It might not feel like fall in Miami, but thanks to some of the Magic City’s top restaurants, it can sure taste like it. Try one of these flavorful autumn dishes below—they might even make you believe you’re not in South Florida, anymore.
Carrot Soup
Dolce Italian {1690 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.975.2550}
What’s in it: This cool-weather dish is full of fall ingredients—think: pumpkin seeds, ginger, Tellicherry pepper, and of course, carrots.
When to get it: Lunch, daily (11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.); and Dinner, Sunday – Thursday (6 p.m. – 11 p.m.) and Friday – Saturday (6 p.m. to Midnight)
Price: $10
Niku Udon
AZABU Miami Beach {161 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 786.276.0520}
What’s in it: This go-to, comfort food soup is served piping hot, and has udon noodles, soy-simmered beef and broth.
When to get it: Dinner, nightly (6 p.m. to 1 a.m.)
Price: $15
Saffron Seafood Risotto
A Fish Called Avalon {700 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.532.1727}
What’s in it: This hearty dish mixes creamy arborio rice, scallops, clams, shrimp, calamari, mussels, fresh fish, roasted tomatoes, and herbs.
When to get it: Dinner, nightly (6 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
Price: $38
Roasted Heirloom Cauliflower Tacos
Lolo’s Surf Cantina {161 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.735.6973}
What’s in it: Get all the colors of fall in this taco, which comes stuffed with heirloom cauliflower, pumpkin seeds, mashed avocado, queso fresco, and salsa roja.
When to get it: Lunch and dinner, daily (11 a.m. – 11 p.m.)
Price: $12 for two tacos
Cavatelli Macchialina
Macchialina {820 Alton Road, Miami Beach; 305.534.2124}
What’s in it: Part of the “Pasta Fatta in Casa” menu, this food coma-inducing dish tosses cavatelli pasta shells with baby meatballs, pecorino cheese, and porchetta.
When to get it: Dinner, Sunday – Thursday (6 p.m. – 11 p.m.) and Friday – Saturday (6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.)
Price: $24
Thai Duck Curry
Jaya at The Setai {2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 855.923.7899}
What’s in it: This hot dish comes with a kick; it covers Thai eggplant, duck leg, green beans, lychees, and Jasmine rice with a red curry sauce and Thai basil.
When to get it: Lunch, Monday – Saturday (Noon – 3 p.m.); and Dinner on Sunday (6 p.m. – 10 p.m.), Monday – Thursday (6 p.m. – 11 p.m.), and Friday – Saturday (6 p.m. to Midnight)
Price: Part of the three-course Fall Fixe menu, which costs $55 per person
Oxtail Pot Pie
Mason Eatery {3470 North Miami Avenue, Midtown; 786.618.5150}
What’s in it: Few foods are more comforting than a pot pie, and this one comes with a sourdough puff pastry, Yukon Gold potatoes, oxtail, corn, and bacon.
When to get it: All day, everyday (10 a.m. – 2 a.m.)
Price: $17
Dumplings
Plant Miami {105 NE 24 Street; Wynwood; 305.814.5365}
What’s in it: Perfect as an appetizer, these dumplings are served in a sweet potato-coconut wrapper and flavored with a ginger foam.
When to get it: Lunch and dinner, Sunday – Wednesday (11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.) and Thursday – Saturday (11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.)
Price: Seasonal
Wagyu Beef Tartare Pubbelly Roll
Pubbelly Sushi {8970 SW 72 Place, Kendall; 786.369.5472}
What’s in it: This signature roll couples wagyu beef with gochujang mustard, avocado, sesame, and a truffle-poached egg.
When to get it: Lunch, daily (Noon – 4 p.m.) and dinner, Sunday – Thursday (4 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and Friday – Saturday (4 p.m. – 11 p.m.)
Price: $15
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor
Looking for a cocktail with a kick? We’ve got one! Head to Boulud Sud {255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Downtown Miami; 305.421.8800} and try the Smoke & Fire. Once you love it, come home and whip one up for yourself. We’ve got the recipe, below!
Here’s how it’s made:
Mix two ounces mezcal, 3/4 ounce Smoke & Fire syrup, and 3/4 ounce lime juice in a rocks glass. Rim the glass with cayenne pepper. Garnish with a pickled pepper.
Whole Chili Lobster Toast from Lobster Bar Sea Grille
serves one
Ingredients
Sauce:
Canola oil
4 L reduced lobster stock
1/2 c fresh ginger, diced small
1 c shallots, diced small
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
6 Thai chilis, halved
1/2 c tomato paste
14 oz Sriracha
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
5 limes, zested and juiced
Lobster toast:
1 lb lobster, deshelled
Shishito peppers (as many as you want)
Brioche bread, sliced like toast
Scallions, chopped
Sesame oil
Method
For the sauce: Add canola oil to a pan and bring to medium-high heat. Sweat ginger, shallots, coriander seeds, and Thai chilis in canola oil, until softened. Add tomato paste. Lightly caramelize for five minutes. Add reduced lobster stock and bring to a simmer. Add Sriracha and simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Add cilantro, lime juice, and lime zest. Cover with plastic wrap and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain the sauce through a chinois to remove any solids.
For the lobster toast: In a large pan, bring sauce to a mild simmer, over medium-low heat. (It is very important that the sauce never comes to a boil.) Add lobster meat and poach for six to eight minutes, turning periodically. Lobster should reach an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees, when done. In another pan, add sesame oil and bring to a high heat. When the oil is extremely hot, add the shishito peppers. Cook until the outside begins to char and blister, turning to get all sides. Remove the peppers from oil. Let the excess oil soak into a napkin.
To serve: Place the lobster on top of a slice of brioche. Spoon sauce over it. Place your blistered shishito peppers next to the lobster. Garnish with scallions.
Lobster Bar Sea Grille is located at 404 Washington Avenue.
Three
Here is this week’s Miami food news:
Monday, November 5 to Wednesday, November 7: Get The Big Macch at Macchialina
The Big Macch is back! Head to Macchialina {820 Alton Road, Miami Beach; 305.534.2124} for this limited-edition burger. It packs a toasted Sullivan Street Bakery bun with a grass-fed beef, Red Top Farms chuck brisket- and sirloin-blend patty, Italian Fontina Val d’Aosta cheese, sautéed porcini mushrooms, salsa Genovese, oven roasted shallots, and a gratuitous amount of summer truffles. As you’d expect, this culinary masterpiece is the brainchild of none other than Macchialina Managing Partner and Executive Chef, Michael Pirolo. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 305.534.2124. There are a limited number of burgers each night, so it’s important to reserve your burger when you reserve your seat.
Wednesday, November 7: One Year Anniversary Dinner at Three
James Beard Award-winning chef, Norman Van Aiken has a restaurant in Wynwood, Three {50 NW 24 Street, Wynwood; 305.748.4540}, and this Wednesday, it’s celebrating its first anniversary! Kicking off with a cocktail reception, this five-course wine-pairing dinner will have all the cooking styles and flavors Chef Norman is known for. Prepared by the man himself, the menu will include: Key West Pink Shrimp Moqueca with vadouvan farofa, Jamison Farm Lamb and Carrot Pibil with sheep’s milk yogurt and spiced lamb jus, and Maitake Mushroom BBQ with Florida rice congee and burnt onion dashi, to name a few. Tickets are priced at $175 per person and can be purchased here.
Friday, November 9: Le Dîner en Blanc
Every foodie knows about Le Dîner en Blanc, and this Friday, it’s coming back to Miami! This exciting, “secret” event doubles as one of the world’s chicest dinner parties. Like it does in every city, in-the-know locals who are lucky enough to get on the list will gather at a secret meeting location—dressed in all-white and carrying white tables, chairs and table settings—and make their way to a public space of the organizer’s choosing. (Participants never know where it is until they get there!) Then, to the innocent bystander, it all happens like a dream. Everyone sets up their tables, pulls out their own food, and within minutes, the empty space turns into a giant dinner party. With the wave of a napkin, everyone begins dining together; and when sparklers are lit, those same diners start to mingle and dance. When the night ends, as if it were all imagined, every guest picks up everything they brought with them, including their trash, and leaves the space looking like no one was ever even there. Voilà! Full details about the event’s rules and regulations can be found here.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor
R House Wynwood
Here is this week’s Miami food news:
Tuesday, October 30: Lobster Night at Cibo Wine Bar South Beach
Every Tuesday, get your lobster fix at Cibo Wine Bar South Beach {200 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach; 305.987.6060} with $25 Linguini With Whole Lobster, Grilled Whole Lobster, Lobster Thermidor, or Lobster Risotto.
Wednesday, October 31: Halloween at Cantina La Veinte
This Halloween, Cantina La Veinte {495 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 786.623.6135} will turn into a haunted house with cobwebs, gravestones, zombie waiters and waitresses, and more. Creatures of the night will be able to have a frightfully-good time as they dine here, and all are encouraged to don their scariest costumes. Those who do will be rewarded: the person with the best costume will win $500 in cash and a 10-year-aged bottle of Bacardi, the runner-up will win a $200 gift card and an eight-year-aged bottle of Bacardi, and third place will win a $100 gift card and a four-year-aged bottle of Bacardi. DJ Jeff will be spinning downstairs, and as an added bonus, this Halloween falls on the restaurant’s weekly ladies night—meaning witches will be able to sip margaritas for free from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the bar. Reservations for dinner are recommended and can be made by calling 786.623.6136.
Friday, November 2: Ladies Love R House
Every Friday night, R House Wynwood {2727 NW 2 Avenue, Wynwood; 305.576.0201} has specials just for ladies! From 10 p.m. to Midnight, girls can get $1 glasses of bubbly and $6 drink specials, and groups of five ladies or more who make a reservation will get a complimentary bottle of Champagne. To keep the party going, DJ Bankz will take over the decks.
Saturday, November 3: Aperol Spritz Specials at Sardinia Enoteca Ristorante
Starting this Saturday, Sardinia Enoteca Ristorante {1801 Purdy Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.531.2228} will launch a new weekly special—discounted glasses of Aperol Spritz every Saturday this fall! All day long, guests can enjoy the classic Italian cocktail for just $7 each.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor
Looking for a new go-to drink? Try the Big Trouble in Little Chianto Spritz at Macchialina {820 Alton Road, Miami Beach; 305.534.2124}. We’re sure you’ll love it—so we went ahead and got you the recipe.
Here’s how it’s made:
Add two ounces Giulio Cocchi Barolo Chinato, two ounces Q Grapefruit Soda, one ounce Lovo Prosecco, and ice to a wine glass. Stir until blended. Add a grapefruit twist for garnish.
Cantina La Veinte {495 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 786.623.6135} has been stunning Brickell diners with its haute setting, mouthwatering margaritas, A-list guests, and Executive Chef Santiago Gomez’ standout Mexican cuisine for four years now. And to celebrate the restaurant’s fourth anniversary, Chef Santiago is rolling out something new—his first-ever Cantina La Veinte prix-fixe lunch menu!
Available Monday through Friday, from Noon to 5 p.m., this midday feast lets guests indulge in three courses of modern Mexican fare, all for just $25 per person. To really make their weekday lunch a fiesta, they can even wash it all down with $5 margaritas and signature cocktails.
Here’s the new menu guests can look forward to:
Appetizers
Guacamole with white onion, cilantro, and tomatoes
Classic Caesar Salad made tableside
Beet Salad with avocado, amaranth, and agave dressing
Oysters in the Half Shell with sangrita and horseradish
Red Snapper Ceviche with cilantro leche de tigre
Tuna Tostadas with guacamole, chipotle mayonnaise, and crispy leeks
Soft Shell Crab Tacos with a jalapeño sauce
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with a cilantro-lime mayonnaise
Classic Steak Tartare made tableside
Roasted Cauliflower with encacahuatado, lime zest, and candied peanuts
Queso Fundido with melted Oaxaca cheese
Mussel Toast with white wine and garlic-chipotle
Main Course
Baja-Style Burrito with shrimp, black beans, yellow rice, and a chipotle mayonnaise
Grilled Octopus with a pineapple salsa
Roasted Chicken with salt-crusted potatoes
Creamy Risotto with mushrooms and truffle essence
Seared Scallops with a roasted poblano celery purée
Branzino a la Plancha with a turnip purée or a mixed green salad
Grilled Salmon with a tamarind-mezcal sauce
Pappardelle with creamy sweet corn, chipotle, and Parmesan cheese
Beef Milanese with a cucumber-jicama salad
Braised Bone-In Short Rib with a cauliflower purée
Filet Mignon with a turnip purée or French fries
La Hamburguesa with cheese, bacon, and caramelized onions
Desserts
Churros with cajeta
Ice Cream or Sorbet
Chocolate Fondant with vanilla ice cream
Vegan Blueberry Panna Cotta with chia pudding
Crepas with a rum-cajeta sauce and toasted walnuts
Pistachio Cake with a raspberry gel and pistachio ice cream
Rum Walnut Cake with banana ice cream
As part of this deal, guests can pick one dish from each category. Additional appetizers are priced at $10 each. Additional main courses are priced at $16 each. Additional desserts are priced at $6 each.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor
Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Prosciutto, Parmigiano, and Sherry Vinaigrette from Macchialina
serves four
Ingredients
Salad:
8 oz sugar snap peas
1 black radish
1 slice prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
4 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved
Vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 c Dijon mustard
1/2 c sherry vinegar
1 c extra virgin olive oil
Method
For the salad: Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the snap peas and cook for one minute, until al dente. Put the snap peas in a bowl of ice water and leave them until the snap peas are cold. Drain the peas. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut the snap peas into thin, long strips. Set them aside, in a large bowl. Thinly shave the radish with a mandolin. Add it to the snap peas with the prosciutto strips and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
For the vinaigrette: Place all the ingredients in a blender. Emulsify.
To serve: Slowly pour the sherry vinaigrette over the salad until lightly coated. Add salt to taste.
Macchialina is located at 820 Alton Road.
As Chef De Cuisine of Pao by Paul Qui {3201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 786.655.5600}, there’s nothing Benjamin Murray can’t do. He developed a passion for cooking at a young age, learning to fuse ingredients and techniques from both his mother’s native Japan and his father’s traditional American cooking. That passion led him to study at Johnson & Wales University, and he honed his craft in some of the best kitchens in the Magic City. Having worked as a sous chef at Zuma and Area 31, Murray went on to become Chef de Cuisine of Azul at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami. While he was there, the restaurant became one of only two restaurants in Florida to earn a Forbes 5 Star rating, while Murray, himself, was chosen as a featured chef at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s “Best of the Best.”
Today, Murray has gained a reputation for his creative use of ingredients; something he puts to good use at a place like Pao by Paul Qui. In his role, Chef Murray brings a dynamic and globally-inspired approach to the restaurant’s modern-Asian fare, garnering Pao a reputation as one of the most exceptional dining experiences in the country.
And with so many accolades behind him, we wanted to sit down with Chef Benjamin Murray to find out the secret(s) to his success. Here’s what he had to say:
What’s your favorite dish on the Pao menu?
Of our current menu, my favorite new dish is our Wagyu Strip Adobo aged in Kombu, with mushroom escabeche and black truffle adobo. This dish is rich, tender, earthy, and loaded with savory umami and really incredible meat. My favorite classic dish on the Pao menu is our signature Kinilaw. It’s a Filipino-style ceviche that’s creamy (due to coconut milk and coconut vinegar), has some spice to it (we add Thai chili), and most of all, is downright delicious.
What’s your must-have kitchen tool?
My personal preference: a knife! It must be sharp, and you must ensure it’s well taken care of to stay that way. My other must-have tool, and a not-so-obvious one, is kitchen tweezers. Besides using them for plating dishes precisely, I use them to cook and grill, take out the roe from lobsters, check temperatures, and more. They’re really an all-around, versatile tool.
The most-used ingredient in the Pao kitchen is…
Salt! At Pao, we use different salts for various purposes due to variation in size and flavor. For example, Balene Sea Salt (fine sea salt) is used to season our raw fish, while Maldon Sea Salt (large flaky sea salt) adds a crunch and a burst of salinity to dishes like our Wagyu Strip Adobo. We also use Fleur de Sel for our signature Smoked Shortrib Asado to add depth of flavor, and even Pangasinan (Filipino sea salt) for our butter.
What’s that one ingredient you could live without?
Okra. I just don’t like it. Fried, sautéed, stewed—I’ve tried it so many ways, and it’s just not for me.
What’s your go-to dinner to make at home?
I like to make quick and easy dishes at home. Lately, my go-to is a smoked salmon bagel sandwich with a side salad. Toast an Everything Bagel, smear cream cheese, and add capers, tomatoes, thinly-sliced red onion, good-quality smoked salmon, and black pepper. For the salad, I opt for baby Bibb lettuce with radish, croutons, broccoli stem slaw, and my favorite dressing.
What’s your nightcap of choice?
I’m not a big drinker, but if I was going to choose an alcoholic beverage, I would go for either a Negroni or an Old Fashioned. For something brighter, I’d choose a Moscow Mule. But if I’m at home… a nice, super cold Yoo-hoo (yes, the chocolate water).
Do you have a favorite memory as a chef?
One of my favorite memories was when I was asked to be a guest chef for a week at an amazing resort in Mexico. I brought my good friend, Damien, as a sous chef to help me out in the kitchen and our chef buddy, Luis, showed us around the best spots in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. It was an incredible week in a place where so many guests are passionate about food. Plus, Mexico is just unbelievable. But I have so many memories with so many great and talented individuals—it’s really hard to choose!
What’s your favorite restaurant in Miami, outside of Pao?
Macchialina. Chef Mike Pirolo is so talented. I love his pastas, beef tartare, polenta, tiramisu; the list could go on and on.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received, cooking or otherwise?
“Thank you.” One of my former cooks told me this after saying I made a huge impact on his young career. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing someone improve and grow, especially when you are a part of that growth. As cooks, most of us aren’t highly emotional. We have thick skin and oftentimes hear more criticism than praise, so I know the words “thank you” aren’t spoken just to be said—I know how much went into it, and what it really means to receive that compliment.
What’s that one kitchen habit you ALWAYS have to do?
I am constantly moving, even if I’m in one place. I’m always “drumming” to keep from standing still. I like to joke around too, because it keeps the cooks loose and comfortable. When you’re in a more enjoyable environment, it shows through in your cooking.
What advice would you give aspiring Miami chefs?
Know why you are there. My shortest stint at a restaurant was one year, and others were for two or three. I always make a concentrated effort to work at places with a chef, food, or culture that inspires me. I understand where I want to work, who I want to work for, and what I want to be a part of. Many cooks will go into an interview blindly because it’s “just a job,” but they’re not familiar with the food or the head chef or the history of the restaurant. It’s important to know those aspects, and when you do, that’s when your passion, hard work, and dedication is easy to see. Cook at a place because you know it will help you get to your ultimate goal. Go to an interview, not for a job, but for your future and your goals.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor
World-renowned for its imaginative blend of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine, Nobu Miami has become the benchmark for everything fusion. Blending cuisines by way of ingredients and techniques, every Nobu restaurant encourages fusion throughout the menu. This thread of collaboration has resulted in Nobu Miami’s newest pastry cocktail menu. Crafted by Pastry Chef Carlos Almanzar and Beverage Manager Grace Apolo, the charming menu toes the line between boozy and balanced, ranging from light sorbets to rich, espresso-forward items. These after dinner delights are sure to end the meal on a high note.
DiningOut: Tell us a bit about your upbringing, and how your journey eventually led you to Nobu.
Carlos Almanzar: I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. I began my career working in the computer science field. In 2005, I moved to New York to continue my education in Manhattan. On the side, I began working as a dishwasher at Nobu 57. There, I was offered the opportunity to join the pastry team and be trained to be a pastry cook. That’s when I fell in love with the flavors and techniques.
Grace Apolo: Growing up, I would always watch my mother and father in the kitchen when they would cook and would ask to be their assistant. Flavor has always been something I was big on, and I realized growing up I never said “no” to trying new foods. Growing up in New York, I was exposed to just about every culture imaginable. Although I was exposed to all these wonderful opportunities, initially, the sciences were my main focus. I actually moved down to Miami after receiving my bachelor’s degree in biology to continue on to medical school—then enters Nobu. Nobu first started off as a job for me. Curiosity drew me to the bar world, and Nobu’s elevated standards paved the way.
Pastry cocktails—how did you two come up with this sweet idea?
Apolo: We’ve talked about doing desserts for the 21+ crowd for a little while. After some trial and error, this menu was the result.
How did the two of you collaborate on this menu?
Almanzar: We both used different flavors combining alcohol from the bar with a range of different textures from the pastry counter. Complementing different flavor profiles was key in this collaboration. We made sure they were appropriate for the restaurant and went accordingly with the food. We did not have a set number of ingredients, we just selected the best ones.
Any inspiration from the seasons?
Almanzar and Apolo: We always use items that are in season and work around those flavors. It is important to make sure they complement our food.
Any particular favorites?
Apolo: I personally love the espresso cocktails. We offer two options: The Suntory Coffee that has texture and richness, and the Nues Carajillo which was a bit lighter with nutty character. Both are a perfect option instead of the traditional coffee or espresso after a meal.
Almanzar: Sake Limoncello. It is very light and refreshing, perfect for the summer heat.
Sake Limoncello
In a pot, add 1 ounce sake sorbet, 1 ounce Daiginjo “Black Label the Original”, 1 ounce Villa Massa limoncello, and 3 mint leaves. Use a hand blender and blend lightly. In a glass, add a scoop of lemon sorbet. Pour the mixture over the sorbet. Garnish with cucumber balls and a lemon peel.
Happy dining!
By Morgan Carter | Managing Editor