ceviche special as well as the Crudo Himachi appetizer ($19). The raw himachi was lime-marinated and “cedar-scented,” topped with what I think were pickled jalapenos and truffle oil– but honestly, I was too consumed with shoving the fresh, zesty little creations into my mouth to contemplate the exact preparation of the jalapenos. It was sublime. The rest of the group seemed to really enjoy their ceviche, I was too busy hording the himachi to really take note!

The Meat Market serves reserve cuts of beef — like filet mignon from Harris Ranch– with a mix-and-match assortment of toppings like tomatilla and serrano mole, smoked paprika chimichurri and a “touch of fire” mango and scotch bonnet sauce. There are also other fish and meat house specialties. I had the Kobe skirt steak with lemongrass, ginger and local chili. My steak was perfectly cooked to my specification but regrettably, the portion was so large I was only able to eat about half of it. The flavor profile was unique and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mister M’s tropical braised “fatty” brisket was slow-cooked with coconut, mango, cuban sweet potatoes and wild mushrooms. At first, he was hesitant about ordering the beef-coconut combination, but the server highly recommended the dish and it did not disappoint. The flavors proved to be subtle and the dish was a total success. We could have made an entire meal on the side dishes though. Sweet potato fries with honey crème fraiche, truffled cream corn, summer squash cobbler, gouda tater tots– all were comforting and unexpected.

The cocktails are not an afterthought at Meat Market and I highly suggest ordering a concoction from the Crudo Bar’s specialty drink menu ($10-12). The Mixologist behind the bar stirred up a cucumber-infused mojito for Mister M and a Ciaparhina martini with fresh herbs for me. Both were refreshing and unique takes on what have become commonplace libations. The wine list is extensive, with cabs and bordeaux blends dominating the selections. (Meat Market has recently launched a new $10 appetizer menu at their bar from 5-8 p.m. daily.)

Overall, the service was attentive and helpful at Meat Market and we felt that most of the expected SoBe attitude was surprisingly absent from our dining experience– and that’s saying a lot because we were sans luggage looking like frumpy tourists. This is a great place for a romantic night out, dinner with friends or a drink and appetizer at the Crudo Bar. Reservations are suggested. Indoor and outdoor dining available. 915 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139. (305) 532-0088.