Reviews for Pride & Joy BBQ, TIKL, Casa D'Angelos

The new barbecue pit in Wynwood, Pride and Joy gets a thorough review by Miami New Times' Emily Codik. On her first visit, the food was not up to par with the hype of a restaurant with barbecue champ Myron Mixon's name on it. She said the the brisket was "dry, tough, and difficult to swallow", the baby-back ribs "excessively charred" and the cornbread "slightly stale." On her second visit with the big man Mixon himself, there was a complete 180. Codik called the barbecue "not only among the best I've tried in Miami but also among the best of my life." Mixon assures the quality will remain at this level, but Codik notes that consistency is key, saying "Pride and Joy must provide good barbecue every day." [MNT]

The Brickell spot TIKL Raw Bar Grill from the Altamare guys gets three stars from Jodi Mailander Farrell. She says TIKL "brings much-needed maturity" to the area. The waitstaff is "laid-back but attentive" as well as "knowledgeable." The plates that stood out to Farrell were the "rich and warm crispy pork belly chunks", Korean hanger steak, Thai curried mussels, and a "delicious, deconstructed lamington." She also notes their "generous happy hour" with half-priced drinks until 8p.m. [Miami.com]

Rochelle Koff gives a rare four stars to Fort Lauderdale's Casa D'Angelos. Chef Angelo Elia stars in the kitchen when he's not cooking at the James Beard House or with Martha Stewart on Sirius XM. Koff says that after 15 years, the recently renovated restaurant still serves up "heavenly dishes" like the baby Italian eggplant with prosciutto di parma and bufala mozzarella. Also noteworthy: the "to-die-for truffle-laden beef carpaccio", "delightful, ultra creamy burrata cheese", and Elia's "classic big, homey meatball." There's also a 40-page wine list with 1,000 selections from Italy and California. [Miami.com]