Jim Harper is the winner of the Lunch Week “Man on the Street” contest. On the clock, he profiles Miami Dade College students and faculty, thinks big thoughts about education, and begs the New York Times to give MDC three lines. He is also the park critic for Biscayne Times; his columns are Park Patrol and Harper’s Environment. In his spare time, he swims and coaches. Jim is captain of the Nadadores, a masters (adult) swim team. Every Sunday at South Beach he leads a swim of about 1.5 miles. The homemade pasta and panini at Soya y Pomodoro are his ideal choice for carb-loading:
Very few restaurants north of Flagler in downtown Miami clear the threshold of bearable, and only a handful hit the mark of excellence. One that always tastes good is Soya y Pomodoro. The open-air archways echo with the sounds of “prego,” as the wait staff insist on speaking Italian to everyone. The lanky owner Armando choreographs the dance of artsy atmosphere and homespun Italian food – not Italian-American or pizza in a can.
The carrot soup rocks, as do the salads and panini (about $8 each). The daily pasta specials are superb. I always order the iced tea with fresh mint springs. The tiramisu is a cloud.
Lunch including tip will run $10-15, and it comes with a taste and freshness guarantee. In summer the place can be boiling hot (no A/C) and it’s mostly closed for dinner due to the emptiness of downtown, but for lunch on a pleasant day, it’s bellisimo.
Soya y Pomodoro
Where: 120 NE 1st Street, Miami
When: Monday-Friday 11 am-4pm, Thursday and Friday 8pm-midnight (with live music)
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Great space! Tasty food, though pretty small portions. Also be aware of a music surcharge added to the bill any time someone’s playing live.