High Tide at La Marea
The lobby at The Tides. Photo provided by The Tides.
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.
