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October 08, 2014

Thompson Miami Beach A Culinary & Cocktail Destination

At Thompson Miami Beach, all-Star Lineup of Talent to Helm the New Hotel’s Seagrape, 1930’s House and Crown Room

When Thompson Miami Beach opens its doors in mid-November 2014, locals and visitors will discover a diverse collection of stellar dining and imbibing experiences, embracing the glamour of 1950s-era Miami Beach, with a refined, modern edge. Setting the tone for its highly anticipated debut, Thompson Miami Beach has assembled an all-star lineup of talent to helm the property’s food and beverage outlets. James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, her husband/business partnerDavid Martinez and Miami-based KNR Hospitality Group, in collaboration with Thompson Miami Beach’s critically-acclaimed Director of Beverage Michael MacDonnell and Miami’s award-winning cocktail expert and beverage consultant Julio Cabrera, will cultivate an array of chic, dynamic dining and nightlife experiences: Seagrape, 1930’s House and Crown Room. The unbeatable combination of these three concepts perfectly positions Thompson Miami Beach as the place to eat, drink and play on Miami Beach.

Seagrape: The 267-seat casually elegant Floridian brasserie will feature indoor and outdoor seating and focus on locally sourced bounty from both land and sea, offering a menu rich with regional influences. According to Chef Bernstein, “The beach and ocean will be an inspiration for the design of Seagrape and also find their way onto the menu in various incarnations.”

Bernstein has commissioned a handful of local farmers to grow specific products exclusively for her Seagrape menu, which will feature an abundance of fresh vegetables simply prepared, creative small plates, a selection of pedigreed, a-la-carte steaks and a rich raw bar. Diners will begin their gastronomic journey mixing and matching small plate offerings running the gamut from crispy veal sweetbreads with smoky stewed cranberry beans, confit grapes and braised chard to a vegetable mélange of cooked and raw seasonal veggies served with mache, citronette and puffed grains.  Main plates will feature whole Florida snapper tikin xic with Oaxacan recado verde and potato puree;roasted picanha steak with farrofa, potatoes Anna and jus gras; and house made squid ink spaghettini with brown butter dashi, uni and smoked salmon roe. To enhance the dining experience, Seagrape’s beverage program, dreamed up by MacDonnell and Cabrera, will showcase an eclectic array of cocktails and frozen concoctions, such as a cardamom lemongrass daiquiri, and a diverse selection of wines by the glass and other fine spirits.

Designed by the award-winning Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS), Seagrape will evoke modern casual glamour with design details that carefully blend elements of 1950s architecture with a warm, relaxed bohemian flair. Classic terrazzo floors will be complemented by light oak walls and tables with subtle geometric patterns and Giò Ponto style wooden chairs upholstered in yellow leather. The sleek green marble horseshoe-shaped bar will serve as a focal point of the restaurant, showcasing expertly-crafted cocktails. The terrace at Seagrape will present an idyllic setting for outdoor dining with views of lush tropical gardens, intimate lighting and a relaxed ambiance.

1930’s House: Built in the 1930s, originally across the street from Thompson Miami Beach, this historic, freestanding venue was moved to the hotel property in the early 2000s, and is set to become a go-to spot for locals and adventurous imbibers seeking avant-garde cocktails, Spanish-inspired small plates and crudos in a bustling atmosphere. The Mediterranean-inspired, indoor-outdoor space is not a restaurant or a bar, but instead a unique hybrid offering the best of both worlds. Upon entering, guests will find influences from Spain throughout – orange clay floors, an original limestone fireplace and a hacienda-style bar with early 20th century Havana-style furnishings in a palette of rich reds, blacks, browns and other deep tones. Offering indoor lounge and bar seating, as well as al fresco dining in the garden, the 1930’s House will be a convivial gathering place.

For 1930’s House, Bernstein has created a menu of internationally influenced crudos, tartares, ceviches and carpaccios, as well as a selection of tapas. Guests can expect tantalizing eats, including fluke crudo with tangerine, fennel and crispy garlic; spinach and feta croqueta with fig marmalade; crispy chickpea panisse with confit Evergaldes tomato, jamon iberico and petite sorrel; and octopus carpaccio with huancaina, smoked potatoes and guajillo puffed rice. Creative cocktails from MacDonnell and Cabrera will include theSaltamontes – Bacardi 8 year, yellow chartreuse and apricot brandy with fresh ginger, Nielsen & Massey orange flower water, lemon grass and red chili and the Pink Dove – Fords Gin, Combier Pamplemousse and Lillet Blanc with fresh lemon, soda and pink sea salt.

Crown Room: Sophisticated, classic mid-century-inspired cocktails by local expert bartenders take center stage at the hotel’s signature bar and lounge. Crown Room will offer a warm and inviting environment perfect for a rendezvous any time of day or night. The room’s energy will gradually build as the night progresses, but never too much to deter a proper conversation. Sweeping staircases will lead guests up to the library-style bar, where art and creativity meet.  Comfortable lounge seating, intimate nooks, white worn wood bookcases and a colorful mix of furniture and lighting all work harmoniously to create a timeless ambiance with a Miami Beach flair. Just beyond Crown Room, guests will find an outdoor terrace, available for private parties and VIP experiences.  The beverage program at Crown Room will focus on the hand-made, artisan cocktail and will feature a mix of enduring classics and reimagined revivals, from a traditional Manhattan and Mint Julep to an Almond Blossom Crusta (circa 1951) and the Blinker (circa 1948).

Slated to open in mid-November 2014, Seagrape, 1930’s House and Crown Room will be located at Thompson Miami Beach, 4041 Collins Avenue. Valet available; locals who experience the property will be validated at a discounted rate of $5 per car. Telephone: (305) 397-8309; thompsonmiamibeach.com.

About Thompson Miami Beach

Opening mid-November 2014, Thompson Miami Beach will become an upscale lifestyle oasis that combines the glamour of decades past with the sophistication of modern day. The beachfront hotel will feature 380 guest rooms, including 30 suites, and showcase the creative talents of revered interior designer, Martin Brudnizki, and landscape architect, Raymond Jungles. Guests will enjoy two restaurants, including a Floridian brassiere, Seagrape, which will be helmed by James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, two swimming pools, a spa and fitness center, 24-hour in-room dining, and lush, tropical gardens. The hotel’s social spaces will include Crown Bar, an intimate environment where guests indulge in classic hand-crafted cocktails reimagined; an adjacent late-night venue with a sophisticated nightlife experience created by Miami’s KNR Hospitality Group; and, a cocktail den, the historic 1930’s House, an intimate Spanish-inspired beach house hideaway where music, conversation and cocktails will flow. The hotel’s approximately 47,000-square-feet of flexible indoor and outdoor multifunction space will accommodate upscale events of various sizes. Thompson Miami Beach is located at 4041 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, Fla., 33140. For more information, please call 305.397.8309 or visit thompsonmiamibeach.com.

About Michelle Bernstein

Chef Bernstein opened her first restaurant, Michy’s, with her husband David Martinez in Miami in 2005, and the couple also own local-favorite, Crumb on Parchment, which opened in the Miami Design District in 2011. In addition to managing her restaurants and making frequent appearances on national television, Chef Bernstein continues to host her PBS weekly television series, Check, Please! South Florida.

About KNR Hospitality Group

Innovators in the hospitality industry, partners Karim Masri and Nicola Siervo of KNR Hospitality Group develop and operate hospitality concepts that transform restaurant, nightlife and hotel food and beverage facilities into thriving, high profile destinations.  Together they have helped shape the image and affluence of Miami Beach hotels, restaurants and nightlife in the early days of its transformation in the ‘90s, and their partnership continues to flourish and evolve.   Overseeing food & beverage operations at the W South Beach Hotel & Residences, including James Beard Award winning Manhattan restaurateur Andrew Carmellini’s popular restaurant, The Dutch, W nightlife icons WALL and Living Room, and creating the esteemed restaurant Quattro Gastronomia Italiana on Lincoln Road in South Beach and at J.W. Marriott in Mexico City, Masri and Siervo have earned rave reviews and accolades for their various outlets.  Most recently, the dynamic duo has joined forces with another high profile celebrity, famed fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, overseeing day-to-day operations of his first U.S. culinary concept, Cavalli Miami Restaurant & Lounge, which opened in January 2014 in the hot “south of Fifth” Miami Beach neighborhood.

About Thompson Hotels

Founded in 2001, Thompson Hotels is an international hospitality company that offers sophisticated luxury to its discerning clientele.  The Thompson portfolio of lifestyle hotels includes Gild Hall and Smyth Tribeca in New York City; the famed Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles; the recently opened Thompson Chicago; Thompson Toronto and Belgraves in London. Thompson Hotels also has multiple new projects in development, including Thompson Miami Beach, Thompson Los Cabos and Thompson Playa del Carmen. Thompson Hotels is a Commune Hotels & Resorts brand. For more information, please visit www.thompsonhotels.com. Follow @ThompsonHotels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and updates.

 

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