Restaurant Review: Bulldog Café

Those who are Top Chef fans certainly know about Howie Kleinberg and his North Miami BBQ joint, Bulldog Barbecue. You may even know about his previous Bal Harbor gig, The Food Gang, where he was the executive chef for some time before it closed. But back to Bulldog, which, by the way, is named in honor of what a few of his fellow Top Chef contestants called him, thanks to his take-no-prisoners attitude and cooking style. It's a low-key, casual place that serves up some of the best BBQ you'll find South of the Mason-Dixon line. Before word got out, it was pretty much a locals-only kinda place. However, that didn't last long. You see, the food is just too good to stay under the radar (my pick is always the Shrimp 'N Grits). Not only is his restaurant the NBC6 Golden Local Award Winner for the Best Barbecue in Miami, it has also been named one of the Top Ten New Barbecue  Restaurants in the Nation by Bon Apétit magazine. These days, showing up for Saturday lunch necessitates a 20 minute wait, at the very least. But stick around. You'll be glad you did. Then order the Shrimp 'N Grits. I can't say it enough. Shrimp. 'N. Grits. You'll be even gladder.

Such success deserves to be built upon, and so Howie got back to work, opening another outpost of his brand, Bulldog Café, in Aventura. Located behind Publix in Loehmann's Plaza, this iteration is even more laid back — if you've ever spoken with Howie, which is highly probable as he is nearly always at one of his restaurants, manning the grill or even running food — you'll notice immediately that his restaurants are reflective of his demeanor. His nickname rings true; he's a no-nonsense, down-to-earth guy who believes in simple, straightforward food. 

The menu here is a lighter version of what you'll find in North Miami and includes salads, sandwiches, flatbreads and fro-yo. Yes, that's right, I said fro-yo, and not just your average fro-yo. You see, this fro-yo is homemade, and includes such exciting flavors as Red Velvet, Peanut Butter and Pistachio. Being a fro-yo connoisseur myself, I can tell you this is some of the best I've ever had, and I knew even before deciding what I wanted for lunch that I would not leave without tasting some of that Red Velvet goodness. And it did not disappoint. The flavor was spot on, the texture and consistency perfectly creamy, and the saturated red color of it only further excited your taste buds.

Now on to what I actually ate for lunch, and yes, sometimes it is necessary to start with dessert — that's how excited I was about the Red Velvet fro-yo. Since Mamala and I both wanted the Brisket sandwich, we decided to share that and the White Shrimp Flatbread. The Brisket sandwich, which was smoked beef brisket, caramelized onions, blue cheese, horseradish cream and crispy onions on a baguette, was a sandwich lover's dream. Brisket so tender it barely required chewing mingled perfectly with the sweetness of the caramelized onions and the tang from the horseradish. The creamy blue cheese mixed with horseradish cream seeped into the inside of the toasty baguette, making it soft and chewy on the inside, while remaining crispy on the outside.

The White Shrimp Flatbread, described on the menu as shrimp scampi, caramelized onions, roasted garlic oil and Parmesan cheese, was another revelation. While most flatbreads are square or rectangular in shape, this one had the same shape as a pizza, but was light and crispy. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and the scampi flavors were bright and vibrant. In addition to the garlic oil, I'm certain there was some pesto in there, along with two types of cheeses — Mozzarella and Parm — expertly melted on top.

 

As usual, Howie was there, with only two other employees — a waitress and another cook. He was running food, greeting customers, cleaning up the open kitchen, generally making sure everything was running smoothly. When he brought us our food, I managed to get some top-secret information, so listen up: He's planning on expanding yet again, this time, right next to Bulldog Barbecue. He informed us he bought the storefront next door, which will become Bulldog Burgers, a make-your-own-burger concept. Both restaurants will share the same kitchen and now have the added benefit of an additional dining room. Bulldog Burger is scheduled to open late summer/early fall. You heard it from the horse's mouth!

While the restaurant is cozy, seating 25 people at the most, there's also counter service where you can order a quickie to-go salad or bring home some of that luscious fro-yo. Next time, and I know there will be a next time, I plan on trying the Cuban sandwich, a twist on a South Florida favorite that includes, what else, but pulled pork.