If you look up places around Brickell, American Social seems to
pop up constantly. They’ve a cool insta-page and it kind of feels
like an A&F type place. Myself and guest star Carl were in search of
weekend sustenance before a day hitting the shops in Sawgrass Mills. We
strolled down to the venue which overlooks one of Miami’s many waterways, which
is nice.
After being redirected to a nearby coffee shop for 30 minutes until the system came up and they could seat us..we went back around to the still empty American Social and were
told to see the hostess for seating, who then told us to pick a seat in the center..
Several minutes later we were told we had to move as someone had booked this
table, (It’s worth noting, at this point, Matt got a little snappy with the
waiter and later apologized). What was killing poor Matt was that there was
seating for maybe 150 people, but we were the only people there AND still needed
to be moved!
- Rant Over -
The food….
American Social offers punters access to unlimited omelets for
$21.50… I mean how many omelets could someone really want? We decided to go
with the default brunch option the world over – Eggs Benedict. I like when
places try to add a twist to a classic dish to improve or make it stand out.
BUT – if you are going to do this, you need to get the basics right first. It’s
like the Walk-Off in Zoolander, you must first duplicate, the elaborate!
The problem with their Benny was primarily a lack of care. The
muffin/crumpet was too tough, so that when you tried to cut through it with a
standard knife, you make a mess trying to separate the piece you want to eat –
from the rest. It’s just laziness from the Chef and staff. If the bread is
tough, consider a serrated blade.
Apart from the bread, the other issue was CD-sized disc of tomato
they had wedged in there too. Tomato doesn’t belong in an Eggs Benedict. It’s
too watery and doesn’t add anything to the dish. (BLT – completely different
story).
The highlight of the dish was the home fries, which vary in
interpretation from place to place in the states - much like the Eggs Benedict.
They were hot, sweet and cooked very well. There was either cinnamon or
caramelizing of the potatoes and onions which gave them a soft/sweetness which
lends itself well to a brunch dish.
The other major highlight of the dining experience was our waiter,
also named Matt – who was a great sport, put up with Hangry Matt and joked with
us throughout the morning. Really decent guy.
All in all, the place is a bit too big to care about an
individual. You get the sense that it’s quite corporate, again the use of terms
like ‘The System’ never bodes well for me when it comes to service. If you are
with a bigger group who just want a big open outdoor space with good views to
hang out and eat some food, this place is for you. It’s not a little hidden gem
that will surprise you.
It’s a safe bet.
