While I love the show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” on Food Network and become physically unable to change the channel when it broadcasts, I do have one note for them. I know that much of the show is viewer-driven and they rely on leads from viewers to get their explorations started. But, please, can’t they find a way to represent more of each state? Florida, for example, is so much more than the food offered in Miami and Orlando. In fact, in my humble opinion, the very best of Florida is usually any place other than Miami and Orlando. (Please don’t send me hate mail about that statement. I am too busy to read it.) I suspect other states would supply Food Network with the same feedback.
On my most recent visit to Miami I tried a “triple D”-suggested restaurant. I know I usually seek out the strip mall treasures that no one else is writing about, but this was just a fun opportunity I didn’t want to pass up. In 2018, Guy Fieri and his crew rolled into Miami and put Peruvian Chef Gian Carlo Accienlli’s skills to the test. Accienlli and his wife own Mr. and Mrs. Bun, an elevated sandwich shop.
The restaurant website says the food is an “explosion of flavor in the mouth satisfying all your cravings. . . .” They are not wrong. This passionate description of the cuisine is pleasingly accurate.
The Basics
Chef Accienlli opened the restaurant in 2015 to showcase Peruvian ingredients and his homemade bread. They open at 11:00am every day and stay open until either 9:00pm or 10:00pm, depending on the day of the week (Friday/Saturday are late days). Mr. and Mrs Bun is located in the Kendall area of Miami. Since I usually stay in the Doral area when I am in town, the restaurant was about a 20-25 minute drive from the Aloft Doral that served as my home base. That’s farther than I normally drive for takeout, but nothing is nearby in Miami, so I figured a television-recommended restaurant was just as good a reason as any to fight the Miami traffic. Their website advertises that you get 10% off online orders. That’s good because you’ll need it. This place may specialize in sandwiches, but they aren’t cheap.
What We Ordered
According to the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives website, when Guy Fieri tasted the Asado con Palta sandwich he said, “That is without question one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a long time.” I was unaware of this quote when I chose to eat there myself. My husband and I ordered several items and split everything up so we could both try all the flavors. We ordered the Asado con Palta ($14.99). After two bites, I wrote in my little notebook, “one of the best sandwiches we’ve ever had.” This steak sandwich was the clear champion of the day. It is slow-cooked eye round roast, avocado slices and crispy onions. The most important facet, though, is that they serve the beef au jus with the sandwich for dipping. It’s good enough to make you cry.
We also tried the Pollo Chi Jao Kai ($13.99). This sandwich is a hefty piece of fried chicken thigh (which isn’t common). The coating was impressively light and it had a mildly Asian flavor. We enjoyed it, though it wasn’t nearly as memorable as the steak sandwich.
What Diners, Drive-ins and Dives Doesn’t Tell You
It’s important to note here that the prices do not include a side dish. Adding fries or maple cumin corn will set you back and additional $6.99. There are a total of seven side dishes that range between $6.99 and $8.99. We added fries to both sandwiches. One order, though, is really the equivalent of two orders, so we could have skipped the second request.
Though we definitely didn’t need more food, we also ordered an appetizer, just so we could try more menu items. The spaghetti pesto rolls were $13.99, which is expensive for an appetizer. However, they could easily be eaten as an entrée. Comprised of spaghetti pesto nests wrapped in beef Milanese (beef pounded super thin and fried), they were unlike any appetizer I’ve ever had. Though my husband was indifferent toward them, I was smitten and very happy when he said I could eat them all. Yay! The beef on the outside was slightly crispy and the pesto was powerfully flavored, not wimpy or bland.
Other Menu Options
I think it is also helpful to mention here that they have vegetarian options too. The Queso Frito Sliders appetizer featuring toasted cheese bread, tomatoes, basil and caramelized onions sounds like a winner to me. They also offer a Lentil & Tabouli salad with lots of fresh Mediterranean flavors. If you ask me, you don’t need to be a vegetarian to fall in love with the idea of a grilled aged Cheddar and Brie sandwich. Now, that’s a grown-up grilled cheese sandwich! They also offer a couple of soups on a regular basis.
The Final Damage
In the end, we spent a whopping $62.00. At first, I thought I required CPR when the server told me my total as I stood at the register. However, when I got back to our hotel, I realized that it was enough food for each of us to eat more than once. That was the salve.
The Word in the Neighborhood
As I stood waiting for them to prepare my order, a group of six co-workers came in. From their conversation with the server, it was clear that they had all come in for lunch the day prior also. To me, that is as much of an endorsement as knowing Guy Fieri liked their beef.
A Final Word
People from small towns know how silly it is that big city dwellers believe you can only get extraordinary food in big cities. I don’t know the process that the producers of shows like Diners, Drive-ins and Dives use, but I have never liked the fact that they only represent big cities when showing the state of Florida. Having said that, I swallowed my small-town pride and tried Mr. and Mrs. Bun in Miami anyway. This was a fun experiment and I do agree with Guy on this one. I know there are hundreds of Miami restaurants to try, but next time you’re there, you can trust that you’ll get a unique and mouthwatering meal from Mr. and Mrs. Bun.
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August 15, 2022 at 8:54 am
The Asado con Palta (less the avocado) is definitely one of the best sandwiches that I’ve had recently. Most of the other items were good, but lost something not being eaten right away. I would definitely give Mr. and Mrs. Bun a second try.
August 15, 2022 at 10:19 am
I’m an avocado-lover, so that worked for me, but I get your point. Also, I agree with the idea of eating Mr. and Mrs. Bun fresh at the restaurant rather than take-out. I would happily go there again and try other menu items.