Flagler Street, Downtown Miami: Northern Indian
Hi Hounds>
Saw a post in the Herald today about a new outpost of Raja's Indian Food at the (utterly grungy) Flagler Street Station Food Court. Have any of the downtown Hounds tried it yet?
I'll take another one for the team and report back unless someone has already run the gauntlet? The particular details of the review that tickled me were
1. The chef, Rafael Yungan, is Ecuadorean (Per Google, the total distance from Milagro, Ecuador to Sibsagar, India is only 10,674 miles).
2. They also serve pizza and calzone... (Per Google the distance from cheese puri to cheese calzone is a little bit closer).
But really, that's so minor and quibbling. I'll stop by and shout, "Buon Giorno Señor Moghali..." and see what happens.
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/foo...
48 E. Flagler St., Miami (at First Avenue, in the second-level food court).
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, until 4 p.m. Saturday.
AG
advisor_Girl
Apr 24, 2008 08:50AM
Advisor Girl, we really appreciate you taking one for the team! We were going to try it today, but we'll whimp out and wait for your report. I do have a hard time with that food court, though, but if the chow is good....
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Pilches (and you other nameless wimps) -
"The Team" owes me nothing...
If you like Raja's, you'll notice that the steam table classics you eat there are now being served in the Flagler Street Food Court. Same owners, same steam tables, same chow. The distinct difference is that the Food Court does have a larger homeless population and thus a good chance you'll be exposed to some random urban wildness. Pfew!
"Nuff said."
We bolted up there and saw - bizarro world - all the people who usually serve at Raja's scooping entirely similar selections. The writer at the Herald really did a great job making it sound WAY more exotic. Nope. Not happening.
We went up to Dolce Vita on the Macy*s bridge afterward (bellys full of korma a la mode?) and discovered they are also serving Mischa's cupcakes.
Downtown Miami is soooooooo progressive now!
AG
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Thanks, AG. We actually tried it yesterday, too. I must say, even if the food was really good (we weren't impressed), that "food court" grosses me out. We'll stick to Bombay for our Indian downtown.
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P>
It's super-funkin' funky...
But I am proud of your wimpy friends for showing up! You should have sat at our table. We were chattering.
Best part - the Herald said,
"The new place has rosy granite countertops, colorful tile walls and floral garlands..."
Since you were there - you have to think ::WTF?:: this place is a bunker. Do you think they write that stuff from a distance off of a press release?
AG
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AG, you're so right. It's hard to believe the writer was ever actually there! It's a shame there are so few decent places to eat downtown. Every day we go through the same stuff. When we go to other cities we're always so jealous of all the downtown lunch choices. Oh, well...
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What else is at the Flagler Streen Food Court, I am not even sure if I know where it is, but I would be willing to take a look if it is worth it
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MFG>
I made a map > > http://tinyurl.com/2wavz8
The Flagler Street Station is just east of the Macy*s Department Store inside a "tunnel" pass-through that runs between Flagler Street and SW 1st Street. While the Flagler Street (north) side is not too bad, the trash deposit on the south side at SE 1st Street makes that area stink-eeeeeee!
Inside the tunnel and up the stairs are a number of traditional food court stalls from deli sandwiches to Cuban steam tables to tacos to Raja's "new" Indian cuisine. The open air setting, the public toilets and the casual atmosphere make this a popular destination for the homeless people who get chased away from the public library. Taco express (the 99 cent taco guy from Miami Avenue) also opened a stall at the court.
If you're open to exploration, there is an even bigger hidden city food court in the tunnels under Marshall's at Flagler Street and SE 3rd Avenue. The original Raja's and a new Peruvian place are street side at SE 2nd Avenue just north of Flagler Street.
Let us know what you discover...
AG
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