Celebrate With Mom in May or Anytime

Last month we told you about a new restaurant opening in the Miami Design District, Tablé by Bachour (786.842.0551) at 180 NE 40th St., helmed by Miami’s famed pastry chef-turned-restaurateur Antonio Bachour. If you want a special restaurant to fête mom on Mother’s Day, this is the perfect place.

Touted as being similar to a Parisian brasserie, the restaurant offers elevated dining for those looking for a luxurious experience. At the entrance, display cases highlight Bachour’s beautifully presented pastries; just beyond, there’s an open kitchen where you see what’s happening behind the scenes.

The chic décor features a sleek, modern bar with a carefully curated cocktail menu offering libations such as the delicious Mint to Bee with gin, honey labneh, fresh cucumber, mint and pistachio; and the spectacular Papillon, concocted with butterfly pea flower gin, sumac lemonade, cucumber and tonic water.

Begin with a “snack” of fancy deviled eggs topped with a dollop of caviar. The winning appetizer is the meticulously styled yellowfin tuna tartare, with sliced cucumber and watermelon radish. A beet and pistachio salad with Sicilian pistachio nuts and candy-stripe beets is arranged as if a work of art.

Fish entrées include Ora King salmon served atop avocado hummus with citrus salad; octopus is served with labneh and watermelon radish sprinkled with matcha green tea. Meat dishes include perfectly done duck magret with sweet and sour beets and red endive; and a prime New York strip with watercress salad and pommes frites.

Dessert is a foregone conclusion with The Eggs, made of coconut mousse, mango cremeux and almond biscuit perched atop a shredded kataifi “nest,” and Camembert cheesecake with cherry and raspberry jam, served up in a mini-Camembert cheese box.

Thinking a casual restaurant that overlooks the ocean would be a fun place to celebrate Mother’s Day with the whole family? We’ve got you covered. Everyone will enjoy Ocean Social by Chef Tristen Epps (786. 961.6043), located at the iconic Eden Roc at 4525 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. Savor Epps’ decadent Mother’s Day brunch in a low-key setting with captivating ocean views.

The indulgent brunch buffet is offering an international selection of mom’s favorites, including omelet and waffle stations, a salad bar, pizza and pasta stations, and house-made breads. There are fruit de mer specialties such as shrimp, oysters, crab claws, ceviche and sashimi. The Milk and Honey station offers carved-to-order Jamon Iberico with pan con tomate, cheese and honeycomb. And here’s something different: For Caja China fans, there’s a Caja China carvery with roast prime rib of picana, roasted pork, shawarma and roasted fish. Save room for the dessert bar, which features a luscious chocolate fountain with fruit and other sweet treats for dipping.

The celebration continues during dinner service with an a la carte menu created just for the occasion: a Mother Nature salad topped with variations of strawberries, chevre ganache and almond; leek crab tartare made with mango, tobiko caviar and shelled spring sugar snap peas; Lamb Duet featuring crispy lamb neck, celeriac, spring carrot and mint chimichurri; and Butterscotch Budino with carrot cake milk crunch, walnut and condensed milk ice cream for dessert.

Oh! Mexico (305.532.0490), perched at the entrance of charming Espanola Way in Miami Beach at 1440 Washington Ave., is a great place to celebrate Mother’s Day if you’re looking for an even more laid-back experience.

This classic hot spot has been wildly popular with locals and visitors for delicious food and drinks since its earliest days as one of South Beach’s first Mexican restaurants 25 years ago. At this always-buzzing restaurant, guests dine in a festive room with comfortable leather booths aside a Mexican-tiled bar. Of course, a huge draw has always been the patio, which evokes a Mexican sidewalk café.

A meal here is not complete without one of the restaurant’s knockout libations made with fresh produce and juices. Tequila lovers can find more than 200 tequilas and mezcals, employed in classic and fruit-infused margaritas, tequila pops, cantaritos (mezcal cocktails served in traditional Mexican clay cups) and tajin-rimmed micheladas.

To celebrate this year’s milestone anniversary, Vida & Estilo Restaurants, the group behind Oh! Mexico, tapped famed Mexican chef Rodrigo Estrada – most often found wowing diners in Mexico City – to create new, exciting dishes to complement its popular mainstays.

New temptations include Ceviche Acapulco, the fresh fish of the day with lime juice, tomato, onion cilantro and clam juice; and Ceviche Tulum, fresh corvina with lime juice, charred red onion and avocado infused with squid ink. Other new items are Taco Birria, slow-braised beef with melted Mexican cheese on a soft tortilla served with birria broth; and the eye-catching Vampiro taco, a grilled corn tostada with melted Mexican cheese, birria meat, onions and cilantro.

For a funkier vibe, good eats and a late-evening lounge (if mom is a night owl), the popular Bodega Taqueria y Tequila (305.704.2145 ), located at 1220 16th St. in Miami Beach, is a good spot. This trendy eatery was voted “best tacos in Florida” by USA Today. It offers a menu of tasty Mexican street food along with great cocktails, a unique nightlife experience, and indoor and outdoor dining with happy hour prices until 9 p.m.

Popular tacos include avocado with black bean refrito; pork and charred pineapple with red onion and cilantro; and carne asada with red onion, cilantro and avocado salsa. Specialty tacos like barbacoa made with short rib and cotija cheese, and the taco Birria made with short rib and Oaxaca cheese, red onion, cilantro and avocado salsa, are also faves.

OPENINGS

An exclusive restaurant by chef Todd English, announced by Dezer Development, is coming to the Bentley Residences at 18401 Collins Ave. in Sunny Isles Beach. English – restaurateur, author and television personality – is known for his current establishments, Olives, Figs and Pappas Taverna in New York City, and his appearances on the Food Network, PBS, “Top Chef” and “Iron Chef.”

The private restaurant is slated to provide residents and their guests a relaxed, yet upscale atmosphere. English’s menus will rotate seasonally and he will be on hand for special events, such as food and wine pairings and culinary demos.

The restaurant will have views of the ocean and the property’s resort-style pool. It will be open to residents for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as poolside dining.

Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certified sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world. Her feature articles have appeared in print publications, travel guidebooks and websites in the U.S. and Europe.