94 JUNE 22-28, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES B E S T O F M I A M I ® 2 0 2 3 tonese cuisine journey. The dining room’s red umbrella-adorned ceiling will instantly trans- port you to a shop in Hong Kong, but it feels even more authentic when the carts, stacked with steaming bamboo baskets, begin to roll out from the kitchen. Here, dim-sim is served all day, but it’s best when delivered hot and fresh for the busy lunch rush. From the deli- cate and savory to the adventurous and bold, each dish is made fresh and to order. You’ll start with traditional dumplings, siu mai, and buns before the servers bring out the rice paste, noodles, and congee — expertly crafted and bursting with flavor. Don’t skip the house specialties, which include crab meat dump- lings in black rice paper wrapping (the meat is sourced directly from the live seafood tanks at the front of the house) and walnut buns, sweet chewy balls stuffed with a creamy nut filling. But the real treat just might be the black gold quicksand bun, a fluffy black ses- ame bao that holds a molten, velvety-smooth salted duck egg yolk paste at its core. B E S T KO R E A N R E S TA U R A N T Korean Kitchen 1661 NE 163rd Street North Miami Beach, 33162 954-766-5558 koreankitchenfl .com You can find Korean Kitchen in a North Mi- ami Beach shopping plaza, but step inside, and its tarp-shielded outdoor courtyard is reminiscent of the country’s pojangmacha street stalls. The authenticity expands into the menu, which features classics like bibim- bap and budae jjigae (army stew) and delica- cies like silkworm larvae soup. Don’t forget the kimchi! B E S T V I E T N A M E S E R E S TA U R A N T Basilic Vietnamese Grill 14734 Biscayne Boulevard North Miami Beach, 33181 754-238-2620 basilicvietnamesegrill.getsauce.com Basilic Vietnamese Grill serves dishes so fresh, simple, and authentic you’d think you were in Hanoi — not a North Miami Beach shopping plaza. The sleek dining room smells of ginger and lemongrass as crispy green pa- paya salads, fresh spring rolls, beef sauteed lemongrass vermicelli bowls, beef pho noodle soups, and other Vietnamese staples are pre- pared in the kitchen. The best part? No one will mind if you raise the bowl to your lips and slurp the last drops of pho. B E S T T H A I R E S TA U R A N T Larb Thai-Isan 6234 North Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, 33308 954-368-8863 larbthaiisan.com Situated within a quiet strip mall off Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale, Larb Thai-Isan specializes in flavorful cuisine from Thai- land’s northeastern region, particularly a meat salad known as larb (pronounced “lawb”). The menu includes longtime family recipes like duck curry, papaya salad, tom kha kai, and delectable desserts like mango sticky rice and coconut ice cream on brioche bread. The service is warm, and the restaurant has a relaxed vibe, with colorful Thai beer posters decorating the walls and a three-wheeled tuk-tuk taxi tucked in the corner. It’s a no- frills spot that doesn’t take reservations, so you might find yourself waiting for a table, but it’s worth it. B E S T I N D I A N R E S TA U R A N T Bengal Indian Cuisine 109 NE First Avenue Miami, 33132 305-403-1976 bengalindianmiami.com It seemed the never-ending pandemic would rob us of one of the guiltiest pleasures in life: the all-you-can-eat buffet. But thankfully, the lunch buffet at Bengal Indian Cuisine hasn’t gone extinct. Every weekday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the downtown Miami spot offers a bottomless plethora of Indian delicacies for $15.95. Soup, salad, naan, a variety of rice and entrees, including three or four vegetarian options, are all to be had at your leisure. The food is made fresh and frequently replen- ished. If you’re not a glutton or prefer a more a la carte experience, you can’t go wrong with the samosas or the eye-watering chana saag, a medley of spinach and chickpeas. When they ask you how spicy you want it, be warned that “medium” packs a punch of heat. B E S T M E D I T E R R A N E A N R E S TA U R A N T El Turco 184 NE 50th Terrace Miami, 33137 elturcoturkishfood.com Most Mediterranean restaurants offer fare from the Greek Isles and southern Italy and can overlook dishes from the Mediterranean Sea’s northeastern shore: Turkey. El Turco puts Turkish fare at the forefront of its menu and serves it al fresco under a giant Banyan tree. The restaurant offers many Mediterra- nean favorites you’re familiar with, including Eat & Drink
