On Tuesday, 10/14, from 7:00-10:30pm, Chef Katsuya Uechi will host a Pop-Up Dinner at Katsuya at SLS South Beach. Diners will feast on a five-course family-style dinner prepared by Chef Katsuya and his talented culinary team. Price for the dinner is $75pp excluding tax + gratuity and reservations can be made via OpenTable. Katsuya by Starck is located at 1701 Collins Ave at the SLS South Beach Hotel. Telephone: 305. 455.2995.

By: Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

Tucked away in the quaint, historic, Buena Vista neighborhood, is The District, a stylish new authentic Pan American restaurant, helmed by Managing Partner Alexander Ringleb, behind well-known restaurants such as Casa Tua in Miami, and our favorites in New York: Balthazar and Pastis and Partner/Executive Chef, Argentine born, Horacio Rivadero, who previously worked under the direction of 4 Diamond award-winning chef, Douglas Rodriguez. After sampling Rivadero’s flavorful creations, it comes as no surprise that the Argentine chef was voted Food and Wine magazine’s 2012 “Best New Chef for the Gulf Region.” Read the rest of this entry »

By: Maryanne Salvat

Miami Spice  showcases the very best of Miami cuisine. From August 1 through September 30, restaurants offer three-course meals featuring signature dishes created by world-renowned chefs at reduced prices: Lunch $23 and Dinner $39. Below are a few signature restaurants that we have had the pleasure of previewing.

Azul, the Five-Star restaurant at Mandarin Oriental, Miami announces the appointment of William Crandall as chef de cuisine. Chef Crandall brings his sophisticated, eclectic cuisine of French flavors with Asian influences to the new menu at the 120-seat waterfront restaurant. The delightful Miami Spice Menu includes: Scallop “Poke” trout roe, fingerling potato, sorrel, Kurobuta Pork Belly tenderloin, pumpernickel, braised cabbage, rainbow carrot; Caramelized Banana Cake – Dominican milk chocolate cream, chai tea ice cream. Diners at Azul will also enjoy a refreshed design, which was unveiled in 2014 and includes a new private chef’s table overlooking the restaurant’s open white marble kitchen, accommodating parties up to 12. Reservations are suggested at 305.913.8358 or momia-restaurants@mohg.com. Valet parking; all major credit cards accepted. Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida-Shore 

Miami’s Who’s Who with an affinity for fried chicken and all of its accompanying comfort foods gathered on the beautiful bayside terrace of the Pérez Art Museum Miami on Tuesday, May 27 for the celebration of South Beach Wine and Food Festival founder, Lee Brian Schrager’s second cookbook, Fried & True: More Than 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides.  The scene was set for a gorgeous evening of family style indulgence with oversized wooden tables and benches, covered with all the fixins, including gourmet corn on the cob, collard greens, carrots, coleslaw, biscuits and decadent mac and cheese; catered by Stephen Starr Events, which incorporated the recipes from Schrager’s book.  Food stations offering every variety of fried chicken imaginable were set up throughout the terrace, including offerings from Michelle Bernstein, Paula Dean, and our favorites:  Asha Gomez’s Keralan fried chicken and cardamom waffles and Yotam Ottolenghi’s seeded chicken schnitzel with parsley-caper mayonnaise.  All of the recipes from the evening appear in the book, copies of which were signed by Schrager – personalized for each guest.   Read the rest of this entry »

By:  Mary Jo Almeida Shore 

Chef/restaurateur Oscar Manresa hosted the official launch of Brickell’s newest hotspot, Perfecto Gastro-bar, his first U.S. restaurant location on Tuesday, April 8, with an over- the-top party filled with A-listers music and unforgettable food and drinks. 

From small plates with huge flavors, to larger dishes, guests experienced a Barcelona-inspired feast that included Catalonian hard sausage and grilled bread with rubbed tomato, marinated tomato tartare, roasted chicken croquettes, grilled octopus, fried calamari and angel hair seafood paella.  Rounding out the evening was a decadent dessert of Catalan cream.  We couldn’t help but return the following night to try other signature dishes such as the crab-avocado cannelloni, signature shrimp and wild mushroom ravioli, the perfect fillet with truffle fries and the chocolate ganache- prepared with olive oil and sea salt- there is truly nothing like it!  Read the rest of this entry »