Since its opening in 2021, Tur Kitchen (786.483.8014), at 259 Giralda Ave. in Coral Gables, has won accolades as Miami’s “Best Mediterranean Restaurant” and is truly worth the drive from the Biscayne Corridor. The chic, sophisticated restaurant’s chef, Christian Chirino, was an honoree at the recent annual Slow Food Miami Snail of Approval Tasting Party, which celebrated Miami chefs and purveyors who make sustainability and local sourcing of paramount importance.
(Irene Moore for Biscayne Times)
Roasted squid with Moroccan medjool dates, chorizo, grapefruit, sumac, chili and fresh herbs is part of The Voyage experience at Tur Kitchen.
Chirino, known for creative tasting menus, has curated The Voyage, a 13-course culinary experience that takes you on luxurious journey throughout the regions of the Mediterranean, paired with sustainable, biodynamic or organic wines. For this special menu, he's chosen local, sustainable ingredients, sourcing fresh flora and fauna almost exclusively from Florida. He partners with Swank farm, Gratitude Garden Farm and Bluehouse Salmon, among others, to inform this awe-inspiring menu.
The Voyage begins with light, delicate flavors, and tantalizingly builds in intensity. In the first course, you are introduced to the six elements you’ll encounter in each recipe: citrus, texture, saltiness, spiciness, freshness and color. The next course is a seasonal roots dish with an array of cooked radishes, beets and labneh from local farms. Next is a mushroom carpaccio, followed by manti – traditional Turkish dumplings – roasted squid, branzino, braised goat and lamb chops.
For dessert, crispy phyllo with Chantilly cream is followed by a coffee blend made with Arabica beans roasted on a local farm, infused with Madagascar chocolate, clove, allspice, black pepper and cardamom. Complementing the exotic coffee are mignardise, or mini pastries, from Turkish delight and madeleines with pistachio and white chocolate, to Manjari chocolate truffles with dukkah (nut) praline.
(Irene Moore for Biscayne Times)
The Voyage 13-course menu at Tur Kitchen includes coffee service featuring exotic blends.
Vinya was founded by Allegra Angelo and Nick Garcia in 2019 as a wine subscription program, directly offering hard-to-find wines from small producers to wine lovers at competitive prices. They later expanded the brand with Vinya Wine & Market, a wine bar and casual dining space in Key Biscayne. The bistro-style eatery features an island menu created by chef Mariano Araya, inspired by his Latin roots and European travel.
Now, Vinya Table (305.203.4229) at 266 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables offers oenophiles another spot to dine, with top-tier wines from the store’s own market. Forget high restaurant markups; customers enjoy a world of wines picked right from Vinya’s shelves and pay only a small corkage fee.
(RMO@rmstudiocorp)
Bar bites and a cocktail at Vinya Table.
Focusing on Florida’s fresh produce, the New American menu at Vinya Table has something for every palate. On offer are small plates such as Hamachi tiradito, cheese and charcuterie plates, Pernod mussels, and fish and seafood entrées such as lobster thermidor, branzino and zarzuela. For meat lovers, there’s the highly rated Vinya Burger and the 42-ounce Creek Stone Farm Tomahawk.
Vinya is also known for its wine and culinary tastings as well as wine workshops, enticing those who enjoy learning more about what’s in their bottles. Recently, Vinya Table’s chef, Xabier Otieza, joined forces with Josh Elliot of QP Tapas for “A Night in San Sebastien,” offering guests a six-course dinner menu with wine pairings honoring the culinary traditions of Spain’s Basque region, one of Europe's gastronomic hot spots.
Beaker & Gray (305.699.2637), at 2637 N Miami Ave. in Wynwood, has launched a new weekend brunch menu. Chef-owner Brian Nasajon has created six new dishes that range from sweet to savory: Crispy rice served with smoked fish dip, aji panca and Thai chili; the Cuban Breakfast served with two eggs any style, ham, maduros, tostada, home fries and colada; the Lox-ster Roll featuring an everything bagel brioche, horseradish and dill; vaca frita with short rib, mushroom polenta, onion marmalade and Asian pear; Crispy taquitos with wagyu, mezcal ranch, mole and sunny side up egg; and Banana pancake served with Japanese black caramel, candied pecan and warm butter.
(Erin Olive for Beaker & Gray)
The new brunch spread at Beaker & Gray.
Go for the epic “bottomless” brunch, served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with drink specials available until 3 p.m., features two-hour unlimited sparkling wine, mimosas or watermelon-mosas.
Openings
Tablé by Bachour (786.842.0551), a new restaurant helmed by Miami’s famed pastry chef, Antonio Bachour, has opened at 180 NE 40th St. in the Design District, Miami’s hottest spot for new restaurants. It’s a departure from Bachour’s two other self-monikered area ventures.
“Our restaurants in Coral Gables and Doral have non-pastry items on their menus but most are in the bakery/café category,” said Bachour. “Tablé has its own identity with a full bar featuring creative and classic libations, a carefully curated wine program and of course, the fresh, beautiful food and desserts we are known for.”
(Courtesy of Tablé by Bachour)
Escargots Classique at Tablé by Bachour.
Tablé’s ambience will remind you of your favorite Parisian brasserie. Upon entering guests get a look into the pastry kitchen, and there’s a market for grab-and-go items – where display cases showcase Bachour’s beautiful jewel-like pastries and loaves of bread – including prepared sandwiches, those acclaimed baked goods and Jamon Serrano sliced to order, packaged to go with all the accouterments.
Menu highlights include caviar and chips, escargot classique and steak frites stuffed with cheese and topped with Parmesan. Ora king salmon is served atop avocado hummus, avocado and pico de gallo; braised cabbage and octopus is served with lime labneh mousse topped with matcha powder. “Dinner for Two” options are cote de boeuf with pomme Dauphine and butter lettuce; Green Circle chicken – a name that indicates the fowl was raised humanely free-range on a diet of surplus vegetables – is a whole deboned bird with creamy pomme purée.
Lunch offers a raw bar, and salads include selections like a classic niçoise and gulf shrimp panzanella, while sandwich offerings include a BBQ pork sandwich, featuring pork belly and avocado on a baguette, as well as a Gruyere dry-aged burger.
(Courtesy of Coco Miami)
Wagyu cote de boeuf at Coco Miami.
Coco Miami (305.603.9145) also recently opened in Miami’s Design District, at 8 NE 41st St., and is slated to be the ultimate opulent soirée destination offering up luxe cuisine and unabashedly ornate parties. Named for Coco Chanel, the elegant décor features luxury finishes with matte black and gold, imbuing a sophisticated ambience.
The menu by chef Jose Diaz features fine European cuisine with plates to share, such as a 40-ounce wagyu cote de boeuf with haricot vert salad, truffle fries or seasonal mushrooms; Dover sole with baby fennel and a variety of radishes; and Green Circle chicken with bell pepper purée, hedgehog mushroom and Swiss chard. There is a choice of sauces such as roast bone marrow, chimichurri and bearnaise.
For those who don’t share, mains include Lobster Garganelli with garlic and leeks, and tagliatelle “a la Coco” in aged parmesan cream with choices of caviar or winter truffle.
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.