Mixing the Americas in Brickell

Tag teams pack a punch: Batman & Robin ka-powed the crap out of the Penguin, Simon & Garfunkel penned classic songs, and the Hardy Boys were the only ones who could've deciphered the Clue of the Broken Blade. Or the Secret of Wildcat Swamp. Or even the Serpent's Tooth Mystery...man, that was a stumper! For a resto powered by teamwork, JB Kitchen & Bar

From a dynamic chef duo (one from Peru via The Forge, the other a Michael's Genuine alum), JB rocks South American and contemporary Regular American dishes in the former Badrutt's spot, which is now big and airy (no more cumbersome island) with 15ft windows, long cream leather banquettes, a huge two-sided bar, and blonde wood floors, which stare at cartons of orange juice because they say "concentrate". Starters merrily mix the hemispheres via stuff like Ceviche Nikkie (yellowfin, lime, cilantro, red onion, Peruvian spice blend), Cracklin' Calamari (fried and tossed with fresh garlic & chilies), JB's Honey Mustard Wings w/ Greek yogurt dip, and steamed mussels in a pale ale broth w/ tomatoes, scallions, and Fresno chilis, criminally not available at the Fresno Chili's. Entrees include ocean critters like caramelized scallops w/ shaved fennel in a sweet/tangy blood orange reduction, and lobster mac & cheese topped w/ Parmesan and herb crumbs, plus straightforward terra-meats like a 12oz bone-in filet, a grilled lamb rack w/ red wine & rosemary, and a double-cut pork chop w/ a ginger spread, something the Professor routinely ignored to work on his coconut radio

JB's also doing lunch, with sandwiches like the braised short rib w/ caramelized onions & fontina, which you can wash down with fruit-filled libations like the Watermelon Mint (infused vodka, watermelon juice, lemon juice, mint-infused simple syrup) and another with melon-infused vodka, cantaloupe, and lemon juice called the Triple Lindy, recalling yet another mystery: how in god's name did Rodney Dangerfield even get to the top of the diving board at that age?