Archive for the ‘Restaurants’ Category
By Marguerite Gil
Walk into Hakkasan at the Fontainebleau, Miami Beach and instantly feel enveloped in a mysterious Asian environment. As you enter the restaurant you’ll be led through a number of peek-a-boo carved wood paneled-room separators, which gracefully divide the various dining areas. Past royalty in China were treated to similar sensual Feng Shui interiors.
Hakkasan has created an elegant yet warm atmosphere with impeccable service. In less than one short year after opening, they have also received a Zagat rating as Best Newcomer. Expect to taste traditional, authentic Chinese Dim Sum, a la carte lunches and dinners. They recently added brunches on weekends too.
Banquettes are made with luxury leathers and are all hand stitched. Every detail is tailored for comfort. The expertly crafted Nurumi bone china was chosen by perfectionist Alex Conti who is the eatery’s GM. He also chose the rich back comfy cushions that are distributed throughout the restaurant. He even selected the cherry wood chopsticks, which are washed and re-oiled nightly, preferring the elegant eating utensils over cheap splintery common chopsticks. The tables are made of 2-inch thick, blocks of dark wood and the chairs are tapered and relaxing. One central LED light descends from the ceiling onto each table, which gives the restaurant a favorable Zen-like ambience.
Photo by Marguerite Gil
There are a wide range of light dishes served family style that are meant to be shared. Come with a healthy appetite because the menu includes a variety of dumplings, congees, stir-fried rice & noodles, barbeque platters and more. Daily made Dim Sum are creative and in addition they make all of their own syrups.
We started with a tasty hot broth in a large hand-thrown stoneware bowl that had two really big Shrimp Wontons in it, surrounded by light angel hair noodles, bok choy and finely cut herbs. Next we shared the Har Gau ($8) which are bite size dumplings, folded like a spring roll with a perfectly cooked shrimp inside. Our waiter also brought out a serving of Prawn Cheung Fun ($8), wrapped with a rice sheet, containing a large steamed prawn that was enveloped with small strips of bamboo shoots. As well as steamed selections, the menu offers a variety of cooking techniques such as grilled and deep fried. Steamed Char Sui Bun ($6), is similar to Baozi but smaller and is filled with a honey-pork interior. The accompanying sauce is created with fine strips of ginger soaking in Chinese black vinegar. The Soy Sauce Chicken contains sweet and sour strips of chicken, noodles laced with spices, soy and herbs. Yummy.
Photo by Marguerite Gil
Their menu is written in Chinese and includes the English version of the dishes but has very little explanations as to what each dish contains. So unless you can read Chinese, you’ll have to rely on the wait staff to help you choose your meal. Our waiter Chris, chose everything that we ate and everything was exceptional.
There are of course, staples such as Roast Duck with Singapore Vermicelli, Sweet and Sour Pork and Fish platters.
Desserts are beyond decadent. We shared a Chocolate and Banana Fondant that was gently hugged by a rich banana ice cream (be still my heart). All sorts of “adult beverages” are available as well as teas from around the world.
Alex Conti said “We could charge more, like the restaurants in South Beach but we don’t want to deceive our guests. We want our clients to keep coming back over and over again.”
Prices range from $6-$22 for menu choices. Cocktails are pricey but Chris assured us that the bar uses only the best spirits for their drinks.
Hakkasan is located in the Fontainebleau Hotel, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Dim Sum lunch is served every Saturday and Sunday from noon – 3:00 PM. Dinner is served daily starting at 6:00 pm. For reservations, call 877-326-7412.
No matter how many celebrities surround us, there will always be the wow factor when you end up dining next to them. Their food, their clothes, what they are up to — will always have us curious. This past weekend, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian were in Miami to get ready for their upcoming season of the E! Entertainment reality show, “Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami.” They stopped at Devito South Beach with their camera crews to film their evening out.
Photo, from left to right: Lynn Manero, Khloe Kardashian, David Manero, and Kourtney Kardashian at DeVito South Beach, for the filming of the E! Entertainment show ""Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami" on March 5, 2010.
Restaurateur David Manero and his wife, Lynn, welcomed the Kardashians to their restaurant. David Manero states, “It was a pleasure having Kourtney and Khloe film their show here and have dinner at DeVito South Beach. They were both very beautiful and gracious young ladies.” Kourtney and Khloe were welcomed with Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne and they dined on a variety of delicious dishes at the restaurant, including the Original Old School Meatball, the burrata and tomato salad, and the tortelloni with four cheeses and roasted pear, in a black truffle cream sauce. Kourtney and Khloe took time out to speak with other diners, that evening, and posed for many photos, as well. DeVito waiter, Chadwick Mahle said that Kourtney told him that this was the best restaurant that she’d been to in “forever.” How classic!
Devito South Beach is located at 150 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach. (305) 531-0911
Photo Credit: Jenny Downing @ flickr
Reality TV, instant stardom and our love for top chefs is not going away anytime soon. We dream about spending the day with our favorite chefs, snapping photos wherever we may go, and get weak in the knees over food porn. Every time we turn around, a new cooking show is launched — from the uber-successful to the you-want-me-to-watch-what? shows — we are always sneaking a glimpse of our guilty pleasures. In the past week, I’ve received details on 2 new shows launching and guess what? They are looking for the next star. Do you have what it takes?
The first will be titled The Opener, and the Food Network is looking for new restaurateurs who are planning on opening up their first restaurant between now and December 2010.
In this new documentary series Iron Chef and star of Restaurant Makeover, Chef David Adjey helps first-time restaurateurs open their dream restaurant – often with their life’s savings on the line. Dave is a rock star in the restaurant world – untamed, smart and North America’s most sought-after consultant who knows that food must be delicious and profitable. He’ll help the restaurateur’s vision and identify problems. With the clock ticking towards opening night it won’t be easy, but for Dave, that’s the fun of it.
For this new show, they are looking for variety and creativity–in each episode the resto rookies are utterly different from one another, and so are their dreams. David commits himself to doing whatever it takes to get the doors open, and the business spun for success….. If you’re a first-time restaurateur opening your place between now and December 2010, contact theopener@franticfilms.com or call 416-324-8537 ext. 331 or 324.
The second will be from the Emmy-winning production company Magical Elves (Project Runway and Top Chef). This new NBC show, called United Plates of America, brings on the competition where the next great restaurant concept could make a big splash. They are looking for foodies, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs or anyone else who thinks they have the next big idea in the food business. Find out more information on the casting call and download an application at the official casting site for NBC.
Gibraltar Exterior
Even though this is Florida, waterfront dining can be hard to come by. Romance, sumptuous cuisine and elegance is what we desire, but when it comes to making that reservation, our mind wanders trying to find that perfect destination. That is — until you point yourself in the direction of Grove Isle in Coconut Grove. Tucked inside the Grove Isle Hotel & Spa lies the newly opened Gibraltar, formerly Baleen. While Baleen sported hanging monkeys and a rotating lineup of chefs, Gibraltar brought in a contemporary feel, enhanced views of the bay and the extraordinary talent of Chef Jeff O’Neill.
Chef Jeff O'Neill
This talented chef, most recently from Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, but has also worked with Eric Ripert and Daniel Boulud, has created a seafood-forward menu paired with complex sauces and layers of flavor. He prides himself on using sustainable seafood and organic poultry, so expect nothing less than the best ingredients out there. While our dining experience was first-class all around — the staff is classy, attentive and knows the menu inside and out – I had found some new favorites before our main entrees had even arrived.
First in line was the Mandarin Scented Carrot Soup. A bowl of sweet peas, crouton-like pieces of toasted pumpernickel and a dallop of mascarpone cheese were presented at the table, and were soon covered with the sweet, creamy carrot soup that the waiter poured. The luscious, creaminess of the soup paired perfectly with the crunchiness of the peas and pumpernickel. Never soggy, just delightful, this was a dish to remember.
Roasted Pumpkin Tortellini
Another standout dish was the Roasted Pumpkin Tortellini. Having been told that this was one of chef’s signature dishes, I couldn’t pass it up and it did not disappoint. This pillowy-soft pasta filled with the sweetness of the pumpkin lay perfectly amid the foam of maple and sage. The spiced pistachios added a surprising contrast in texture to an otherwise smooth pumpkin filling.
With an innovative menu, a gorgeous setting and a chef that is both genuine and extraordinarily talented, it will soon be hard to score a reservation at one of the most romantic restaurants in the area.
Gibraltar is located at the Grove Isle Hotel, 4 Grove Isle Blvd, Coconut Grove 305-857-5007
Michael Mina — celebrity chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, mentor — whatever you want to call him, Michael Mina is a star. He has been pleasing our palates with award-winning cuisine in his 17 restaurants, one being Bourbon Steak in Aventura. Whenever I dine at Bourbon Steak, I know that I am about to embark on a culinary (and foodgasmic) journey filled with offerings that are elegant, top quality and perfectly executed. So when I received an invite to dine at Bourbon Steak when Michael Mina was in town, I immediately rearranged my schedule to attend.
My evening was filled with multiple courses of Michael Mina’s specialties prepared by Michael Mina himself and executive chef Gabriel Fenton. Each paired with wines from Bourbon Steak’s sommelier, Matthew Turner.
Duck Fat Fries
A meal is not complete to any of Michael Mina’s restaurants without an order of his Duck Fat Fries so this seemed to be a perfect beginning. Going along with the “trio” concept that Mina is famous for, you are presented with 3 variations of the fries and 3 variations of dipping sauces. These are perfect to pair with any one of the sumptuous burgers (I still feel like they are the best around) or one of the spiked milk shakes, or as a starter to your meal.
American Caviar Parfait
Another classic not to be missed is Mina’s American Caviar Parfait. Layered atop a potato croquette cake, this masterpiece melded together the flavors and textures of smoked salmon, creme fraiche and nutty caviar.
Lobster Pot Pie
Another dish, that was downright perfect, was the lobster pot pie. Luscious, tender pieces of lobster were baked with carrots, potatoes, and mushroom with a truffled cream sauce inside a flaky pastry crust. The aromas, the flavors, everything about this dish was exciting, and a feast to remember.
Miso Glazed Sea Bass
And the feast went on… Miso Glazed Sea Bass with toasted pearl pasta brought a fatty fish that melted in your mouth and the trio of desserts included a molten chocolate cake, a passion fruit panna cotta and a plate of beignets with a trio of dipping sauces.
Beignets with trio of dipping sauces
A trip to Bourbon Steak is a feast for your senses, and although Michale Mina being at the restaurant definitely added to the experience, this is one place I can go, where I know I will get a near perfect dining experience every time.
Bourbon Steak is located at The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, 19999 West Country Club Drive, Aventura, FL 33180 (786) 279-6600
