Carol’s Cucina & Vino

Just got back from dinner here. Walked past them one afternoon, soon after they 1^st opened, and I was curious. Travelzoo had a special for dinner and I took the bait. The deal was for $ 50 and it included 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 2 drinks. My BF and I arrived at 8PM and were promptly greeted and seated. The restaurant was rather empty and we chose to sit in a high top. To be fair, Thursday nights tend to be slow overall in downtown. Water was brought to the table and I informed our host that we had the Travelzoo special. He explained what we were entitled to and gave us a few minutes to look over the menu. Our waitress then appeared to take our order. We ordered 1 glass of wine each, our 2 apps (polenta w/​truffle and coxinha w/​aioli) and our entrees (short rib and salmon). My BF originally ordered the chicken, but they were out. We then waited for over 15 minutes to get our wine. In fact, the table next to us, which ordered after us, got their drinks first. The owner then gave us a bread basket with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Nothing special. 1^st to arrive was the coxinha. Amazingly the owner asked us if we needed plates or napkins to eat these in. Napkins? Am I on a picnic? Um plates please. I will say they were tasty. Next to arrive was the polenta w/​truffle. The polenta was fried into sticks and they were overcooked. They weren’t just crunchy, they were down right hard. The truffle was nothing more than butter with truffle flavor. P. S., I saw and heard the cook as he was frying them up and I personally don’t care for it. Our entrees arrived and right off the bat, something was amiss wih my short rib. It looked like «una pierna» or a pork shoulder. It was completely dry and tasted like roast pork. My BF took a bite and agreed. The taste wasn’t bad but it definitley was not short rib. I even asked the waitress if it was pork or beef. She checked in the kitchen and reported that infact it was beef. I expressed my disapppointment in it’s dryness and the fact that it tasted like pork. She apologized but did not inform the manager/​owner. Maybe b/​c we had theTravelzoo special? My dish came with mashed potaties and broccoli and even the broccoli was not fresh. It had a dull green color with some dark spots. My BF said his salmon was good but nothing to write home about. All in all it was a very poor experience. I will not return and would not recommend this place to anyone.

Went for dinner with my family because my dad had purchased a gilt city voucher. Had to ask for the waiter, had to ask for water, had to ask for bread. Was told they were out of the chicken parm, mushroom ravioli, and short rib. Ordered the polenta to start, and the chef came out 5 minutes later to tell us they had ran out. Ended up ordering the coxinha, which was actually pretty good. I guess they felt bad that they had ran out of so much, because they came out with pan de queso on the house. I ordered the pear ravioli. The ravioli was good, but the sauce did nothing for the dish. My boyfriend ordered the fetuccini bolognese, and I didn’t care for it at all. It was bland and had no flavor. For dessert, I tried a coconut something. That was pretty delicious. I liked the crust more than the gelatin part. Don’t think I’ll be trying this place again.

First of all, I’d like to say the ambiance is terrific. Clean, modern and cozy with a large selection of wine. Our server was also fantastic.
I went here last week for the first time with three girlfriends using a GILT City deal which included one bottle of house wine, one appetizer, one salad and two entrees (either pizza or a large plate) and one shared dessert.
Unfortunately, they were out of 6 or 7 items, so that was disappointing because we were limited to other items that weren’t as desirable.
However, the polenta with aioli to start was fantastic. The beet salad was overly salted and misleading because there were tiny pieces of beets mixed in with the arugula so I don’t recommend this salad if you are hoping for a lot of beets.
I personally ordered the vegetarian pizza which is made without any sugar, which is a rare find. It was fresh and tasty… not the best pizza I’ve ever had but I would go back to get it (I can’t eat anything with added sugar).
My friends ordered the pear/​gorgonzola ravioli which is made fresh and you can taste the quality of the ravioli but the butter sauce lacked flavor.
Another friend ordered the roasted chicken with asparagus which was surprisingly good and well seasoned.
Another friend ordered the ragu pasta which was very nice and again with homemade pasta! So even with some of the menu items being unavailable, I will give this place another try.

This place is a jewel in the heart of Downtown. i applaud the ownership for investing $$ in renovating the space to what it is today. I can really appreciate the clean lines and lack of clutter through out. They put much thought into the design of this space and were able to maximize it. In terms of the food, I enjoyed the fusion of flavors from the italo /​brasil combination. The wait staff is very on point and are willing to go the extra mile.
I have to go back for lunch time to see what they have to offer.

Excelente. Atmosfera, ambiente e comida com um twist brasileiro.

This place is a real gem in downtown Miami! With a italian cuisine and a Brazilian twist, the dishes are amazing! You should try the «coxinha» and the braised short rib. For dessert try the Brazilian famous «brigadeiros». Great place to go at night and have a tasty dinner. Totally recommended!

As expected, as if there really was any doubt, Unilocal does it again. The best thing about these Unilocal Events, you get to find out about places you probably never would have heard of. This night, we were graciously welcomed to Carol’s Cucina and Vino. Conveniently nestled right in the heart of Downtown Miami. I felt lucky, one of my neighbors here in Hialeah works Downtown and has been here before. You know a place is good when out west in Hialeah your business is being talked about. After being here this night, thank you neighbor, you were right.
My personal favorite highlight of the evening was hearing about their Family History here in Downtown Miami. I love hearing about family. It makes one appreciate the business evermore. The family has been loyal to Downtown Miami since 1985. No, that is not a typo. Since 1985 when nobody that lived here really wanted to go there. Luckily, they remained to be able to introduce us to Carol’s Cucina and Vino.
As with any restaurant I go to, I always ask. Their food is homemade. We were given samples of some of their food. My stand-​out dishes:
* Coxinah — Imagine the Brazilian version of a croqueta. This was absolutely delicious with every bite.
* Carne Seca — Their version of a lasagna. Also delicious.
We were given other things to try and they were all equally delicious, perfectly cooked and displayed. These two, however, just stood-​out the most to me. Do not tell anyone I told you this but, for these two dishes, I secretly sat at a different location with nobody noticing so I can be brought a second helping.
Information you might find useful and blah, blah, blahs:
* Staff — Everyone was genuinely nice and eager to answer any of our questions. I even went to the back to personally thank the Chef (s). Yeah, I was that impressed.
* Restaurant — Picture a relaxed Bistro in the middle of a bustling downtown. Perfect place to get a bite with some wine before heading home after work. There is outside seating provided. I have never been to Europe but, I have been to Epcot and watch the Travel Channel. Very European feel from the minute you walk in.
* Parking — There is a parking garage located right across the street. There are other options for parking nearby. I chose to take the Metrorail to get that «I think I’m in New York» feeling. If you opt to take the Metrorail, it is easy. Transfer to the Metromover Inner Loop at Government Center. There are many stops you can exit to get here. I, however, found Bayfront the most convenient. On the northern side of Ross, walk west and you cannot miss the restaurant. About a block west from the station.
* Wine — Nice selections to choose from.
* Menu — The food provided here is a fusion of Brazilian/​Italian. On certain days, like Mondays, they offer items not available every day. This is not your typical «let’s carve a piece of dead cow right at your table» Brazilian Restaurant.
* Expresso — THEY SERVE EXPRESSO Y’ALL! That made the Cuban from Hialeah a very happy person.
and as usual, thank you Johnny T. for making this happen.
#KeepItLocal

I love this little place! They have a mix of italian Brazilian food and I got to meet the owner when I first went there. She is super cool and the service is excellent too and tho I don’t drink (at least not during the day lol) the whiskey infused brigadeiro was super yummy (bad girl voice) lol!

I think the verdict is still out on Carol’s. they’re down the street from Fratelli Milano which raises the bar very high for them. Our first visit there was with a group of 10 people for lunch, so it wasn’t ideal for service. The staff was a little caught off guard by the larger group as evidenced by a shortage in water glasses and the delay in getting out the little things we ordered (more water, sauce for an appetizer, extra plate, etc).
On the plus side, their bread is delicious! There are daily specials displayed on a huge chalkboard wall; our party tried 2 of the ones for that day & enjoyed them. I had the mushroom ravioli which was not bad, but not amazing (I expected more from the sauce which was just a little flat for this kind of dish).
There was an issue when it came time to pay using their automatic iPad payment thing (I don’t know what that thing is called). While I LOVED the fact we could easily split the bill on that thing, it was malfunctioning & each card had to be manually entered so paying took about 20 min.
The staff was really nice when they heard it was my birthday & even brought out extra desserts for the whole table. Points for thoughtfulness… We’ll give it another try soon.

The stroganoff and chicken are excellent.

Great service!!! Very friendly people. Great prices! Good selection of wines. Great food! Fresh ingredients. We had an excellent time!

I have been going to Carol’s for about a month now. I wish there were more places in Miami like this spot. The owners are always there and always attentive to patrons, they are passionate about their menu and most of all ingredients and preparation of meals. I enjoy my food that much more knowing I am eating clean, and that the kitchen cares about what is being consumed! My favs are the caprese salad with HANDMADE in house buffalo mozzarella, the pizzas are done right, and all of the sandwiches with handmade bread! Great wine selection and very attentive waiters! Love the concept and will continue to be a repeat customer!

After an initial visit to Carol’s, my co-​workers and I thought there was a new player on the Downtown lunch scene. After a less-​than-​fulfilling subsequent visit about a week later, our sentiments changed. Carol’s seems to be an Italian restaurant, but also serves up some Latin and Brazilian dishes. It’s an eclectic mix of cuisines that is unusual in Downtown.
On our first visit, 2 of my co-​workers ordered the ½ roasted chicken, which came accompanied by a tasty corn pudding. The chicken was an actual half of a chicken — with a leg and a breast. It was tasty (needed a little sauce). Yet on our next visit, when the same dish was ordered, there were 3 small drumsticks served up as the «½» chicken. Very disappointing.
I’ve been a little more adventurous in my ordering, though to similar disappointing results. First go-​round, I had the gumbo with okra, which was tasty, but could’ve used some more chicken to make it more fulfilling. On the second visit, I opted for a beet salad, and added chicken. For a $ 14 salad, I got canned beets, measly greens, and an ice-​cold cubed chicken breast. I couldn’t believe this was passing as a expensive entrée salad. Disappointed doesn’t even describe it.
The space and décor of Carol’s gives it a rustic vibe, which is pretty unique to the area. The service is decent, though the table layout makes it difficult for them to access the corner table (where we happened to sit on both visits). The price point is on the high side, especially considering the quality of our meal on our last visit. If I’m going to spend over $ 20 on lunch, it’ll be at an establishment where I know I’m getting quality product of a quantity to fill me up.
I hope Carol’s is just going through some growing pains, though I don’t plan on returning any time soon to investigate.

My friend and I went for lunch and it was great. The service was impeccable, they seated us right away, offered drinks, etc. I ordered the salmon pasta special (which was good) and my friend had the mushroom sage ravioli (which were fantastic).
I will go again and have my own plate of the ravioli. I think the problem with most restaurants downtown of this caliber is that they want you to have the European laid back experience but people who eat downtown are usually on lunch break and need to get back to the office. This place was timely and understood that we wanted to chat but also needed to return the office, Very good, would go again.

Have been considering trying this new place for a while. I work right across the street and walk past it often. To be honest, I haven’t done so until now because I suspected the food might be bland or at the very least, less than the very high standard set by «Fratelli Milano» which is all of ¾ businesses up the street.
They both have Italian influence and some of the same offerings. I wondered exactly how they intended to compete with somewhere so similar to, yet more solidly established than them.
The place is very lovely. They did a great job in tranforming this from a used book store to quaint Euro-​village space. Wine selection looked fantastic.
The service was rather slow, despite my going 2 days after Christmas– a time when downtown is quieter than usual. Took a while for someone to offer a drink. A long while more for someone to take an order.
When they did come they were out of everything I wanted. The special of the day: duck confit + sweet potato risotto? Gone. My second choice braised short ribs? Gone. The free dessert offered with Unilocal check-​in? Gone. Though, to be fair they did offer me a n’espresso, which was the other option included in that Unilocal deal but I was late to work and not particularly interested. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
They server neglected to bring a bread basket. For main course I settled on a Bacon Pancetta Pizza. See photos. On the upside it arrived in 5 minutes. On the downside it wasn’t very filling. Maybe the size of a large dinner plate. I left kind hungry still. Furthermore, it was slightly bland. Most predominant taste was that of the white saltless crust it was baked on. The tomato sauce was mostly flavorless as well and the bacon? Not plentiful enough to make a meaningful contribution. To be frank, the ingredients though high quality, fresh and freshly made brought nothing to the table. Pun unintended.
Another thing that had trouble reaching the table? The bill. It seems their payment is currently done through 4square or something like it. They bring a device to your table and you swipe your card, pick a tip and sign with your finger. Since the device was being used at another table it took 5 – 10 minutes and 2 inquiries before it could be brought to mine.
I went in there with 40 minutes of my lunch hour to spare. Ended up taking 55 minutes of time and making me 15 minutes late back.
I get the feeling they may be understaffed and have a ways to go before they can work out all the kinks and truly run a seamless operation on the daily.
While not being particularly impressed I am open to returning and giving them a second chance. In general though, if this trip was indicative of their true nature, I sincerely doubt that I’ll be consistently choosing their blandness over Fratelli’s seamless service and absolute culinary virtuosity in the long run.

Stopped by for lunch and was surprised to see how gourmet this place was! Fresh made everything — mozzarella, pasta, truffle polenta, duck croquettes, $ 5 wine by the glass. Pizza and sandwiches. Best new place in downtown!