Loving Mediterranean Cuisine

If you’re looking for a different kind of restaurant to share with your love on Valentine’s Day – or any day – this month’s array of new Mediterranean-style restaurants offers a list of perfect spots for romance and some interesting culinary combos. One focuses on the cuisine of the entire Mediterranean coastline, the others on Mediterranean-Mendoza, Mediterranean-Patagonia and Mediterranean-Morocco cuisine.

A sophisticated spot with a knockout view to celebrate is ADRIFT Mare (305.503.6400) at Hotel AKA Brickell, 1395 Brickell Ave. in Miami. Perched on the 25th floor overlooking Biscayne Bay, it’s an ideal place for a special meal.

At the helm of this spectacular aerie is David “Gypsy Chef” Myers, a Michelin-starred chef who’s combined his two greatest passions: food and travel. ADRIFT Mare is his culinary paean to the Mediterranean coastal lifestyle, with cuisine he was inspired by in Provence, the Balearic Islands, southern Italy, Greece and the Levant.

Kick off your romantic evening with dazzling cocktails incorporating Mediterranean ingredients and bold flavors, designed by internationally acclaimed mixologist team Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy, whose Barcelona watering hole has for years been named on The World’s 50 Best Bars list. The wine list features some unusual bottles curated from around the Mediterranean, Sicily, Greece and Tuscany.

Start with shared plates of hummus with garlic honey or the amazingly fresh feta salad with black olives, pickled and fresh tomato, or yellowfin tuna with tonnato sauce and Osetra caviar. For pasta, indulge in arugula pesto bucatini with aged Parmesan and stracciatella. Choose from creative entrées such as the spectacularly presented whole grilled branzino, with braised fennel and harissa aioli. Save room for the extraordinary, deconstructed baklava, made with pistachio sponge, raw honey and walnut ice cream.

ADRIFT Mare recently launched its “Power Lunch,” a three-course culinary experience for $39 per person (exclusive of tax and gratuity), and its “Sunset Lounge Aperitivo Social,” which features an enticing lineup of food and beverage specials.

World-renowned Argentinian enologist, Alejandro Vigil, known as the “Messi of Wines,” has debuted Casa Vigil (305.405.7547) at 5020 NE Second Ave. in Miami’s Upper Buena Vista neighborhood. This is the second outpost of his famed winery restaurant in Mendoza, Argentina. A master of his trade, Vigil is one of the most awarded winemakers and enthusiasts in the Americas. Casa Vigil was recently awarded both a Michelin star and Michelin Green star, and made it on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for Latin America.

A unique aspect of Casa Vigil Miami is its commitment to wine education. Connoisseurs and novices both can explore nuances of different varietals in tastings guided by award-winning sommelier Miguel Martinez, encouraging enthusiasts to connect and learn more about the vast world of wine.

The restaurant’s rustic yet upscale atmosphere features a main dining room with a wine cellar housing more than 700 labels; an outdoor terrace surrounded with lush tropical plants; and a rooftop terrace with breathtaking panoramic views of Upper Buena Vista.

The Mediterranean- and Argentinian-influenced menu is under the helm of chef Cesar Gonzalez Aznar. Aznar offers a five-course tasting menu with three levels of wine pairings, designed to introduce diners to new regions, vintages and styles. An a la carte menu features rib-eye Milanesa; 40-day dry-aged and braised Angus Costilla; and Chilean sea bass. Save room to indulge in the award-winning gateau au fromage cheesecake.

Culinary powerhouse Eureka! Restaurant Group has paired with Grupo Carolo Hospitality, a family-owned enterprise with restaurants in the United States and Mexico City, to debut The Amalfi Llama (305.726.0226) at Esplanade at Aventura, 19505 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 4150. In this new culinary concept, South America’s Patagonian region meets the Mediterranean’s Italian coast, using live-fire cooking to prepare dishes to smoky tastiness.

The dining room is anchored by a live-fire grill and wood-burning oven; warm farmhouse touches feature pale woods, pops of greenery and art made from Peruvian llama tassels. The patios, set under canopies of trees, offer a romantic setting with fire pits, candles and lanterns.

Try the standout signature cocktail, the Purple Orchid, at one of the two lively bars. It’s made with exotic Corazon butterfly pea tea-infused tequila, Mal Bien mezcal and lavender. The sommeliers have also curated a fine selection of wines from Argentina, Italy and the U.S. to complement the menu.

Starters include beef carpaccio with Parmigiano-Reggiano and arugula, and cedar-roasted burrata with cherry tomato and charred leek. Choose a specialty pasta, like spicy lobster spaghetti with pomodoro lobster sauce and chili aioli, or the wood-fired alla Positano pizza with salami, pepperoncini and a drizzle of spicy honey.

Italian entrées are served alongside Latin-inspired live-fire parrilla dishes such as a tomahawk steak and wagyu, accompanied by béarnaise sauce and mustard greens, and fire-grilled or sea-salted branzino with lemon, capers and olive oil.

ZURI (305.522.8552) at 73 NW 26th St. in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, is a unique restaurant concept, also recently opened. Founded by partners David Sarkissov, Joaquin Coll, Florian Mattone and Kevin Coll, the hospitality innovators have come together to bring the flavors of Morocco and the Mediterranean to Miami’s buzzing culinary scene.

ZURI’s style adds to its charm with reclaimed woods, handmade linens, artisan zellige tiles and plush, Moroccan-style cushions and pillows. Light filters through stained glass and mashrabiya screens to create a warm ambiance. The terrace is a lush garden oasis with bamboo paneling, ceiling fans and paper lanterns.

The cozy seated bar made of fluted marble is imported from Morocco. The must-try cocktail is the Pink Oasis, made with vodka, pomegranate, mint and atay, an homage to traditional Moroccan atay, the quintessential tea of Morocco, made with mint leaves, sugar and Chinese green tea. The restaurant also offers an authentic Moroccan tea program.

The cuisine features aromatic herbs and exotic spices in creations by executive chef Marlon Rambaron, who specializes in Mediterranean cuisine; and Moroccan chef Keltoum Aitkadi, who has 40 years of experience cooking authentic Moroccan cuisine. On the menu are zaalouk, Moroccan eggplant salad; chicken and preserved lemons tagine; lamb and prunes tagine; and grilled branzino and red chermoula. For dessert, try stuffed dates, plum cake or chebakia, a Maghrebi pastry coated with honey and orange blossom syrup and sprinkled with sesame.

Events

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Smith & Wollensky (305.673.2800) at 1 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach is hosting a “Wine & Wagyu” program which offers a variety of in-house, dry-aged American wagyu, complemented by carefully selected red wines. Its selection of dishes presents an unrivalled steak-eating experience. Smith & Wollensky’s national beverage director, Christian Giannaris, has selected six premium red wines from the California Napa Valley region, usually available only by the bottle but now available by the glass for this experience.

Openings

Soulfly Chicken (305.456.3070) at MIA Market 140 NE 39th St., #241, in Miami, an American comfort food spot serving up some of the area’s favorite fried chicken, has opened its second location at this food hall located in the heart of the Miami Design District.

Founded by Miami native and chef Troy Tingling, Soulfly started as a food truck in 2021, selling tenders, wings, sandwiches and sides throughout the Miami-Dade area. Soulfly’s second brick-and-mortar location follows its flagship in Wynwood, which opened in May 2023.

The fried chicken sandwich is the winner here, with offerings like the Alabama Hot, featuring boneless chicken breast topped with Alabama BBQ sauce and pickles. The MIA Market menu includes wedge and bib salads and the Fish Out of Water, a crispy fried cod with cheddar cheese and tartar sauce. Tack on Soulfly’s new red velvet milkshake for a sweet addition.

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.