Here’s this week’s Miami.com scouting report:
The idea for Miami Beach’s Half Moon Empanadas (named for the shape of South American turnover) came to Juan Zavala Jr. on a trip home to Argentina. When a vote was taken at a family gathering on whether to order pizzas or empanadas, he realized there wasn’t a place in Miami that delivered the latter.
Walking up to Red Light, the funky diner attached to Motel Blu on Miami’s Upper East Side, the hungry customer might be subjected to images of Biscayne Boulevard’s sketchier past.
A longtime Brickell Avenue restaurant and microbrewery remains a popular gathering place.
Ana Rabel opened her first ”green” restaurant 20 years ago, long before eco-friendliness was trendy. Her latest place, Green Gables Café in Coral Gables, serves mostly takeout to devoted, like-minded customers who even bring back the cardboard cup holders to be used again.
Thanks to the cruise industry, downtown Miami is a feast for fans of ethnic food — and you don’t have to board an ocean liner or pay first-class fare to enjoy it. It’s a Miami masala — a spicy Indian and Southeast Asian blend.
Agua Spa at The Delano 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach / 305-672-2000; www.delano-hotel.com
The lowdown: The eminent Miami Beach hotel known for its white palette and Alice In Wonderland-like decor recently completed a much-needed expansion of its penthouse spa, Agua. The space now encompasses 3,500 square feet, with sparkly new terrazzo floors, Brazilian glass tiles, Murano chandeliers and two relaxation areas.
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