RMFT Tour Leader Behr traveled to Fort Lauderdale and spent an afternoon taking a food tour!

Burgers, arepas, margaritas, and donuts…this food tour in sunny Florida had it all!

Our guides take other tours while out in the wild, and this time Behr took Florida by storm by hopping on a tour with Craft Food Tours in Fort Lauderdale.

This walking food tour featured several restaurants along the beautiful and historic Las Olas Boulevard, offering many delicious bites including scratch-made chicken sandwiches, authentic street food from Cuba Mexico and Argentinian, and amazing hand-crafted cocktails.

First, meeting our guide: Howie

Full of non-stop energy and charisma, Howie kept this tour alive and full of conversation. Having run his own guiding company before in Florida, Howie was a natural guide who had no hesitation in making sure his guests had a lovely time. If you take the tour while celebrating your birthday, Howie will make sure every restaurant and pedestrian you interact with know that it’s your special day! Always offering fascinating history or a fun personal attachment to a building or painting, Howie was the perfect guide for our large group of 14 people.

Stop #1: B Square Burgers

Having been open for an almost 15 years in Fort Lauderdale, B Square Burgers’ main goal is bringing classic American dishes to their loyal following of customers. They absolutely accomplished this with their B-Chicken sandwich. Consisting of fried chicken breast, lettuce, tomato, onion and house-made chipotle aioli, this sandwich set the bar high for the beginning of our tour. Paired with a pineapple mint Sangria, this combo was ideal for a breezy summer day in Florida. I also can’t forget to mention the delicious hand cut fries (not pictured) that were blanched, fried in fresh oil, and seasoned to perfection! B Square Burgers is bringing bright and energetic ideas to the Las Olas Boulevard food scene.

Stop #2: El Camino: Mexican Soul Food

Our next stop was just a block away over at El Camino, know for what they call “Mexican Soul Food.” El Camino’s goal of creating an authentic homage to Mexican culture and heritage meets you directly at the door with their brightly colored table settings, energetic atmosphere and attentive staff. Using the fresh organic and local ingredients, they value the true local and indigenous offerings that the land around brings. Our food tasting here was a crispy brisket quesadilla paired with a signature house margarita. Monterey Jack cheese, salsa Roma and pickled red onions gave this quesadilla a flavor profile that was out of this world! The margarita featured blanco tequila, fresh squeezed lime, agave nectar and a house-made lime bitters. Talk about refreshing!

Stop #3: Argentino

Since first opening their doors in 2017, Argentino offers delicious Bohemia style food of the great city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. With an assortment of churrascaria, empanadas, tapas and more, this restaurant was a one stop shop for all things Argentina! Not to mention the incredible decor fully dedicated to the country and its rich history of people, sports and entertainment. We then indulged in shredded brisket and ricotta and spinach empanadas handed folded and fried to perfection! Howie introduced us to the wonderful owner who was responsible for all of the various memorabilia inside the restaurant. Come here for a quick bite of authentic Argentinian food!

Stop #4: Cuba de Libre

Known as a little slice of Cuba with their expertise in rum-based cocktails, Cuba De Libre was launched by Chef Guillermo Pernot in Philadelphia in 2000, Atlantic City in 2004, Orlando in 2008, Washington D.C. in 2010, and finally here in Fort Lauderdale in 2021. Sadly as I write this post, the location in Fort Lauderdale just announced its closure. Since there are still several locations in the United States, we will still give you a glimpse into the wonder that is and was Cuba De Libre.

The restaurant’s name, which translates to “a free Cuba” signifies hope for the future of the beloved treasure island nation. Providing an “escape” to Havana, Cuba De Libre is a dedication to the people and culture of Cuba. Our first bite was a lovely helping of Cuban pressed bread with an unbelievable mango butter spread. As if that wasn’t enough, we were brought out an extensive sampler of classic Cuban dishes. The platter included guacamole cubano, chicken and ham croquetas, a house Cuba de Libre salsa and yuca arepas topped with pork shoulder and Roma Vienna. Needless to say, we were taken care of! Not to mention the handcrafted mojitos offered to us. Made with hand-picked mint and hand-pressed cane sugar, this mojito was on another level! As we departed Cuba de Libre, I made sure to take in the beautiful and authentic atmosphere that represented the culture of Cuba.

Stop #5: Hollywood Donut Factory

Here we finished our food tour with some classic South Florida donuts! I went for the mango donut while my wife did the Oreo crunch donut. A tasty and light dessert to finish off an absolutely delicious food tour!

Thank you, Howie!

From the moment we met him at our first location, Howie was a ball of energy that kept the party alive! He was incredibly attentive to everyone’s needs whether it be food related or temperature related and made it a point to connect with everyone individually at some point during the tour. Full of amazing knowledge of the Las Olas Boulevard area, Howie did a great job of pointing out historic buildings and sharing rich history to back their amazing architecture. His energy with the staff at each restaurant was apparent as he truly connects with everyone he comes into contact with. If you ever find yourself in Fort Lauderdale on a Craft Food Tour, you are absolutely going to want Howie as your guide!

Thanks for an amazing experience, Howie and everyone at Craft Food Tours!

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