Labor Day Weekend marks the end of summer here in America, and as every Miamian knows, it needs to go out with a bang. Here are three places where you can kiss summer goodbye in Miami during Labor Day Weekend 2018:
SATURDAY
End of Summer Labor Day Soirée at La Côte

This Saturday, head to La Côte {4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.674.4710}—Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s swank, two-story Mediterranean oceanfront restaurant and bar—for a September soirée. From 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., guests will get to party the day away with good food, haute drinks, a live DJ, dancers, and a saxophonist. Complimentary tastings of Moet & Chandon will also be available, forming the perfect pairing for those fabulous Atlantic Ocean and Fontainebleau pool views.
SUNDAY
Labor Day Celebration at Seaspice

To leave summer in style, Seaspice {422 NW North River Drive, Miami; 305.440.4200} is throwing a Sunday Funday bash with Moët & Chandon, DJs, live music, entertainers, and signature brunch plates like Seaspice Lobster Benedict, Power Waffle & Acai Berry, and its popular Wagyu Burger. The riverside, Seaspice-style party will start at Noon and continue through Midnight, and there will be Champagne specials all day (and night) long.
MONDAY
Drink Specials at Lolo’s Surf Cantina

From Friday, September 1, to Monday, September 3, Lolo’s Surf Cantina {161 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.735.6973} will celebrate hard-working Americans with special pricing on American beers and spirits. After you hop around the other parties, end the long weekend at Lolo’s on Monday for $6 Bud Light, MIA Weiss, La Rubia, and Funky Buddha Hop Gun beers, and $10 specials on Jack Daniels. 
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Miami Spice is a great way enjoy the Magic City’s best restaurants and not break your bank. For an added benefit this season, “spice” it up at the five spots listed below. In addition to three-course lunch, brunch, and/or dinner menus, they all throw in something extra for diners, too!
AZABU Miami Beach
This newly-opened Michelin concept on Miami Beach has a hidden sushi den, a bar with an impressive sake list and 40+ imported whiskies, and a traditional izakaya menu.

Dishes to get excited about: Japanese Wagyu Tataki Truffle Ponzu, Branzino with Umami Butter, Chirashi Sushi Bowl, Matcha Cheesecake, and Yuzu Key Lime Pie
Extra perk: Start your three-course meal with a complimentary “starter of the day” of the chef’s choosing.
When to go: During dinner, every night of the week
Bird & Bone
Chef Richard Hales runs this restaurant concept, which serves southern-inspired fair with a twist.


Dishes to get excited about: Skillet Heirloom Cornbread, Black Eyed Pea Soup, Roasted Pork Shank, Bird & Bone Burger, and Fried Apple Hand Pies
Extra perk: Get a complimentary glass of house red wine, house white wine, or one of the restaurant’s signature cocktails.
When to go: During dinner, Monday through Friday
Boulud Sud Miami
Less than a year old, this Daniel Boulud spot in Downtown Miami draws culinary inspiration from France’s Côte d’Azur, Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey.

Dishes to get excited about: Moroccan Shakshuka, Summer Chicken Tagine, Grilled Skirt Steak, Manakish Flatbread, and Citrus Sundae
Extra perk: For its inaugural Miami Spice, the menu will change every two weeks, giving diners a new experience every time. A wine and cheese pairing will also available for $15.
When to go: During lunch (Monday through Friday) and dinner (Monday through Saturday)
Bulla Gastrobar Doral and Coral Gables
This trendy neighborhood restaurant has a menu centered around all things Spain: tapas, comfort food, wine, and sangria.


Dishes to get excited about: Croquetas de Pollo, Ceviche de Jalapeño, Huevos Cabreados, Peas & Ham, Branzino con Kale, and Crema Catalina
Extra perk: Get a complimentary glass of sangria when you do Miami Spice at any Bulla Gastrobar location.
When to go: During lunch or dinner, every day of the week
Jaya at The Setai
The signature restaurant at The Setai, Miami Beach is known for its modern Asian cuisine with Indian influences.


Dishes to get excited about: Truffle Dumplings, Thai Ceviche, Wagyu Bao Buns, Vegetarian Red Curry, and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
Extra perk: To go with its delectable dinner menu, Jaya is offering a special Miami Spice sake menu with four sake bottles—Joto Hou Hou Shu Sparkling & Sparkling Pink, Marborshi Junmai Ginjo, Joto Daiginjo and Joto Nigori—priced at $24 each.
When to go: During dinner, every night of the week
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Here is this week’s Miami food news:

Everyday: Bubbly & Lobster at A Fish Called Avalon
Head to the bar at A Fish Called Avalon {700 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach; 305.532.1727} any day of the week, between 6 p.m.and 11 p.m., and you’ll get a half-bottle of Champagne and your choice of a one-pound Maine lobster or a half-dozen oysters.
Wednesday, August 29: Ladies Night at Spris
Ladies who head to Spris {731 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.673.2020} on Wednesday, from 5 p.m. to close, will get 50% off their entire bill.
Thursday, August 30: Pasta Thursday at Macchialina
During Pasta Thursdays at Macchialina {820 Alton Road, Miami Beach; 305.534.2124}, guests can get any of the restaurant’s house-made pasta dishes (like Cavatelli Macchialina with baby meatballs, porchetta, and pecorino!) for just $10 all night long.
Saturday, September 1: All-You-Can-Eat Feijoada at Coco Bambu
Feijoada is a delicious beef, bean, and pork stew, and it’s considered a national dish in Brazil. Every Saturday at Coco Bambu {955 Alton Road, Miami Beach; 786.348.0770}, from Noon to 3 p.m., you can get all-you-can-eat Feijoada for $27 per person.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Here is this week’s Miami food news:

Every Sunday – Thursday: Late-Night Happy Hour at Mason Eatery
Go to Midtown’s new spot, Mason Eatery {3470 North Miami Avenue, Midtown; 786.618.5150}, from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., for great food and drink at a great deal. Think: $6 Parmesan Fries and Latkes and $7 Mac n’ Cheese, as well as $7 handcrafted cocktails and wines by the glass and beer starting at $5. The best part? You get those decadent cookies at two for $2. Chunky Peanut Butter, anyone?
Every Monday – Friday: Countdown to Happy Hour at Boulud Sud
Head to the the bar and lounge of Boulud Sud {255 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Downtown Miami; 305.421.8800}, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for $9 cocktails, $8 wines by-the-glass, $7 well drinks, $6 frozen drinks, $5 beer, and $4 tapas. We’ll drink to that!
Thursday, August 23: The Lux Hour at Lobster Bar Sea Grille
Go to Lobster Bar Sea Grille Miami Beach {404 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach; 305.377.2675} for a special Live Miami event that celebrates all things luxury living. Starting at 5:30 p.m., there will be handcrafted cocktails, gourmet light bites, and music for all who attend.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

Happy hour is the happiest of hours, and we’ve rounded up our favorites in Miami. Check them out, below!
The Strand Bar & Grill
The deal: $4 beers, $6 wines, and $7 cocktails
When to get it: Daily, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Pubbelly Sushi
The deal: $4 beers, $6 wine and sake, $8 cocktails, and bar bites from $4 to $11.50
When to get it: Daily, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; plus Sunday through Thursday, from 10 p.m. to close
Hosteria Romana
The deal: $5 beer and wine; $7.50 mojitos, margaritas, and sangria; and $9 appetizers
When to get it: Every Wednesday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Artisan Beach House
The deal: $5 draft and bottled beers, $6 bar bites, $8 house wines, and $10 well spirits
When to get it: Daily, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Boulud Sud Miami
The deal: $5 bar bites by Executive Chef Clark Bowen, $6 frosé, $8 wines, and $9 signature craft cocktails
When to get it: Monday through Friday, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (in the bar and lounge only)
Cantina La 20
The deal: 50% off select drinks and free margaritas for ladies
When to get it: Get half-priced drinks Monday through Friday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and complimentary margaritas for ladies every Wednesday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (in the bar area only)
Tacology
The deal: 50% off select drinks
When to get it: Monday through Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Market at EDITION
The deal: $10 glasses of rosé and $2 premium east and west coast oysters
When to get it: Daily, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
BLT Prime
The deal: $5, $10, and $15 cocktails; $5, $10, and $15 bar bites; and $15 wine/bubbly and food pairings
When to get it: Monday through Friday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor

When Antonio Braschi opened Costa Med Bistro + Wine {260 Crandon Boulevard, Suite #46, Key Biscayne; 305.361.7575} and Kazumi {260 Crandon Boulevard #16, Key Biscayne; 305.361.2675}, both right next to each other, he revived the dining scene in Key Biscayne for good. And because we love both spots, we wanted to sit down with the restaurateur to find out exactly how he did it.
Here’s what Mr. Braschi had to say:
How did your career in the restaurant industry begin?
It’s what I studied in school! After school, I worked for Carnival Crystal Palace Resort & Casino in Nassau, The Condado Plaza in Puerto Rico, and the Eurobuilding Hotel & Suites in Caracas. After I finished my career in the hotel business in the mid 1990s, I moved on to the restaurant industry. I started as a salesman for a food service company, knocking on doors at catering homes, kitchens, hotels, etc. I eventually became a partner in the company.
What made you want to open Costa Med?
That food service company took off nicely, but the politics in Venezuela made it harder. I wanted to open the food service company here, but it was an uphill battle. We needed a lot of investment and I couldn’t find anyone to do it with me. So, I purchased a little coffee shop that I turned into a restaurant, Costa Med.
Costa Med is turning 15 in May. How has it changed over the years?
It was a little hole-in-the-wall when I first bought it, and it had orange plastic chairs and those display refrigerators in the front. In 2007, I remodeled it into a fine-dining establishment. It was originally an Argentinian restaurant! We moved into the Mediterranean arena, and now we serve food from France, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and more. I thought it was more fun to do things from all over than sticking with one type of food. This way, you can have more fun with it and take advantage of what’s in season.
Let’s move on to Kazumi. What made you want to open an Asian concept after a Mediterranean one?
As the restaurant industry was growing in Venezuela, we started to bring in almost every item that you need for making sushi. So I knew it was something interesting. Plus, I’m a Capricorn. We like to climb the difficult areas. I’m always thinking about how I can do better and how I can grow. In 2012, I started to build out for Kazumi. It took over a year to accomplish, and it wasn’t easy, but it opened in February 2014 and it’s been rocking ever since. Then, in late 2015, not too long after, I remodeled Costa Med and expanded it. It went from antique fine dining to an ambiance that’s contemporary and urban, and doubled the amount of seats. I kept the menu the same, though. We’re always tweaking the menu here and there, depending on what’s in season, but for the most part, it’s the same. It’s that good.
What’s the secret behind your dishes?
My ingredients and my staff! I try to buy my fish whole. It’s the only way you know you’re getting the right fish and its fresh. When you buy a fillet, you don’t know what you’re really getting or where you’re getting it from. I’m like that with fruit, too; I can’t just order it to be delivered. I have to go there and see, touch, and taste the produce to know what ingredients I’m getting. Plus, my staff has been with me for many years. Three of the guys at Kazumi came with me from Costa Med. I think that’s so important–if two different people make the same recipe, it will still taste different. You need consistency in the restaurant business; and because of my staff, we’re able to have this.
Why Key Biscayne?
Young people in Key Biscayne had nowhere to go except a pizza joint. Kazumi was aimed at young people, but it’s actually been good for everyone. I have 18 and 80 year olds dining at the same time. It’s fast, it’s healthy, it’s shareable and it’s a lot of fun.
What’s next for Antonio Braschi?
I’m already scouting a new location for a new venture; I don’t know what it will be yet. It depends what I find and what the need is in that area! For example, if there are seven Italian spots where I find a good location, I won’t put a Costa Med there. I don’t want to bump heads with other restaurants. I like quality over quantity.
Rapid-fire questions:

• Your go-to meal to make at home: I’m not a good cook. I’m great at washing dishes. I am fortunate to have my wife, who likes to cook and cooks well. She was taught by her mother and aunt who are from Naples, Italy. I don’t try to compete with her. I just do the dirty work!
• Your favorite at-home dinner: My favorite food is a very well-made Lebanese meal. My grandparents are from Lebanon, so it resonates with me.
• Your favorite weekend activity in Miami: I have two teenagers, so I do what the family wants to do. We like to go out to eat, go shopping, go to the beach, and hangout with family and friends. We live right on the ocean in Key Biscayne, where people want to go on vacation, so that makes it easy for us to find plenty of things to do. There’s never a boring weekend. Sometimes you want one so you can rest!
• Your favorite thing on the Kazumi menu: I always go for sushi or sashimi because the fish is the freshest. I love the Unagi.
• Your favorite thing on the Costa Med menu: By far, it’s going to be the Steak Tartare because it reminds me of a Lebanese dish called Kibbeh.
• Your go-to nightcap: I love very silky California cabernets or more complex pinot noirs, like a Burgundy. But definitely red wine. I love wines over cocktails.
• Your dream job if you weren’t in the restaurant industry: I would probably still have to be in the hospitality industry in some way. I’m too much of a people person. I like to serve! If I could go back in time, though, I would have loved to be a doctor. There’s something about the whole thing that excites me and I’d still get to help people.
• The best piece of advice you’ve ever received: Work hard. Everyday, you might have a lot of setbacks; but you have to be like a boxer. Put Vaseline on your face so punches slip by. Do that every morning and get out there. Sometimes it feels like the whole world is out to get you, but you have to be smarter. Aim for the best! You might not be perfect, but at the end, you’ll be rewarded. If you always work hard, are responsible, learn, and go the extra mile, it’s hard not to get noticed.

Happy dining!
By Jennifer Agress | Miami Editor