New Year’s Eve dinner: The wife and I arrived at around 9 p.m., and were soon joined by my wife’s brother, his wife, and his mother-in-law. I noticed it was a beautiful cool and clear night in Miami, as we worked our way to the outdoor patio for appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, and the open bar. The appetizers were laid out on a large table in the center of the courtyard overlooking a large lit fountain that sprang from the middle of an otherwise tranquil lake. On one side of the table was a platter of 3 cheeses, consisting of small Cheddar cheese cubes, Swiss cheese cubes, and a bleu cheese spread. Next to it laid a basket of crackers and bread rolls, a large bowl of vegetables (carrot sticks, grape tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower), and a platter of small hors d'oeuvres, which were gone in a blink of an eye – they were about the size of a 50 cent coin, made up of a round thin bread base toped with cream cheese and either ham, salmon or a tiny shrimp. I tried the shrimp and salmon, and both were quite tasty.
After enjoying some cheeses and a couple of rum-n-cokes, we walked back to our table in the main dining room, and got set for the main course. The dinner buffet was set along several large tables, with salads and side dishes set in the center of the room; at the far end of the room, there were three meat cutting stations serving pork, roast beef, and turkey; on one side, a large table with seafood sides (sorry seafood lovers, only shrimp and oysters at this buffet) balanced the room; and an area by the main doorway was set with several types of small deserts and fruits meant to be dipped in a fountain of hot melted chocolate centered on the desert table.There were plenty of salad choices, but I settled for a modest serving of corkscrew pasta salad, grape tomatoes, and carrot shavings. I added brown rice, stir-fried vegetables, potatoes and a bread roll. I elected to have the turkey, mostly because the lines for the pork and roast beef were getting much more attention – and what can I say, I was hungry, and in no mood to stand in line. I decided not to have shrimp or oysters, opting instead to leave room for desert.
When it came to flavor, my taste buds were not disappointed. The turkey was moist and tender, and the brown rice made a good combination. The pasta salad was equally pleasing, with a great taste combination of pastas, olive oil and herbs, and the absence of garlic was a welcome change. By the time I got to the desert table, the small cheese cake pieces for dipping were gone, so I picked a couple of nice strawberries and a stick of rice cake, which I eagerly dipped in the hot melted chocolate – it was the perfect desert to complete the last meal of 2008.All in all, it was a great meal, and the service was very good. Aside from a few servers who didn’t quite speak English, the rest were very pleasant and happy to put up with our constant requests for cocktails and water. We toasted with champagne at midnight, ate the 12 grapes, danced to live music, and concluded the evening at around 1 a.m. - I can honestly say, it was a great start to 2009.
Doral Park Country Club
5001 NW 104 Avenue
Doral, FL 33178
(305) 591-8800
