Posts Tagged ‘la marea’
The lobby at The Tides. Photo provided by The Tides.
By Marguerite Gil
Ocean Drive has its array of fun restaurants. Some eateries are attractions (Mangoes), as much as they are dining destinations. Many cater to tourists who are fishing for a yummy catch and then there is the occasional pearl that surfaces and wows the crowds with sophistication and style. La Marea is all of the above and much more.
The terrace area is perfect. Comfy outdoor sofas and chairs afford guests a view of the Atlantic Ocean as well as of the parade of interesting characters that make up South Beach. But walk into the lobby area, turn left and you leave the bustling Sobe mayhem behind and enter a Zen-like atmosphere where everything is soft, calming and very relaxing. Difficult to believe that the storefront bow windows with applied mullions, could keep all of that excitement on the Drive, from disturbing you and your meal…but it does. The Historical building has been remodeled a number of times, but many details that were originally created in 1936 have also thankfully been saved for posterity , such as the exceptional interwoven ebony, chocolate and tan colored terrazzo floors.
Chef Gonzalo Rivera, Jr., who hails from Southern California and is at the helm of the restaurant and is a living memorial to his Mexican grandmother. He took over last year and has successfully put the ship known as La Marea back on the right course. Today he offers clients the freshest seafood available as well as a creative presentation that makes the dining experience, memorable.
Pan Roasted Diver Scallops with a Shiro Miso Bliss Maple Syrup. Photo by Marguerite Gil.
A fastidious wait staff is always making sure that everything is perfect. We started our dinner with a small dish of lemon/garlic-oil and warm rolls. While dipping our bread, we admired the décor, which is all about the ocean. Dozens of tortoise shells (reproduced in resins), line the walls. Our waiter brought us jumbo pan roasted diver scallops that Chef Gonzalo had glazed with a Shiro Miso bliss maple syrup, surrounded by veggies such as snow peas, grains of corn, red peppers and topped with salt and pepper. It’s an unusual mixture but untimely brings an explosion of tantalizing tastes to the palate. “I love cooking. I admit that it’s a little hard on my wife and kids, but they understand my passion for creating works of art in the kitchen, so they forgive me for not being home as often as I should be.”
The Hamachi salad, according to Gonzalo is a decomposed sushi dish with a wasabi topping. It was innovative, perfectly balanced with texture, technique and most of all flavors. Carefully resting on a crispy sushi rice cookie and topped with a spicy emulsion, the crunchy tuna mélange is crunchy, tender and delicious, all at the same time. Layering is important to Gonzalo. It allows him to really add delectable tanginess and richness to each preparation.
He cooks his American Kobe Short Ribs for 6 to 8 hours which draws out the flavors and makes the succulent meat just fall off of the bone. It’s accompanied by creamy grits, broccoli and a red wine sauce that is amazing.
Cozy up in the oversized chairs at La Marea. Photo by Marguerite Gil.
Chef Gonzalo is all about making the right impression both in the kitchen and in the dining area. We watched him visit every table; serve dishes when the waiters were too busy with other clients, explain his magic to hungry guests and even walk people to their cars. Nice.
The Chef also loves to experiment…but when you’re an enlightened master of the pots and pans, that’s usually the passionate part of the job. His style is about European classical cooking tweaked with a mélange of Southwestern/Mexican influences. Customer favorites include the Ceviche made with passion fruit, mango, red Fresno chili, avocado and sweet potato chips. Another favorite is the Miso glazed Black Grouper with Udon noodles, coriander broth and bok choy succotash. Desserts all have a tropical theme to them such as the Key Lime crème brulee with a tapioca coconut sauce topped with tropical fruit salad.
He knows and supports local producers and adventurous fishermen who bring him their fresh catches every morning. His roots are humble but his presentations are world class. Expect a wild assortment of dishes with layers of seasoned ingredients, and a flare for the unexpected. We ordered the French Riesling (less than $30.00 a bottle) which really paired well with our meal.
One last big perk! Valet parking is $10, which is unbelievable in South Beach. They want to encourage everyone to come back to the Drive and so The Tides is making your visit delicious and your parking affordable.
La Marea is located at 1220 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach. For more details, call 305.604.5070.
Thank you to everyone for supporting our Happy Hour events this summer. Initially these events were only going to occur over the summer months, but due to their popularity, they will continue, and we will be planning exciting culinary adventures throughout the season. This past week we visited La Marea at The Tides in South Beach and Ocean Grill in Palm Beach Gardens.
La Marea is located at The Tides on Ocean Drive. Located just steps away from the beach, The Tides offers a beautiful and sophisticated escape from the bustle of Ocean Drive. La Marea offers a open space decorated with elements from the sea and the Coral Bar gives you a private, intimate space to gather in. Chef Gonzalo Rivera Jr. made our palates dance as we enjoyed his creatively presented hors d’oeuvres – Bay Scallops with Bloomsfield Organic Spinach and Smoked Bacon Foam, the Chipotle Hummus with Grilled Naan Bread and the Grapefruit Ganache with Sweet Paprika and Cacao were all crowd favorites.
On Wednesday, it was up to Palm Beach Gardens for a feast at Ocean Grill & Sushi Bar on PGA Boulevard. Ocean Grill did an extraordinary job of making us feel right at home with plenty of scrumptious bites to eat. Butterfly-fried shrimp, stuffed grape leaves, bacon wrapped scallops and an assortment of sushi were enjoyed by all. If you haven’t been to Happy Hour at Ocean Grill, it’s worth a visit, as they do have a nice lively crowd. From 4-7 pm, stop in for 2-for-1 drinks and 50% off appetizers.
We have a busy week planned ahead. Mark you calendars now for these fabulous events: Tuesday, September 29 at Talula, Wednesday, September 30 at Secrets Piano Bar and October 6 is a cooking class at Bice in Palm Beach with our culinary diva, Maude Eaton.
Join Dine Magazine for an evening of networking at La Marea at The Tides. La Marea is a refreshing addition to the South Beach dining scene. Meaning ebb and flow of the tides in Italian and Spanish, La Marea features Mediterranean-style fare created with seasonal ingredients and accented with Northern Italian flavors and flare. Experience Chef Gonzalo Rivera, Jr’s inventive take on classic ingredients, while enjoying some fantastic wine.
Everyone who attends will be entered into a raffle to win a $100 gift certificate to La Marea.
When: Tuesday, September 22
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Where: La Marea at The Tides, 1220 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach
Cost: $10 (Includes 1 glass of wine and a selection of hors d’oeuvres) Free for members.
Menu
We will be serving Glory Day Wines (Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, and Zinfandel).
Bay Scallops, Bloomsfield Organic Spinach, Smoked Bacon Foam
Chipotle Hummus, Grilled Naan Bread, Esporoa Olive Oil
Bacalao Fritter, Piperade, Chervil Smoked Relish
Asian Vegetable Spring Roll, Kecap Manis, Sriracha Mayonnaise
Grapefruit Ganache, Sweet Paprika, Cacao
Valet parking is $10. For those who wish to self park, there is a municipal parking lot at 13th and Collins which offers 200 spaces. Parking is $1 per hour for the first four hours or a flat $15 for up to 24 hours.
For those who would like to stay for dinner, La Marea is offering their fantastic Miami Spice menu for $35. Anyone who orders the Miami Spice menu after our event, will receive a complimentary glass of wine with their dinner.
Lobster Corn Dogs
On a rainy evening, nothing was going to get me out, except maybe the chance to try the Lobster Corn Dogs at La Marea. I’ve never been a corn dog kind of girl, but ever since I read about these on Urbandaddy, I have been dreaming about what it would be like to bite into a gourmet take on one of these State Fair wonders.
Chef Gonzalo Rivera, Jr. who trained under the infamous Michael Mina, learned many things from his master including bringing innovative techniques into the kitchen, hence the Lobster Corn Dogs. This sophisticated approach to a childhood favorite takes meat-on-a-stick to somewhere you never would have imagined. Combine these corn dogs with a sweet polenta breading and a mustard creme fraiche, and these corn dogs will be calling your name. While I loved the novelty of these Lobster Corn Dogs, I felt the chef really shined when he went back to his Mexican roots.
The Grilled Naan Bread is not to be missed. There’s nothing better than warm bread to start off your meal, but in addition to that, it comes with a trio of condiments. My favorite – the chipotle hummus. The added kick won me over, and honestly made it the highlight of my meal. Nothing beats simple flavors done correctly.
Also to note was the Bunuelos. Bunuelos, a common snack in many Latin countries, are light and airy fritters. These were spot on and came with sweet caramelized mango, tamarind coulis and flan ice cream. No wonder – he used to be a pastry chef! Now how many chefs do you know that can do both?
Another highlight of my meal (although it didn’t necessarily come from Rivera’s Mexican roots) was the Watercress Salad. The watercress with the lovely, peppery taste combined with the sweet fig compote melded together the flavors nicely. Add in the goat cheese mousse and that combination of textures will remain in your food memories.
Chef Gonzalo Rivera, Jr.
What I like about Rivera is this – he’s young, he’s creative and he’s willing to experiment with traditional dishes. When he sticks to his roots, he shines and since he’s only been at La Marea (4 months I believe), you are going to see some great things out of this young chef.
If you haven’t been to La Marea at The Tides, you must certainly be aware of their fabulous Happy Hour. No, seriously, it doesn’t get much better than this. Their round-the-clock Happy Hour starts at 2:00 pm with $2 drinks, $3 drinks come at 3pm and this continues until 8pm with $8 drinks. They have a fairly large selection also including martinis, mixed drinks, frozen drinks, wine and beer.
And even better, Dine Magazine will be doing a Happy Hour event at La Marea on September 22nd, so hopefully you can attend and taste for yourself.
La Marea is located at The Tides, 1220 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach (305) 604-5070
Did you need another reason to go out to eat? Just in case you do, here’s a run down of the Best New Restaurants located in South Florida according to Florida Trend Magazine. How many have you checked out? Do you have other favorites that you feel should be added to the list?
And if you’re looking for some classics, Golden Spoon Hall of Fame Members include:
- Palme d’Or at the Biltmore Hotel
- Brooks Restaurant in Deerfield Beach
- 32 East in Delray Beach
- Casa D’Angelo in Fort Lauderdale
- Chef Allen’s in Aventura
- Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami Beach
- Cafe L’Europe in Palm Beach
- Four Seasons in Palm Beach
- The Breakers in Palm Beach
- The Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach
- Cafe Maxx in Pompano Beach