Miami Restaurant Reviews

I finally found a place in Miami where they serve perfectly executed pizza. The pies here are seriously delicious and the ambiance, a truly Italian spot in South Beach. When you walk in Fratelli La Bufala the aromas coming from their brick oven.

Buffalo Mozzarella

Their pizza is excellent (the best pizza you are going to have in Miami bar far), their antipasto superb but for me the most memorable item at Fratelli La Bufala is their buffalo mozzarella. It is fresh, sweet and salty – and juicy to perfection. It melts in your mouth and together on the pizza with fresh basil is the perfect representation of everyday Italian  food in the city.

The Story behind Fratelli La Bufala

“Giuseppe Antonio and Gennaro La Bufala were born in Aversa, a pleasant town in the hinterland of Caserta. After the untimely departure of their father, a mozzarella cheese producer, the young brothers had to make a choice; take over their family business, or abandon everything and go to seek adventure. They decided for the latter. After selling the business and equally sharing the earnings the three of them packed up took off towards a new life. Giuseppe (also known as Pippo), the first born, whose dream is to open a restaurant, moved to new York and finds a job as a pizza maker in an Italian restaurant.

Antonio, or Toto as his family calls him, instead moves to Madrid where he opens a flamenco school. Gennaro, the youngest, whose dream is to be a painter, moved to Paris, where he finds work as a night watchman in a garage. Years go by and Pippo makes a fortune by opening a big pizza restaurant in New York. Toto follows his lead and opens the biggest pizza restaurant in Madrid. In 2000, Gennaro decides to open a pizza restaurant in Milan as well, but without giving up on paining. The three brothers retrieve their father’s business by creating a company in 2003 they life to Fratelli La Bufala brand. Gennaro kept on painting and some of his masterpieces are now on dislay in FLB restaurants all over the world.

We don’t need to use hydrogenated fats, industrial sauces, glutamates, or even worse, genetically modified ingredients to make the foods we prepare tasty. What makes our dishes unforgettable are the natural ingredients that are carefully choosen, our care and our creativeness in making them and in serving them.

We care so much for nature and the environment, in all of its aspects, that we are carefully in choosing all the materials used at Fratelli La Bufala, so to have a continues improvement towards full Eco-compatibility. Any advice for our improvement is always well accepted.

The brand Fratelli La Bufala – Emigrating Pizzamakers is managed by the Wmmesei spa catering group. Born in 2003, it immediately gives an image of itself as a restaurants and pizzerias chain that is highly linked to the genuineness of the products from Campania and its cheap, simple cuisine.

The FLB group relies on the spreading throughout Italy and the world of buffalo mozzarella and it derivatives; buffalo meat, Campania wines, the traditional Neapolitan pizza and organic farming product.

The premises’ design is well polished and characterized by Pop-colored painting and murals. For the time being, Fratelli La Bufala counts with 95 locations in Italy and all over the world, gives employment to about 1500 people and serves about 12000 customers a day.”
From Fratelli La Bufala website

Fratelli la Bufala

437 Washington Ave

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-532-0700

fratellilabufala.com

By Miami Food Critic, Grace Della

Goyo El Pollo opened a few months ago in South Beach. A narrow modern looking place with a bar section at the end right before the kitchen. It is located on Washington Avenue where you can find a lot of dining options, mostly family run restaurants can be found on this Avenue in Miami Beach. Now, knowing where to go is key on Washington Avenue because you can get trapped having mediocre food. To my delight when I walked into Goyo El Pollo I immediately noticed and felt a sense of family which is a good indicator that the food will be promising as restaurants that are run by its owners usually tend to cater for all details. Peruvian cuisine is one of my favorite cuisines in the world, I love their sauces in special as they are quite unique and oh so tasty. Also, Peruvian dishes are usually plentiful letting you share dishes among your dining companions.

Chupe de Camarones

This soup was to die for. It is a very traditional soup that is quite different from any other soups you’ll ever try, it is a blend of of shrimp, peas, corn and egg with rice. It has a creamy consistency and it is yellow due to a pepper that is native to Peru. I could have this soup every day of the week and I think I will never get tired.

I specially like the story behind this restaurant. Goyo el Pollo is a family own restaurant, Mr. Jorge Barreto (Goyo) was a professional Peruvian soccer player in the 60’s and 70’s but after years as a pro due to an injury he had to end his carrier and decided to move to the United States for a better future for him and his family. When Goyo (Jorge Barreto) came to the United States he wanted to utilize his other passion “cooking,” and after working at an Italian restaurant, he decided that he loved the restaurant business so his new dream then was to open his own restaurant, after many years and with the help of his wife and children they finally opened their first restaurant 10 years ago in Hollywood, Florida.

The restaurant in Hollywood is named Goyo el pollo because his middle name is Gregorio and when he was a little boy his family and friends used to called him GOYO – a nickname for Gregorio and El Pollo is because he wanted his restaurant to be a “POLLERIA” (a chicken place).

With time it has become a full service restaurant offering a little bit of all of the wonderful dishes that Peru has to offer like Lomo Saltado, Ceviche, Pescado a lo macho, Jalea, Chaufa and many more.

Now 10 years later and after lots of hard work and dedication, the restaurant in Hollywood is very successful frequently visited by devoted followers.

The great news came almost 10 years after with the opening of a second location in Miami Beach.

Goyo is really proud of all of the recipes, they are all created by him and his wife, everything at the restaurant is prepared on premises including the desserts and the delicious Chicha morada.

Everything gets prepare at the moment orders are placed something that is not common among restaurants on Washington Avenue.

 Other dishes I have tried and highly recommend:

Vuelve a la Vida: It belongs to the Ceviche family, it is made of fresh diced fish and seafood,
cooked in a delicate pool of lime juice mixed with crunchy celery hearts, young red onions, choclo (large white
Peruvian corn), canchita (Peruvian fried corn) and exotic Peruvian spices.

Classic Peruvian Pollo a la Brasa: Marinated chicken in their secret family recipe with a mixture of Peruvian
spices that makes our rotisserie chicken one of our most famous dishes on the beach. Believe me, people have come into the restaurant before going to the Miami airport for an order of their rotisserie chicken, I’ve witnessed this myself!

Goyo El Pollo South Beach

941 Washington Ave

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305-538-3395

By Grace Della, Miami Food Critic

Located across from the Magic City Casino and less than two miles from Miami International Airport, this venue is a great location for a taste of Southern comfort food in the heart of Miami.

My children and I went to visit on a Wednesday afternoon, with some apprehension, as none of us are real barbeque fans. We are from the Caribbean and our idea of BBQ usually involves an open fire grill by the beach complimented by the sound of the waves breaking on the shore and a cool breeze.

We decided to sample the food here as High Steaks promised authentic BBQ platters: steaks, ribs, chicken, shrimp … So why not try it? We sat outside as it was fresh and airy: we had to take advantage of this time of the year in Miami.

The menu and the concept behind the restaurant was throughly explained to us. All the ingredients are organic, natural and kosher. The recipes family-inspired. We ordered the baby back ribs and the Memphis Style ribs which came with cole slaw and fat wedges of fries. Miss Y., as per usual, had to order the chicken fingers and regular fries. Some things never change …

Memphis Style Ribs – The House Favorite

We are not big eaters (even though my big belly does betray that fact), so we ordered the Half Rack. We could smell the smoke from the moment the plate of ribs hit the table. They were carefully charred on the outside and pink on the inside. And oh, the flavor! The smokiness reminded me of the sweet smell of embers in a fireplace. In reality it was the slab of hickory wood used in the kitchen’s smoker, the spices and the marinade that made these ribs different.

Baby Back Ribs

These were succulent, soft and very tasty. Most restaurants boil the ribs first, them add the BBQ sauce and then cook. At High Steaks BBQ, they put a sweet and sour sauce then bake in the oven. The cole slaw was delicate and not sweet and swimming in mayonnaise as so many are.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

The size of the serving was quite unexpected. Enough for a party of four to share! The cake was chockfull of fruits and nuts and the icing was soft and melting in the mouth like a thick, sweet, white butter. They also serve a variety of pies and other cakes, all made on the premises.

On a personal note, I must say that the BBQ served here is different in that it is lighter and subtler than what I have tried before and some hard-core BBQ connoisseurs may think that the food can have more of a kick to it. I think the balance of flavors is both super and down-to-earth and definitely deserves a try. My daughter Issa , who is 14, agrees with me. And we tend to disagree a lot, but not this time J

High Steaks BBQ

57 NW 37th Ave; Miami; 305.642.7447

www.highsteaksbbq.com

By Contributor Writer Brenda Benoit

It is unbelievable that just right here in Sunny Isles, a few minutes from Biscayne blvd the world changes completely. I am at Chef Philip Ho authentic Chinese restaurant, and I am already feeling this is a completely different world that I don’t frequent that often but that I should.

I love all sorts of Asian cuisine, Chinese being my least favorite but I think I have not had traditional Chinese food in years. If I have had some sort of Chinese in Miami in the past few years but it was probably with a soo-Miami modern spin.

I walked into this place and it reminded me of places in Chinatown – San Francisco, this is as closed as it is going to get in Miami for a traditional Chinese dining experience. I immediately thought this place was promising as there are a lot of Asian people eating and the waiters barely spoke English (I don’t know about you, but for me food taste better when they speak to me with a thick almost-impossible to understand accent).

Steamed egg custard lava bun

Wow, I am insanely amazed by the quality of the food here. I ordered the steamed chive & shrimp dumplings, roasted duck bun but perhaps the most memorable of all was the steamed egg custard lava bun. The name sounded intriguing and I love everything with an egg and when “lava” is added to equation, I just gotta have it.

I cannot describe with the right words how deliriously weird and delicious were the steamed egg custard lava buns. Hot and sweetened to perfection. I start thinking I need to stand up right now and see who is crafting them back in the kitchen (please can I just look at the chef?). If mister chef Philip Ho himself is folding these magic buns in the back I just need to see his face (by the way I tried but they told me Philip was hidden all the way in the back, and I though, ha like a precious jewel). Back to the egg custard bun, I strongly suggest that you come to this restaurant if you like dim sum.

I then ordered the steamed black truffle & scallop dumpling and the deep fried taro ones. I asked for a menu to go and marked everything I had because I will be back here often to try all of the other 100 buns, dumpling, fried rice and noodles they have. Today I’m specially happy, it must be the dim sum.

Chef Philip Ho

16850 Collins Ave #106A

Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160

305-974-0338

By Miami Food Critic, Grace Della

Simple fast food is all we are thinking about when hunger attacked us on a Sunday morning … so we cruised the neighborhood and saw the sign for Tropical Smoothies Café and we decided to give it a try.

I have never been here before, my children have had the smoothies while gallivanting with my brother, but I have never set foot in this place. I was just plain hungry and Miss Y. recommended that I try the food. “It smells good inside Mommy.” My little Miss Y. said.

So what to eat? I have to order a smoothie for sure, but then what?

We were welcomed by Brad Shellen, the Manager. He was kind enough to explain the menu and recommend his favorites when I asked him for suggestions. We absolutely followed his advice.

Miss Y. ordered from the Tropical Kids menu: Cheese Pizza, Jetty Junior smoothie (strawberry-banana flavor). It came with a chocolate chip cookie and a bag of chips

My turn: I ordered the Island Combo for $ 6.99. It offers a choice of 2 items and I went for the Half Bistro Sandwich and Half Gourmet Salad. I chose the Wasabi Roast Beef sandwich and the Southwest Chicken salad. I must say that I was scared. The menu and ingredients seemed impressive for a fast food outlet but…what about the taste?

We sat outside, taking advantage of the cool, breezy and oh-so-beautiful-day. The food was brought to us.

I ordered half portions but it was more than enough for me. A perfectly sized plate. The sandwich was full of flavor, the wasabi not assaulting my tongue but still leaving an impression. The salad was awesome, but with the guacamole. It was served with 2 other dressings, neither of which I liked. The guacamole was a magical combination with this particular salad.

Miss Y. was elated with her meal…all her food for under $7 and it left her little belly bloating with delight…and humming a song: sure sign that she liked the food. I always expect a melody when the food she eats is making her happy.

“Did you like the smoothie Mommy? “ I was asked.

“I prefer yours, I answered”. The Jetty Junior smoothie rocked!

My smoothie was the Sunrise Sunset made with strawberries, pineapple, mango and orange. It was massive. Big enough to share with Miss I., who took no time to gulp the whole cup down in less than a minute once we got home.

I like this place. I may even love it. Still have to try more dishes to really tell but I do have a confession: I can still remember the taste of the Southwest salad lingering in my taste memory. Have to have some more of this…very soon

Tropical Smoothies Café’s motto is “ Fresh Smoothies, Fresh Food.”

Fresh is the key. They have the key to our stomach…for now.

tropicalsmoothie.com

New locations are opening always. Check the website for the latest updates and menu.

By Contributor Writer and Photographer Brenda Benoit

The color orange is alluring, fun and flamboyant, a color that creates strong positive or negative associations. If used effectively, it radiates warmth and energy, and savvy restaurants know this. The summer sunset shades of orange which shine through Sushi Samba Dromo’s restaurant scene evoke jubilant feelings on arrival. While creating a destination restaurant is a juggling act worthy of the Cirque du Soleil, a banal environment and scene can wound even an honorable chef’s talent. As a South Beach epicurean I am sensitized to wallet-rape, even in this city disguised as a village with its inflated prices.

Sushi Samba can easily consume your holiday cash, just as furtively as the nearly invisible no-see-ums of the Bahamas devour your flesh while you loll happily on a sunset beach. If you were planning on gambling that money away anyway, I urge you spend it here. The innovative cocktails are served at Brazilian speed but are worth the wait. Their sybaritic broad and sophisticated, family-style, Peruvian/Japanese fusion menu is well-executed and filled with idiosyncratic culinary surprises. If you are concerned about the dollar sign at the end of the meal and simply crave the untamed and sometimes x-rated revelry, you might be satisfied with two or three ornate sushi rolls.

Sushi Samba serves up a variety of experiences. Even in summertime, when it can be overwhelmingly hot or pouring with rain, the open interior (reminiscent of a 60‘s discotheque) with its three bars can become an unofficial game of speed dating, particularly on Tuesday nights. The outside setup is scattered with energetic locals, newcomers and Bachelorette girls-gone-wild, all trying to colonize a bit of territory in this cinematic block party.

The servers represent almost every continent in the world. Depending on the nationality, the service can be professional and efficient or slow and inattentive. There are four kitchens, so hold on to the menu and order in stages, otherwise you’ll end up finishing your meal before your cocktail makes its fashionably late entrance. Even with its minor hiccups, this restaurant ticks all the boxes- so much so that I have visited four times in two months. Each experience was memorable for the stimulating scene, well-executed cuisine and powerful cocktails.

I strongly advise that everyone share everything, even my American readers. The grilled shishito peppers are a good choice for a starter. Their silky skin coated in lightly seared oil, quality sea salt and zesty lemon. The ladies love this one. For the boys, the fried rock shrimp is mandatory, full of worthwhile calories and laced with sublime black truffle vinaigrette. These tender shrimp enrobed in crunchy batter are a symphony of textures, drizzled in spicy mayo with that intriguing dash of truffle. It’s not cheap, but it will linger in your mind like a pop song. The special of Salmon tiradito is exorbitantly priced for each slither of raw fish, served over fresh watermelon, all decorated with a dollop of pear relish- an unexpected explosion of flavors.

Tuna takaki is a blurry memory and not a standout. The vegetable tempura was value for money, with good volume and with two obverse and intricate sauce options. The vegetable’s delicate flavors were enhanced by a featherlight and crisp tempura batter. Pan-steamed pork gyoza with spicy ponzu had an assertive umami meat interior, and was thoughtfully balanced by the sweet onion compote. In contrast, the steamed scallop dumplings with enoki, celery root purée, and yuzu butter lacked any wow factor- moderately pleasing, but not admirable.

The anticuchos, a peruvian word meaning ‘stew meat’ was served on skewers, with four alluring menu options. The sea bass glazed with sweet miso over plump Peruvian corn is arguably better than Nobu’s legendary miso black cod. The frog and I shared and savored each morsel. This is not to be missed. The mastery of traditional Japanese seasoning is perfectly utilized here to coat mild, feathery pieces of freshly-caught sea bass.

As the crowd of Lincoln Road pedestrians surged, we decided to stay for a dessert and play fashion critics reviewing the passers-by. We split an intensely satisfying warm chocolate-banana cake crowned with maple butter, banana chips and vanilla-rum ice cream. Its flavor recalled fond memories of childhood treats and a time when calories were meaningless. The classic combination of taste was unpretentious, almost countrified but with an avant-guard twist.

For the young at heart, the fun-seeker or foodie, Sushi Samba imbues Miami with a golden glow. Since any South Beach restaurant will blow your budget, why not celebrate spending a small fortune Carnaval style in this pulsating corner of cross cultural fusion.

Sushi Samba

600 Lincoln Rd Miami Beach Florida 33139 (305) 673 5337

The Promiscuous Foodie by Leilani Toivanen

I am not the sort to pursue last-minute, thrill-seeking food adventures but I did have a massive craving for food that was out of the ordinary. I asked my Significant Eater, Mr. H., to please accompany me to China Grill, an Asian-inspired World Cuisine and Sushi restaurant. I did not want to go alone…

We got there early on a Thursday for lunch and the place was quiet and peaceful, the lunch crowd having not arrived yet. The mood was tranquil and mellow and the surroundings were perfect for sampling a series of dishes that were presented by Bradford and Frank, our most cordial waiters, and the General Manager, Kevin Amiott.

Saketini

To begin with, we were offered Saketinis: martinis made with sake, a touch of vodka and fruit juices. We had the Lychee, Watermelon and Spice variations and believe me, these drinks made an impression on us. Most memorable was the Spicy Saketini, a concoction made with passion fruit with a slice of jalapeño pepper floating in it, like a lifeboat in the middle of an orange passion fruit sea. And hold on to that lifeboat we did, with a mixture of both pleasure and pain as the heat of the jalapeño hit our tongues with intense fierceness and then…the passion fruit soothed our palate with a gentle sweetness. Each sip brought this sensation back to life every time. All I can say is that it was really something else indeed.

Crackling Calamari Salad

So now after all these intense sensations, we needed something gentler in order to relieve the rollercoaster ride we gave our tongue. The gentle taste of the Crackling Calamari Salad was the perfect remedy for our over-stimulated taste buds: Crispy wok-fried calamari enveloped in an ocean of greens all mixed in with a lime-miso dressing.

Grilled Szechuan Beef

Mr. H. and I devoured the Grilled Szechuan Beef which was grilled to perfection. The beef was flawlessly seasoned with sake, soy, spicy shallots & cilantro. The steak was sweet and tender and served with a colossal amount of matchstick fries which were drizzled with a combination of Sundried tomato & Chinese mustard vinaigrette and a snow of black sesame seeds.

The sides were very original: Lobster Mashed Potato and Five Vegetable Fried Rice. Who combines lobster with mashed potatoes? Whoever came up with the idea is a genius as the flavor was uniquely delicious. The fried rice was richly savory with tiny morsels of vegetables that included broccoli, carrots and green onions among others.

Banana in a Box

A golden-brown tower made of pastry with a creamy-crown made of whipped cream with a touch of shaved chocolate. What was inside? How do we eat this?

“What is this called?”, we asked Frank, one of our waiters. Banana in a Box, he said.

“How are we supposed to eat it?” Let me show you, he said with a wide grin.

Frank took the banana box and laid it down on the plate and proceeded to perform surgery on it with two spoons. Out came the aromatic filling and seriously captivating aroma of bananas, cinnamon and chocolate enveloped in a dreamy caramel cream. “Oh dear, is this for real?” I asked Mr. H. , who was too busy eating to even give me an answer.

Bradford, another one of our waiters, carefully explained each offering to us and was very gracious.

Servings were huge so I grabbed them to take home before Mr. H. beat me to it and shared them with my kids. The big hit was the Lobster Mashed potato of course.

Visiting China Grill was quite an experience. This World-inspired cuisine has a heavy Asian influence which makes the choice of dishes captivating. To live in a city that is such a mix of cultures is a gift. To get to taste these cultures on a plate is priceless. China Grill has a saying : “be attentive, be thoughtful, be accountable, be gutsy “, and that they certainly are.

CHINA GRILL  – Miami Beach

404 Washington Ave

Miami Beach, FL 33139

(305) 534-2211

www.chinagrillmgt.com

By Contributor Writer and Photographer Brenda Benoit

Celia Cruz painting at Azucar Ice Cream Company

I love coming to Azucar Ice Cream Company in Little Havana. The owner, Suzie (I hope I am writing her name correctly) brings a sweet side to the neighborhood. This place is such a great addition in Little Havana – and to be honest with you, there was a great need to have an ice cream parlor such as this one.

On of the things I like the most is the sign she has outside her store that says “homemade Cuban ice cream” Suzie is American of Cuban parents, a beautiful woman and so passionate about the ice cream she crafts daily at her store.

Various flavors at Azucar Ice Cream Company

My favorite of all is the Key Lime pie because not only the tart flavor she acquires is exceptionally closed to biting into a slice of the creamiest key lime pie you ever got but she adds dough crumbs which adds a whole new level to the ice cream.

With flavors such us flan, passion fruit and mamey, this is a real Cuban experience that you cannot miss when you are in the neighborhood.

Cuban Style Tiles

The place is decorated to give you that wonderful feeling of old time Cuba with the tiles being all different as they used to be on old Cuban homes.

Azucar Ice Cream Company at 1503 Eighth St., Miami

Novecento is an Argentinian Bistro established in 1991 and located on Brickell Avenue in Miami, a main road surrounded by high-rise office buildings and residential towers. This has been one of my favorite haunts for years. It is about time that I say something about this special place….

The menu has not changed for years, except for the daily specials, but this restaurant always delivers classic European and South American dishes with exceptional flair.

Empanadas

Empanadas are a favorite in Miami. They are turnovers filled with a choice of beef, spinach, cheese or chicken. They are not very big but are very filling and satisfying.

Caprese Salad

At Novecento, Caprese is a glorious salad made with fresh mozzarella, tomato, a basil, balsamic reduction and prosciutto. This is a savory combination of flavours that never fails to delight.

Pollo a la Parrilla

My number one, and I say this from the bottom of my belly, is the grilled chicken: “Pollo a la Parrilla” which is half of a boneless grilled chicken, served either with mashed potatoes or a mixed baby greens salad with cherry tomatoes and a Dijon vinaigrette. I know that I should be good and order the chicken with the greens but there is nothing more delectable than the powerful combination of creamy mashed potatoes and crispy, golden chicken. I bite both of these on the same fork and I feel that I have achieved nirvana. It is the best chicken I have ever tasted, and it gladdens my heart every time I have a bite of it.

There are choices of sides that can be ordered à la carte and served in generous portions: Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Spinach, Sautéed Vegetables, Grilled Asparagus, Jasmine Rice, French Fries, Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Steamed Vegetable

The menu also caters to children and includes chicken fingers, burgers, creamy macaroni and cheese and spaghetti or gnocchi with meat sauce. My little one, Yasmin, always orders the chicken fingers, no matter which restaurant she goes to, and this one passed the “chicken finger test” with flying colors.

Flan Mixto and Todo Chocolate

The desserts are sweet and rich so when I do indulge, I share. The Flan Mixto is a Crème Caramel that comes with dulce de leche and whipped cream. Dulce de Leche being a caramel-like, milk-based spread that is so sweet that a visit to the dentist is in order after eating it

For chocolate lovers, there is “Todo Chocolate”, which literally means “all chocolate”: Warm chocolate truffle cake, Belgium chocolate ganache, Chocolate ice cream. This is simply decadent and worth every calorie.

The vibe at Novecento is elegant, energetic and vibrant, always packed with business people, locals and families from the area, no matter what day of the week. The flavours are a combination of cultures from Buenos Aries, New York, Punta del Este and a myriad of other cities and lucky for us, one of these jewels is located in Miami.

Novecento Brickell

1414 Brickell Ave.

Miami, Florida 33131

www.novecento.com

By Contributor Writer and Photographer Brenda Benoit

As we sat together at SAWA Restaurant & Lounge we shared a mélange of Mediterranean and Japanese dishes that made our palates think. Four of us – a dear friend of mine, my daughters and I were perplexed by the combination of flavors on the menu, so why not try it?

The locale was also not ordinary in that it included indoor seating but also a massive outdoor area that had a lounge that was large yet intimate.

 Falafel with Tahini

The Falafel with Tahini was delicious, very savory and complimented by a creamy tahini sauce. It was served on top of a salad that made for a fresh-tasting mixture of tastes and textures.

Chicken Kebab

I had the Chicken Kebab, a dish that was truly juicy and tender, seasoned with some really appetizing spices and accompanied by Garlic Aioli. The basmati rice it came with was also full of taste, the basil and pine nuts adding crunch and substance, but the rice was a bit on the dry side.

Angus Kefta Burger

The burger came with a huge serving of fries , the fries being livened up with a sprinkling of parsley. This was not my dish but I got to sample a tiny bit of it. Miss E. (my friend) said that she was expecting something different. “It was OK. “, she said. I did like the robustness of it and the fact that it came with so many side sauces, but then again, I did not taste enough of it to say.

Salmon Hand Roll

It was was garnished with scallions and a combination of black and white sesame seeds. I did not actually taste this but Issa, my little one, loved it. Miss E. said that it was not bad, but was not the best. The nori was chewy and not quite fresh.

I shared the assorted plate of Baklava with Issa. The presentation was beautiful but the actual baklavas were way to sweet for me, like swallowing a whole bag of sugar in just one bite.

The Banana Spring Roll was the best part of Miss E.’s meal. She loved it!

I did not have the opportunity to speak to the Chef, Jouvens Jean, to ask him about the thinking behind combining Mediterranean and Japanese food in one menu. It is an original idea that I still find puzzling.

I had to ask myself the following:

Will I come back? The answer is yes because I am still intrigued by the merging of Japan/Med cuisines.

How was the service? We got one of the best waiters ever who went out of his way to be helpful.

Is it worth a trip? Definitely, if nothing else to sample the variety of dishes included in this unconventional menu. It may not be to everyone’s taste but this is a chance to go on a food adventure and why miss that?

We visited at lunchtime but the vibe at night is totally different. You can puff flavored Hookahs and also enjoy belly dancers on the weekends. Unusual indeed.

SAWA Restaurant & Lounge

360 San Lorenzo Ave #1500

Coral Gables, FL 33146

305-447-6555

www.sawarestaurant.com

By Contributor Writer and Photographer Brenda Benoit