Posted by UBMeFood
Beat The Florida Heat With Delicious Food & Beverage Recommendations!
Welcome back everyone, we are so excited to have you joining us on this wonderful Friday! We hope that you’ve all had a great week and have been finding ways to beat the heat!
At UBMe, we are excited to take you on a tour through Florida and showcase the eats of some incredible restaurants and businesses! We also have a special treat for you – we are excited to introduce you to a new guest blogger who will be accompanying us on our little Florida vacay!
Our wonderful guest blogger Karina is with us today, sharing some of her experiences and food journey’s with us all. We both cannot wait for you to see our recommendations, and even pick a favorite or two (or three or four or five!)
There’s so much to cover today, and we’re sure you’ll love what each of these places has to offer. There’s something in it for everyone, and we can assure you that your mouth will be watering by the end of each business we visit!
Help Us Welcome Our Featured Food Blogger, Karina!
Welcome Karina! We are so excited to have the fabulous food blogger and owner of @KarinasEatss with us today! We had so many questions for her, but decided to start from the beginning!
When did you start food blogging and what inspired you to begin your foodie journey?
“I began my food blog journey as @karinaseatss on instagram over quarantine. I always loved photography and editing pictures, and like the majority of people I was also bored from staying home and decided to start something new. I shared various recipes and techniques that I used to lose weight and to live a healthier lifestyle. Over the months as I transitioned into pharmacy school, I moved to the South Florida area and started trying popular food chains and critiquing them. As of now, I am trying new foods around the area, rating and leaving reviews and collaborating with other restaurants and companies, to provide an ample amount of content for my followers.”
Introducing Caffe dell'Amore, Naples FL
We’re going to talk to Karina more throughout the rest of today’s feature, but first we want to introduce you to some AMAZING, authentic, Italian cuisine!
Authentic, Italian Cuisine Has Arrived!
We’re starting off strong with 1 of our 5 restaurants today! Caffe dell’Amore is an old world Italian-atmospheric restaurant in Naples, the menu itself reflecting off of their old world aesthetic as well. Some of their delicious foods mirror their roots, like the house specialty ‘Lasagne alla Bolognese’, and their delicious ‘Baked Ziti al Forno e’ Polpetta’ that they created from an old family recipe! Talk about comfort food!
We’re not done with the menu yet though – We’ve shared two of their well cultured pastas, but how could we skip over the other creative dishes that they have created? The combinations for these meals are too dramatic and enticing to ignore!
Get ready for some of our personal favorites, UBMe style!
UBMe's Recommendations
If you ever wanted a stylish feast on your plates, we have a tower of food waiting for you.. No really. Their ‘Eggplant Tower Dinner’ is an invigorating combo to witness, being breaded & baked, then layered with imported Italian cheeses and creamy ricotta cheese as the cherry on top! Some of us at UBMe have eaten this dish before, and it provides a fresh, tasty flavour that melts on your tongue. So If you’re looking for something different, this is perfect for you!
The next in line is an Italian classic! The ‘Beef Short Rib Ravioli’ they make is cooked with precision and care in the kitchen; in which the ribs are slowly braised to perfection with Chianti wine. Add on some organic vegetables, imported Italian tomatoes & a bay leaf with a hint of clove, blend in grana padano and whole milk ricotta cheese, cover the dish in red wine sauce and you’re just about there! The last step to this mouthful of ingredients is serving the entree in a light, wild mushroom and sprinkling their house blended grated cheese mix! How would you like to be served this complexity?
They really take the time to handle each of their cuisines and craft them into something delicious to eat for everyone!
Well, how does one follow up the deliciousness that Caffe dell’Amore has to offer? With some INCREDIBLE recommendations and hot takes from our featured food expert, Karina, of course! We’re going to circle back to Karina and find out some of her favorite spots to dine or grab a quick bite – get ready to be inspired, foodie-style!
Karina, What are some of your favorite restaurants to date?
“This is a VERY hard question to answer, but if I had to pick 1 spot it would be Choongman’s Chicken in Davie FL. This is one of my favorite places to eat, it offers a variety of delicious foods and has a special connection. The owner of Choongman’s is an alumni brother of the professional pharmaceutical fraternity that I am in, Phi Delta Chi. It was nice to see another PDC brother that has a shared a passion for the field of pharmacy and of course for being a major foodie like I am. Choongman’s offers foods like chicken wings, tenders, drumsticks, calamari, shrimp tempura, coleslaw and much more. My favorite is the garlic spicy chicken, it has the signature crispy chicken tossed in a spicy soy-garlic glaze. Whenever you go to Choongman’s you must try it!!”
Up Next: Gilligan's Seafood On The Harbor!
We hope to reel you in on this next one, and take you on a trip through the waters with this friendly seafood restaurant! Gilligan’s is a very atmospheric place to explore in person, located just by the water for you after a long day at the beach. And although the aesthetic is gorgeous, it will never top their tasty eats!
The majority of their food is caught by the ocean next to them, prepared diligently and fresh by their staff for maximum flavor. Would you like to take a look at their options? We’re picking and proposing these fishy foods ourselves, but feel free to browse their menu yourself for your perfect catch!
Recommendations (Land & Sea)
At UBMe, we’d personally recommend starting this dinner off with a bite-sized appetizer! Their ‘Firecracker Shrimp’ will wake up your tongue in time for the main course; having the shrimp tossed in their homemade spicy sauce!
Now that you’re fired up and ready to go, we have a showcase for you of their most famed and tasty dishes. We hope you like these picks as much as we do!
You can never go wrong with their Mahi Mahi, served with hushpuppies and two sides of your choice! It’s a filling option if you’re looking for a bigger catch on your plate, and one that is seasoned and prepped well for the best experience!
1 pound of crab legs is one of our favorite choices on their menu if you want to go at a different pace as well. It’s engaging and oh so rewarding when you open them up and taste the distinct flavor that Gilligan’s has marinated with each batch!
And we would never forget those of you who can’t stomach fishy food- And Gilligan’s hasn’t either. They’ve cooked and readied an appetizing chicken breast for those who want to stay dry on land and avoid the crab’s claws!
We Are Bringing It Back To Karina!
We were beyond excited when we realized that Karina had been to one of our very own restaurant partners, 954 Spot in Plantation, Florida! What a small world the food business is, right?! Of course, we just had to jump in and find out about her experience there!
We are dying to know more about your visit to 954 spot!
What did you have at 954 Spot and how was it?
“This past summer I was looking for new local chains and came across 954 Nutrition. I visited the location in an attempt to find a healthier post-workout drink and came across the best place in the area.
954 Nutrition offers customizable protein shakes, drinks, and protein waffles. My favorites include the cactus cooler drink, chocolate protein waffles & the fried oreo protein shake. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative drink or snack, I would recommend checking out 954 Nutrition. They are able to customize your drinks based off of calories, carbs, sugar intake, fat intake, and much more!”
Now that is what we love to hear! We definitely can’t wait to try to Fried Oreo Protein Shake next time we are visiting!
More from 954 spot
We want to take the suggestions Karina has given us and take it one step further! 954 Spot is one of our fabulous restaurant partners and we could not be more thrilled to have met them and have the pleasure of getting to know them and their incredible shakes, teas and post-workout bites!
954 Spot is a health and fitness oriented restaurant with the largest menu we’ve seen in a long time; so you can give it a go at something new with every visit! They have multiple flavors and extra options to include with each drink and breakfast option they provide, and they make sure to make your day convenient – if you ever find yourself in a rush, they have meal replacement beverages and other snacks to go! So without further adieu, we would love to give our personal recommendations in line with everything we’ve introduced to you! You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu!
Deliciousness With A Healthy Boost
At UBMe, we love their Chocolate Lover’s Shake! When you order this sweet treat, it comes with 24G of protein, and it’s typically 250-300 calories. To see chocolate be made into something nourishing, is something that we love to take advantage of each time we visit! Who knew that chocolate could be fabricated into something so healthy?
954 has created each of their drinks perfectly, to keep the same delicious taste combined with all of the nutritious value you need in a cup!
If you order with UBMe, you know by now that we are always on the prowl for eye-catching eats and refreshments! And their ‘Black Panther’ tea bomb certainly charmed us when we discovered it on their menu! Their mixture of pomegranate, grape, blue blast and cucumber had us feline pleased- It’s one of their more exotic concoctions to choose from, and a fun one to sip on!
We hope you noticed our description regarding fitness… Because 954 has an entire category dedicated to pre-workout/hydration drinks, for those of you who need to hit the gym or need a boost! All of the drinks in this selection give you energy & stay under 200 KCAL/caffeine; but some of them offer different benefits from each other as well. We’re listing 3 examples for you today if you’re intrigued!‘
Jolly Rancher’ grants you creatine for that long lasting workout you plan to do, ‘Muscle Bomb’ helps with your muscle soreness when you’re done with your day, and “Acai Refresher” gives you electrolytes to regulate your body throughout. There’s so many more to choose from that can do nothing but provide exemplary results! 954 has delivered an incredible variety for all of the foodies out there who need something new to start their week with!
Back To You, Karina!
We are so excited to hear more about some of your favorite spots to eat around Florida! @KarinasEatss on Instagram gives you Foodie Heaven and we are so excited to hear which locations make the top of Karina’s list of places to eat!
We'd Love to hear your recommendations for Florida eats!
“Bodega Taqueria in Fort Lauderdale. For someone that LOVES tacos, I would recommend checking out Bodega! This restaurant has friendly service, great music and vibes, affordable prices and most importantly delicious food. My favorites are the pollo asado tacos (dipped in the bodega hot sauce), cauliflower rice, spiked lemonade and churros!”
“I also liked Parlour Vegan Bakery in Plantation FL. This is a vegan & nut-free bakery located in Plantation Florida. It offers a variety of foods like custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, empanadas, sandwiches, lattes, and much more. My favorites are the creme brulee cupcakes, unicorn cookies and black bean empanadas!”
OMG is all we can say about these tacos! They look absolutely delicious and we cannot wait to stop in when we are next in Fort Lauderdale!
Enjoy a fabulous ‘taste’ of Parlour Vegan Bakery below!
Let's Get Jacked - Vegan Style!
Up until this point, we’ve focused on a good selection of meats, but we intend to serve a variety for all of our foodies- which is why we want to give a warm introduction to Jacked Vegan’s Food Truck! Jacked has focused on creating new, mouthwatering vegan options for the vegan community & anyone interested in their alternatives since the beginning; within their little food truck in the Baldwin Park Area!
They came to create their restaurant because they wanted to make vegan food flavor-some for everyone as a healthy alternative. We can without a doubt say they’ve succeeded, and they continue to expand their menu! So why don’t we give you some suggestions on what they’ve created so far to catch you up?
UBMe's Recommendations
Are you ready to get a little wild? ‘Wild West Jack’ is one of many burgers Jacked has to deliver, and it’s ace high! They’ve created their own ‘jackfruit patties’ and ‘cheeze’ for this one to mimic the real counterparts, with their own yummy essence to it, and sweet & smoky BBQ sauce with a homemade onion ring to finish the flavourbomb!
And of course there are so many other burgers they have to offer if you want a different twist to your tongue, but we’re sweet tooths too! Their cheesecake is magnificent, and 100% vegan true to their name! We have to admit- it’s our favorite thing on their menu because it also has multiple flavors like strawberry or oreo. We can say for sure Jacked takes the cake with this one!
Karina, We have to know - what's next?!
“I am so grateful to have gotten so much love and support from my followers and look forward to creating more content for them. In the future, I do have some collaborations and brand deals lined up that I will be sharing soon with my followers. I am also looking forward to trying more restaurants including but not limited to; Frosty Fox Davie, Rivertail, and Tacocraft taqueria!”
Last But not least - welcome to central ave. nutrition!
How about a drink with that meal? We’re bringing in today Central Ave Nutrition, another incredible restaurant that is entirely focused on creating healthy, protein filled beverages to grab n go, and we’re in love with them!
Their specialties are tea, coffee and shakes, and they’re all innovative and fresh in their own way. It’s really gotten us excited to try new drinks each time we visit! We still have yet to try them all, but we do want to share the ones we have tried with you. There’s so many options, you’re sure to find the perfect drink for you!
Our Must-Try Items!
We’re going to recommend the drinks we think are the best from each of their categories, starting with their energy bomb tea! We plan to hit all of the stops for taste testing today!
So because it’s the middle of summer, why not give you a taste of vacation? We want to slide over their ‘Blue Lagoon’ for you to try! It’s a concoction of lime liftoff and lemon tea, topped with their pineapple, blue raspberry and coconut syrup. It’s a tropical experience you can have anytime you’d like, and one that’s balanced with both a sweet, but fruity & invigorating tang!
Central Ave.’s ‘Banana Cream Pie’ is a filling creamy delight whipped up just for you! It rockin the banana and vanilla flavored base, blended together and filled to the tippy top of the cup! It’s topped with whipped cream, sprinkled cinnamon and a banana for good measure. This shake is a more mild sweet treat if you want something less potent, but no less delicious!
In closing, we have your coffee to start you for the day saved best for last!
Most of your morning blends can get too familiar after drinking it for so long- some of us at UBMe have surely had this experience. So we’d love to recommend a coffee with a much more contrasting vibe to it that really took us by surprise!
How would you like to try their blueberry coffee? They’ve fashioned a house blended protein iced coffee, flavored with their blueberry syrup! It was a delightful change in taste, and one we’d love to have again when we get the chance to swing by again!
We're taking it back to Karina, one last time!
Let’s end this tour with your foodie bucket list and what’s to come!
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and what cuisine do you want to try?
“If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would travel to Italy. I would eat absolutely every famous authentic dish there is! I would eat pizza, gnocchi, ravioli and sip on some wine at the vineyards, eating the best cheeses they have!”
Oh, we absolutely love that and fully support this buck-list activity! Italy is also on our list, so we can’t wait for your dream to come true and get to live through your incredible foodie journey!
We hope you loved having Karina’s eats and insights as much as we did and we 100% cannot wait to have her join us again in the near future!
Closing Out Our Florida Foodie Vacation
We hope you enjoyed our fabulous journey throughout Florida, accompanied by the amazing Karina of @KarinasEatss! It is such a pleasure for us at UBMe to share new restaurants with you every week and we hope you enjoy coming along for the ride!
If you visit any of these places, or check off any of the wonderful restaurants from Karina’s bucket list, it would be amazing if you show us your experience through social media with pictures and stories! We love getting to know our community and seeing all the fun places you’ve visited, and we are just a tag away!
If you can’t make it to any of them or don’t want to go out, ordering online is also an option for each of the restaurants we have featured today! Through UBMefood.com you can try some of our recommendations with just a few clicks – trust us, if you go this route, you are in for some hard-core deliciousness!
We thank you for being as enthusiastic about food as we are, and we hope to catch you on our next blog with new eats to come! Please do not forget to give Karina a follow on the ‘gram and continue to follow along with her and her food journey!
As always, thank you again for joining us and we cannot wait to share more delicious moments with you next week! Ciao!