Blue Collar is a famous diner located in the Upper East Side/Morningside neighborhood of Miami that is known for serving up comfort food made out of just about anything you can think of. Their offerings range from anything such as Latkes and Applesauce, to Shrimp and Grits, Reuben Sandwiches, and meats of the day which can include Short Rib and Oxtail. We came for their Miami Spice menu on a rainy Thursday evening without reservations. Their indoor dining area is on the smaller side and was full when we got there. We maybe had to wait 20 minutes to be seated, and it was well worth the wait (but reservations will serve you well given how popular Blue Collar is, especially during Miami Spice)!
Blue Collar's Miami Spice 2023 menu was a true bargain! For $60, participants received a glass of either red wine or white wine, plus virtually any appetizer, entrée (aside from whole fish and market price items) and dessert item on the menu. Everything was a huge portion, as well! My fiancée and I started with off our complementary complementary glasses of wine and looked over the extensive menu. Our server, Foh P, was excellent and gave us descriptions of each of the items we were considering to order. With her help over some hilarious conversations, we decided on the following items:
- Conch Fritters with spicy tarter sauce
- Shrimp and Grits
- Spicy Oxtail, with Scotch Bonnet, creamy Yukon gold mash potatoes, bread, jus
- Their famous "Corben" sandwich, with Portuguese muffins, Braised brisket, Dijon, jus, Latkes & applesauce
- Hand Squeezed Key Lime Pie, with Graham crust, vanilla whipped cream
- Bread Pudding, with Cayenne whipped cream
Where do I even begin? The shrimp and grits was very rich in flavor and protein. The grits came on top of a gravy sauce and contained pieces of bacon in addition to the shrimp. The conch fritters actually contained conch and weren't mostly bread as they are at other places. Not to mention that the spicy tartar sauce tasted phenomenal, as well! Both of our main dishes were spectacular! Oxtail is something that we rarely ever have had, only tasting it at a relative's house once or twice before this dinner. It was so tender! My fiancées Corben sandwich was also very juicy and evidently made with very good quality brisket. The included latke on the side was also a very nice touch; something she hadn't had before either. I don't know how we had room for dessert, but we did! This may be sacrilegious to say, but it must be said: Blue Collar's Key Like Pie is right up there with Joe's as 1A and 1B for the best Key Lime Pie in Miami-Dade County. It was that good! The taste wasn't as lime-forward as Joe's, but the more balanced flavor is something that many will appreciate. Oh, and Blue Collar's graham cracker crust is simply perfection! The Bread Pudding was also excellent and up there with what we've had at Chef Adrienne's, but you MUST try the Key Lime Pie!
We had to be rolled out of there and are already planning our return visit to Blue Collar for one of their daily specials/promotions! Make sure to snag a reservation and understand that parking can be tricky in the area. We are also planning to try out their sister restaurant, Mignonette in the future! read more