Surfside Business Spotlight

Left out of Miami Spice, Surfside restaurants create their own

 Miami Herald - August 8th, 2010

Shut out of Miami Spice, the town invents its own restaurant promotion.

adoval@MiamiHerald.com

Boasting more than 13 restaurants located within a two-block area, the Town of Surfside offers everything from Japanese to Italian to Greek to Kosher and Peruvian dining.

But none of the eateries made it on to Miami Spice’s long list of restaurants this year. No matter.

Welcome to Surfside Spice — the town’s answer to that giant, off-season dining discount promotion event that started on Aug. 1.

Surfside Spice emulates Miami Spice in most ways. The local promotion also runs through Sept. 30, offering fixed-price menus for lunch or dinner.

According to Eli Tourgeman, president of the Surfside Business Association, the town inquired about participating in Miami Spice, but found its local restaurants weren’t eligible because they weren’t members of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“In order to be part of Miami Spice you need to belong to the Greater Miami association, and although Surfside is part of the association, the restaurants are not,” he said.

Tourgeman said the concept for Surfside Spice is modeled after Surfside’s “A Taste of the Worlds,” a tourism promotion created by the business association and the town’s tourist board a few years ago.

“We have so many restaurants all with a different flair and spice and great chefs, too. So it was a natural transition to come up with Surfside Spice,” said Tourgeman.

Eleven restaurants on Harding Avenue between 94th and 95th streets are participating, including Bistro, a French restaurant and the newest in town, and Flanigan’s Seafood Bar & Grill, which is most widely known for its ribs, burgers and sports bar atmosphere. Don’t look for those mouth-watering ribs on Flanigan’s Surfside Spice menu, though. The restaurant is instead offering the half barbecue chicken, lemon pepper tilapia and Giuseppe’s pasta as the prix fixe options.

While Miami Spice offers $22 lunches and $35 dinners, Surfside Spice offers three-course meals with choice of two appetizers, two entrees and dessert at $22 per person. (Taxes, tip and beverages are not included in the price.)

Tourgeman, a former town mayor and an enthusiastic Surfside booster, said he hopes the promotion will draw in many locals and visitors.

“Surfside is the alternative to South Beach,” he said. “It’s quiet, it’s comfortable, it’s safe, it’s friendly. And there is a taste for everyone at a very affordable family price.”

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/05/1763858/left-out-of-miami-spice-surfside.html#ixzz0wmdBLatR