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Tropical Treats
By : Joann Biondi
For the hungry traveler in search of a gourmet experience, dining out in Miami does
not disappoint. Here, a visitor will find a rich mélange of offerings that include classic European
techniques, the freshest of tropical ingredients and a liberal dash of Caribbean and Latin American flavorings. After all, Miami was where the innovative cooking style known as New World Cuisine was born, and the area has a bounty of award-winning chefs to prove it.
Scattered throughout the area are hundreds of first-rate eateries capable of satisfying any taste, craving or budget. From the freshest of seafood—snapper, grouper, dolphin, shrimp, lobster, stone crabs—plucked right from the ocean, to bustling ethnic bistros offering a vast rainbow of culinary choices—Cuban, Haitian, Peruvian, Argentinean, Brazilian, Jamaican, Italian, Spanish, Colombian, French, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Kosher—Miami has it all.
Without a doubt, the most famous restaurant in the area is Joe’s Stone Crab (305-673-0365). Located in South Beach, Joe’s was founded in 1913 and has wowed the crowds ever since with its luscious crabs claws, hash brown potatoes and piquant key lime pie. A favorite among celebrities, the cast of characters dining at Joe’s over the years has included Frank Sinatra, John F. Kennedy, J. Edgar Hoover, Al Capone, Elizabeth Taylor, the King of Norway, Oprah Winfrey, Sting and Madonna. But be advised, Joe’s usually has a waiting time of about two hours to get seated.
Many other terrific eateries dot the streets of South Beach including China Grill (305-534-2211), where Pan-Asian fusion dishes such as sake marinated chicken and Napa cabbage salad are both imaginative and scrumptious. News Café (305-538-6397), a casual and very popular people-watching spot right on Ocean Drive, offers up Middle Eastern dishes such as stuffed grape leaves and hummus along with the ever-present bevy of fashion models who come to sip iced-coffee and read the newspaper.
Also on South Beach is Yuca (305-532-9822), an elegant and upscale Cuban restaurant that features outstanding Nuevo Latino dishes—roast pork with mango chutney, grilled lobster tails, and vegetarian paella. And, of course, the newest kid on the block—Emeril’s Miami Beach (305-695-4550). Located inside the Loews Hotel, Emeril’s is the kick-it-up-a-notch eatery of the Food Network’s star chef Emeril Lagasse, whose specialties of the house here include clams and chorizo sausage, cured smoked duck, classic osso buco, and a quirky, yet delicious, lobster cheesecake.
At the northern end of the island that is Miami Beach in the stunningly beautiful Bal Harbour Shops, the talk of the town is Carpaccio (305-867-7777). Featuring some of the best Northern Italian cooking in the Miami area, Carpaccio is noted for its handmade pastas, robust green salads, and, of course, carpaccio in about a half a dozen variations.
Back on the mainland near downtown Miami is Azul (305-913-8254). The signature restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Azul has gotten rave revues for celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein’s daring culinary concoctions, as well as for its sleek and sophisticated décor. Specialties here include blue crab timbales, chestnut soup and a spicy bouillabaisse with a Caribbean slant. Not far from Azul on the Miami River is Big Fish (305-373-1770). With its rustic outdoor setting overlooking the busy waterway, Big Fish is a favorite among the boating crowd, who slide up to the dock and come in for the much-loved, down-home seafood dishes, such as blackened grouper and linguini with chunky red clam sauce.
In the Mediterranean-style city of Coral Gables just southwest of downtown Miami, the Jamaican inspired eatery known as Ortanique on the Mile (305-446-7710) is definitely worth seeking out. Run by resident chef Cindy Hutson, this tantalizing spot serves spectacular Caribbean specialties such as jerk chicken with penne, mussels in coconut curry broth, red snapper ceviche, grilled tuna with papaya salad, sweet plantain mash and to-die-for chocolate mango cake.
Last on the list of favorite local restaurants is the quintessential Miami experience—Versailles (305-444-0240). Situated in the heart of Little Havana, Versailles serves as the epicenter for many in the local Cuban community, and it graciously offers out-of-towners an intimate glimpse of what gives Miami its unique sense of place. Amid the heated conversations in Spanish, visitors here can choose from moderate servings of old-fashioned Cuban cooking at its finest—fried whole fish, black beans and rice, marinated kingfish, chicken croquettes, thick Cuban sandwiches and deliciously potent Cuban coffee.
To book your next trip, visit www.aa.com or call American Airlines / American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300 or your local travel agent.
Book your trip today! Visit www.aa.com, call American/American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300, or call your travel agent for more information.
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