Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
Blackberry Lemonade and Bourbon Blackberry Lemonade
Deviled Eggs – Fresh Dill, Smoked Trout Roe ‘redneck caviar’
Fried Green Tomato BLT – Pork Belly, Tomato Jam, Greens, House-made Pimento Cheese
Warm Farmer’s Cheese – Watermelon, Olive Oil, Sea Salt
Florida Heirloom Tomatoes – Toasted Peanut Hummus, Basil, Smoked Tomato Sorbet, Field Shoots, Crunchy Puffed Carolina Rice
Pork Croquette – Black Eyed Pea Succotash, Parsley, Fried Egg
Chicken n’ Watermelon n’ Waffles with Chow-chow, Honey Hot Sauce, Chilled Spiced Watermelon, Cheddar Cheese Waffle, Bourbon Maple Syrup
Adluh South Carolina Stone Ground Cheesy Grits
Banana Cream Pie – White Chocolate Rice Krispies, Boozy Toffee, Roasted White Chocolate Ice Cream
Red Velvet Trifle – Buttermilk Custard, Blackberries, Meringue Kisses, Cream Cheese Frosting
Ice Cream Sandwich- Nutella Ice Cream Shortbread Sandwich, Fudge, Strawberries and Cream
Crunch n’ Munch Bread Pudding – M&M’s bread pudding, popcorn ice cream, candied pretzel
Having already dined at 50 Eggs sister restaurant “Swine Southern Table & Bar” and admitting the fact that I was treated as a ‘friend of the house’ by Chef Todd Harrington of the upcoming Yardbird Las Vegas it is perhaps with some degree of bias that I say Miami’s Yardbird was amongst the best meals experienced during a nine day trip to Florida and yet setting aside comped plates, genuine Southern Hospitality, and a personal affinity for comfort food in general it can only be said that the cuisine emerging from this kitchen is upscale-rustic at its very best.
Located just steps from the fanciful Lincoln Road Mall and featuring blond woods as well as leather banquettes amidst high ceilings and chalkboard quips about chicken, pork, and bourbon it was at a large four-top that our party was seated for a 4:30pm early dinner reservation and treated to stellar service by one of the team-members soon to be relocating to Vegas it was mere moments after receiving the menu that a duo of gifted appetizers arrived, the deviled eggs creamy with a touch of spice and brine while the BLT presented an explosive juxtaposition of textures and flavors, the soft belly atop crispy fried tomatoes bright with acid as spicy cheese spread melded it all together – a particularly exemplary dish when taken with the restaurant’s signature Lemonade – Bourbon infused or virgin, depending on taste.
At this point placing a proper order it would not be long before Todd and the GM stopped by and after brief chat about the upcoming Venetian venue a trio of additional plates arrived, the Heirloom Tomato Salad well conceptualized with bright flavors amidst bold aromatics and the creamy croquette draped in a runny egg purely indulgent while the simple pairing of lightly salted warm cheese atop chilled watermelon proved far better than humble ingredients would lead one to guess – each component highlighting the others with a explosive flavor far greater than the sum of its parts.
Unable to pass on Yardbird’s signature plate of Fried Chicken atop a crispy cheese waffle identical to that at Swine suffice it to say that every bite of the juicy bird was as good as the first and utilizing a sidecar of chow-chow as well as chilled watermelon to occasionally refresh the palate the only thing preventing us from devouring the substantial portion was a cup of toothsome grits…and a warning from our waiter that the kitchen was preparing to send out “several” desserts.
At this point already quite full from a long day of eating and somewhat dreading the 45 minute drive to and from BB&T Center for the Florida Panthers 7:00pm start it was as promised that three gifted desserts were presented to the table and although the Banana Cream Pie as well as Red Velvet Cake constructed as an impressively light trifle were exceedingly delicious while the Cookies wrapped around Nutella Ice Cream were merely ‘okay’ I simply could not help but order the whimsical bread pudding, a steamy crock of Americana amidst rich cocoa pudding that was entirely over-the-top and all the better for it – a must order in for those visiting Miami and one of several dishes I cannot wait to see reinvented back home in Vegas where I’ll undoubtedly be one of the first in line to see Chef Harrington and his team reinvent Southern cuisine for both locals and visitors to Sin City.
