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With in-room dining at restaurants currently suspended in Florida due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, chefs and bakers around the city are getting creative, serving up some of their favorite homemade goods to the public. Here are seven local chefs and bakers creating their own products, and how people can order them.
Soups from WhatsoupMiami
Diners can stock up on soups from this Miami-based soup company WhatsoupMiami. Started right before the novel coronavirus pandemic hit by Luisa Lopez and Cristiano Azevedo — who have worked in restaurants throughout New York City, Europe, and Miami — the company features a rotating menu of three different soups a week.
The soups are priced at $6 each, with creative flavors ranging from Moroccan Bissara to Creamy Sweet Potato to Beet Borscht. Offerings are posted every Wednesday on social media and orders are taken until Friday afternoon. Deliveries are Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a minimum three soup purchase for delivery. Right now they deliver within a 10-mile radius of Midtown Miami, but say they are “very flexible” given the circumstances. Orders can be placed through direct message on social media, or by emailing whatsoupmiami@gmail.com.
Babka and Lumpia from Roel Alcudia and Jessica Hernandez
Mandolin Aegean Bistro chefs Roel Alcudia and Jessica Hernandez have began selling their speciality dishes from home. Pastry chef Hernandez is selling chocolate and pecan praline babkas for $20 each, while Alcudia is selling packs of fresh frozen lumpia, a Filipino spring roll filled with ground pork and shrimp, which comes with 30 lumpia to a pack and two sweet chili sauces for $20.
Orders are taken every Monday for the week, with 24-hour notice required. No orders are available for Sunday or Monday pickup. Pickup is in MiMo. Direct message Hernandez on Instagram to place an order.
Baked Goods and To-Go Items from Natalia Ocampo and Henry Hane
Describing their new eatery Early Bird Bakeshop as a “dream project,” Henry Hane and his wife and fellow chef, Natalia Ocampo, have been baking up a storm since the quarantine began.
Hane has worked in some of the top restaurants around town and currently owns and operates Brickell’s B Bistro + Bakery. The items Hane and Ocampo are creating are sweet-tooth pleasing dishes like guava babka, cinnamon rolls, date cakes, plus to-go products like gazpacho, bolognese, hummus, and more. The menu rotates weekly, so check its social media for the latest offerings.
Orders can be placed with 48 hours notice with a flat fee of $5 for delivery anywhere in Miami-Dade county. Message them on social media to place an order.
Tacos from 305 Tacos
Fill up on tacos from industry vets with the newly launched 305 Tacos. This taco outpost features a different menu each day with two tacos options. Think tacos filled with pulled steak, jerk chicken, and more, plus items like chips and dip, arroz con leche, and taquitos. 305 Taco is the brainchild of Jon Nunez, who’s spend the past five years working at Mandolin Aegean Bistro, and Jose Zamarron, another restaurant industry vet.
The tacos are $9 for three and $12 for three tacos with a homemade horchata or passion fruit drink. Currently they deliver daily from noon to 8 p.m., except for Thursdays when they are closed. Order through Instagram. Delivery is available for free for those located within 15 minutes of Little Haiti, after that delivery is $7.
Vegan Burgers from Plant B Burger
This PlantB vegan burger — which has a cult-like following at the weekly Coconut Grove Farmer’s Market — is now available for sale any day of the week. Created by chef Rafael Godoybaca, who was most recently at Plant Food + Wine, makes vegan burger kits complete with the vegan “burger” patty, vegan cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pretzel buns for $10 each.
Orders are available through direct message on Instagram. They can be picked up in Little Havana or delivered with the minimum of three orders in a delivery area ranging from Wynwood to Coconut Grove for $5.
Peruvian Comfort Food from Mama de Fuji
For those craving some Peruvian food just like “mom” made it, Mama de Fuji has you covered. Each week, she makes one Peruvian comfort food style dish that is sold to the public. Last week was arroz tapado with a side of huancaina serving 4-6 people for $30. This week she plans to do aji gaillina made with shredded chicken with a aji amarillo-walnut cheese sauce and a side of potato served in individual portions.
Offerings are announced weekly on her Instagram channel. Pick-ups are available every Saturday and Sunday in the Upper Eastside. Direct message her on Instagram to place an order.
Dumplings by Pablo Zitzmann
Former No Name Chinese chef Pablo Zitzmann is back to rolling up dumplings with his latest eatery Zitz Sum, which sells hand rolled dumplings along other classic Chinese fare — and is a hopeful precursor to an eventual brick-and-mortar restaurant once things return to normal.
Each week Zitzmann posts a throwback-style menu on Instagram stories for diners to screen shot and order from. Options rotate weekly but expect dishes like scallion pancakes, pork potstickers, vegetable fried rice, and a variety of dipping sauces. Due to heavy demand, orders are currently being placed for three weeks in advance. Once the order is made through Instagram, Zitzmann will confirm a date and time for pick up in the Downtown Dadeland area along with payment options.