Prowling Around

My date and I were exploring Coconut Grove one evening. We weren’t especially hungry, so we checked out Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar’s weekly wine tasting, which is billed as “Thirsty Thursdays: Fresh Ceviches & Chilled Wines”. Fifteen bucks gets you six wines to sample and nibble food that include Jaguar’s seriously delicious ceviche, which is made-to-order right in front of you at one end of the long and winding bar.

I like Jaguar because the décor is just so darn cheerful. It’s impossible to be in a bad mood here. The elegant bar, glowing straw Tiki lamps, tropical artwork and hanging butterfly mobiles soothed my senses after a long day at the office. We sampled a selection of California wines made from Italian grapes. The Barbera was my favorite; some of the others left a strong alcohol taste on the palate. We nibbled on skewered chicken and beef, several fabulous ceviches (dolphin and calamari were my faves) and Jaguar’s trademark basket of blue and white corn chips with a surprisingly potent dipping sauce. My spicy index is on the high side to begin with, but this salsa really has staying power.

I keep hearing lots of buzz about Hotel Victor and Vix Restaurant. I’d like to go check it out sometime, but that may require a girls’ night out. (My Jaguar companion is a little reluctant to cross the causeway into the “wild country” of South Beach night life.) I tell him he’s missing out, but he remembers when South Beach was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Way back in 1989. Okay, suit yourself.

Other Grove happenings:

Attention wine and food fans: Check out Great Taste of the Grove on Sunday, Jan. 29. And don’t forget about the biggest, baddest art fest of them all, Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Feb. 18-20, 2006.

Happy trails.