Inside the Beautiful and Stylish W Hotel in Miami Beach, The Dutch Restaurant will make you think again about what is American Cuisine. I am guilty myself that when I think of “American food” I think of meatloaf, hotdogs, burgers, french fries and mashed potatoes. The Dutch will ” enlighten you” that true American cuisine is eclectic and diverse, just like our population. We were cordially greeted by Eve, a lovely young lady that showed us to our table. I loved the decor, on open dinning room with calming earth tones with a very mi-century looking chairs and tables and industrial light fixtures, all giving the area a comfortable yet sophisticated feel.
Our server Julio was very personable and had an extremely friendly and professional attitude that immediately let us know that this would be a fun evening, and we where right! Julio suggested that we start with one of the signature drinks, and since he was obviously the expert we surrendered. I had the Watermelon Crush ( Russian standard vodka, jalapeño, fresher pressed watermelon juice, lemon, cilantro and cracked black pepper) this drink had a nice bite to it. My friend had The Eden ( Zubrowka vodka, elder flower liquor, lime juice, mint, apple syrup and cranberry bitters) it reminded me of an apple martini. When it was time to order we felt so comfortable with Julio that we decided to just have a tasting menu.
Phil, the restaurant manager stopped by to introduce himself, a stylish young gentleman with an impressive knowledge of spirits and wines that reflected passion and pride. He also offered to pair the wines with the meal, and we were happy to seat back and just enjoy while letting the experts take over since I am no wine expert. The moment the food started to arrive we knew we had made the right decision. Starting with Focaccia w corn bread made with oregano and cortina cheese and corn muffins with honey butter! Next we tried the Chilled Sweet Corn Soup (Piquillo pepper, tortilla, ancho chili) I normally do not like chilled soups but I tough it was very tasty.
The Endive and Radicchio Salad (Celery root, parsley, parmesan, apple) was a real treat to my companion and I ate all of the Country Fried Chicken Wings with Scotch bonnet jam, I just love wings! The Cavatelli (charred broccoli, cave aged cheddar, garlic bread crumb) was out there! Similar to a very fancy mac’n cheese! My favorite dish of the evening was the Chicken Tikka Masala, steamed jasmine rice, crispy shallots, cilantro, naan bread. For dessert we try three scoops of sorbet; mango-lime, coconut and raspberry, YUM!
There are many good restaurants in Miami, but my experience @ The Dutch stands out for 3 reasons; service, knowledge of the menu and a unique take of American flavors.
Review by Miami concierge from the Eden Roc
