If you’ve read BrickGals’ since its inception, I’m sure you’re well aware of our obsession with Crazy About You Restaurant. From the panoramic views of the Biscayne Bay to the $14 bottles of wine and ALL the food in between, Crazy About You is def one of our favorite spots to dine. We do have to admit however (and it pains us to say) that its sister restaurant (and the original of the two), Dolores But You Can Call Me Lolita, has come up short recently.
Let’s start with what HAS been working at Dolores.
- Being located in the heart of Brickell, + .
- Variety of seating options? Una Mas Plus. The elegant upstairs dining room provides a romantic respite from the heat, while the upstairs terrace offers seating for groups and couples alike with views of the hustle of downstairs Mary Brickell Village. Downstairs dining alongside S. Miami Ave provides the spot to see and be seen.
- Another A+ for the restaurant is that they also offer the $13 bottles of red and white wine.
- Service has in the most part been very good (except for during my most recent visit which could have been better).
Now let’s get to the dining.
I dunno if it’s just me, but every time I go into Dolores, the menu has changed. And I dunno if its just my luck (which is similar to Lindsay Lohan in Just My Luck), but it just so happens that all the food items I want to re-order (that were GREAT on my previous visit), are now absent from the list. Let’s start with the duck dumplings. AMAZING. During BrickGals’ birthday dinner in June, almost everyone at the table ordered the duck dumplings. This Brick Gal (and clearly everyone in our party) love both duck and dumplings because they were FANTASTIC. Big – . The Duck Dumplings have met their demise as they are no longer offered on the menu. Next, during a dinner date in early July when I noticed the Duck Dumplings has been discarded, I had Tuna Carpaccio and a delicious casserole (honestly I can‘t remember now what was in it, but alas they too are now gone). Most recently (about 2 weeks ago), I dined with BrickGal Jen and Mamma & Pappa BrickGal Jen at Dolores, and none of the above were available. Blast! We all had to start anew, and result were mixed.
This time’s dining experience started with the Serrano ham croquettes, a staple for the restaurant but for me fell flat. (Back in April, these were the same croquettes that clued me in to the Crazy About You/Dolores colab at the Taste of Brickell.) The rest of the table had salads to start, which, though basic, they did enjoy. For his entrée, Pappa BrickGal Jen really enjoyed the filet, even though he said the veggies were undercooked (I can’t corroborate his opinion b/c I didn’t taste them). Mamma BrickGal Jen had the Shrimp & Mahi Mahi Scampi which she and BrickGal Jen both thoroughly enjoyed (and couldn’t stop eating), after BrickGal Jen’s original selection of the tuna tartar was lackluster (a self-proclaimed tuna aficionado, the tartar I did try and will have to agree). Finalement disappointment of my last visit, my chicken entrée (supposedly) stuffed with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese (by stuffed they must have meant lightly grazed) was overcooked and left a lot to be desired.
I asked the waitress how often things were changed on the menu and why but she didn’t seem to know. In my opinion (and everyone should take my review as just that), the only thing Dolores needs these days is to pick back up their consistency (and maybe to bring back those Duck Dumplings). As much as I love the concept of the app included with an entrée, the atmosphere and its proximity to BrickGals’ headquarters, I’m sure I will be back to Dolores soon and will keep you all abreast of any improvements). Until then, we’d recommend a salad and pasta, or to head to tried and true Crazy About You.
