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
Join us for a Happy Hour event at Ocean Prime. This Modern American Supper Club showcases a large selection of prime seafood & steaks prepared with simple ingredients, along with handcrafted cocktails & world-class wines. Once inside, you will enjoy the sophisticated and fun atmosphere. For this event, guests will enjoy 1 Xante cocktail and a selection of complimentary hors d’oeuvres like their Truffled Devil Eggs, Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli and Point Judith Calamari.
Where: Ocean Prime, 19501 Biscayne Blvd (located next to Nordstrom at the Aventura Mall)
When: Tuesday, December 1, 6 -8 pm
Cost: $10 in advance, $15 at the door
For this week’s events, we made our way into all three counties. On Tuesday, we made a stop at The Grill on the Alley. Although, it is located at the Aventura Mall, The Grill is a nice change from your typical mall restaurant. With an elegant atmosphere, an attentive and friendly staff, and scrumptious crab cakes that we couldn’t get enough of, we quickly discovered that the Happy Hour at The Grill on the Alley is one of the best around. In addition to the crab cakes, we loved the Kobe Beef Sliders, Endive Spears, Tuna Tartare and Mozzarella Caprese Skewers. Two lucky guests even won $50 gift certificates to the restaurant.
On Wednesday, we were greeted by the very creative Chef Joe Angelucci from Secrets Piano Bar and Grill at The Windsor Gardens Hotel in North Palm. Have you ever had Deviled Quail Eggs? Gingered Chicken Potstickers? or even House made Tequila Gravlax? If you were at our Happy Hour event at Secrets, you were able to taste these culinary treats. Once again, Chef Joe pleased our palates, as we enjoyed an evening of networking and taste sensations. We will be sure to return very soon (well, actually he’s hosting a fabulous wine dinner at the restaurant on September 3 and yes, I’ll be there). We have many pictures for you to take a look at.
We will be at The Grill on the Alley at Aventura Mall for wine and hors d’oeuvres on Tuesday, August 25. The Grill on the Alley is a classic American Grill offering prime steaks, fresh seafood, traditional dishes such as chicken pot pie or meatloaf and mashed potatoes and homemade desserts. The have even been added to The Fine Dining Hall of Fame by Nation’s Restaurant News.
Join us for a social evening combining great food and wine.
When: Tuesday, August 25
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Where: The Grill on the Alley, 19501 Biscayne Blvd in Aventura
Cost is $10 and will include a glass of wine and complimentary hors d’oeuvres (free for members of Dine Magazine’s wine & dine club)
Menu:
Mozzarella Caprese
Endive Spears
Crab Cake Sliders
Kobe Beef Sliders
Tuna Tartare
Everyone who attends will be entered into a raffle to win one of two $50 gift certificates. In addition, The Grill will be offering us fabulous specials for anyone who would like to stay for dinner – you can either order off the Miami Spice menu or receive $20 off your check (minimum purchase required). In addition to the wine specials being offered for the evening, Skyy Martinis will be only $7.
It looks like Bourbon Steak just officially announced their new executive chef. Although he seems to have been there for quite some time now (almost 2 months), everything just became official. Chef Gabriel Fenton is a Mina Group veteran hailing to Aventura from San Francisco where he served as the executive sous chef at Mina’s Michelin two star restaurant. He spends a lot of time creating relationships with local farmers and sustainable seafood purveyors so we are excited to see what he will bring to this local restaurant. For me, it’s just an another reason to go to Bourbon Steak for their already delicious spiked milkshakes.
