Enjoy a Culinary East-Meets-West Adventure

This month in the Biscayne Corridor we’re focusing on East-meets-West cuisine – the former informed by Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Filipino fare, the latter contributing Western ingredients and techniques – for dishes that are totally unique, which is exactly what we’re after.

Petite Comité (305.909.8544), located at 2929 Biscayne Blvd., is a noteworthy Japandi-inspired bistro that recently joined the corridor’s fast food and takeout joints. Located between Miami’s popular Midtown and growing Edgewater neighborhood, it’s bound to attract foodies from the two areas and beyond.

The restaurant comes from the team behind Reunion Ktchn Bar, Blind Tiger and Korner 67. Japandi, as the name suggests, is influenced by the ancient Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, a way of life emphasizing slow living, contentment and simplicity, and Scandinavian hygge, which embraces comfort, coziness and well-being.

That vibe is evident as you step inside and away from the traffic zipping by on Biscayne Boulevard. Immediately, you’re struck by the tranquility and simplicity of the chic, Zen-like interior, counterpointed by Scandinavian-style chandeliers.

The eclectic menu features a mélange of Scandinavian, French and Asian cuisine, offering a combo of choices unlike any at other restaurants around town. Order the smoked burrata appetizer just for the great showmanship – your server lifts the bell jar covering the dish and the delicious aroma of the smoke wafts out.

Main options include Surf & Turf Sushi, prime filet mignon with tempura shrimp, Japanese mayo and pico de gallo, and the fresh, crispy fänkål salad with shaved fennel, goat cheese, pine nuts and honey. Mussels in creamy sake sauce with shishito peppers, shiso leaf, ginger and sesame is also a winner, as is the pear fiocchi with ricotta, truffle cream and parmesan.

When you walk into Tanuki Miami (305.676.9969) in the heart of South Beach at 1080 Alton Rd., you’re greeted by a wall bearing circular arrangements of red-handled Samurai swords. You’ll also see a statue of a Japanese Tanuki dog, a symbol of good fortune – the word “tanuki” means “lucky.”

Tanuki was brought to the U.S. by the world-renowned dining and entertainment company the Bulldozer Group, which specializes in luxury restaurant brands that dot the foodie scene in such locations as Kiev, London and Dubai. A second Tanuki recently opened in Miami at 1420 NW North River Dr., Ste. 140 (305.433.2436), in Riverview Landing.

Tanuki has been hailed by regulars and critics as one of the best places to try Asian fusion dishes and drinks inspired by Japanese, Chinese and other cuisines from all over Asia, with added twists. One example: the sushi rolls with guacamole and truffle vinaigrette. The menu features an array of sashimi, dim sum and signature dishes such as duck ramen, salmon pizza, pork belly fuku bun and chicken truffle shumai.

The culinary team updates the menu seasonally, focusing on preparation and presentation. To this end, it recently presented a live wahoo cutting show. Other special evenings include Monday maki night, offering aburi salmon maki made with eel, cream cheese and salmon, and truffled yellowtail with chili daikon, avocado and spiced tenkasu (crunchy bits of deep-fried flour batter used in Japanese cuisine). Thursday omakase night features fresh market fish nigiri.

The Asian fusion cocktails are sublime and include the Maracuyá, a spicy fruit martini made with Tinkerman’s Gin, passion fruit purée, tarragon and The London Essence tonic, and the Wasabi Cooler, made with 360 Vodka, fresh cucumber, mint, wasabi, Junmai sake, fresh lime juice, homemade ginger syrup, ginger beer and shiso leaf. There’s also a good selection of Asian beers and Japanese whiskeys.

The Michelin-starred, James Beard Award-nominated Cote Korean Steakhouse (305.434.4668), located at 3900 NE Second Ave. in Miami’s Design District, is the place to spoil dads with a particularly carnivorous bent on Father’s Day. The restaurant follows in the steps of its New York flagship, both the vision of proprietor Simon Kim.

The Butcher’s Feast ($68 per person) is a signature Cote tasting experience and a well-priced Father’s Day offering that provides a tour of the restaurant’s finest plates. There are four selections of USDA prime and American wagyu with an array of Korean accompaniments, including pickled seasonal vegetables and salads; fresh red leaf lettuce with dsaam-jang (fermented soybeans and red chili paste); savory egg soufflé; and Two Stews with Rice. For dessert, there’s soft-serve ice cream topped with soy sauce caramel. A la carte menu options will also be available.

All dining dads will receive a complimentary take home gift of Cote’s Gastronome’s Salt, a proprietary blend carefully composed of British Maldon, Himalayan pink and Korean thousand-day sea salts.

1-800-Lucky (305.768.9826) in Wynwood at 143 NW 23rd St. is Miami’s only Asian food hall and an incubator for pan-Asian cuisine from globally recognized chefs, as well as up-and-coming and established musical talent. Developed by partners and industry veterans Sven Vogtland, Alan Drummond and Gaby Chiriboga, the hall quickly became a Wynwood hot spot after opening in 2017.

The large indoor dining space offers two bars, a karaoke lounge, Lucky Record Shop – which features a selection of vinyl records and Japanese snacks – a spacious outdoor patio and an outdoor event space. Catch music from world-class DJs and producers like Jarobi White from A Tribe Called Quest. Dining options range from Thai to Japanese and include B-Side by Itamae, a sushi bar by James Beard semifinalist Valerie Chang, Jeepney, Yip, Gold Marquess and Usagi Tokyo.

Signature dishes include Japanese fish dip at B-Side by Itamae, Chinese lettuce wraps and beef chow fun noodles at Gold Marquess, a Chinese dim sum sampler and soup dumplings at Yip, and Filipino pancit guisado noodles and ube pan de sal at Jeepney.

Openings

New York’s legendary Parisian-style brasserie, Pastis (305.686.3050), recently opened at 380 NW 26th St. in Wynwood. The iconic restaurant played a role in New York’s dining scene throughout the 2000s, as it was frequented by Hollywood A-listers and mentioned on shows like “Sex and the City.”

Created by James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Keith McNally and Stephen Starr of STARR Restaurants, the Wynwood restaurant’s décor replicates the unique ambience that Pastis New York is noted for, with its signature subway tiles and red banquettes. It also features a lush outdoor escape with an expansive outdoor garden and an enclosed pergola, offering al fresco dining year-round.

The menu features favorite signature dishes such as French onion soup, escargots, a selection of steak frites, moules frites and the perfectly made Cheeseburger à l’Américain, and an extensive French wine list highlights more than 300 offerings that represent all the major French wine regions.

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.