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Aja's modern Asian decor fits with the Atlanta-based restaurant group, "Here to Serve's" trendy vibe. The open space and chic bar set up welcome you as you enter and the warmth continues during the dining experience. The (youthful) staff is very attentive and friendly while the tea lit dining room set the mood. Of course I fell in love with the menu and it's gigantic selection of small plates. My empty stomach and giant eyes wanted them all but with 3 of us dining, we narrowed it down to to a few.

After much anticipation and one reschedule, we finally made it to D’Angelo with Greg & Julie, our friends and huge advocates of this contemporary pizza parlor.   Its location in Oakland Park, sits on top of US1, making the view from its chic outdoor dining area a little “congested,” but still satisfies patrons who wish to dine al fresco. The inside area is vibrant with bright lighting, a crisp appearance, and an energetic environment. While reservations aren’t available, we were fortunate to immediately score a table for four, which I assume to be rare for a Friday evening. Had we needed to wait, I would have been good to do so at the bar, which offers a full range of cocktails, beers and an extensive wine list.

Still feening tapas, my local friends helped me get my fix by taking us to Eclipse di Luna (Atlanta, GA) for a double date. There are 2 different locations- we went to the smaller of the two, but don't be fooled because this place is gigantic! While this Miami Circle location is off the beaten path, once you arrive you feel as if you've been transported far from Georgia.

I went back and forth over the past few weeks deciding if Mythos Greek Taverna (Coral Springs, FL) was going to get a Flavor Appraiser write up. I limit my posts to places that I look forward to returning to and feel comfortable recommending. Mythos was on the teetering point, however the "pros" outweighed the "cons" so I figured I should go for it, but put in a disclaimer: Service is not their specialty. I will get into that later. For now, I'd like to focus on why I AM reviewing them, the food and ambiance.

Midtown (aka the Design District) is an up and coming section of Miami and home to a happening spot, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill. There has been a good amount of hype so I was anxious to check out the scene- making it the desired location for our girl’s night out. To no surprise, I got lost (even with my new car’s navigation system) so I arrived late missing the “have a drink at the bar” time. As I scooted in to meet my lady friends, I caught a glimpse of the lively outdoor bar and was a bit disappointed that I missed out on the predinner cocktail. Fortunately, I was greeted at the table with an assortment of beverages that the gals insisted “you have to try.” Within an instant, I was infatuated with the birthday girl, Amy’s, strawberry balsamic mojito and my very own was on its way.