Miami
Dior Cafe
On a recent visit to Miami, our local store set up a reservation for us to try the Dior Cafe (disclosure: our entire meal was paid for by the local Dior store). Apparently, there is high demand to get a table. Is it worth it? Here was my experience.
Upon arrival, the hostess did not have our reservation. We were informed that they don’t actually take reservations unless it is arranged by a rep at a store. Anyway, we were put on the waiting list and our local rep tried to sort everything out. Eventually we were seated.
Mila
Mila is a restaurant and rooftop bar located in South Beach Miami. The food is a fusion of Asian and Mediterranean like so many trendy places in Miami. The vibe is dark and sexy. There is an indoor and outdoor space. The outdoor has numerous ponds spread out on a rooftop with a bar and dining areas. Music and a buzz can be heard and felt throughout. There are fire dancers who come out on occasion. Mila is a good spot for a drink. I had been 2 times before, but never to eat, until now. Here’s how it went:
We started with the wagyu gyozas. The “pasta” (ie wrapper) was cooked well and the flavor was OK. As readers of this blog know, I never mention prices unless they are out of whack or a bargain.
LPM
LPM is a restaurant with multiple locations in cities such as London, Dubai, and HK. They are focused on the cuisine of the French Riviera. This review is about their Miami location.
I started off with the Tomatini and had many many more after. This is the best cocktail I have ever had. Its a perfect balance of sweetness and savory from the tomato. I looked online and some recipes say they also put in balsamic vinegar, sugar and pepper. In any event, its amazing.
Chotto Matte
Chotto Matte is a Peruvian Japanese restaurant with various locations around the world. Just like many other places in Miami, the interior is modern and the dining scene is party like. We had the omakase. Here are some, but not all the pics.
The service and food was pretty good. I would probably go back for another visit. On this occasion, business and getting to know people was the primary focus so I would have to go back and focus on the food more to know for sure.
The Surf Club
The Surf Club is Thomas Keller’s restaurant in Miami Beach (Surfside) located inside the Four Seasons. Thomas Keller is well known for his 3 Michelin Star restaurant – The French Laundry – among other accolades.
The hotel and restaurant itself are beautiful. They have a very elegant old school vibe. Overall, I would not return to this place due to the burned wellington. I have been to the French Laundry and THAT is perfection. I have been to a few other TK places which were pretty good also, and I am sure this is not indicative of the Surf Club, but maybe just an off night. Nevertheless, at this level and price, someone should of been checking the food before being sent out. The service and ambiance were fantastic. I said I would not go back, but come to think of it, I would return for drinks if I was in the area.
Yuca 105
Yuca 105 is a “fusion” restaurant from the same people that created CVI.CHE105. Yuca is a blend of Cuban and Peruvian food. We started with a tartar:
Followed by a Peruvian fried rice or Chaufa. Surprisingly, there is Japanese and Chinese influence on Peruvian cuisine. This is one common dish, in Peru, is usually washed down with Inka Cola.
A delicious fried fish with the a lo macho sauce which I love. My only complaint was there was not enough sauce and we had to order a side extra of it.
Call Me Gaby
Call me Gaby is a little known Italian restaurant located in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth area. It is a chic setting with a nice patio and interior that could be somewhere in the South of Italy!
Everything was delicious, but I would suggest skipping the grilled veggies. They were good, but not for $16 for a couple slices of common vegetables. Service was very good. This is a good lunch spot and I would go back.
Sorbillo
Look up best pizza in Naples and Sorbillo will make many lists. However, many locals I have asked swear there are better places. Anyway, I liked it a lot. Here is a recap of my visit to the original in 2019.
One recently opened up in Miami so we decided to give it a try for comparison. We started with bruschetta.
In the end, its not as good as the original. The dough/bread was not as good. It did not have the perfect chewiness of the original, and the flavor was off. The sauce and cheese did not work as harmoniously either. Its still good, but when you find yourself in Naples, go for the original one.
Papi Steak
Papi steak is part of Groot Hospitality. They are responsible for other venues like LIV and Komodo in Miami. The website describes the venue as “…Homage To Old World Miami & Hollywood Glamour with a Modern Twist“.
I think this is an accurate description. Prior to dining here, it was recommended by a few people I talked to, and I had been a couple times for drinks, but never to eat. For drinks, I liked the atmosphere but was hesitant to dine as I did not know if there was an equal attention paid to the food or if it would be an overpriced disappointing experience.
Versailles
Versailles is a much hyped Cuban restaurant in Miami. It will appear on many “must” lists of the city. When we arrived, there was a huge line up, but it moved fairly quick and we were seated in a bout 15 minutes. Lets start with the setting. The inside is beautiful, like an old school Parisian cafe.
Anyway, regarding Versailles, a couple of things were ok. Beans and rice, the stewed items and the empanadas were good. Everything else on my plate was disappointing, especially the fried pork chunks which were dry and basically inedible.
CVI.CHE105
Eleven years ago, I went to Peru for a friend’s wedding. To this day, despite travelling extensively since, its still one of my favorite trips. The food and sights are next level. One dish in particular, that I had once, was Pescado A Lo Macho. It was at a random road side stop as our driver wanted to show us an oasis.
We had lunch at the stop and I remember it being total bliss because of the dish. I searched for the few Peruvian restaurants in Vancouver, and none had it. Every time I went to a Peruvian restaurant, it was no where to be found. I tried to make it once, but at that time, there were few recipes on it on the Internet and some ingredients could not be sourced locally.
Kiki on the River (updated)
Update 5/24/22 – I returned to Kiki over the weekend and the experience was the total opposite of my first post below. Our reservation was for 10PM and we arrived on time. We were told that the table was not ready and to wait at the bar. Forty minutes later I went to follow up on the table and was told that it would be another 45 minutes. After some time passed, I went to follow up a second time and was told it might be up to an hour! At this point it was evident that they did not actually know when they could seat us and/or the hostess was not willing to provide any type of help…so we just left. I did some research after and found that a lot of people had a similar experience.
Omakai
Omakai is a sushi restaurant located in the Wynwood district on Miami. If you want really good sushi, at an affordable price, this is it.
The first time I went we had the Omakai Experience which is basically an Omakase. The second time, we did a la carte. Both times were excellent. The rice was perfect, and the fish was fresh, and full of fatty, melt in your mouth, flavor.
Omakai is not as pricey, and is a more casual place than some of the other places I have mentioned on this blog that deliver excellent sushi in Miami like Makoto or Nossa.
Baoli
Baoli is a restaurant nightclub hybrid that is common in Miami. There are other venues like this in other cities (think Bagatelle). When making the reservation for 2, I was informed that there would be a minimum charge of dinner + $500 alcohol + 20% gratuity.
With these types of venues, the experience could of gone one of two ways. Either it would be a very overpriced night of bad (ie snobby) service with mediocre food, or an amazing time. Surprisingly, and luckily, it was the second one.
There was no line when we arrived for our reservation at 10:30PM on a Saturday. We were promptly seated and served.
Komodo
Komodo is an Asian restaurant located in Miami, but its more than that. As I mentioned in my review from two days ago, Miami restaurants have a number of things in common. Komodo, ticks all those boxes and then some. It has a club like feel to it and the party scene develops as the night progresses.
One of the things you will notice upon entry are the roasted ducks hanging in the window like you would see in Hong Kong.
Havana Vieja
Havana Vieja is a highly rated (by Google) and highly recommended Cuban restaurant in South Beach. I have no idea why. We sat on the patio for lunch and started with empanadas:
The food was just average. The service was incredibly, incredibly, terribly SLOOOOOOOW. It was also inattentive. Some tables got fried plantains, some didn’t. We had to ask. Everything we asked for came very slow. Pulling teeth torture slow. We weren’t the only table which experienced this as the table next to us got tired of waiting and asked for their food to go.
Intimo
Intimo is kind of a reflection of the first 3, and a little of the 4th but not like others I will post about in the future.
Our reservation was at 9:30PM on a Tuesday and the place was still fairly busy. In most other cities, Tuesday nights would be slow. The decor was fairly modern and the menu had a good mix of Latin and Japanese influenced dishes. Our server started by bringing a tea kettle but with some broth inside.
It was a welcome surprise. The broth was fish based and delicious. We then proceeded to order. We started with an assortment of sushi. They were ok with nothing particularly outstanding.
Secret Cuban Bakery
Miami is home to a large Cuban population, and naturally, a lot of Cuban restaurants. One of my favorite things to get in Miami is Cuban coffee. I asked our concierge where to get the best and she replied “do you want to know where locals go”? My response was “Of course”!
Inside the Valero gas station, at 331 23rd Street in Miami Beach, you will find this amazing Cuban bakery. There are a number of things I love about this place: a wide assortment of sweet and savory items (I have tried many of them and they are all good), you can see the bakery behind the counter so I know its freshly made on premise, and its incredibly cheap!
Puerto Sagua
If you are looking for a quick bite of Cuban food in a no frills “diner” type restaurant, check out Puerto Sagua in South Beach. The menu says they specialize in Paella and Seafood, but we were here for breakfast and had a Cuban sandwich and empanadas.
The sandwich was good. Not as good as the one we had at Sanguich, but still good if you are in South Beach and don’t want to go all the way to Little Havana. The empanadas are delicious. I ordered one, and then two more. I tried both the beef and chicken.
Cote
Cote Miami was one of the places I was looking forward to eating at most. The NYC one is fantastic. Unfortunately, the one in Miami is not well run unlike other NYC Transplants (such as Carbone Miami – which is excellent). Lets start with the seating. Upon arrival, we were told that the restaurant was running behind schedule and were asked to wait at the bar. We were seated 45 minutes after our reservation time. The place itself is nice, and full of energy.
We started with some oysters with the caviar option and “steak and eggs” which is basically tartare and caviar.
Kyu
The concept sounded incredible: “wood-fired Asian inspired restaurant”. The menu had a lot of tempting items like bone marrow. Unfortunately, the actual experience fell short of expectations. We started with the chilled king crab with creamy-spicy lime. It was ok but nothing memorable.
None of the dishes left a lasting impression. I think there are better places to go for this type of cuisine. I think part of the reason I was not impressed is that coming from the Westcoast, there are some of the best Asian restaurants outside Asia, both traditional and modern so that is the standard I apply. Again, lots of potential with this type of restaurant, but the execution was not there. Service was a bit slow.
Pollo & Jarras
Even though it was about 10+ years ago since I went, Peru is still in my head as one of the top places in the world to eat. The food is incredible. Vancouver doesn’t have a lot of good options for Peruvian food, but luckily, Miami does. Pollo & Jarras specializes in Peruvian Rotisserie chicken. We went to the location at Aventura mall for lunch. The inside is festive.
To start the meal, our server brought us an amuse of Peruvian soup. Suddenly, everything I loved about Peruvian food came rushing back – fresh ingredients, spices, unique flavor combinations, solid technique, and lots of umami.
Pao
Pao is headed by a Filipino chef and describes itself as “Drawing from a range of international styles including Filipino, Spanish, Japanese & French”.
I have had mixed feelings about dining here ever since a previous trip to Miami. 2 years ago, I made a reservation, had second thoughts, and then cancelled. Fusion food is tough to do, especially Asian fusion. However, if done right, it can be wonderful. My personal opinion is that the traditional versions of Asian food are so good, and well priced, that the bar is set very high for a fusion version. Unfortunately, I think Pao was not able to meet my expectations. Here was the menu for the night. I saw many potentially exciting things, mostly related to Filipino cuisine.
Milos
Milos is a Greek restaurant which started in Montreal. However, my first encounter with Milos was in Vegas. I have been going back ever since. My first time eating a Montreal bagel was in the Vegas location; they used to fly them in. They also opened a location in Miami, and its still as good as the other two locations (they also have various other locations I have not tried like NYC). The following two pics and video sums up what is so good about this place – simple but well executed preparation of fresh ingredients.
Overall, service was good and the food was just as good as the other locations. The restaurant is set in a nice beautiful room. This would make a good spot for dates, business dinners, or any kind of celebrations.
Makoto
Google “best sushi in Miami” and Makoto will usually pop up on a few lists. I was conflicted initially about going here. It seemed more like a “scene” place that happened to serve sushi. Its also located in a shopping mall, albeit the very high end Bal Harbor Shops. My initial impressions were wrong. Makoto serves amazing sushi. We started with a caviar tasting which is served with toro rolls. Heavenly.
Everything here is fantastic. The nigiri is all good, and the rice is well executed. The chu toro and otoro are divine!
They also have hot food, but I have only tried the robata. The corn is good as well as the king crab.
Uchi
Uchi is a highly rated “non traditional take on Japanese food”. Unfortunately, while it was ok, there are better options for non-traditional Japanese food in Miami. For example, check out Nossa; there are others but I will post more about that later. The presentation was nice, but nothing blew me away. They did not even have blue fin tuna that day. This should be a staple on any high end tasting menu.
Overall, service was ok, but there are better alternatives if you want to be blown away by Japanese food in Miami; especially at this price point.
Nossa Omakase
There are some places that provide a flawless experience and amazing food throughout the entire evening. So well executed that I still think about it the next day, and in this case, weeks after. Nossa Omakase is one such place. Actually, the experience starts even before you set foot in the restaurant. If I told you more, I would ruin it for you. Therefore, I highly recommend that if you are in Miami, and craving some good sushi (with a Latin influence), have a few hours to spare on an experience, and want to be blown away, just make a reservation.
A lot of places do fusion and use smoke and various other forms of culinary showmanship; it usually comes across as trying too hard, or poorly executed.
Azabu
I read about Azabu on a list of Miami’s best sushi. A visit to the website showed great promise with mention of its “Michelin Starred Concept”, secret omakase den, focus on Japanese whiskies etc. Usually, upon arrival at high level sushi establishments, one feels a sense of reverence like going into a temple. Upon arrival at Azabu, it felt like an average sushi restaurant in a hotel. We were seated outside and the never got the feeling that we were dining in a place doing sushi at a high level. The menu is definitely not traditional and has a wide variety of items; Azabu is not focused on only sushi.
Nurs-Et (the Salt Bae guy)
A friend and I were discussing restaurants he frequented in Dubai and he mentioned to me about Nurs-Et. This is the restaurant of Salt Bae. I’m sure you have seen video of him salting steak in kind of a flexed arm position and then dribbling the salt down his arm. If not, watch this vid.
Naturally, I asked if the place was a gimmick or actually good. He assured me it was no gimmick. Fast forward one year, and I find myself in Miami and notice there is a Nurs-Et. I make a reservation for lunch. Here was the experience.
Carbone
Due to the pandemic, a lot of New Yorkers are moving to Miami and a lot of NYC restaurants are opening in Miami as a result. Carbone is one of them. Although I still haven’t been to the original one, I did enjoy the one in Vegas.
The one in Miami did not disappoint either. In fact, I enjoyed the food and atmosphere so much, I quickly made two more subsequent reservations shortly after the first. The vodka pasta is still delicious as I remember in Vegas, and I would say the scene and atmosphere is even better. The dining room has an elegant old school feel to it, and the crowd is buzzing, even during our later 10:30PM reservation.
Stubborn Seed
Stubborn Seed is a highly rated restaurant in Miami. The chef was the winner of Top Chef Season 13. These days, a lot of big name restaurants from places like New York are opening in Miami. Places like Carbone and Cote to name a few. Stubborn Seed still has a small local feel to it. The dining room is small relative to some of the other places I previously mentioned. This is a nice change if you are looking for an intimate dinner.
Usually, when we go to a new place, I like to try the tasting menu if one is available. In this case, I’m glad I didn’t. The service was extremely slow.
Sanguich de Miami
Sanguich De Miami specializes in Cuban sandwiches and is located in little Havana. The place is quite small so there may be a wait if you want to be seated inside. There is a takeout window and two tables outside also. The inside has beautiful tiled floors.
To our dismay, they were sold out of the Cubano so we went with the lechon and beef. We also got a side of chicharron and some Cuban coffee.
The chicharron was delicious. The lechon sandwich was my favorite. The bread is wonderful and has the right flavor, texture and temperature.
Joe’s Stone Crab
I almost made a mistake. I was going to skip Joe’s Stone Crab on a recent trip to Miami, despite many people recommending the place.
As for #1, a quick Google search revealed that they are not the same company. The one in Vegas is “Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab”. I believe they have a supply relationship however.
As for #2, while dining at Bazaar, we were introduced to someone who worked the door at lunch and asked us to come by. With all issues solved, we went for lunch and I am glad we did.
Macchialina
Macchialina is an Italian restaurant that was highly recommended to us by one of the bartenders we were chatting with at our hotel in Miami. We had reservations somewhere else, and he suggested Macchialina instead.
Upon arrival, the place was packed. Very busy with many people waiting for tables both inside and outside. The place is small but in high demand. We were promptly seated by the window. We started with the house made porchetta and some gnocco fritto. The porchetta was delicious but the gnocco fritto was too thick. They were puffy, but more like a regular pizza crust than the airy, delicate pillows we had in Emilia Romagna. They were still delicious combined with the porchetta.
The Bazaar – Jose Andres
Bazaar Meat by Jose Andres is one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas. Thus, I thought the The Bazaar in South Beach would provide a similar culinary experience. Unfortunately, this is no Bazaar Meat.
However, I still had a very enjoyable dinner. What the restaurant lacks in the food, it makes up for in service, a great atmosphere and a beautiful dining room.
Anyway, according to the server, the menu is organized into more modern type dishes and traditional Spanish dishes.
Lucali
Lucali is an extremely well known pizza restaurant based in Brooklyn. It is not unheard of to wait hours. I don’t think they have delivery or takeout. Not matter how good the food, I don’t want to wait that long for it.
To my surprise, they opened one in Miami and they have delivery through Uber Eats. So, its not the original from NYC, and its not even fresh in store in Miami, but through delivery, but given the long waits, this would have to do.
The River Seafood & Oyster Bar
The only time I had stone crabs was 10 years ago at Joe’s in Las Vegas. I remember not being impressed. On this trip to Miami, many trusted food bloggers I knew recommended Joe’s in Miami. Upon further investigation, it appears the two have completely different ownership but some sort of supply relationship. In any event, the one in Miami is the OG (and I will post about my visit later).
I was determined to try stone crabs a second time, this time in Miami, where they are iconic. I wanted a place that served them at lunch AND took reservations (Joe’s does not take reservations). That brings us to The River Seafood and Oyster Bar. It is located in downtown, very close to the Brickell City Center Mall.
Alter
Alter is located in the Wynwood district of Miami. The neighborhood is known for art/graffiti on many building walls so I definitely recommend you walk around before and after if you are into that kind of thing. Its worth seeing.
We had the 5 course menu and added the signature soft egg. The meal started with the only miss of the evening, the French apple soup. To me, the onion crisp on top was too tough and the flavors were unbalanced. The sour notes of the apple were the primary flavors coming through. It was a deconstructed dish that was trying too hard.