YARDBIRD (SOUTH BEACH, MIAMI, FL)

Yardbird Southern Table and Bar
1600 Lenox Ave
Miami, FL 33139
Yardbird
Tel: 305.538.5220
Cuisine: Southern
$$$ ($30-$45)
Sun, 02/19/2017, 8:00pm reservation
     (4.5 Piglets)

Ever since watching an Anthony Bourdain episode on Miami, I've been thoroughly excited to try this joint. In the episode Bourdain visited this place and tried some deviled eggs, which I wasn't feeling that night. I wanted to try the fried chicken since afterall, the website is named run chicken run! 

Yardbird is situated off Lincoln Road in the heart of South Beach. The place has a very rustic feel with a casual vibe that isn't pretentious like South Beach is known for. There is a large bar upon entering where the bartenders are serving up some delicious cocktails. It's Southern cuisine at its best and I was lucky enough to chat up with a former employee at the bar who told us what to order! 

FRIED GREEN TOMATO BLT ($14.00): House Smoked Pork Belly, Pimento Cheese, Smoky Tomato Jam, Lemon Vinagrette.  This was absolutely delicious and one of my favorite dishes of the night. The tomatoes were fried crispy but wasn't greasy. The cheese added a creaminess and the pork belly added richness to the dish. I loved the tomato jam that basically tied everything together. It's a must order. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. CRISPY CHICKEN BISCUIT ($14.00): Pepper Jelly, two served. So, it wasn't my idea to order this dish since I felt we were ordering so much food to begin with, but boy, am I glad we did. This dish was amazingly simple yet so flavorful! The chicken was crispy and moist. The biscuit was flaky and not super dense. It was seriously the perfect bite. 

LEWELLYN'S FINE FRIED CHICKEN ($26.00): 1/2 Of Our Famous Bird Served with Honey Hot Sauce. This chicken was bomb. I love fried chicken and this chicken was definitely high up there as one of the best I've ever had. The chicken wasn't greasy and was moist and juicy. The sauce is what took it to another level. I loved that honey hot sauce! 

MACARONI AND CHEESE ($10.00): Pasta, Five Artisanal Cheeses, Crispy Herb Crust. I didn't love this dish, which was unfortunate cause this is one of the dishes they're known for. I fell like it fell flat of flavor. It wasn't super cheesy and pretty darn dry. It was like eating dried up cheese on pasta. 

BLISTERED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES ($12.00): Ricotta Cheese, Sea Salt, Chili Oil. This dish was also ok for me. The tomatoes were delicious and the ricotta was great as well but it was nothing special. I could do without this dish. 

COCONUT CREAM PIE: Again, I don't even like coconut but somehow, on this trip, I find myself being lured to eat it. This dessert was delicious! The coconut wasn't overpowering and the ice cream was delicious. I think I may attempt to make a coconut cream pie because of this dessert. 

Overall, Yardbird was pretty darn yummy. The service was good and the food was excellent. I thought for a Southern menu in Miami, they managed to do a good job. The place was packed when we went, so be sure to make a res. The cocktails I heard were also good, but I couldn't drink anymore since I was drinking all day in the sun. They also are planning on opening a Yardbird location in Beverly Hills this year, which I'm excited about. If you're ever in Miami though, this is worth trying! 

Notable Dishes: Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Chicken Biscuit, Fried Chicken and Coconut Cream Pie