14 January 25-31, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | Miami prides itself on being flashy so it’s no surprise that the menus at the city’s high-end Japanese restaurants often include glitzy accents - think caviar, gold leaf, and torched bone marrow. Álvaro Perez Miranda is bucking that trend, though, focusing not only on serving authentic cuisine at his four restaurants but also on representing Japa- nese culture as a whole. Clearly, he has succeeded. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries named him a Goodwill Ambassador for Japanese Cuisine. A mere 187 people hold this honor worldwide, only 21 of those are in North America, and Perez Miranda is the first Latino in the US. Perez Miranda took a unique path to get here. Born into a modest family in Venezuela, he left home to study art - first in Italy, then Los Angeles. He began working in the restaurant industry to pay the bills and as he rose through the ranks he landed an op- portunity to open Italian restaurants in Tokyo. Over the course of nearly a decade, he would go on to build a 33-restaurant empire in the Land of the Rising Sun. Eventually yearning to reconnect with his Latin American roots, Perez Miranda made his way to Miami, where he first opened a restaurant in the emblematic Vagabond Hotel. Upon the suggestion of his teenage son, he decided to pivot to Japanese cuisine with his next venue, Wabi Sabi, which opened in 2018. Now his Miami portfolio includes the fast-casual Midorie, the high-end Hiyakawa, and the new omakase restaurant Ogawa, which debuted in late 2023. No matter which of these restau- rants they’re visiting, diners are immersed in three Japanese principles: ometenashi (selfless hospitality and anticipation of guest needs), komakai (attention to detail), and sensai (delicate balance of flavors). Perez Miranda is very much aware of the weight his ambassadorship carries. “It is a great honor to have my restaurants recognized by the Japanese government,” he says. “The goal has always been to edu- cate not just the U.S. but South America, as well, on the nuances of Japanese cuisine and culture - to transport the diner, as if they were in Japan, keeping it as authentic as possible.” ADVERTORIAL TRADITION OVER TREND How Álvaro Perez Miranda Became the First Latino Goodwill Ambassador for Japanese Cuisine Álvaro Perez Miranda miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | The festival benefits the Coral Gables Art Cinema. Also, as an ode to the alternative mu- sic station he would listen to on Australia Day — and in support of local bands — four acts will perform live during the festival. “We’re starting with School of Rock,” says Sharp. “It’s a local school for cool kids and mu- sicians. They regularly do events at Bay 13, and it’s always super fun to see these kids rocking out up there. Then the headliner, Suenalo, is going to close with a two-hour finish.” All guests and brewers are invited to par- ticipate in the Brewers Brunch at Bay 13 Brewery and Kitchen the following day on Sunday, January 28, as a catch-up after the festival. Tickets are sold as an add-on through the website for $50, and the event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Woop Woop Fest. 5 p.m. Saturday, January 27, at Bay 13 Brewery, 65 Alhambra Plz., Coral Gables; bay13brewery.com. Tickets cost $20 to $200. RACHEL COSTA ▼ MIAMI POPULAR TULUM COCKTAIL BAR OPENS IN WYNWOOD Miami has a plethora of Tulum-inspired bars and beach clubs, including Joia Beach Club and Baia Beach Club, but now, Wynwood is welcoming a brand new spot that isn’t just Tulum-inspired — it hails directly from the tropical oasis. Tulum’s very own Osmio Lounge has closed down in Tulum and relocated to Mi- ami. The mystical-themed cocktail lounge has live DJs, a tapas menu, a hookah lounge, private rooms, and even a boutique. Founder and mixologist of the popular rooftop bar in Tulum, Brian Diaz, created the concept in Tulum with dreams of expanding the experience to Miami, and boy has he suc- ceeded. Diaz teamed up with Miami-based hospi- tality group Dirty Rabbit Group, which owns concepts like the Dirty Rabbit, to make the bar come to life in Miami. The space mirrors Tulum and its energy; however, it has even more of an emphasis on craft cocktails and a Miami atmosphere than at the original Mex- ico location. Osmio will feature an array of carefully crafted cocktails that showcase Diaz’s signa- ture style, transporting patrons to a world of taste and sensation. Some of the bar’s signature cocktails in- clude the “Death by Tequila,” which has a de- scription that reads, “Dare to drink this perfect infusion of select roots and herbs,” as well as the “Esmeralda,” which is made with Monkey Shoulder whiskey, fresh plum, hibis- cus tea, Secret Element sea moss, and house bitters. Other cocktails are named “Jungle Vibes,” “Sexy Pleasure,” and “Tropical Healing.” Wow, we might just go for the cocktails. The food menu features tapas such as clas- sic guacamole and chips, cheese tequeños, and, in classic Miami style, even ham croquetas. In addition to its vibrant main area with live DJ sets and a hookah lounge, Osmio of- fers private rooms for those looking to elevate their experience and enjoy a more intimate setting. The boutique within the establishment will showcase curated items, adding a touch of luxury to the overall ambiance. Osmio Lounge. 223 NW 23rd St., Miami; os- miolounge.com. Wednesday through Sunday 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ MIAMI THE 11TH-BEST BAR IN THE WORLD IS COMING TO DOWNTOWN A cocktail bar from Buenos Aires that’s ranked as the 11th best in the entire world — yes, the world — is taking over a downtown Miami bar next to Julia & Henry’s for one weekend only. Craft cocktail lovers in Miami will get the chance to experience Tres Monos, the 11th- best bar in the world according to the World’s 50 Best Bars, when it takes over the Roystone bar in downtown Miami later this month. The bar will be popping up January 26-27 as part of the Roystone’s “World’s Best Se- ries.” This will be the bar’s second “World’s Best Series” event after they collaborated with Locale Firenze, the Italian cocktail bar ranked number 46 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, which left a significant impression on Miami’s cocktail scene during Art Week. “It’s the first time we’ve traveled with a takeover to Miami,” says Sebastian Atienza, owner and creator of Tres Monos. “We look forward to learning more about Miami’s bar culture and sharing our cocktails with the community.” Miami’s craft cocktail scene has been on fire with craft cocktail bars such as Café La Trova, the Sylvester, the Broken Shaker, Dante’s HiFi, Sweet Liberty Drink & Supply Co., and the Roystone itself, to name a few. Now, Miami is even drawing the attention of renowned international bars from around the world. Tres Monos, which opened in Argentina in 2019, nearly made it to the top ten in just five years since it originally opened — an impres- sive feat. To toot our own horn, Miami’s very own Café La Trova is ranked on the same list at number 24. Oh, and according to the World’s Best North America list, Café La Trova is ranked at number nine, while Miami Beach’s Sweet Liberty is ranked at number 34. Nevertheless, back to Tres Monos. The bar, named “three monkeys” in English, was founded for patrons who love handcrafted cocktails as well as mingling with skilled bar- tenders, fostering a sense of familiarity that encourages them to return week af- ter week — a phi- losophy that particularly reso- nates with the Roystone in down- town Miami. “Our commit- ment to commu- nity-driven experiences aligns seamlessly with Tres Monos’ mis- sion, making this collaboration a natural and exciting step forward,” says Carlos De La Fuente-Garcia, King Goose Hospitality’s di- rector of operations. The Tres Monos team will be showcasing five of its signature cocktails: the “Misticol- lins” made of gin, sake, aloe vera, brown olive, cucumber, and tonic water; the “No Se Me Ocurry” made with whisky, vanilla yogurt, paprika, curry, and clarified lemon; the “Moscato, Pizza & Tusca” made with gin, Moscato, green olive, capers, and tusca; the “Plaza Once” made with brandy, sherry, ver- mouth, and bitters; and the “Fresco y Batata” made with whisky, dulce de batata, Parmesan, toasted walnut, and clarified lemon. Yes, Parmesan cheese. This place goes hard. In addition to hosting the pop-up event, the Roystone is also teaming up with the Syl- vester to host a cocktail masterclass led by the Tres Monos team in Spanish. Similar to the inaugural event, guests can make their reservations via resy.com. The ticket ($40) will not only guarantee entry into the event but also secure two cocktails from Tres Monos’ list of five cocktails. Tres Monos Bar Takeover at the Roystone. 7 p.m. on Friday, January 26, and Saturday, Jan- uary 27, 100 NE First Ave., Fourth Floor, Mi- ami; theroystone.com. Tickets cost $40 via resy. com. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR Tres Monos photo Tres Monos’ “Moscato, Pizza, y Tusca” cocktail “OUR COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY- DRIVEN EXPERIENCES ALIGNS SEAMLESSLY WITH TRES MONOS’ MISSION.”
