It all starts with the chicken, marinated in mustard, herbs, and spices for 24 hours, dredged in a flour-and-spice blend, and allowed to rest another day before being fried to order in non-GMO, expeller-pressed oil. Chick'N Jones pays homage to those memories by building a legacy based on the same premise: offering food that speaks to the soul. And her inspiration for her wildly popular, fast-casual fried chicken restaurant comes from her childhood: specifically Chicken George, a small Black-owned franchise outside Baltimore where her family often dined in the 1980s. While Chick'N Jones chef/founder Amaris Jones could wear the title of chef, influencer, fashionista, community organizer, and restaurateur, one might just as well describe her as an inspiration.

Photo courtesy of Chick'N Jones Chick'N Jonesġ601 Drexel Ave., Miami Beach (inside South Beach Food Hall) The idea here: Slow down, relax, and be present in the moment and with those you're sharing it with. Awash will also transport you by way of the food - especially when you order one of the combination platters, a taste of Ethiopia set out in small heaps on a large metal tray covered in injera, the spongy bread that doubles as an eating utensil. You'll also find a thatched lean-to where a small charcoal stove is used to pan-roast hand-ground green beans and slowly brewed over hot coals right before your eyes. Their small slice of 'home' conjures Ethiopia physically by way of the open, airy dining room filled with low-slung tables called mesobes, each covered with colorful woven cones and matched with squat leather-topped chairs. In that sense, their restaurant is able to bring a small taste of the rich cultural history of Africa to Miami - one they left behind in the early '90s to create a new life together in America. An authentic experience is what husband-and-wife owners, Fouad and Eka Wassel, hope to impart with each meal at this Miami Gardens spot that takes its name from the Awash River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ethiopia. Awash is a restaurant that honors culinary culture and history, from the communal-style meals served as single heaping platters to the traditional ceremonial coffee service.

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