Recession Dining

Dine like a king on a jester’s salary this weekend.

Dine like a king on a jester’s salary this weekend courtesy of recession specials extraordinaire.

Ice Box rethinks the blue plate special with its daily Recession Plate Cruncher Special. Selection changes regularly, one recent option featured a $10 salmon meatloaf served with yogurt dill sauce and roasted garlic sweet potato mashers.
Ice Box Café: 1657 Michigan Ave, Miami Beach; 305-538-8448.

Joe’s Stone Crab ushers in the summer with its $29.99 Bailout Dinner. Enjoy half a serving of the restaurant’s signature cole slaw, three large stone crabs (flash-frozen, as they’re out of season), individual portions of creamed spinach and hash browns, a cup of coffee and half a slice of key lime pie. Servings are generous and perhaps the best part – minimal wait in the summer.
Joe’s Stone Crab: 1 Washington Ave, Miami Beach; 305-673-4611.

Come August 10 at 7pm, the American Institute of Wines & Food hosts is third Recessionista Dinner at Wynwood’s Joey’s Italian Café. Invest $40 and enjoy a three-course Italian feast (including signature thin crust pizzas) and a different Italian wine with each course.
Joey’s Italian Café: 2506 NW 2 Ave, Wynwood; 305-663-9641.

Johnny V Las Olas bring Summer Stimulus to Fort Lauderdale via a $35 three-course tasting menu. Available all night Sunday through Thursday and 5-7pm on Fridays and Saturdays, the stimulus menu changes regularly and allows diners to choose between four appetizers, entrées and desserts. Recent selections included pulled basil chicken on wild mushroom risotto and sautéed local snapper with wilted greens and roasted fingerling potatoes. 

Johnny V Las Olas: 625 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale; 954-761-7920.

Plates full of cracked stone crab claws ready to be served are shown at Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach, Fla. Photo: AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee.