Miami Beach, United States – April 11, 2013: On Espanola Way in South Beach, people socialize, walk, bike and dine al fresco.
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Miami is an air-conditioned, hard sell in the summer. However, to live here all year is to love it and explore it. So, I have set off to enjoy a number of surprising meals around town that are really laser-focused on locals because we are the only ones here in these toasty months.
Miami Spice has been an annual promotion to entice locals to dine, on multi-course dinners and lunches, in Miami in the off months. Whether you are enjoying a prix-fixe or sampling something new, the off-season is without a doubt a great time to enjoy some Southern Florida bites in a relaxed dining space.
Classic Italian Finds
The Lido restaurant at the Four Seasons Surfside does a solid job with classic pastas and has an interesting by-the-glass list. However, you will have much more to choose from when you pick from the bottle list.
Crudo at the restaurant.
Four Seasons Surfside Lido
The crudos, which aren’t exactly Italian, are quite good regardless. We enjoyed a delicious looking, and tasting, yellowtail with fennel. The Carciofi alla Guidea–crisp, fried artichokes whose individual petals are pushed to the pan to give them extra crunch–were delicious. The mezzi paccheri pasta in tomato sauce were also well prepared.
Various dishes at Doma in Miami.
Elizabeth Velasquez.
I had a chance to experience both Doma’s regular and Miami Spice menus. Some of the restaurant’s salads are a little complicated so I would keep it simple with tartare as it has the most clarity of flavor. Where Doma excels is both in its traditional and innovative pastas. As someone who spent years in Rome, I am picky about cacio e pepe, but this version is stellar. The candelle alla Genovese was a rich pile of meaty ragu spooned over candle-shaped pasta.
Asian Diversions in Miami
Sadly, Miami has few Vietnamese restaurants and for me this is one of the greatest cuisines in the world. One of the few Vietnamese places in town is Phuc Yea on Biscayne. The restaurant is swank, dark and generally rocking on most nights. I prefer the classics here, over a lot of the fusion options, so green papaya rolls and fried spring rolls wrapped in lettuce were some of my favorites. The restaurant is also running a really charming mini-cocktail and snack program. My favorite was the Old Fashioned, as it is not too boozy.
Sushi at Mai.
LOLLO Mai Sushi and Tapas
Mai Sushi & Tapas in Coconut Grove bills itself as Vietnamese Japanese. I didn’t note any Vietnamese influences here but that is not a problem as the classic and inventive Japanese dishes are very good. The menu skews between a Spanish, Tapas-style presentation and your classic Japanese sushi and sashimi. The assortment of fish and the colors of the presentation were so impressive I wouldn’t know where to start about favorites. The restaurant is also refreshingly small and intimate, unlike so many places in Miami.
Peruvian And Portuguese Finds
An assortment of dishes at Francesco’s.
Francesco’s Miami
Francesco’s is a classic, old school and gracious Peruvian in Coral Gables. A classic Pisco Sour is generally a great way to start off the evening: so that is exactly what I did. The classic ceviche mixto was wonderful and the ceviches here are a category I would love to explore more. The pastas, of which Peruvians are big fans, are not always al dente here–or generally outside of formal Italian restaurants in Miami–so it is best to enjoy what Peruvians do best.
Another country that excels at seafood has long been Portugal. This tiny country is a mighty force to be reckoned with in terms of food and wine. Old Lisbon, in Aventura, the multi-unit has several locations, has long been a favorite. The dining room is elegant, fun—with a tree in its center—and relatively quiet no matter who is eating there. I have never seen such well-behaved kids as those in this restaurant.
Seafood dishes abound at Old Lisbon.
Old Lisbon
The wine list has loads of solid regional Portuguese wines. It is heavy on the northern region of the Douro—from producers such as Quinta do Crasto and Esporao–but includes some hits from the Alentejo as well as good sangria.
It is a shame the restaurant doesn’t focus more on its private label wine which is pretty pedestrian. The menu is a wonderland of seafood, from clams in white wine to seafood soup with shrimp clams and mussels. One of my favorites has long been a seafood stew with white beans. Portions are large so they are great to share.
