1. Bourbon Steak Miami and Michael Mina’s 74 at Fontainebleau
Going up to the Turnberry Isle resort can be a bit of a mini-vacation. And their Miami Spice menu is filling, delicious and chocked with choices. Appetizer choices include a Sweet Corn & Main Lobster Chowder with fingerling potatoes, red pearl onions and nueske’s bacon, Hand-Rolled Angel Hair Pasta awith parma butter, black pepper and pecorino toscano and Tempura Squash Blossoms
Entree range from a Certified Angus Eye of Rib Eye with farro and English pea risotto, Tapioca-Crusted Yellowtail Snapper and Truffle Chicken Pot Pie. Dessert is ideal with a selection of either a Peanut Butter “Snickers” with caramel mousse and chocolate ganache and rice crispies, sorbets and ice creams or a Pineapple Upside Down Parfait with vanilla pound cake and candied ginger.
You will do equally well at Michael Mina’s newer spot at the Fontainebleau with apps of Lamb Meatballs, Burrata-Stuffed Tomatos or Ahi & Hamachi Poppers and an assortment of entrees that include Buttermilk-fried Chicken, Florida Snapper with red curry or Berkshire Pork Belly.
2. Hakassan
Instead of “or” this menu says “and” and is built for a minimum of two guests. Start with Green Salad with crispy taro root and Crispy Green Mustard Prawn pan-fried dumplings. Move on to Braised Beef with spicy sesame sauce and pancakes, Crispy Snapper with Sauteed Leaf Lettuce and Steamed Chicken Rice. Dessert offers the only quandry: White Chocolate Panna Cotta or Mango Custard.
3. The Forge
If you get a chance to eat at The Forge for dinner for $39— take it! Especially since Chef Christopher Lee has debuted his new menu and arguable some of the best food in Miami. Choose from “The Forge” Chopped Salad, French Onion Soup or Jamaican Jerk Bacon. For the second course decide between Farm Raised Salmon with peas and carrots and a curry sauce, their ingenious Pastrami Duck Breast with braised cabbage or a 6 oz Filet Mignon with potato puree and asparagus. Dessert looks like Limoncello Cheesecake or Chocolate Lava Cake. Yum!
4. Red, The Steakhouse
Red is doing something very cool with their Spice Menu — Executive Chef Peter Vauthy will debut a different menu with a different concept each week. So regulars can come back once a week to discover an Asian, Spanish, Italian and Classic steakhouse menu. We have too many favorites on the menu to mention, but if you go with the fried fish, Roasted Ashley Farms Chicken, or 6 oz Prime New York Strip, you’ll be in excellent shape. As for dessert Apple Pie Tart is amaze.
5.. Scarpetta
Yes, you can get their famous Spaghetti with tomato and basil, but you can also choose from Local Snapper and Oven Roasted Chicken as well. But we might be getting a little ahead of ourselves. First you’ll want Creamy Polenta, Mozzarella in Carrozza with stewed baby tomatoes or Tuna Bresaola. We’ve tried them all and our favorite… might just be the tuna followed by, you guessed it, their Spaghetti.
photos by Hadley Henriette
