Miami Curated Logo

Eating News – June

Basilic Miami
Pho Dac Blet – 3 meat combo — photo from Angelo R at Yelp

 

Though tourism numbers to Miami scored yet another record, the competition for those visitors (and locals) dining dollars has never been tougher. Off season is the time restaurants take stock, do some retooling, or close. And others get ready for fall and the new season. Here are some notable openings such as 1111 Peruvian Bistro, redos and a high profile closing you should know about. I’ve also thrown in a few new places I’ve checked out and others on my radar screen for after my  vacation.

Openings and retoolings:

Spring Chicken from the owners of Yardbird opened their second South Florida location in Fort Lauderdale, 2400    N.Federal Highway this month. Count on their legendary fried chicken served up in sandwiches, salads and on the bone, biscuits, and grilled chicken too. Don’t miss their sugar cane lemonade.

Spring Chicken Fort Lauderdale
Spring Chicken blue plate special

Coyo Taco, one of the hottest (and I don’t mean for the chiles) taco places in town opened up its second outpost at 1111 SW 1st Street and it’s already packed. You can’t go wrong with their duck, pulled pork or mushroom/cheese/huitlacoche tacos or delish margaritas with your choice of tequila or mezcal.

Coyo Taco
An Assortment of Tacos

The Federal reopened as the Fed after a short closing with a new lighter, brighter look and more healthy choices — vegetables, fresh seafood and Southwestern influenced dishes. Options for Paleo, gluten free, Vegan and vegetarian too.

Quinto La Huella,  in EAST, Miami hotel in Brickell City Centre, specializes in grilled meats with a wood fire oven and sushi counter. If you go, be sure to book a table in their outdoor area that’s like a garden bower, attractive, and much quieter than inside. While you’re there step out on the pool deck and gaze out at the dramatic view of downtown. Word is that the happy hour is jumping, but I haven’t checked it out yet. Note: the vulcan de dulce de leche was a standout. You can see, as I “dug in” before there was time to take a photo.

Quinto La Huella
Vulcan de dulce de leche with banana ice cream

1111 Peruvian Bistro, 1111 SW 1st Avenue (T.786-283-3128) is  a new restaurant in the Brickell area to put on your list. It happens to be the product of  Peruvian star chef Chef Diego Munoz, most recognized for helming the kitchen at Astrid y Gastón in Peru. It also ranks as the 14th best  restaurant in the world according to San Pellegrino “World’s Top 50 Best Restaurants.” Munoz’s impressive pedigree includes Ferran Adria’s El Bulli and Andoni Luis Aduriz’s Mugaritz both in Spain, as well as the Michelin-starred Grand Vefour in Paris. The menu features crudos, starters, entrees, sides and desserts.

The casual decor belies the fine Peruvian with high quality ingredients. From a recent visit I can recommend the hamachi tiradito, delicate and tasty with lemongrass, coconut and viet mint oil. Team it up with the ceviche apaltado made with fish, avocado, aji limo, capers, olive oil and leche de tigre, also very good, though a tasting size portion. My favorite main by far was the arroz con pato, a whole duck thigh resting on a bed of rice made with cilantro, green peas and corn along with avocado, radish, onion salsa and leche de tigre. My friend gave the veal heart anticuchos high marks. Team up the food with a glass of Peruvian Intipalka sauvignon blanc ($12) or an Intipalka red wine and it’s a perfect lunch. Crudos and starters average in the mid teens; most entrees are in the mid-twenties.

1111 peruvian bistro

Restaurants on my “to do”list:

A reader and very well traveled friend who is my “go to” source for new ethnic restaurants recommended Basilic Vietnamese Grill, 14734 Biscayne Boulevard, especially for its traditional Pho soup, a meal in a bowl. Also on her list is Antica Mare, 7999 N.E. Bayshore Court, a Tuscan eatery owned by two brothers, that has a prized terrace overlooking the water.

Closings:

Michelle Bernstein’s CENA by Michy’s abruptly closed after reportedly major rent hikes. She and her partner continue to operate Crumb by Parchment in the Design District.

Good deal:

As you probably know by now, one of my favorite restaurants in Miami is Pied a Terre in the Cadet Hotel, 1701 James Avenue (T.305-531-4533) offering contemporary French cuisine in a French country setting. Menus are designed by visiting Michelin star chefs. If you’ve been wanting to try it, this month and next are the times to go with a special dinner menu for $40 a person plus tax and tip. There’s also daily discounted wine pairing. This month’s three course menu (it will change each month) includes dishes such as three color heirloom tomato tart with red tomato sorbet or sweetbreads in an open phyllo shell;  lamb chops a la provencale; scallop and black grouper with Vadouvan  scented sauce, and for dessert a choice of white chocolate mousse cracked profiterolles or fruit sorbet of the day. An option at a supplement is cold terrine of foie gras.

Etc.:

La Fontana Restaurant

Finally, checked out La Fontana Italian restaurant, 10702 N.W. 74th  (305-470-9614) in Doral that will be coming to Downtown before year’s end. It’s like the kind of Southern Italian restaurant you’d find in New York’s Little Italy — tasty, family style dishes and portions, especially tomato sauce based, friendly service, and reasonable prices. Here it’s about going to eat, not for quiet conversation, so be prepared.  The pizzas are truly a meal in one. My son ordered the pizza margarita with proscuitto, arugula and parmigiano which could have been a meal for three people. Many of the pastas are homemade. Loved the chopped caesar salad with bacon bits and nutella lovers will flip over the nutella bar cake.

La Fontana Ristorante Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Karen Escalera

Karen Escalera

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Karen Escalera at work
KAREN @ WORK
SIGN UP FOR MIAMI CURATED NOTIFICATIONS

Stay up to date on quality Miami food, fashion, culture & travel.

Get notified when MiamiCurated posts a new article and invitations to exclusive reader events.

FEATURED POSTS
RECENT POSTS

Discover more from MiamiCurated

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Miami Curated
Stay up to date on Miami food, fashion, culture & travel.
Get notified when MiamiCurated posts a new article and invitations to exclusive reader events.