Blue Door, at the Hotel Delano 1685 Collins Avenue Miami Beach (305) 672-2000
Yes, there is a blue door at the entrance to the Hotel Delano, but a better name for this restaurant might have been The White Curtain. Lots of gauzy white fabric is flowing everywhere, giving the spacious dining room a cool, airy feeling. Careful now or you might be tempted to head for the beach right outside. Instead, stay for something to eat -- it's worth it. The Blue Door serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and the accent is on light Florida cuisine, the better to fit into that sexy swimsuit. A fun and tasty appetizer is the poached salmon tartare flavored with fennel, capers and avocado. You can follow it with the grilled swordfish with braised potatoes, celery root and green scallion vinaigrette. They have a nice rack of lamb on the menu as well, but you want to watch that waistline, don't you? Oh yeah, the desserts are sublime. Good luck.
Cafe Abbracci 318 Aragon Avenue Coral Gables (305) 441-0700
An elegant, but not stuffy, spot located on a quiet side street in the chic, Coral Gables area. The ambiance feels more New York than South Florida, but it works here. Owner Nino Pernetti and chef Mauro Bazzanini are from -- you guessed it -- Italy. The cuisine is Northern Italian (Nino is from Venice) so it's flavorful but not heavy-handed. Try the bocconcino Abbracci as a starter, a mouthwatering concoction of mozzarella melted and topped with porcini mushrooms, white wine, garlic, and capers. Continue with the costoletta tricolore, a pounded veal chop grilled and crowned with marinated tomatoes, radicchio, and rucola. Or maybe the trio Veneziano, a melange of swordfish, shrimp, and salmon lightly grilled and splashed with olive oil and lemon juice. The good news is the food is as delicious and lyrical as the names. Lunch and dinner are served.
Cafe Sci Sci 3043 Grand Avenue Coconut Grove (305) 446-5104
A cozy and pretty place in the funky, Coconut Grove neighborhood. Sci Sci has a large outdoor seating area on the ample sidewalk in front of the cafe, the better to enjoy the balmy breezes of the tropics. And, there's lots of good people-watching outside -- you're watching and being watched. The food is worthwhile, too. Try one of the risottos, or the pasta with foie gras, truffles, and brandy. The swordfish is bathed in a tangy red sauce for those looking for an extra kick. Sci Sci does lunch and dinner, and you can stay as late as you'd like. Almost. The cafe serves cappuccino and dessert until 2 am. Now that's living.
Cafe Tu Tu Tango 3015 Grand Avenue Coconut Grove (305) 529-2222
Is it a restaurant? artist's studio? salon? Probably a bit of all three. The management of Tu Tu Tango (try saying that three times fast) describes the cafe as "an artist's loft from Barcelona." Fair enough. The place is large, colorful, and chock-full of art, most of it for sale. There are long bars both indoors and outdoors -- the latter overlooking bustling Grand Avenue in the heart of the Grove. You might want to eat while you're here (food is served all day long), and if that's the case, there are plenty of "tapas" from which to choose. Yep, a grazing menu, with everything from cajun chicken to egg rolls and the "Barcelona stir-fry," a hodgepodge of shrimp, chicken, and spicy andouille sausage. Ay, caramba! Fridays might be the most fun of all at Tu Tu Tango. You can come for "Radical Dim Sum" between 5 and 8 PM. Radical as in Bobby Radical, a local artist who does a painting during this happy hour of sorts, and gives it away before he leaves. Food, conversation...and an original Radical? He could be famous some day, you know.
Chef Allen's 19088 NE 29th Avenue Aventura (305) 935-2900
This restaurant is at the far northern end of Dade County, but worth the trek. Chef Allen Susser is one of the hot new chefs on the Miami restaurant scene, and he is turning out inventive new world cuisine at the place that bears his name. Susser's take on New World Cuisine is a melding of Latin and Caribbean flavors and the combinations are nothing if not unique. For example: stone-cracked, mustard-crusted lamb chops with parmesan baked polenta, and three-nut salsa. Or you might want to try the grilled swordfish with cranberry apricot cous cous and minted papaya salsa. The colorful and modern decor complements the flavors on your plate. Each table is also graced with a bottle of Chef Allen's very own mango ketchup, which you will definitely want to pour on your side order of crisp Saratoga fries. Tantalize your tastebuds with the chocolate banana soufflÈ for dessert. Dinner only?
China Grill 404 Washington Avenue Miami Beach (305) 534-2211
Miami has been in need of a really good Chinese restaurant for a long time. They may have finally gotten it in China Grill. Yes, it's on trendy South Beach, and yes, it's THE hot restaurant, but it also has consistently good food to back it up. One question, though: the menu alerts you to the fact that it's "world cuisine" here, so why is it called China Grill? Maybe because there's a Chinese twist to the dishes. You can get everything from sauteed calf's liver to crispy duck and a porterhouse steak. Really. One big winner is the Australian organic free range lamb with quinoa salad and mandarin orange sauce. Are we still in China? But wait! You can get any or all of this with a side of wasabi mashed potatoes. Yum. The decor at China Grill is simply grand -- a big room with modern, luxe touches. All the beautiful people are here. Hmmm, those models are not eating a 38-oz. porterhouse steak… Lunch, dinner and late-night ogling.
Christy's 3101 Ponce de Leon Boulevard Coral Gables (305) 446-1400
Somewhat of a Coral Gables legend, Christy's is where you go for a power lunch or power dinner. All the accouterments are here: deep, red walls, soft leather booths, dim lighting. Lean over your salad and cut the next mega-merger. Christy's has a full American-Continental menu, but you can save yourself a lot of time and go directly to what they do best. Start with the Caesar salad and follow it with a juicy steak. Aged beef is the specialty here, and Christy's has been doing it just right for 18 years. Matt, the polished general manager who handles the front of the house, knows how to work a room. Wear your best suit, boys and girls.
Eleventh Street Diner 11th Street at Washington Avenue Miami Beach (305) 534-6373
Now this is a real diner. How real, you ask? Well, it was built in 1948 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, where it stood for 44 years. In 1992, two friends from New York dismantled it and brought it to Miami's South Beach area, polished up the metal and hung out their shingle. Lucky for us they did, since the Eleventh Street Diner is a gem. Not only does it look and feel like a diner, they serve the real deal here. Turkey dinners, meat loaf dinners, even (s)mashed potatoes (you can see the potato peel). But as any diner aficionado knows, the secret is in the milk shakes. How does this place rate on the acid test? I'm picky, believe me, but I ordered a chocolate shake, took a deep breath...and slurped the whole thing. The Eleventh Street Diner is open 24 hours a day and is busiest from midnight-6 AM (remember, this is South Beach). A must-do in Miami.
Joe's Stone Crab 227 Biscayne Street Miami Beach (305) 673-0365
Ah, Joe's. This venerable restaurant is on the southernmost tip of Miami Beach. Go any farther and you're swimming. What is swimming, or seems to have been just a few minutes earlier, is the fish you'll eat here. Joe's may have the freshest seafood in the county, probably because they use their own fishing boats and have done so for the last 90 years. As the name suggests, you order stone crabs here if you're smart. The large claws come cracked to your table (thank goodness) and you can dip them in drawn butter or a tangy mustard sauce. You get a bib if you like, and I suggest you TAKE THE BIB. The best way to do Joe's, in this writer's humble opinion? Start with the cole slaw, then segue to the claws and a side of hash browns. Finish up with the key lime pie, a secret recipe of this southern delight which has been tickling tastebuds at Joe's for...ever. Some regulars refer to this meal as "the standard." Sounds about right. Lunch and dinner. Reservations aren't taken so GET HERE EARLY. The place fills up in a flash every single day, year round.
La Carreta 3632 SW 8th Street Miami (305) 444-7501
Yeah, the decor can be (and is) described as "Rickey Ricardo," that Cuban icon and former husband of Lucy who was often associated with formica and plastic tablecloths. Look past your tablecloth at the food. Smell the fragrant aroma of cumin and oregano. This is traditional cooking at its best. Try the arroz con pollo (chicken with yellow rice) or the slowly-roasted pork loin. Side dishes are a must, like the yuca con mojo (a root vegetable with a lemon-garlic marinade) or the platano maduro (ripe plantains deep fried). The arroz con leche (rice pudding) is an excellent way to end your feast. Lunch and dinner. The menu must list a thousand choices, and I think it's safe to say you'll be pleased with most any one of them.
Le Festival 2120 Salzedo Street Coral Gables (305) 442-8545
This is French cooking, make no bones about it. As Daniel, the efficient and charming maitre 'd recently told me, "we are old-style French but even we have changed a bit." Read: lighter sauces. Le Festival has been in Coral Gables for over 20 years and was THE place for a romantic, special or celebratory dinner for many years. Times and tastes have changed and many diners are flocking to the hot spots of South Beach or those with the ubiquitous new world cuisine. Le Festival is still worth a visit. The dining room is soothing, a festival (couldn't resist) of pink and turquoise, cozy banquettes and soft lighting. The service is attentive and discreet at the same time. And the food is still special. The chef prepares something new and exciting every evening, or if you want to try something time-tested, ask for the snapper degrille in an onion and madeira wine sauce. The dessert cart is heaven. On a recent visit they let me create my own dessert from several of the selections. I called it "The Elaine." Bet you wouldn't get away with that in France. Lunch and dinner.
Mark's Place 2286 NE 123rd Street North Miami (305) 893-6888
Chef Mark Militello is in that rarefied strata of celebrity chef. I'd put him up there with Puck, and so would some other folks. Militello has won a James Beard Award, the culinary Oscars. He now has three restaurants in South Florida. And you know what? I'd say he's a worthy fellow. The North Miami location, his first restaurant, is a beauty. Stark white walls, inventive and modern light fixtures, large and colorful canvases gracing the walls, and some beautiful glasswork on display throughout. The small bar has the softest leather barstools. Oh, and the food. You won't be disappointed. Mark is an exponent of Florida cuisine, with a twist of the Caribbean. Which means taking advantage of the bounty of the area: seafood, Florida produce, and fresh fruit. Start with the "shrimp brulee" appetizer, a confection of blue spot prawns with mashed as well as crispy potatoes drizzled in truffle butter. Move on to the olive-oil and lemon charcoaled rare tuna with white bean ragout, shaved Reggiano and chile peppers. Dessert? If you're smart, you'll come to Mark's with lots of friends, the better for sampling a little of everything. Dinner only.
Monty's 2550 S. Bayshore Drive Coconut Grove (305) 858-1431
Monty's is located on beautiful Biscayne Bay. As a matter of fact, you can even boat in. They've got some docks at your disposal. Surrounded by all these boats (it's adjacent to a large marina), what are you going to want to eat? You've got it: raw bar. Maybe the best in town. Monty's is both an indoor and outdoor place, but I'd say go outdoors. A calypso band plays outside from 4-8 pm, and a "regular" band follows. The raw bar has it all -- shrimp, clams, oysters on the half-shell. Indulge. If you want to wash down your seafood with a little liquor, consider a "painkiller," a combination of dark rum, creme of coconut, pineapple juice, and orange juice, on the rocks. This may be why Monty's is said to have the most rollicking happy hour in the county. Lunch and dinner for those who prefer solid food.
Nemo 100 Collins Avenue Miami Beach (305) 532-4550
I know Nemo is a cute name, it makes you think of the sea and all that. But I would have named this restaurant Breeze. It's a wonderfully airy space, no doubt enhanced by the many French doors which are wide open, letting in the sweet South Beach breeze. You'll love it here. The decor at Nemo is done in an ostrich motif. They actually pull this off! The lamps on the bar are made from real ostrich eggs and the chairs, the walls -- they all have that nubby ostrich feel. It's an open kitchen at Nemo, so you can watch the cooking from your table or from a stool pulled up to the curvy counter directly in front of the kitchen. What will you eat here? Partner Myles Chefetz describes it as "American eclectic," offering "clean, decipherable flavors imbued with a multicultural influence." That translates to appetizers like the garlic-cured salmon rolls with tobiko caviar and wasabi mayo and entrees such as the grilled Indian spiced pork chop with sticky red rice, caramelized onion and spicy papaya salsa. Lunch and dinner at this charming South Beach spot, where the breeze is so heavenly you won't want to leave.
News Cafe 800 Ocean Drive Miami Beach (305) 538-6397
The News Cafe is more than just a cafe, it's a destination. For starters, it's smack in the middle of the hottest part of South Beach. Everyone walks by here at some point, to chat, eat or simply gawk. Tight-bodied rollerbladers whiz by. Models are strutting, their skinny legs up to here. People are taking pictures. Oh yeah, the News Cafe. News as in newsstand, with magazines and papers from around the globe. You can also buy film, postcards, maps and even t-shirts emblazoned with "News Cafe" on the front. News isn't just a destination, it's a cottage industry. As for the Cafe part, a darned good one it is, too. There's indoor and outdoor seating, but wait for a table outside -- there are plenty of 'em, and you usually won't wait more than ten or fifteen minutes for your very own. Once seated among the beautiful people, you can order some pasta, a juicy cheeseburger, a Caesar salad or an omelette. It's strictly a light cafe menu here, yet the kitchen turns out these standards remarkably well. And you can come to News Café whenever you want, because the place is open 24 hours a day. Read Le Monde, gaze at the swaying palm trees across the street and feel cool. Or do I mean smug?
Norma's on the Beach 646 Lincoln Road Miami Beach (305) 532-2809
Norma Shirley put her name on the front door, but you won't find her in the restaurant -- she's busy doing the cooking at her restaurant (Norma's at the Wharf House) in Montego Bay, Jamaica. But she was kind enough to send her son, Delius, to mind the store at her South Beach outpost. From the looks of things, he's doing a great job. The cuisine at Norma's is Caribbean, which means infusing the food with spices and seasonings such as Jamaican thyme, Scotch bonnet and pimiento berry. There's lots of seafood on the menu here, so you might want to try the Bahamian black grouper filet with a lime pepper jelly and hot tequila sauce or the seared jerk tuna steak with papaya mango salsa. Whatever your choice, you'd better save room for a piece of chef Cindy Hutson's incredible Appleton rum cake. Indoor and outdoor seating, lunch and dinner. Norma's is one colorful place, both decor and food-wise. You'll like it here so much you may be tempted to go down Jamaica way and thank Norma personally for coming stateside.
Norman's 21 Almeria Avenue Coral Gables (305) 446-6767
Chef Norman Van Aken is another one of the culinary bright lights on the Miami restaurant scene. He was highly regarded at A Mano on South Beach, and decided to open his own restaurant about a year ago. Good call. Norman's is an attractive space, with peach-colored walls and graceful arches dividing the large room. The decor brings to mind the American Southwest, although the cuisine is new world. Van Aken's interpretation of new world cuisine is a fusion of Latin, Caribbean, and Asian influences, making liberal use of the wealth of resources (in this case food) available in South Florida. Especially fresh fruit. Van Aken even wrote a book about it, The Great Exotic Fruit Book (Ten Speed Press, 1995, $15.95), and you can buy it at his restaurant. Back to the food. Norman's offers a different themed prix fixe menu every day of the week -- Monday is "Rustic Regional Foods of the World," Tuesdays are "Caribbean/Nuevo Latino," and so on. If you want to create your own menu, you can start with the Down Island French Toast with curacao-scented and seared foie gras, and continue with the rhum and pepper painted grouper on a mango-habanero mojo. You might learn a new language here, and you'll certainly eat well. Lunch and dinner.
Pacific Time 915 Lincoln Road Miami Beach (305) 534-5979
Yep, another celebrity chef in the Southland, in this case Jonathan Eismann, who brought his New York attitude to South Beach and has blended the two surprisingly well. Eismann is quick to say that his was one of the first big dining rooms to open on South Beach, and a beauty it is. The sleek space juxtaposes a heavenly blue ceiling with the cobalt-blue accents adorning the white-tablecloth tables. Chef Eismann has four stars from Mobil and Zagat's, and he easily lives up to the recognition. The cuisine at Pacific Time is Eurasian/Pacific Rim, taking advantage of the full flavor of the fresh ingredients used. You won't find salt or pepper on the tables, either, since Eismann is sure you won't need them. Start off with the warm curried Malpeque oysters with a light Balinese coconut sauce and move on to the Szechwan grilled Florida Key's black grouper with shallots, Hawaiian ginger and tempura sweet potatoes. You can get an early prix fixe dinner ($19.95) from 6-7 PM, leaving you that much more time to stroll along the beach in the moonlight. Dinner only.
Raleigh Restaurant 1775 Collins Avenue Miami Beach (305) 534-6300
The Raleigh Restaurant is located at the rear of the lobby of the Raleigh Hotel, a deco palace on South Beach that was restored to its former grandeur several years ago. There wasn't a restaurant where this one sits today, but I must say it's a great addition. The cuisine here is new wave American, or a contemporary spin on some classic dishes. Begin with the grilled shrimp gazpacho and then try and make up your mind between the veal chop with wild mushrooms and roasted garlic mash or the red snapper in a spinach and tomato lemongrass broth. Wind up with the key lime meringue tart, which you won't find in New York or LA, at least not this good. After dinner, sneak out the back door and take a walk around the famous art deco pool. You might decide to spend the night at the Raleigh, just so you can wake up and take a quick dip. Lunch and dinner.
Shula's Steakhouse 154th Street at Palmetto Expressway Miami Lakes (305) 820-8102
Yes, that's Shula as in football. And what would you expect a football guy to serve at his restaurant? He-man steaks, of course. The restaurant is a shrine to football in general, and THE MAN in particular. Anyone who enjoys sports will want to see this place. The menu comes to your table on a football. Yes, it's written on a real football, which is placed in front of you on a real kicking tee. Which of course inspires countless jokes along the lines of "hey, Mike, pass the menu!" The place has sports memorabilia galore. As for the food part of the equation, Shula's has been ranked as one of the top ten, independently-owned steakhouses in the US. You can get a steak from small to large, the largest being 48-ounces. For the more modest appetite, Shula's offers steak soup, which was inspired by the coach's grandmother's recipe for Hungarian goulash. And yes, you might see the legend himself. Breakfast (steak and eggs, of course), lunch and dinner, and you're gonna have a good time while you're there.
South Beach Brasserie 910 Lincoln Road Miami Beach (305) 534-5511
Remember Michael Caine in Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters?" He was the smarmy guy cheating on Mia Farrow (poor Mia, she just can't win). Not only can this Brit act, he can also cook. At minimum, he loves food, as evidenced by the five restaurants he owns across the pond, among them Langans Brasserie, one of London's top tables. Caine's first food foray stateside is South Beach Brasserie, a partnership with Ray Schnitzer of the Eleventh Street Diner. The brasserie concept, simply put, is the ability to get a bite morning, noon and nite. Situated in a 1920s building on newly-refurbished Lincoln Road, this tropical brasserie is a mix of mirrors and mood lighting with a splashy, colorful floor bringing the outdoors in. You can eat indoors or out, and the eclectic menu (chef Mitchell Maxwell's menu has been dubbed "Meditterasian") offers a midday lunch, teatime from four to six (oh-so-Brit, but on the Beach?) and dinner from 5 PM to midnight. A bar menu will feed you till 2 AM, at which time you'll have to retire to the hot club of the week. While at the Brasserie, graze on the pan-seared red snapper, which is served in a coconut lemongrass sauce with rice cakes and pea shoots, or the Brasserie seafood stew, a melange of fresh seafood simmered in a coconut curry broth and served with jasmine rice and greens. You can also order fish and chips tempura and grilled bangers and mash, a tip o' the cap to the old country. Since Sly Stallone might be at the next table (rumor has it he was there on opening night), end your meal with a cool sorbet and a tawny port.
Versailles 3555 SW 8th Street Miami (305) 445-7614
As my sister, who lives in Miami, recently told me, "any Cuban who's anybody in Miami has been to Versailles." This is not only a great Cuban restaurant, it's also a great Cuban experience. The Cuban power brokers in Miami usually lunch here. And no haggling over the check, because it's dirt cheap. The menu is incredibly large, and the classic dishes -- roast pork, chicken and yellow rice -- are cooked to perfection. The plates of food are huge and all come with a couple of side dishes, usually beans and a vegetable. But leave room for dessert. Versailles prepares all of their desserts on the premises, and the flan (creme caramel) comes in several flavors, my favorite being flan de turron ("turron" being a sugar-coated nut candy), a nutty version of this traditional treat. Versailles is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and till 4:30 AM on weekends.
Wolfie's 2038 Collins Avenue Miami Beach (305) 538-6626
Wolfie's, has been on this corner, actually most of the block, since 1947. Wolfie's is the quintessential, Jewish deli. There are heaping bowls of pickles and cole slaw on each table, and believe me, you should help yourself. The waitresses are brusque. Hey, so are some of the patrons. The decor is pink and blue, Miami Beach kitsch, and the menu is a mile long. Wolfie Cohen had the right idea way back when. They're open 24 hours, and you just might want that corned beef and pastrami sandwich at 3 am, so it's a good thing. The Reuben sandwich and potato pancakes are especially good choices. The pastries and desserts are a cholesterol attack in the making. That's how you know you're in a real deli. Wolfie's is as legit as they come.
Yuca 501 Lincoln Road Miami Beach (305) 532-9822
Years ago, Yuca opened with its very own brand of "innovative Cuban cuisine." New Latin, they called it. Purists were aghast. "This isn't Cuban food!" they winced. Fortunately, they had dinner at Yuca and calmed down. What's wrong with a little progress? Absolutely nothing, especially in the case of Yuca. The founding chef at Yuca, Douglas Rodriguez, has moved on to his own restaurant in New York, Patria, and was recently awarded a James Beard award for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Big shoes to fill, but his replacement, Guillermo Veloso, is doing an admirable job, gradually putting his imprint on the already terrific menu. Veloso insists he's not trying to change Cuban cuisine, only "lightening the food up, creating a modern restaurant cuisine." He looks to create bold flavors, working with a lot of seafood but also being aware that his customers are demanding more meat, a possible backlash to the healthy eating trends of the 90s. A couple of good choices: the oven-roasted, veal T-bone over purple potato and lobster mash with a light juice of roasted corn, shallots, and Rioja wine, or the braised oxtail in a fiery LaMancha red wine sauce dotted with a Scotch bonnet pepper sauce and a plantain ginger flan. Maybe some seafood as a starter? My choice would be the seafood puteria, a fricassee of fresh calamari and shrimp in a crispy plantain basket with avocado, tomato and sour cream. Yuca's dining room is light, airy and stylish. Kind of like the food. The tradition continues under Chef Veloso's sure hand. Lunch and dinner.
