Scooter Invasion They Came

Home , Argentine cuisine, Bacon sundae, Donkey burger, List of cocktails, Matzah ball, Parachute Jumper

February 2020 www.BiscayneTimes.com Volume 17 Issue 11 ©

Scooter Invasion They came. They cluttered. But they have not conquered — yet.

CALL 305-756-6200 FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ADVERTISING SPACE ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER SATURDAY, MARCH 7 AT 8:00 PM BEETHOVEN AND STRAUSS Cristian Măcelaru, conductor 6 :00 - 7: 00 P M: Complimentary beer tasting from Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio Concrete Beach Brewery and Happy Hour specials in the atrium from Brad Kilgore. J.S. Bach : Ricercar from The Musical Offering 7 :00 - 7 :30 P M: Opening concert by a Miami-based R. Strauss : Don Juan music ensemble Beethoven : Triple Concerto Enescu : Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 8:00 PM: New World Symphony concert

nws.edu/beethoven 305.673.3331 2 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020

Beethoven and Strauss NWSDowntown.indd 1 1/9/20 9:20 AM ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER SATURDAY, MARCH 7 AT 8:00 PM BEETHOVEN AND STRAUSS Cristian Măcelaru, conductor 6 :00 - 7: 00 P M: Complimentary beer tasting from Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio Concrete Beach Brewery and Happy Hour specials in the atrium from Brad Kilgore. J.S. Bach : Ricercar from The Musical Offering 7 :00 - 7 :30 P M: Opening concert by a Miami-based R. Strauss : Don Juan music ensemble Beethoven : Triple Concerto Enescu : Romanian Rhapsody No. 1 8:00 PM: New World Symphony concert

nws.edu/beethoven 305.673.3331 February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 3

Beethoven and Strauss NWSDowntown.indd 1 1/9/20 9:20 AM 4 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 A Special Exhibition at Frost Science On View Through April 12

Navigate through a giant mirror maze and discover the amazing numerical patterns that exist in the natural world.

frostscience.org/mirrormaze

1101 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132 I 305-434-9600 | frostscience.org @FROSTSCIENCE The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science is supported by the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County. This project is supported by the Building Better Communities Bond Program and the City of Miami. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a member of the Association of Science and Technology Centers. Frost Science is an accessible facility. All contents ©Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. All rights reserved.

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 5 Come Celebrate Valentines’ Day By The Bay

FEATURING A VARIETY OF RESTAURANTS

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6 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 7 CONTENTS COVER STORY 22 Scooter Invasion COMMENTARY PO Box 370566, Miami, FL 33137 www.biscaynetimes.com© 14 Feedback: Letters to the Editor Serving communities along the Biscayne Corridor: Arch Creek East, Aventura, Bay Point, Bayside, Biscayne 16 Eye on Miami: City Hall Mayhem Park, Belle Meade, Buena Vista, Coventry, Design District, Downtown, Eastern Shores, Edgewater, El Portal, OUR SPONSORS Enchanted Lake, Hibiscus Island, Highland Lakes, Keystone Point, Miami Shores, Morningside, North 18 BizBuzz: February 2020 35 Greynolds, North Bay Island, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Oak Forest, Oakland Grove, Palm Grove, COMMUNITY NEWS Palm Island, Sans Souci, Shorecrest, Sky Lake, Sparling Lake, Star Island, Wynwood, and Venetian Islands 34 Meet the New Boss: Mr. Diaz de la Portilla PUBLISHER & EDITOR 34 Motel Stories Miami: North Beach ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Jim Mullin Nancy Newhart 35 Climate Gentrification: Myth That Won’t Die [email protected] [email protected] NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENTS 954-980-7639 42 Jay Beskin vs. Deb vs. Jen CONTRIBUTORS 44 Meet Fred Jonas: Greater Miami Shores Erik Bojnansky, Senior Writer Marc Ruehle 46 North Miami’s Quest for a New Manager [email protected] [email protected] ART & CULTURE Anne Tschida, Arts Editor 786-514-7080 48 Elisa Turner: Morel Doucet’s Unique Ceramics [email protected] 50 David Bennett’s Galleries + Museums ART DIRECTOR Francisco Alvarado, Geoffrey Anderson, 52 Events Calendar: GroundUP at the Bandshell Marcy Mock David Bennett, Jay Beskin, POLICE REPORTS [email protected] Jacqueline Coleman, John Dorschner, 54 Derek McCann’s Biscayne Crime Beat 48 Paul George, Janet Goodman, Margaret Griffis, ADVERTISING DESIGN PARK PATROL Helen Hill, Nancy Lee, Derek MichaelMcCann, DP Designs 56 Janet Goodman: Town Center Park, Sunny Isles Dinah McNichols, Kim Ogren, Jenni Person, [email protected] COLUMNISTS Silvia Ros, Dianne Rubin, Mark Sell, Stuart 58 Pet Talk: A Place for Pugs CIRCULATION Sheldon, Jeff Shimonski, Elisa Turner 59 Family Matters: Zoo As Classroom South Florida Distributors 60 Your Garden: Sunday in the Yard With Jeff BUSINESS MANAGER 61 Going Green: Hiking As Introspection PRINTING Kenneth Cooper 62 Vino: New World Reds, but Not Cab Stuart Web, Inc. [email protected] www.stuartweb.com 63 Dish: South Beach Wine & Food Festival DINING GUIDE 64 Restaurant Listings: 256 Biscayne Corridor Restaurants FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION CALL 305-756-6200 All articles, photos, and artwork in the Biscayne Times are copyrighted by Biscayne Media, LLC. Any duplication or reprinting 58 without authorized written consent from the publisher is prohibited.

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8 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 GREAT DOCTORS CONTINUE TO YIELD GREAT RESULTS Mount Sinai Medical Center has been named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals by IBM Watson Health™ for two consecutive years.

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February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 9 305-895-JEFF(5333)

REAL ESTATE BROKER / CEO

CONTEMPORARY NEW 2020 KEYSTONE POINT BOATER’S PARADISE 130’ ON THE WATER BELLE MEADE ISLAND CONSTRUCTION OVERSIZED LOT 103' OF DEEP WATERFRONT DOCKAGE 1/3 ACRE LOT North Miami 6BD, 6.5BA, 3 LOTS OF THE WIDE BAY!!! pool/jacuzzi, 6,043 Sf., 2 or 4 car garage. 30’ high ceilings, all 5BD/4BA, 4400 SF 2 Car Garage concrete floors, large format SUBJECT PROPERTY porcelain plank flooring. Glass tile Pool, Hi- Vaulted Ceilings baths, natural gas designer Italian Large Center Isl Gourmet Gas kit w/Sub-Zero & Wolf appl., impact windows & doors, 130’ of dockage Kit. Huge Master Suite $2.75M close to bay $3.3M

SANS SOUCI WATER- SANS SOUCI ESTATES FRONT, LOWEST PRICE IN 2 STORY NONWATERFRONT SUBDIVISION 5BD/ 4BA, 3,446 Sf., pool 5BD/3BA pool, 75' on water. w/jacuzzi. Remodeled new, New windows and doors, metal roof, 24' Marble flooring new roof, interior is dated, throughout, center island needs redecorating, perfect SUBJECT PROPERTY gourmet qaurtz kitchen new seawall. Priced to sell at land appliances, new marble baths, value only $1.1M large lush landscaped backyard to entertain in. $1.2M

KEYSTONE POINT LOWEST PRICED WATERFRONT IN SUBDIVISION SAN SOUCI ESTATES SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN MASTERPIECE WATERFRONT REMODELED WATER- FRONT 75’ DIRECT 3BD/2BA, 2 Car Garage, OCEAN ACCESS Direct Ocean Access. 75’ on 24 HR GUARD GATED the Water Plus Boatlift. All NEW SEAWALL AND New Contemporary Quartz DOCK top Center Island Italian $ $ $ $$ $ $$ $!$ $!$ #$ 6BD/6.5BA, pool, 2 car Kitchen. Remodeled $#$ $$# $$# $$ $$ $ $ $ $$ $ Porcelain Baths Only $859K garage, 6,214 Sf., $2.6M $ $$# $$#$$ $ $$ $ # $ # $ $ "BISCAYNE GARDENS" NORTH- $# $ $ $"$#$ $$$ $$ $ $ $ SANS SOUCI ESTATES BAY VIEWS – 75’ DOCK & 25,000 LB. BOAT LIFT WATERFRONT TO LAKE BOATER'S DREAM HOUSE OWNER WILL FINANCE EAST MIAMI AREA, WATERSKI, NEW SEAWALL & DOCK WITH 20% DOWN JET SKI, FISHING, CANOING, OWNER FINANCING PADDLE BOARD ETC. 4BD/3BA, pool, 2 car garage, ALSO FOR RENT $4000 new addition, high vaulted 3BD/3BA, 1.5 Garage 2,910 Sf., SUBJECT PROPERTY Oversized 1/3 Acre Lot Completely ceilings over 3,200 Sf., 24" Remodeled New 2019 All Marble marble, 2016 granite kitchen Flooring Marble Baths, Large Center and baths. hurricane impact Island Italian Kitchen w/quartz top windows in place. $1.48M counters and White Lacquer Cabinets, Hurricane Impact Windows. Also FOR RENT $7,900/MTH Owner will Finance. Only $599K

REAL ESTATE BROKER / CEO

SANS SOUCI ESTATES BAY VIEWS – 75’ DOCK & 25,000 LB. BOAT LIFT "BISCAYNE GARDENS" NORTH- WATERFRONT TO LAKE BOATER'S DREAM HOUSE OWNER WILL FINANCE EAST MIAMI AREA, WATERSKI, NEW SEAWALL & DOCK WITH 20% DOWN JET SKI, FISHING, CANOING, OWNER FINANCING PADDLE BOARD ETC. 4BD/3BA, pool, 2 car garage, ALSO FOR RENT $4000 new addition, high vaulted 3BD/3BA, 1.5 Garage 2,910 Sf., SUBJECT PROPERTY Oversized 1/3 Acre Lot Completely ceilings over 3,200 Sf., 24" Remodeled New 2019 All Marble marble, 2016 granite kitchen Flooring Marble Baths, Large Center and baths. hurricane impact Island Italian Kitchen w/quartz top windows in place. $1.48M counters and White Lacquer Cabinets, Hurricane Impact Windows. Also FOR RENT $7,900/MTH Owner will Finance. Only $599K

CONTEMPORARY “NEW 2019 ‘BOATERS PARADISE’ KEYSTONE POINT NEWLY BUILT OVERSIZED 1/3 ACRE “SANS SOUCI ESTATES” “NEW REMODELED CONTEMPORARY” CONSTRUCTION” 75’ ON THE CORNER LOT ESTATE, FOR SALE 1.66M, ALSO FOR RENT $7,900 A MONTH WATER POOL & SPA ACROSS THE STREET FROM MULTIMILLION 5BD/6BA, 5,476 Sf., 2 or 4 Car Gar. DOLLAR BAYFRONT “30’ High Ceilings” All Concrete HOMES! Floors! Pool W/Jacuzzi Waterfall, 5BD/4.5BA, 4, 732 Sf., pool & jacuzzi, 2’x4’ Porcelain Plank Floors & garage. 36" white quartz glass floors & Glass Tile Baths, Subzero & Wolf glass tile baths, Italian quartztop, kit. Appl’S, Quartz Top, Kit. Impact SOLD BY JEFF! Impact glass. Huge master suite & Glass. 75’ Of Dockage! $2.6M CALL 305-895-JEFF TO PLACE YOUR HOME HERE sprawling bath, nice bay breezes $1.66M February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 11 CALL NOW CALL NOW 305-742-5225 Please follow us on:: 305-742-5225 EAGLE Please follow us on:: Discover Why So Many Miami Residents Are Buying Vacation Homes On Hutchinson Island !!!! PROPERTIES EXCLUSIVELY FOR SALE BY THE JACK CODEN GROUP The Jack Coden Group is Proud to Announce the Exclusive Sales of the Most Luxurious Hutchinson Island Townhome Project Ever Planned on Hutchinson Island! A new boutique gated community located just 2 hours north of Miami on A1A, across from the Treasure Coast’s most beautiful pristine beach. Seaglass will have 29 exquisite townhomes and private marina right on the Intracoastal. NEW LISTING Features include: • Luxury 3 story townhomes with contemporary design 1800 NE 114th St. PH09 $1,195,000 8800 S Ocean Dr. #1301 $549,000 110 Fiesta Way $1,500,000 42 NW 107 St. $849,000 • Spectacular views of the river and Atlantic Ocean Welcome to the MOST FANTASTIC PENTHOUSE at Amazing 270 degree views from this large $WWHQWLRQERDWHUVDQGLQYHVWRUV7KLVRULJLQDO Timelessly remodeled Mid-Century meets Spanish 7KH&ULFNHW&OXE$/0267VTIW81'(5$,5 totally remodeled 3/2 on the direct ocean, waterfront home is located on one of the Revival home located in Miami Shores. This 5/3 home • 3-4 bedrooms, 3.5 – 4.5 bathrooms & ROOFTOP TERRACE w/ OVER 4,100 sq. ft.! ÀRRUVDERYHWKHRFHDQ ¿QHVWVWUHHWVRQDOORIWKH/DV2ODV,VODQGV ERDVWVUH¿QLVKHGULFKKDUGZRRGÀRRUVWKURXJKRXW • 2,900-3,200 sf of living space • European style kitchen with cook’s island • Quartz counter tops with waterfall edges • Private 3 stop elevator (from garage to rooftop terrace) • Private 3 car garage’s • Roof top terrace • $OOJODVVJUHDWURRPRQUGÀRRUZLWKURRIWRSNLWFKHQDYDLODEOH • 9-11 ft ceilings JUST SOLD! NEW LISTING • )ORRUWRFHLOLQJVSHFWDFXODUSDQRUDPLFJODVVSDQHOVZLWKKLJKLPSDFWWHFKQRORJ\DQGHQHUJ\HI¿FLHQF\ 8827 Hawthorne Ave. $749,000 1016 NE 113th St. $480,000 500 NE 56th St. $699,000 1000 Quayside Ter. #302 $299,000 • Private fenced back yards with optional swimming pools MAGNIFICENT POOL & GORGEOUS ADORABLE remodeled duplex located on 10,500 sq.ft. Location! Location! This HISTORIC Art Deco Imagine living in a spacious corner condo that feels • $OOKRPHVGHOLYHUHGPRYHLQUHDG\ZLWKÀRRUVOLJKWLQJFRPSOHWHGNLWFKHQVDQGEDWKV %$&.<$5'7KLVFKDUPLQJEHGURRP lot! The main house is 1,523 sq. ft. 2 story, 3BR/3BA masterpiece is located on one of Morningside’s OLNH\RXURZQSULYDWHKRPHZLWKDODUJHEDFNSDWLR • Latest smart home technology application for your security and climate control EDWKURRPLVD08676(( and the second unit is 850 sq. ft. 1BR/1.5BA. PRVWEHDXWLIXOFRUQHUORWVDQGKDV%5%$ opening up to an exquisite zen garden & tropical pool. Just minutes from historic downtown Stuart. Call today to learn more about this exciting new project. Prices from $649,000. Enhance your lifestyle with the magic of Treasure Coast living!

NEW LISTING UNDER CONTRACT JUST SOLD! 10250 W Bay Harbor Dr. #3F $155,000 2890 W State Rd. 84 #103 $575,000 780 NE 69th St. #1906 $224,000 90 NE 133rd St. $380,000 &R]\ XQLW ORFDWHG LQ FKDUPLQJ %D\ +DUERU ,VODQG Designer, Turn-Key, Modern, State-of-the- Amazing panoramic ocean views from this 2 BR An Entertainers Delight! Located on a lovely tree lined This well-kept waterfront condo is within WALKING $UW2I¿FHVIRU6DOHLQ0DULQD0LOH%XVLQHVV PLUS DEN, 2.5 BA condo home in the sky on the VWUHHW LQ WKH EHDXWLIXO FRPPXQLW\ RI %UHH]HVZHSW DISTANCE TO THE BEACH! Park (it’s a modern executive park). WKÀRRURIWKHLFRQLF/D3HUODFRQGRPLQLXP Estates in North Miami. EAGLE CALL FOR INFO NEW PRICE NEW PRICE ON OUR 1000 Quayside Ter. #1906 $249,900 34371514 NENW 105th 3rd Ave.St. #C5 $459,000 $579,000 1165 NE NE 135th 135th St. St. $349,000 $375,000 COME ENJOY EXQUISITE BAY & CITY VIEWS GORGEOUS MIAMI SHORES WATERFRONT GREAT CURB APPEAL, Beautifully RENTALS! from this 1500+ sf. charming unit with a large 72:1+20(7KLVKXJHVWRU\%HGEDWK updated 3 Bedroom 2 Bath home w/3 car EDOFRQ\ WRZQKRXVHLVEULJKW VSDFLRXVDOOWKHZD\WKURXJK garage sitting on an almost 12,000 sq ft lot! Tip of the Month Seaglass Residences and Marina* 10101 S. Ocean Drive $OZD\VWU\WRVFKHGXOH\RXUVKRSSLQJZLWK\RXUUHDOWRUGXULQJWKHGD\VRWKDW\RXVHHWKHSURSHUW\LQWKHGD\OLJKW,I\RXUMREUHTXLUHVWKDW Jensen Beach, Fl 34957 you only have time to shop during the evenings, put this off for your next day off. A property in the evening always looks dark and you will

*pending approvals Seaglasshutchinsonisland.com Continued on page 14 QRWEHDEOHWRVHHWKHH[WHULRUODQGVFDSLQJ

12 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Experience isn’t Expensive...It is Priceless! CALL NOW CALL NOW 305-742-5225 Please follow us on:: 305-742-5225 EAGLE Please follow us on:: Discover Why So Many Miami Residents Are Buying Vacation Homes On Hutchinson Island !!!! PROPERTIES EXCLUSIVELY FOR SALE BY THE JACK CODEN GROUP The Jack Coden Group is Proud to Announce the Exclusive Sales of the Most Luxurious Hutchinson Island Townhome Project Ever Planned on Hutchinson Island! A new boutique gated community located just 2 hours north of Miami on A1A, across from the Treasure Coast’s most beautiful pristine beach. Seaglass will have 29 exquisite townhomes and private marina right on the Intracoastal. NEW LISTING Features include: • Luxury 3 story townhomes with contemporary design 1800 NE 114th St. PH09 $1,195,000 8800 S Ocean Dr. #1301 $549,000 110 Fiesta Way $1,500,000 42 NW 107 St. $849,000 • Spectacular views of the river and Atlantic Ocean Welcome to the MOST FANTASTIC PENTHOUSE at Amazing 270 degree views from this large $WWHQWLRQERDWHUVDQGLQYHVWRUV7KLVRULJLQDO Timelessly remodeled Mid-Century meets Spanish 7KH&ULFNHW&OXE$/0267VTIW81'(5$,5 totally remodeled 3/2 on the direct ocean, waterfront home is located on one of the Revival home located in Miami Shores. This 5/3 home • 3-4 bedrooms, 3.5 – 4.5 bathrooms & ROOFTOP TERRACE w/ OVER 4,100 sq. ft.! ÀRRUVDERYHWKHRFHDQ ¿QHVWVWUHHWVRQDOORIWKH/DV2ODV,VODQGV ERDVWVUH¿QLVKHGULFKKDUGZRRGÀRRUVWKURXJKRXW • 2,900-3,200 sf of living space • European style kitchen with cook’s island • Quartz counter tops with waterfall edges • Private 3 stop elevator (from garage to rooftop terrace) • Private 3 car garage’s • Roof top terrace • $OOJODVVJUHDWURRPRQUGÀRRUZLWKURRIWRSNLWFKHQDYDLODEOH • 9-11 ft ceilings JUST SOLD! NEW LISTING • )ORRUWRFHLOLQJVSHFWDFXODUSDQRUDPLFJODVVSDQHOVZLWKKLJKLPSDFWWHFKQRORJ\DQGHQHUJ\HI¿FLHQF\ 8827 Hawthorne Ave. $749,000 1016 NE 113th St. $480,000 500 NE 56th St. $699,000 1000 Quayside Ter. #302 $299,000 • Private fenced back yards with optional swimming pools MAGNIFICENT POOL & GORGEOUS ADORABLE remodeled duplex located on 10,500 sq.ft. Location! Location! This HISTORIC Art Deco Imagine living in a spacious corner condo that feels • $OOKRPHVGHOLYHUHGPRYHLQUHDG\ZLWKÀRRUVOLJKWLQJFRPSOHWHGNLWFKHQVDQGEDWKV %$&.<$5'7KLVFKDUPLQJEHGURRP lot! The main house is 1,523 sq. ft. 2 story, 3BR/3BA masterpiece is located on one of Morningside’s OLNH\RXURZQSULYDWHKRPHZLWKDODUJHEDFNSDWLR • Latest smart home technology application for your security and climate control EDWKURRPLVD08676(( and the second unit is 850 sq. ft. 1BR/1.5BA. PRVWEHDXWLIXOFRUQHUORWVDQGKDV%5%$ opening up to an exquisite zen garden & tropical pool. Just minutes from historic downtown Stuart. Call today to learn more about this exciting new project. Prices from $649,000. Enhance your lifestyle with the magic of Treasure Coast living!

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 13 Experience isn’t Expensive...It is Priceless! Commentary: LETTERS

The Awful Truth About Miami 21 Initially, DPZ promised a compre- In Erik Bojnansky’s “Zoned Out” (Janu- hensive plan, where every city block was ary 2020), Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk says: supposedly analyzed for a near-perfect “It was not the intention to be enabling city-fit. So perfect, we were promised, wholesale upzoning.” That claim is it would be the opposite of our old plan totally disingenuous. — trashed for allowing variances. Then Many of us contested parts of the came SAPs, incongruent from the start, Miami 21 zoning plan on the basis that since they suddenly allowed ever-bal- it was upzoning almost the entire city. looning upzoning — mini-cities overlaid Special Area Plans (SAP) were only the on this supposedly near-perfect, just worst example. rezoned city. I lobbied strongly to show that in What started as applicable to only all the neighborhood categories, one a few areas, became an option for any could build more under Miami 21 than nine-plus-acre plot citywide — then the old code. Plater-Zyberk [principal even under nine acres. architect of Miami 1] strongly denied Issues like transit, environmental this. She and others claimed that those hazards, and affordable housing are of us questioning Miami 21 were clearly more pressing today, and these misunderstanding it, misconstruing problems won’t go away by just elimi- its enlightened thinking, and against nating SAPs. They are just mini-ver- progress. sions of what’s wrong with our citywide Many opponents argued the plan’s zoning code. affordable housing element was lip Richard Strell service with no teeth, a joke. We insisted Edgewater the city needed more parks and better infrastructure. I argued that the city lacked More Good Press for Allapattah — decent mass transit, or a solid funding and It’s About Time... plan for it. Thanks for Janet Goodman’s write-up on Plater-Zyberk’s plan clearly was en- one of our local parks here in Allapattah abling huge upzoning, without address- (“Allapattah’s Place to Be,” January 2020). ing any of these issues. All of today’s As a 45-year, born-and-raised SAP areas were upzoned by Miami 21 resident of Allapattah, I love the fact my years before property owners submitted community is receiving so much good their applications. It’s why developers attention. bought those parcels in the first place — One addition I’d like to make is that to convert them to SAPs. the reason many still refer to the park Plater-Zyberk’s recent claim that as Comstock Park is because that’s its maybe one shouldn’t be able to upzone former name. The land where the park within SAPs ignores that her plan and school sit were donated to the city by allows variances for huge upzoning now, the Comstock family back in the 1950s anyway, in almost all areas — just more or 1960s. slowly than SAPs allow. Again, thanks for the great piece. For a shocking example of the dif- I’ll be sure to share with neighbors and ference between the old and new code friends. generally, next time you’re on the Julia Pat Gajardo Tuttle heading west from the Beach, Allapattah look south at Edgewater’s skyline. The super-sized buildings you see were built under Miami 21. Pre-Miami 21 high- Eye on Miami: Perfect Vision rises (even from only a decade ago) are Nancy Lee is one of the best political dwarfed in height and footprint, quaint writers in Florida. Please keep her sto- by comparison. ries coming. Maybe if Plater-Zyberk was more Dewey Steele concerned with the city functioning Redland better, rather than, as she says, “making the city a better form,” there’d be more Correction affordable housing; less flooding in the In Helen Hill’s story “That’s a Wrap” super-high-rise areas; more, not less, (January 2020), the number of galleries green space in our existing parks, more represented at Design Miami/ 2019 was parks overall, and much more public mistakenly reported as 13. The correct access to the waterfront access. number was 33.

14 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 You only get one chance qb_@\M@SmM@qmnqU_jmMnnUb`à

820 NE 72 Street 1 Day on Market

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8820 NE 8 Court 7 Dayp on Market 100% Ask Price

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Rules & Exclusions apply. Compass offers no guarantee or warranty of results. Subject to additional terms and conditions. Not intended to solicit currently _WpsOMlodlOos|àŖ dalBpp_doWMBÛ àntB_dtpWbU#lldostbWs|à__WbTdoaBsWdbTtobWpVOMoOUBoMWbUlodlOos|TdopB_OdooObsdooOUBoMWbUbBbKWbU Realtor Associate Broker Associate is from sources deemed reliable, but Compass makes no warranty or representation as to the accuracy thereof. All property information is presented subject to errors, omissions, price changes, changed property conditions, and withdrawal of the property from the market, without notice. 786.543.5755 786.553.1962 February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 15 Commentary: EYE ON MIAMI

Larry, Mo, and Curly It’s all nose tweaks and eye pokes at Miami City Hall

By Nancy Lee Meanwhile, City Manager Emilio BT Contributor Gonzalez, a rigid delegator, resigned, but he didn’t leave. Carollo decided he limey! What could possibly go wasn’t worth much and floated a resolu- awry at Miami City Hall? Oh, tion to pay him $15 an hour until he was the other commissioners hate him. The Joe is right so little of the time; it’s a sure Bjust about everything. Where do gone for good. Joe could not get a second city-owned Melreese Golf Club was not bet that the ongoing fight is Joe’s fault. I start? The personalities are loony, so on that one, so it died. in Russell’s district, and he should have Should we recall the ever-annoying expect encore insanity to continue long I didn’t like the city manager anyway. voted with the district commissioner to Joe? I think he should be removed for after you read this. Maybe the $15 an hour wasn’t so far off, oppose development of sprawling com- droning on in a monotone. It drives me A couple of weeks ago, City of but Carollo was doing it for the wrong mercial center with David Beckham’s insane. Unfortunately, talking on and on Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo picked reason. Why? Because he is a pr**k. soccer stadium at its center. Instead, is not an offense that can trigger a recall. a fight with Keon Hardemon, chairman I frankly don’t put all the blame on Russell voted in favor of the massive Nor can harassing the Ball & Chain of the commission. Keon was tardy the annoying Joe Carollo. The apoca- project and earned the wrath of our owners. I have been getting e-mails from to the commission meeting, so in the lypse happening at city hall is festering Three Stooges. activists with a recall meeting scheduled. interim, Commissioners Carollo, Reyes, because we now have a particularly bad Russell also got cocky and made a The Community Newspapers thinks that and Diaz de la Portilla, a.k.a. The Three seed on the commission: Alex Diaz de snide remark about some commission- the Fraternal Order of Police “needs to Stooges, changed the agenda set by la Portilla, who is in lockstep with Joe. ers not attending an FIU presentation of step up and form a committee to recall Hardemon, who was livid when he found Let’s hope the bromance of these two an affordable housing master plan. His Joe Carollo.” out. A fierce argument ensued, and then volatiles will break up. remark caused Alex Diaz de la Portilla I believe Carollo has always been off Diaz de la Portilla moved to adjourn the How on earth did Alex get the to threaten to change his vote in support his rocker. Last time in office, during a meeting, which passed with the support votes to win a seat on the commission? of the plan. 1999 public hearing I attended, Car- of Carollo and Reyes. No city business I will tell you how. He is handsome Warning note to Russell: You are ollo and the late Commissioner Arthur was conducted. on some level I don’t quite understand, out of your league with these guys. They Teele were both yelling at each other. At the next meeting, punishing Com- and that “look” and his height appeal own the word bully in Miami. Don’t They stood up with fists clenched. The missioner Ken Russell was the order of to the abuelas in his district. They love egg them on by being clever. They don’t sergeant at arms had to break up the im- the day. In December, Russell had not the good-looking boys who peck their understand clever, and they already hate minent fight. voted with the Stooges in their failed cheeks at senior centers. To them, Alex you for your yo-yo expertise. So what are we left with? A govern- attempt to fire the city manager, so the is the good son, and that is all they care It is really appalling to me that this ment body with irreconcilable differ- three stripped Russell of stuff he was about. Also, I am sure Alex must have bunch is making Keon Hardemon look ences. That does sound familiar. It can’t heading — I believe two Community brought them something to eat with a lot like the statesman he isn’t. be fixed in Miami. I can’t wait for the Redevelopment Agencies in his own of sugar in it. Back to Joe Carollo. He is pretty confirmation hearing of the new city district. CRAs are stupid, so I won’t tell Then we have to place some of the strange. I would side with the owners of manager, should be fireworks. you what they are, but commissioners blame on Commissioner Ken Russell Ball & Chain nightclub against him in a like heading them. for pandering to Mayor Suarez, making pinch. I don’t need the details of the rift, Feedback: [email protected] We Offer: New Location Improved Programs SPECIAL Personal Training Guaranteed Results $29.99 CALL TODAY 1 week unlimited 305.906.1444 - this month only - 575 NE 87th St, Miami Shores www.cyklejab.com @cyklejab [email protected]

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By Margaret Griffis miniature river. The bill is based on the BT Contributor colored plates you select. It’s fun for all ages and budgets. arthquake! Where?! Here!! In North Miami Beach, Mizumi Really? Okay, most of us didn’t Buffet & Sushi (3207 NE 163rd St., Enotice the shaky-shaky last month, 305-705-2059) offers more than just but it sure made for interesting conversa- fresh sushi. Fill up with traditional or tion right before the Super Bowl. Now innovative Japanese and Chinese dishes let’s talk about rocking your world this and desserts. Weekday lunches are only Valentine’s Day. $13.95; on the weekend, they’re $15.95. If you haven’t made reservations at The dinner buffet is $22.95 on weekdays Mark Soyka’s Café Roval (5808 NE 4th and $24.95 on weekends. Kids prices are Ct., 786-953-7850) for Valentine’s Day, even more attractive, as are the coupons you might be out of luck at this point; the in this month’s BT ad. historic coral rock architecture tucked Longtime advertiser Ginza Japa- away in a tropical garden is an extremely nese Buffet (16153 Biscayne Blvd., is scheduled to open next to the Hard $40 for each additional sibling. Register popular location for a romantic date on 305-944-2192) and its sister restaurant, Rock Café at Bayside Marketplace (401 at www.frostscience.org/kidsnight. any night. If you can’t get in, there’s Tamura Japanese Seafood Buffet (6728 Biscayne Blvd., 305-577-3344). Enjoy a That won’t be nearly enough time if always takeout from Andiamo Pizza Main St., Miami Lakes, 305-362-6483) spectacular overhead view of the Miami you’ve booked a cruise to the Bahamas (5600 Biscayne Blvd. 305-762-5751), offer over 200 Japanese and Asian deli- International Boat Show that weekend. for the weekend. You’ll just have to bring which will please her palate and your cacies from appetizers to dessert. Buffet The following week is the annual Woda- the children along, which is great! The wallet — but you’ll still be in trouble prices start at $7.95 for kids and $12.95 palooza fitness event. Enjoy live music, Islands of the Bahamas Ministry of if you don’t make appropriate arrange- for adults. Call for takeout charges and shopping, dinner, and drinks at any of Tourism reminds lovers that tourist des- ments elsewhere. full pricing schedule. the 140-plus shops, bars, and restaurants tinations are still operating, despite the Enjoy traditional Greek and You like sushi, but he likes Thai? every day. Hurricane Dorian disaster in the north- Mediterranean dishes at Amaranthine Fuji Hana (2775 NE 187th St., 305- Parents, here’s the best deal you’ll ernmost islands. A trip, even a short Mediterranean Bistro (9801 NE 2nd 932-8080) satisfies both flavor profiles get for Valentine’s Day. The Phillip and one, anywhere else in the chain will help Ave., Miami Shores, 786-907-4924) in if you’re dining in the Aventura area. Patricia Frost Museum of Science (1101 with the long economic recovery ahead the Shores business district. Moussaka, Sashimi only seems austere compared to Biscayne Blvd., 305-434-9600) will and provides a great lesson for children lobster risotto, ribeye steak, and house- a bold curry, but both are equally com- babysit your kids from 6:30 p.m. to mid- that helping others is rewarding. Visit made gnocchi go well with one of the plex and satisfying. Here’s your chance night. The tykes will see the museum’s Bahamas.com for ideas, tips, and help restaurant’s signature cocktails. to sample the other side. So will you latest exhibits, experience enhanced pro- with booking a visit. On the casual end, Sushi Lucy order the pad thai or the yakisoba? gramming, enjoy an exclusive show in Valentine’s Day is about hearts, so (1680 NE 123rd St., North Miami, 786- Still not sure where to take your the Frost Planetarium, have dinner and a February, unsurprisingly, is American 391-2668) offers Kaitenzushi — sushi sweetie for Valentine’s Day? How about snack, and engage in other activities. All Heart Month. What a great reminder that’s delivered on a conveyor belt to Miami’s latest romantic draw? The while you and your partner enjoy a cozy — in this case, on small boats along a 176-foot-tall Bayside Observation Wheel date night. Cost is $60 for the first kid; Continued on page 20

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BizBuzz happening, hurry over to North Shore Continued from page 18 Medical Center (1100 NW 95th St., 833- 759-5922), Miami-Dade’s first certified to keep yourself healthy for your loved Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center ones. (TSC) for immediate treatment. When It’s better to address your ticker caught early, the effects of a stroke can before it starts to flicker. Mount Sinai be minimized. Medical Center (305-674-CARE) is With the big Valentine’s date coming ready to schedule a same- or next-day up, you’ll want it to be perfect, of course. appointment for you with a Mount Sinai You can’t control everything, but you cardiologist at any of nine convenient certainly don’t have to spend it unat- locations across the county. tractively sneezy and itchy. Florida Medi-Station Urgent Care (9600 Center for Allergy and Asthma Care NE 2nd Ave., Miami Shores, 305- (877-4-ALLERGY) is here to help. 603-7650) offers free screenings all Board-certified doctors will diagnose month. Find out if your blood pressure your particular allergies and prescribe and cholesterol numbers are up to par a treatment program to curtail those (preferably, well below par) or if you’ll obnoxious symptoms. Call for an ap- need a serious discussion about lifestyle pointment at any of four offices conve- changes. Yes, we do mean better food nient to the Biscayne Corridor: Aventura, and exercise choices. Hollywood, Miami Beach, and North Some of us needed the entire month Miami Beach. of January to decompress from the Never give up on losing weight for holidays, which is fine if you aren’t com- health. You just may need professional pressing those extra pounds into your help from doctors at Jackson North jeans. If you are, it’s time to quit pro- Medical Center (160 NW 170th St., crastinating and launch into a full-scale North Miami Beach, 305-585-TRIM), attack on your flab. AtCykleJab (575 which hosts a free gastric-sleeve and NE 87th St., Miami Shores, 305-906- weight-loss seminar on Thursday, Febru- 1444), you get guaranteed results from a ary 13, at 6:30 p.m. at the north campus. multifaceted program that focuses on a Learn about the center’s holistic pro- whole-body experience, whether you opt gram, which includes personalized nutri- for a personal trainer or group classes. tion guidance, psychological counseling, Besides high-performance stationary and tailored fitness plans. Call to reserve bikes, the studio offers weight training, your spot. resistance bands, and water-filled punch- ¡Al fin! New advertiserGuarapo ing bags. Pro-tip: wear the optional fit- Organic Juice Bar & Café (13200 ness band to track your progress precise- Biscayne Blvd., 786-542-0960, among ly. And take them up on their one-week others) prepares healthful dishes for for $29.99 offer. Your body will thank diners too busy to visit the market and you. (After maybe cursing you the first cook for themselves. As well as a large few weeks.) assortment of fruit juices, blends, and New advertiser Enhanced Heal- smoothie recipes, you can treat yourself ing Wellness Center (887 NE 125th St., to sandwiches, wraps, and bowls filled North Miami, 786-409-1352) offers a with fresh veggies, fruits, legumes, different approach to healing the body meats, and more for a filling meal. But and mind. As well as offering a full yoga what’s the point of eating healthy if you studio (Restorative, Yin, Hatha, Medi- can’t cheat on dessert? The menu is also tative, and Mindful), the center offers loaded with cookies, muffins, palmiers, neuro-linguistic programming, hypnosis, chips, and more. And of course, there’s vibro-acoustic therapy, reiki, massage, also plenty of guarapo (sugar cane sound bowl healing, essential oils, and squeezings) to go around. This month, Ayurveda treatments. If you mention clip the BT ad to get one free 12-ounce the BT, score a great deal: three Yoga juice with the purchase of same. Classes for only $40. Encouraged to try your hand at Although the heart is the only part of creating similar dishes? Pick up fresh the cardiovascular system that regularly ingredients at the Legion Park Farm- stirs poets, songwriters, and artists, it ers Market (6601 Biscayne Blvd.) In can cause problems well beyond its recent weeks, bananas, galangal, yuca, physical boundaries. A faulty heart can papayas, sunflower sprouts, pea tendrils, throw a stroke-inducing clot that can dis- and passionfruit made a strong showing able or kill its host. If you suspect that’s at the marketplace. Besides produce and

20 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 proteins, you can shop for flowers, honey, master mechanic Gregorio Reyes and and other gifts from as many as 40 long- his brother transitioned over to Ruben’s, time vendors. The market is open from bringing Gregorio’s son Edgar with 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Saturday. them. Expect the same great service, you The next Pallets in the Park event in on received at Plaza tire, whether you need January 25. Visit urbanoasis.org for more simple maintenance or extensive repairs. news and information. Check this month’s ad for a coupon. By now, you’ve probably received A shout-out to all the Spartan alumni all your income tax forms and are ready from Monsignor Edward Pace High to spend a few grueling hours (days? School (15600 NW 32nd Ave., 305-623- weeks?) coming up with new curse PACE). The annual alumni baseball words to yell at your pile of disorganized game takes place February 8 from 10:00 papers. Why not leave this chore to a a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Entry is $10 for adults, professional? Former Biscayne Times but free for kids. A bounce house and business manager Sal Monterosso can other activities will be available for the assist you with fulfilling your govern- youngsters. Food and beverages will be ment obligations and getting a handle on offered as well. Email alumni@pacehs. your personal or business finances. He com for more info and to register. may have 30 years of experience, but he A pair of musical treats are sched- charges reasonable rates. References? uled over the next two months. Buy tick- Ask our BT publisher, and you’ll hear ets now, though, to ensure attendance that Sal is “a stickler for detail, super and the best seats. reliable, and 100 percent trustworthy.” The New World Symphony (305- Contact Grandview Bookkeeping Ser- 673-3331, nws.edu), gives its final per- vices (305-834-9598, grandview0831@ formance of the season at the Adrienne gmail.com). Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd.) on Don’t forget that Unbranded March 7. Conductor Cristian M?celaru (a Brewing Company (1395 E. 11th Ave., Frost School graduate) leads the orches- Hialeah, 305-773-1045, unbrandedbrew- tra this evening, accompanied by the ing.com) opens its doors to the public Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio. Hear Saturday, February 8. Yes, it’s a little Richard Strauss’s Don Juan, Beethoven’s outside the Biscayne Corridor, but the Triple Concerto, George Enescu’s nontraditional water profiles, choice First Romanian Rhapsody, and Anton barley, experimental hops, and novel Webern’s arrangement of J.S. Bach’s woods used to create golden ale, guava “Ricercar” from A Musical Offering. wheat ale, IPAs, a rotating wood-aged Tickets are $40-$150. The concert begins beer, and more are worth the trip. It’s at 8:00 p.m., but there’s complimentary more than just a brewery; Unbranded beer offered at 6:00 p.m. and an opening hopes to become a large draw in the concert at 7:00 p.m. LEAH Arts District. At 30,000-square- The Queen’s Six is a chapel choir feet, make that a very large draw for who, get this, live at Windsor Castle. local barflies. You know, one of those really old homes Hoping to open up your own bar, where Queen Elizabeth lives? The call on attorney Steve Polisar (407 sextet is made up of lay clerks from Lincoln Rd., Suite 2A, Miami Beach; St. George’s Chapel (on the Windsor 305-672-7772, x 206) to make good use grounds). Besides their religious duties, of his decades of experience in handling they also sing at the Queen’s pleasure. all kinds of hospitality issues, from Fortunately, the group is allowed to give inhospitable government agencies to performances for the common people difficult landlords and other devils in when Her Highness is busy elsewhere. the details. Having owned five different On Sunday, April 19, The Queen’s Six clubs, bars, and restaurants in the area, performs songs from as far back as Steve has seen just about everything Henry VIII’s era to contemporary jazz. that can go right or wrong, and can help The concert takes place at the Corpus you quickly receive all the approvals Christi Church (3220 NW 7 Ave.). you’ll need to open. Tickets for this Martha/Mary Yamaha If you drink, don’t drive. But if your Concert are $15 and $25 and include a vehicle is grumbling like it needs a good, reception after the concert. See you there. stiff one, drive in to Ruben’s Auto Care (63 NW 71st St., 305-756-7426) for an oil change and 21-point inspection. When Plaza Tire & Auto closed shop in May, Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 21 Scooter Invasion Out of nowhere, e-scooters rained down on Miami, thousands of them, inspiring delight, outrage, and an intense scrutiny that could doom them By Erik Bojnansky Photos by Armando Colls

hances are, you’ve seen them in Bayfront Park and elsewhere in Cdowntown Miami, or Brickell, or Coconut Grove. Scooters. Most look like the kick-scooters children often use. Some loosely resemble tricycles. However, these machines are propelled by lithium batteries and can travel up to 20 miles per hour. When stationary, they’re often found on public sidewalks. They go by different names and descriptions. E-scooters. Dockless scooters. Shared motorized scooters. Personal transporters. Last-mile transportation. Tourist toys. Whatever they’re called, scooters have colonized cities across the globe. Although you can buy one yourself (Amazon lists them from $59 to $4000), usually e-scooters are controlled by startup companies that rent them by the minute to customers with smart- phones and credit cards. It’s all part of the growing micromobility industry that includes short-term bike rentals. Over the past couple of years, e- scooter companies have established themselves in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, and Tallahassee. But within Miami-Dade County, e-scooters are primarily found in two places: Coral Gables and the City of Miami’s Commission District 2, a medley of neighborhoods that includes most or all of Coconut Grove, Brick- ell, the Central Business District, Park West, Bayfront Park, Maurice Ferré Park, Omni, Midtown Miami, Edgewater, Morningside, and the Bayside Historic District, plus segments of Wynwood. The City of Coral Gables limits its public sidewalks to 300 e-scooters owned by two companies, Bird and Spin, but within District 2, nine companies are allowed to operate 3957 e-scooters, typically charging customers a one-dollar unlocking fee plus 15 cents per minute. Plenty of people hate them. Grant Stern, host of the Only in Miami radio talk show and an Edgewater resident, says he became acquainted with the devices while walking his dog and pushing his infant daughter in a stroller: a man riding a scooter nearly slammed into him. Since then, Stern says, he not only has to detour around idle scooters frequently left near his condo building’s entrance, but he must also be on the lookout for zooming riders. “The e-scooters have turned our sidewalks into racetracks where pedes- trians have to literally look over their Bolt scooters, named for Jamaican track star Usain Bolt, lined up across from Miami Central train station shoulder to avoid high-speed blindside downtown.

24 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 collisions,” Stern complains in an e-mail to the BT. “With minimal effort, a scooter operator can reach 15 m.p.h., unlike a cyclist whose speed is limited by their expenditure of energy to work out.” Tom Falco, editor of the Coconut Grove Grapevine blog, says the e-scooters aren’t popular there: “Many residents feel that there are no rules, the riders ride haphazardly, and they speed in and out of traffic. They also ride on the sidewalks and leave the scooters anywhere when they’re done. This is the feedback I get from people in person and in writing.” Falco adds, however, that he actually likes the e-scooters: “I feel they add life to the area.” He’s not alone. Last year, more than 1.6 million people rode e-scooters in Commission District 2, says John Hef- fernan, deputy director of communica- tions for the City of Miami. Among the frequent customers are tourists and visitors in search of an easy way to get around, and an amusement. “It’s just fun and cheap,” explains Gage Gonzalez, a 21-year-old college student visiting from Tampa, as he un- locks a Lime scooter at Bayfront Park. They’re also used by people who work or live in Miami — like Christian Cipriani, a copywriter who lives in West Miami and works downtown. For Cipriani, a former BT contributing writer, renting scooters is a solution to the “last mile” problem that has vexed mass- transit advocates: how to get to and from transit hubs. In Cipriani’s case, scooters are an easy way of traveling from the Metrorail station at Government Center to his downtown office and downtown- area clients. “In Miami, eight months out of the year, you walk two blocks and you show up in a puddle of sweat,” he explains. All he has to do is use his phone app to locate the nearest scooter, plug in his info, and hop on. “You don’t have to expend energy, and when you’re done, you leave it right there. They’re extremely convenient. Extremely cheap,” Cipri- ani says. “I’ve gone from downtown to Brickell and not shown up sweaty, and you don’t have to park.” Indeed, several representatives of e-scooter companies tell the BT that they find the City of Miami, and the State of Florida, very desirable markets, thanks to tourists, horrendous traffic congestion, and warm weather.

Jump scooters, acquired by Uber for $200 million, neatly positioned outside Brickell City Centre. Continued on page 26

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 25 Under Miami’s current pilot program, rider helmets are encouraged but not required.

Scooter Invasion That is, if the Miami program is good behavior and penalize bad ideas.” — tell the BT they don’t want e-scooters Continued from page 25 extended. The District 2 e-scooter pilot So far, the City of Miami has col- in their districts. Commissioner Diaz program expires on Valentine’s Day. A lected more than $1.1 million in fees de la Portilla says he might support the “The growth we’ve already had here draft request for proposals (RFP) from from e-scooter companies. Those funds program in certain parts of District 1, — I can’t share the number, but this place the city’s procurement department would will be used to create more bike lanes, but only if officials can satisfy his safety is profitable,” says Uhriel Bedoya, gener- limit the number of rental companies according to Russell. concerns. Otherwise, he’ll vote to end al manager of Lime’s Florida operations. to three and reduce the total number of Yet there’s a decent chance the e- the pilot program and ban e-scooters (Bedoya told the Sun-Sentinel in January e-scooters to 833. Until the RFP is com- scooter program will end before the RFP throughout the city. that Lime, which operates in District 2, pleted and approved by the Miami City is issued. Part of that has to do with poli- “Commissioner Russell, with all Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa, Commission, some at city hall want to tics. Following the November election due respect, ‘Oh, we have the ‘last-mile’ recorded “over 900,000 trips” and “over extend the program through May. of Alex Diaz de la Portilla as District 1 solution! This is it!’ No, it’s not. No, it’s one million miles traveled” in Florida.) Ken Russell, District 2’s city com- commissioner, three out of five com- not!” Diaz de la Portilla says. “People Servando Esparza, senior manager of missioner, is a supporter of e-scooter missioners have been highly critical of can be hurt on them. You have to look government partnerships for Bird, says laws, insisting that, if properly regu- city manager Emilio Gonzalez (who will and be thorough. You can’t be so flip- his company is interested in operating in lated, they can be an asset for places resign on February 10), Mayor Francis pant on these things, especially when it more City of Miami neighborhoods, as like District 2. Russell even traveled Suarez, and Commissioner Russell. Two involves people potentially getting hurt.” well as other municipalities, like Miami from city hall to Coral Bagels diner in city commissioners, Diaz de la Portilla Reyes doesn’t see any reason to keep Beach and Aventura. They’re consider- Coconut Grove on a Spin scooter for a and Joe Carollo, ridiculed Russell at the the pilot program alive. “I don’t know ing Key Biscayne as well, according to a post-election interview with the BT last January 23 city commission meeting (see why Commissioner Russell is so in love Bird spokesperson. “I can see a lot of the November. In a recent interview with the page 16 and page 34). with this thing,” he says. “A major ac- neighboring cities creating a program BT, he vows that the RFP will “tweak” But there are safety concerns, too. cident could happen with this.” that’s in line with the Miami program,” e-scooter regulations and address safety Three city commissioners — Carollo, he says. concerns. Says Russell: “It will reward Manolo Reyes, and Keon Hardemon Continued on page 28

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February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 27 Riding tandem is against the law, but seeing two people riding a scooter is not a rare sight downtown.

Scooter Invasion reported e-scooter fatalities. them. During the Bayskate Miami event Facebook message, Commissioner Rus- Continued from page 26 Yet that the number of accidents has at Bayfront Park in December, entire sell claimed that the nine companies will been “minuscule” compared to the 606,452 families were riding scooters. Riding provide “incentives” for riders to leave recent Associated Press story e-scooter trips taken between April and tandem is also against the law, but seeing them within the corrals. reports that 40,000 people were June of last year, city manager Gonzalez two people riding a scooter — sometimes A January 8 draft of the e-scooter A injured in e-scooter accidents tells the BT. “The math is clearly on the an adult and child — is not a rare sight RFP requires riders to pass a “motor- between 2014 and 2018 nationally. A side of the scooters,” he says. “Normally downtown. Many e-scooters in District 2 ized scooter safety” test provided by Consumer Reports article, cited in the when you have so many scooters, people do scan driver’s licenses, but the software sanctioned companies, push companies AP piece, states that eight people were say, ‘Oh my god, these are accidents wait- doesn’t prevent someone else from riding to encourage riders to use helmets, and killed in e-scooter accidents between the ing to happen. People are going to get hit the vehicle. Although helmets are encour- provide a clear “geofencing” map for fall of 2017 and June 2019. One of those all the time.’ It is not happening. We’re aged, riders frequently don’t wear them. users. The RFP draft also asserts that the fatalities was 27-year-old Mathias Huff, talking handfuls of accidents.” Plus, enforcement is up to employees of city retains the right to create designated who was hit by a car in Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Joe Carollo doubts the Miami Parking Authority, not the e-scooter parking areas. while riding a Lime scooter. Between that assertion. On any given day, Carollo Miami Police Department. But Carollo isn’t sure anything can May and December 2019, there were 68 says, he’ll see “a tremendous” number It isn’t just the potential for accidents, be done to discourage reckless e-scooter scooter-related accidents in Fort Lauder- of people on e-scooters, zig-zagging says Carollo; it’s how riders discard e- behavior, especially in Miami. “Maybe dale, according to Miami New Times. between sidewalks and streets and “not scooters after use. “Our main parks, like you could put something into people’s In the City of Miami, there were 28 following the law.” Bayfront and Ferré Park, they look like brains to reprogram them,” he says. scooter accidents with injuries in Mi- “That’s why many, many cities used scooter lots. We’ve got dozens of Speaking of programming, e- ami’s District 2 from April to June 2019, throughout our country and our world scooters thrown into the sidewalk. They’re scooters are required to have soft- during the pilot program’s startup. The have outlawed them,” he says. just thrown all over the city!” he fumes. ware that makes them stop operating city didn’t send more recent statistics Miami’s pilot program does forbid In late January, as Super Bowl ap- if they wander outside of District 2. by deadline; however, city spokesman anyone under 18 from riding e-scooters. proached, city employees used decals to Heffernan insists there have been no Yet it’s fairly common to see children on form “corrals” on public sidewalks. In a Continued on page 30

28 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 29 Commissioner Joe Carollo: “We’ve got dozens of scooters thrown into the sidewalk. They’re just thrown all over the city!”

Scooter Invasion In 1915 a U.S. company based in — including models that could be folded that also dabbled in self-driving automo- Continued from page 28 Queens rolled out the Autoped, a gas- and carried — were being manufac- biles until it transitioned to the e-scooter powered device whose riders stood up- tured, sometimes for sale, but usually business in May 2018. Lime e-scooters Nevertheless, Diaz de la Portilla says right. Although the self-propelled vehicle by micromobility companies so flush are now found in cities in the United he’s seen plenty of discarded e-scooters was popular, it was more expensive and with investor cash that financial analysts States, Europe, Israel, Australia, Singa- in his district’s Allapattah neighborhood, less comfortable than the bicycle and, labeled them unicorns. pore, and South Korea. In addition to west of Wynwood. “They go another two ultimately, not profitable. According to The first among U.S. e-scooter District 2, Lime scooters can be rented in or three blocks and they die,” he says. Smithsonian Magazine, the last Autoped companies was Bird, a California-based Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Orlando. “There’s a lot of things they need to fix.” was manufactured in 1921. startup founded in September 2017 by (What you won’t find are LimeBikes, Other gas-powered scooter models, Travis VanderZanden, a former execu- which were once available in Miami, he micromobility business is a as well as electric bikes and electric tive at Uber and Lyft. Within a year, Bird Key Biscayne, North Bay Village, relatively new phenomenon, but motorcycles, came and went. In the late had raised $2 billion in venture capital Miami Shores, North Miami, and un- Tmotorized scooters are not. 1990s, the first electric sit-down scoot- and expanded to 120 cities in North incorporated Miami-Dade. Last month In 1895, Ogden Bolton Jr. filed a ers, now referred to as mopeds under America, Europe, and the Middle East. Lime ended its bike-share business.) patent for an electric bicycle. A year later, Florida statute, were mass-produced. But Besides Miami’s District 2 and Coral Spin, which was started in San Fran- British bicycle manufacturer Humber it wasn’t until 2001 that advances in bat- Gables, Bird scooters can be rented in cisco by Singapore-Canadian entrepre- invented an electric tandem bike pow- tery technology enabled inventor Dean West Palm Beach. neur Euwyn Poon in October 2016, also ered by lead acid batteries. The electric Kamen to create the Segway, a lithium- Then there’s Lime, founded in Janu- started as a dockless bikeshare company. tandem bikes didn’t work out so well, so ion powered vehicle that can travel up to ary 2017 by two executives affiliated with In February 2018, Spin also transitioned Humber transitioned into building gas- 12 miles per hour. Shanghai-based investment company to e-scooters. Nine months later, Ford powered motorbikes, or motorcycles, in By the late 2000s and early Fosun International Limited. Lime was Motor Company acquired Spin for $100 the early 20th century. 2010s, light and fast electric scooters primarily a dockless bike-share company million. Spin e-scooters are now located

30 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 GRANDVIEW

Courtesy of Spin BOOKKEEPING SERVICES

Bookkeeping with a Personal Touch

Spin scooters, now owned by Ford, is introducing parking hubs and providing riders incentives to use them. • QuickBooks Expert in 62 cities across the nation, including local governments. That’s because some Fort Pierce, Tampa, Tallahassee, and the companies tended to announce their • Reasonable Fees University of Central Florida. presence by simply dumping the devices Uber and Lyft, once primarily on public sidewalks with barely a warn- • Excellent References rideshare companies contracting self- ing to city officials. employed drivers to pick up people, That’s what happened in Santa • Over 30 years of experience have also entered the e-scooter business. Monica, one of the first cities to expe- Uber’s entry came soon after it paid rience the phenomenon in the fall of • Bill Paying some $200 million to acquire an inde- 2017 and early 2018, when Bird and pendent micromobility company called Lime placed hundreds of scooters on • Bank Reconciliation Jump in April 2018. Lyft, meanwhile, public sidewalks. While popular among opted to starts its own e-scooter line, some residents, many Santa Monicans • Financials Lyft Scooters, in September 2016. despised them. • Sales and Payroll Taxes Jump scooters have since prolif- At first, Santa Monica responded erated in 20 cities in North America by impounding truckloads of scoot- • 1099s (including Miami and Tampa), ten cities ers and levying thousands of dollars in in Europe, and two in New Zealand. Lyft fines, mainly against Bird. Eventually, in • Quarterly Taxes Scooters is currently limited to 13 U.S. September 2019, the city enacted a pilot cities, including Miami. program that permitted four e-scooter • Merchant Services New e-scooter companies continue to companies, including Bird and Lime, to enter the market. In March 2019, Jamai- operate. Nevertheless, at least in the early • Accounts Payable and Receivable can track star Usain Bolt co-founded a years, some e-scooter companies contin- scooter company based in Miami Beach ued to place e-scooters in cities all over • Bank Deposits named Bolt. Besides in District 2, the the world before they were licensed to do company has aspirations to operate in so. As a result, some cities, including New • Eviction Filing with Court several other markets around the globe. York and Los Angeles, have banned or • IRS Correspondence And then there’s Wheels, the e- are contemplating banning them. They’re scooter that is designed with a seat and illegal in Great Britain and are being • LLC Startup resembles a bicycle. Founded in Los increasingly regulated in France. Angeles in January 2019 by brothers Lime and Bird didn’t ask the City of • QuickBooks Tutoring Jonathan and Joshua Viner, previously Miami for permission when they started known for creating the dog-walking app leaving e-scooters on the sidewalks of Wag, Wheels has raised $400 million Wynwood and Miami’s downtown area and is now active in seven American two years ago. In response, the Miami cities (including Miami) and Stockholm. City Attorney’s Office sent out cease- In response to safety concerns, Wheels and-desist letters in April 2018. began including helmets with their Since then, the Florida legis- 305-834-9598 scooters last month. lature has enacted laws legalizing Email: [email protected] While popular with investors, e- scooters weren’t appreciated by many Continued on page 32 www.GrandviewBookkeeping.com

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 31 Scooter Invasion Continued from page 31 micromobility e-scooters while still allowing municipalities to regulate or ban them. The latest version, passed in June 2019, allows e-scooters to operate on sidewalks, bike lanes, and streets, although municipalities can still pass regulations governing how and where they can operate. Representatives of e-scooter companies interviewed by the BT emphasize their willingness to cooperate. Ashley Brown, Spin’s government partnerships manager for the East Coast, emphasized that unlike Lime and Bird, Spin didn’t operate in the City of Miami until it was officially licensed to do so. “We were not among the surprise guests,” insists Brown, whose company also aspires to expand beyond District 2. Maria Buczkowski, senior public affairs manager at Spin, insists her company is ready to enact a series of measures, including the addition of parking hubs at partnering private properties. The Spin hubs, which also recharge Spin e-scooters, are already in Tampa, Chi- cago, Arlington, and Washington, D.C. And while riders aren’t required to end their rides at a Spin hub, they’re given “incentives” to do so. Buczkowski calls it a “hybrid” model. For many, renting scooters is a solution to the “last mile” problem that has vexed mass-transit advocates: But what if the City of Miami still how to get to and from transit hubs. decides to end the program? “We hope that doesn’t happen,” the largest share of e-scooter and e-bike Greenstein, whose company represents Also not an issue, Bedoya adds, are Buczkowski says, adding, “We can work riders in Santa Monica were males under Lynx, another e-scooter firm that plans Lime’s operations in Florida. While with the city to address any concerns age 34. “In fact, 34 percent of the riders to bid its services to the City of Miami. acknowledging the cutbacks and depar- they might have.” surveyed reported income of more than Greenstein claims that Lynx e-scooters tures in other cities, it’s increasing its $100,000. Roughly 27 percent earned are built to last for more than a year. presence in Florida, especially Miami. ately, the e-scooter sector is look- between $50,000 and $100,000. About In response to lifespan questions “Our path in the state is well-positioned ing a lot less like a unicorn. Lime, 17 percent reported making $30,000 or from the BT, a Lime spokeswoman in- toward profitability,” Bedoya says. LBird, Lyft, and Skip all downsized less,” the online article states. (The cur- sists that improvements have been made Which will likely be hampered, at least their staffs last year “as part of efforts rent Miami RFP draft also asks bidders to their e-scooters, that “our most recent in Miami-Dade County, if Miami ends up to become profitable,” stated a January to figure out ways to encourage low- scooter model is designed to last closer killing it pilot program. José R. Gonzalez, 10 Marketplace article. The cutbacks income users and Spanish-speakers to to a year or longer,” and that functional the City of Miami Beach’s transportation were particularly brutal at Lime, which, ride e-scooters.) parts of nonoperational scooters are director, says that, several months ago, a besides cutting out its LimeBike service, But the real hindrance is the high “repurposed and reused.” Miami Beach City Commission subcom- pulled out of 12 cities, including Atlanta, cost of maintenance and replacement A Bird spokesperson didn’t reply to mittee briefly discussed the feasibility of Phoenix, San Diego, and San Antonio. of e-scooters. In the case of Lime, such inquiries regarding the lifespan of its e- having e-scooters in their city. Ultimately Lime also laid off around 100 employ- costs were higher than expected, The scooters, although a March 2019 Quartz they decided to wait and see what the City ees, or 14 percent of its workforce. The Information reported. article claims they last an average of 28.8 of Miami does with its program. “We are Information, a technology news website, Adam Greenstein, sales director at days in Louisville, Kentucky. keeping a close eye on that,” he says. reported in October 2019 that Lime had Zagster, a fleet management company, ex- Maintenance and vandalism are What if the Miami City Commission lost about $300 million in the span of a plains that the lifespan of most e-scooters issues that affect the bottom line of kills the pilot program? “If that were year, soon after it tripled its fleet of e- is limited, which reduces profit margins. scooter companies, but theft is not. All to happen, that would be unfortunate,” scooters to 120,000. “When every vehicle only lasts a shared e-scooters are equipped with GPS Bedoya says. “We would need to regroup. Part of the reason for the e-scooter month or three months after you bring tracking systems, and the software ren- It would be premature at this point to say struggle may be its limited appeal. As them on the street, ultimately that gets ders them useless if taken without being what our position would be, but even if the Los Angeles-based LAist reported in pretty expensive, and it also gets to be “unlocked” first. “You don’t want to steal that happens, we’re looking at the entire November 2019, based on user surveys, pretty harmful to the environment,” says a scooter,” sums up Bedoya of Lime. State of Florida.”

32 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 WE CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW!

Revel mopeds can be used throughout the city: “They’re built for two people, they each have a license plate on them, and they come with two helmets.”

Esparza, Bird’s representative, indi- plus 29 cents per minute. There’s also cates his company wouldn’t give up. “We a $5 membership fee, which covers the would continue to let them know about cost of screening. the benefi ts of the program,” he says. “One in 12 people don’t pass that Javi Correoso, spokesman for Uber screening, and accountability is a very and Jump, says a cancellation of the important piece of our business,” Mikol- pilot program would show that Miami’s ich says. elected offi cials are not serious about In fact, Revel prides itself in partner- encouraging people to use cleaner modes ing with cities, Mikolich adds. In the case of transportation. Data collected from of Miami, Revel earned the right to use the Jump e-scooters indicate that “25 percent city’s parking spaces after it won an RFP of rides start or end within 100 meters issued by the Miami Parking Authority. of a Metromover or Metrorail station.” In a Coconut Grove Grapevine blog- Moreover, the data suggest that tourists post last month, Tom Falco described aren’t the main users. “Eighty percent of watching a friend sign up for the Revel the riders are locals,” Correoso insists. moped service. After fi lling out a form, Scooters aren’t the only form of “last taking a picture of himself, and submit- • 75,000 readers along the mile” transit. In addition to bike rentals ting his driver’s license, he was sent a Biscayne Corridor with docking systems like CitiBike and message that his application was being services like Uber and Lyft, a new ride- reviewed. “My friend ended up walking • Hand-delivered to 15,500 share arrived in Miami on December 30 a block away and hopped on an orange single-family homes in the form of 750 electric mopeds owned Bolt scooter and zoomed off — he’d • Distribution in 143 condominium by Revel, a New York City company. already signed up for that and had been buildings Unlike the e-scooters, Revel mopeds using their service,” Falco wrote. • Audience profile: Educated, can’t travel on sidewalks. And because The quick convenience of e-scoot- prosperous, mature, loyal they have a top speed of 30 miles per hour, ers is the reason Germaine Tirado, a • Lowest cost-per-thousand rate they can’t be used on expressways. How- 32-year-old video editor who lives in in our market area ever, they can be ridden on surface streets. Brickell and works downtown, uses They also can park in city-owned parking them. “If I’m around town and don’t spaces not just in District 2 but throughout have my bike because I’m going to a bar, the City of Miami. “They’re built for two or I don’t have my bike at night, I take a people, they each have a license plate on scooter,” Tirado explains to the BT. them, and they come with two helmets,” You’ve ridden a scooter while explains Jonas Mikolich, Revel’s general intoxicated? manager for the City of Miami. “Sometimes,” Tirado admits. “I On the safety front, Revel riders have driven them drunk, I have. But I’m must be over 21 and have a valid driver’s pretty skillful.” license. They must be vetted before they can use a Revel, too. Cost: $1 to unlock, Feedback: [email protected] FOR ADVERTISING CALL 305-756-6200

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 33 Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR

Meet the New Boss Alex Diaz de la Portilla has taken Miami City Hall by storm — storm as in natural disaster

By Erik Bojnansky poorer districts in Miami don’t benefit BT Senior Writer from that. They need to,” says Diaz de la Portilla, who represents District 1, which iami City Commissioner includes Allapattah. Alex Diaz de la Portilla Diaz de la Portilla has been a Miami M has ideas. He wants to city commissioner for less than three streamline, maybe abolish, Miami’s months. But he’s already pushed through Downtown Development Author- legislation stripping Russell of his ity. He wants to consolidate two of chairmanship of the Omni Community the city’s community redevelopment Redevelopment Agency and his chair- areas under one new community manship of the Downtown Development November 19, 2019: Alex Diaz de la Portilla wins election to the Miami redevelopment agency (CRA) and add Authority (DDA). City Commission. within the new area the predominately In the process, Diaz de la Porti- working-class neighborhood of Al- lla himself became chairman of the And Diaz de la Portilla, a former wants to learn how they operate.” lapattah. And he wants to tap into the Omni CRA, vice chair of the Southeast state senator with two brothers who The two CRAs and the DDA control property taxes collected in District Overtown Park West CRA, and the also did stints as legislators, may not be millions of dollars in property taxes. 2, which covers some of the most city’s representative to the Miami-Dade finished. During a recent DDA executive The DDA, which levies an additional affluent neighborhoods in the City of Tourism Development Council. District board meeting, Commissioner Reyes 47-cent tax per $1000 of assessed value Miami and is represented by Commis- 4 Commissioner Manolo Reyes was explained to members that Diaz de la on properties located within a two- sioner Ken Russell. named chair of the DDA, and District Portilla wants to become vice chair of square-mile area, has $7.7 million in “Russell’s district is the money dis- 3 Commissioner Joe Carollo was made that organization as well. “He wants to trict, where all the money is, and all the vice chair of the Omni CRA. be on all the boards,” said Reyes. “He Continued on page 36 A Definition of Refuge Miami Motel Stories brings the past to North Beach Photo by Pedro Portal By Mark Sell servant at Normandy Isle required to BT Contributor wear an ID while on the beach; the young black and Jewish high-schoolers thrown nce again Juggerknot Theatre together by busing in 1972; the Argentine Company and Miami playwright couple getting their bearings in 1991; the OJuan Sanchez coax true Miami squatters in the deserted building in 2015; experiences to life through immersive and an actor inspired by “Shoe Doctor” theater — this time with Miami Motel Dinsdale Gibbs, who is 81 and still Stories North Beach. Fifty artists, includ- cobbles every day at 7416 Collins Ave. ing 27 actors and directors Ana Margine- You might even find yourself with anu and Tai Thompson, have gathered Andrew Cunanan, the serial killer who to weave the tapestry of the 24-block murdered Gianni Versace in 1997, seek- neighborhood over the past century. ing refuge on Pine Tree Drive before You’ll meet the Southern church lady decamping to a houseboat and shooting appalled at the goings-on at the Jungle himself in the head with a stolen pistol. Inn speakeasy with the bootleg hooch and In developing the experience, San- gambling; the 1960s mobster preparing chez found his key overarching word and for his next rubout; Harold and Marion, loose theme: refuge. the 1956 Jewish honeymooners from Marion (Amy Coker) and Harold (Robert Fritz) are the Jewish honeymooners Brooklyn; Mary, the 1960s domestic Continued on page 39 from Brooklyn, circa 1956, in Miami Motel Stories North Beach.

34 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR BT photo by Marsha Halper

Ground zero: Little Haiti has received national media coverage for supposedly being exploited because of its higher elevation. The Myth That Will Not Die Yes, some of Miami’s gritty urban areas are gentrifying, but no, it’s not because of climate change

By David Villano A Harvard researcher has termed thing, that people are thinking about this. second floor. He’s owned the duplex since Special to the BT this race to cheap high ground “climate People are thinking about this. 1998; the other property, a single-family gentrification,” and the smoking gun, Keenan: “That’s the most real thing home on NW 83rd Street, since 2011. his past November, radio and here in Little Haiti, is produced early and I’ve heard in a long time.” “Wow, this is amazing,” says the podcast listeners tuned in across sensationally in the series’ first segment, Unfortunately, Keenan is not the chatty and affable Coats when told he TAmerica to There Goes the when Green informs the researcher that only one surprised and rendered some- and his company had been branded a Neighborhood, a 90-minute, three-part she’s identified a company that is buying what speechless by Green’s dramatic predatory high-ground land speculator. series produced by WNYC, New York’s up Little Haiti real estate. Its name? pronouncement. “Climate gentri… Can you tell me what public radio station, that blames sea level Premium Elevation. Premium Elevation, a quick online all that means? Man, this is just crazy.” rise for the affordable-housing crisis and “What?! Are you serious?” responds records search reveals, is a company It’s been nearly three years since ensuing economic diaspora of Miami’s Harvard’s Jesse Keenan, oddly surprised registered to 64-year-old Miami Gardens Keenan began promoting his headline- Little Haiti. Miami-based reporter by what appears to confirm (anecdotally, resident Arnold Coats, who, in a recent grabbing theory that a subtle yet con- Nadege Green, who collaborated on the at least) his climate gentrification theory. interview with the BT, says he picked the certed retreat to higher ground was series, argues that developers and land Green: “Not kidding you.” business name — way back in 2008, long driving the gentrification of Miami’s speculators are furtively targeting the Keenan: “Oh, my god.” before the area’s prices began skyrocket- urban, inland neighborhoods. With every area for its prime location along a geo- Green: “When I found that, I was ing — simply because one of two proper- flooded street in Miami Beach and each logic ridge that tops ten feet — far higher just like — it speaks to your point, that ties he owned is a two-story duplex on than the city’s flood-prone coastal areas. even if you’re not saying for sure this is a NW 2nd Court with a fine view from the Continued on page 38

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 35 New Boss law, local governments can create Continued from page 34 community redevelopment agencies within designated areas. Projects are assets, and collected $8.8 million in then funded by “tax increment financ- revenue in 2019. The Omni CRA, which ing” within those areas, which means includes the shuttered Omni Mall (now that increases over a preset property tax owned by the Genting Group) and rate — increases that would normally go parts of Edgewater and Overtown, has to city and county coffers — would flow a $54 million budget. The Southeast instead to the CRA. Overtown Park West CRA, with a $66.3 “The reason for the CRAs is to get million budget, includes the rapidly de- the affluent areas to help the poorer veloping Miami Worldcenter sector and areas,” Diaz de la Portilla says. the three-million-square-foot Virgin Which was the intent of Commis- MiamiCentral train complex. sioner Russell’s plan to connect the Omni But not a single CRA is located in CRA to the West Grove, a predominately District 1 or in Reyes’ District 4 — at African-American area where residents least not yet. The Southeast Overtown are being threatened with displacement Park West CRA falls mainly within by developers. That plan stalled after op- District 5, represented by Commissioner position from Miami-Dade County Com- Keon Hardemon, who still chairs that missioner Audrey Edmonson, whose agency. The Omni CRA and the DDA district includes Omni. are mostly located in Russell’s District 2. Mutual aid pact: Allies Joe Carollo and Alex Diaz de la Portilla Diaz de la Portilla says the Omni- Russell claims his loss of influence schmoozing in Little Havana. West Grove plan likely won’t happen. at city hall stems from his refusal to back “They’re not contiguous,” he says, adding the firing of city manager Emilio Gonza- he’ll try to work with Russell on finding lez, following allegations levied by Car- another solution. (Russell says he’s going ollo that city staff covered up an illegal to push for the West Grove to get its own backyard deck at Gonzalez’s home. CRA district.) “It’s not lost on me that had I voted He also hopes to obtain more of to fire the city manager on these fraudu- District 2’s property taxes for the rest of lent charges against him, then I would the city by slashing administrative costs, BT photo by Erik Bojnansky have retained my chairmanships,” Rus- and employees, within the CRAs and the sell says. DDA. “They got a little bit too big for During the January 23 city com- their britches, and we have to make them mission meeting, Russell denounced smaller to make them more accountable,” the new appointments as a “candy grab” he says. that comes after a piñata is smashed. He He tells the BT he can help fulfill the then urged cooperation: “I hope the dust needs of the residents and businesses settles because I look forward to work- there more efficiently than Russell can. ing with all of you, but I got to tell you, “I think there’s a disconnect between the bridges are burning right now.” what residents want and what Ken Rus- Diaz de la Portilla replied that it was sell thinks they want,” he says. “I think Russell who launched a power play first I’ll do a better job across the board for when he raised or donated $270,000 to the City of Miami. Ken Russell got elect- one of Diaz de la Portilla’s opponents in ed in 2015 with no experience. He has no the District 1 election this past No- Keon Hardemon (right) may be commission chairman, but Carollo political relationships. I was a state sena- vember — Eleazar Melendez, Russell’s shows little deference. tor for ten years, a state representative former chief of staff (and onetime BT for six. I’ve been in politics for 25 years. contributor). Diaz de la Portilla claimed allies with Reyes, too. I have a good re- At the very least, he’s interested So I have a lot of relationships.” it was an attempt by Russell to hold two lationship with [District 5 City Commis- in including part or all of Allapattah His rapidly growing influence at city seats instead of one. The commissioner sioner Keon] Hardemon....I knew Keon in the Omni CRA. A sprawling five- hall coincides with increased tensions also told Russell that his “holier-than- since he was very young, and I know his square-mile area just west of Wynwood, there, fanned mainly by Carollo, who thou” attitude irritated him. “This is the uncle and family.” Allapattah is a mostly Hispanic working- was first elected to the city commission way it is. Grow up!” he said. “Put your Maintaining the cooperation of at class neighborhood where the median in 1979 and was twice mayor in the late pants on and deal with it.” least two other commissioners, and household income is $22,000. (See “Old 1990s and early 2000s. But didn’t Carollo campaign for you Mayor Francis Suarez, who has veto Neighborhood, New Look,” May 2019, Carollo has a contentious relation- in your District 1 campaign? power, will be critical if Diaz de la for more on Allapattah.) ship with the Suarez family, particularly “He did, and I helped him out with Portilla intends to consolidate the two The property taxes collected within Xavier Suarez, father of the current his [campaign],” Diaz de la Portilla tells CRAs into one entity and, perhaps, be the Omni CRA, where new high-rise mayor. Xavier Suarez was elected mayor the BT, referring to Carollo’s 2017 elec- named its chair. “But again, that’s a residential buildings are springing for a second time in 1997 but ousted tion to the District 3 seat, which includes discussion with the other commission- up, could help alleviate the poverty in Little Havana. “Yes, we’re allies. I’m ers,” he says. Allapattah, he maintains. Under state Continued on page 40

36 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Myth That Will Not Die Continued from page 37 breached seawall in coastal Miami, he posited, the smart money flows west, pushing out the poor and disenfran- chised who have long occupied the higher elevations there. “It just turns out that the cheapest parts of town farthest from the beach are the highest elevation,” Keenan told the online trade journal E&E News back in May 2017. “And now they’re worth a lot more than they used to be. That’s it, it’s that simple.” A year later he bolstered his argument with a peer-reviewed study showing coastal and lower-elevation property values throughout Miami-Dade rising at a slower rate than those on higher ground. In the study, “Climate gentrification: from theory to empiricism in Miami- Dade County, Florida” (April 2018), Keenan cautions that his theory, as it applies to Miami, is still just that: a con- jecture in need of more research. And yet few people — not least within the news media — appear to be listening. Property values have risen in Little Haiti and surrounding areas because land there is still cheaper than in Wyn- wood, the Design District, and just about Harvard researcher Jesse Keenan developed a theory called “climate gentrification” and tried to make it work anywhere else near the urban core of in Miami. a city flush with investment dollars, a growing population, and where building Advisors and a recent candidate for a gentrification? Nice buzz word, but I’m anyone banking on Miami’s high ground sites are increasingly scarce. While the Miami city commission seat. He calls it: still looking for evidence it exists, at to offer sanctuary from the rising seas study does show a correlation between “Your garden-variety gentrification,” not least in Miami.” would be throwing good money after higher elevations and higher rates of tied to elevation. Hugh Gladwin, a recently retired bad. The periodic flooding and increased increased property values, it does not And this from Ines Hegedus-Garcia, anthropology professor at Florida In- storm frequency and intensity — the ef- show causation — that Little Haiti past president of the Miami Association ternational University who has studied fects of which we are beginning to feel — property values have soared because of of Realtors: “What is happening in the the link between housing and climate will take a monumental toll on sewer and its elevation. areas in question, like Little Haiti, Al- resilience planning in Miami-Dade, says water systems, roads, bridges, fiber optic Keenan does acknowledge the dif- lapattah, and other urban areas of Miami, in an e-mail that he has stopped giving systems, and other municipal infrastruc- ference, through he hedges his statistical is simple gentrification that is not associ- interviews on the subject of climate ture that city residents — rich and poor bets. The evidence shows an increas- ated with higher elevations. The afford- gentrification — in a kind of frustrated alike — take for granted. “Miami is not ing demand for high ground, his study ability factor is what is most attractive protest — calling it a “symbolic piece in going to be a pretty place to live, what- concludes, which “may lead to more about these areas.” the picture of lack of workforce housing ever the elevation,” Purkis predicts. widespread relocations that serve to What’s more, adds Peter Ehrlich, and old-fashioned gentrification going on And yet the myth will not die. gentrify higher elevation communities.” who began investing in Little Haiti real in South Florida.” In the past year alone, virtually And yet he also cautions that “it is dif- estate in the 1990s, back when it was Researchers at the University of every major national news organization ficult to identify the effect of elevation still known as Lemon City, property Miami also doubt the link between has chronicled the plight of Miami’s on price appreciation independent of values in the area have actually declined elevation and property values in Miami. low-income, mostly minority popula- other variables.” While the ambiguity over the past year and a half, squeez- “Eighteen months ago this was an tions, those cast adrift by redevelopment may have been lost on local and national ing some debt-burdened landlords. He interesting idea, but we’ve really seen and rising housing costs, with headlines news media, not everyone here accepts too debunks the climate gentrification no data to support it,” says Sam Purkis, such as: “Miami’s Little Haiti wasn’t a his climate gentrification theory as ir- theory: “I’ve seen no evidence that chairman of the Department of Marine target for developers — until the seas refutable fact. buyers have invested in the Lemon Geosciences and a member of a cross- started to rise” (CNN); “Rising Risks: Investor and developer interest in the City, Little River, and Little Haiti areas disciplinary team at the university study- ‘Climate gentrification’ is changing neighborhoods north of downtown are because those neighborhoods sit on ing how communities respond to climate Miami real estate values — for better “just the natural progression of growth high ground. Buyers are attracted to the risks at a hyper-local level. and worse” (CNBC); “As climate change — just the next exit farther from town,” proximity to Biscayne Boulevard, the Purkis, a marine geologist, isn’t sur- says Jim Fried of Sandstone Realty Design District, and to I-95. Climate prised by the lack of evidence. He says Continued on page 38

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 37 Myth That Will Not Die Continued from page 37 hits Miami, only the rich will be able to protect themselves” (HuffPost); and this NPR report, also from Miami reporter Nadege Green, posted just last Decem- BT photo by Marsha Halper ber: “As Miami faces threats from sea level rise, some worry about climate gentrification.” The Miami Herald joined in with a prominent Sunday story by Green on November 10, 2019. Its headline: “Climate Gentrification: Elevation that protects against sea-level rise is becoming a factor in neighborhood investment.” (Green declined comment on her reporting and on the feedback she’s received, saying that’s the role of readers and radio listeners.) Robert Gutsche, a former FIU com- munications professor now at Lancaster University in the UK, has studied and published on the interface of national and local news media in the coverage of climate change in Miami. He says the climate gentrification story has followed a predictable pattern here, with the local news outlets conceding their reporto- This modest duplex is owned by a company called Premium Elevation, which refers to nice views from the rial authority and embracing the more second-floor apartment, not to the area’s geography. superficial, sensational reporting of the national press. “It should be the opposite, with local reporters taking the lead, digging deeper,” says Gutsche. He calls Miami’s local reporting on climate issues a “re- gurgitation of national news.”

City of Miami officials appear in BT photo by Marsha Halper no hurry to set the record straight. In November 2018, city commissioners responded to the storm of negative press — and the social justice demands it spawned — by kicking the can a bit and ordering an in-house study to gauge the impact of climate-related displacement within low-income communities. But rather than debunk, once and for all, climate gentrification in Miami, the report largely sidestepped the issue, instead summarizing the Harvard study and providing a primer on Miami’s development landscape and generic solutions to the affordable- housing crisis. About the most de- finitive and damaging assessment of Keenan’s high-ground hypotheses is Peter Ehrlich began investing in Little Haiti in the 1990s: “Climate gentrification? Nice buzz word, but I’m still this, buried deep in the report: “The looking for evidence it exists.” narrative of the city’s own residents causing climate gentrification will be a gave it a go in a Miami Herald op-ed he Even the city’s field research for its event name that might have biased any complex case to make.” titled “We can reverse climate gentrifica- year-long study generated little evidence data it produced: “Climate Gentrification And yet last November, Miami-Dade tion, keeping long-time residents from to back up Keenan. At a public workshop County Commissioner Xavier Suarez being displaced.” this past September — promoted with an Continued on page 41

38 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Miami Motel Commission last summer, Ocean Ter- Continued from page 34 race agreed to invest $15 million in a public oceanfront park designed by “Back in 1875, there was only one landscape architect Raymond Jungles. structure built here,” Sanchez says. “It Construction will take about three years. was the two-story Biscayne House of Photo by Pedro Portal Ocean Terrace provided the space Refuge, one of five lifesaving stations or- for Juggerknot and accommodated the dered by President Ulysses Grant in South group. In a news release, Scher said he Florida. That information set the course and Blavatnik are “looking to the past to for an interesting journey and created an inspire our future development plans on overarching theme. This neighborhood the block” and, in providing the venue, has always been a place of refuge.” are “underscoring our commitment to The refuge marker stands at Collins promoting the arts.” and 72nd Street, just south of the North When the development was first Beach Bandshell. Captain William Ful- announced in 2015, it faced bitter ford became keeper of the house before resistance from preservationists and staking out some land that became neighborhood activists, fearing its effect North Miami Beach. on the neighborhood’s character and ar- In creating his stories, Sanchez says chitectural features, but that was muted he has tried to be scrupulous with the as plans evolved. neighborhood’s history, working in con- Juggerknot founder and artistic cert with HistoryMiami and historian director Tanya Bravo, daughter of a Paul George, who has led tours of the Spanish mother and Colombian father, is North Beach neighborhood that extends acutely aware of the intersection of art into nearby LaGorce and Normandy Isle. and patronage, and gentrification and Miami Motel Stories North Beach, refuge, as South Beach, Wynwood, and presented by Perrier in partnership with Jeff Jean portrays Leroy, bused to Beach High in 1972, where he and Little Haiti demonstrate today. Ocean Terrace Holdings, runs Febru- other black kids were thrown together with Jewish high-schoolers. “One part of gentrification is that ary 6-29, Thursday to Sunday, 7:30 and artists are pushed out of neighborhoods,” 9:30 p.m. at the Broadmoor Hotel, 7450 she says. “And I like that we have de- Ocean Terr. in Miami Beach. You can veloped an interesting moment in time choose from four storylines by selecting where we benefit from each other. I am blue, orange, yellow, and pink room keys. allowed to use this space for a certain The Juggerknot team works closely amount of time and fill it with over 50 to set the mood for each room, as An- Photo by Pedro Portal artists, and tell the story of that neigh- namarie Morales handles the lighting, borhood. I am aware of what is happen- Li Milian the sets, and Lee Harrison ing, but we are grateful that we can stop the costumes. The colors and design and pay homage and in some way be a carry significance: blue for crime, part of history.” orange for outside, yellow for home, Bravo remains focused on Miami — and pink for glamour. Tangled branches Overtown is up next — but would like to over a bed, say, may connote the bring the format to other cities. trapped mind of a lawyer traumatized North Beach’s texture has evolved. by a beating. Seventy years ago, on the 7400 block Tickets are $69.99 through Miami of Collins, patrons could cool off at the MotelStories.com. Meet at the hotel. Wear newly opened Normandy Theatre and comfortable shoes, and don’t bring bulky the older Surf Theatre. Vacationers of items. Disabilities are accommodated, modest means from New York’s outer and you must be 18. Free parking is avail- boroughs could visit or move here, find- able after 6:30 p.m. along the streets and ing sunshine and respite with their thrift in public lots nearby. honed from shtetls, slums, the Depres- This production, the fourth in a Fernando Guillén plays Big Tony, a mob guy from 1969 who is preparing sion, war, perhaps the Holocaust. The series, follows Miami Motel Stories for his next rubout. neighborhood became a self-contained Little Havana in 2017, Miami Motel Sto- center of Jewish life, just as sanctioned ries MiMo in 2018, and Wynwood Stories On another level, these productions mixed-use development, with a 235-foot- anti-Semitism and “restricted” policies last year. pay tribute to the past and portend what is tall residential tower and 125-foot-tall started to lift in Miami Beach. An aside: For real Miami Beach oral to come — for a big wave is about to land. hotel. They will create a midblock public Says historian Paul George of that history in book form, treat yourself to Ocean Terrace Holdings, led by de- pass-through from Collins to the ocean, time: “This was a cute and substantial Joann Biondi’s 2007 labor of love, Miami velopers Sandor Scher and Alex Blavat- and retain about 12 midcentury modern little neighborhood. It was more afford- Beach Memories: A Nostalgic Chronicle nik, bought up the 7400 block between façades from the early 1950s. able, with more apartments and fewer of Days Gone By. It is a wonder, and Collins and Ocean Terrace, and are pre- In a development agreement passed many of her voices have since passed on. paring to build a $220 million beachfront unanimously by the Miami Beach City Continued on page 41

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 39 Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR

New Boss a search. Continued from page 36 “I think we were collateral damage,” Lamadrid says. after a judge found credible evidence of Diaz de la Portilla, however, feels absentee ballot fraud, enabling Car- that the DDA needs an overhaul — or ollo to regain the seat in 1998. (Xavier perhaps even a disbandment. He ques- Suarez himself was not implicated and is tions why the DDA decided to continue BT photo by Erik Bojnansky now a county commissioner.) paying the past director, Alyce Rob- More recently, Carollo is an opponent ertson, her annual $198,000 salary as of city manager Emilio Gonzalez, accus- a consultant. “We call that in Spanish ing him of being lazy and of doing Fran- a botella,” he says. “A botella is when cis Suarez’s bidding, enabling the mayor someone has a government job and they to become a “backdoor” strong mayor. don’t do anything.” (In November 2018, voters rejected a Most of all, he didn’t appreciate the referendum, pushed by Suarez, to create DDA board consulting with attorneys on a “strong” mayor form of government how to assert its autonomy from the city, that would have enabled him to directly nor did he like public comments from hire and fire staff.) It’s an accusation that Aleman and Lamadrid suggesting that Mayor Suarez repeatedly denies. Miami City Hall is dysfunctional. “[Carollo] tries to eliminate people “There are some issues of arrogance he thinks are standing in his way so he that concern me,” Diaz de la Portilla can try and dominate and rule in the says, noting that the city commission way he has always done in his career could disband the DDA by ordinance if — which is a very toxic way,” Suarez Ken Russell ran into a political buzzsaw when Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, it wants to. “I will recommend to them says. “And frankly, it’s going to lead to and Commissioner Manolo Reyes stripped him of his chairmanships. that they don’t challenge this commis- disastrous results for the city.” sion because it isn’t going to end well for On December 12, Carollo won sup- them,” he adds. port from Diaz de la Portilla and Reyes Lamadrid points out that most to terminate city manager Gonzalez. But people attending public meetings the city charter requires four votes, not couldn’t care less about the friction three, to fire the manager. Russell, an engulfing city hall. “[Diaz de la Portilla] ally of Mayor Suarez and a supporter needs to be aware that 90 percent of that of Gonzalez, opposed the move. Com- audience are there for one reason,” she BT photo by Erik Bojnansky missioner Hardemon, recently named says, “and the rest of dealings and poli- as chairman of the city commission by tics are not why they’re there.” Mayor Suarez, also voted against Gonza- Reyes mentioned nothing about dis- lez’s termination. solving the DDA during its January 24 One result of the deadlock was the board meeting. Instead he reminisced sudden adjournment of the January 9 about what downtown was like when he commission meeting over a disagree- arrived from Cuba in 1959, and told the ment on the order of the agenda. A board of his desire to make permitting flu-stricken Hardemon, who arrived late, faster for small businesses, and to solve had tried to alter the order of the agenda downtown’s homelessness problem. to first allow a report on the Super Bowl Reyes assured the DDA board that and a “personal appearance” from the the city is running fine. “There are some manager, likely to address Carollo’s personal vendettas going on, which I allegations. Rather than let that happen, Mayor Francis Suarez now faces a hostile commission, fueled by won’t participate in,” the new chairman Diaz de la Portilla made a motion to end Carollo’s decades-long grudge against the mayor’s father. told board members, adding that his vote the meeting, which was approved 3-to-2. to terminate Gonzalez as city manager Following that aborted meet- United past president Grace Solares, and John Elizabeth Aleman as executive di- was based on his performance. ing, Emilio Gonzalez announced his former District 3 commission contender rector. When that meeting didn’t happen, Reyes also expressed his desire to intention to resign effective February Alfie Leon. That recall effort is being Aleman resigned as acting director, have an additional Miami city commis- 10, citing the poor health of his wife. assisted by Juan Cuba, former executive citing a lack of clarity “around the terms sioner on the DDA board. But would he Deputy city manager Joe Napoli stated director of the Miami-Dade Democratic of my employment and the nature of the support a future bid by Diaz de la Porti- his own intention to leave on Febru- Party, whom Carollo dismisses as “some position moving forward,” according to lla to become a vice chair of the DDA? ary 13 to take a city manager job with guy from Coral Gables.” her letter to the board. “The vice chair idea, it will be pre- Cooper City. Meanwhile, in the wake of Miami’s Deputy director Christina Crespi sented, and like any other idea, it has to Soon after, a recall effort against Car- contentious politics, the DDA is without was named acting executive director; be analyzed. I have nobody in particular ollo was launched, led by five residents of a permanent leader. Among the items but Alicia Cervera Lamadrid, manag- in mind,” Reyes replies, adding: “He has Brickell and The Roads, including Brick- that were to be discussed at the January ing partner of Cervera Real Estate and a some ideas, and we have some ideas.” ell Homeowners Association president 9 meeting was confirming the hire of member of the DDA’s board of directors, Ernesto Cuesta, Miami Neighborhoods former Miami Beach City Commissioner says the DDA will now have to relaunch Feedback: [email protected]

40 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Miami Motel now. Old people love to cook.” Continued from page 39 On a balmy Sunday afternoon after business hours, the neighborhood changes again. Cubans still swap tales hotels. It was beginning its rise just as at Café Sazon’s outside stand on 73rd,

South Beach was beginning its decline.” BT photo by Mark Sell and business is jumping at Argentine- Shoe Doctor Dinsdale Gibbs was inflected Manolo Churraso at 7300 able to set up his own shop here in 1972. Collins Ave. Elsewhere along Collins, He’d learned shoemaking in school in more storefronts are vacant, some sell- Jamaica, moved here as a 12-year-old in ing cheap beachwear, and franchises are 1951, and worked in Normandy Isle, but overtaking the mom-and-pops. There’s a as a black man, he had to return to the new CVS and an older Walgreens. mainland before sunset into the 1960s. Hip-looking millennials line up at Ta- Now in North Miami, he raised three quiza by the Broadmoor and Burgers and children and has three grandchildren. Beer at 74th and Collins. They check out His wall is filled with certificates, and the artisan bakeries. “We sell craft beers!” his 5-by-31-foot space is the smallest exclaims the sign at a convenience store storefront business in the city. prominently selling lotto tickets. The 27- Says Gibbs: “The landlord is keep- story St. Tropez condo on the 7300 block ing it steady here because I’m the oldest of Ocean Terrace is a harbinger. Resident tenant. When I came here, I was work- Mark Rosenberg, president of Florida In- ing at Normandy Isle. We had to leave ternational University, gave a promotional before dark because as seasonal workers video testimonial to the Ocean Terrace we had to register with the police and be project, together with preservationist photographed and printed. In the 1970s and former Miami Beach Commissioner and 1980s, business was great. As the Nancy Liebman. customers got older, they needed more All the more reason, then, for Juan work on their shoes. Rubber tips. High Sanchez to tease the humanity and the heels. Orthopedic adjustments. I worked stories out of the neighborhood before 6:00 a.m. to midnight. I worked fast. I the next wave. still work fast.” “I get into the people and the sto- Across the street at Goldstein’s ries,” he says, “and the characters come Prime market and deli, Brian Goldstein, to life. They just want to say, ‘Look at age 58, is winding down for the day. me. This is my story. It wasn’t always Ocean Terrace bought him out a few Dinsdale Gibbs, in business since 1972, will be honored with a character just this one place you see now. Hear me years ago, and he expects to retire after a portrayal in Miami Motel Stories North Beach. out. If you see me, if you hear me, if you few more years. Business has slowed but remember me, if you know about me, remains solid, by his account. He bills “I don’t jump for joy, but I come in We’re the only one left. My problem is then I live.’” his store as “the one and only real, fresh every day,” he says with a smile. “I drive our customers are dying. They are 85, 90, killed, old-school, kosher meat shop in from Plantation, and we open at 8:00. 100. They cook meat and poultry. It’s less Florida. From the slaughterhouse to you.” There used to be 15 kosher butchers. walk-in and more takeout and delivery Feedback: [email protected]

Myth That Will Not Die one of many,” offers Trone. “It’s a very ground. The absence of hard evidence is for new developments, and repeal of the Continued from page 38 difficult thing to parse out.” (Keenan did no match for moral authority. Special Area Plan (SAP) provisions in not respond to requests for comment for “I am 100 percent sure that [climate Miami’s zoning code that encourage the this article.) gentrification] is happening all over Little accumulation of large parcels for mega Workshop” — participants did not list Affordable housing advocates and Haiti and other communities like this be- developments. “climate” or “elevation” among the key others promoting urban social justice cause of their elevation. There is just so Jessica Saint-Fleur is a Little Haiti factors they believe most influenced in Miami all agree — the causes of much evidence,” says Community Justice native who works with the community gentrification. rising rents, redevelopment pressures, Project’s Denise Ghartey, a Harvard- organizing group Engage Miami. She Sue Trone, a senior planning depart- local migration patterns, and changing trained lawyer who moved here from counts herself among those who believe ment official at the City of Miami and community dynamics are multifactorial. New York last summer to tackle “climate her neighborhood and others nearby a co-author of the study, says she and And yet the threat of climate-induced gentrification and racial justice” causes. are caught in a great high-ground land other planning officials were not entirely displacement simplifies and clarifies Like other activists, Ghartey rush, and anyone who thinks otherwise surprised that workshop participants the struggle. While elevation may (or proposes a familiar grab bag of policy is something of a climate-gentrification focused more on traditional drivers of may not) be among the factors driving remedies (nothing specific to elevation) denier. “Rents are going up, people are gentrification: politics, local economic development decisions, the rallying cry to mitigate the effects, helping residents being forced out of their homes, people conditions, land scarcity, and housing of climate gentrification neatly shifts weather the market forces of change: are being harassed into selling their prop- inventory were all mentioned. the debate from one of fairness to one community land trusts, luxury- and erties. It’s pretty clear what’s going on.” “Even Keenan says climate is just of historic entitlement, and with a very second-home taxes, inclusionary zoning one of a number of factors to consider, tangible, definable prize at stake: high rules, mandatory displacement studies Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 41 Neighborhood Correspondents: AVENTURA

Say Hi to Jen Jen is running against Deb

By Jay Beskin political types who start in local politics BT Contributor and move into state politics and finally land in federal politics. They generally his column has been accused a follow the Peter Principle, enunciated by time or two by friends of Deb as the late Canadian intellectual Laurence J. Tbeing anti-Deb, but in point of fact, Peter, who claimed that in all hierarchies, we’ve never endorsed a candidate against a person will rise to the level of his Deb or advocated her ouster per se. incompetence. If you do well in the mail What we have done in both 2016 room, they move you up to filing, and if and 2018 is given a voice to Professor you do well in filing, they move you to Tim Canova, who ran against Deb in sales, and if you do well in sales, they each of those years. Tim seems to have move you to management, until eventu- taken himself out of the running against ally you arrive at the level where you Deb in 2020, which means that the only no longer can do well. At that point the Jennifer Perelman is challenging Debbie Wasserman Schultz. three-letter-word Deb is left cussing this promotions stop, and after many success- year is “Jen.” Jen is a-comin’ for Deb, ful and competent stops on the ladder, To remind our readers, Debbie She took up residence in South Florida and she means business, so we thought you are now doomed to a permanent role Wasserman was a Jewish girl from and won a seat in the Florida House of we’d give her campaign a look-see and as an unsuccessful incompetent. Long Island who went to college at Representatives in 1992. It was a new report the findings. Jen thinks Deb has reached that the University of Florida, was active seat created by redistricting, so she never Deb, of course, is Debbie Wasser- inglorious pinnacle and is a perfect can- in student government, and earned a faced an incumbent. In 2000 she won a man Schultz, one of those perennial didate for early retirement. B.A. and an M.A.in political science. seat in the Florida Senate, and in 2004

42 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 she was essentially handed a seat in the as of 2016 there were at the very least 43 concern and wants to be active in fight- The DNC was so broke at the time that U.S. House of Representatives by Peter percent of Democratic primary voters ing beach erosion and suchlike. But most Hillary Clinton’s campaign took over Deutsch, who left to pursue a dismal who wanted to see Deb go. If a candidate important, she wants to serve the people control of the day-to-day operations and primary campaign for U.S. Senate. can find those folks and win over a few and businesses in the congressional decisions by...paying the bills! In 2011 she became the head of the more, we might have the Florida version district. The big national votes come up That story is widely known and is Democratic National Committee. In of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. If that once in a long while, but a congressper- a source of great consternation among 2016 she resigned when hacked e-mails happens, you and I might, in the words son should remember their first job is to Democrats. Yet nobody connected the dots published by Wikileaks showed she had of Keats, feel “like some watcher of the see that the district receives its fair share until Jen. “If Deb found the DNC prosper- conspired with Hillary Clinton to cheat skies when a new planet swims into his from the federal coffers. ous and left it broke, then who was it that Bernie Sanders out of the presidential ken or like stout (Ocasio?) Cortez when She isn’t impressed with Deb on the ran the finances into the ground?” nomination. (That’s an overstatement, with eagle eyes he star’d at the Pacific.” big issues, noting that a trip to Deb’s So the Peter Principle did catch up but basically true.) You know the rest of it, with the wild website is a stultifying meander through to Deb. She got promoted to a job that, Tim Canova, a Bernie supporter, surmise and all that. the pantheon of progressive platitudes. one might argue, was above her level of ran against her in the primary that year Jen is Jennifer Perelman, a Jewish (The words are mine; the sentiments are competency. Jen is here as an attorney, a and scored 43 percent of the vote. He lawyer from...New York like Deb? Chi- hers.) When it comes to local matters, mom of two, a Floridian, a progressive, suggested that there was cheating in the cago like me? No, from South Florida. she believes that Deb is a total sellout, and she is ready to serve the needs of ballot counting, either by Deb or on her Shame on you and me for thinking she “bought and paid for” by all the worst this community. behalf, and he went to court. Broward was from anywhere else! Born and bred kinds of plutocrats who put profit way As we said at the top, we do not do County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Floridian. And it turns out, in a refresh- ahead of the greater good. endorsements. But we do wish her well Snipes testified that — oops! — she had ing kind of way, that’s what her candi- One issue she brings up about Deb in all her endeavors. We could do a lot accidentally destroyed all the evidence dacy is really about. She wants to help is quite insightful, and I was kicking worse; some say we have already. and — oops! — had failed to notice the people here. myself for not having considered the I hope this important concern is ad- court order to preserve the evidence Sure, she has strong positions on big point earlier. Donna Brazile, in her book dressed. Perhaps there are plans already because it got lost in the messy pile of national issues, supporting single-payer Hacks, described what she found when for this, which have not been publicized. papers on her desk. health care and four taxpayer-funded she replaced Deb as chair of the Demo- I’d like to see this project bear fruit; not I mention this not to re-litigate years in university. “In 2020 we are at cratic National Committee. The situation remain a virgin, so to speak. whether Tim really beat Deb and the point in our society where public was summed up by the Politico headline whether she scammed him like she school needs to be four years longer!” of November 2, 2017: “Inside Hillary scammed Bernie. The larger point is that She sees climate change as a serious Clinton’s Secret Takeover of the DNC.” Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 43 Neighborhood Correspondents: NEW GREATER MIAMI SHORES

In Season, But Not

In Vogue BT photo by Marsha Halper Has the lark really ﬂ own on farmers markets?

By Fred Jonas ran one on Saturdays in the plaza of the Special to the BT Museum of Contemporary Art. One on Miami Beach, on Saturdays at the east- t’s usually a Saturday or a Sunday, ern confl uence of Normandy Drive and you’re driving along on your itinerary 71st Street, had been going for several Ifor the day, and you pass a congre- years, and it just ended. A tiny one runs gation of people huddled under a loose Sundays on 95th Street between Collins The Miami Shores market at Optimist Park started strong but fi zzled out. canopy of tent tops. If you’re ranging far and Harding Avenues in Surfside. enough that day, you might encounter There’s also been one on Sundays certainly here, produce offerings are It doesn’t take much delving to realize more than one of these. If it’s not obvi- in Optimist Park at NE 2nd Avenue and local. Our growing season is in the there are two organizers of markets in ous to you what you’re passing, it might NE 94th Street, which has been open winter. Produce markets where locally our area. One is an Atlanta transplant be marked by a handwritten sign: “Farm- for three years, serving Greater Miami grown food is sold tend to open in the named Claire Tomlin, and the other is ers Market.” Shores. Unfortunately, that one has also fall, and they usually close in the spring. Art Friedrich. Each of them operates In our area along the Biscayne Cor- just closed its doors. And we might also assume they’d be several markets. ridor, the most successful and stable of And that’s the catch: “successful and pretty steady for those several months. If Tomlin came to Miami in 1994, and these markets is at Legion Park — 66th stable.” only.… she began by hawking her own fl avored Street and Biscayne Boulevard. But there In most areas, and certainly here, Two forces weave through these vinegars. One thing led to another, and are, and have been, several more. Some most such markets are seasonal. The markets. One is the operators of the as of about 22 years ago, she became years back, the City of North Miami main reason is that in many areas, and markets, and the other is the vendors. a farmers market queen. She started TRAVEL SMARTER MIA AIRPORT OFFICIAL YOUR PERSONAL TRAVEL ASSISTANT • Find everything with just a few clicks • Navigate with user-friendly maps • Scan boarding pass or subscribe for latest flight info • Find closest shopping & dining with “Near Me” feature • Search robust database - Put MIA in your pocket

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44 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 with a market in Pinecrest, and now she — pulled out unexpectedly, and Tomlin enthusiasm. There are plenty of custom- it starts out just as a lark, and eventu- runs the Lincoln Road market, which is closed the market. ers, and plenty of vendors. Gradually, ally the lark flies away. Some people, very successful and stable, another on There’s a pretty good range of what the customers thin out and the vendors though, come to these markets every Espanola Way, and also in Miami Lakes, vendors sell. Many of them don’t sell quit. As Tomlin puts it, “the community week that they’re open, and they do at Dadeland Mall, and downtown’s produce. Some sell unique prepared items, doesn’t support the markets.” It sounds a their produce, baked goods, and spe- Government Center, as well as the Nor- like the vinegars Tomlin used to make little like an indictment, and maybe, in a cialty shopping for the week. Whatever

BT photo by Marsha Halper mandy Isle and Optimist Park markets (and sauces, baked goods, Jamaican patties, way, it is. happens to them once the markets close that just closed. gourmet tempeh, and home ground and We have choices as to where to buy for the season doesn’t inhibit them from Friedrich runs the Legion Park blended spices and teas), and some sell vari- foods and crafts. If we want organic, for coming back the next year. At least the market, the Arsht Center market, and the ous crafts that the vendors themselves made example, Publix has a limited selection, throngs come back at the beginning of Surfside market. If these arrangements (leather items, jewelry), or that they bought while Whole Foods and Fresh Market the market season. seem like competing cartels, they’re elsewhere for resale at these markets. It’s for have lots. But if we go to the farmers It’s a tough business, though. For friendlier than that. Not only do they this reason that Tomlin says she no longer markets, we have a different experi- the vendors and for the organizers, it’s respect each other, they share vendors, calls these pop-ups “farmers markets.” She ence. And that’s for better and for worse. unreliable. Apparently, it’s just that they who are free to sell at any market for the just calls them “marketplaces.” I don’t know who grows the produce love doing it. It’s a real mission for Fried- cost of a booth. The vendors who sell produce often sold at Publix. But I met Grossman and rich, who’s been at it for ten years and It’s understandable that many grow and harvest it themselves. Fried- Friedrich. They’re both nice, informa- seeks to provide high-quality food to the markets don’t operate year round, but rich is an exception, in that he sells tive fellows. And they charge more than masses. His vendors accept SNAP cards, to make matters worse for continuity produce that he buys from local growers. Publix or Whole Foods does. Sometimes and they double the value. and reliability, they’re not even stable It’s often, but not always, organic. Ro- they charge a lot more. There may not And maybe, in a way, “we” love it, over the course of a season. Vendors berto Grossman, the farmer who just left be any middlemen, but there’s also not too. As one enthusiastic vendor put it rent space by the week, and they can, Optimist Park, and singlehandedly ended much economy of scale, and no one to to me, when you’re there, you just feel and do, drop out any time. At Optimist what little was left of it, has two Home- beat on the growers to lower prices. like you want to support the vendors, as Park in Miami Shores, for example, the stead acres, of which he uses three- Despite the prices, it seems more much as you want the unique and often market has started strong each year, with quarters of an acre for agriculture. He intimate to shop at farmers markets or superior products. I’ve found all of that about 30 vendors. On Sunday, January also distributes his produce separately as marketplaces. It seems personal. to be true. 19, 2020, there were ten vendors. Maybe. community-supported agriculture shares. Evidently, that thrill goes after a And then, on Monday, January 20, the But here’s what happens with while. Or maybe, since you can’t do anchor booth — the organic farmer the markets. At first, there’s lots of all your shopping at a farmers market, Feedback: [email protected] WE TREAT YOU LIKE FAMILY! Whether you have pain, ﬂ u symptoms, or minor injuries, getting the medical care you need is now easy, fast and a ordable for the entire family.

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February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 45 Neighborhood Correspondents: NORTH MIAMI / NORTH MIAMI BEACH A Hunt for City Manager North Miami City Council asked to serve the people, not themselves

By Mark Sell To North Miami’s residents: Keep BT photo by Mark Sell BT Contributor pressing for a professional search for a new manager — not a pantomime to o North Miami’s next city manag- cover up a fix behind closed doors. er: Welcome to the carnival. Bring Let’s hope that the council major- Tarmor and a thick hide. Read ity — Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime, District people and budgets. Keep your wits and 4 Councilman and new Vice Mayor (it’s a humor. Maintain your integrity. Stay one-year rotation) Alex Desulme, and Dis- close to your friends in the profession. trict 3 Councilwoman Mary Estime Irvin Expect to roll some heads. Keep your op- — haven’t greased the skids already. District Infrastructure blues: This 41-inch pipeline along the south side of 163rd tions open. Don’t take it personally. 1 Councilman Scott Galvin and District 2 Street will replace a ruptured pipe that poured 1.6 million gallons of Kansas this isn’t. It’s more like Oz. Councilwoman Carol Keys plainly wanted sewage into the Oleta River. The pay’s good; you will earn it. Larry Spring to stay, joining residents in calling Spring, the manager just fired without him the best city manager in years, even jumped down her throat. For an outside opinion, the BT called cause at the January 14 city council decades. But they could count the votes, and “We always hire qualified people,” on a venerated public servant and well- meeting, made a base salary of $240,000. Desulme voted no, objecting to the car. Bien-Aime said: “I am mayor of the city. known parachute jumper into munici- After three years and nine months, he At the council meeting, things I can hire or fire the city manager.” pal basket cases: former Miami-Dade was given a parachute of 32 weeks’ pay, started looking odd right after Keys Desulme and Estime-Irvin piled on. De- County Manager Merrett R. Stierheim. a city 2020 GMC Yukon SUV worth at called for a national search for a new city sulme called it “very sad” that council mem- “I will tell you the biggest mistake least $45,000, and an iPad. manager, saying they did so last time bers weren’t given the benefit of the doubt. that has been made in local government,” Effective February 1, Deputy City in 2016, when they found a “qualified Estime-Irvin asked why posting the opening Stierheim says. “It is the failure of elect- Manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey III is person” (i.e., Spring) from inside. on the city website wasn’t search enough. ed officials to search for the best, most interim city manager for the second time It sounded sensible enough, but for In the end, the council agreed to professional city manager with proven in four years. some reason Mayor Bien-Aime promptly order up a national search. integrity and professional competence.

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46 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 That’s the most important decision. a Haitian-American plurality, majority- FEC tracks, NW 7th Avenue, and West We’ll leave the last word to 67-year When you see failure, that’s because they minority city such as this? Dixie Highway. Keystone resident and retired fire cap- didn’t vet, appointed a friend of a friend, “Unless they find one who has been a There is also a prospective new com- tain Bill Simpson, who told the council or had someone do it for them. city manager, they are just kidding them- munity center at Solé Mia, an expanded this: “You the council were elected by “I think it’s more important than selves,” Stierheim says. “As long as they Griffing Center, and, most of all, a the public, your citizens. You have a approving a budget or adopting an ordi- have city management experience and revived Cagni Park with an Olympic fiduciary responsibility to the public, nance,” he continues. “That person will financial acumen, what difference does it pool, a potential gathering place for which means you will act in the best have a background of integrity if he or make what color they are or their ethnicity?” the city’s disparate, even splintered, interest of the citizens, not yourselves. she is qualified and has the courage, the True perhaps, but it is tough to neighborhoods. You are stewards of the public’s money ethical commitment.” make headway in North Miami without At the same time, there are plenty of and their trust, all to be done with Stierheim gets irked when people making a real effort to understand the challenges: four years of deficit spending impartiality and honesty, with complete describe the city manager’s position as Haitian-American experience. (now around minus $8 million); balloon- financial disclosure. the most powerful in local government. While we have taken a dim view ing personnel costs under Spring and “Honest public service,” he con- “That is absolutely untrue,” he explains. of some decisions by the North Miami Sorey; the egos and whims of council tinued, “is performed free of deceit, “The city manager can be hired or fired Police Department and Spring after the members; financial reserves worn to the undue influence, conflict of interest, in about two minutes. All it takes is a July 18, 2016, shooting of behavioral nub; an aging water system requiring an self-enrichment, self-dealing, conceal- motion, a second, and a majority.” therapist Charles Kinsey, the new city ever-more-expensive game of whack- ment, bribery, fraud, and corruption. Indeed. manager could learn something from a-mole; and a stormwater and sewer Management is about doing this right. Stierheim recommends advertising the city’s most successful politician and system in desperate need of the same. Leadership is doing the right thing. The the position through the International survivor: Police Chief Larry Juriga, an The Miami-Dade sewer main in August next city manager ... should be from the City Managers Association, or hiring a Anglo master of community outreach and leaked 1.6 million gallons of sewage outside, with no allegiance to any of search firm. an effective police ambassador, whatever into the Oleta River in North Miami city you. This will hopefully put an end to Says Stierheim: “I’d bring on a city issues persist within the department. limits, underscoring infrastructure’s the quid pro quo family and friends and manager first on an interim basis who is There’s good stuff in the city: solid vulnerability. Add in 70 or more repeti- contract employees, which are unnec- a professional to look over any financial professionals sprinkled among city tive flood zone properties in the environs, essary. Anything less is a harm to the quagmire and do an assessment to know departments, a growing tax base pow- only a few thus far publicly identified, people who elected you. Remember, you the challenges the city faces financially.” ered by the market and Solé Mia, with awaiting money from heaven; sea level are public servants, not self-servants.” How important is it to ensure that the inevitable development and improve- rise; and the global and local climate next city manager is Haitian-American in ment around downtown and near the emergency. Please, have a cookie. Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 47 Culture: THE ARTS

Environmental Colors Photo by David Gary Lloyd For ceramicist Morel Doucet, art is political

By Elisa Turner thematic connections between coral BT Contributor reef bleaching and the experience of the African-Caribbean diaspora. anger is embedded in these His approach to ceramics is subtle deceptively decorative objects. and sculptural. It flirts with prettiness. DThey are seductive and deadly In one piece, two tiny hands display an serious, surreal and grotesque. Ceramic unearthly grace as they emerge from art by Haitian-born Morel Doucet was a stack of scalloped sea shells. Fingers never meant for your grandmother’s arch in space, echoing the shapes of china cabinet. shells that apparently hold their hands “With a lot of my work, I like to hostage. Are they trying to escape? In a push the medium beyond expecta- similarly bizarre object, two legs extend

The ocean dances over sun buttered mountains. White Noise: Let the choir sing a magnified silence (25 Affirmation). tions of what people think ceramic is,” from exquisitely formed seashells, clus- and the global African diaspora during bleach their skin so they can look lighter. Doucet says. “People question whether tered somehow with delicate floral petals. Miami Art Week, she notes that despite People have this belief that if you are of this is formed by hand, or is it a mold? Are the legs kicking, walking, trying to resurging interest in ceramics, “I think a lighter hue, you will be treated better So that fascination about the material swim? Do hidden bodies belong to these there is a danger of people thinking economically and socially. It is really a lures viewers into my work. They’re hands and legs? about ceramics as decorative art, but deep psychological issue that is a by- captivated by the beauty, by the flora Yes, initially these objects appear Morel takes it a step further.” product of colonialism and racism.” and fauna. They find beauty in it, but whimsical and charming. But take On the surface “White Noise,” Says Doucet: “Now that the exhibit then I confront them with issues of another, longer look. They ultimately she says, “is about our neglect of the is over, I have a little bit of the [Oolite] the environment, climate change, and suggest a future in which human bodies environment, but then it also deals with money left over to use for the next global warming.” have been engulfed by the ocean. These more insidious issues, like racial dispar- project. I’m taking a deeper dive into the Such urgent themes underlie his headless bodily hybrids are bone-white, ity and colorism, the idea that people of idea of climate gentrification. I’m draw- astonishingly beautiful and harrowing drained of all color. a lighter hue are favored over people of ing people from the black and brown exhibit, “White Noise: When Raindrops For Mikhaile Solomon, who curated a darker hue. I place him in a contempo- spaces in South Florida.” These include Whisper and Moonlight Screams in “White Noise,” Morel’s art is layered rary Caribbean context that deals with Little Haiti and Allapattah, neighbor- Silence,” which closed in January at the with provocative ideas. “It displays a issues of decolonization.” hoods that have seen rapid development. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. It poetic beauty but simultaneously deals A disturbing issue implicitly tackled As a Little Haiti resident, in the last few was supported by Doucet’s 2019 $9000 with “some very raw and uncomfortable in “White Noise,” she continues, is years he’s noticed Teslas and BMWs on Ellies award from Oolite to create ce- issues,” she says. As director of Prizm that in the Caribbean as well as other the streets in addition to more common ramic art for a solo exhibit by exploring Art Fair, which showcases art of Africa parts of the world, “people chemically Nissans and Toyotas. The presence of

48 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Photo by Pedro Wazzan Photo by David Gary Lloyd

The Death of Venus (we gon’ be alright). Venus (Reprise & Rebirth).

such upscale cars in a working-class where he received at BFA green and sunny year round. You neighborhood means, he asserts, that in ceramics. There he also are uprooted in Alabama, where “wealth is coming and displacing people focused on creative writing it is fall. The sky is gray. The who are renting.” and illustration; at MICA trees are dying. No mountains,” What’s his response to people who he received a presidential he remembers, deftly sketching ask how can art bring changes to issues scholarship and alumni Courtesy of the artist a picture of how Mobile looked of climate change and gentrification? award for student leadership. to someone who’d never seen “Art holds power,” he responds. “Art Doucet reflects on why autumn. After six months, his brings action. I think being an artist is ceramics intrigues him. family moved to Miami, where political.” Even after an exhibition ends, Ceramics, he says, “hold a he’s lived for more than 20 years. he adds, “It lives on the web. It takes up very magical realism quality. While adjusting to a new home space. It brings conversation and ideas Out of all the art materials, and language, he recalls, “Art was around different issues.” ceramics is the only material my moment to just kind of be in He’s speaking in his studio at the that connects history and my head, my imagination.” Bakehouse Art Complex, where he’s economics. It transcends In addition to his prolific studio curated “Archaeology of Memory: The time. Every culture on the work, Doucet is a full-time educa- Site and Sound of Ceramics,” on view planet has used ceramics tor at the Institute of Contempo- through March 31. It takes an experi- in a certain capacity.” The rary Art, Miami. Responsibilities mental view, featuring ten artists who far-flung history embodied in include overseeing the museum’s work not only in ceramics, but materi- this ancient material fasci- Morel Doucet: “Art holds power. Art brings partnership with Toussaint als he considers related: glass, metal, nates him since it has also action. I think being an artist is political.” L’Ouverture Elementary School. and cement. taught volumes to archaeolo- At age 29, he’s ready to focus For Doucet, ceramics has been a gists excavating clay shards “He was arrested for helping people on a medium less labor-intensive longtime love, even though he’s had and vessels. the government didn’t want him to help. than ceramics by creating more draw- extensive training in many media. Doucet immigrated to the U.S. when The United States intervened, we got po- ings, sometimes layered with banana Since fourth grade, he attended Miami- he was three. Until then, he’d lived with litical asylum, and we ended up leaving. leaves and other organic residues Dade Public Schools magnet art his family on a farm in northern Haiti. It was a tumultuous journey,” Doucet gathered locally. “I have to really push programs, graduating in 2009 from the After the 1991 coup d’état in Haiti, when recalls. They left their home by riding myself,” he says. “I’m doing something New World School of the Arts. That President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was horseback through the mountains. outside my comfort zone.” led him to the well-regarded Mary- overthrown, Doucet’s father, an anesthe- First stop after Haiti: Mobile, Ala- land Institute College of Art (MICA), siologist, was arrested. bama. “You leave a lush, vibrant island, Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 49 Culture: GALLERIES + MUSEUMS

WYNWOOD GALLERY WALK & “Entering Sacred Grounds” by Charo Oquet 305-397-8530 DESIGN DISTRICT ART + DESIGN “Ouroboros” by Emmanuel Ribas www.robertfontainegallery.com NIGHT SATURDAY, FEBRURY 8, 2020 Contact gallery for exhibition info DOT FIFTYONE GALLERY 7275 NE 4th Ave., Unit 101, Miami SPACE MOUNTAIN MIAMI GALLERIES 305-573-9994 774 NE 71st St., Miami www.dotfiftyone.com www.spacemountainmia.org &GALLERY Through February 15: Contact gallery for exhibition info 6308 NW 2nd Ave., Miami “So It Will Be the Past” by Marcos Castro www.andgallery.net SPINELLO PROJECTS: THE ANNEX [email protected] EMERSON DORSCH Gesamtkunstwerk Building Contact gallery for exhibition information 5900 NW 2nd Ave., Miami 2930 NW 7th Ave., Miami 305-576-1278 www.spinelloprojects.com BAKEHOUSE ART COMPLEX www.emersondorsch.com February 16 through March 21: 561 NW 32nd St., Miami February 15 through March 28: “INH(A/I)BITED” by Raheleh Filsoofi 305-576-2828 “80s to Present” by Robert Thiele www.bacfl.org SUPPLEMENT PROJECTS Through March 31: ETRA FINE ART 212 NW 73 St, Miami “Between the legible and the opaque: Approaches to 6942 NE 4th Ave., Miami www.supplementprojects.com an ideal in place” with various artists 917-370-2907 Ongoing: “Archaeology of Memory: The site and sound of www.etrafineart.com “2 & a Possible” ceramics” with various artists Ongoing: “Ciudades” with various artists TILE BLUSH BILL BRADY GALLERY 8375 NE 2nd Ave., Miami 7140 NW Miami Ct., Miami FABIEN CASTANIER GALLERY [email protected] www.billbradygallery.com 45 NE 26th St., Suite A, Miami www.tileblush.com Through February 22: 305-602-0207 February 15 through March 7: “Nobunaga” by Susumu Kamijo & Koichi Sato www.castaniergallery.com “Wall Works” by Lynne Gelfman February 8 through 29: THE BONNIER GALLERY “The Extravagance of the Quotidian” by WALTMAN ORTEGA FINE ART 3408 NW 7th Ave., Miami Hermes Berrio 305-576-5335 305-960-7850 2300 N. Miami Ave, B, Miami www.thebonniergallery.com FREDRIC SNITZER GALLERY www.waltmanortega.com/ Through March 13: 1540 NE Miami Ct., Miami February 15 through March 31: “Redux” by Cordy Ryman 305-448-8976 “The Amnesiac Hostess” by Richard Butler www.snitzer.com BRIDGE RED STUDIOS / PROJECT SPACE Through March 7: WYNWOOD WALLS 12425 NE 13th Ave. #5, North Miami “Windows, Planes, Screens, and Veils” by NW 2nd Avenue between 5th and 26th 305-978-4856 Kelley Johnson streets www.bridgeredstudios.com “Prototype No. 1: The Possible and the Richard Butler, Untitled Portrait, oil on canvas, 305-573-0658 Through March 1: Actual” by Rafael Rodriguez www.thewynwoodwalls.com “MISC.” by David Rohn 2019, at Waltman Ortega Fine Art. Ongoing: Reception March 1, noon to 3 p.m. GARY NADER ART CENTER “Beyond Words” with 62 NE 27th St., Miami various artists CENTRAL FINE 305-576-0256 NINA JOHNSON GALLERY 1226 Normandy Dr., Miami Beach www.garynader.com 6315 NW 2nd Ave., Miami MUSEUM & COLLECTION EXHIBITS 917-306-1218 Through February 5: 305-571-2288 www.centralfine.com “Luna” by José-María Cano www.ninajohnson.com BASS MUSEUM OF ART Through February 12: “Vertical Encounters” by Soraya Abu Naba’a Through February 8: 2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach “Arrest” by Hadi Fallahpisheh Through February 7: “The Fair Mountain” by Seth Cameron 305-673-7530 “Modern and Contemporary Masters” with various Through March 28: www.thebass.org DAVID CASTILLO GALLERY artists “Some Pictures and Other Songs” by Terry Allen Through April 5: 420 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach “In the Cone of Uncertainty” by Haegue Yang 305-573-8110 LOCUST PROJECTS PAN AMERICAN ART PROJECTS Through April 19: www.davidcastillogallery.com 3852 N. Miami Ave., Miami 6300 NW 2nd Ave., Miami “Blind Spot” by Lara Favaretto February 27 through March 28: 305-576-8570 305-751-2550 Shinique Smith www.locustprojects.org www.panamericanart.com BASS: WINDOWS @ WALGREENS Through February 8: Through March 21: 7340 Collins Ave., Miami Beach DIANA LOWENSTEIN GALLERY “I Made a Mound City in Miami Dade County” by “Beyond Paper Boundaries” with various artists Through March 15: 98 NW 29th St., Miami Trenton Doyle Hancock Edison Peñafiel 305-576-1804 “Radiator Comics” by Radiator Comics PIERO ATCHUGARRY GALLERY www.dianalowensteingallery.com 5520 NE 4th Ave., Miami DE LA CRUZ COLLECTION Through March 28: MINDY SOLOMON GALLERY 305-639-8247 23 NE 41st St., Miami Udo Nöger 8397 NE 2nd Ave., Miami www.pieroatchugarry.com 305-576-6112 786-953-6917 Through December 1: www.delacruzcollection.org DIMENSIONS VARIABLE www.mindysolomon.com “Untitled (Mural 1)” by Lydia Okumura Ongoing: 101 NW 79th St., Miami Through March 7: “From Day to Day” with www.dimensionsvariable.net “Lady Parts” with various artists ROBERT FONTAINE GALLERY various artists Through March 14: 415 Española Way, Miami Beach

50 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 CORAL GABLES MUSEUM 285 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables 305-603-8067 www.coralgablesmuseum.org Through March 13: David’s Pick “Venezuela: Serious Humor” by Edo y Weil There is a grim austerity to Forensic Ar- Through March 15: “For Now: Contemporary Venezuelan Art of the Miami chitecture (FA)’s Investigation #10: Drone Diaspora” with various artists Strike in Miranshah installation, keeping Through December 15: “Ontological Curiosity” with the discomforting nature of FA’s core mission: using architectural software and FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY: sensibilities to investigate human rights PATRICIA AND PHILLIP FROST ART MUSEUM 10975 SW 17th St., Miami violations. Based on available data, FA re- 305-348-2890 thefrost.fiu.edu constructed a digital shrapnel map of a drone Through April 12: strike — then, in Mexico City in 2016, they “Opaque Pollination” by Liu Shiyuan Through April 26: turned this mapping into a physical model “Never Ending Gardens” by Terence Price II for onlookers to contemplate. The antithesis Through May 17: “Transitional Nature: Hudson River School Paintings” of artistic escapism, FA forces us to engage with various artists with what founding director Eyal Weizman calls a “dark epistemology of a post-truth INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, MIAMI 61 NE 41st St., Miami media environment.” Their works seek to 305-901-5272 www.icamiami.org shine an uneasy spotlight on incidents and Through February 2: facts that media sources have chosen to Sterling Ruby Through April 19: Forensic Architecture, Investigation #10: Drone Strike in distort or gloss over, such as a nearby child Louise Nevelson Miranshah, installation based on digital model, 2016, at Miami- detention center being used by I.C.E. right Carlos Sandoval de León Through April 26: Dade College Museum of Art + Design. here in South Florida. — David Bennett Wong Ping

JEWISH MUSEUM OF SOUTH FLORIDA, FLORIDA MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART + “I Paint My Reality: Surrealism in Latin America” with “Abraham’s Farewell to Ishmael” by George Segal INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY DESIGN various artists Through April 19: 301 Washington Ave., Miami Beach Freedom Tower Through July 5: “What Carried Us Over: Gifts from Gordon W. Bailey” 305-672-5044 600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami “Happy!” with various artists February 7 to August 9: “Polyphonic: Celebrating www.jmof.fiu.edu 305-237-7700 Ongoing: PAMM’s Fund for African Through March 1: www.mdcmoad.org “From Pencil to Paint” by William J. Glackens American Art” with various artists “Auschwitz: A Place on Earth” February 20 to September 27: Through March 15: “Forensic Architecture: True to Scale” with various OOLITE RUBELL MUSEUM “Tamim” by Zachary Balber artists 924 Lincoln Rd., 2nd floor, Miami Beach 1100 NW 23rd St., Miami Ongoing: 305-674-8278 305-573-6090 “MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida” MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART NORTH www.oolitearts.org www.rfc.museum MIAMI Through February 28: Through May 31: LOWE ART MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI 770 NE 125th St., North Miami “6:20am-8:41pm / Miami” by Nick Mahshie “Inaugural Exhibition” with various artists 1301 Stanford Dr., Coral Gables 305-893-6211 305-284-3535 www.mocanomi.org OOLITE: WINDOWS @ WALGREENS WOLFSONIAN-FIU www.lowemuseum.org Through March 29: 7340 Collins Ave., Miami Beach 1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach Through March 22: “Poetic Invocations” by Alice Rahon Through May 17: 305-535-2622 “Binomial” by Claudia DeMonte & Ed McGowin “About to Happen” by Cecilia Vicuna “How Objects Wear Things” by Joshua Veasey www.wolfsonian.org Through March 29: Through March 1: “Russia Unframed” with various artists NATIONAL YOUNGARTS FOUNDATION PÉREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI “Caricaturas” by Conrado Walter Massaguer February 20 through May 24: 2100 Biscayne Blvd., Miami 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami Ongoing: “History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence” 305-377-1140 305-375-3000 “Deco: Luxury to Mass Market” with various artists Through May 3: www.youngarts.org www.pamm.org “Art and Design in the Modern Age: Selections from “Cities of the Mind” by Carlos Estévez Through February 13: Through February 9: the Wolfsonian Collection” with various artists “National YoungArts Week 2020 Design, Photography “Elemental” by Teresita Fernández “A Universe of Things: Micky Wolfson Collects” with MARGULIES COLLECTION and Visual Arts Exhibition” with various artists Through March 29: various artists 591 NW 27th St., Miami “Estás Vendo Coisas” by Bárbara Wagner & Benjamin “(LO & BEHOLD) (MIRA & VE): An installation by 305-576-1051 NSU ART MUSEUM FORT LAUDERDALE de Burca Lawrence Weiner” www.margulieswarehouse.com 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Through June 7: Through April 25: 954-525-5500 “The Other Side of Now: Foresight in Contemporary Compiled by David Bennett “Can It Really Be 20 Years Already?” with various www.nsuartmuseum.org Caribbean Art” with various artists Send listings, jpeg images, and events information to artists Through June 30: Through July 5: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 51 Culture: EVENTS CALENDAR

February Must Be for Fido The no-kill Humane Society of Greater Miami benefits from its annualWalk for the Animals celebration, taking place this year Saturday, February 29, at Ferré Park (formerly Museum Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd.). Check-in for the walk begins at 8:30 a.m.; the walk itself gets under way at 10:00. There’ll be a bakery tent, food vendors, raffles, entertainment, and games. Look for the Adoption Arena; the Lucky Dogs Lure Cours- ing (no experience needed); and canine athletes in a Frisbee performance. Even if you don’t enter the walk, show up for the fun. (Bring cash as some vendors won’t be able to process credit cards.) Walk registration: $50. www.walkfortheanimalsmiami.com.

National Park Family Fun Fest up-close look at who’s trending and who years — and, when he wasn’t too burned Biscayne National Park’s Family Fun already counts as a modern master. The out, posting funny video rants titled “What Fest adopts the theme “Twenty Years of art fair runs Friday and Saturday, Feb- Teachers Really Say....” He tapped into a Extraordinary Stories” for 2020 and com- ruary 14-15, 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and veritable motherlode of teacher/parental/ bines timeless tales (costumes welcome) Sunday and Monday, February 16-17, humankind guffaws, wrote a book on the with timely topics. To wit: the Game of 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. at NE 14th St., profession’s indignities, and has become a More Miami Motel Stories Thrones Long Summer and our looming formerly One Herald Plaza. Single-day traveling standup sensation (who will never The Art Deco-style Broadmoor Hotel threat of climate change. The free festival tickets $35; multi-day $60; Check online stop loving fellow teachers). He comes to (7450 Ocean Terr.) in North Beach takes place Sunday, February 9, 1:00 to for VIP packages and discounts, as well the Olympia Theater (174 E. Flagler St.) on hosts Juggerknot Theatre Company’s 4:00 p.m. at (and near) the park’s Dante as concurrent events and activities in the Saturday, February 15, at 8:00 p.m. Tick- newest Miami Motel Stories, with Fascell Visitor Center. The downtown area. www.artwynwood.com. ets $20-$40 www.olympiatheater.org. doors opening Thursday, February Homestead National Parks Trolley offers 6. Your color-coded passkey gives you free transportation. www.nps.gov/bisc/ GroundUP Returns to the Bandshell The Annual Presidents Day Grove Fest entry to one of four storylines and its learn/kidsyouth/familyfunfest.htm. Snarky Puppy and sax player Chris Potter The Coconut Grove Arts Festival runs cast of characters as you learn some headline the GroundUP Music Festival, over three days, Saturday, Sunday, and of the neighborhood’s history through Les Misérables, Unite! set for Friday through Sunday, Febru- Monday, February 15-17, 10:00 a.m. their eyes. The production runs Thurs- What’s the perfect antidote to Valen- ary 14-16, at the North Beach Bandshell to 6:00 p.m. the first two days and until days through Sundays this month, so tine’s Day smarm? Maybe a touch of (7275 Collins Ave.). The lineup includes 5:00 p.m. Monday. More than 350 artists you’ll have time to take in all four the heart-wrung-dry and Moth Miami Lila Downs; Edmar Castañeda and Gré- are represented, and each day features narratives. Free parking after 6:30 p.m. Story Slam’s pre-VD themed evening goire Maret (Harp vs. Harp); the instru- celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, on Ocean Terrace. www.juggerknot of “Love Hurts.” Audience storytellers mental quartet Forq; the group Lettuce; foods from more than 50 restaurants and theatrecompany.com. will have five minutes to share their tales Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band; vendors, live music in Peacock Park, a of unrequited love, ghosted love, lost the Michael McDonald Quintet; Flor de family fun zone in Regatta Park; and love, stolen love, love that got away, even Toloache; Cécile McLorin Salvant; and more entertainment along the bayfront, 15, 1:00 and 3:00 p.m., at the Aventura love so good it hurts. The doors open more luminaries in the music universe. McFarlane Road, S. Bayshore Drive, and Arts & Cultural Center (3385 NE 188th St.). Tuesday, February 11, at 6:00 p.m. for No sets overlap, so you can see every Pan American Drive. Tickets $15 per day. Tickets $35. www.aventuracenter.org. loosening-up cocktails; stories begin at performance. Tickets $85 per day (meet- Discount tickets and packages available 7:00. Seating is first come, first served at and-greets, brunches, cocktails, talks, in advance online.www.cgaf.com Twentieth-Century Black Miami the Olympia Theater (174 E. Flagler St.). workshops, and masterclasses, are extras) History Tour Tickets $17.25. www.olympiatheater.org. or $225 all three days. VIP packages “Mutts Gone Nuts” in Aventura Marvin Dunn, Ph.D., historian, and former available. Late-night shows (11:00 p.m. W.C. Fields may not have taken a back seat chair of FIU’s Department of Psychology, Art Wynwood Counts You In to 4:00 a.m.) continue in other venues. to performing dogs, but we’re cheering for leads this HistoryMiami coach bus tour You who attend Art Wynwood are to Details: festival.groundupmusic.net. this popular touring troupe of rescue dogs and a discussion of the role blacks have be counted among “the most diverse, af- turned superstars. They walk tightropes, played in Miami life and history. Dunn is fluent, and culturally savvy” in the land, It’s “Comedy on Steroids” jump rope, high-jump, dance, fetch, do the author of Black Miami in the Twentieth sayeth your host. We say that even if you Houston native Eddie B wanted to play backward summersaults, and will steal Century (1997); The History of Florida: ping only one of those adjectives, you’re football after college but instead wound your heart in Mutts Gone Nuts, two Through Black Eyes (2016), The Beast in definitely Miami and primed for an up teaching fifth-graders for the next 12 performances only, Saturday, February Florida: A History of Anti-Black Violence (2013); and co-author in 1984 of The Miami Riot of 1980: Crossing the Bounds. Suffice Cinema Nights at the Wall to say, you’ll learn a lot from his expertise. The SoundScape Cinema Series continues on Wednesday nights with free Meet at the museum (101 W. Flager St.) screenings on NWS’s projection wall at SoundScape Park (400 17th St,, Miami Saturday, February 22 at 1:00 p.m. for Beach). The roster includes 2019’s Little (with Regina Hall and Marsai Martin) this three-hour event. Members $50, non- on February 5; 2010’s Valentine’s Day on February 12 (with a big-name en- members $60, children 12 and under $25. semble cast); Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, a 2019 documentary on the life www.historymiami.org. of the Nobel, Pulitzer, and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, February 19; and Disney’s 2017 Coco on February 26. Rain or shine, films start at 8:00 Compiled by BT contributor Dinah p.m. www.nws.edu/events-tickets/wallcast-concerts-and-park-events. McNichols. Please send information and images to [email protected].

52 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Columnists: PICTURE STORY Fisher Island: A Biography A view of our past from the archives of HistoryMiami

By Paul George present scale. In the meantime, eager purchasers of the BT Contributor island with big dreams for it, claimed it for little money. Herman Walker, who purchased the island, then ith its stunning vistas emanating from the consisting of about 50 acres, in 1915 for $15,000, sold it Brickell-Downtown-Edgewater skyline, Miami in 1918, to Dana A. Dorsey, an early black millionaire Wis indeed the Magic City its champions have and philanthropist, for $25,000. Dorsey, who made Photo courtesy of HistoryMiami, 0073-1X dubbed it since its beginnings. Yet a worthy rival is the vista his fortune in Miami real estate, as well as property afforded residents of Fisher Island, where one can glance elsewhere, planned to convert it into a “high-class black north toward South Beach and beyond; east to the glisten- resort and subdivision with a hotel, cottages for well-to- ing waters of the Atlantic Ocean; and west to the magical do men of his own race, and boats to convey them back Miami skyline. and forth between the mainland and the island.” Dorsey Fisher Island can claim many other laurels, from held it for just a year, and though there is mention in the beautiful Vanderbilt Estate to the island’s mani- Miami’s newspapers of black visitors on the island, cured lawns, and to its zip code, which is reportedly the Dorsey abandoned his plan for it, selling the property to wealthiest in the United States. It was not always that Carl Fisher, who became its namesake, for an unknown way, however, for the northern portion of this 216 acre amount of money in 1919. island was, until the early 1900s, the southern segment of today’s Miami Beach. Paul George is historian at HistoryMiami Museum. The desire for a deep-water channel stretching from To order a copy of this photo, contact HistoryMiami the city of Miami’s waterfront through shallow Bis- archives manager Ashley Trujillo at 305-375-1623, cayne Bay to the Atlantic Ocean prompted the creation [email protected]. of the Government Cut, and the consequent severing of a narrow strip at the edge of today’s Miami Beach. D.A. Dorsey, 1925, by photographer Gleason Over time, the land south of the cut was enhanced to its Feedback: [email protected] Waite Romer.

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 53 Columnists: POLICE REPORTS

Biscayne Crime Beat Compiled by Derek McCann

Don’t Fall into This Trap placing razors in his pockets. Lots of 1 SE 1st Ave. pockets The cargo pants were a big help. Thieves can look like perfectly normal He left the store with a haul that came to folks. Their overall affect can even lull an astounding $484.91. Guess he’ll really us into misguided complacency. In this keep his face shaved now, not to mention incident, a man wearing generic brown his relatives’. How thoughtful of him. shorts and a generic black visor and shoes entered a place of business and began This Is Becoming a Trend to rummage through product shelves, 200 Block of Biscayne Boulevard placing body wash products in a small You businesspeople needs to be aware of reusable bag (think he had environmental shoplifting trends. At this establishment, concerns?), then just walked out without a customer made himself comfortable as paying. His total loot? Just $30.98. he walked around the store. He filled a shopping basket with personal hygiene That’s a Real Cargo Haul products and facial products, then just on out into the street. He must have been 3600 N. Miami Ave. walked out of the store…with the full Miami Is a Zoo Town, All Right testing it on outdoor conditions, or so the The officer arrived to the crime scene basket. There are no cashiers on the 3400 N. Miami Ave. good-hearted employees thought, and after the dirty deed was done. The street, of course. His takeaway totaled At most bike stores, the customer wants he’d come right back. Hello? This is not manager had a story to tell and played $763. Who would have known that these to try out the product before buying it. Kansas! The little ingrate rode off with the security video for him. It shows products are such hot commodities? Ca- This customer got on the bike he liked his new bike. We wonder how this does a clean-shaven man walking into the shiers, if you don’t pay attention to your and started to ride it across the entire not happen every day. Stores are in need store shortly before 9:00 a.m., and then “customers,” then it’s partly your fault. store. He then left the business and went of some really need big burly guys to THE CITY IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

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54 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 barricade their doors in the future. And and the driver’s side window smashed into the hours until Party Time. Well, the weather; however, you probably should screw being good-hearted idiots. In hot pieces. Once inside the van, he found a hole two perps walked out with jackets and carry dollar bills to appease the locals. A Miami you’ve got to be cold as ice. where his car battery once lived. That hole, into a waiting white Buick. A bystander shabbily dressed man approached our while representing a magic moment for the tried to run after them (more superhero victim asking for a buck and was refused. You Got It, Someone Wants It thief, was just a hole of gloom for the victim. complex in evidence) but was unable to He then asked to use the victim’s cell Biscayne Boulevard and 68th Street catch up to the criminal scum. phone and was told the phone didn’t work. This is a part of Miami that has bounced Read This and Learn But the phone rang, much to the disgust of back from where it was 20 years ago, with 4200 Block of NE 2nd Avenue Welcome to Miami, a Crime Story the vagrant, who then wrestled him to the fewer pimps and prostitutes and street In this column, we strive to keep our citi- in Every Family ground and punched him several times, crime. So our victim parked her car on zens informed while offering some edu- 500 Block of NE 66th Street even pulling out a gun! He demanded the street and went into her home. It is a cation. Thus, the one about the dolt who A couple of middle-aged New Yorkers got and got the phone, but not the dollar. No well-lit street, and there seems to be some parks his car in a lot used by an adjacent tired of their worn-down concrete jungle arrests have been made. Has the Miami traffic to serve as a deterrent to criminal business. He goes in to use a bathroom and came here to the sunshine. They were stroll become just another anachronism? sleaze. Yet none of this stopped someone in the building; yes, it’s helpful to know moving their stuff into their new tropical from breaking the rear window of her all the good local spots to get relief. But paradise apartment and placed a small suit- Creep Even Goes for the Pot car and stealing a prominently placed when he returns, his backpack from the case in front of the gate to keep the door 3400 Biscayne Blvd. Victoria’s Secret bag. Why would anyone front seat is gone. Turns out, this is what ajar. The trip up the stairs must have taken Not everyone in Miami has the brain leave anything of even nominal value on is known as “no forced entry,” a lesson three minutes, an eternity in Miami scum- power of a frozen iguana. Some do lock full display? Leave a pack of crappy 305 for you dimwits: Always lock it up. bucket time. The suitcase had nothing of their vehicle doors and are careful not to cigarettes on your seat and you can still value, save for copies of college degrees. put anything on display. Did not matter expect to pay for a broken window. Not the Perp Walk We Wanted The newcomers were completely taken here. A creepazoid broke into the back 100 block NE 40th Street back and wonder what other price they’ll window of the car and shattered the glass. In Need of a Charge Like bike stores, most civilized clothing pay for the beautiful weather. They’ll learn He then removed all the contents, includ- 50 NE 79th St. establishments allow their customers the rest of the story soon enough. ing a laptop bag with computer, and also This business was closing for the day and to try on apparel before committing to some medical weed. No arrests and no an employee parked the company vehicle buying it. Two men walked in and didn’t Victim, Interrupted recourse at all. Sometimes victims just and locked up the place. When the same wait for assistance. Nor did the salesper- NE Miami Place and 62nd Street lose. Maybe at least they can get high. employee returned the next day at 7:00 a.m., son honor the “sales” part of his title. He Going for a walk in Miami can be pleas- he found the van’s hood was popped open just went off to the back, likely counting ant, with those palm trees and that balmy Feedback:[email protected]

Have You Paid Your Property Taxes?

Your home is one of your most valuable assets, and the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s Office wants to help you understand the consequences of not paying your property taxes. • Property taxes became delinquent on April 1st. • If your taxes remain unpaid on June 1st, your taxes will be sold as a Tax Certificate. • A Tax Certificate represents a lien that is sold to the investor that will accept the lowest rate of interest for your taxes. The interest will be included to the amount that you owe. • If your taxes remain unpaid for two years after a Tax Certificate has been issued on your property, your property could be sold at a future date. To avoid additional charges and interest, and the potential risk of losing your property, your payment must be in our office by May 31, 2019. Mailed payments must be in the form of a cashier’s check or money order. Postmarks will not be honored for delinquent taxes. You may pay in person at: Miami-Dade Tax Collector’s Office 200 NW 2 Avenue, Miami, FL 33128 (Cash Payments are accepted) The Tax Collector’s Public Service Office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please note the office will be closed in observance of the legal holiday, Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, 2019. On-line payments (e-checking and credit cards) will be available for real estate and tangible personal property through, Friday, May 31st, 11:59 p.m. (Funds must be available for immediate withdrawal for e-checking from a regular checking account) Credit Card Payments are accepted online. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover are accepted. (A non-refundable convenience fee of 2.21% will be applied to each credit card transaction) For additional information, please call 305-270-4916.

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 55 Columnists: PARK PATROL

Playgrounds and BT photos by Janet Goodman Mangroves Town Center Park prioritizes kids, conservation

By Janet Goodman opening of the skate park. BT Contributor At ﬁ rst the city responded by reduc- ing the hours of skating and investing n early 2011, a highly anticipated tens of thousands of dollars in noise $450,000 skate park opened at Town studies. In December 2011, the city ICenter Park in Sunny Isles Beach. commissioners and mayor voted 3-2 By 2016, it was closed by the city and not to close the park, as they wanted relocated to Haulover Park. a safe place off the streets for kids to The State of Florida Department skateboard. In March 2012, the kids won of Environmental Protection mandated again: the city extended the skate park Towering condos east of the park resemble a mountain range. an increase in mangrove coverage hours of operation by an hour on Fridays along the Intracoastal adjacent to Town and Saturdays. By 2016, the mangrove Center Park. In order for the mangrove project took precedent, but the kids mitigation project to begin, it required wound up with a place to skate for free. the removal of the popular skate park. Originally only 3.2 acres at 17200 Miami-Dade County worked with Collins Ave. when it was in the early Sunny Isles Beach to create a new skate development stage, Town Center Park park at Haulover — a free skate park increased in size with the donation of 2.4 this time. adjacent acres along the Intracoastal by Not all locals were sad to see the the developer Porto Bellagio Partners in skate park leave the neighborhood. early 2005, extending the park from Col- According to Miami Herald reports lins Avenue to the waterway in exchange in late 2011, some residents living in for a transfer of development rights. nearby condominiums complained In 2007 this fenced-in mangrove about the loud noise caused by slam- nest strip — the only one in Sunny Isles ming skateboards. City manager Alan Beach — was dedicated as the Harvey Cohen admitted that a sound study Baker Graves Mangrove Reserve in had not been conducted prior to the honor of the town’s founder. A bronze

TOWN CENTER PARK

Park Rating

17200 Collins Ave. Nontraditional seating is provided by a number of tree planters.

Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160 marker with Grave’s image stands by the According to the Trust for Public 305-792-1706 fencing. (A second bronze park marker Land (TPL), 98 percent of Sunny Isles Hours:7:00 a.m. to 9:00 pays tribute to the park’s founding mayor Beach residents live within a ten-min- Park p.m., Wednesday 10:00 Town Center a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and commissioners.) A Herald article at ute walk of a park, while the national Picnic tables: No the time noted, “Graves developed more average is only 54 percent. About 13

Barbecues: No than 1800 acres of land in the 1910s percent of its city-owned property is Pavilions: Yes and 1920s, paving the way for a wave used for parks and recreation. Sunny Open ﬁ eld: Yes Tennis court: No of migration to Northeast Dade.” Today Isles Beach has an impressive 11 parks Night lighting: Yes it is fenced off as a conservation area, for its population of 24,026; only 485 Fitness zones: Yes posted with no trespassing signage in the residents live outside of that ten-minute Playground: Yes western portion of the park. walk. Town Center Park serves 11,122

56 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Two Soofa charging stations are free to use, equipped with USB ports, and serve as Wi-Fi hotspots. The artist Rafael Barrios installed Rising Horizon shortly after the park was dedicated. residents — almost half its total popula- Much of the 3.2 acres consists of tion. The TPL map, as well as the city’s playground equipment. There are three government website, still consider the designated play areas: a playground for park’s size as the original 3.2 acres young kids with three slides; a play- and the 2.4-acre mangrove reserve as a ground for older kids with three slides separate entity. plus various climbers; and a section Town Center Park is the site of with three swings sets. A water fountain the city’s annual anniversary celebra- is close by, and the entire playground tion. Concerts and holiday events also vicinity except for the swings is shaded take place there, as does the year-round by a huge green canvas and is made Sunny Isles Beach Farmers Market on extra safe from tumbles by its super- the first Saturday of each month from soft flooring. 9:00 a.m. to noon. Just a few yards away from the play- Visitors can park their vehicles for grounds is a large green gazebo erected free in the small parking lot along 172nd on a concrete pad with plenty of benches. Street, use the bike rack by the decorative It’s the go-to shelter in the park when it entrance gate, or take the bus that stops rains and the city has made it available directly in front of the park along Collins for party rentals. Nontraditional seat- Avenue. Security is enhanced by metal ing is also provided by a number of tree park fencing, security cameras, and night planters. Palms, ficus trees, and clusia lighting. Signs indicate that dogs and hedges in the north end are also part of The Harvey Baker Graves Mangrove Reserve, named in honor of the bikes are not allowed inside the park. the landscaping along the concrete walk- town’s founder, is fenced off as a conservation area. The BT visited the day after Christ- ways. Two Soofa benches provide mobile mas, when the park was full of young- device users a chance to plug in while exercise machines installed on concrete surrounded by landscaping on the east- sters off from school. Considering how outdoors. These solar-electric charging pads and stationed along the perimeter ern park edge along Collins Avenue. It busy it was, it’s impressive that there stations are free to use, are equipped footpaths. Near the southwest fitness had been substantially damaged during was no litter. Attractive park-style gar- with USB connections, and serve as zone is a public bathroom building and a its 2006 installation process and was bage receptacles are strategically placed Wi-Fi hotspots. The smart benches can soda machine. even a victim of vandalism. But it was to keep things tidy. Grass is mowed be upgraded to aid city planners who Soon after the park was dedi- built to withstand hurricane winds and and landscaping looks trim, although need to gather and analyze data such as cated, the Rising Horizon sculpture survived Hurricanes Irma and Dorian. high-traffic areas of the large open field street activity and foot traffic. was unveiled in the park. Artist Rafael need re-sodding, despite wide concrete Town Center Park also offers adult Barrios installed his massive purple footpaths around the park’s perimeter. fitness zones equipped with outdoor stacked cubes on an elevated platform Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 57 Columnists: PET TALK Flat-Face Believers This local meetup club loves its pugs

By Janet Goodman Tony Martinez, a Coral Gables attor- BT Contributor ney and Christ Journey Church deacon, BT photo by Janet Goodman explains a deeper need. “We’re proud n the third Saturday of every of these dogs; they deserve the best.” month, a group of fun-loving dog Speaking about five-year-old Bodie, he Odevotees and their charges gather says, “I’ve learned more about uncon- to socialize and celebrate the joy of pugs ditional love from my pug. This breed as members of their families. makes you the center of its universe. I For the past year, the Miami Pug can feel God’s love from above through Meetup is welcomed at Fit & Go Pets, a Bodie’s love.” Wynwood boarding, grooming, and day- Other members were equally elo- care facility at 711 NW 24th St. Mother- quent and sometimes hilarious. Gary even-tempered, playful, outgoing, and prone to obesity. New club member daughter team Mayrena Arias and Stevenson, who attended with his wife, loving personalities. Today it ranks 28th Akira Adderly sought diet advice from Aimee Alvarez opened their business in Susan, and their pugs, ten-year-old Coco of 193 breeds in popularity. Alpizar for her overweight one-and-a- 2017. During the December meetup, one Chanel and five-year-old Igor Stravinsky, Don’t tell that to adoring pug owners half-year-old male Apollo, who also of their outdoor play yards was abuzz answered a question with a smile: “Why who consider the breed as No. 1. Patri- snores. But Adderly finds his snoring with 15 energetic pugs and their owners. a pug? A pug is in a perpetual existential cia Leary of Miami Beach says she’s more soothing than a sound machine. The club had previously met at Waggle crisis. It lives a life between comedy and obsessed with pugs. She’s never owned Half of the club pugs sleep in bed Bros. in North Miami and at Miami’s tragedy. It’s a Velcro dog, so expect it to any other dogs except her two female with their owners. Most came from Margaret Pace Park. live on your lap, on top of your face at pugs: 11-month-old Frankie and 10-year- professional breeders — nine from Long-time club coordinator is night, attached to you 24/7.” old Paisley. “They’re perfect family dogs breeders, two from pet stores, three from Vanessa Alpizar, owner of a seven-and-a- Coco used to enjoy watching TV’s and great for the elderly. They love to rescues and shelters, and one was found half-year-old therapy pug named Pugsley. “Dancing with the Stars” before she snuggle and give so much love.” on Craig’s List. They visit the Palace Nursing and went blind from an autoimmune condi- Steven and Elizabeth Samper of The club’s December Pug of the Rehabilitation Center in Kendall and the tion. She also has back and digestive Pembroke Pines have a one-year-old Month is one-year-old Samson owned Coconut Grove Library, where kids hap- issues. He adds, “My wife and I are pug named Penny. They consider pugs by Laurie Brickman of Miami, who pily read to the friendly pug ambassador. servants to the dog, as were the emper- loyal, happy, and non-aggressive. Karen says his happy, human-like personal- Alpizar is described by other members ors in ancient China.” Ellzey of Kendall says, “I’ve had other ity “makes me feel a different kind of as the thoughtful and helpful heart-and- According to the American Kennel breeds, but I always wanted a pug and joy. He’s silly and clown-like. Always soul of the group. Her frequent social Club (AKC), the pug is one of the oldest now I won’t go back,” even though her entertaining. Pugs are going to rule the media posts of pugs in festive garb are breeds of dogs, originating before 400 ten-year-old Owen has arthritis and a world someday.” charming and quirky enough to make BC in China, where emperors favored partially collapsed trachea that causes In this small corner of the planet, I one an instant pug fan. flat-faced toy breeds like the pug. In Hol- him to cough when he’s excited. think they already do. The BT asked Alpizar and other club land, after a barking pug warned the crown Five of the 15 club pugs have health members why pug owners dress their prince of a Spanish army attack, it became issues. Leary’s puppy is already di- Janet Goodman is a Miami Shores-based dogs in clothes. “Why not?” she laughs. the official mascot of the royal House of agnosed with a luxating patella — a dog trainer and principal of Good Dog “Pugs are already funny looking.” John Orange, and later in England, when Wil- common genetic breed flaw. The AKC Bad Dog Inc. Contact her at and Vanessa O’Mara of Doral dress up liam and Mary of Orange ruled there. recommends hip, eye, and patella evalua- [email protected]. three-and-a-half-year-old Jax “because The breed was recognized by tions, as well as encephalitis DNA tests he lets us and doesn’t seem to mind.” AKC in 1885. Breed standards include for pugs, and warns that the breed is Feedback: [email protected] SoltanikSoltanik DentalDental $60 NEW PATIENT The Art of Dentistry SPECIAL Cosmetic and Family Dentistry & Orthodontics Includes: Complete Oral Exam (D0150), Diagnostic Digital X-Rays (D0274), Panoramic X-Rays (D0330), Adult or Smile Makeovers •bVeneers •bImplants •bBraces Child cleaning (D1110/D1120) In the absence of Same Day Crowns and Bridges Periodontal Disease. Consultation and Treatment Planning. 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58 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Columnists: FAMILY MATTERS A Lesson They’ll Always Remember Zoo Miami opens children’s eyes and hearts Courtesy of Zoo Miami

By Stuart Sheldon handsome. He was calm and quiet and BT Contributor tender,” my ten-year-old reports. When your child connects with a crea- ew things galvanize your love for ture that intimately, there’s reason to hope wild animals like a full-grown he’ll feel responsible to help it and others. Fgiraffe French kissing you with Many of us have a love/hate relation- its long black tongue. I experienced ship with zoos. The sight of caged animals this and other rapturous moments on a saddens me. Yet our children face a devas- recent visit to Zoo Miami with my wife tating reality: They may never see a wild and children, all under the loving eyes elephant, rhino, or lion if we don’t stop of Ron Magill, animal expert and Zoo killing them and their habitats. Every hour Miami’s original zoo keeper (best job three species of plants or animals disap- at an animal as an ambassador for an protecting ourselves,” says Magill. “If title ever). pear forever, according to a U.N. report. environment, a link in the chain for the that sea ice and those glaciers melt, sea With more than 40 years’ experience, I urge you to take your kids to Zoo quality of life for us all. levels will rise. And our coastal proper- Magill believes a zoo’s primary respon- Miami to experience the magic of silver- In a perfect world, he adds, we ties, where the overwhelming majority of sibility is teaching people, especially back apes, black rhinos, Sumatran tigers, wouldn’t need zoos. In a perfect world, everybody lives, will become underwa- kids, to love nature. His deep knowledge Burmese pythons, flamingos, camels, and everybody would be able to go to Africa ter and worthless.” and enthusiasm changed my children’s on and on. To avoid crowds, arrive when to see an elephant in the Serengeti, go to Our zoo is just plain fun. “Magill relationship with wild animals forever. the zoo opens at 10:00 a.m., then sprint to India to see a tiger walking through the was like Doctor Doolittle. He’d talk to “In the end, you protect what you love, the far end and work your way back to the forest, go to the Arctic to see a polar bear the animals and they’d respond to him in you love what you understand, and you front. At that hour, before the midday heat, on sea ice. The reality is, most people their language,” my wife recounted after understand what you’re taught,” he says. you’ll likely find most of the animals out are not going to have that opportunity. witnessing his full dialogue with the A world-renowned wildlife photogra- enjoying the morning sunshine. Still, we must teach our kids that ani- chimps and elephants. Can you imagine pher and Emmy-winning television person- “More people go to zoos in the mals are to be respected and never feared, if the zoo is the last place to see (and talk ality, Magill grew up in New York City. United States than go to all Major only to be understood. Once we under- to) these majestic beauties? “My mother bringing me to the Bronx Zoo League baseball, NFL football, and stand what is important to them, we can “We have not inherited this earth was the first time I had a true connection NBA basketball games combined,” says take action to live in harmony with them. from our parents — we are borrowing it to wildlife,” he recalls. “You can see an Magill. Thus, zoos provide a vast and Even if you don’t like animals, even from our children,” Magill told us. animal in a photograph, you can watch a critical access point to nature. A world- if you don’t like the outdoors, if you Visit www.ZooMiami.org — and documentary, but there’s nothing like look- class zoo like ours reminds us that even value your quality of life, you must have kiss a giraffe! ing at an animal eye to eye.” in a big city, we’re all one big ecosystem, a responsibility to animals. The bees, I observed that same awe and en- all related and exquisite animals. butterflies, and bats pollinate our plants Stuart Sheldon is an award-winning chantment in my young boys’ eyes as they “Zoos are providing windows into that produce the fruits and vegetables artist, author, and Miami native. Follow stood before trumpeting elephants, pygmy the animal world and planting seeds in we eat. The trees create the oxygen we him on Facebook, Instagram @stuart_ hippos, and other exotic creatures at Zoo kids to understand the importance of breathe. The ice in Antarctica holds the sheldon and his blog, FancyNasty.us. Miami roaming in a natural habitat. protecting wildlife everywhere,” says bulk of our fresh water. “We met a Galapagos tortoise named Magill. “It’s no longer just looking at an “We’ve got to protect wildlife Goliath who was huge and extremely animal like in a circus — it’s looking because by protecting wildlife, we’re Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 59 Columnists: YOUR GARDEN

Garden Shakeup

It’s Sunday in the yard with Jeff BT photo by Jeff Shimonski

By Jeff Shimonski electric saw’s ability to chew through BT Contributor a thick fibrous palm trunk. I was much surprised! I was also surprised at how couple of months ago, I replanted long the battery lasted before it needed several bird’s nest ferns into my to be switched out (not at all). The sharp A garden. They had been growing blade (chain) cut through the trunks just in large containers that they’d outgrown as well as a gasoline-powered saw, but and needed to be replanted in a better without the noise! location, where they could reach their What a great tool for arborists. Now, full potential. This was done after I had obviously these saws and the batteries removed a couple of palms that were need to be improved and definitely do A happy bird’s nest fern atop a stack of palm trunks. getting too tall. I could use the now not replace the larger and more power- plentiful short pieces of cut palm trunk ful gasoline-operated chainsaws, but operations? Wow, imagine getting rid of bromeliads, ferns, and even gingers to build planters on the ground. they will improve. Imagine not having the noise from chainsaws and all of the grow on the trunks of trees and palms in The palms that I had removed were to transport cans of gasoline in your leaf blowers we’re subjected to every day the tropics and will benefit when planted species that can be prone to failing in a vehicle or store containers of gasoline on of the week, including Sunday. onto cut tree and palm trunks in your windstorm since they tend to have shallower your property to power your equipment. So the photo that accompanies this garden. root systems and evolved in a part of the Having managed large landscapes article is of a newly replanted Asple- Knowing that the fronds of this fern world that never got hurricanes or typhoons. in the past, I would definitely purchase a nium nidus, or bird’s nest ferns putting species can get up to seven or eight feet I hired an experienced, certified ar- couple of these electrical chainsaws with out a new set of leaves. They are called long, I planted the center of the fern borist to climb the trunks and cut down extra batteries. “fiddleheads” since the ends of the new about ten feet from the adjacent paver the palms in pieces, i.e., manageable And the noise level is lowered leaves look like the ends of a fiddle path so I won’t have to deal with fronds sections that I could use in the garden. dramatically! as they unfurl. The stack of cut palm blocking the pathway in the future. Once The most convenient day for me to have In my travels I come across many trunks has raised the central part of the these new fronds lay down onto the pre- this task accomplished is Sunday since contractors, not just arborists, who have fern about three feet off the ground. The ceding set of leaves, the fern will start to I work the other days during the week. I awful safety practices. This includes larger spaces between the root ball and look “fuller” and more symmetrical. was concerned for my neighbors whom workers or contractors performing jobs the trunks are loosely packed with a I expect this bird’s nest fern to send I didn’t want to experience the blast of for municipalities who apparently are not rough woody mulch. You don’t need to out about five or six sets of new “fiddle- loud noise from a chainsaw into their mandated or required to follow safety fill every space. The roots of the fern heads” this year. It will become a strik- homes, although there are neighbors and procedures and practices. Don’t you will envelop this woody mass to benefit ing specimen in my garden. nearby businesses that seem to produce want contractors working on your prop- from the decomposing wood. All I have hours’ worth of leaf blower noise every erty to work in a safe manner? Don’t you to do is irrigate about once a week. No Jeff Shimonski is an ISA-certified arbor- day of the week, even on Sundays. want the arborist or landscaper working fertilizer needed. ist municipal specialist, retired director This arborist had recently purchased on your property to stop spilling gaso- Over the years I have recycled and of horticulture at Parrot Jungle and a battery-operated electric chainsaw. line on your grass, on your expensive used cut logs of different tree and palm Jungle Island. Contact him at Thinking back on the electrically paver driveway, or in your landscape? species as “nurse logs” to cultivate many [email protected]. powered chainsaws that I had used in And don’t you want to lower the species of plants that typically grow the past, I had my doubts about the noise level from tree or landscape as epiphytes. Many species of orchids, Feedback: [email protected]

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60 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Columnists: GOING GREEN

The Big Beach Walk

Fort Lauderdale to South Beach. How hard is that? BT photo by Kim Ogren

By Kim Ogren essentially 150 miles from our back yard BT Contributor in Panama City Beach to Pensacola. Florida’s coastal access laws were re- am a walker. But for several years nowned, and we fully appreciated them. I wasn’t able to walk more than The space was there for me to explore I 20 steps. I hobbled everywhere in and learn, and it got in my bones very great pain. Having spent years sitting early in life. vigil, tending to my parents’ every need, Dad knew a thing or two about my muscles atrophied and joints got walking beaches. He set up a biological misaligned. research station in 1959 and walked at I would only learn this after my least ten miles on the soft sand in pitch- parents passed and I tried to spring back black beaches of Tortuguero, Costa into action. I spent more than two years Rica, every night. Over the years, he under some sort of medical supervision turned down promotions — “desk jobs,” or another. Ultimately, and with no indi- as he called them — in favor of sticking cation that it would be possible, I decided with the field work that kept him active one of our lakes. We can’t have that. We Metrorail stations, I have all but written I’d walk from Fort Lauderdale to South and learning. have to move her into the dementia wing, off my goal of being an involved citizen Beach. It was something I’d wanted to do Mom walked those beautiful which is locked.” of Miami-Dade and a friend to anyone for more than a decade. It’s not that far. shores of Panama City Beach what Ogren women do not do well in con- further than a bike ride away. I estimated 23 miles. Over the course of seems like every single day. Also ten fined environments. So when I moved Limiting my movement runs counter two days. miles. She had been a PE teacher and into a condo in Coral Gables in 2000, to my identity as a self-sufficient, in- “Can’t you get that done in one day?” compulsively kept a log of her walking you might say it was a huge change for dependent, adventurous, spontaneous, asked my husband, an avid runner. But activities and nutrition for years. We’d me. Friends far away have one of two and curious person. And what began as that wasn’t the point. There were many joke about how much she wanted to reactions about my Miami life: “Oh, you an itch became a full-body rash: “I just motivations and I was hoping for many donate her body to science. must love living in Miami with all the want to walk the beach.” experiences that I’ll be writing about I’ll never know to what extent she exciting things to see and those beautiful After years of hobbling, I decided I over the next couple of columns. was trying to outwalk the disease she beaches.” Or: “Oh, you must hate living was strong enough to walk and decided What started as a simple compul- suspected would come her way. Before in Miami with all those crowds, and how to set out from the northern tip of Dr. sion to walk my beach and to understand the fear of dementia, she was focused on do you even get to the beach?” Neither is Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park my community turned out to be about her cardiovascular health. Over time, her wrong, of course. on Day 1. I planned to arrive at South something bigger. I come from avid walks turned to falls and anxiety-ridden I used to nag my third-generation Pointe on Day 2. My ability to move walking parents, and after losing my escapes from uncomfortable situations — Miami-native husband, “Where’s this forward in space had become critical own stamina from caring for both of everything from overstimulating social neighborhood? Is that a neighborhood or to my well-being. Achieving a sense of them for the last years of their lives, I settings or cracks in the sidewalks to the city? How do I get there?” Only re- freedom on this walk was my first prior- never thought about how much this walk unfamiliar and scary surroundings of an cently have I accepted that I just can’t get ity. And I thought, if all went well, then would come to mean to me. assisted-living facility. around Miami-Dade like I’d like. While I’ll get to see so much that I’ve never In the panhandle, where I grew The week after they moved in, the we live in an extremely walkable and ac- seen before. up, my father reminded me often about managers called me. “We’re afraid she cessible spot, adjacent to the University how lucky we were to be able to walk will run out the front door and fall into of Miami, just one block from one of 22 Feedback: [email protected]

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 61 Columnists: VINO

New World Reds That Aren’t Cabernet Sauvignon Red, white, and you: Agreeable wine for $15 or less

By Jacqueline Coleman and I hope this bottle will make you think, easy- drinking wines, and BT Contributor “The devil with avoiding Merlot.” this one is perfect to enjoy Another Washington wine to look on its own. or those of you who’ve been out for is the 2017 Upper Left Syrah. It’s not hard to find non- practicing “dry January,” welcome Washington State is known for boldness Cabernet reds at a value Fback to the world of wine. We’ve when it comes to red wines, and this coming out of South Amer- missed you, and we’re ready to resume bottle will not leave you wondering why. ica, and the 2017 Amalaya trying new bottles and grapes. Fruity but with that signature Syrah Malbec is a great example Speaking of trying something new, pepper, Upper Left is both supple and of that. Amalaya, mean- it’s true that when you visit most wine approachable. Strawberry and blackber- ing “hope for a miracle” shops, you’ll see a lot of the same styles ry come together to add intense flavors, in Argentina’s indigenous The Spier Pinotage and the Conscious Pinot and types of wines. For instance, Caber- but overall, you’ve got a balanced bottle. languages, is a wine made Noir are $11.99, and the Anakena Carménère net Sauvignon grapes make some of the One of the shockers of the bunch is from grapes grown in the is $9.99 at the North Miami Total Wine & More most popular red wines, and if you pay the 2018 Conscious Pinot Noir from the highest-altitude vineyards (14750 Biscayne Blvd., 305-354-3270). Whole attention, you’ll see rows and rows of Willamette Valley in Oregon, priced at of Salta. The high altitude Foods Market in North Miami (305-892-5505) Cabernet at almost every store. In the New under $12. This is a steal of a wine. Hardly contributes to concentrated carries the Upper Left Syrah for $9.99. Publix World, which means those wine-producing ever do you find an Oregon Pinot priced fruit with bold flavors. This at Biscayne and 18th (305-358-3433) has the regions outside of Europe, we especially this low, and it’s an excellent value wine Malbec is actually a blend Velvet Devil Merlot for $13.29. The Peachy see a lot of this grape variety. Think about that shows regional varietal character just with ten percent Tannat and Canyon Incredible Red Zinfandel is $10.99 how often you hear the phrase “Napa Cab.” like its more expensive cousins. Bright five percent Petit Verdot. It’s and the Amalaya Malbec is $12.99 at the North There’s nothing wrong with this grape, but red cherry syrup, vanilla, and blackberry a dense and brooding wine, Miami ABC Fine Wine and Spirits (14025 there are so many other bottles and blends jam aromas join tart cherry flavors in the thanks to the depth of the Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-6525). to try when it comes to reds. mouth. Surprisingly perfect acidity makes contributing grapes. Inkier In the spirit of exploration, let’s think this a great food-pairing Pinot. than your average Malbec, Pinotage is something of a South African beyond Cabernet, and try one of these I wasn’t going to leave the U.S. Amalaya is bold but soft. specialty. The 2018 Spier Pinotage is bottles of economical New World reds. without mentioning a California alterna- Across the Andes in Chile, the 2018 the perfect wine to include with grilled Venture north from Napa to Wash- tive, but you’ll have to head down the Anakena Carménère out of the Central burgers topped with earthy mushrooms. ington State, where the 2017 Velvet Devil Central Coast to Paso Robles for this Valley is one big pepper bomb on the nose, Smokey on the finish, with some white Merlot is made. I know that Merlot has one. Peachy Canyon is a staple winery in with supporting aromas of cherry and pepper and lingering cinnamon spice, had a bad reputation ever since the movie that area, and its 2016 Peachy Canyon strawberry. A luscious wine, Carménère along with a mixed bag of berries and Sideways, but it’s time you gave it another “Incredible Red” Zinfandel is a clas- is a perfect accompaniment to any meat plum flavors. Noticeable tannins but easy try. This bottle is silky smooth with sic example of this varietal. Think red prepared with a spice pack. Think pep- drinking, this is a New World red wine grippy tannins and spice on the finish. berry pie filling with a hint of ultra-ripe pery pork chops and Anakena Carménère. to revisit again and again. Juicy, jammy, and full bodied, the Velvet blueberries. No stickiness to the tannins, Overall, this is great option for under $10. Devil lives up to its name. Cabernet just a gooey smooth, mouthful of berries The best for last? A grape that’s a lovers will appreciate the darker flavors, type of wine. Zinfandels are usually cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, Feedback: [email protected]

62 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Columnists: DISH South Beach Wine & Food Festival Returns Courtesy SOBEWFF Food news we know you can use

By Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne Stanzione from Stanzione 87 (87 SW Rubin 8th St., 786-360-1852) in Brickell, Jim BT Contributors Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery, and Frank Pinello of Pizza Tropical (176 t’s almost that time of the year again: NW 24th St., 855-732-8992). All guests South Beach Wine & Food Festival. will receive a signed copy of Genuine IFrom February 19 to 23, thousands of Pizza: Better Pizza at Home written by hungry ticket holders will descend upon Schwartz himself. Miami to eat some of the city’s best bites If you don’t feel like staying out and mingle with their favorite celebrity late, try your hand at making daiqui- diagnosis. Burnt ends, beef ribs, and a softshell crab jalea, and bone-in ribeye. chefs. Don’t let the name fool you: You ris and pastelitos with the “pastelito monstrous baked potato are some of the What will really catch your eye is the don’t have to be on the beach to enjoy papi” himself, Giovanni Fesser. Fesser, highlights on this flavorful menu. We’ve pisco cocktail menu, whose variety is the festivities. More and more events who’s known for his inventive pastries already been back four times since it reason enough to make repeat visits; are making their way to other local at Chug’s Diner in Coconut Grove, will opened — it’s that good. there’s nothing quite like it in town. neighborhoods. be showing you firsthand how to craft Not too far away, the old Paulie In the same neighborhood, Luna Among the new events on the the iconic item with a variety of fillings. Gee’s space has been transformed into Park (701 S. Miami Ave.) opened for mainland this year is Gospel & Falafel, Meanwhile, guests will also hone their Sottosale (8001 Biscayne Blvd., 786- business at the former La Centrale space. hosted by buzzworthy baker Zak Stern. skills at making classic daiquiris with 634-1005). Like the space’s former The new Italian food hall in Brickell His namesake Wynwood bakery Zak the Havana Club rum. The best part: Guests occupant, Sottosale offers a range of City Centre will hopefully fare better Baker (405 NW 26th St., 786-280-0327) won’t have to travel all the way west pizzas at a reasonable price point. But than its predecessor, which fought with will be open long past closing time to to the Grove. The event will be taking it also offers so much more: The new Casa Tua Cocina — yet another Italian serve guests well into the night. Joining place at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spir- neighborhood joint provides guests with food hall — for shoppers’ attention. The him will be several friends, including its showcase facility in Wynwood. a full menu of Mediterranean and Italian redesigned space is home to a market Brad Kilgore of Alter (223 NW 23rd specialties like fritto misto, veal scalop- along with multiple sit-down restaurants St., 305-573-5996) and Valerie Chang of OPENINGS pini, and tagliatelle alla Bolognese. The serving pizza, seafood, vegetarian fare, Itamae (140 NE 39th St., #241, 786-542- SoBe Wine & Food Festival isn’t the real draw? The restaurant’s big specials, and more. 8977). As guests enjoy their creations only newsworthy thing in town. Some which change depending on the day. Pop throughout the night, they’ll also be much-anticipated restaurants finally in on a Tuesday for discounted pasta or Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne treated to the sweet sounds of Minister made their debut as of late. Chef Richard Thursday for specials on local beer. No Rubin-Anderson are co-founders of Desmond Jackson and the Sovereign Hales, the name behind Sakaya Kitchen matter when you visit, you’ll find some- Miami Food Pug, an award-winning Ministries. and Blackbrick Chinese, launched his thing that’s easy on your budget. South Florida food blog that fuses the On Friday, February 21, a late-night Texas-inspired BBQ concept, Society Down south, Brickell welcomed couple’s love of dogs and food. pizza party by renowned chef Michael BBQ (8300 NE 2nd Ave.), at The Citadel Osaka Cocina Nikkei (1300 Brickell Schwartz will take over the Design food hall. Originally slated for early Bay Dr., 786-627-4800) and its Peruvian- Send us your tips and alerts: District’s Jungle Plaza. The all-inclusive 2019, the restaurant was delayed due to a Japanese fare to the area. The usual [email protected] festivities will feature both local and number of medical setbacks experienced suspects like ceviche and sushi are on out-of-state talent, including Franco by Hales, including a thyroid cancer the menu, along with seafood rice skillet, Feedback: [email protected]

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February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 63 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

Restaurant Listings The Biscayne Corridor’s most comprehensive restaurant guide. Total this month: 256 NEW THIS MONTH Restaurant listings for the BT Dining Guide are (named for fishing area 31, stretching from the Carolinas written by Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne to South America) isn’t a glamorous dining setting. But we’d eat outside. From the expansive terrace of the Epic Rubin of Miami Food Pug (MFP), Andrew condo and hotel on the Miami River, the views of Brickell’s MIAMI McLees (AM), Mandy Baca (MB), and the late high-rises actually make Miami look like a real city. It’s hard to decide whether the eats or drinks are the most Pamela Robin Brandt (PRB) (restaurants@bis- impressive. The food is impeccably fresh regional fish, MIDTOWN / WYNWOOD / DESIGN DISTRICT caynetimes.com). Every effort has been made prepared in a clean Mediterranean-influenced style. The cocktails are genuinely creative. Luckily you don’t have to Spanglish Craft Cocktail Bar + Kitchen to ensure accuracy, but restaurants frequently choose one or the other. $$$-$$$$ (PRB) 2808 N. Miami Ave., 786-870-4258 change menus, chefs, and operating hours, so Whimsical cocktails and cuisine await at Spanglish in Wynwood. Run by the same team as its casual sports bar American Social neighbor Grails, this Latin-inspired eatery features playful plates like croqueta bao buns alongside more serious please call ahead to confirm information. Icons 690 SW 1st Ct., 305-223-7004 fare such as arroz con pollo, churrasco tiraditos, and dry-aged ribeye — it’s the best of both worlds. The real draw, ($$$) represent estimates for a typical meal The gastropub grows up, offering a huge modern play- though, are the larger-than-life libations, coming in cool containers like popcorn bags and animal-shaped glasses. If ground for the social butterfly to enjoy all aspects of life. there’s one word to describe Spanglish, it’s fun. $-$$$ (MFP) without wine, tax, or tip. Hyphenated icons From indulgent chicken and waffles at brunch to open- ($-$$$) indicate a significant range in prices faced short rib flatbreads at dinner, dozens of craft beers Omakai Sushi between lunch and dinner. and a long list of cocktails for happy hour, flat-screen TVs 2107 NW 2nd Ave., 786-579-9995 to watch all the important games, and even an area to Omakase experiences can be pricey, often breaking into the triple digits. At Omakai, however, a memorable chef’s $ = $10 and under dock your boat. Your most difficult task will be choosing choice experience can be had for under $50. The three tasting menus offered by Omakai provide guests with varying between plush indoor seating and outdoor riverside seat- amounts of sushi and sashimi, including blue crab, yellowtail, and white fish. It’s a lot of dishes for your money, and $$ = $20 ing. $$-$$$$ (MB) Omakai offers affordable à la carte options as well. Don’t let the low prices fool you. This is darn good food. $-$$$ (MFP) $$$ = $30 Arson $$$$ = $40 104 NE 2nd Ave., 786-717-6711 James Beard-nominated chef Deme Lomas is known for his UPPER EASTSIDE $$$$$ = $50 and over Spanish tapas restaurant NIU Kitchen in downtown Miami, but his latest venture is poised to steal the spotlight. Located Sottosale just a stone’s throw from NIU Kitchen, Arson remedies some 8001 Biscayne Blvd., 786-634-1005 of that restaurant’s shortcomings — a tight space and limited Hearty pastas, delicious pizzas, succulent meats — Sottosale covers all the bases. This Italian addition to the MIAMI menu — to craft a distinct yet familiar experience that will Upper Eastside is serving up all the classics and then some. You’ll find the usual menu staples like spaghetti and appeal to NIU fans and first-timers alike. The Josper charcoal tagliatelle joined by less common sights such as pipette. A double thick pork chop, slow-cooked lamb shank, and Brickell / Downtown oven makes meats like the Patagonian lamb chops and culotte steak round out the protein offerings. Daily specials like Pasta Tuesday — $10 pastas! — give you a chance Angus grass-fed skirt steak come out perfect; one bite of to check out the restaurant without breaking the bank. $-$$ (MFP) either will entice you to order a second round. $$$ (MFP) ADDiKT 485 Brickell Ave., 305-503-0373 Balans NORTH MIAMI BEACH So long, 15th and Vine. The now-shuttered W Miami res- 901 S. Miami Ave., (Mary Brickell Village), taurant has been replaced by a more playful, approachable 305-534-9191 Hadekel 1 spot: ADDiKT. While the dishes have cheeky names like Open until 4:00 a.m. on weekends, this London import 2500 NE 186th St. “Banh-Who? Banh-Me” (a Vietnamese pork belly sandwich) (Miami’s second Balans) offers a sleeker setting than its Hadekel 1’s motto is “coffee and friends,” but there’s much more to the place than that. The kosher establishment and “Juan in a Million” (shrimp tacos), this is some serious perennially popular Lincoln Road progenitor, but the same specializes in Israeli and Central European delicacies, with a big emphasis on pastries. Customers can pick up international cuisine. The view alone is worth the visit — simple yet sophisticated global menu. The indoor space rugelach and babka for the road or sit down and enjoy them during a leisurely brunch. Savory fans have plenty to any seat offers a breathtaking look at Brickell. Breakfast, can get mighty loud, but lounging on the dog-friendly out- choose from, too, with avocado toast, shakshuka, and pitas making up just a small part of the diverse menu. And brunch, lunch, and dinner. No matter the meal, the creative door terrace, over a rich croque monsieur (which comes of course, there’s coffee. $ (MFP) menu will keep you on your toes. $$-$$$ (MFP) with an alluringly sweet/sour citrus-dressed side salad), a lobster club on onion toast, some surprisingly solid Asian Alloy Bistro fusion item s, and a cocktail is one of Miami’s more relax- 154 SE 1st Ave., 786-773-2742 ing experiences. $$-$$$ (PRB) SUNNY ISLES BEACH Deep within the bowels of an otherwise unspectacular Cut 38 Steakhouse swath of urban sprawl lies a small but wondrous urban Bali Café 18090 Collins Ave., 305-933-7080 oasis where the food is fresh, creative, and presented 109 NE 2nd Ave., 305-358-5751 with playful finesse. Chef Federico Genovese’s imaginative While Indonesian food isn’t easy to find in Miami, downtown Guests seeking a classic steakhouse experience will find it at Cut 38. The establishment offers exactly what you’d Mediterranean fusion menu rotates daily, and features has secret stashes — small joints catering to cruise-ship and expect: starters like jumbo prawn cocktail and thick cut bacon; filet mignon, New York strip, and a variety of differ- fresh, seasonally driven recipes whose ingredients are construction workers. This cute, exotically decorated café has ent steak cuts; and key lime pie and other traditional desserts. While there aren’t any surprises to be found here, sourced both locally and overseas. On a recent visit, noth- survived and thrived for good reason. The homey cooking what’s on the menu is exceptional. This level of quality coupled with an impeccable wait staff makes for a meal ing fell short of divine: the 24-hour short rib served over is delicious, and the friendly family feel encourages even that’s a cut above the rest. $$-$$$$$ (MFP) aged white cheddar and topped with mashed potatoes the timid of palate to try something new. Novices will want was expertly prepared. A show-stopping take on a classic Indonesia’s signature rijsttafel, a mix-and-match collection blueberry tart dessert served with coconut foam garnished of small dishes and condiments to be heaped on rice. Note: with powdered green tea was an inspired way to end the bring cash. No plastic accepted here. $-$$ (PRB) Big Easy pork/mushroom/water chestnut filling and tamarind night. Even the bread was baked to perfection and served 701 S. Miami Ave., 786-866-9854 sauce. $$ (PRB) with the most fragrant olive oil I’ve ever had the pleasure Balloo If you visit Big Easy with expectations of po’boys, muffu- of tasting. If there is an oyster’s pearl to be found in the 19 SE 2nd Ave., Suite #4, 786-534-2768 lettas, and beignets, you’re going to be very disappointed. Boulud Sud heart of downtown Miami, this is it. $$$ (AM) Chef Timon Balloo of Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill has gon- The restaurant has nothing to do with New Orleans — it’s 255 Biscayne Blvd. Way, 305-421-8800 eback to his roots with his eponymous concept, Balloo. actually the nickname for South African golf pro Ernie Those mourning the loss of db Bistro Moderne in down- All Day At this cozy eatery, guests feel right at home – literally. Els, one of the restaurant’s partners. Here’s what you can town Miami now have reason to smile. Renowned chef 1035 N. Miami Ave., 305-699-3447 The inviting décor makes it feel like someone’s house expect: delectable South African cuisine incorporating a Daniel Boulud hasn’t given up on South Florida. He’s Here is a stroke of inspired insanity: an artisanal coffee as opposed to a restaurant. The menu reflects Balloo’s wealth of flavors and spices. Start with the Boerie Bites — brought down his popular Mediterranean concept Boulud shop and all-day breakfast bistro at the edge of downtown diverse heritage: Chinese, Trinidadian, and Indian influ- they look like mini-hot dogs but elevated — then work your Sud to fill the space. Items like lamb flatbread, grilled Miami’s clubland corridor. Fans of breakfast have plenty ences abound in dishes like curry goat, spam fried rice, way to the bison ribeye and the toasted couscous risotto, octopus, and Baharat chicken have replaced the French- to fawn over, including a delicious baked egg and leek and burnt cabbage with crispy pork. Things can get a little which can double as a meal. $$-$$$$ (MFP) focused fare of Sud’s predecessor. Although much of the skillet served with a side of toasted baguette, and a curi- spicy, so prepare your palate accordingly. $-$$ (MFP) restaurant has changed, one thing hasn’t: It’s still home to ously exotic poached egg and congee bowl. Sandwiches Bonding one of the best happy hours in the city. $$-$$$ (MFP) and salads are also available. The space is bright and Bengal Indian Cuisine 638 S. Miami Ave., 786-409-4794 accented with beautiful natural woods, and sports some 109 NE 1st St., 305-403-1976 From trend-spotting restaurateur Bond Trisansi (originator Café Bastille seriously hip flourishes including a neon drink menu illumi- To say that there’s a lack of Indian restaurants in South of Mr. Yum and 2B Asian Bistro), this small spot draws 248 SE 1st St., 786-425-3575 nating the coffee station. Single-origin coffee is a specialty Florida would be an understatement. Thankfully, Bengal a hip crowd with its affordable menu of redesigned tra- Anyone looking for brunch, a quick lunch or dinner would here and the baristas prepare it with effortless finesse. Indian Cuisine in downtown Miami helps bolster the coun- ditional Thai dishes, wildly imaginative sushi makis, and be remiss to snub Café Bastille, a quaint bistro that practi- For the weekend warriors, after the all-night EDM bender, ty’s slim offerings with tasty classics like chicken tikka unique signature Asian fusion small plates. Highlights cally vanishes against downtown Miami’s dreary cityscape. thankfully there is All Day. $$ (AM) masala, pakora (lentil-based vegetable fritters), and naan include tastebud-tickling snapper carpaccio; an elegant Once inside, however, this modern French eatery oozes bread. Although they warrant their prices, the à la carte nest of mee krob (sweet, crisp rice noodles); blessedly charm and boasts seriously hearty portions, especially dur- Area 31 offerings for dinner can quickly put a dent in your dining non-citrus-drenched tuna tataki, drizzled with spicy-sweet ing brunch. The ham and salmon benedicts as well as the 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, 305-424-5234 budget. Instead, take advantage of the generous lunch Juneo and wasabi cream sauce; greed-inducing “bags of crêpes are phenomenal, and no French meal is complete Not that the sleek interior of this seafood restaurant buffet that won’t break the bank. $-$$ (MFP) gold,” deep-fried wonton beggar’s purses with a shrimp/ without sampling dessert. For dinner, try the filet mignon de

64 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 GREEK THURSDAYS boeuf served over a creamy peppercorn sauce. Remember in citrus-spiked chili/cream sauce). But traditional fusion to ask about daily specials; it’s easy to overlook the tiny dishes like Chinese-Peruvian Chaufa fried rice (packed board located in the back of the restaurant. $$ (AM) with jumbo shrimp, mussels, and calamari) are also fun, as well as surprisingly affordable. $$ (PRB) Café at Books & Books 1300 Biscayne Blvd., 305-695-8898 DC Pie Co. Traditional Greek Food every Thursday, Adding unique literary/culinary arts components to the Arsht 1010 Brickell Ave., Suite 200, 786-453-6888 Center, this casual indoor/outdoor café, directed by Chef Lucali co-founder Dominic Cavagnuolo has created a Allen Susser (arguably Miami’s earliest and most dedicated sister brand to his beloved Miami Beach pizza joint. A dinner time local-ingredients booster), serves fresh and fun farm-to-table more casual affair, DC Pie Co. caters to solo diners with its smaller pies. Toppings here are generous and varied. You fare all day, everyday — unlike the Arsht’s upscale Brava!, can load up your pizza with pork sausage, artichoke hearts, open only for pre-performance dinners. Especially delightful basil, and much more. Baked items like beef meatballs and vegetarian/vegan dishes range from snacks like cornmeal- chicken wings help round out the experience, while craft battered “urban pickles” with dill tsatziki to a hefty curried cocktails like Manhattans and gimlets give you an addition- cauliflower steak. Major breakfast pluses include heritage al reason to stick around (and come back). $-$$ (MFP) pork hash, eggs with Miami Smokers bacon, and free parking till 10:00 a.m. (in Lot C). $-$$$ (PRB) DIRT 900 S. Miami Ave. #125, 786-235-8033 Cantina La Veinte DIRT, South Beach’s popular clean-eating concept, has 495 Brickell Ave., 786-623-6135 brought its talents to Mary Brickell Village. The restau- In a spectacularly stylized indoor/outdoor waterfront setting, rant’s third location features an extensive menu that this first U.S. venture from Mexico’s Cinbersol Group serves has Brickell diners covered from morning to evening. upscale modern Mexican fare with international influences Breakfast is served all day here, so if you want a frittata transcending Tex-Mex. No ground-beef tacos here. Rather, tostada or matcha pancakes at 3:00 p.m., DIRT can make fillings range from cochinita pibil (pork in achiote/orange it happen. Tasty toasts — including the ever-present avoca- sauce) to grilled bone marrow — even escamoles: butter- do variety — and sandwiches abound, but it’s the seasonal sautéed ant eggs. For the less adventurous, fried calamari platters that will keep you coming back. $$ (MFP) with a Jamaican-inspired hibiscus reduction or dobladitas de jaibas suave, delectibly crunchy softshell crabs wrapped Dolores, But You Can Call Me Lolita in flour tortillas with creamy/kicky jalapeño sauce, are irre- 1000 S. Miami Ave., 305-403-3103 sistible. Bonus: A specialty market/deli with imported pack- From the stylish setting in Miami’s historic Firehouse aged goods, cheeses, pastries, more. $$$ (PRB) No. 4, one would expect a mighty pricy meal. But entrées, which range from Nuevo Latino-style ginger/orange-glazed Casa Tua Cucina pork tenderloin to a platter of Kobe mini-burgers, all cost 70 SW 7th St., 305-755-0320 either $18 or $23. And the price includes an appetizer — Casa Tua, the Miami Beach institution, has made its way no low-rent crapola, either, but treats like Serrano ham to the mainland. Unlike the South Beach location, this out- croquetas, a spinach/leek tart with Portobello mushroom post of Casa Tua isn’t an Italian restaurant — it’s an Italian sauce, or shrimp-topped eggplant timbales. The best seats food hall. Located inside Saks Fifth Avenue at Brickell City are on the glam rooftop patio. $$$ (PRB) Centre, the first-floor concept is made up of various dedicated stations. Those craving pasta can choose from sev- Edge, Steak & Bar eral delicious white- and red-sauce dishes, while guests 1435 Brickell Ave., 305-358-3535 in the mood for pizza have no shortage of selections. Replacing the Four Seasons’ formal fine dining spot $11 - $15 Portions are big, so come hungry. $$-$$$ (MFP) Acqua, Edge offers a more kick-back casual welcoming vibe. And in its fare there’s a particularly warm welcome Cipriani for non-carnivores. Chef-driven seafood items (several 465 Brickell Ave., 786-329-4090 inventive and unusually subtle ceviches and tartares; a Derived, like all Cipriani family restaurants worldwide, from layered construction of corvina encrusted in a jewel-bright legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice (a favorite of Truman Capote, green pesto crust, atop red piquillo sauce stripes and Hemingway, and other famous folks since 1931), this glam- salad; lobster corn soup packed with sweet lobster meat; orous indoor/outdoor riverfront location in Icon has two abso- more) and a farm-to-table produce emphasis make this lutely must-not-miss menu items, both invented at Harry’s one steakhouse where those who don’t eat beef have no and reproduced here to perfection: beef carpaccio (drizzled beef. $$$$-$$$$$ (PRB) artfully with streaks of creamy-rich mustard vinaigrette, not mere olive oil) and the Bellini (a cocktail of prosecco, not The Egg Spot champagne, and fresh white peach juice). Venetian-style 228 SE 1st St., 786-803-8329 liver and onions could convert even liver-loathers. Finish with The team behind Butcher Shop in Wynwood is now trying elegant vanilla meringue cake. $$$$$ (PRB) their hand at breakfast. Located in downtown Miami, the Egg Spot’s claim to fame is its eggy morning fare. Guests Clove Mediterranean Kitchen will find hearty bites like the Son of a Butcher, a filling 195 SE 3rd Ave., 786-717-6788 smoked brisket and egg sandwich, and the Bridge & Clove Mediterranean Kitchen whips up affordable Tunnel, a tasty Taylor ham and croissant creation. Dieters and healthy fare for the businessperson on the go. have nothing to fear, as there are many lighter — and Streamlined counter service offers a selection of basic more lunch-appropriate — selections like salads and During building blocks: a base (pita, bowl, or salad), a dip or “power bowls” available. $ (MFP) spread, proteins and veggies, and toppings and dress- Dinner ings, including smoked paprika mustard, honey and Fratelli Milano orange tahini, and creamy feta. Although the cuisine 213 SE 1st St., 305-373-2300 Time tends toward the light side of Mediterranean cooking, Downtown isn’t yet a 24/7 urban center, but it’s experi- portion sizes are undeniably hearty, making Clove a encing a mini explosion of eateries open at night. That serious value. With its hip, clean, fast-casual appeal and includes this family-owned ristorante, where even new- above average cuisine, this is a welcome addition to the comers feel at home. At lunch it’s almost impossible to bustling downtown neighborhood, where people are hun- resist panini, served on foccacia or crunchy ciabatta; even gry for exciting alternatives to the brown bag lunch and the vegetarian version bursts with complex and comple- leftovers. $-$$ (AM) mentary flavors. During weekday dinners, try generous plates of risotto with shrimp and grilled asparagus; home- Crazy About You made pastas like seafood-packed fettuccine al scoglio; or $11 Pasta 1155 Brickell Bay Dr. #101, 305-377-4442 delicate Vitello alla Milanese on arugula. $$-$$$ (PRB) The owners, and budget-friendly formula, are the same here as at older Dolores, But You Can Call Me Lolita: Garcia’s Seafood Grille and Fish Market Buy an entrée (all under $20) from a sizable list of 398 NW N. River Dr., 305-375-0765 Mediterranean, Latin, American, or Asian-influenced choic- Run by a fishing family for a couple of generations, this es (like Thai-marinated churrasco with crispy shoestring venerable Florida fish shack is the real thing. No worries fries) and get an appetizer for free, including substantial about the seafood’s freshness; on their way to the dining Wednesdays stuff like a Chihuahua cheese casserole with chorizo and deck overlooking the Miami River, diners can view the retail pesto. The difference: This place, housed in the former fish market. Best preparations are the simplest. When stone location of short-lived La Broche, has an even more crabs are in season, Garcia’s claws are as good as Joe’s but upscale ambiance than Dolores — including a million- considerably cheaper. The local fish sandwich is most popu- dollar water view. $$$ (PRB) lar – grouper, yellowtail snapper, or mahi mahi. $-$$ (PRB) Crust Hokasan 668 NW 5th St., 305-371-7065 21 SW 11th St. Chef-restaurateur Klime Kovaceski is back, and we are oh Chinese restaurants are few and far between in Brickell. Enter Hokasan, a low-key dim sum spot where dumpling -Beef Bourguignon Pappardelle with baby vegetables so glad. Not only does his pizza-focused restaurant fill a lovers have plenty of reasons to rejoice. This Brickell hole in the neighborhood, it offers a cozy space that feels locale specializes in the doughy bundles of joy, which more like someone’s rustic home. A lot of thought went comprise most of the menu. You know the drill: Fill out the -Ravioli Porcini with cheese blendMiami (Parmesan,Gorgonzola, Shores (786) 907-4924 ricotta, into their crusts, and it shows — sturdy enough to hold form with your picks — make sure to throw in some classic less traditional ingredients like perfectly cooked octopus pork and cabbage dumplings — and prepare for some fla- Mozzarella) and steak, and still doughy on the inside. The medium at vorful fare. Chilled tapas like yuzu miso mushrooms and 14 inches and 6 slices is large enough for two, and there okra will help round out your appetite. $-$$ (MFP) will still be leftovers. Delivery available. $$ (MB) Il Gabbiano -Eggplant Lasagna CVI.CHE 105 335 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-373-0063 9801 NE 2ND Avenue 105 NE 3rd Ave., 305-577-3454 Its location at the mouth of the Miami River makes this Fusion food — a modern invention? Not in Peru, where ultra-upscale Italian spot (especially the outdoor terrace) -Oven baked gnocchi with chicken, smoked tomato sauce native and Euro-Asian influences have mixed for more the perfect power lunch/business dinner alternative than a century. But chef Juan Chipoco gives the ceviches to steakhouses. And the culinary experience goes way and tiraditos served at this hot spot his own unique spin. beyond the typical meat market, thanks in part to the Specialties include flash-marinated raw seafood cre- flood of freebies that’s a trademark of Manhattan’s Il -Fettuccine with zucchini, fresh onions, herbs, Feta sauce ations, such as tiradito a la crema de rocoto (sliced fish Mulino, originally run by Il Gabbiano’s owners. The rest

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 65 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS of the food? Pricy, but portions are mammoth. And the outpost is full of modern flourishes that make the place Hipon (shrimp in sour broth). For many, however, the main seats! What to eat? Ceviches, natch. But grilled or raw champagne-cream-sauced housemade ravioli with black pop. One thing hasn’t changed, though: the sight-for-sore- event is the halo-halo, a popular Filipino dessert made with fish/seafood tacos and burritos, in fresh tortillas, might truffles? Worth every penny. $$$$$ (PRB) eyes ventanita serving Cuban coffee. $-$$ (MFP) shaved ice and evaporated milk, topped with a mélange of be even more tempting. Pristine stone-crab claws from ingredients, including sweet red and white beans, bananas, co-owner Roger Duarte’s George Stone Crab add to the Jaguar Sun Lost Boy Dry Goods coconut, sweet potato, coco jellies, leche flan, and milk. choices. $$ (PRB) 230 NE 4th St., 786-860-2422 157 E. Flagler St., 305-372-7303 The boodle fight platter is piled high with an assortment Jaguar Sun might seem like a standard lobby bar. It’s not. After 6:00 p.m., downtown Miami tends to be a ghost of meat, rice, and vegetables on a bed of banana leaves. N by Naoe This is a menu that both welcomes and challenges guests. town. That’s not the case at Lost Boy Dry Goods, a former- First conceived in the mess halls of the Filipino military, 661 Brickell Key Dr., 305-947-6263 Pastas like bucatini and rigatoni make up most of the clothing-store-turned-bar that offers a generous happy the boodle fight platter encourages eating with your hands. Like local secret-star chef Kevin Cory’s dinner-only large plates here, with smaller plates like ’nduja toast and hour. Throughout the evening (and well into the night), When checking in, remember to keep your mind and stom- Naoe, newer lunch-only N by Naoe shares a reserva - Parker house rolls rounding out the satisfying food offer- Lost Boy’s welcoming staff pours gin and tonics, jungle- ach wide open. $-$$ (AM) tions-only, omakase-only (chef’s choice) policy— and ings. On the cocktail side, Jaguar Sun juxtaposes familiar birds, and other classic libations at affordable neighbor- actually shares the same door. Turn left for Naoe, right spirits with out-of-the-box selections that will keep you hood prices. Complementing these drinks is an extensive Meraki Greek Bistro for N. Main differences: N has one elegant communal coming back to not only imbibe but also learn. $-$$ (MFP) bar bites menu featuring cheese boards, German pretzels, 142 SE 1st Ave., 786-773-1535 table, perfect for impressive power lunches (vs. Naoe’s and hefty sandwiches paired with delicious Zapp’s potato Tucked away in an unassuming and quaint nook of down- intimate individual seating), and prix fixe lunches are Katsuya chips. For a quieter time, come for lunch. $-$$ (MFP) town Miami, Meraki Greek Bistro is a pleasant surprise for $80 vs. $200 for dinner. Admittedly, lunch is abbrevi - 8 SE 8th St., 305-859-0200 anyone hunting for an urban hideaway. With a pride that is ated: soup and multi-course bento box plus one des- Fans of Miami Beach’s Katsuya no longer have to cross the Luke’s Lobster palpable, this bright little bistro boasts friendly service and sert, without the dozen or so sushi dishes. But bentos bridge to get their sushi fix. Located at the SLS Lux in Brickell, Brickell City Centre, 701 S. Miami Ave., #353, delicious Mediterranean medium to large plates. Sample are much bigger (seven compartments vs. four), and this latest branch of the popular Asian restaurant features 786-837-7683 Mediterranean fare à la carte from Meraki’s souvlaki equally unique. Think of N as a relatively bargain-priced many of its sister location’s favorites, along with new soon-to- Lobster rolls are tiny, sometimes overpriced slices of (skewer) bar, or share a poikilies (family meal). Specials are introduction to Naoe, or as a revelatory dining experi - be favorites like A5 fried rice with wagyu beef and tea-smoked luxury, especially when portions run about as small as also served daily, further expounding upon all of the won- ence on its own. $$$$$ (PRB) duck confit leeks. Although the design of this Brickell beauty your average New York City apartment. This is not the derfully slow-cooked options on the menu. Meraki Greek may be minimalist, the food is not — it speaks volumes, and case at Luke’s Lobster, the venerable New England fast- Bistro offers everything you’d hope for in casual dining at a Naoe you’ll want definitely want to listen. $$$-$$$$ (MFP) casual chain championing traceable, sustainable seafood. reasonable price. When it comes to Greek, the proof is in 661 Brickell Key Dr., 305-947-6263 Luke’s understands the key to its destination status baklava — and these guys nail it. $-$$ (AM) Chances are you’ve never had anything like the $200 Komodo involves copious amounts of fresh lobster (1/4 pound, to prix-fixe Japanese dinner at Kevin Cory’s tiny but 801 Brickell Ave., 305-534-2211 internationally acclaimed oasis, but trust us: It’s one Accommodating a whopping 300 seats, this contemporary of those rare, exhilarating, instantly revelatory Eureka! three-floor behemoth blurs the line between restaurant dining adventures that’ll keep you thinking about it and lounge. An indoor/outdoor layout festooned with for years. The reservations-only, omakase-only (chef’s floating bird-nest pods creates a treehouse ambiance choice) meals begin with a subtly inventive seasonal enhanced only by Southeast Asian fusion of tuna porter- soup true to both Japanese tastes and local terroir (like house, lobster onion rings, skewers of miso black cod, and miso/fresh Homestead corn) and a four-course bento wasabi shrimp. $$$$$ (MB) box of the chef’s creations, proceed to about a dozen sushi dishes eons above others in Miami, and end with La Estación American Brasserie three desserts. Always changing, always astonishing. 600 NW 1st Ave., 786-490-2949 $$$$$ (PRB) The flagship restaurant of the Virgin Trains/Brightline station is a beast, both in size and in quality. The spacious NIU Kitchen downtown restaurant is located in a transportation hub, NOW OPEN! 134 NE 2nd Ave., 786-542-5070 so the cuisine has to cater to a variety of tastes, and it This contemporary Catalan eatery is located, according to does so successfully. Seafood is a large part of the menu, its three playful proprietors, “somewhere between Dali’s which features highlights like Maine lobster sliders and moustache and Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia.” Actually, it’s in seafood pasta. Another standout is the steak frites. These the heart of downtown, but the description does reflect items may sound tame on paper, but you’ll quickly see the Barcelona-born chef’s weirdly wonderful yet seriously that they aren’t. $-$$ (MFP) skilled twists on tapas. Instead of Catalonia’s rustic, bread-thickened tomato soup, there’s a refined cold toma- La Loggia Ristorante and Lounge to broth poured over a mustard ice cream-topped crouton. 68 W. Flagler St., 305-373-4800 Mato, a simple cheese and honey dessert, translates as This luxuriantly neo-classical yet warm Italian restaurant custardy fresh cheese atop eggplant “jam,” with candied was unquestionably a pioneer in revitalizing downtown. hazelnuts. $$$ (PRB) With alternatives like amaretto-tinged pumpkin agnolloti in sage butter sauce and cilantro-spiced white bean/ Join us in the ultimate upscale buffet experience that North Italia vegetable salad dressed with truffle oil, proprietors 900 S. Miami Ave, #111, 786-475-9100 Jennifer Porciello and Horatio Oliveira continue to draw a introduces a whole new concept to Asian dining. We bring you The former Oceanaire location at Mary Brickell Village has lunch crowd that returns for dinner, or perhaps just stays an extensive selection of sushi, sashimi, rolls, seafood, popular been taken over by North Italia, replacing seafood with on through the afternoon, fueled by the Lawyer’s Liquid modern Italian cuisine. You’ll find all the usual suspects Lunch, a vodka martini spiked with sweetened espresso. Asian dishes, hibachi grill, cold bar and dessert. here, such as pizzas and pastas alongside classics like $$$ (PRB) chicken parmesan. The first thing you’ll notice, though, is the size of the venue; the restaurant can seat over 300 La Mar by Gastón Acurio people. The space makes quite the first impression — and 500 Brickell Key Dr., 305-913-8358 so do the strozzapreti and burrata tortelloni. Don’t forget It’s said that Peruvian cuisine is Latin America’s most LUNCH DINNER to order the tiramisu. $-$$$ (MFP) varied and sophisticated. Reserve a patio table at this indoor/outdoor Mandarin Oriental eatery to experience Novecento Miami’s best for yourself — along with some of the city’s PER ADULT PER ADULT 1414 Brickell Ave., 305-403-0900 best bayfront vistas. The specialty is seafood, and the With coupon. One coupon per With coupon. One coupon per For those who think “Argentine cuisine” is a synonym for beautifully balanced recipes of Acurio (called Peru’s food table. Not valid on holidays. table. Not valid on holidays. “beef and more beef,” this popular eatery’s wide range ambassador to the world), executed flawlessly by onsite of more cosmopolitan contemporary Argentine fare will executive chef Diego Oka, especially elevate ceviches, Not valid with other offers. Not valid with other offers. be a revelation. Classic parrilla-grilled steaks are here similar but more delicate tiraditos, uniquely lively “Nikkei” Expires 02/29/20 Biscayne Times Expires 02/29/20 Biscayne Times for traditionalists, but the menu is dominated by creative (Peruvian-Japanese fusion) sushi creations, and elegant Nuevo Latino items like a new-style ceviche de chernia whipped potato/fresh seafood causas, to world-class fine- (lightly lime-marinated grouper with jalapeños, basil, and dining level. $$$$-$$$$$ (PRB) RD the refreshing sweet counterpoint of watermelon), or crab 3207 NE 163 St., N Miami Beach ravioli with creamy saffron sauce. Especially notable are La Sandwicherie the entrée salads. $$-$$$ (PRB) 34 SW 8th St., 305-374-9852 This second location of the open-air diner that is South (Next to Outback Steakhouse) Novikov Beach’s favorite après-club eatery (since 1988) closes 300 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-489-1000 earlier (midnight Sunday-Thursday, 5:00 a.m. Friday and When we first heard of Novikov, we thought the upscale Saturday), but the smoothies, salads, and superb Parisian 305-705-2059 • mizumiﬂ .com downtown Miami restaurant was all about Russian food. sandwiches are the same: ultra-crusty baguette stuffed We were wrong. Although the restaurant gets its name with evocative charcuterie and cheeses (saucisson sec, Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3:30pm • Sat-Sun 12pm-3:30pm from Russian restaurateur Arkadiy Novikov, the menu is country pâté, camembert, etc.) and choice of salad veg- Dinner: Sun-Thurs 5pm-10pm • Fri-Sat 5pm-10:30pm composed of Chinese and Japanese favorites. Everything is gies plus salty/tart cornichons and Sandwicherie’s incom- shareable, and most patrons should find satiety with two to parable Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Additionally the larger three dishes each. If you only order two dishes, the rainbow branch has an interior, with a kitchen enabling hot foods be exact) as well as a healthy dose of disarming simplicity. Momi Ramen naruto roll and duck salad are must-tries — especially the (quiches and croques), plus A/C. $-$$ (PRB) True to its simple charm, Luke’s Lobster is about as cheap 5 SW 11th St., 786-391-2392 latter, with its deliciously crispy skin. $$-$$$ (MFP) and cheerful as seafood gets. All of the rolls — lobster, Banish all thoughts of packaged instant “ramen.” La Petite Maison crab, and shrimp — are delicious, but it’s the signature Perfectionist chef/owner Jeffrey Chen (who cooked for Obra Kitchen Table 1300 Brickell Bay Dr., 305-403-9133 buttery lobster roll with its split top bun and mysterious more than a decade in Japan), changes his mostly ramen- 1331 Brickell Bay Dr., 305-846-9363 On any given night, you’re sure to find a lively crowd at La seasoning that is an absolute must-try for the uninitiated. only menu often, but constants are irresistibly chewy Latin restaurants are a dime a dozen, but few challenge Petite Maison. The internationally acclaimed French and Considering its limited seating, it’s safe to say this play- handmade noodles; soups based on creamy, intensely your palate like Obra Kitchen Table. At this Brickell Mediterranean restaurant has unsurprisingly garnered a fully rustic yet diminutive eatery gets hit hard during peak porky tonkotsu broth (made from marrow bones simmered hotspot inside the Jade, chef Carlos Garcia and his team loyal following since its opening. Don’t expect out-of-the- lunch rush at Brickell City Centre. $$ (AM) all day); meats like pork belly and oxtail; and authentic top- craft an assortment of Venezuelan delights that also box creations here: La Petite Maison focuses on getting pings including marinated soft-cooked eggs, pickled greens, incorporate global influences. The result: unique bites the classics right. Items like the tuna carpaccio, grilled Lutong Pinoy Filipino Cuisine more. Other pluses: It’s open 24/7, and the ramen ranks like grouper confit with fried arepa, yuca and bacon mille- veal chop, roasted baby chicken, and rack of lamb may 195 SE 3rd Ave., 786-717-6788 with the USA’s best. Minuses: It’s cash only, and the ramen feuille, and octopus bucatini carbonara unlike anything sound simple on paper, but once they hit your palate, For the adventurous epicurean of Asian persuasion, Lutong might be the USA’s most expensive. $$$ (PRB) you’ve tasted. Sit at the 25-seat bar for a more intimate you’ll realize what all the fuss is about. $$$-$$$$ (MFP) Pinoy offers a deep dive into authentic Filipino cuisine, an dining experience, where you’ll see these creations come otherwise unmapped territory to a great majority of South My Ceviche to life. $$-$$$ (MFP) Latin Café 2000 Florida’s bon vivants. Influenced by Malay-Indonesian, 1250 S. Miami Ave., 305-960-7825 1053 Brickell Plaza, 305-646-1400 Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and American cuisines, When three-time James Beard “Rising Star Chef” nominee Pairings by Tomás Cuadrado In a sea of upscale restaurants, Latin Café 2000 is a Lutong Pinoy crafts plates showcasing ingredients indig- Sam Gorenstein opened the original My Ceviche in SoBe, 900 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 105, 786-475-1811 breath of fresh air in Brickell. The Cuban café stands out enous to the Philippines, and offers an extensive menu in 2012, it garnered national media attention despite We’re usually hesitant to recommend a restaurant with for all the right reasons: low prices, big plates, and famil- touching upon a full spectrum of exotic flavors. Some of being a tiny take-away joint. Arguably, our newer indoor/ a chef’s name in it — we think the food should do the iar fare. Steak sandwiches, fried pork chunks, and other the highlights at this diminutive hole-in-the-wall include the outdoor Brickell location is better. Same menu, featuring talking. But Pairings by Tomás Cuadrado is the real Cuban classics are all available here along with a full bar. boneless lechón belly (roasted pig), kare-kare kawali (Asian local fish prepared onsite, and superb sauces including deal. Given the chef’s Spanish background, the menu Unlike its other locations with old-timey decor, this Brickell vegetables cooked in peanut sauce), and the Sinigang na a kicky roasted jalapeño/lime Juneo), but this time with unsurprisingly features an array of tapas like shrimp

66 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS croquettes, baby octopus, and fried quail eggs. These love. That includes delightful pork belly buns, tuna pizza flavorful selections are accompanied by an extensive (it tastes better than it sounds), and a bevy of signature list of satisfying mains like roasted Spanish rabbit and sushi. Don’t sleep on the Asia roll: The salmon, cream baked red snapper that are sure to turn you into a regu- cheese, and truffle oil creation is packed to the brim with lar. $$$ (MFP) flavor. $-$$ (MFP) Pega Grill Shake Shack 15 E. Flagler St., 305-808-6666 901 S. Miami Ave., Suite 109, 786-292-5777 From Thanasios Barlos, a Greek native who formerly Shake Shack, the ever-popular fast-casual burger joint, owned North Beach’s Ariston, this small spot is more continues its South Florida expansion with a Brickell loca- casually contemporary and less ethnic-kitschy in ambi- tion. All the New York brand’s signature favorites make an ance, but serves equally authentic, full-flavored Greek appearance, including its crown jewel: the Shackburger, food. Mixed lamb/beef gyros (chicken is also an option), a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce. topped with tangy yogurt sauce and wrapped, with It sounds basic on paper, but it easily stands above the greens and tomatoes, in fat warm pita bread, are spe - rest of the fast-casual pack. Other selections like hot cialties. But even more irresistible is the taramasalata dogs, fried chicken sandwiches, and frozen custards also (particularly velvety and light carp roe dip), available deserve a fair share of the spotlight and ensure your doc- alone or on an olive/pita-garnished mixed meze platter. tor stays in business. $ (MFP) $$ (PRB) Soya & Pomodoro Pieducks 120 NE 1st St., 305-381-9511 1451 S. Miami Ave., 305-808-7888 Life is complicated. Food should be simple. That’s owner If you can overlook a name as unenlightening as most Armando Alfano’s philosophy, which is stated above the in-jokes (it evidently refers to a favorite character of owner entry to his atmospheric downtown eatery. And since Claudio Nunes’s kids — we assume the Pokemon Psyduck), it’s also the formula for the truest traditional Italian food you’ll experience pretty perfect pizza. Sadly, not all brick (Alfano hails from Pompeii), it’s fitting that the menu is ovens turn out perfectly char-blistered crusts, crisp outside dominated by authentically straightforward yet sophisti- and airy/chewy inside, but that’s what you’ll consistently cated Italian entrées. There are salads and sandwiches, find here and a newer take-out/delivery-only Midtown too. The most enjoyable place to dine is the secret, open- branch. And unlike many artisan pizzerias, Pieducks air courtyard. Alfano serves dinner on Thursdays only to doesn’t get cheesy with cheese quantity (though we like accompany local musicians and artists. $-$$ (PRB) that extra cheese is an option). Elaborate salads complete the menu. $$ (PRB) Sovereign 22 NE 3rd Ave., 786-534-8712 Pilo’s Street Tacos Bubble tea in Miami is a rare sight. And in downtown 28 SW 11th St., 305-800-8226 Miami, it’s practically nonexistent — at least it was until Three words describe Pilo’s Street Tacos in Brickell: good, Sovereign opened. The Asian fusion fast-casual spot fast, and filling. The area already has its fair share of offers the Taiwanese treat with its trademark tapioca taco shops, and Pilo’s is among the pricier offerings, but pearls, plus hearty poke bowls full of tuna, salmon, and that’s because of the quality — and quantity. These tacos other fresh fish. Non-bowl house specialties round out the are filled to the brim with proteins like “drunken shrimp,” offerings and include the likes of Korean glass noodles, brisket strips, and crispy chorizo. Don’t miss out on the bao buns, and chili beef. Come hungry to make the most salsas: There are ten different ones from which to choose, of your visit. $ (MFP) and they range from sweet to spicy to “Somebody call a fire truck.” $-$$ (MFP) Sparky’s Roadside Barbecue 204 NE 1st St., 305-377-2877 Quinto La Huella This cowboy-cute eatery’s chefs/owners (one CIA-trained, 788 Brickell Plaza, 786-805-4646 both BBQ fanatics nicknamed Sparky) eschew regional Uruguayan beef is in a class of its own, but it requires purism, instead utilizing a hickory/apple-wood-stoked serious skill and the right tools to prepare it the way rotisserie smoker to turn out their personalized style of Uruguayan parrilleros do. Located within the hulking slow-cooked, complexly dry-rub fusion: ribs, chopped pork, steeled Brickell City Centre, Quinto La Huella brings a brisket, and chicken. Diners can customize their orders dark, moody ambiance and the prestige of one of South with mix-and-match housemade sauces: sweet/tangy America’s best restaurants, Parador La Huella, to the com- tomato-based, Carolinas-inspired vinegar/mustard, pan- plex. The centerpiece of this rustic eatery is an authentic Asian hoisin with lemongrass and ginger, tropical guava/ wood fire parrilla, an essential component to grilling meat habanero. Authenticity aside, the quality of the food is as like a true gaucho. It should come as no surprise then good as much higher-priced barbecue outfits. $-$$ (PRB) that the beef — ordered medium rare, of course — is the main attraction here. Other options represent typical Stanzione 87 steakhouse fare, with some standout wood-fired seafood 87 SW 8th St., 305-606-7370 entrées and pastas that deserve a try. Snag a seat out- Though Neopolitan-style pizza isn’t the rarity it was here doors during the more temperate Miami months; other- a decade ago, this is Miami’s only pizzeria certified wise, opt to sit near the heart of the controls: the parrilla. authentic by Italy’s Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. Bring a liberal side of patience with you while dining room This means following stringent rules regarding oven service sorts itself out. $$$$ (AM) (wood-fired), baking time (90 seconds maximum, here closer to 50), tomatoes (imported San Marzano), olive oil Raw Juce (extra-virgin), even flour (tipo 00, for bubbly-light crusts). 901 S. Miami Ave., 305-677-3160 Toppings do exceed the three original choices served Brickell’s Raw Juce is making healthy living easy with a in 19th-century Naples, but pies like the Limone (fresh colorful array of cold-pressed “juce.” Fruit-forward and veg- mozzarella, pecorino, lemons, arugula, EVOO) prove some etable-forward creations not only refresh but also give cus- rules should be broken. $$ (PRB) tomers a quick vitamin boost. Despite the name, Raw Juce isn’t just about juices: acai bowls, oatmeal parfaits, and Station 28 salads are available to get patrons ready for their workout 91 SE 2nd St., 305-905-0328 or help them recover from a grueling one. For those of you A little paradise in the heart of downtown Miami, complete in need of a serious detox, Raw Juce’s cleanse packages with hidden patio, lush greenery, long communal tables, have you covered. $-$$ (MFP) tropical juices like papaya and lucuma, and extra large Peruvian sandwiches and burgers. This oasis offers a The River Oyster Bar more casual taste of the cuisine, the comfort foods that 650 S. Miami Ave., 305-530-1915 will remind you of home, no matter where you come from. This casually cool jewel is a full-service seafood spot, as Their $10 daily special includes your choice of a sandwich evidenced by tempting menu selections like soft-shell or burger with fries, salad or soup, and dessert. Delivery crabs with grilled vegetables, corn relish, and remoulade. available. $ (MB) There are even a few dishes to please meat-and-potatoes diners, like short ribs with macaroni and cheese. But Swagat Indian Kitchen oyster fans will find it difficult to resist stuffing themselves 900 Biscayne Blvd., Unit 101B., 786-375-9259 silly on the unusually large selection, especially since Where do you take an a picky eater? Swagat Indian oysters are served both raw and cooked – fire-roasted Kitchen. Calling its menu long is an understatement. with sofrito butter, chorizo, and manchego. There’s also Dozens of options are available, including Indo-Chinese a thoughtful wine list and numerous artisan beers on tap. fare like chili paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and Bombay $$$ (PRB) street food specialties such as vada pav (deep-fried potato dumplings). The naan alone is worth the visit; don’t sleep Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge on these breads that come topped with everything from 422 NW N. River Dr., 305-440-4200 rosemary and garlic to cheese and nuts. Traditionalists Unlike older Miami River market/restaurants like Garcia’s, need not worry as Indian staples like chicken tikka are run by fishing families, this stylishly retro/modern-industrial here, too. $-$$ (MFP) converted warehouse (once Howard Hughes’s plane han- gar) has an owner who ran South Beach’s hottest 1990s Tacology nightspots, so expect celebrity sightings with your seafood. 701 S. Miami Ave., 786-347-5368 What’s unexpected: a blessedly untrendy menu, with simply Tacology, the latest concept from Cantina La Veinte’s but skillfully prepared wood-oven-cooked fish and clay-pot, executive chef Santiago Gomez, is a more approachable shellfish casseroles. Standouts include luxuriant lobster and affordable ode to Mexican food. Unlike its dimly lit thermador, as rich as it is pricey. $$$-$$$$$ (PRB) upscale sibling, Tacology embraces a bright color palette and vibrant décor that is undeniably enticing — a descrip- Sokai Sushi Bar tion that also applies to the cuisine. As the name suggests, 350 S. Miami Ave., Unit #CU-B, 786-667-3061 delicious tacos abound on the menu, but they shouldn’t When it comes to Peruvian-Japanese fusion, Sokai Sushi be the only items you order: The Mexican nachos and Bar pulls out all the stops. This Brickell outpost is the crispy pork skin are other standout dishes that should be brand’s fourth location, and it features many of the on every diner’s mind at this Brickell City Centre restau- same delicious bites that fans have come to know and rant. $$-$$$ (MFP)

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 67 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

Toro Toro a similar menu of world-class, Izakaya-style smallish Blackbrick sandwiches, spreads like cacao mushroom tahini and 100 Chopin Plaza, 305-372-4710 plates (robata-grilled items, sushi, much more) meant 3451 NE 1st Ave. #103, 305-573-8886 seasonal berry jam, and non-traditional desserts with flax, Back before Miami’s business district had any “there” for sharing over drinks. Suffice to say that it would take Inspiration for the Chinese food at this hotspot came from almond meal, and coconut butter. Most of the items can there, the InterContinental’s original restaurant was an Junebe a dozen visits to work your way through the volu- authentic flavors Richard Hales (from Sakaya Kitchen) be grabbed to-go, but expect to wait in line. $-$$ (MB) executive lunch/dinner destination mainly by default. This minous menu, which offers ample temptations for veg- encountered during travels in China, but the chef’s con- replacement, from restaurant empire-builder Richard etarians as well as carnivores. Our favorite is the melt-in- siderable imagination figures in mightily. Example: Don’t Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen Sandoval, brings downtown power dining into this decade. your-mouth pork belly with yuzu/mustard miso dip, but expect General Tso’s chicken on the changing menu. The 316 NW 24th St., 786-334-5150 As the name suggests, you can go bullish with steakhouse even the exquisitely-garnished tofu rocks. $$$$ (PRB) General’s Florida Gator, though, is a distinct possibility. There’s a restaurant on almost every corner of Wynwood, fare, including an abbreviated (in variety, not quantity) Dishes less wild but still thrilling, due to strong spicing: but Caribbean food is a rare sight. With Dukunoo “rodizio experience.” But the place’s strongest suit is its Zuuk Mediterranean Kitchen bing (chewy Chinese flatbread) with char sui, garlic, and Jamaican Kitchen, locals won’t have to travel far for pan-Latin small plates — upscaled refinements of classic 1250 S. Miami Ave. #105, 305-200-3145 scallions; two fried tofu/veggie dishes (one hot, one not) jerk chicken, oxtail, and other island staples. An ample favorites: crisp corn arepas with short rib, guacamole, and Middle Eastern cuisine receives the fast-casual savory enough to bring bean curd maligners (and con- number of family-style dishes make this an ideal place for crema fresca; fluffier cachapas pancakes with tomato jam; treatment at this build-your-own-meal concept firmed carnivores) to their knees. $$-$$$ (PRB) friends and loved ones to enjoy a night out. Curries, whole more. $$$-$$$$$ (PRB) focused on serving quality salads, pita wraps, and snapper, yard-style fried chicken — this menu is best customizable rice and grain bowls. It’s refreshing Boia De conquered in a group. One thing to keep to yourself: the Toscana Divino that executive chefs Sam Gorenstein and Danny 5205 NE 2nd Ave., 305-967-8866 namesake green plantain dessert. $-$$$ (MFP) 900 S. Miami Ave., 305-571-2767 Ganem deliberately chose to eschew fried foods; all The owners of the now-defunct La Pollita food truck have When an upscale restaurant remains perennially packed of Zuuk’s offerings sit pretty on the “fresh, fast, and traded tacos for more upscale fare with Boia De, their The Daily Creative Food Co. during a recession, you figure they’re offering something way light” side of dining. Star-making dishes include a intimate Buena Vista concept. New American cuisine with 2001 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-4535 beyond the usual generic Italian fare. While familiar favor- delicious spiced lamb kefte, slow roasted beef, and Italian influences graces the menu here, where guests will While the food formula of this contemporary café is ites (Caprese salad, etc.) are available, the changing menu baked falafel, replete with regional Mediterranean find flavorful, shareable plates like baked clams, ricotta familiar – sandwiches, salads, soups, breakfast food, and is highlighted by harder-to-find Tuscan specialties, albeit sauces, spreads, and other flavorful toppings that gnocchi, rabbit pappardelle, and potato skins with caviar pastries, plus coffee and fruit drinks – a creative concept luxe versions: pappa al pomodoro, tomato/bread peasant add character to your meal. Table service is practi - and stracciatella. The place is a bit on the pricier side — differentiates the place. Signature sandwiches are named soup elevated by an organic poached egg and finocchiona cally nonexistent, but the financier with 15 min - particularly for the neighborhood — but the food and hard- after national and local newspapers, including Biscayne (a regional fennel salami); an authentic-tasting “fiorentina” utes to spare will appreciate the fact that counter to-find wine selections justify the premium. $$-$$$$ (MFP) Times, giving diners something to chat about. Sandwiches porterhouse, with smoked potato purée plus more traditional service is about as brisk and pleasant as a cool and salads can also be do-it-yourself projects, with an veggies. A budget-conscious boon: changing three-course Mediterranean sea breeze. $-$$ (AM) Buena Vista Deli unusually wide choice of main ingredients, garnishes, lunches and early-bird dinners. $$$-$$$$$ (PRB) 3252 NE 1st Ave., Suite 107, 305-576-3945 breads, and condiments for the creatively minded. $ (PRB) Buena Vista Deli may have left its namesake neigh- Truluck’s Seafood, Steak, and Crabhouse Midtown / Wynwood / Design District borhood, but it hasn’t lost any of its charm. The Eat Greek 777 Brickell Ave., 305-579-0035 eatery has moved to nicer digs in Midtown Miami, 3530 Biscayne Blvd., 305-456-2799 Compared to other restaurants with such an upscale 3 Chefs Chinese Restaurant allowing it to expand its offerings through a partner- Sometimes, you’re in a hurry and can’t enjoy a sit-down meal. power-lunch/dinner setting, most prices are quite afford- 1800 Biscayne Blvd. #105, 305-373-2688 ship with Eat Greek Miami. As a result, customers Other times, all you want is to sit down, relax, and enjoy able here, especially if you stick to the Miami Spice-priced Until this eatery opened in late 2010, the solid Chinese can now choose from the traditional deli menu — full some good grub. Eat Greek is perfect for either situation. date-dinner menu, or happy hour, when seafood items like restaurants in this neighborhood could be counted on the of classics like the French onion soup and croque Here, those in a rush can pick up a lamb gyro pita wrap or crab-cake “sliders” are half price. Most impressive, though, fingers of no hands. So it’s not surprising that most peo- monsieur — or opt for a Mediterranean menu featur- falafel platter for the road. Or if you have the time, grab a are seasonal stone crabs (from Truluck’s own fisheries, ple concentrate on Chinese and Chinese/American fare. ing gyros and grilled specialties. It’s the best of both seat and indulge in pork chops, grilled salmon, and other and way less expensive than Joe’s) and other seafood The real surprise is the remarkably tasty, budget-priced, worlds. $-$$ (MFP) large plates. There’s no wrong decision here. $-$$ (MFP) that, during several visits, never tasted less than impec- Vietnamese fare. Try pho, 12 varieties of full-flavored cably fresh, plus that greatest of Miami restaurant rarities: beef/rice noodle soup (including our favorite, with well- The Butcher Shop Beer Garden & Grill Ella informed and gracious service. $$$-$$$$ (PRB) done flank steak and flash-cooked eye round). All can be 165 NW 23rd St., 305-846-9120 140 NE 39th St., 786-534-8177 customized with sprouts and fresh herbs. Also impressive: Unbelievable but true: At the heart of this festive, budget- Located off of the Design District’s upscale Palm Court, Vinaigrette Sub Shop Noodle combination plates with sautéed meats, salad, friendly beer-garden restaurant is an old-school gourmet this sun-filled, airy café with pops of sea foam and blonde 159 E Flagler St., 786-558-5989 and spring rolls. $$ (PRB) butcher shop, where sausages from classic (brats, chorizo) maple, is Michael Schwartz’s newest eatery, inspired by Bring an appetite to Vinaigrette Sub Shop, a fast-casual to creative (lamb and feta) are house-made, and all beef his daughter, Ella. A breakfast and lunch spot, it focuses spot from the operators of Mignonette. Unlike its upscale is certified USDA prime — rarely found at even fancy steak- on simplicity with perfectly honed sandwiches, salads, and seafood sibling, downtown Miami’s Vinaigrette is no frills houses. Take your selections home to cook, or better yet, pastries. Offering only eight seats indoors, the majority of (unless you ask). Affordable subs are stuffed to the brim eat them here, accompanied by intriguing Old/New World the seating is outdoors under large café umbrellas provid- with turkey, roast beef, and more; a hefty 8-inch sub is sauces, garnishes (like bleu cheese fritters), sides, and ing an excellent view of the courtyard. $$-$$$ (MB) under $10. If you don’t feel like creating your own, opt starters. Desserts include a bacon sundae. Beer? Try an for the eatery’s massive Italian specialties. The name- organic brew, custom-crafted for the eatery. $$-$$$ (PRB) Ember sake Vinaigrette is packed with prosciutto, mortadella, 151 NE 41st St., Unit 117, 786-334-6494 sopressata — and the kitchen sink. $-$$ (MFP) Carrot Express Midtown Celebrated chef Brad Kilgore continues his hot streak with 3252 Buena Vista Blvd. #108, 786-312-1424 his latest concept, Ember. The most affordable of his res- Whole Foods Market In the past few years, healthy fast-casual concepts have taurants, Ember focuses on classic American bistro fare 299 SE 3rd Ave., 305-995-0600 become a dime a dozen in Miami. Predating many of them with a twist. You’ll find comfort food like poutine, pimento From the minute you walk through its doors or pull into a is Carrot Express, a Miami Beach staple that’s been serv- cheese beignets, and smoked fried chicken on the menu spot in the underground garage, you’ll notice this Whole ing up lean and green offerings for roughly half a decade. — very different items than those at the more upscale Foods is a bit different. Not only have local artists outfit- The latest Carrot Express outpost in Midtown finally brings Alter. Get the full experience by ordering off the Over the ted its walls in graffiti art, but also half of the store is dedi- favorites like poke bowls and stuffed sweet potatoes to Embers section, which features lasagna, roasted corn- cated to grab-and-go food and an ample and comfortable the mainland. Herbivores, in particular, have reason to bread custard, and other items “not traditionally grilled or seating area, including casual counters and tables. Grab rejoice: Vegan burgers and sausages are just a few of the cooked over fire.” $$-$$$ (MFP) a coffee for energy at MET café, because you June be plentiful meatless options available. $$ (MFP) there awhile. Options include items from Jugofresh, Zak Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop the Baker, and pre-made desserts by Versailles restaurant. Charly’s Vegan Tacos 186 NE 29th St., 305-573-4681 There’s also La Churrasqueira, Sushi Maki, Pizza Bar, and 172 NW 24th St., 305-456-8202 This Cuban breakfast/lunch old-timer actually serves more a soup bar featuring 20 soups like stone crab and chicken For plant-based eaters, Charly’s Vegan Tacos is an easy than sandwiches (including mammoth daily specials )— corn chowder. Parking is free for one hour with the pur- sell. For carnivores, the name might be an instant turn-off. and since reopening after a fire, does so in a cleanly reno- chase of an item. $-$$ (MB) Give it a chance: Charly’s makes some tasty tacos, many vated interior. But many hardcore fans never get past the of which resemble their meat counterparts to the T. For parking lot’s ordering window, and outdoors really is the Wolfgang’s Steakhouse example, there’s the “carne asada” taco that uses grilled best place to manage Enriqueta’s mojo-marinated messy 315 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-487-7130 seitan steak; and the “chicharron prensado,” which uses masterpiece: pan con bistec, dripping with sautéed onions, Proprietor Wolfgang Zweiner worked for decades at “porkles” cracklings for that recognizable crunch. Get a few melted cheese, and potato sticks; tomatoes make the fats Brooklyn’s legendary Peter Luger’s before opening the first of either plus a bowl of pozole (Mexican stew), and you’ve and calories negligible. Accompany with fresh orange juice of his own much-praised, old-school steakhouses in 2003, got yourself quite the meal. $-$$ (MFP) or café con leche, and you’ll never want anything else, which explains the quality of the USDA prime-grade steaks Amara at Paraiso except Junebe a bib. $ (PRB) here — dry-aged on premises for bold, beefy flavor and 3101 NE 7th Ave., 305-702-5528 Coyo Taco tender but toothsome texture. Prices are prodigious but so Edgewater isn’t usually a neighborhood that comes up in 2300 NW 2nd Ave., 305-573-8228 Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop & Café are portions. The 32-ounce porterhouse for two easily feeds discussions of Miami’s food scene. Amara at Paraiso could If you go to this affordable Mexican street-food-themed 2818 N. Miami Ave., 786-449-2517 three or four folks curious to taste the difference. Plentiful change that soon, however. This Latin America-inspired joint expecting one of today’s many fast-casual, healthy- As a genuine City of Miami firefighter, Derek Kaplan puts sides include a bacon starter favored by those who love concept from chef Michael Schwartz overlooks Biscayne Bay, type Mexican taco/burrito chains, where the attraction is fires out, but since age 15 he’s also been lighting fires — Canadian bacon over pork belly. Personally, just the simple, providing guests with a beautiful backdrop for an equally mainly just that fillings are fresh, you’ll be pleasantly sur- in his oven. The decades of baking experience shows in superb steaks leave us happy as clams. $$$$$ (PRB) alluring menu. The stars of the show are the restaurant’s prised. Here tortillas are handmade and fillings are either both his locally award-winning signature pies, especially wood grill and Josper oven that turn out an array of items like genuinely traditional (like cochinita pibil) or delightfully Key lime and salted caramel “crack,” and in changing World Famous House of Mac grilled lamb ribs, beef short rib, and hefty meat and seafood original — and sometimes satisfyingly sinful, like duck con- produce-based seasonal selections. For full, balanced 600 NW 1st Ave., 786-636-6967 platters. The view alone is worth a visit. $$-$$$ (MFP) fit with enough skin and fat to scandalize all the health- (i.e., all-pie) breakfasts and lunches, there are also savory The first rule of visiting World Famous House of Mac: Don’t obsessed places. There are first-rate vegetarian fillings, options like mac ’n’ cheese pie, or satisfyingly rich, totally tell your doctor. Located inside Virgin Miami Central Station, Alter too, like mushroom/huitlachchle with cotija cheese; tasty non-sissy quiches. $-$$ (PRB) House of Mac is known for its mesmerizing mountains of 223 NW 23rd St., 305-573-5996 churros for dessert; and beer and margaritas. $-$$ (PRB) pasta. You can keep things classic with a five-cheese truffle Award-winning chef Brad Kilgore offers some of the most Ghee Indian Kitchen iteration or go bigger with pizza mac, surf and turf mac, or exciting food in town, with menu items like soft egg with Crazy Poke 3620 NE 2nd Ave., 786-636-6122 beef and broccoli mac. Don’t ignore the non-mac offerings, sea scallop espuma, chive, truffle pearls, and Gruyere; and 312 NW 24th St., 786-401-7542 Chef Niven Patel, the talent behind the wildly success- though. The buttermilk fried chicken and waffles is a sleep- grouper cheeks with black rice, shoyu hollandaise, and Crazy Poke, Wynwood’s latest poke spot, is joining a crowd- ful Ghee Indian Kitchen in Dadeland, is giving Design er hit. And yes, there are salads as well. $$ (MFP) sea lettuce. Novices don’t fret — the staff will guide you ed landscape; the neighborhood is already full of places District foodies a reason to salivate. Cypress Tavern’s through your eating journey. The warehouse vibe speaks to that serve the Hawaiian specialty. Fortunately, the restau- former space is now home to his restaurant’s second Zest the neighborhood’s appeal while letting the food speak for rant has one big advantage: flexibility. Guests who make outpost, where patrons can enjoy mouthwatering bites 200 Biscayne Blvd., 305-374-9378 itself. Grab a spot at the chef’s counter, the best seat in the their own bowl have a laundry list of ingredients available, like smoked chicken samosa, turmeric marinated grou- Cindy Hutson finally has a home in the neighborhood with house. Reservations a must. $$$$$ (MB) including over one dozen mix-ins and an array of sauces per, and turkey kofta. Although you can order à la carte, her “cuisine of the sun.” If you can manage to order the like creamy miso and wasabi aioli. Signature selections like the three-course, family-style tasting menu for $55 is a entire menu, from cast-iron charred calamari to 50/50 Beaker & Gray the Citrus Shrimp take the guesswork out of ordering, but steal and deserves your consideration; it’s one of the meatballs and conch scampi, do it. You won’t be disap- 2637 N. Miami Ave., 305-699-2637 we suggest you let your creativity run wild. $$ (MFP) most affordable tastings in the area. $$ (MFP) pointed in food that is so perfectly matches the city’s Named after essential tools in the kitchen, you can’t miss weather and overall culture. The décor also screams Miami, the restaurant, with its rooftop orange neon sign. Inside Dr. Smood GoBistro in lively lime green, orange, and neutrals with pops of blue industrial meets rustic chic, as is the standard in Wynwood. 2230 NW 2nd Ave. 786-334-4420 315 NW 25th St., 786-332-3597 in between. Don’t forget the tropical drink. $$-$$$$ (MB) All menus are expertly labeled and separated into fun, yet Its large windows and corner location will draw you in, but Reasonably priced Asian cuisine is rare in Wynwood — or useful categories like Bites, Colds, Strange, and Shaken. the comfortable and expansive minimalist interior with rather, it was. Broward’s GoBistro has brought its sushi Zuma The sandwichito with pork belly and watermelon rind on Carrera marble, walnut wood, and hotel-like seating will and ramen to the 305, and we’re oh-so-grateful. The sec- 270 Biscayne Blvd. Way, 305-577-0277 plantain brioche, and adult-friendly chicken nuggets with keep you. While their motto is “smart food for a good ond you look at the menu, you can’t help but notice the This Miami River restolounge has a London parent on avocado and sweet ’n’ sour have become quite iconic. The mood” in the form of mylks, smoody’s, and organic live variety. Feeling just a little peckish? Opt for appetizers like San Pellegrino’s list of the world’s best restaurants, and wine list includes lesser-known vineyards. $$-$$$ (MB) juices, the menu also includes coffee, soups, salads, avocado fries and chicken wings. Hungrier patrons can

68 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS scarf down miso pork ramen, dragon rolls, and soft shell 13th doughnut in a baker’s dozen. And that’s what you get crab buns. Picky eaters, take note: There truly is some- at this combination wine and cheese bar/backyard BBQ/ thing here for everyone. $-$$ (MFP) entertainment venue. Choose artisan cheeses and charcuterie from the fridges, hand them over when you pay Grails Sports Bar (very little), and they’ll be plated with extras: olives, bread, 2800 N. Miami Ave., 786-870-4313 changing luscious condiments. Or grab fish, chicken, veg- Home to an extensive collection of sneaker parapherna- gies, or steak (with salad or cornbread) from the hidden lia, Grails Sports Bar combines a love for good food, fun yard’s grill. Relax in the comfie mismatched furniture, over drinks, and cool kicks. The playful menu at this Wynwood extensive wine/beer choices and laidback live music. No establishment means serious business; traditional bar cover, no attitude. $$ (PRB) bites and beverages are elevated here: Nachos come loaded with tuna poke, mac and cheese gets a black truf- Leal Bistro + Art fle upgrade, and the beer selection is 100 percent local. 2700 N. Miami Ave., 786-542-5246 With 60-plus televisions throughout the venue, too, there’s When you’re craving a quick, budget-friendly bite, Leal no reason to ever leave. $-$$ (MFP) Bistro + Art delivers in spades. The charming family-owned café fits right into the artsy Wynwood neighborhood with Harry’s Pizzeria its cute aesthetic. Begin your meal with the hearty beef 3918 N. Miami Ave., 786-275-4963 ribs soup and then move onto Leal’s slow roasted pork In this humble space (formerly Pizza Volante) are many sandwich. If you’re just in the mood for a snack, you can’t key components from Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink go wrong with a fresh cheese arepa. For something even two blocks east — local/sustainable produce and artisan more substantial, nosh on the smoked duck breast with products; wood-oven cooking; homemade everything black tea and red wine sauce during dinner. $-$$ (MFP) (including the ketchup accompanying crisp-outside, custardy-inside polenta fries, a circa 1995 Michael Schwartz Le Chick signature snack from Nemo). Beautifully blistered, ultra- 310 NW 24th St., 305-771-2767 thin-crusted pizzas range from classic Margheritas to Out of the ashes of Dizengoff and Federal Donuts rises pies with house-smoked bacon, trugole (a subtly flavorful Le Chick, a rotisserie-chicken spot that should hopefully — fruity, not funky — Alpine cheese), and other unique top- avoid its neighbors’ fate. While chicken is the restaurant’s pings. Rounding things out: simple but ingenious salads, signature protein, it’s not the only standout. A delicious ultimate zeppoles, and Florida craft beers. $$ (PRB) Royale With Cheese is sure to please burger fanatics (and Pulp Fiction) fans with two hefty patties, cheddar, pickles, Ichimi and secret sauce. The best value, though, is the Why Not 3252 NE 1st Ave., Ste. 118, 786-522-3834 platter that comes with all the hits: rotisserie chicken, Fans of Asian cuisine will find plenty to like at Ichimi. This fried chicken, pork ribs, and onion rings. $-$$ (MFP) Japanese restaurant features classics like dumplings, bao buns, and rice bowls. But the business’s real claim to Le Jardinier fame is its ramen, which comes with a variety of broths 151 NE 41 St., Suite 135, 305-402-9060 and toppings. First-timers should stick to the namesake Le Jardinier by Joël Robuchon makes it easy to eat your ramen infused with a special blended soy sauce, while vegetables. Here, proteins take a backseat to the veggies. more adventurous types can choose a curry ramen or a This should come as no surprise to diners, considering the black garlic iteration. Big portions and reasonable prices concept’s name and lively green aesthetic. Just as impres- make Ichimi a perfect fit for any budget. $$ (MFP) sive as the décor is the food. Dishes aren’t cheap — prices mostly range from high teens to 40s — but you’re getting Joey’s Italian Café what you pay for. As for highlights, consider the Maine 2506 NW 2nd Ave., 305-438-0488 scallops, roasted lobster, and fingerling gnocchi — they The first new restaurant in the Wynwood Café District, this make quite the first impression. $$-$$$$$ (MFP) stylish indoor/outdoor Italian hangout is as casually cool as one would hope — and as affordable. There’s a five- La Sandwicherie buck half-serving of spaghetti al pomodoro and respect- 169 NW 23rd St., 786-409-2390 able vino for under $30. And few can resist delicately thin, La Sandwicherie, the popular late-night spot in Miami crunchy-crusted pizzas like the creative Dolce e Piccante Beach and Brickell, has brought its huge sandwiches to or orgasmic Carbonara. Pastas are fresh; produce is Wynwood. This outpost boasts the same favorites found largely local; the mosaic-centered décor is minimalist but at other locations, like the SOBE club (turkey, brie, and inviting. And no need to be wary of the warehouse district avocado) and the Terminator (ham, turkey, salami, and at night: Valet parking is free. $$-$$$ (PRB) provolone). You can also pick a protein and create your own sandwich with a mountain of veggie toppings; Kaido you’re encouraged to get creative. A word of advice: 151 NE 41 St., Unit 217, 786-409-5591 Get your sandwich on a croissant for even more flavor. James Beard-nominated chef Brad Kilgore has another hit $-$$ (MFP) on his hands with Kaido, his beautiful Design District cocktail lounge. While Kaido is touted as a drinking den, its Lemoni Café cocktails and food get an equal share of the limelight. The 4600 NE 2nd Ave., 305-571-5080 Alter chef’s offerings include small plates such as blue The menu here reads like your standard sandwiches/ crab rangoon, a curry cobia summer roll, and lemongrass salads/starters primer. What it doesn’t convey is the duck sausage. Feel like splurging? An A5 wagyu katsu freshness of the ingredients and the care that goes sandwich can be yours for $125. Pair it with a sakura- into their use. Entrée-size salads range from an elegant infused negroni, and you’re golden. $$-$$$$$ (MFP) spinach (goat cheese, pears, walnuts, raisins) to chunky homemade chicken salad on a bed of mixed greens. Kush Sandwiches (cold baguette subs, hot pressed paninis, or 2003 N. Miami Ave., 305-576-4500 wraps, all accompanied by side salads) include a respect- From the folks behind the popular Coral Gables artisanal able Cuban and a veggie wrap with a deceptively rich- beer pub LoKal — voted a “Most Green Restaurant in tasting light salad cream. $-$$ (PRB) Florida” by the Nature Conservancy — Kush pushes the concept farther: that farm-to-table dishes (some from Love N’ Gyros LoKal, others created new) and craft beers aren’t mere 2814 N. Miami Ave. craft; they’re art. Which you’ll find on the walls. On tables Wynwood is full of elevated dining spots like Alter, KYU, you’ll find, among other things, the Kush & Hash burger: and Hiden. But what if you just want something casual? Florida-raised beef, ground in-house, served with hash Enter Love N’ Gyros, a cool Greek joint that’s easy on the (the edible, not smokable, kind), bacon, fried egg, and wallet. The concise street-food menu should look familiar housemade ketchup on a waffle bun, with a side of maple to fans of Mediterranean cuisine: Pitas are plentiful and syrup. Edgy enough for ya? $$-$$$ (PRB) first-timers should start with the OG, a delectable mix of pork and tzatziki. Other filling proteins are available, too — KYU just make sure to save room for the Fortomenes loaded 251 NW 25th St., 786-577-0150 fries — aka cheese heaven. $ (MFP) The Asian-inspired restaurant wholly encompasses the creative vibe of the neighborhood with a raw space outfitted Mad Lab Creamery in murals by 2Alas, micro green centerpieces, and lots of 140 NE 39th St. concrete features as well as a balanced menu of wood-fired Pastry chef Soraya Kilgore, known for her desserts items and refreshing ingredients. Roasted cauliflower comes at Alter, now has her own place dedicated to sweets: with goat cheese salad and shishito-herb vinaigrette; tuna MadLab Creamery. Located in the Design District’s tataki takes a spicy turn with fire-roasted peppers, fermented Palm Court, the ice cream store features a wealth of chili, and citrus; and white ponzu, green chili, and herbs Instagram-worthy creations, many of which can be accompany sliced Hamachi. There’s also sweet soy and adorned with your choice of over two dozen toppings. garlic short ribs, Korean fried chicken, and Thai fried rice in a Among those toppings: sprinkles, chocolate honeycomb, stone pot. Open for brunch on Sundays. $$-$$$ (MB) and cotton candy (a must). Here, no order is complete without a Japanese cheesecake or chocolate slab. Laid Fresh Prepare to kiss your diet goodbye. $ (MFP) 250 NW 24th St., 305-699-0601 Wynwood has a laundry list of restaurants, but very few of Mandolin Aegean Bistro them cater to the morning crowd. Thanks to Laid Fresh, early 4312 NE 2nd Ave., 305-576-6066 risers (and all-day breakfast lovers) have a wide selection of Inside this converted 1940s home’s blue-and-white dining eggy sandwiches and other treats to start the day. The soft room — or even more atmospherically, its tree-sheltered scrambled sandwich with brie and avocado is heaven on a garden — diners feast on authentic rustic fare from both plate, while the egg whites and avocado is less rich and more Greece and Turkey. Make a meal of multinational mezes: cardiologist-friendly. Ready for the weekend? Enjoy a mimosa a Greek sampler of creamy tzatziki yogurt dip, smoky egg- (or two) in the restaurant’s signature mug. $ (MFP) plant purée, and airy tarama caviar spread; and a Turkish sampler of hummus, fava purée, and rich tomato-walnut Lagniappe dip. The meze of mussels in lemony wine broth is, with 3425 NE 2nd. Ave., 305-576-0108 Mandolin’s fresh-baked flatbread, almost a full meal in In New Orleans, “lagniappe” means “a little extra,” like the itself. $$-$$$ (PRB)

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 69 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

Maska Ono Poké Shop the variously stuffed or topped focaccias, particularly beyond via light housemade momo, curried potato-stuffed 3252 NE 1st Ave., Suite 109, 786-971-9100 2320 N. Miami Ave., 786-955-6894 signature focaccia di Recco (a Ligurian hill town). Two Tibetan/Nepalese steamed dumplings; savory pulled pork Thanks to Maska, your search for great Indian food in A casual, clean, and vibrant little eatery, Ono Poké Shop is ultra-thin layers (almost transparent) of light char-bubbled buns with kimchi and crisped onions. Noodle dishes, hot Miami is now a lot easier. The Midtown Miami establish- the latest eatery to catch the trending “poké fever” that’s bread filled with imported stracchino, a mild fresh cheese or chilled, are especially appealing. $$-$$$ (PRB) ment is big on sharing; prepare to split dinner highlights hit some of Miami’s most up-and-coming neighborhoods. like mozzarella, but swoon-inducingly oozy-soft. $-$$ (PRB) like the tandoori prawns, butter chicken, and dosas Greatly influenced by traditional Japanese cuisine, the Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill (Indian crêpes). Maska pulls influences from different menu consists of tried and true combinations, such as Sabor a Peru 3250 NE 1st Ave., 786-369-0353 regions of India, so the menu is expansive — this is a spicy ahi tuna tossed in a spicy soy dressing, as well as 2923 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-6736 This chic indoor/outdoor space is an offspring of Lincoln place where all palates are welcome. Whether you like flexible options to customize your own poké bowl to taste. Opened many years before ceviches became a staple on Road’s SushiSamba Dromo and a sibling of Sugarcane spice or prefer your food more subdued, Maska will fill the Quality ingredients and fresh fish make for a satisfying, every Miami hipster-bar menu, this formerly tiny family-run lounges in NYC and Las Vegas, but more informal than the Indian food-size hole in your life. $-$$ (MFP) healthy meal when lunch o’clock rolls around. $$ (AM) Peruvian place serves food that’s traditional, not trendy. That former and more food-oriented than the latter, as three kitch- includes ceviches, simple and servicable. But Sabor’s strong ens — normal, raw bar, and robata charcoal grill — make clear. Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink Palatino suit — and why it has not only survived but thrived (as a Chef Timon Balloo’s LatAsian small plates range from subtle 130 NE 40th St., 305-573-5550 3004 NW 2nd Ave., 786-360-5200 recent expansion attests) — is its cooked dishes, always fresh, orange/fennel-marinated salmon crudo to intensely smoky-rich An instant smash hit, this truly neighborhood-oriented res- When longtime favorite Jamaican joint Clive’s fell victim to flavorful, and served in prodigious portions. Our personal short ribs. At the daily happy hour, select dishes (like steamed taurant from chef Michael Schwartz offers down-to-earth gentrification, few expected to find similarly skilled old-school fave: jalea (a delicately breaded, crisp-fried mix of tender pork buns with apple kimchi) are discounted. $$-$$$ (PRB) fun food in a comfortable, casually stylish indoor/outdoor Caribbean-American soul food in Wynwood again, especially marinated fish and shellfish, with yucca and criolla onion setting. Fresh, organic ingredients are emphasized, but not at old-school prices. But that’s what this small, super- sauce); one order feeds at least three diners. Note: Open for SuViche dishes range from cutting-edge (crispy beef cheeks with friendly mom-and-pop spot serves up: breakfasts like ackee big breakfasts, as well as lunch/dinner. $-$$ (PRB) 2751 N. Miami Ave., 305-960-7097 whipped celeriac, celery salad, and chocolate reduction) and salt fish, fried dumpling and callaloo, or an egg/maple As its fusion name suggests, this artsy indoor/outdoor to simple comfort food: deviled eggs, homemade potato sausage/cheese grits combo; plates (with sides) of oxtails, Sakaya Kitchen eatery doesn’t merely serve a mix of Japanese sushi and chips with pan-fried onion dip, or a whole wood-roasted curry goat, jerk chicken; richly crusted piquant chicken or Shops at Midtown Miami, Buena Vista Avenue Latin ceviches but a true fusion of both, largely owing to chicken. There’s also a broad range of prices and portion meat patties that contend with Miami’s best. Surprises 305-576-8096 signature sauces (many based on Peru’s citusy/creamy sizes to encourage frequent visits. Michael’s Genuine also include homemade pastries, and $1 ice cream cones in This chef-driven, fast-casual Asian eatery is more an iza- acevichado emulsion with Japanese spicing) that are features an eclectic, affordable wine list and a full bar. tropical flavors like soursop. $-$$ (PRB) kaya (in Japan, a pub with food) than a sakaya (sake shop). applied to sushi rolls and ceviche bowls alike. Additionally $$-$$$$ (PRB) But why quibble about words with so many more intriguing there are some popular Peruvian-fusion cooked dishes Palat Miami things to wrap your mouth around? The concept takes on like Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese) lomo saltado, served tra- Mignonette 4702 NE 2nd Ave., 786-953-7577 street-food favorites from all over Asia, housemade daily ditionally, as an entrée, or creatively in springs rolls). To 210 NE 18th St., 305-374-4635 When you’re craving Italian food, where do you go? Palat from quality fresh ingredients. French Culinary Institute- add to the fun, accompany your meal with a cocktail from From Day One this Old Florida/New Orleans fusion oyster Miami should be on your shortlist. The neighborhood trained Richard Hales does change his menu, so we’d Miami’s only pisco bar. $$-$$$ (PRB) bar, from Blue Collar’s chef/owner Danny Serfer and food Italian-fusion restaurant is serving flavorful food that hits advise immediately grabbing some crispy Korean chicken blogger Ryan Roman, received myriad raves for its cuisine the spot no matter the occasion. Small bites like piquillo wings and Chinese-inspired, open-faced roast pork buns Taco Chido and informed service. All manner of oysters (roughly six peppers are perfect for splitting with friends over a bottle with sweet chili sauce and homemade pickles. $$ (PRB) 2901 NE 2nd Ave., 786-313-3093 superb selections available raw daily, and cooked choices of wine, whose budget-friendly pricing may tempt you to Tacos should be inexpensive, filling, and delicious. including subtly brandy-sauced oysters Bienville), plus order a second. Larger appetites are welcome, too, and The ones at Taco Chido check all those boxes. At this other superb seafood and Blue Collar’s famous veggie they can indulge in braised rabbit tagliatelle and other Edgewater Mexican eatery, guests will encounter an creations — even a dynamite prime rib — is of a caliber hearty items. $$-$$$ (MFP) extensive list of tacos, both familiar and unfamiliar. Al that catalyzes its own neighborhood gentrification, rapidly. pastor, steak, and carnitas are all crowd favorites, and $$-$$$ (PRB) Palermo Restaurant & Wine Bar they’re joined by the likes of rarer proteins like tem- 4582 NE 2nd Ave., 786-502-4460 peh and mushrooms. Tostadas, ceviches, and tortas Mike’s at Venetia When it comes to cooking up delicious Argentine cuisine, round out the diverse menu that easily fits any budget 555 NE 15th St., 9th floor, 305-374-5731 Palermo Restaurant & Wine Bar succeeds on all fronts. At — a full meal can be had for under $10. $ (MFP) This family-owned Irish pub, on the pool deck of the Palermo, you can expect quality and value; prepare for Venetia condo, for more than 15 years has been a popular big portions and flavors across the board. Since this is an Tap 42 lunch and dinner hang-out for local journalists and others Argentinean restaurant, your order should include one of 3252 NE 1st Ave. #101, 786-864-0194 who appreciate honest cheap eats and drinks. Regulars their many cuts of meat. We suggest the oh-so-tender skirt With all the growth that Midtown Miami has seen, there’s know daily specials are the way to go. Depending on the steak plus a few empanadas for good measure. If you’re been one type of restaurant sorely missing in the neigh- day, fish, churrasco, or roast turkey with all the trimmings not big on steak, the restaurant also serves up a variety of borhood: a decent sports bar. Tap 42, which recently took are all prepared fresh. Big burgers and steak dinners are Italian dishes. $-$$ (MFP) over the short-lived Apeiro location, runs with this idea always good. A limited late-night menu provides pizza, and complements it with a flavor-forward mentality. The wings, ribs, and salad till 3:00 a.m. $-$$ (PRB) Prohibition eatery started as a Fort Lauderdale watering hole and 3404 N. Miami Ave., 305-438-9191 has since expanded to Coral Gables — and now Midtown Mister-O1 Frankly, we don’t get why this expansive, high-ceilinged Miami. Staples like the Prohibition burger and Drunken 2315 N. Miami Ave., 786-991-9343 space with enormous front windows and open kitchen Goat burger make an appearance, but so do location- With pizza this good, it’s hard to remain hidden. Mister-O1, is so often described as evocative of a Prohibition-era specific items like the grilled salmon Zen bowl that serves the once-secret pizzeria in a Miami Beach office building, is speakeasy; ambiance here is artfully and amusingly sinful, as a lighter alternative for guests. $$ (MFP) embracing its mainstream success with a third location — not secretive. Fare is a fun, familiar mix of modern com- this time in Wynwood. The restaurant knows not to mess fort foods (truffled lobster mac ’n’ cheese, NY strip steak The Taco Stand with a good thing, so expect to see all its beloved classics on with truffled parmesan fries, many other items featuring 313 NW 25th St., 786-580-4948 the menu. The burrata and Barbara salad are still must-eats, truffle oil) and retro favorites like meatballs. It’s simple, We know what you’re thinking: “Oh great, another taco shop as is the literal star of the show: the Star Luca, a star-shaped solid stuff served in generous portions to match the menu in Wynwood.” The neighborhood is certainly not lacking pie with spicy salami, ricotta and mozzarella. $$ (MFP) items that best truly evoke Prohibition times: hefty, old- in options, but this San Diego transplant is sure to give its fashioned, two-fisted cocktails. $$$ (PRB) neighbors some healthy competition. Those familiar with the Morgans Restaurant Salumeria 104 brand know that the seafood offerings like the Baja taco (bat- 28 NE 29th St., 305-573-9678 Pummarola Pizzeria Napoletana 3451 NE 1st Ave. #104, 305-424-9588 tered fish) and spicy shrimp taco are winners; just one bite Housed in a beautifully refurbished 1930s private home, 3328 N. Miami Ave., 786-535-4988 In Italy, salumerias started, like American delicatessens, is all the proof you need. Another must: a mountain of carne Morgans serves eclectic, sometimes internationally Proof in Midtown Miami may be long gone, but good as shops selling salumi (cured meats), but evolved into asada and fries, which can feed a group of four. $ (MFP) influenced contemporary American cuisine compelling pizza is not. Pummarola — a Coral Gables favorite — has the equivalent of eat-in deli/restaurants that also serve enough to attract hordes. Dishes are basically comfort taken over Proof’s former location, pumping out pies cold and hot prepared foods. At this modern Midtown salu- Vista food, but ultimate comfort food: the most custardy, fluffy and pastas that are far more affordable than its pre- meria, the soups-to-salads-to-sweets range of fare is the 5020 NE 2nd Ave., 305-405-7547 French toast imaginable; shoestring frites that rival decessor. Don’t let the low prices fool you: This is high- same. Custom-sliced imported cold cuts are a main focus, The husband-and-wife team behind Italian restaurant Belgium’s best; mouthwatering maple-basted bacon; quality cuisine. Just a taste of their margherita pizza, especially for those who enjoy taste-testing a plate pair- Fratelli Milano has struck gold again. Vista, the latest miraculously terrific tofu (crisply panko-crusted and apri- gnocchi pasta, or meatballs is evidence enough. Best of ing Italy’s two most famous prosciuttos: Parma and San venture from Roberto Bearzi and Fiorella Blanco, builds on cot/soy-glazed); even a “voluptuous grilled cheese sand- all, you won’t be waiting long; most items take just a few Daniele. But homemade pastas are also impressive, as the best parts of the downtown Miami favorite and infuses wich” — definitely a “don’t ask, don’t tell your cardiologist” minutes to come out. $-$$ (MFP) are hard-to-find regional entrées like fegato alla Veneziana, them with a Latin flair. There’s a bigger emphasis on sea- item. $$-$$$ (PRB) which will turn liver-haters into lovers. $$-$$$ (PRB) food at Vista, so expect to find a variety of crudos, fresh R House fish, and other selections that will perk up your palate. NOA Café 2727 NW 2nd Ave., 305-576-0240 Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill Pastas haven’t gone anywhere: gnocchi, rigatoni, risotto, 2711 NE 2nd Ave., 305-573-2557 A strikingly stylish restaurant that’s part art gallery could 40 SW 12th St., 786-500-0201 and more are available to scratch that itch. $-$$$ (MFP) Originally just a catering company, tiny NOA (initials of be pretentious, in a still largely ungentrified area of cut- Cuban cuisine expands its footprint in Brickell with the Israeli-born chef/owner Adi Kafri’s three daughters) gradu- ting-edge artsy yet still working-class Wynwood. But modu- addition of Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill. This branch of the Zak the Baker ally became a “best-kept secret” lunch spot for its budget- lar movable walls to accommodate changing installations, popular chain leans on the ubiquitous “healthy bowl” con- 405 NW 26th St., 786-280-0327 friendly fresh focaccia sandwiches, plus perfectly dressed and its own name make it clear the art component is a cept. Guests have full freedom to create their perfect meal This part-rustic/part industrial-chic breakfast and lunch full-meal MediterAsian salads. The cute Edgewater oasis serious working gallery. Hardworking chef/owner Rocco from an assortment of proteins, including turkey and beef. spot, located in Zak Stern’s bakery, is one certified-Kosher now serves dinner, too. Highly recommended: the big, Carulli demonstrates a locals orientation with a menu Sizeable sides like black beans and mojo yuca ensure you café where neither religious dietary laws nor culinary stan- beautiful Middle Eastern mezze platter (with falafel balls, highlighted by skillfully crafted, hearty entrées (Brazilian get your money’s worth. Craving more traditional Cuban dards are compromised. Reason: The menu of open-face silky hummus, tahini, grape leaves, heaps of grilled veg- seafood moqueta stew, coffee/chili-rubbed short ribs, food? Their pan con lechon and croqueta preparada sand- sandwich “toasts,” soups, salads, and small plates doesn’t gies, more), or lavishly veg-studded pad Thai (with an sweet pea falafel) available in affordable half-portions: wiches have you covered. $ (MFP) overreach, but stays centered on Zak’s substantial and unusual lemongrass/orange peel-spiked sauce), either small plates of big food for starving artists. $$-$$$ (PRB) superbly crusty organic sourdough loaves, arguably the enough for two to share over wine. $$-$$$ (PRB) Sette Osteria best bread in Miami. Varieties range from classic Jewish Rice Mediterranean Kitchen 2103 NW 2nd Ave., 305-576-8282 deli rye to exotic olive & za’atar or All American cranberry/ OTL 2500 Biscayne Blvd., 305-705-6090 Eagle-eyed visitors will find an unassuming Italian restau- walnut. Toast toppings, sweet or savory, are mainly local 160 NE 40th St., 786-953-7620 Feeling creative? Channel that energy at Rice rant at the southern end of Wynwood: Sette Osteria. The vegetable and dairy combos, so non-carnivores, as well as Coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, and yoga, anyone? Yes, Mediterranean Kitchen, where you have an assortment Washington, D.C., transplant is located away from the diners keeping Kosher, luck out. $$ (PRB) there’s now such a place, and it’s naturally in the Design of tasty options to build the ultimate meal. Pick your hustle and bustle of the neighborhood, but it’s only a mat- District. OTL is an ambitious concept pushing light bites base from delicious greens or grains and then select your ter of time before word gets out about this culinary gem. and strong coffee, courtesy of an auspiciously motley dips, proteins, and toppings to bring everything full circle. Earthy tones and an open kitchen welcome diners, who Upper Eastside troika of influencers, including the team behind The Basmati rice, hummus, spicy baba ganoush, honey nut will fall in love with signature dishes like seafood linguine Smile NYC, LIV impresario David Grutman, and Miami feta, braised beef, and falafel are just a few of the items and veal scallopini. A bevy of Italian wines await to quench Andiamo Design District braintrust Craig Robins. Coffee shops are you can pick from. With so many options available, repeat your thirst as well. $$-$$$ (MFP) 5600 Biscayne Blvd., 305-762-5751 oftentimes the beating hearts of creative hubs, and OTL visits are in order. $-$$ (MFP) With brick-oven pizzerias popping up all over town the past is no different; expect to see plenty of over-caffeinated Shokudo World Resource Café few years, it’s difficult to remember the dark days when designers, artists, developers, and retail employees on Riviera Focacceria Italiana 4740 NE 2nd Ave., 305-758-7782 this part of Mark Soyka’s 55th Street Station complex was their lunch breaks. The place is bright and clean, and 3252 NE 1st Ave., 786-220-6251 At its former Lincoln Road location, World Resource’s café mainland Miami’s sole source of open-flame-cooked pies. could double as a white cube gallery with its pastel chairs, This kitchen actually serves a full menu of specialties was better known for people-watching than for its stan- But the pizzas still hold up against the newbie pack, espe- light wood accents, blue chip artwork, and upstairs mul- firmly rooted in Liguria, the northern Italian coastal region dard sushi/Thai menu. But as the new name signals, this cially since exec chef Frank Crupi has upped the ante with tipurpose space reserved for performance and pop-ups. around Genoa, pesto capital of the universe. Pastas like relocation is a reinvention. The indoor/outdoor space is unique-to-Miami offerings like a white (tomato-free) New The food, while flavorful, is mildly overpriced, but it’s an panisotti (plump vegetarian triangles containing ricotta charming, but creative takes on popular pan-Asian street Haven clam pie. Also available: salads, panini, and a tasty afterthought when you realize that good coffee has finally plus chard, spinach, and typical herbs/spices) are defi- foods are the real draw. Travel from Japan and Thailand meatball appetizer with ricotta. There’s a respectable wine arrived in the Miami Design District. $-$$ (AM) nitely not generically Italian. Still, the reason to come here: through Korea, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and and beer list, too. $$ (PRB)

70 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

BarMeli Cream Parlor Ferraro’s Kitchen the expanded menu, including impeccable cured meat options, 6927 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-5558 8224 Biscayne Blvd., 786-534-4180 1099 NE 79th St., 786-534-2136 is a vast improvement. Especially recommended: housemade Just east of Liza Meli’s defunct Ouzo’s Taverna, her similarly Don’t let the name fool you: This eclectic eatery is a lot Seasoned restaurateur Igor Ferraro, who’s honed his chef porchetta; nduja Calabrese (salami spread); the Regina pizza with rustic-festive tapas and wine bar/market has an extensive, more than just ice cream. At this cozy neighborhood spot, chops here and abroad in Italy, has opened a new eatery prosciutto crudo, buffala mozzarella, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and mostly small-plates menu including all of Ouzo’s Greatest Greek you can enjoy breakfast items all day or nosh on house spe- for those seeking two of life’s tastiest pleasures: pasta arugula; involtini (stuffed pizza rolls); an unusual carciofi salad Hits (refreshingly light and lemony taramosalata carp roe spread, cialties like the grilled smashed potato — the name says it and wine. The inviting dining room is also spacious, and with pine nuts and mint slivers. $$ (PRB) amazingly succulent grilled fresh sardines, her mom’s lemon all — for lunch or brunch. Dessert is a must at Cream Parlor, you’ll find ample room at the bar as well; saddle up to the cake, more), plus more broadly Mediterranean creations like an and first-timers need to experience Unicorn Poop ice cream latter for a better view of the kitchen, where Chef Ferraro Jimmy’s East Side Diner Italian-inspired grana padano flan, uniquely topped crostini and (much more appetizing than it sounds). Even if you’re not is busy creating homemade pappardelle, lasagna, and 7201 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-3692 flatbreads, cheese/charcuterie boards. The boutique wine selec- hungry, stop in to admire the vintage décor and crack a other Italian classics. Complement your meal with a bottle Open for more than 30 years and still regularly packed with tion focuses on unusual (sometimes virtually unknown, and smile. Check out the patio in back. $-$$ (MFP) from the expansive wine selection, then order the signa- locals, Jimmy’s respects the most important American diner unavailable elsewhere in town) Mediterranean varietals from ture tiramisu for a sweet ending. $$$ (MFP) tradition: breakfast at any hour the place is open — though family-owned vineyards. $$ (PRB) Doggi’s Arepa Bar that’s only through mid-afternoon. Menu highlights include 7281 Biscayne Blvd., 786-558-9538 Fiorito pecan waffles, biscuits with sausage gravy, and eggs any Battubelin MiMo residents, rejoice: Doggi’s Arepa Bar has brought its 5555 NE 2nd Ave., 305-754-2899 style, from old-school western omelets to trendy frittatas. 749 NE 79th St., 786-391-0300 Venezuelan street food offerings up north. The restaurant’s While owners Max and Cristian Alvarez’s description of their Among sides, truly crispy hash browns are neighborhood leg- Shorecrest gem Mina’s Mediterraneo is long gone, hav- second location features everything that regulars have eatery as “a little Argentinean shack” is as charming as the end, with creamy grits a satisfying second. For those who like ing been replaced by another soon-to-be neighborhood come to know and love about the place: giant portions, rea- brothers themselves, it conveys neither the place’s cool lunchier fare, hot open-faced turkey sandwiches feature the favorite: Battubelin. The Italian eatery checks all the boxes sonable prices and an extensive menu. If it’s your first foray warmth nor the food’s exciting elegance. Dishes are authenti- real deal, not gelatinous deli-type turkey roll. $ (PRB) when it comes to a memorable dining experience: appetiz- into this type of cuisine, start with the shredded beef arepa cally Argentine, but far from standard steakhouse stuff. Chef ing cuisine, friendly service, and lots of wine. The menu — essentially a corn flour pocket of flavor. The cachapa — a Cristian’s background at popular pop-up The Dining Room La Placita isn’t reinventing the wheel — just refining it. Plates like the corn pancake with cheese and cream — is another beloved becomes instantly understandable in dishes like orange and 6789 Biscayne Blvd., 305-400-8173 gnocchi pesto pasta and the burrata and prosciutto pizza specialty that’s not to be missed. $-$$ (MFP) herb-scented lechon confit (with pumpkin mash, pickled cab- La Placita, the new Puerto Rican restaurant from local are items we’ve seen before, but rarely at a caliber like chef José Mendin, made massive headlines at its open- this. Word of advice: Save room for tiramisu. $-$$ (MFP) ing, all due to a controversial flag mural on its exterior. Don’t let this squabble with the city distract you from the Blue Collar food, which continues the Pubbelly chef’s hot streak. Key 6730 Biscayne Blvd., 305-756-0366 West conch salad, seafood stew, and tamales are among Like its predecessor in this space (Michael Bloise’s American the many highlights here, but the crowd favorite is the Noodle Bar), this working-class-themed eatery is helmed by mofongo. Get the mashed plantain dish with ropa vieja, a former fine-dining chef, Daniel Serfer, a Chef Allen’s vet and watch your taste buds perk up. $-$$$ (MFP) who now crafts casual, creative fare at prices all can afford. Dishes are eclectic. The roughly dozen veggie dishes alone The Plantisserie range from curried cauliflower purée to maduros to bleu 7316 NE 2nd Ave., 786-502-3363 cheese roasted asparagus. Shrimp and grits compete with Plant-based dieters have a new reason to celebrate: Little any in Charleston; pork and beans, topped with a perfectly River has its first plant-based organic deli. Inside the runny fried egg, beats Boston’s best. $-$$ (PRB) Plantisserie, customers have vegan options galore to choose from — available à la carte or in bulk. Hosting a party? Stock Bon Gout BBQ up on meatless lasagna and shepherd’s pie by the pound. Or 99 NW 54th St., 305-381-5464 if you plan on eating in, try a quiche Lorraine with eggplant Bon Gout BBQ will have you smacking your lips in no time. bacon or a jackfruit empanada. Rotating specials ensure that All your favorite proteins make an appearance at this there’s something new every time you visit. $ (MFP) Little Haiti shop: chicken, pork, beef, and fish. The griot — Haitian fried pork — is a must for first-timers and a steal Loba at $10. Heftier plates like the fried fish dinner are still sur- 7420 Biscayne Blvd., 786-536-6692 prisingly affordable and double as lunch and dinner; you’ll As suggested by this comfie gastropub’s interactive liter- be rolling out of here. There are some big Haitian flavors ary ambiance (décor features shelves of paperbacks), the hidden inside this small storefront. $ (MFP) concept of young financial-analyst-turned-restaurateur Jessica Sanchez is to encourage creativity, including Boteco exploring Miami’s unique culture-agriculture through 916 NE 79th St., 305-757-7735 food created by a staff including experienced chefs, FIU This strip of 79th Street is rapidly becoming a cool alt-culture culinary students, and her mom Libia, former owner of enclave thanks to inviting hangouts like this rustic indoor/ the traditional Colombian Patacón chain. Needless to say, outdoor Brazilian restaurant and bar. Especially bustling on the menu is eclectic, ranging from South American (the nights featuring live music, it’s even more fun on Sundays, Patacón, a bandeja paisa-inspired sampler plate) to mod- when the fenced backyard hosts an informal fair and the ernized Old South (MiMo Fried Chicken with crispy kale menu includes Brazil’s national dish, feijoada, a savory stew and local honey). Boredom? Impossible. $$-$$$ (PRB) of beans plus fresh and cured meats. But the everyday menu, ranging from unique, tapas-like pasteis to hefty Brazilian Lo De Lea entrées, is also appealing – and budget-priced. $$ (PRB) 7001 Biscayne Blvd., 305-456-3218 In Casa Toscana’s former space, this cute, contemporary Café Roval parillada is proof that you can have an Argentinean meal 5808 NE 4th Ct., 786-279-6800 and a cholesterol test in the same month. While tradi- Café Roval’s Old World flourishes set the perfect mise-en- tional parillada dishes are tasty, they’re meat/fat-heavy, scène for magic. Restaurateur Mark Soyka of News Café, basically heaps of grilled beef. Here the grill is also used the Van Dyke, Andiamo, and Soyka Restaurant made a for vegetables (an unusually imaginative assortment, bold move opening his latest restaurant in the storied including bok choi, endive, and fennel), two of which are pumphouse building just north of his 55th Street Station paired with your protein of choice. You can indulge in a property. The subtly anachronistic décor casts an ambi- mouthwateringly succulent vacio (flank steak), and walk ance suspended in time. Coral-rock walls extend toward out without feeling like you’re the cow. $$-$$$ (PRB) a beautifully vaulted ceiling in the dining room adorned with antique chandeliers. Elsewhere, quirky touches Manjay abound throughout the dining room and into the outdoor 8300 NE 2nd Ave., 305-542-2971 seating area. During the cooler months, dining is best When you’re craving Caribben cuisine, keep Manjay top experienced by candlelight on the backyard patio, comfort- of mind. This establishment inside The Citadel food hall ably nestled between lush gardens and a reflecting pool. may have a small menu, but its flavors are anything but. The restaurant’s menu is influenced by a savory fusion of The jerk chicken bites with plantain fries are a substan- Mediterranean, Asian, French, and American cuisine. Lots tial starter that should be succeeded by the Kreyol Bib, to try here, including caviar, tuna crudo, grass-fed lamb a Creole-style slow braised pork sandwich. Sides like red burgers, oxtail buns, and some vegetarian options such beans and rice and mofongo (crushed sweet plantains) as sprouted chickpea cakes and the vegan dish du jour. guarantee that you leave with a full belly. Get some Selections from the bar include playful cocktails eschew- Haitian-style beignets to go if you have room. $-$$ (MFP) ing liquor in favor of wine, beer, and sake. $$$-$$$$ (AM) Dogma Grill bage salad, and Dijon mojo) or sopa de calabaza, derived from Ms. Cheezious Cake Thai Kitchen 7030 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-3433 Argentina’s peasant stew locro, but here a refined, creamy 7418 Biscayne Blvd., 305-989-4019 7919 Biscayne Blvd., 305-534-7906 Since opening, this hot dog-PLUS (capital letters intended) soup. Many more surpris es — even steaks. $$-$$$ (PRB) This brick-and-mortar location of Miami’s most awarded Helmed by a perfectionist young chef (formerly from joint has had several owners and menu changes. Currently food truck has an expanded menu, featuring favorites like Makoto) and his host/dessert-maker mom, this hip hole- it’s in a “Best of” phase. Main draw remains 100% beef Flavorish Market mac ’n’ cheese, but what you’ll mostly want is just grilled in-the-wall serves typical Thai street food. Many dishes dogs with numerous regionally inspired topping combos (our 7283 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-8787 cheese. Which is a misnomer. “Just grilled cheese” sand- are astonishingly ambitious, like peanut/garlic chip/ favorite: the elaborate, authentic Chicago), but vegetarians As Zabar’s reflects Manhattan’s Upper Westside neighbor- wiches are what your mom made. Here you’ll find cunning cilantro-sprinkled roast duck noodle with Chinese broccoli, can again enjoy the original menu’s veggie franks, absent hood, this smaller specialty foods shop is geared toward creations like Frito Pie Melts (the Southwestern classic and intense pork fat-enriched broth. Other unique special- for several years, topped identically. More recent adds worth Miami’s Upper Eastside lifestyle. The carefully curated corn chip/cheese/jalepeño/onion/chili combo, served ties include spicy house-cured pork/crispy rice sausages, sampling are regional specialty sandwiches, like New Orleans stock ranges widely: upscale packaged foods; boutique on sourdough instead of in a Frito bag), or the Croqueta soy and whisky-marinated steak jerky, swoonfully sinful shrimp po’boys. And though there’s no indoor seating, cur- wines/beers; artisanal cheeses and cured meats; cook- Monsieur (ham croquettes, tavern ham, Swiss cheese, pork belly with basil sauce, and citrus/curry-tinged fried rent owner Diego Villamedi has expanded the outdoor area books, kitchen utensils, more. But highlights are locally béchamel). A welcome expansion: the spacious backyard, chicken wings. Arrive early to score the wings. Surprisingly and spruced up its landscaping for better insulation from produced fare: Mimi’s famed raviolis; Roc Kat’s tropical featuring lawn chairs and sizable shade trees, is definitely scrumptious tofu and veggie preparations, too. $-$$ (PRB) Boulevard traffic, making picnicking more pleasant. $ (PRB) ice creams; chef/restaurateur Ken Lyon’s prepared foods, a more relaxed dining area than a hot sidewalk. $$ (PRB) including daily-changing dinners for two; Zak the Baker’s CHICA Miami East Side Pizza crusty sourdough breads, plus sandwiches on same. Moshi Moshi 5556 NE 4th Ct., 786-632-7725 731 NE 79th St., 305-758-5351 Best-kept secret: While there’s no official café component, 7232 Biscayne Blvd., 786-220-9404 The former Soyka space has been completely transformed Minestrone, sure. But a pizzeria menu with carrot ginger comfie counter seats enable on-premises breakfasting, This offspring of South Beach old-timer Moshi Moshi is a into CHICA by the team behind Yardbird and Spring soup? Similarly many Italian-American pizzerias offer lunching, and coffee/pastry breaks. $-$$ (PRB) cross between a sushi bar and an izakaya (Japanese tapas Chicken. Unlike its clucky cousins, CHICA is dedicated entrées like spaghetti and meatballs, but East Side also bar). Even more striking than the hip décor is the food’s to Latin cuisine. Celebrity chef Lorena Garcia leads the has pumpkin ravioli in brown butter/sage sauce, wild Ironside Pi zza unusually upscale quality. Sushi ranges from pristine indi- kitchen, which is producing delectable dishes like grilled mushroom ravioli, and other surprisingly upscale choices, 7580 NE 4th Ct., 305-531-5055 vidual nigiri to over-the-top maki rolls. Tapas are intriguing, Peruvian octopus, pepita-crusted rack of lamb, and including imported Peroni beer. As for the pizza, they are From the team behind Brickell’s upscale Toscana Divino, this like arabiki sausage, a sweet-savory pork fingerling frank; Venezuelan braised short rib. Playful libations like the classic pies, available whole or by the slice, made with casual indoor/outdoor pizzeria (hidden inside Little River’s artistic rarely found in restaurants even in Japan, they’re popular Fashion Never Gets Old and Living My Best Life highlight fresh plum tomato sauce and Grande mozzarella (con- Ironside complex) retains the strengths of it predecessor, Ironside Japanese home-cooking items. And rice-based plates like Chica’s whimsical side. The place looks fancy, but all bud- sidered the top American pizza cheese). Best seating for Pittzza — an award-winning Neopolitan pizzoalo; mouthwatering Japanese curry (richer/sweeter than Indian types) satisfy gets are welcome. $$-$$$$$ (MFP) eating is at the sheltered outdoor picnic tables. $ (PRB) wood-oven crusts; vegetarian/vegan and gluten-free toppings. But even the biggest appetites. $-$$$ (PRB)

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 71 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

Ni.Do. Caffe & Mozzarella Bar chunks, plus asparagus, avocado, lettuce, tobiko (flying fish), The revamped space makes the entire experience just a indeed open this hip place’s parent in Fairbanks back in 7295 Biscayne Blvd., 305-960-7022 masago (smelt) roes, and special sauces. Thai dishes come little fresher and a little happier. Speaking of happy, their 1993, after years of traveling through every coffee-growing Don’t let this little café’s easily overlooked strip-mall loca- with a choice of more than a dozen sauces, ranging from happy hour deals are still as good as ever. $$ (MB) country in the world. Brews like signature smooth yet tion, or its informal interior, fool you. The warm welcome traditional red or green curries to the inventive, such as an exotic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe don’t even need cream or is authentically Italian, as are cleverly crafted antipasti, unconventional honey sauce. $$$ (PRB) Sushi Siam sugar, much less frappe frou-frou. All beans are house- simple but full-flavored pastas, and homemade pastries 1524 NE 79th St. Cswy., 305-864-7638 roasted. There’s solid food, too: brick-oven pizzas, salads, (from rosemary breadsticks to fruit-topped dessert tortas) Tap 79 (See Miami / Upper Eastside listing) (PRB) sandwiches, and pastries. $-$$ (PRB) that will transport your taste buds to Tuscany. And the 1071 NE 79th St., 305-381-0946 housemade mozzarella or burrata cheeses — truly milk One-time fine-dining chef Alfredo Patino, whose still thriv- Tacos vs Burritos Cantina Amarone elevated to royalty — will transport you to heaven. A small ing wine/tapas bar Bin No. 18 was one of the first chef- 1888 79th St. Cswy., 305-868-2096 15400 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 107, 305-440-0766 market area provides Italian staples, plus superb salumi owned restaurants to bring casual culinary sophistication When you pit tacos against burritos, everyone wins. Amarone touts four things in their logo: wine, pasta, and the magnificent mozz, to go. $$-$$$ (PRB) to the downtown/midtown Biscayne Corridor, does the Despite its competitive name, Tacos vs Burritos Cantina pizza, and spirits. Where to start? Try the brick-oven piz- same for still-transitional 79th Street with this convivial shows equal love to both culinary vessels. In fact, diners zas. While they don’t break new ground in the creativity O Munaciello gastropub, which has a similar sharable-plates menu, but will find a lot more than just tacos and burritos: tosta- department, this North Miami Italian restaurant gets the 6425 Biscayne Blvd., 786-907-4001 built more around beer than wine pairings. Highlights das, quesadillas, and tortas can also be filled with your classics right — even your basic margherita is impressive. Neapolitan pizza is the star of the show at ’O Munaciello range from carefully curated, imported charcuterie/cheese protein of choice. While you could load up on the usual Decadent pastas with truffle oil and other rich ingredients Miami, whose roots originate in Florence, Italy. The full- plates to fun chef-driven items: house-cured beef jerky, suspects like carne asada and chorizo, you’re better off make this place a carb lover’s dream. Wine connoisseurs service restaurant and pizzeria is bright and inviting, and brown sugar/ginger-marinated salmon “Scooby Snacks,” being adventurous and going for less traditional (and will also have their hands full with selections from all over its menu is home to an array of pizza selections sure to hearty Coke-braised short ribs with sweet corn polenta harder-to-find) fillings like tongue and tripe. $ (MFP) Italy. $-$$ (MFP) please the pickiest of palates. A standout: the San Daniele, and pungent Junetag blue cheese. $$-$$$ (PRB) which masterfully mixes mozzarella, fresh arugula, shaved Basilic Vietnamese Grill Parmesan, and cured ham. Diners not in the mood for pizza Via Verdi Cucina Rustica NORTH BEACH 14734 Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-0577 can opt for pastas like a linguine with clams or a spaghetti 6900 Biscayne Blvd., 786-615-2870 Those who say great pho is few and far between are in for cacio e pepe with prawn; a small selection of meat and sea- After years of critical acclaim cooking the cuisine of their Café Prima Pasta a treat: Basilic Vietnamese Grill offers a stunning take on food entrées is available as well. $$-$$$ (MFP) native Piedmontat ultra-upscale Quattro, on Lincoln Road, 414 71st St., 305-867-0106 the subtle majesty of this humble noodle soup. It June be twin brother chefs Nicola and Fabrizio Carro decided to Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks? Opened in enough for some restaurants to rest on the laurels of one Organic Bites work for themselves, hands-on renovating the former 1993 (with 28 seats), the Cea family’s now-sprawling trat- spectacular dish, but brothers and co-owners John, Chuck, 7010 Biscayne Blvd., 786-542-9654 space of MiMo District pioneer Uva 69. Cuisine here is toria has added inventive chef Carlos Belon and modern and Vince Vu aim for the bleachers, offering a broad selec- Too often healthy eating is associated with deprivation, similarly authentic, with creative twists. But there are menu items, including fiocchi rapera (pear/cheese-filled tion of delicious contemporary and traditional Vietnamese but not at this breakfast/lunch/dinner bistro. Co-owners important differences: emphasis on local, rather than pasta purses with truffled prosciutto cream sauce), an foods that aim to please. The bahn mi sandwich is only Andres and Ana Reid’s concept focuses mainly on people- mostly imported, ingredients; inspiration from all Italian unlikely (soy sauce and parmesan cheese?) but luscious served during lunch, but is alone well worth the trip to this pleasing dishes that are 100% chemical/GMO-free, not on regions; and best, astonishing affordability. Housemade Italian/Japanese fusion tuna carpaccio, and fresh-fruit sor- wonderful addition to North Miami. $$-$$$ (AM) calorie-counting. The ingenious international comfort food spinach/ricotta gnudi baked in an ocean of burrata is a bets. But traditionalists needn’t worry. All the old favorites, menu of ex-José Andres Bazaar chef Goncalo Costa does delight, but it’s hard to go wrong here. $$-$$$ (PRB) from the café’s famed beef carpaccio to eggplant parm Bagel Bar East include vegetarian/vegan dishes but ranges far beyond: and pastas sauced with Argentine-Italian indulgence, are 1990 NE 123rd St., 305-895-7022 deceptively decadent-tasting eggs Florentine (with tomato Wabi Sabi by Shuji still here and still satisfying. $$$-$$$$ (PRB) Crusty outside (even without toasting) and substantially and avocado hollandaise); Portuguese bacalhau cakes 851 NE 79th St., 305-890-7228 chewy inside, the bagels here are the sort homesick ex- with black-eyed pea salad; big juicy certified-organic burg- Before its sudden closure in late 2018, Wabi Sabi’s healthy Silverlake Bistro New Yorkers always moan are impossible to find in Miami. ers with smoked truffle mozzarella on onion brioche buns, bowls were all the rage on NE 79th Street. After a months- 1211 71st St., 786-803-8113 For those who prefer puffed-up, pillowy bagels? Forget with sweet potato fries. To accompany: fresh juices or long hiatus due to a family emergency, chef Shuji Hiyakawa At Silverlake Bistro, American influences abound. The it. Have a nice onion pocket. There’s also a full menu of organic wines. Ambiance is kid-friendly; prices, atypical of has reopened his beloved bowl spot. The menu remains cozy eatery features an array of rich items like the Napa authentic Jewis h deli specialties, including especially many organic eateries, are parent-friendly. $$ (PRB) short and sweet, with five tasty options loaded with tuna, grilled cheese sandwich and gnocchi mac and cheese that delicious, custom-cut — not pre-sliced — nova or lox. Super salmon, and other delectable seafood — all underlined with will have you hating yourself — but they’re oh so worth it. size sandwiches easily serve two, and they’ll even impro- Phuc Yea! sushi rice, cha-soba noodles, or another sumptuous base. Balance these out with some vegetables like the baby car- vise a real NJ Sloppy Joe (two meats, Swiss, coleslaw, and 7100 Biscayne Blvd., 305-494-0609 The real highlights, however, are the daily specials. Call to rots with honey and ricotta, one of the restaurant’s many Russian dressing on rye) if you ask nice. $$ (PRB) When renowned pop-up Phuc Yea quietly folded back in see what Shuji is cooking up. $-$$ (MFP) highlights. Our suggestion: Throw caution — and your diet 2011, restaurateurs Ani Meinhold and Cesar Zapata refused — to the wind and get the burger, a double-patty monster Captain Jim’s Seafood Market and Restaurant to let their innovative “Viet-Cajun” cuisine become another Winewood with porcini mayo and the kitchen sink. $-$$$ (MFP) 12950 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-892-2812 Miami memory. Fast forward several years and patience has 7251 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-8282 Captain Jim’s is a seafood paradise, boasting a wide undoubtedly paid off: Phuc Yea is back, sporting a swanky Along the Upper Eastside’s Biscayne Corridor best known range of fried delights and other specialties. Calling this new permanent home and a menu that not only expands for its historic MiMo architecture, this darkly wooden MIAMI SHORES menu big is an understatement, as it’s filled with all sorts upon but improves what the restaurant did right the first time. and quirky neighborhood wine bar stands out. Although of delicious selections: fried cracked conch, oysters, scal- The new multi-story restaurant is effortlessly hip, featuring a lucky few will appreciate the tiny rustic dining area, Amaranthine Bistro lop scampi, seafood puttanesca. You’ll start salivating neon signs and weathered rustic wood furniture throughout. the majority of guests will sit outdoors at the mercy of 9801 NE 2nd Ave., 786-907-4924 one-fourth of the way through. You can easily subsist on The menu leans toward smaller tapas-style plates, which are Miami’s grueling summer heat. The menu leans heavily Day or night, Amaranthine Bistro is ready to serve up these favorites or opt for an entrée like gulf coast shrimp sure to infuriate Miami’s gourmands, but make up for dimin- upon Argentinean staples and Italian cuisine, echoes of exquisite Mediterranean cuisine. Early risers can take or corvina fillet. Diners can have it all here. $-$$ (MFP) utive portion sizes with flavor for days. The signature Cajun Devita’s Restaurant and Che Soprano, which previously advantage of flavorful dishes like a Tuscany omelet (mort- woks are superb, while the smaller dishes such as the fra- occupied this space. Entrées such as lomito, seafood adella and provolone) and nutella pancakes, or grab an Café Crème grant yet mild-tasting eggplant curry and the stellar “Broken tablas, and fresh pastas and stuffed raviolis are gener- iced coffee for the road. In the evening, the menu swaps 750 NE 125th St., 786.409.3961 Rice” — saucy caramelized pork belly served over short grain ously portioned and delicious. Exploring the wine menu breakfast fare for tuna tartare, gnocchi, lobster risotto, You don’t have to circle the world in search of sweet and rice — are great for sampling when friends or family join in will take patience as the list promotes a thoughtfully ribeye, and other mouthwatering dinner selections. No savory treats from the City of Lights. Situated adjacent to on the fun. If you order dessert, opt for the extremely popular diverse terroir from regions all over the world. Those matter what time they pop in, guests are in for a treat at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Café Crème is a French bread pudding, or the mung bean pudding if you’re feeling reeling from weekend withdrawal can opt for a glass of this charming neighborhood bistro. $-$$$ (MFP) bistro helmed by Buena Vista Café proprietors Claude adventurous. $$$ (AM) wine with a side of live entertainment beginning Tuesday Postel and Cory Finot. Open for breakfast, lunch, and din- through Saturday. $$-$$$ (AM) Côte Gourmet ner, their selection of tartines, croissants, soups, salads, Sandwich Where? 9999 NE 2nd Ave., #112, 305-754-9012 and daily quiches won’t disappoint diners seeking simple 36 NE 54th St., 786-419-2772 When it comes to Miami’s dining scene, neighborhoods like dishes in this spacious and welcoming dining room. Service Don’t let the cute name fool you. Sandwich Where? takes NORTH BAY VILLAGE Wynwood and Brickell tend to get all of the attention. Côte is attentive and friendly, allowing you plenty of space to its namesake item seriously. The homey shop offers Gourmet, however, is putting Miami Shores on the map. This linger over your velvety latte. A word of caution: Those with tasty sandwiches at affordable prices — a lunch special 222 Taco locals spot specializes in appetizing French cuisine, such as an indomitable sweet tooth, beware! Pastry chef Romain with half a hoagie, chips, and a drink will set you back 1624 79th St. Cswy., 833-222-8226 staples like escargots and foie gras. Brunch is a highlight, Soreauto has made it near impossible to resist the pastries, roughly $6. That’s a bargain, as are their regular sandwich At first glance, the menu at North Bay Village’s 222 Taco may featuring more casual cuisine like crêpes and a decadent all baked on-site daily. They will leave visions of coffee offerings like prosciutto mozzarella, turkey and brie, and look like that of your standard taco joint. But a deeper dive croque madame to fill you up. Regardless of whether you éclairs, tarts, macarons, and Napoleon cakes dancing soppressata. Pair one with a delectable smoothie like the into the selections reveals more than just tacos, quesadillas, visit for brunch, lunch, or dinner, expect reasonable prices, through your mind for days to come. Très bon! $-$$ (AM) Tevez (pineapple, orange, and raspberry), and you have and other traditional fare. “Coco-Ceviche” and Mexican pizza service with a smile, and oh-so-satisfying food. $-$$$ (MFP) yourself a great lunch. $ (MFP) are just a few tasty ways that 222 Taco is making a name for Cane á Sucre itself. Larger parties can opt for a one-pound al pastor taco PizzaFiore 899 NE 125th St.,305-891-0123 Siam Rice platter and other affordable family-style options. Fun fact: 9540 NE 2nd Ave., 305-754-1924 From the Vega brothers (who pioneered the Design and 7941 Biscayne Blvd., 305-758-0516 They also serve breakfast. $-$$ (MFP) Owned by Arcoub Abderrahim, who opened South Beach’s MiMo districts with, respectively, the original Cane A Sucre You’ll find all the familiar favorite Thai and Japanese items original PizzaFiore way back in 1996, this café serves the and UVA 69), this charming artisanal sandwich bar is the here, and prices for curries and noodle dishes (all custom- Oggi’s Caffe kind of nostalgic, medium-thin crusted, oozing-with-gooey- perfect breakfast/lunch stop before or after ingesting visual izable regarding choice of protein, preparation, and heat 1666 79th St. Cswy., 305-866-1238 cheese pizzas reminiscent of our childhood pies in north- arts at nearby MOMA. Actually, creations like El Fig (fig con- level) are especially good at lunch. But don’t overlook some- This cozy, romantic spot started back in 1989 as a pasta ern NJ Sopranos’ territory, except now there are options fit, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and honey on an authenti- what pricier specialties like a deep-fried yet near-greaseless factory (supplying numerous high-profile restaurants) as for today’s toppings — sundried tomatoes, buffalo mozza- cally French crisp-crusted fresh-baked baguette) are art in boneless half duck with veggies in red curry sauce. There’s well as a neighborhood eatery. And the wide range of rella, etc. But there’s also a full menu of Italian-American their own right. Inventive, substantial salads, sides, daily also an unusually extensive list of salads, some with inven- budget-friendly, homemade pastas, made daily, remains classics, including antipasto salads, subs, and particularly soups, and homemade sweets (including mouthwateringly tive fusion touches, like a grilled shrimp/soba salad featur- the main draw for its large and loyal clientele. Choices popular, pastas. Garlic rolls are a must, but we didn’t have buttery croissants) complete the menu. $-$$ (PRB) ing traditional Thai flavors (sriracha chiles, fish sauce, lime) range from homey, meaty lasagna to luxuriant crab ravi- to tell you that. $-$$ (PRB) and Japanese green tea noodles. $-$$$ (PRB) oli with creamy lobster sauce, with occasional forays into Chéen-huyae creative exotica such as seaweed spaghettini, with sea Smoothie Express 15400 Biscayne Blvd., 305-956-2808 Sherwood’s Bistro & Bar scallops, shitakes, and fresh tomatoes. $$-$$$ (PRB) 9440 NE 2nd Ave., 786-534-8696 Diners can get some Tex-Mex dishes here, if they must. 8281 NE 2nd Ave., 786-359-4030 When you need a quick bite, pop into Smoothie Express. But the specialty is Junean-rooted Yucatan cuisine. So why Little Haiti isn’t exactly known for its culinary options, but Rico Sandwich Café Despite the name, smoothies are just one part of the blow bucks on burritos when one can sample Caribbean the new food hall at The Citadel will change that percep- 1440 79th St. Cswy., Suite 1402, 305-867-4977 diverse menu at this Miami Shores establishment. Its Mexico’s most typical dish: cochinita pibil? Chéen’s tion by year’s end. Until then, Sherwood’s Bistro & Bar is Two adjectives describe Rico Sandwich Café perfectly: healthy wraps, salads and burgers are perfect for a fast authentically succulent version of the pickle-onion-topped doing its part in filling the neighborhood’s void. Expect good and fast. This low-key North Bay Village shop cooks meal or a post-workout pick-me-up; pair them with the eat- marinated pork dish is earthily aromatic from achiote, larger-than-life plates like rabbit pot pie, gnocchi with up satisfying Latin food in a jiffy. The menu is much more ery’s namesake item, and you’ll be good until dinner. For tangy from bitter oranges, and meltingly tender from slow oxtail ragu, and bouillabaisse at this comfort-food-centric than sandwiches — in fact, sandwiches make up just a your little ones, there’s a kids menu with quesadillas, slid- cooking in a banana leaf wrap. To accompany, try a lime/ restaurant. The word “homey” immediately comes to small portion of the selections here. Mains include grilled ers, and grilled cheese, plus child-friendly smoothies like soy/chili-spiced michelada, also authentically Mexican, mind: Sherwood’s could literally be someone’s house palomilla steak, chicken parm, short ribs, pastas, pizzas, oreos and cream. Here, everyone leaves happy. $ (MFP) and possibly the best thing that ever happened to dark (we’re fairly certain it was), and the fascinating design just omelettes — basically everything except the kitchen sink. beer. $$-$$$ (PRB) adds to the eatery’s allure. With convenient parking all Despite the eclectic mix of food, there is one constant: around, there’s no reason not to visit. $$-$$$ (MFP) quality. $-$$$$ (MFP) NORTH MIAMI Guy & The Bird 13408 Biscayne Blvd., 305-428-3805 Sushi Siam Shuckers Waterfront Grill Alaska Coffee Roasting Co. Guy & The Bird is an ode to the almighty grill. This innova- 5582 NE 4th Ct., 305-751-7818 1819 NE 79th St. Cswy., 305-866-1570 13130 Biscayne Blvd., 786-332-4254 tive addition to North Miami boasts a simple, creative On the menu of sushi-bar specialties plus a small selection of Sometimes accidents can lead to better things. Case in When people speak of the West Coast as the USA’s menu full of international influences. Grilled eel and Thai and Japanese cooked dishes, there are a few surprises, point, this North Bay Village waterfront institution is back quality coffeehouse pioneer territory, they’re thinking shaved foie gras butter, smashed whole potato, bone such as a unique lobster maki that’s admittedly huge in price with their casual, no-fuss service, cheap beer, special Seattle — and then south through coastal California. North marrow short rib are just a few of the eye-catching selec- ($25.95), but also in size: six ounces of crisp-fried lobster grilled wings (that require no sauce), and raw oysters. to Alaska? Not so much. But owner Michael Gesser did tions that patrons can enjoy. Yakitori is big here, and the

72 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

chicken wings and thighs are a must during any meal. And Steve’s Pizza the “Let’s Eat Meat” sign inside this Argentinian establish- Bay Harbor Bistro don’t get us started about the delicious duck confit fried 12101 Biscayne Blvd., 305-891-0202 ment is a dead giveaway. Once you sit down, you’ll see 1023 Kane Concourse, 305-866-0404 rice. $-$$$ (MFP) At the end of a debauched night of excess, some paper- a variety of different cuts on the menu along with native Though small, this ambitious European/American fusion thin designer pizza with wisps of smoked salmon (or staples like empanadas and sweetbreads. There are non- bistro covers all the bases, from smoked salmon eggs KC Healthy Cooking similar fluff) doesn’t do the trick. Open till 3:00 or 4:00 carnivore options, but you’re not here for a salad. Instead, Florentine at breakfast and elaborate lunch salads to 11900 Biscayne Blvd. #103, 786-502-4193 a.m., Steve’s has, since 1974, been serving the kind of get the “parillada” — the gigantic meat platter comes with steak frites at dinner, plus tapas. As well as familiar fare, Hidden inside an office building across from Home Depot, comforting, retro pizzas people crave at that hour. As in steak, short rib, blood sausage, and an assortment of you’ll find atypical creations: caramelized onion and goat this family-friendly spot has no fancy features — such as Brooklyn, tomato sauce is sweet, with strong oregano fla- other proteins. Good luck finishing it by yourself. $$-$$$ cheese-garnish ed leg of lamb sandwiches; a layered crab/ a sign outside. But walk through the corporate lobby and vor. Mozzarella is applied with abandon. Toppings are stuff (MFP) avocado tortino; pistachio-crusted salmon. A welcome you’ll find truly heartfelt, health-conscious, homemade that give strength: pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, onions, surprise: The bistro is also a bakery, so don’t overlook the dishes, some surprisingly sophisticated. There’s no red and peppers. $ (PRB) Whole Foods Market mouthwateringly buttery croissants, plumply stuffed empa- meat on the globally influenced menu, but there are poul- 12150 Biscayne Blvd., 305-892-5500 nadas, or elegant berry tarts and other homemade French try and fish, along with many vegetarian or vegan choices: Sushi Lucy (See Brickell / Downtown listing.) pastries. $$-$$$ (PRB) organic pumpkin soup, zingy Thai curried veggie soup, an 1680 NE 123rd St., 786-391-2668 elegantly layered, molded tuna/avocado/quinoa “cup- One of the worst parts about dining out is the wait. At Zaika Indian Cuisine Open Kitchen cake,” a real Bundt cake — vegan (no dairy) but remark- North Miami’s Sushi Lucy, waiting for your food is a 2176 NE 123rd St., 786-409-5187 1071 95th St., 305-865-0090 ably tasty. $$ (PRB) foreign concept. The Asian eatery sends out items by the This friendly and dateworthy-cute spot features If we were on Death Row, choosing a last meal, this very boatload — literally — so guests pick out their dishes as “Modern Indian” cuisine — both North Indian-type chef-centered lunchroom/market’s PBLT (a BLT sandwich La Brasa Grill they pass by on a conveyor belt. If you’re not in the mood traditional favorites interpreted without the oiliness with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly substituting for regular 1803 NE 123rd St., 786-409-3378 for sushi, rest assured you won’t leave hungry. Hot kitchen and heavy sauces typical of westernized curry houses, bacon) would be a strong contender. Co-owners Sandra Great value and quality intersect at La Brasa Grill in North entrées like the shrimp dumplings, salmon rice bowls, and plus refined reinventions using authentic (though Stefani (ex-Casa Toscana chef/owner) and Ines Chattas Miami. This location of the popular fast-casual chicken joint chicken skewers round out the establishment’s extensive heat-adjustible) spicing in original creations and/or (ex-Icebox Café GM) have combined their backgrounds to features the same items as its other outposts. Expect several menu. $-$$ (MFP) less familiar South Indian coastal dishes: coconut-rich create a global gourmet oasis with a menu ranging from hearty poultry options, including chicken fried rice, chicken light quiches and imaginative salads to hefty balsamic/ stir fry, and chicken bowls. Despite the fowl logo, guests will tomato-glazed shortribs or daily pasta specials (like wild also find skirt steak, pork carnitas, and other non-chicken boar-stuffed ravioli). Also featured: artisan grocery prod- entrées — most for under $12. For a cheap and satisfying ucts, and Stefani’s famous interactive cooking class/wine meal, La Brasa Grill is a reliable go-to. $-$$ (MFP) dinners. $$-$$$ (PRB) Pastry Is Art The Palm 12591 Biscayne Blvd., 305-640-5045 9650 E. Bay Harbor Dr., 305-868-7256 Given owner Jenny Rissone’s background as the Eden Roc’s It was 1930s journalists, legend has it, who transformed executive pastry chef, it’s not surprising that her cakes and NYC’s original Palm from Italian restaurant to bastion of other sweet treats (like creamy one-bite truffle “lollipops”) beef. Owners would run out to the butcher for huge steaks look as flawlessly sophisticated as they taste — perfect adult to satisfy the hardboiled scribes. So our perennial pick party fare. What the bakery’s name doesn’t reveal is that it’s here is nostalgic: steak à la stone — juicy, butter-doused also a breakfast and lunch café, with unusual baking-orient- slices on toast, topped with sautéed onions and pimentos. ed fare: a signature sandwich of chicken, brie, and caramel- This classic (whose carb components make it satisfying ized peaches and pecans on housemade bread; quiches; pot without à la carte sides, and hence a relative bargain) pies; even a baked-to-order Grand Marnier soufflé. The pecan isn’t on the menu anymore, but cooks will prepare it on sticky buns are irresistible. $$ (PRB) request. $$$$$ (PRB) Petit Rouge 12409 Biscayne Blvd., 305-892-7676 NORTH MIAMI BEACH From the mid-1990s (with Neal’s Restaurant and later with Il Migliore), local chef Neal Cooper’s neighborhood- Area Code 55 Brazilian Steakhouse oriented Italian eateries have been crowd-pleasers. While 16375 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-6202 this cute 32-seat charmer is French, it’s no exception, Area Code 55 Brazilian Steakhouse’s name is a mouthful avoiding pretense and winning fans with both classic and — and so are its meats. The all-you-can-eat establishment nouvelle bistro fare: frisée salad with lardons, poached puts you in total control of the experience. A flip of a card egg, and bacon vinaigrette; truite Grenobloise (trout with signals to the restaurant’s gauchos that you’re ready to lemon/caper sauce); consommé with black truffles and chow down on everything from filet mignon and lamb foie gras, covered by a buttery puff pastry dome; perfect chops to bacon-wrapped chicken and pork sausage. Eat pommes frites, and equally perfect apple or lemon tarts until you’re full or hate yourself; nobody’s stopping you. for dessert. $$$ (PRB) A word of advice: Don’t fill up on the restaurant’s super- addictive cheese bread, no matter how tempting. $$-$$$ Piccolo Pizza (MFP) 2104 NE 123rd St., 305-893-9550 Pizzas at this spin-off from family-owned Il Piccolo impress Ají Carbón even NYC visitors, thanks to recipes proprietor Hubert 16978 NE 19th Ave., 786- 955-6894 Benmoussa learned from an authentic Neapolitan piz- Embracing a decidedly contemporary take on traditional zaolo. Other favorites here include subs on homemade Peruvian dishes, Ají Carbón serves up tacu tacus, rice baguettes and, surprising for a pizzeria, delightfully cus- lomos, and chaufas, risottos, soups, and salads with an tardy quiche (Benmoussa is part French). But it would be artful twist. Among the many standout entrées is the arbo- unthinkable to miss the pies, especially our favorite Italia: rio, made with rocoto sauce and panko shrimp, embel- subtly sweet tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, lished with a surprisingly welcome drizzle of sweet passion onions, plus mixed greens and uncooked prosciutto on fruit reduction. Fans of Peru’s most treasured seafood top — both pizza and salad. There are also nicely priced treat, ceviche, will appreciate the variety: in addition to catering trays of finger subs, quiche squares, pizza bites, the traditional leche de tigre, guests can sample ceviches more. $-$$ (PRB) made with various sauces, including rocoto, yellow pepper, and cilantro. $$-$$$ (AM) Pinecrest Bakery 13488 Biscayne Blvd., 305-912-4200 The Alchemist Pinecrest Bakery has opened up shop in North Miami 17830 W. Dixie Hwy., 786-916-3560 and brought an extensive selection of Cuban special - It’s impossible to walk into The Alchemist without smiling. ties to the other side of town. As you’d expect, pasteli- The café is gorgeous, with plenty of indoor and outdoor tos, empanadas, and other traditional delights are on seating for all, including pets. Inside, the coffee shop lives the menu, but the bakery also doubles as a café. This up to its name with cool containers and quirky art that means you’ll also find sandwiches galore, including befit a mad scientist’s office. Open-face sandwiches and staples like the Cuban sandwich (ham, pork, swiss pizzettas make up most of the menu, which also includes cheese, pickle) as well as Philly cheesesteaks and risotto, escargot, and other fun items not typically found turkey melts. And of course, there’s no shortage of at your usual java joint. Plus, there’s beer and wine for cafecito. $ (MFP) unwinding. $-$$ (MFP) Ricky Thai Bistro Tatore Konkan fish curry, irresistible lasooni jhinga (yogurt/ Cacio e Pepe 1617 NE 123rd St., 305-891-9292 15180 Biscayne Blvd., 305-749-6840 garlic-marinated char-grilled shrimp). Vegetarian 15903 Biscayne Blvd., 305-627-3436 Named after the Thai/Italian owners’ son, this “best Meet the fugazzeta, a regional Argentinian specialty dishes featuring paneer cheese are outstanding, but When you name your restaurant Cacio e Pepe, you’d kept secret” neighborhood eatery is regularly packed by that is essentially a white pizza with mozzarella, onions, even samosas sparkle, with peas still popping-fresh. better be serving good pasta. Fortunately, chef Stefano food-savvy locals for good reason: Southeast Asian herbs and oregano. And although simple, it’s hard to come Multi-course lunch specials ($9-$13) — custom-cooked, Mazzi’s food backs it up. At this North Miami Beach gem, grown right outside the bistro, plus locally made rice noo- by in town. FYI: You can find it here. An ample outdoor not old steam-table buffet stuff — are a terrific deal. guests will find a wide range of Italian classics such as dles and precision cooking make the Thai fare among space is popular on the cooler days, and inside, the $$ (PRB) butternut ravioli, black truffle risotto, and seafood linguine. the most sparkling fresh, and authentically spiced/ great red oven takes center stage. You can go tradi - They’re items you can find elsewhere, but they’re done spicy in town. Must-haves include Pad Kee Mow (called tional with your pizza or try the Nicanora, which has especially well here. A meal can get pricey — some mains “drunken noodles,” but a more accurate translation is caramelized onions and bacon. The restaurant opens BAY HARBOR ISLANDS are upwards of $30 — but you’ll quickly understand why “drunkard’s noodles,” for their assertive and alcohol-free early enough to serve the breakfast of champions — dining here commands a premium. $$-$$$ (MFP) chili/ basil flavoring); duck or whole hog snapper, both empanadas. $-$$ (MB) Asia Bay Bistro crisp outside, juicy inside; succulently sour ground beef 1007 Kane Concourse, Chef Rolf’s Tuna’s Seafood Restaurant larp salad. Portions are unusually generous. $$ (PRB) Tomato & Basil 305-861-2222 17850 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-932-0630 653 NE 125th St., 305-456-1193 As in Japan’s most refined restaurants, artful presen- Known for decades as simply Tuna’s, this indoor/ Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill This rustic Italian eatery with reds, whites, and lots of light tation is stunning at this Japanese/Thai gem. And outdoor eatery, combining a casual vibe with some 1821 NE 123rd St., 305-702-7211 wood, will instantly transport you to the carefree streets though the voluminous menu sports all the familiar surprisingly sophisticated food, now has a name rec - Abuela’s Cuban cooking can make us feel all warm of Italy, Vespa included — so will the thin pizza, creamy favorites from both nations, the Japanese-inspired ognizing the culinary refinements introduced by Rolf and fuzzy. Unfortunately, it can also make us fat. Enter polenta, and carefully curated wine list. Their complimen- small plates will please diners seeking something dif - Fellhauer, for 28 years executive chef at Continental Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill, a somewhat healthier tary rolls with homemade tomato sauce are extra heavenly. ferent. Try jalapeño-sauced hamachi sashimi; toro with fine-dining spot La Paloma. Additions to the predomi - approach to the beloved cuisine. Guests can create their Delivery available, but if you decide to dine in, there is enoki mushrooms, bracing ooba (shiso), tobiko caviar, nantly seafood menu include chateaubriand or rack of own bowls and add healthy mix-ins like lean ground turkey plenty of free parking. $$ (MB) and a sauce almost like beurre blanc; rock shrimp/ lamb for two, both carved, with old-school spectacle, and cauliflower rice for a satisfyingly “skinny” meal. Of shitake tempura with a delicate salad; elegant salmon tableside. Owner Michael Choido has also renovated course, the usual suspects like the Cuban sandwich and Urbano Steak House tartare with a mix-in quail egg. And spicy, Juneo- the interior dining room, and added the Yellowfin even a Cuban cheesesteak make an appearance for those 2114 NE 123rd St., 786-637-7711 dressed tuna rock makis are universal crowd-pleasers. Lounge, which features an extensive selection of arti - not watching their waistline. $ (MFP) If you’re vegetarian, Urbano Steak House is not for you; $$$ (PRB) san beers. $$-$$$ (PRB)

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 73 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

CY Chinese with puréed watercress sauce; oxtail, slow-braised in a red the kitchen of Knob: broiled miso-marinated black cod; 1242 NE 163rd St., 305-947-3838 wine-enriched sauce — as sophisticated as the best boeuf rock shrimp tempura with creamy sauce; even Nobu SUNNY ISLES BEACH Szechuan cuisine is a fascinating and sometimes polar- Bourguignon, but more decadent. $$-$$$ (PRB) Matsuhisa’s “new style sashimi” (slightly surface-seared izing art — not everyone is a fan of the pain wrought from by drizzles of hot olive and sesame oil). The specials AQ Chophouse the distinctive mouth-numbing heat. But if spicy pain is King Palace menu includes some Thai-inspired creations, too, such as 17875 Collins Ave., 305-918-6888 the name of your game, there’s plenty of joy to be found 330 NE 167th St., 305-949-2339 veal massaman curry, Chilean sea bass curry, and sizzling AQ Chophouse may have a small menu, but the plates at CY Chinese, a worthy Chinese restaurant specializing in Specialties here are authentic Chinatown-style BBQ (whole filet mignon with basil sauce. $$$-$$$$ (PRB) are anything but. All appetites are welcome here. In the regional southwestern cuisine with a kick. Dishes range ducks, roast pork strips, etc., displayed in a glass case by mood to nibble? Tuna tartare and seafood ceviche have from typical Chinese fare (dumplings, egg rolls, pork, and the door), and fresh seafood dishes, the best made with Panya Thai your back. Craving carbs? A short rib ravioli with sage and duck served a million-and-one different ways) to exotic (sig- the live fish swimming in two tanks by the dining room 520 NE 167th St., 305-945-8566 butter will hit the spot. Just plain hungry? AQ’s signature nature dry pots, Szechuan dishes) to adventurous cuisine entrance. There’s also a better than average selection Unlike authentic Chinese cuisine, there’s no shortage of 18-ounce NY strip is calling your name. A concise selec- (tip: don’t order the mung bean jelly if you’re on a date, of seasonal Chinese veggies, like delicate sautéed pea genuine Thai food in and around Miami. But Panya’s chef/ tion of sushi rounds out the dinner offerings, any of which and if you don’t already know and love tripe, you might shoots. The menu is extensive, but the best ordering strat- owner, a Bangkok native, offers numerous regional and/ goes well with a black cherry Old Fashioned or another want to pass). All of the dishes sampled were delicious egy, since the place is usually packed with Asians, is to or rare dishes not found elsewhere. Plus he doesn’t auto- delicious libation. $$-$$$$$ (MFP) and unequivocally authentic, although perhaps a little bit see what looks good on nearby tables, and point. Servers matically curtail the heat or sweetness levels to please too oily. All meals can be made to taste, so specify how will also steer you to the good stuff, once you convince Americans. Among the most intriguing: moo khem phad Biella Ristorante much salt, oil, and spice you’d prefer with your server them you’re not a chop suey kinda person. $$ (PRB) wan (chewy deep-fried seasoned pork strips with fiery 17082 Collins Ave, 305-974-0174 while ordering. If you can excuse the shabby interior and tamarind dip, accompanied by crisp green papaya salad); Romantic dates and family outings are just a few of the idiosyncratic yet strangely charming table service, the real Korean Kitchen broad rice noodles stir-fried with eye-opening chili/garlic situations where a visit to Biella Ristorante is a good idea. deal is waiting for you at CY Chinese. $$-$$$ (AM) 1661 NE 163rd St., Ste. A, 954-766-5558 sauce and fresh Thai basil; and chili-topped Diamond This Sunny Isles Beach restaurant welcomes patrons It may not look like much on the outside, but delicious Duck in tangy tamarind sauce. $$-$$$ (PRB) with a vast menu of high-quality Italian favorites. Harissa Empire Szechuan Gourmet of NY Korean food awaits inside this North Miami Beach gem. tuna tartare and beef carpaccio are notable starters that 3427 NE 163rd St., 305-949-3318 Korean Kitchen cooks up a wealth of familiar dishes like beef Paquito’s prepare the palate for an onslaught of fun flavors. Entrées bulgogi and sweet and spicy wings — things you may encoun- In the 1980s, Empire became the Chinese chain that ter at similar spots. The real winners are the “less accessible” 16265 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-5027 like Biella’s pear ravioli and black truffle risotto are full of swallowed Manhattan — and transformed public percep- items like fish cake soup, squid stir fry, and steamed eggs; From the outside, this strip-mall Mexican eatery couldn’t said flavors, and a dessert menu featuring tiramisu, gelato, tions of Chinese food in the NY metropolitan area. Before: you’ll be hard pressed to find those selections elsewhere. Go be easier to overlook. Inside, however, its festivity is and more ensures a memorable evening. $$-$$$ (MFP) bland faux-Cantonese dishes. After: lighter, more fiery fare in with an open mind and you’ll have a great time. $ (MFP) impossible to resist. Every inch of wall space seems to be from Szechuan and other provinces. This Miami outpost covered with South of the Border knickknacks. And if the Chayhana Oasis does serve chop suey and other Americanized items, but kitschy décor alone doesn’t cheer you, the quickly arriving 250 Sunny Isles Blvd., 305-917-1133 don’t worry. Stick with Szechuan crispy prawns, Empire’s Kuten Inclusive Kitchen basket of fresh (not packaged) taco chips, or the mariachi Sampling traditional Uzbeki cuisine brings to mind a Special Duck, cold sesame noodles, or similar pleasantly 3507 NE 163rd St., 305-944-3189 band, or the knockout margaritas will. Food ranges from confluence of several Eastern styles, including the best spicy specialties, and you’ll be a happy camper, especially Kuten Inclusive Kitchen takes its name seriously: All diets Tex-Mex burritos and a party-size fajita platter to authentic flavors from Turkish, Russian, and Chinese cooking, if you’re an ex-New Yorker. $$ (PRB) are welcome. This charming breakfast and lunch spot’s Mexican moles and harder-to-find traditional preparations cherry-picked and mixed to surprising effect. Chayhana offerings lean on the healthier side, so expect tartines, like albóndigas – spicy, ultra-savory meatballs. $$-$$$ Oasis, a bold mid-size restaurant that manages to Fat Boy’s Wings & Tings salads, soups, and other lighter fare (including vegetarian (PRB) look opulent without seeming gaudy, showcases 1562 NE 165th St., 305-209-2533 options). Most items can be made gluten-free, such as its Uzbekistan’s diverse cultural heritage in its food, At Fat Boy’s Wings & Tings, you know what you’re getting hearty bacon and egg roll as well as the pasta auvergne PhoMi2Go which has a comforting, understated simplicity to it. yourself into: wings — and a lot of them. These are some with roasted eggplant (one word: yum). Customers in a 17010 W. Dixie Hwy., 786-916-2790 Vegetarians might have trouble navigating the menu, meaty wings, so six pieces should be enough for most folks hurry should opt for fun bakery selections like almond Run — don’t walk — to this hidden North Miami Beach gem which skews heavily in favor of carnivorous appetites. If at this North Miami business (but you can order up to 100). keto cookies, popcorn cake, and cheese bites. $ (MFP) that boasts a bevy of Vietnamese staples like pho and you’re game for a meaty dish, try the deliciously authen - They’re tasty on their own, but they really shine with flavor bahn mis. Given the name, such selections should come as tic pilaf, the Eastern salad made with cucumbers and options like lemon pepper and pineapple jerk. As for other Lettuce & Tomato no surprise. What is surprising, though, is the pricing. The fried beef, the lamb filled Manty dumplings, and any “tings,” Fat Boy’s offers entrées like jerk shrimp pasta, oxtail, 17070 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-760-2260 majority of items cost less than $10, but their quality war- one of the many kebabs. Service is also friendly and and curry goat. Be prepared for leftovers. $-$$ (MFP) Despite its inauspicious location, this unassuming gas- rants a higher valuation. No meal here is complete without above average. $$-$$$ (AM) tropub is a certified gem, priding itself on using fresh, an order of 5-spice chicken wings or egg rolls, either of Ginza Japanese Buffet seasonal ingredients to create inspired takes on salads, which can be had for less than a Lincoln. $ (MFP) Il Mulino New York 16153 Biscayne Blvd.,305-944-2192 sandwiches, burgers, and gourmet bites. An earnest labor 17875 Collins Ave., 305-466-9191 Highlighting the lunch and dinners spreads at this all-you- of love for husband and wife team Roy and Agostina Siam Square If too much is not enough for you, this majorly upscale can-eat Japanese buffet are a hibachi station (where chefs Starobinsky, this cozy spot presents a thoughtful selection 54 NE 167th St., 305-944-9697 Italian-American place, an offshoot of the famed NYC origi- custom-cook diners’ choice of seafood or meat), plus many of flavorful offerings, including a quinoa cremosa adorned This addition to North Miami Beach’s “Chinatown” strip nal, is your restaurant. For starters, diners receive enough types of maki rolls and individual nigiri sushi, both featur- with truffle oil and microgreens, a house-cured salmon has become a popular late-night gathering spot for chefs freebie food — fried zucchini coins, salami, bruschetta with ing a larger variety of seafood than at many sushi bars tosta, braised pork belly buns, and grilled octopus. Drink from other Asian restaurants. And why not? The food is varying toppings, a wedge of quality parmigiano, garlic -- not just salmon and tuna but snapper, escolar, surf clam, selections include a Tokyo Bloody Mary, mimosas, and a fresh, nicely presented, and reasonably priced. The kitch- bread — that ordering off the menu seems superfluous. But snow crab, and more. But there are also steam-tabled hot delightfully satisfying Asian take on a classic mojito, made en staff is willing to customize dishes upon request, and mushroom raviolis in truffle cream sauce are irresistible, Japanese and Chinese dishes; an array of cold shellfish and with sake instead of traditional rum. Lettuce & Tomato the serving staff is reliably fast. Perhaps most important, and perfectly tenderized veal parmesan, the size of a large salads with mix-and-match sauces; and desserts. Selections deserves credit for crafting an unpretentious menu that karaoke equipment is in place when the mood strikes. pizza, makes a great take-out dinner…for the next week. vary, but value-for-money is a given. $$ (PRB) doesn’t skimp on quality or inventiveness. A most wel- $-$$ (PRB) $$$$-$$$$$ (PRB) come surprise. $$ (AM) Hiro Japanese Restaurant Tania’s Table Kitchen 305 3007 NE 163rd St., 305-948-3687 Little Saigon 18685 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-932-9425 16701 Collins Ave., 305-749-2110 One of Miami’s first sushi restaurants, Hiro retains an 16752 N. Miami Ave., 305-653-3377 A location at the tail end of a tiny, tired-looking strip mall Offering eclectic American fare, this resort restaurant amusing retro-glam feel, an extensive menu of both sushi This is Miami’s oldest traditional Vietnamese restaurant, makes this weekday lunch-only kosher eatery easy to miss. room, despite its contemporary open kitchen, has the and cooked Japanese food, and late hours that make it but it’s still packed most weekend nights. So even the But the cute bistro, an extension of chef Tania Sigal’s retro-glam look of a renovated discotheque — which is a perennially popular after-hours snack stop. The sushi place’s biggest negative – its hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, catering company, is well worth seeking for its unusually what it was. In fact, it’s still as much lounge as eatery, menu has few surprises, but quality is reliable. Most not encouraging of lingering visits – becomes a plus since it varied daily-changing menus — not just familiar Eastern so it’s best to arrive early if you want a relatively DJ-free exceptional are the nicely priced yakitori, skewers of suc- ensures fast turnover. Chef/owner Lily Tao is typically in the European-derived dishes (chicken matzoh ball soup, blin- eating experience. A seductive mango-papaya BBQ sauce culently soy-glazed and grilled meat, fish, and vegetables; kitchen, crafting green papaya salad, flavorful beef noodle tzes, etc.) but numerous Latin American specialties (zesty makes ribs a tasty choice any night, but most local diners the unusually large variety available of the last makes this pho (served with greens, herbs, and condiments that make ropa vieja), Asian-influenced items (Thai chicken/noodle in the know come on nights when the restaurant features place a good choice for vegetarians. $$ (PRB) it not just a soup but a whole ceremony), and many other salad), lightened universal Ladies-Who-Lunch classics irresistibly priced seasonal seafood specials (all-you-can- Vietnamese classics. The menu is humongous. $-$$ (PRB) (custardy quiches, grilled trout with mustard sauce), and eat stone crabs one night, lobster on another). A spacious Hiro’s Sushi Express homemade baked goods. $$ (PRB) dining counter overlooking the cooks makes the Kitchen a 17048 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-949-0776 Merkado 31 by Cholo’s comfortable spot for singles. $$$ (PRB) Tiny, true, but there’s more than just sushi at this mostly 1127 NE 163rd St., 305-947-3338 That’s Mine Craft Burgers and Beer take-out spin-off of the pioneering Hiro. Makis are the Merkado 31 is a welcome update to the Peruvian spot for- 14831 Biscayne Blvd., 305-705-2143 Mozart Café mainstay (standard stuff like California rolls, more merly known as Cholo’s Ceviche & Grill. Apart from its spiffy “That’s Mine!” is exactly what you’ll say once you try 18110 Collins Ave., 305-974-0103 complex creations like multi-veg futomaki, and a few new digs, there’s a new menu, including an entire section something at this creative burger joint. At That’s Mine, the This eatery (which serves breakfast as well as lunch and unexpected treats like a spicy Crunch & Caliente maki), called Merkado Green, aimed at healthy eaters, vegetarians, food is too good to share (although you probably should). dinner) is a kosher dairy restaurant, but not the familiar available à la carte or in value-priced individual and party and vegans — the citrusy quinoa is a must-try. But if you’re Burgers like the Pork and Blue — a blue cheese, bacon Old World type that used to proliferate all over New York’s combo platters. But there are also bento boxes featuring looking for something a little more traditional, the piled-high creation with agave BBQ sauce — are more than enough Lower Eastside Jewish community. Décor isn’t deli but tempura, yakitori skewers, teriyaki, stir-fried veggies, and causas and Ceviche Clasico are mainstays. $-$$ (MB) for one person; get the slider version to feel satisfied vs. modern-artsy, and the food is not blintzes, noodle kugel, udon noodles. Another branch is now open in Miami’s guilt ridden. Or double down and order a Unicorn Fart, too: etc., but a wide range of non-meat items from pizzas to Upper Eastside. $ (PRB) Moon Thai The strawberry shake with candied sprinkles and Nerds is sushi. Our favorite dishes, though, are Middle Eastern- Intracoastal Mall 3455 NE 163rd St., 305-974-5129 more than just a nice Instagram photo. $-$$ (MFP) influenced, specifically Yemenite malawach (paratha-type Holi Vegan Kitchen The original Moon Thai opened in Coral Gables in 2000, flatbread sandwiches, savory or sweet), and shaksuka 3099 NE 163rd St., 786-520-3120 and the restaurant has since expanded with Kendall, Vegetarian Restaurant by Hakin (nicknamed “eggs in purgatory”; the spicy eggplant version Science confirms that eating an exclusively plant-based Coral Springs, and Weston locations (to name a few). One 73 NE 167th St., 305-405-6346 will explain all). $$-$$$ (PRB) vegan diet is unequivocally the healthiest and most eco- of its newest outposts is in North Miami Beach, where Too often purist vegetarian food is unskillfully crafted friendly lifestyle around. Unsurprisingly, Miami turned guests can dig into a variety of Thai and Japanese special- bland stuff, spiced with little but sanctimonious intent. Not Saffron Indian Cuisine a blind eye to science for years, forcing the wandering ties. Whether you choose the organic Japanese menu or at this modest-looking vegan (dairy-free vegetarian) restau- 18090 Collins Ave. #T-22, 786-899-5554 vegan to settle on steakhouse salads of ill repute and the organic Thai menu, there’s no shortage of options for rant and smoothie bar. Dishes from breakfast’s blueberry- Saffron Indian Cuisine makes us happy. Miami is lacking in other questionable dishes. Today, after years of compro- any palate. If you’re only a little bit hungry, then the à la packed pancakes to Caribbean vegetable stews sparkle Indian food, and this Sunny Isles Beach addition helps fill mise, we have another vegan restaurant in town: Holi carte seafood selections are the way to go. Otherwise, the with vivid flavors. Especially impressive: mock meat (and that void. The restaurant replaces another Indian eatery — Vegan Kitchen, a fast-casual oasis of plant-based treats noodles and curries are your best bets. $$-$$$ (MFP) fake fish) wheat-gluten items that beat many carnivorous Copper Chimney — and fans of that place will find plenty intended to satisfy the minds, bodies, and souls of earth’s competitors. Skeptical? Rightly. But we taste-tested a to love here. Garlic naan and veggie samosas are musts most conscious foodies. Expect vegan and gluten-free Nothing Bundt Cakes “Philly cheese steak” sandwich on the toughest of critics as snacks, but don’t overdo it. The lamb tikka masala and options for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner, as well as 15400 Biscayne Blvd., Suite #112, 305-974-4536 — an inflexibly burger-crazy six year-old. She cleaned her kebabs deserve a spot on your order as well. $-$$ (MFP) a selection of wine, beer, cold-pressed juices, and delec- Nothing Bundt Cakes is saying something with their satisfy- plate. $$ (PRB) table plant-based desserts. $$$ (AM) ing sweets. The bakery behemoth’s new location in Aventura Sumo Sushi Bar & Grill offers Nothing’s signature item in a wide range of sizes and Yakko-San 17630 Collins Ave., 305-682-1243 Ivan’s Gastro flavors. Want to indulge without hating yourself later? A 3881 NE 163rd. St. (Intracoastal Mall), 305-947-0064 Sushi June well have been served in Sunny Isles before 14815 Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-4826 bite-size red velvet or pecan praline bundtini is the way to go. After sushi chefs close up their own restaurants for the this longtime neighborhood favorite opened, but Sumo Diners who remember Haitian-born, Le Cordon Bleu-trained Otherwise, dig into a mini confetti bundtlet or go all out with night, many come here for a rare taste of Japanese home was the neighborhood’s first sushi bar to double as a Miami chef Ivan Dorvil’s lightened/brightened Caribbean a bundtlet tower or a tiered cake. If you have a particular cooking, served in grazing portions. Try glistening-fresh popular lounge/hangout as well as restaurant. Ladies’ dishes at pioneering Nuvo Kafe already know how French bundt cake in mind, they likely have it. $-$$$$ (MFP) strips of raw tuna can be had in maguro nuta – mixed with nights are legend. While Thai and Chinese dishes are technique and gentle global (mainly Asian) touches can scallions and dressed with habit-forming honey-miso mus- available, as well as purist nigiri, few can resist the truly elevate homey island fare. A decade later, at the Chopped Oishi Thai tard sauce. Other favorites include goma ae (wilted spin- sumo-wrestler-size maki rolls, the more over-the-top, the champion’s hip yet blessedly affordable new gastropub, the 14841 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-4338 ach, chilled and dressed in sesame sauce), garlic stem better. Our bet for biggest crowd pleaser: the spicy Pink remarkably refined Haitian/Carib/Asian fusion dishes remain At this stylish Thai/sushi spot, try the menu of specials, and beef (mild young shoots flash-fried with tender steak Lady (shrimp tempura, avocado, masago, cilantro, and revelatory: rich yet clean-tasting shrimp mofongo; dainty akra many of which clearly reflect the young chef’s fanatical bits), or perhaps just-caught grouper with hot/sweet/tangy spicy Juneo, topped with rich scallop-studded “dynamite” (grated malanga fritters, crisp outside, creamy inside), served devotion to fresh fish, as well as the time he spent in chili sauce. Open till around 3:00 a.m. $$ (PRB) sauce. $$-$$$ (PRB)

74 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

Sushi Zen & Izakaya is the sauce selection: The brand prides itself on its 22 out even by diners not restricted by religious laws; food At Le Pain Quotidien, diners get the best of both worlds. 18090 Collins Ave. 305-466-4663 sauces. Appease your sweet tooth with wasabi honey is both highly flavorful and hugely fun — starting with the Those on the run can grab LPQ’s ready-to-go croissants, In an area with no lack of Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cui- or honey mustard, or spice things up with peri peri and array of free veg appetizers that appear before you even scones, and soups, while guests who’d rather sit back can sine, it’s hard for yet another Asian restaurant to stand out. curry mayo. Can’t decide? You can’t go wrong with Guy’s order: herbed chickpeas, pickled salads, more. Especially enjoy hot dishes l ike croque monsieurs and crispy quinoa But Sushi Zen & Izakaya succeeds by offering variety — and famous Donkey Sauce (mayo, roasted garlic, mustard, recommended: shakshuka (eggs poached in complexly cakes at their leisure. Regardless, both types of diners lots of it. Name any traditional dish, and they probably have Worcestershire, and lemon). $ (MFP) spiced and spicy chunky tomato sauce), a breakfast dish should make it a point to order the bakery’s signature it here: ramen, fish balls, udon, pad thai, tuna poke … the but available later, too. $-$$ (PRB) drinks, which range from healthy to downright decadent. list goes on (and on). Don’t miss their Japanese lunch spe- Corsair The Belgian mocha — available hot or iced — is the perfect cials. At $12-$14 for a sizable Bento Box, you’ll leave with 19999 W. Country Club Dr. (Turnberry Isle Resort) Fuji Hana post-dinner treat. $-$$ (MFP) your stomach and wallet full. $$ (MFP) 786-279-6800 2775 NE 187th St., Suite #1, 305-932-8080 Celeb chef Scott Conant has moved on, but Corsair A people-pleasing menu of typical Thai and Japanese Levy’s Shawarma Timo remains a lively place. Lately they’ve been promoting their dishes, plus some appealing contemporary creations (like 3575 NE 207th St., 305-974-4899 17624 Collins Ave., 305-936-1008 Saturday and Sunday brunches, every week of the year, the Spicy Crunchy Tuna Roll, an inside-out tuna/avocado/ If you see a place named Levy’s Shawarma, it’s safe to Since opening in 2003, the inventive yet clean and along with special events tied to holidays. But any day of tempura maki, topped with more tuna and served with a say they serve shawarma. But at this Aventura fast-casual unfussy Italian/Mediterranean-inspired seasonal food at the week, the restaurant’s patio is the place to be, with its luscious creamy cilantro sauce) has made this eatery a spot, the name doesn’t tell the entire story. Other Israeli this hot spot, created by chef/owner Tim Andriola (at the sweeping views of Turnberry Isle’s lushly landscaped golf longtime favorite. But vegetarians — for whom seafood- delights abound here as well, such as matzah ball soup, time best known for his stints at Chef Allen’s and Mark’s course. Full review coming soon. $$$-$$$$ based condiments can make Asian foods a minefield — schnitzel, chicken shishkabab, and lamb chops. For South Beach), has been garnering local and national might want to add the place to their “worth a special drive” something more familiar, dig into the monstrous pastrami raves. Don’t bother reading them. Andriola’s dishes CVI.CHE 105 list, thanks to chefs’ winning ways with tofu and all-around burger or some BBQ ribs. No matter what, save room for speak for themselves: a salad of crisp oysters atop frisée, 19565 Biscayne Blvd., 786-516-2818 accommodation to veg-only diets. $$-$$$ (PRB) the heavenly chocolate babka. It’s perfect for sharing, but cannelloni bean, and pancetta; foie gras crostini with a CVI.CHE 105 has made its way up north, opening a location you won’t want to. $-$$$ (MFP) subtle caramelized orange sauce; a blue crab raviolo with inside Aventura Mall’s latest expansion. This is the Peruvian Genuine Pizza toasted pignolias and brown butter; or a wood-oven three- brand’s third restaurant, and it follows a tried-and-true for- 19565 Biscayne Blvd. #956, 786-472-9170 The Little Beet cheese “white” pizza. $$$-$$$$ (PRB) mula: “Don’t mess with a good thing.” The ceviches, tiraditos, Local celebrity chef Michael Schwartz continues to grow 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Floor 3, 305-359-5808 and other Peruvian fare that diners have fallen in love with his culinary empire with an Aventura location of his new Guilt-free food does not mean flavor-free food at the Little are available here, including the ever-popular lomo saltado. Genuine Pizza concept, inside Aventura Mall. At first glance, Beet. The Aventura Mall establishment prides itself on its AVENTURA / HALLANDALE The one major difference: Diners up north no longer have to the pizzeria’s menu may look familiar — especially to fans local, sustainable food sources, and it shows. The menu make the trek to Brickell or Miami Beach. $$ (MFP) of Harry’s Pizzeria down south. Genuine Pizza is Harry’s is composed of bowls, and there’s no shortage of options: Amaize 2.0; all of the latter’s locations are being rebranded into GP. nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan — the 19129 Biscayne Blvd., 786-279-2260 Dr. Smood While the restaurant’s design has changed, the food hasn’t. list goes on. For starters, try some brown rice, throw in You come to Amaize for one thing only: an arepa. At 19501 Biscayne Blvd., 786-334-4420 Guests can still enjoy favorites like the rock shrimp pizza, some beets and lentils, and finish off with braised pork this fast-casual establishment, the popular Venezuelan/ It’s no secret that dining out adds up — both in terms of polenta fries, and warm chocolate chunk cookies. $$ (MFP) and sweet chili garlic. The sheer number of choices Colombian corn-meal pockets can be customized with calories and costs. Dr. Smood is focused on controlling means you’ll be coming back again (and again). $ (MFP) different proteins and other fillings. Those new to arepas should try a classic Mechado Mix (shredded beef, black Mo’s Bagels & Deli beans, baked plantains, and shredded white cheese), 2780 NE 187th St., 305-936-8555 which serves as a satisfying introduction. Other more out- While the term “old school” is used a lot to describe this of-the-box selections include the Shaggy (pulled beef and spacious (160-seat) establishment, it actually opened in gouda) and the Beauty Queen (avocado chicken salad). 1995. It just so evokes the classic NY delis we left behind Order them all if you want; they’re only $6-$9 each. $ (MFP) that it seems to have been here forever. Example: Lox and nova aren’t pallid, prepackaged fish, but custom-sliced Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza from whole slabs. And bagels are hand-rolled, chewy 17901 Biscayne Blvd., 305-830-2625 champions, not those machine-made puffy poseurs. As When people rave about New York pizzas’ superiority, complimentary pastry bites suggest, and the massive size they don’t just mean thin crusts. They mean the kind of of the succulent, sufficiently fatty pastrami sandwiches airy, abundantly burn-bubbled, traditional coal (not wood) confirm, generous Jewish Mo(m) spirit shines here. $$ oven — like those at Anthony’s, which began with one Fort (PRB) Lauderdale pizzeria in 2002 and now has roughly 30 locations. Quality toppings, though limited, hit all the major Mr. Chef’s Fine Chinese Cuisine & Bar food groups, from prosciutto to kalamata olives. There are 18800 NE 29th Ave. #10, 7, 86-787-9030 salads, too, but the sausage and garlic- sautéed broccoli Considering our county’s dearth of authentic Chinese rabe pie is a tastier green vegetable. $$ (PRB) food, this stylish eatery is heaven-sent for Aventura residents. Owners Jin Xiang Chen and Shu Ming (a.k.a. Mr. Bagel Cove Restaurant & Deli Chef) come from China’s southern seacoast province of 19003 Biscayne Blvd., 305-935-4029 Guangdong (Canton). But you’ll find no gloppily sauced, One word: flagels. And no, that’s not a typo. Rather these Americanized-Cantonese chop sueys here. Cooking is crusty, flattened specimens (poppy seed or sesame seed) properly light-handed, and seafood specialties shine (try are the ultimate bagel/soft pretzel hybrid — and a specialty the spicy/crispy salt and pepper shrimp). For adventurers, at this bustling Jewish bakery/deli, which, since 1988, there’s a cold jellyfish starter. Even timid taste buds can’t opens at 6:30 a.m. — typically selling out of flagels in a resist tender fried shrimp balls described this way: “With couple of hours. Since you’re up early anyway, sample elab- crispy adorable fringy outfit.” $$-$$$ (PRB) orately garnished breakfast specials, including unusually flavorful homemade corned beef hash and eggs. For the Poke + Go rest of the day, multitudes of mavens devour every other 2451 NE 186th St., 305-705-3784 delectable deli specialty known to humankind. $$ (PRB) It seemed like only yesterday that South Florida suf- fered from a lack of decent poke restaurants. In just one bartaco year, though, the diced raw-fish specialty has popped 2906 NE 207th St., Ste. 104, 305-614-8226 up everywhere — including here. Poke + Go’s fast-casual Taco lovers can now satisfy their Mexican food craving at vibe is perfect for scarfing down the flavorful Hawaiian bartaco. Inside this Aventura ParkSquare eatery, guests seafood bowl, which can feed at least two people here. can enjoy creative tacos with uncommon yet tasty fillings Mix and match to your tastes or opt for a combo like the like glazed pork belly, roasted duck, and crispy brussels Slammin’ Salmon, which features the namesake fish and sprouts. Despite the name, bartaco doesn’t skimp on non- adds Asian slaw and white garlic sauce for good measure. tortilla selections. Other highlights on the menu include Either way, you’ll leave full. $-$$ (MFP) tuna poke, street corn fritters, roasted chicken, and rice bowls. Thirsty? Check out the seasonal caipirinha or signa- Serafina ture margarita to cool off. $-$$ (MFP) 19565 Biscayne Blvd., #1944, 786-920-0989 Bourbon Steak New York’s Serafina is now open at Aventura Mall, and 19999 W. Country Club Dr. (Turnberry Isle Miami), this location is a pizza lover’s dream. Pies are a big part 786-279-0658 of the menu, which also includes a bevy of Italian clas- At Bourbon Steak, a venture in the exploding restaurant sics and more creative fare. Skip the basic margherita empire of chef Michael Mina, a multiple James Beard and get the tartufo nero with black truffles — your sense award winner, steakhouse fare is just where the fare of adventure will pay off with this pizza that’s the very starts. There are also Mina’s ingenious signature dishes, definition of richness. Also, save room for the panna cotta, like an elegant deconstructed lobster/baby vegetable pot whose simple description hides some mind-blowing flavor. pie, a raw bar, and enough delectable vegetable/seafood $$-$$$ (MFP) starters and sides for noncarnivores to assemble a happy meal. But don’t neglect the steak — flavorful dry-aged Sr. Ceviche Angus, 100-percent Wagyu American “Kobe,” swoonwor- 2576 NE Miami Gardens Dr., 786-440-7851 thy grade A5 Japanese Kobe, and butter-poached prime While northern Miami-Dade County has other Peruvian plac- rib, all cooked to perfection. $$$$$ (PRB) es, none serve award-winning ceviches like those of chef/ co-owner Alonso Jordan, who took top honors at the first Casa D’Angelo International Day of Ceviche festival. Varieties range from 2906 NE 207th St.,305-699-5500 the former by providing customers with “Smart Food for a traditionally based (albeit with distinctive personal tweaks) Casa D’Angelo has made a name for itself in Fort Good Mood.” That healthy motto has gotten the company International Smoke flash-marinated raw fish preparations to contemporary cre- Lauderdale, and now it’s doing the same in Aventura. far. This beautiful Aventura branch follows successful 19565 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 946, 786-254-0422 ations like Lima-style fried ceviche, crisp-coated like jalea Chef Angelo Elia’s namesake restaurant isn’t redefining openings in Wynwood and South Miami. While Dr. Smood International Smoke — a collaboration between television but sauced/garnished in ceviche’s more complex style; Italian food — it’s just perfecting it. Calamari, burrata, and is mostly known for its juices and detox programs, this personality Ayesha Curry and chef Michael Mina — takes sampler platters feature several choices, and serve a small octopus are all common sights on restaurant menus, but branch at Aventura Mall also provides visitors with grab- barbecue seriously. The Aventura Mall establishment army. Also a standout on the full Peruvian menu: pescado a they’re all done so well here. Same for the pastas: the and-go grub befitting its setting. The free wireless internet fuses American and international influences for a unique lo macho, precision-fried whole fish showered in an unusu- pappardelle and gnocchi will have your taste buds danc- here is the icing on the cake. $-$$ (MFP) take on BBQ, a cuisine that Aventura sorely lacks. Get ally luxurious assortment of seafood. $$-$$$ (PRB) ing. Succulent meat and fish options like veal medallions messy with the signature smoked St. Louis cut pork ribs and branzino shouldn’t be ignored either. $$-$$$ (MFP) Etzel Itzik and then dive into smoked Korean bone-in short rib, Sushi Siam 18757 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-937-1546 grilled Moroccan spiced lamb chops, and other mouthwa- 19575 Biscayne Blvd., 305-932-8955 Chicken Guy Though this homey kosher oldtimer, self-described as a tering bites from around the world — all for much less than (See Miami / Upper Eastside listing) 19565 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 2946, 305-428-2444 deli but really more of an Israeli/Middleterranean restau- a plane ticket. $$-$$$$ (MFP) Chicken Guy from celebrity chef Guy Fieri is an ode rant (think kebab on pita, not pastrami on rye), opened Whole Foods Market to chicken tenders — there’s not much else at this in 1997, it’s still something of a locals’ secret due to its Le Pain Quotidien 21105 Biscayne Blvd., 305-682-4400 Aventura Mall establishment. Where you’ll find variety location in a nondescript strip mall. But it’s worth seeking 19565 Biscayne Blvd., 786-629-5056 (See Brickell / Downtown listing.)

February 2020 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 75 Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS

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76 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com February 2020