Still don’t have Super Bowl Sunday plans for tomorrow? Depending what you’re into and where you want to go, Miami has a little something for everyone.
Pick what works best for you:
For an easy Super Bowl Sunday: Brasserie Azur
Who’s ready to see a showdown?! If the game is already stressing you out, don’t let the watch party make it even worse. At Midtown’s Brasserie Azur {3252 NE 1st Avenue, Midtown; 786.800.9993}, enjoy the game with multiple large TV screens, surround sound, and most importantly, happy hour specials: like $3 draft beer, $5 craft cocktails, $5 wine, burgers, pizzettas, papas bravas, and more. These specials will run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
For the luxury sports guru: The Lounge at The Setai
If you don’t know which team you’re rooting for, let your drink(s) decide. Tomorrow, head to The Lounge at The Setai {2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.520.6000} and sip on special cocktails named after the teams battling it out: the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. Inspired by the Patriot’s red, white, and blue colors, the Patriots Cooler mixes vodka, Campari, peach puree, citrus, simple syrup, and Blue Curacao. For a more Southern Flair, the appropriately named Falcon Sour mixes Bourbon, citrus, simple syrup, and grenadine, and tops it all with egg whites.
For sports fans who love good seafood: Izzy’s Fish & Oyster
If you like your sports with a side of seafood (or really, the other way around) watch the big game at Izzy’s Fish & Oyster {423 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.397.8843}. While there, choose from Izzy’s regular menu or feast on a special Super Bowl, New England-style buffet. You’ll find dishes like Smoked Fish Dip, Knuckle Sandwiches with Maine lobster, New England Oysters, Peel & Eat Shrimp, Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, Stuffed Clams, and unlimited Narragansett beer and cups of Izzy’s Game Day Punch Bowl, all for just $55 per person. This game day special will start at 5:30 p.m.
For trendy fans who like an amazing deal: Ricky’s South Beach
At Ricky’s South Beach {1222 16^th Street, Miami Beach; 305.704.3602}, football fans can celebrate Super Bowl LI with food specials like $2 American sliders, $3 regular fries, $5 nachos, and a “Beat the Clock” happy hour. Then, while you eat, watch the game the best way Miami residents can: on giant 115- and 155-inch screens. Touchdown! These game day specials will run from Noon to 5:30 a.m.
For lovers of whiskey, tequila AND football: South Pointe Tavern
SoFi’s newest hotspot, South Pointe Tavern {40 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach; 305.763.8368} is already impressing Miamians by having the largest collection of whiskeys and tequilas on Miami Beach. And now, these same drinkers can get amped up for the tavern’s Super Bowl Sunday specials: 50% off Budweiser and Yuengling beer, $6 Gameday Sangria, and $1 Pigs in a Blanket. Still hungry? Ask for the menu—South Pointe Tavern has a famous Pastrami Reuben Sandwich that will call you back for more. These game day specials will start at 6 p.m.
For those who want to watch the game poolside: Fontainebleau Miami Beach
What’s better than a pool party?! Tomorrow morning, head to the iconic Fontainebleau Miami Beach {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.538.2000} for a game day experience in your very own poolside cabana. Watch the game from the cabana, or join the masses and cheer on your favorite team from inside the Arkadia pool—a large 9 x 16 foot television will be on display right on the Arkadia pool deck. Aiding the celebration, each cabana will come with a 42-inch flat screen TV, wireless Internet, a mini refrigerator, a phone, a digital safe, and your own personal butler service. Happy Super Bowl! The cabanas will be available as early as 9 a.m. 
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

The Setai, Miami Beach has become a haven for luxury lovers in the Magic City, and this year, the revered hotel is turning 80. To celebrate, it’s jazzing up its popular Sunday brunch–and like a true legend, it wants you, Magic City diners, to join in the fun.
In honor of the special anniversary, from now until the end of 2017, the luxurious Sunday Jazz Brunch at Jaya at The Setai {2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 855.923.7899} will be reduced to just $80 per person. At this weekly feast, guests will be able to indulge in Jaya’s same signature spread: a buffet of global cuisine, live jazz, and to make it extra fancy, glasses overflowing with unlimited Louis Roederer Champagne, mimosas and Bloody Mary’s.
The hotel’s enchanting ambiance aside, what makes Jaya’s brunch most special is how well the culinary team makes different styles of cuisine from all over the world. In fact, some would say that this Sunday brunch is a journey for the international palate. You can get a delicious, traditional American brunch–like omelets, a raw bar, a waffle and pancake station with every topping imaginable, and meat carving–to breads, cereals, and Thai and Chinese stations with Steam Bao, Chinese Dim Sum, Indonesian Beef Rendang, and Singaporean Lakss. There’s an Italian station with fresh pastas, cheeses, and premium Italian meats like Prosciutto di Parma, Bresaola, Speck, and Salami Toscana, right next to a table of Mediterranean favorites and a lavish dessert station. Different from other brunches, this one also has something that’s typically hard to find in the Magic City: a buffet of Indian favorites like Butter Chicken, Eggplant Masala, Cumin Potato, Basmati Rice, and more.
Of course, a fabulous menu like this wouldn’t be possible without a fabulous chef, and that’s where 
Executive Chef Mathias Gervais comes in. As a rising star in the world of fine dining, Chef Mathias, a Food Network Chopped winner in September 2015, has been impressing The Setai, Miami Beach guests since he first joined the team in 2012.
Already craving tomorrow’s brunch? We can’t blame you. Jaya at The Setai’s Sunday Jazz Brunch is available every Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

While most might think of Ocean Drive solely for its souvenir shops, cheesy bars like Wet Willie’s, and tourist trap restaurants, this iconic row of Art Deco architecture is an integral part of the South Beach experience and has some hidden gems worth discovering.
One such gem is the restaurant at the historic Avalon Hotel, which has been a mainstay on the strip for 27 years and counting. A Fish Called Avalon {700 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.532.1727} is the perfect place to take out-of-towners or for a fun date night to change up the scene. The sea breeze and bustle of Ocean Drive combined with the restaurant’s own live music creates a lively and romantic atmosphere– a seat on the upper level of the patio is optimal for excellent people watching.
Service is warm and friendly here, as the staff and management are proud of the legacy and name this spot has earned itself. Appropriately named, A Fish Called Avalon specializes in seafood fare and really shines with a variety of unique dishes and flavors. Their warm bread with homemade hummus is a nice start to the meal, while sipping on a Mojito of course. Tempting appetizers like the Bang Bang Shrimp in a curry and mint yogurt sauce with cucumber pepper relish are sure to tantalize the palette. For the main event, again seafood steals the show with creative entrees and sizeable portions. The Orzo Seafood Paella for two is perfect for that romantic date night to evoke Mediterranean memories, while the Macadamia-Crusted Snapper plays with texture and bursts of flavor in the accompanying raspberry Beaujolais Beurre Blanc and spinach risotto. Delectable desserts end the evening on a sweet note, and there’s even a late night Greek-inspired menu available on weekends to satisfy those cravings for Spanakopita and grape leaves.
No matter the occasion, A Fish Called Avalon is truly a classic fine dining establishment amidst the rest that offers the quintessential South Beach experience.
By Chelsea Olson | Contributor

February 22 is right around the corner, and that means the 16^th-annual Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF®) will be here before we know it. While this delicious event bombards Miami and Fort Lauderdale with 90+ celebrity events, unusual dinners, tastings, chef lectures, late-night parties, the new Dave Grutman Experience, bar events, beach soirées, and more, at the heart of it all is how it all began: Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village. As you walk around and taste samples from more than 55 of Miami’s hottest restaurants, be sure to stop by the KitchenAid Culinary Demonstration stages to see an all-star line up of TV chefs and culinary personalities you’ve been dying to ogle over in real life.
Read below for the stars and celebrities you can expect to see onstage at Miami’s biggest foodie event of the year. (Don’t worry, we’ll be ogling too!)
Saturday, February 25:
Valerie Bertinelli
Ayesha Curry
Giada De Laurentiis
Bobby Flay
Snoop Dogg & Guy Fieri
Amanda Freitag & Scott Conant
Emeril Lagasse
Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos
Masaharu Morimoto
Marc Murphy
Michael Symon
Ming Tsai
Geoffrey Zakarian
Sunday, February 26:
José Andrés
Anne Burrell
Giada De Laurentiis
Duff Goldman
Alex Guarnaschelli
Carla Hall
Robert Irvine
Eddie Jackson
Roger Mooking
Tia Mowry
Marcus Samuelsson
Aarón Sánchez
Ndamukong Suh
Andrew Zimmern
SOBEWFF 2017 will run from February 22-26, 2017. For more information about the festival, or to buy tickets for any of the SOBEWFF 2017 events, visit sobewff.org or call 877.762.3933. Tickets to the Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village featuring Mastercard Grand Tasting Tents & KitchenAid Culinary Demonstrations start at $100 (on Sunday, February 26 only).
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Gather around, wine lovers! Here is this week’s Miami wine news:
db Bistro Moderne Names New Head Sommelier
Coming to the Magic City from top restaurants–like Atlas, at the St. Regis Atlanta, and Del Frisco’s Grille and TITOU Hospitality Group, both in Palm Beach–Haunah Klein is now Head Sommelier at Downtown Miami’s Daniel Boulud locale, db Bistro Moderne {255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Downtown Miami; 305.421.8800}. A Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers Program, Haunah will now manage db Bistro’s cellar of 600+ vintages and plan events with new and emerging wine producers, like her Champagne Pommery event, which will take place at the Downtown hotspot on March 15. 
Breakthru Beverage Florida Wants You to Get in an ‘Oregon State of Mind’
On January 30, Breakthru Beverage Florida and Jackson Family Wines invites wine lovers to participate in a 90-minute panel tasting and wine reception at the InterContinental Miami. Paying homage to great Oregon winemakers, this panel event will be hosted and moderated by Julia Jackson, Proprietor of Jackson Family Wines, and Gilian Handelman, Director of Wine Education for Jackson Family Wines, respectively. Running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., it will feature wine greats like Eugenia Keegan (from Gran Moraine), Craig McAllister (from La Crema), Lynn Penner-Ash (from Penner-Ash), Ryan Zepaltas (from Siduri), and Tony Rynders (from Zena Crown), all of whom will discuss hot topics in the wine world while sipping Pinot Noirs from the great Willamette Valley.
American Fine Wine Invitational (AFWI) Picks the Best American Wines
Just last week, AFWI held its 10^th-annual Wine Judging event, where wine experts, aficionados and local press (including yours truly!) sipped American wines and awarded medals to more than 850 vintages from 230 wineries. During this interesting three-day event, which took place at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 24 judges selected top vintages for “Best of Class” and “Best of Show.” Here are the winners:
Best of Class
Sauvignon Blanc, ’14 Marston Family Vineyard, “Albion”, Yountville (MRP $50)
Chardonnay, ’13 Mi Sueno, Sonoma Mountain (MRP $54)
Riesling, ’15 Glenora Wine Cellars, Finger Lakes, NY (MRP $15)
Dry Rose, ’15 Fulcrum, “Cloisonne” Lake County (MRP $24)
Pinot Noir, ’14 Benovia Winery, Tilton Hill, Sonoma Coast (MRP $60)
Malbec, ’13 Kestrel Vintners, Yakima, WA (MRP $45)
Merlot, ’13 Tenor Columbia Valley, WA (MRP $58)
Other Red Blend, ‘13 Maldonado Family Vineyards, Proprietary Red, Napa (MRP $38)
Zinfandel, ’13 Jeff Cohn Cellars, Cassata Vineyard, Sonoma (MRP $42)
Sangiovese, ‘14 Luna Vineyards, Napa (MRP $42)
Grenache,’15 Oak Farm Vineyards, Lodi (MRP $27)
Red Bordeaux Style Blend, ’13 Alpha Omega Propriety Red Blend, Napa (MRP $98)
Cabernet Franc, ’13 Vinoce Vineyards, Mt. Veeder (MRP $75)
Petite Sirah, ’13 Robert Biale “E.B.A.”, Napa (MRP $75)
Syrah, ’13 VIE Las Madres Vineyard, Los Carneros (MRP $49)
Best of Show
Sparkling, NV Mumm Napa, “Santana” Brut, Napa (MRP $50)
Dessert Wine, ’11 John Anthony Vineyards Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Napa (MRP $65)
White, ’15 Chehalem Vineyards, Gruner Veltliner, Ribbon Ridge, OR (MRP $24)
Red, ’13 Baldacci Family, Cabernet Sauvignon “Ruppert”, Napa (MRP $125)
All wines entered into the judging will be available to taste at the highly-anticipated AFWI Charity Wine Gala, which will take place on April 29 at the Design Center of the Americas (DCOTA). The Gala will include a “Sparkling” reception, The Wine Walk, and a  wine-centric dinner featuring the weekend’s award-winning wines, all of which will be poured by AFWI “Wine Angels.”  There will be live and silent auctions, a “Premium” wine auction, live entertainment, and the opportunity to dine with your favorite Miami Dolphins player. Adding to its allure, proceeds from this fun-filled event will benefit The Dolphins Cancer Challenge.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Running in the annual Miami Marathon this Sunday, January 29? Good for you! To reward you for your hard work, Scott Conant’s famed Italian mainstay, Scarpetta {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 877.326.7412} at Fontainebleau Miami Beach wants to help you prepare for the big race. Priced at $39, this restaurant has launched a special three-course, “Carb-Up” menu specially crafted to give runners the fuel they need to cross the finish line. Available for all participants between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the two nights leading up to the race—Friday, January 27 and Saturday, January 28—this prix-fixe menu will include the following carb-filled creations:
Antipasti
Choose 1 of the following:
Burrata with heirloom tomatoes, basil pesto, and balsamic pearls
Arugula Salad with toasted pine nuts, Pecorino, and Truccioletto vinaigrette
Creamy Polenta with a fricassee of truffled mushrooms
Paste
Choose 1 of the following:
Spaghetti with tomato and basil
Tagliatelle with wild mushroom, asparagus, and truffle sabayon
Duck and Foie Gras Ravioli with a Marsala reduction
Dolce
Choose 1 of the following:
Coconut Panna Cotta with caramelized pineapple and guava soup
Amedei Chocolate Cake with toasted almond gelato and salted caramel sauce
For more information about this special menu, click here. Reservations are required.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Miamians are nothing if not a late-night crowd, and fortunately for the Magic City, Paris 6 {2200 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.363.6806} keeps the French fare coming 24 hours a day. And while Parisian staples like Croque Madame, Crème Brûlée, Quiche Lorraine and Nutella Crepes have always been on the menu, now, this “tres chic” spot has added more than 60 new dishes sure to satisfy our cravings all night long.
Here are just some of the new plates you can get excited about:

• Beef Carppacio a “Juan Alba”
• Tuna Nicoise Salad a “Bella Falconi”
• Gnocchi de Brie Aux Quatre Fromages a “Marina Ruy Barbosa”
• Wild Salmon Tartare a la Marocaine a “Macros Mion”
• Shrimp Stroganoff a “Celia Forte”
• Lapin a L’Ancienne a “Silvo de Abreu”
• Tournedos Rossini Au Foie Gras a “Romero Britto”
• Oyster Bar with West Coast Oysters and New Orleans-inspired East Coast Oysters, the latter of which is prepared with butter, spinach, watercress, green onions and grated Parmesan

Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach is undeniably one of Miami’s most glamorous hotels, but just last year, it introduced its own laidback eatery, Pizza & Burger by Michael Mina {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach;  305.674.4636}, for locals and hotel guests alike to enjoy. Known for its stacked, out-of-the-box burgers, cunning cocktails, and over-the-top pizzas, this tasty locale will now host a five-course craft beer pairing dinner with two local breweries: Concrete Beach Brewery and M.I.A. Beer Co.
Throughout the evening, diners will be able to munch on delicious menu items specially prepared by Chef de Cuisine Timothy Elmore, like Loaded Potato Skins, Fish Taco, Smoked BBQ Ribs, and the Dry Aged Burger. For a sweet ending, they can finish their meal with the restaurant’s S’mores dessert with a homemade graham cracker crumble, chocolate ganache, and vanilla marshmallow. Select beers will be available throughout the dinner, and at the end of the evening, guests will vote on which beer pairs best with which course.
Want to go? We do, too. Here’s what you need to know:
Date: Friday, February 3, 2017
Time: 8 p.m.
Price: $85 per person, including tax and tip
Reservations required.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

To kick off 2017, Atrio Restaurant & Wine Room {1395 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 305.204.8181} at the Conrad Miami is offering a $79 Special Neighborhood Dinner Menu for its Miami neighbors to enjoy. Available for groups of up to eight, this prix-fixe menu lets you pick two appetizers, two main course dishes, and two desserts for the table to share.
Before the end of this month, grab your friends, make your reservation at Atrio Restaurant & Wine Room, and choose from the menu below. You (and your wallet) won’t regret it!
Appetizers
Beef Tenderloin Tartare
Tuna Tartare (4 ounces)
Chef’s Soup of the Day
Goat Cheese Croquette Salad
Caesar Salad
Appetizer from “Taste of Time” Menu (Menu changes regularly)
Main Courses
Pan Seared Branzino
Sake Miso Marinated Grouper
Seared Chicken Breast
Grilled Angus Beef Tenderloin (6 ounces)
Garganelli Pasta
Chargrilled Prime Angus Burger (8 ounces)
Main Course from “Taste of Time” Menu (Menu changes regularly)
Desserts
Dulce de Leche Banana Tartlet with Hibiscus Mousse
Stone Fruit Cobbler with Rum Raisin Ice Cream
Homemade Ice Cream
Pistachio and Olive Oil Cake
“Painter’s Palette” with Exotic Fruits and Guava Sorbet
Salted Caramel Ice Cream Profiteroles
This menu is available through January 31, 2017. Complimentary valet included.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

This past December, the top-notch team at Pisco y Nazca Gastrobar {8405 Mills Drive #260, Kendall; 305.630.3844} hopped on a plane to Peru to immerse themselves in the culture of the region, and they brought some of it back for us to experience, too. Prepared by the restaurant’s talented executive chef, Miguel Gomez, the menu now has some new dishes that are a direct reflection of the current food trends in beautiful (and delicious) Peru.
Head to either of Pisco y Nazca’s two locations, one in Kendall and one in Doral, and try some of these new plates for yourself. They’re listed here:
Ceviche Tradicional
To amp up the flavor, this new twist on the restaurant’s classic dish dresses mahi mahi, leche de tigre, cancha, choclo, and sweet potato with orange soda and sugar.
Churrasco Empanada
Inspired by one of Peru’s most popular dishes, Lomo Saltado, this flaky empanada is filled with seared skirt steak, soy sauce, onions, tomato, chalaquita, and rocoto aiolia, a Peruvian “sweet and sour” sauce.
Causa Tartar
In this traditional Peruvian plate, diners will find an Asian twist: tuna tartar with pickled ginger, sweet chili sauce, Asian spices, whipped potato, Asian aioli, and wonton crisps.  
Tequeño
Throwing in a dish from a neighboring region to accommodate Miami’s strong Venezuelan community, Gomez wraps Gouda cheese in a pastry shell and tops it with rocoto aioli.
Jalea
This Peruvian take on a seafood platter features fried calamari, shrimp, mahi mahi, mussels, clams, salsa criolla, and a homemade tartar sauce.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor