Michelin-Starred Spanish Chef Angel Palacios at the Helm as Chef de Cuisine
Chef José Mendín, who grew to prominence as the face of Miami’s acclaimed Pubbelly Boys, will open Habitat, his highly anticipated new restaurant, on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 1 Hotel South Beach. For the ambitious new concept, Mendín and partners Sergio Navarro, Maximiliano Silva and Juan F. Ayora, of the newly formed Food Comma Hospitality Group (FCHG), have assembled a powerhouse team of international chefs with Angel Palacios at the forefront. Palacios returns to South Florida as Habitat’s chef de cuisine fifteen years after receiving national acclaim for the Miami outpost of La Broche – his two-star Michelin restaurant in Madrid. Now, Palacios and former protégé, Navarro, will work with Mendín and Spanish pastry chef Patricio Larrea, to deliver a genre-defying concept that seamlessly blends old world elegance with new world vitality to help reimagine restaurant dining in Miami.
Created after extensive research, the menu fuses culinary creativity with comfortable dining, showcasing the mastery and magic that has fueled Spain’s culinary ascendancy while at the same time taking into account what it means to be a Miami Beach mainstay; something Mendín has down pat. Using fresh, local ingredients and masterful Michelin-star techniques, the menu respects the elements – fire, earth, air and water – and honors simplicity. Embracing tenets of molecular gastronomy, Palacios and Mendín have experimented with a variety of components on the menu. Exemplifying their level of culinary expertise, these include testing the pH of water, smoking flour and injecting small spheres with burrata – to name a few.
“There’s a story behind every dish,” claims Mendín, whose embrace of big flavors is the perfect complement to Palacios’ precision. “From the small town in Asturias where we were captivated by the culinary repertoire, to a more traditional tapas scene, this menu truly has a personality of its own.”
“We are excited to work with an all-star culinary and operations team who has such a strong stake in the Miami market. At 1 Hotels, we seek to align ourselves with organizations/companies that benefit the community at large so this just seemed like a natural fit for us,” said Matt Erickson, President of Food & Beverage, SH Group.
Divided into simple categories: Raw, Cooked, and Wood Fire Grill, the menu also boasts an extensive Charcuterie selection as well as a Live Greens Cart; a beautiful hand-crafted mobile salad station that brings the garden to the table, allowing guests to choose from earthy selections to compose a unique bespoke salad.
Raw options encompass far more than the traditional raw bar with everything from plant-based dishes including Heirloom Beet Tartare served with endives, crème fraîche, pistachio and raspberry and Artichoke Carpaccio with vanilla oil, macadamia nuts and water chestnuts, to protein-rich selections such as Wahoo “Esqueixada” – a take on a traditional Catalonian dish – featuring olive spheres, grated tomato and white soy as well as Wagyu Milanesa Cruda with black soy, pickled romaine and tomatoes.
Cooked plates offer an array of selections – from riffs on Spanish classics such as Patatas Arrubravas and Croquetas de Jamon Ibérico 5 Jotas to the more creative Squab Rice with red cabbage and delicious golden apple and Meatballs made with baby squid, squid ink and Catalonian picada. The inviting open kitchen features a 15-foot Wood Fire Grill allowing guests to partake in a brilliant display of culinary theater. The grill is used for everything from Whitewater Clams with vermouth and orange; Veal Marrow with shallots; Spanish Octopus with potato espuma and pimentón oil; and a daily selection of freshly caught fish and premium cuts of meat.
Charcuterie includes a variety of cured fish, meats and cheeses featuring Salt Cured Foie Gras; Housemade Mojama – cured bigeye tuna loin; along with Grilled Domestic Burrata and Jamón Ibérico.
For the perfect bite, pair these delectable offerings with Pa Amb Tomàquet, Catalan-style toasted bread brushed with fresh tomato.
As a team, FCHG Corporate Pastry Chef Maria Orantes and Pastry Chef Patricio Larrea, a protégé of world-renowned pastry chef Oriol Balaguer, will deliver the sweet side of Habitat with an ambitious dessert menu that includes dishes such as Bread Pudding made with sweet potato “pie” custard, caramelized miso, chai tea ice cream and black sesame; Ningyo Yaki, a Japanese Apple Pie flavored snack cake; Textures and Aromas of Fruit including figs, passion fruit, rose essence and toffee; and refreshing seasonal sorbets and ice cream. La Confiteria – a mobile dessert display – pays homage to the Spanish version of a sweet shop, boasting petit four service with selections such as Pecan Praline Bonbons, Mint Chocolate and Orange Liquor Truffles, Raspberry Coated Marshmallows and Crispy Nut Cookies. Staying true to its Miami roots, the restaurant will also offer a Cafecito Service as well as a stationed coffee truck on the patio with walk-up window service.
Mixologist Pedro Sanchez will be overseeing the bar program which will feature inventive signature craft cocktails that place an emphasis on enjoyment and approachability. A comprehensive wine list offers a variety of Old and New World vintages with a nice selection of white, red and bubbly by the glass as well as local craft beers both on tap and bottled.
Habitat’s design reflects both FCHG and 1 Hotels’ commitment to sustainability with all-natural materials and craftsmanship. The 200-seat restaurant feels both comfortable and unpretentious; hues of soft blues and browns evoke the sea with hand dyed textiles, natural woods, stone and warm lighting. The patio, which seats 60, offers al fresco dining under a canopy of trees. In December 2017, a second-floor lounge will open with an invigorating tapas menu from Palacios and Mendín.
Habitat is slated to open to the public November 11, 2017 at 1 Hotel South Beach, 2341 Collins Avenue on Miami Beach. Lunch will be served Monday through Friday from noon – 4PM. Dinner served daily from 6PM – 11:30PM. Brunch coming soon. Reservations are recommended and are available via Opentable.
Habitat
(305) 604-6700
For more information on Food Comma Hospitality Group, please visit foodcommahg.com
About Food Comma Hospitality Group
Food Comma Hospitality Group (FCHG): Founded in 2017, Food Comma Hospitality Group was a natural evolution for James Beard nominated chef/restaurateur Jose Mendin and partners Sergio Navarro, Maximiliano Silva and Juan F. Ayora. Under this banner, Mendin, Navarro (Development Director), Ayora (CEO/President) and Silva (Chief Operations Officer) oversee Baja Bao House, PB Ysla, Pubbelly Sushi, Pubbely Noodle Bar and the group’s newest concept Habitat – a restaurant with sea-inspired fare and perfectly grilled meats that celebrate the sublime, flavorful simplicity of fresh, quality ingredients.
Food Comma Hospitality Group
About 1 Hotels
As a luxury lifestyle hotel brand inspired by nature, 1 Hotels cultivates the best of sustainable design and architecture, together with extraordinary comfort and an unrivaled level of service. 1 Hotels, which launched in 2015 with the opening of exclusive properties in Miami’s South beach and Manhattan’s Central Park, followed by Brooklyn, located on Pier 1, in February 2017, is inspired by a simple idea: those that travel the world also care about it. 1 Hotels upholds this vision by channeling nature through design and culinary partnerships, while connecting with the local community and taking sustainable steps to make a big difference.
1 Hotels
Information provided by Brustman Carrino Public Relations
