Discover rustic American eats at The Federal Food & Drink on Biscayne Blvd

Sara Liss2/11/2012

The goods: The team from Miami’s first pop-up restaurant, Phuc Yea!, has resurfaced with the Federal Food Drink & Provisions, a permanent spot on Biscayne with an emphasis on farmhouse cooking.

Ambience: Victorian parlor meets frontier saloon with mounted antelope heads, a faux fireplace and a bar papered in vintage cocaine and cigarette ads that make you forget the strip-mall locale.

The grub: Rustic American. Look for classic comforts; delicacies like tripe, bone marrow and sweet breads; condiments made in-house and pickled seasonal produce. Prices are moderate: starters average $8 and most mains under $25.
Starters include honey-glazed Cheddar biscuits; Jar o’ Duck, slow-cooked duck with toast, candied sweet potato and charred marshmallow fluff; rosemary-tossed fries with a poached duck egg and house-made ketchup; crispy omassum tripe dusted with barbecue powder and roasted bone marrow with bacon-onion jam.

Mains include a juicy lamb burger sandwiched in a pretzel bun and topped with sheep’s milk cheese and horseradish sauce, a roasted Cornish game hen with cornbread-sausage stuffing, a grilled flat iron steak, hearty venison stew and short rib pot pie.
Desserts include upside down pineapple cake, wine-poached pears, rich pecan sticky buns (allow 15 minutes) and lemon curd with blueberry compote.

The verdict: A nostalgic tavern serving old timey food in a relaxed environment.