Too Much Food: Barry’s Best Off-Campus Bites

By Myami

Humanity must eat.

Since the dawn of time, we have found something to munch on. From learning what bushes yielded safe fruit, to advancements in crude technology which helped us get the next best thing: meat.

As a university student stranded in a new city with a melting pot of cultures surrounding us, what is out there that is good to eat? I got the opportunity to go try local staples in the community, and here is my review on the official cultural food tour (which you can also binge on the Buccaneer Instagram)!

Serious Sanji

Our first stop was Serious Sanji | Dumpling & Dim Sum & Bubble Tea. I absolutely enjoyed my experience! They have large booths and beautiful Chinese decor.

Least Favorite Item:

My least favorite item on the menu was indeed the BBQ pork buns. The BBQ was too sweet for me. I am not the biggest fan of sweet meat, so I gave it a 7.8 out of 10. The dough was soft and dense, while the meat was tender and had a burst of flavor hidden inside.

If I favored sweet meat, it would have scored a 10 out of 10, so if you are a fan of sweet meat, try it!

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

Most Favorite Item:

My favorite item on their menu was the pan-fried pork dumplings; they were tasty, chewy, tender and right up my alley with that crisp of the dough.

Honorable mentions are the soup dumplings which were a life-changing experience.

The dough was soft and malleable; the soup exploded in my mouth and was hot and full of flavor. Plus, the smokiness of the soup added an intoxicating aroma.

The Shanghai fried chicken noodles were so good. Warm and fluffy noodles, accompanied by their soy sauce, were truly a unique experience for my palate. The portions are big, so ask for a small portion if you are not too hungry. They were a 10 out of 10.

I tried their cheese foam strawberry beverage, and it was delicious! Full of that strawberry flavor and the cheese foam is super buttery. Serious Sanji stole my heart with their affordable prices, quaint atmosphere, and overall great-tasting food.

Located about 15 minutes away from Barry University at 13200 Biscayne Blvd in North Miami, they are the best bang for your buck!

Dulce Tropical Restaurant & Cafe

Second on the food tour was Dulce Tropical Restaurant & Cafe! Serving up classic Venezuelan dishes, I went to try them out. I ordered their traditional Pabellon criollo, which is white rice, shredded beef, black beans and sweet plantains. For my beverage I tried their homemade soursop juice with sugar!

Least Favorite Item:

My least favorite food item would have to be the sweet plantains aka maduros. They were warm, soft, sweet, and a nice refresher from the savoriness of the entire meal.

However, I personally prefer green plantains. The restaurant does sell a dish called Tostones Playeros. However, it comes with coleslaw salad, shredded white cheese, mayonnaise and ketchup, which unfortunately I was not into. I would have rather had the plain fried green plantain option.

Most Favorite Item:

My favorite food items included the soursop drink because I have heard about it before, from mostly Caribbean cultures, that it has health benefits. The drink was cool and refreshing; it was light and not overpowering. It reminded me of coconut water, but they are cousins in terms of taste.

Upon sitting down, I was full of energy. The atmosphere was alive and put me in a good mood. They had music hits playing on their speakers, which got my head bopping!

My first bite blew me away — the beef was seasoned with flavor. Hints of smokiness from the meat accompanied by the warm and pillowy rice would make anyone pause and really focus on the food. It was full of spices, but it was not peppery. It was extremely savory. The entire meal was 10 out of 10 from me!

Located about 5-10 minutes away from Barry at 841 N.E. 125 St, in North Miami it is the most affordable option when it comes to authentic Venezuelan or even Latin comfort food.

Pizza Fiore

Third, on our cultural tour was Pizza Fiore an Italian restaurant. Barry students and faculty receive a 15% discount on their entire order, so I ordered a giant slice of pepperoni and a giant slice of cheese pizza with a side order of garlic knots and a lemonade for the beverage.

Least Favorite Item:

My least favorite food item was the garlic knots. The garlic knots came with the garlic butter oil on them, and they were glistening! They were accompanied by a large complimentary marinara sauce.

I am not a major fan of garlic knots, but they were extremely dense and soft! I called it a layered biscuit. However, it was like garlic bread. If it is your appetizer, it can easily fill you up before your main course! I gave them 10 out of 10; they have weight and are full of kicking garlic flavor.

The only reason they are on my least favorite list is because I do not eat garlic knots regularly, but if they are something you like, try it!

Photo Credit: Adobe Stock

Most Favorite Item:

The giant pepperoni slice was my favorite item! The pepperoni pieces have real salami; they are peppery, soft, chewy, and fully cooked. The crust held up very well. I gave it a 9/10. The lemonade was the perfect cleanse for all that hearty flavor in the pizza. It completely reset my palate, so I was ready to dive back into another bite.

The lemonade also comes with free refills if you choose to dine inside. It closes at 10 p.m., so bring friends to help you! Located about 5 minutes away from campus at 9540 NE Second Ave. in Miami Shores, it’s a great off-campus hangout for your crew!

To learn more about each restaurant and to see the mouth-watering food, follow BU_BUCCANEER on Instagram to check out our food reviews and stay tuned for more eateries! This is only the beginning of our cultural food tour.