Blog
April 23, 2012

New Seasonal Menu Items Debut At Essensia

Featuring homegrown produce and herbs, sustainable seafood and natural local meats

Miami Beach, FL (April 23, 2012) - Essensia Restaurant at The Palms Hotel & Spa recently launched several new seasonal menu items, representing Spring in South Florida. Exemplifying the restaurants farm-to-table philosophy, the new Garden Crudités Plate features assorted raw veggies picked from the Essensia Chef’s Organic Garden located right in The Palms’ backyard.

In addition, Signature Chef Julie Frans and her culinary team are utilizing several new key ingredients in the menu, including caviar from Mote Aquacluture, Peruvian rainforest paiche from the Amazone and salmon from Loch Duart. These purveyors have been selected for developing technologies and sustainable practices for farming high quality products while preserving the earth’s natural resources.

In keeping with Essensia’s ‘natural gourmet’ cuisine, new menu items are healthy, creative and flavorful, representing a seasonal selection of global cuisine made with premium ingredients, locally sourced produce, meats and sustainable seafood. Standout dishes include the Roasted Cauliflower and Leek Cream Less Bisque served with lemon oil, shaved truffle and crab; Salmon Tartare with Osetra Caviar featuring fava bean puree, preserved lemon, fennel pollen, cayenne crème fraiche, endive chips and Russian blinis; Watermelon Salad featuring watercress, crispy prosciutto, feta cheese, mint, basil oil and balsamic; Amazone Paiche served with tomato-olive relish, truffled mushroom risotto, grilled aubergine, and fire roasted pepper pistou; Whole Yellowtail Snapper served with guava chile cilantro puree, macadamia coconut pineapple bamboo rice and sautéed zucchini ribbons; Zahtar Spiced Loch Duart Salmon served with preserved lemon faro, feta cheese, mint and hazelnuts, grilled baby peppers, sautéed greens and cucumber yogurt sauce; Moroccan Marinated Rack of Lamb served with cilantro mint mojo, saffron risotto, spring peas and pea tendrils; Flame Roasted Florida Grass Fed 10oz New York Strip served with spicy soy demi, wasabi mashed potatoes, sambal wok fried sugar snap peas; and All Natural Filet Mignon served with Maytag blue cheese, port peppercorn demi, truffled wild mushroom risotto and roasted broccolini. Vegetarian entrée options include a Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Lasagna served with sautéed greens, Moroccan Braised Veggies served with Mediterranean hazelnut-feta faro, and Green Coconut Curry Tofu featuring a selection of organic garden vegetables, eggplant, peppers, quinoa and cinnamon basil.

New seasonal desserts by Pastry Chef Christopher Jennings include a rustic Rhubarb Tart served with Almond Fragipani and homemade Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream, as well as a Strawberry Shortcakes served with basic jicama salad, mascarpone whipped cream and strawberry meringue.

Editor’s Note: Chef Julie Frans hosts a weekly Chef’s Organic Garden Tour and Tasting every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. The tour is complimentary and open to the public.

About Essensia Restaurant & Lounge

Essensia awakens the senses with natural gourmet cuisine and indulgent cocktails in a sensuous and relaxing ambiance. The menu offers patrons a wholesome and seasonal variety of light global fare with a genuine focus on utilizing local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. Essensia’s exclusive wine list is committed to being sustainable, organic or biodynamic and has been selected for sharing Essensia’s mission to being environmentally conscious. Essensia is open 7 days per week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The Palms offers complimentary valet parking with dinner, up to 3 hours. For restaurant reservations, please call 305.908.5458 or visit www.essensiarestaurant.com.

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