For most Southerners, Miami Beach always has been (culturally speaking at least) like a cool uncle: the guy who always had the sexy car, stylish clothes and, of course, a gorgeous girl on his arm. As he drifted in and out of our lives, we admired him, in many ways even wanted to be like him, but always knew that deep down we were cut from different cloths.
Miami Beach cuisine was like that, too. It was sexy, stylish and always brought a type of energy to cooking that on some level we admired, but to which deep down we never could connect. Many restaurants, unbearably pretentious in concept and cooking, were all about exotic presentations, unnecessarily esoteric ingredients and, of course, outlandish prices.
But oh how things have changed. A pocket of Miami cuisine has come back to earth: now there's substance over all that style. Chefs are making food fun again, tapping into the city's unique nexus of global influences to churn out dishes that are to be taken seriously. But don't worry — it's still Miami. You still get all the sizzle and exotic charm but now there's a focus on food you can relate to — like the uncle who used to make your favorite home-cooked meal.
One South Beach jewel, known as much for its funky digs as much as its great food, is The Angler’s Boutique Resort on Washington Avenue. Inside, 660 Restaurant at the Angler’s Boutique Resort is chef/Columbian native Carlos Torres' playground. Slide into a seat in the plush Mediterranean interior, sip on a jalapeño margarita with muddled cucumber and fresh sugar cane and experience some of the best Latin fusion in the country. Torres keeps things nice and sweet and marinates the fish and meat in fruit-based juices like fig, passion fruit and even apple juice. Start off with the perfectly balanced Peruvian-influenced scallop tiradito ceviche made with passion fruit juice and lemon oil. Next, try the Tostones with pork marinated in apple juice — as sweet and soft as you have ever tasted. Or the empanadas stuffed with velvety-soft short ribs. The flavors are rich, but still lightly sweet and the service, attentively down to earth, brings it all together. theanglersresort.com/restaurant/
On a much grander scale — about $1 billion grander — the historic and haute Fountainbleu Miami Beach continues to dazzle the masses with its gargantuan size and panoply of dining choices. Hakkasan, the London-based modern Chinese phenomenon, imports the far east to South Beach. Hot, head-bobbing lounge music sets the mood for high-design Chinese food while cocktails like the Chinese Mule made with vodka, muddled ginger, sake and ginger beer prepare the palate for the fun ahead. The dim sum platter assembles dumplings like edible art — a whole palate of colors and textures including black squid ink-dyed and pumpkin orange-dyed doughs stuffed with duck, shrimp and scallops and topped with fish roe. They are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Almond shrimp, lightly crusted and covered in creamy sauce and the braised Chilean sea bass with sour plum and sun-dried tomato might be one of the prettiest dishes I've seen in a long time. It ain't cheap, but the flawless service and kinetic scene make the splurge worthwhile. hakkasan.com/miami/about
A longtime anchor of fabulousness in the Miami scene, W South Beach, gives guests a little head-fake with The Dutch, an outpost of the NYC staple that exudes an uncharacteristically lo-fi atmosphere amidst the sleeker-than-silk, hi-def Miami dining scene. Step out of the pulsating W lobby and feel like you have teleported into an airy library in a stylish mansion in the Hamptons. Simple white brick walls frame bookshelves full of novels and other bric-a-brac and the bar, which looks like it was constructed from a dismantled B-52 bomber lit by stainless steel caldron lights. Renowned chef Andrew Carmellini keeps the focus on American seafood staples, skillfully preparing oysters, ceviche, red snapper in a coconut curry broth and melt-in-your-mouth Maine scallops with sweet corn succotash among others. And the service, laid-back yet laser-focused, suit the concept perfectly. thedutchmiami.com
Shoot across a causeway of the barrier islands that make up Miami Beach and arrive in Miami's Midtown, a new mega-development and home of the sublime Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill. Enter through a colorful alfresco courtyard dripping with vines and flowers and drink in the Cuban hacienda vibe. The inspiration for chef Timon Balloo's menu emanates from everywhere sugarcane is grown including Japan, South America, and Cuba. Graze on fresh sushi or a dish from the killer raw bar or a smoky octopus skewer from the Japanese robata grill. Balloo packs so many eclectic delights into one place it's difficult to choose. His bacon-wrapped dates with house-made chorizo are crispy, sweet and salty. The oft-clichéd chicken and waffles dish gets splendidly twisted into duck and waffles made with crispy duck confit, duck egg, and mustard maple. And for brunch, the French toast with cinnamon ice cream wreaks havoc with the pleasure centers of the brain. Balloo made an impressive showing at the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival earlier in the summer. Expect to hear more from him on even bigger stages. sugarcanerawbargrill.com/
It's understandable that because of the predominance of tourism and hotel restaurants that Miami doesn't boast a lot of true neighborhood joints, but Tongue & Cheek creates a gastro-pub feel that locals and visitors gush about. White subway tiles with hanging lights made of Mason jars create a cozy and romantic atmosphere just off Washington Avenue. Chef/owner Jamie DeRosa combines deft technical expertise with an admirable sense of humor to frolic on a menu wrought with delicious curiosities like chilled "alginated" oysters. These little suckers are enveloped in a dome of carbonated cucumber mignonette that provides a crisp, peppery "pop" upon eating. His cauliflower pannacotta, a soup-like veggie dish topped with sea urchin and caviar, is simply a work of art. And his ability to test the boundaries of flavor profiles are demonstrated with his Long Island scallops with popcorn foam; a wonderful, whimsical dish. And the fun doesn't stop with the main menu: the deconstructed soft pretzel ice cream with nitrogen-frozen blackberries and the Crackerjack milkshake are worth a plane ticket to Miami on their own. tandcmiami.com
If You Go
Stay chic boutique! Feel the coolness of the Sense Beach House as you check into your own sweet beach house just a block from the ocean. The pint-sized haven mingles with block after block of art deco classics but feels like a hip secretive oasis from the Ocean Drive throng. Distressed woods mingle with cool, nostalgic artifacts and whimsical artwork while recreational icons like hammocks, ping pong and football tables are part of the outdoor lobby fun. In the rooms, silky, diaphanous drapes hang floor to ceiling covering windows that open to small terraces just off your cozy quarters. And the intimate rooftop pool feels very SoBe (the nickname for Southbeach is SoBe according to Wikipedia. WAS IT INTENTIONAL TO WRITE THIS WAY? without all the hoopla. sensebeachhouse.com
The Angler’s Boutique Resort also eschews the high-energy hipster groove for a more mellow but still stylish retreat. Bamboo, bougainvillea, palms and other lush tropical flora envelopes two retro-fitted Mediterranean Revival buildings formerly haunted by Ernest Hemingway and, more recently, Jimmy Buffet. You feel like you are in your own private jungle just feet from nightclubs, haute couture shops and, of course, the beach. But fear not Robinson Crusoe, the seasoned staff makes sure no need goes unnoticed. theanglersresort.com
