Cozy Up at These Romantic Restaurants

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, love is in the air. If you’re looking for a romantic experience on Feb. 14 or any time during the year, there’s no shortage of dazzling local restaurants to wow your special someone.

One romantic option is La Mar (500 Brickell Key Dr., 305.913.8358) at the Mandarin Oriental in Brickell. The upscale Peruvian eatery is known for its delicious balance of traditional and fusion cuisine. Guests will find classic Peruvian bites like ceviche and tiraditos alongside Asian-fusion selections like Chinese fried rice (chaufa aeropuerto) and sushi rolls.

Items are meant to be shared, so you have an excuse to get up close and personal. Just as impressive as the food and drinks is the view of the Brickell skyline. Sit outside on a clear night; you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more jaw-dropping view in Miami.

A little further north in the Design District, Le Jardinier (151 NE 41st St., Suite 135, 305.402.9060) is serving up vegetable-forward dishes in a gorgeous intimate setting. Whether you sit inside the chic dining room or grab a perch on the stylish patio, prepare to have your mind blown by a menu that makes vegetables just as important as the proteins.

Some examples: sweet potato velouté and chips; a whole Maine lobster with smoked marbled potatoes; and a bavette au jus with royal trumpet mushrooms, turnip and horseradish. Eating your veggies has never been so easy (or tasty).

Steak and wine are a match made in heaven, and Aventura’s Bourbon Steak (19999 West Country Club Dr., 786.279.6600) features both items in spades. The fine dining establishment inside JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa is a must for any date night; the eatery is renowned for its prime angus beef cuts of Delmonico rib eye, New York strip and filet mignon. And wine lovers have plenty to enjoy as the drink menu goes on and on (and on). Seriously, it’s just pages upon pages of fine wines.

Although beef is the signature protein here, it’s not the only one. Bourbon Steak is also home to a diverse range of chilled seafood – think shellfish towers and jumbo shrimp cocktail – as well as items like rack of lamb, veal chop and herb-roasted chicken. There’s a lot for two people to share, so try not to fill up on the restaurant’s complimentary duck fat fries. Trust us: You’ll be fighting over the last one.

OPENINGS

2021 food news is already a vast improvement over last year’s, as Miami’s epicurean scene continues to add to its impressive roster of restaurants. One addition that snuck in under the radar was Cafe Kush (7700 Biscayne Blvd., 305.985.4764), the latest venture from Kush Hospitality.

Known mainly for its burger spots Kush and Lokal, the restaurant group is now trying its hand at French cuisine (albeit with a 305 twist). The new spot at the Selina Miami Gold Dust hotel plays off the art deco vibes of the area with sprinkles of Parisian flare. On the menu: frog legs, French onion soup, steak frites and other bistro classics. They’re joined by Kush signatures such as chicken and waffles and key lime pie.

Cafe Kush doesn’t take itself too seriously, and this is most evident in its cocktail list. You’ll encounter drinks like The Fancy French Lady, Lemon City Lemon Drop and La Loquita de West Kendall. If you only get one drink, though, make it Cafe Kush’s homemade vermouth that’s aged one month in-house.

Down south, Brickell welcomed Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster Barbeque (947 Brickell Ave., 786.522.2300) to the neighborhood. The award-winning food is not for the faint of heart; these are big portions and bigger flavors. The BBQ plates can come stacked with pulled pork, pork belly, brisket and all the fixin’s, like mac and cheese, collard greens and baked beans.

These mouthwatering gastronomic gifts are also available by the pound, so you can load up on smoked sausage, ribs and pulled chicken for later. Buffalo pork rinds, cupcake corn bread and hog sauce chicken wings are also up for grabs. If you want something light, you’re at the wrong place.

Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne Rubin- Anderson are co-founders of Miami Food Pug, an award-winning South Florida food blog that fuses the couple’s love of dogs and food.