From a top value brunch and special truffle dinner today and tomorrow to an exciting new menu at a restaurant fave and Coconut Grove update, here are our food finds for December.
One of the best value brunches in town considering the ambiance, food and fun quotient is the new offering from Tamarina, 600 Brickell Avenue (T.305-579-1888). The elegant decor, live music (some people were dancing), and festive atmosphere make for a perfect way to linger and spend a Sunday afternoon, and linger we did. Start off with an orange mandarin sorbet bellini (yes, they put a scoop of housemade sorbet in the bellini) or Prosecco straight up at the bar, the best vantage point for people watching. Then it’s on to a tantalizing variety of food stations set up around the room — Italian with green salads, artisanal cheeses and salumi; breakfast classics — DIY waffles, pancakes and omelettes; raw bar featuring oysters, salmon and tartars; and a selection of main dishes which vary each week, reason in itself to come back. Standouts were the pastas. The day we went there was vegetable ravioli and a lamb ragu. Other entrees included sea bass and short ribs. Whatever you do, save room for the delectable desserts by talented pastry chef Tobias Smith. I really overdid it this time (no eating half a portion for me), choosing to take all my calories at brunch with a sticky bun and tastes of everything from the nutella filled bombolini and streusel coffee cake to the baba al rhum (lots of others too). There’s also an optional selection of health juices, homemade spritzers, specialty coffees, sangria and a “bottomless bubbles” option for $35 including Piper Heidsieck champagne. I saw a number of groups of girlfriends there and was thinking it’d be an ideal place to go and catch up with female friends. Seating is offered indoors and on an outdoor terrace. The price of all of this? $45 a person plus tax and gratuity.
Exciting menu options at the new fall dinner selection at one of my ongoing fave restaurants, Essensia at The Palms Hotel, 3025 Collins Avenue (T.305-908-5458), make it worth a first or better yet, return visit. Though an increasing number of restaurants tout farm-to-table ingredients, here they really do work with local Florida farms and also have their on site organic garden. Standouts from the creative Executive Chef Venoy Rogers III included a unique tempura avocado, sections of creamy avocado lightly fried and served with cilantro lime creme fraiche and piquant tomato chipotle jam that they should bottle and sell; megene salad, a wonderful melange of slivered tomato, red grapes, candied pistachios, Maytag blue cheese, all in a champagne poppy seed vinaigrette (perfect lunch dish on its own); stuffed scallops entree — plump scallops filled with Florida stone crab accompanies by cous cous, French remoulade and culantro scented barley. For dessert don’t miss the caramel apple pie in a jar with white chocolate ice cream and Granny Smith apple crisp . Most starters are in the teens and main dishes range from $19 for a vegetarian pasta to $52 for a ribeye. Wines are reasonably priced (thus the wine icon) with a glass from $12.
As you may know, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! Besides the holidays — truffle season. This year, Casa D’Angelo Ristorante uses truffles to craft a truffle-centered menu. Famed Chef Angelo Elia celebrate December 7 and 8 (Tonight and tomorrow) with “A Night in Alba.” At $225 per person plus tax and gratuity, guests enjoy a 5-course wine pairing menu. Chef Angelo utilizes truffle in each dish to complement the signature fine Italian dishes he has created. Dishes include porcini mushroom frittata with Tomino cheese and fresh white truffle shavings; white truffle risotto with 36 months old Stravecchio Reggiano cheese; ricotta agnolotti with pork guanciale, fresh artichokes and white truffle shavings; and Barolo and black truffle braised beef with winter vegetables and fresh white truffle shavings. Even the dessert has a truffle touch — the millefoglie cake with apricot sauce gets a dollop of truffle honey drops. Casa D’Angelo, Sunrise Square, 1201 N.Federal Hwy. #5A (T.954-564-1234) — by Irene Moore
And finishing up our eating news December 2015, in anticipation of the opening of the two very high end residential condos by Bjorke Ingels and Reem Koolhaus, the Grove is starting to be a happening place again and expect much more in the coming 18 months. Recently we saw the opening of a second Harry’s Pizzeria by Chef Michael Schwartz and a Panther Coffee around the corner. This past weekend ’33’ Peruvian restaurant opened where Bombay Darfar used to be at 3195 Commodore Plaza. Good to see the revival.
Photography by William Oberheiser
One Response
interesting to see how many restaurants are still on their feet after one year of opening to rave reviews……in new York, the rate of attrition is 90% …………
how about Miami???
cheers and bravos to William for the yummies!!!