20 February 6-12, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | served guests at its various locations across Miami, North Miami Beach, Hollywood, and Fort Lauderdale since its inception. Nevertheless, its Fort Lauderdale home — where it had stood for nearly 20 years — is what its regulars will miss most. Winner of New Times Broward-Palm Beach’s Best Chinese Restaurant 2008, Wan’s felt like a throwback to the old New York Chinatown of the ‘50s, when lo mein and foo yung seemed impossibly exotic. That may no longer be the case with Chi- nese food, but even with the proliferation of regional cuisines, this restaurant was still just as exciting. The restaurant specialized in Mandarin, Szechuan, and Cantonese specialties like lem- ongrass beef, shrimp foo yung, and a selection of housemade potstickers and dumplings. Customer favorites ranged from traditional egg rolls and wonton soup to sweet and sour chicken and Cantonese fried rice. Although an official announcement has yet to be made, Kuk confirms the menu will remain “traditional.” Wan’s. 664 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauder- dale. Opening Spring 2025. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ KENDALL NEW LA CAÑITA LOCATION BRINGS CUBAN FLAVORS TO KENDALL Miami-based James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein is expanding her cu- linary footprint in South Florida with the opening of a second La Cañita restaurant this February. The new location, located at the Palms at Town & Country open-air shopping center in Kendall, will bring her popular Ca- ribbean-Latin cuisine to a whole new clien- tele after it launched with a bang in 2021 at Bayside Marketplace. La Cañita, which translates to “little sug- arcane,” is a celebration of Caribbean flavors with a touch of Latin American innovations — and the restaurant has nearly 5,000 4.8 star reviews on Google. The menu features dishes like oxtail lasagna, lechón asado with steamed yucca, trifongo with camarones, and locally caught snapper served with ginger mojo and toasted coconut rice. Fans of Bern- stein’s cuisine can also expect to see her sig- nature croquetas and empanadas on the menu, alongside new surprises. “We were fortunate to bring a smaller, streamlined version of La Cañita to Miami’s Bayside Marketplace in 2021, and the re- sponse has been tremendous,” says Bern- stein’s husband and business partner, David Martinez. “We’re thrilled to bring the flag- ship location to Kendall and introduce even more locals to the flavors of the Caribbean.” Unlike the Bayside location, which attracts both locals and visitors due to its proximity to the bustling port, the move to Kendall repre- sents a shift in clientele. With its suburban, family-friendly environment, the Palms at Town and Country is a destination for locals rather than tourists. At 5,500 square feet, the Kendall location offers more space than its Bayside counterpart, accommodating up to 180 guests with indoor and outdoor seating, a private dining room, and a rum-centric bar. The design of the new restaurant, helmed by Bernstein’s sister Nicolette, evokes the charm of a Caribbean rum distillery, blending pastel hues and seaside-inspired details to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. The bar will spotlight handcrafted cocktails like the signature mojito, the “Presidente” (a mix of Banks 7, Ferrand dry curaçao, Comoz, and house-made grenadine), and the “Brownie Old Fashioned,” crafted with rye, Strega, brownie port, and house bitters. Bernstein’s reputation precedes her. Known for her work at beloved Miami estab- lishments like Café La Trova, Sweet Liberty, and Señora Martinez, she has long been a champion of Miami’s diverse culinary land- scape. With La Cañita, she’s aiming to high- light the rich tapestry of Caribbean and Latin American flavors that define the city. La Cañita. 8405 Mills Dr., Ste. 203, Miami; at the Palms at Town & Country; lacanitamiami.com. Opening February 2025. MICHELLE MUSLERA La Cañita photo A Cuban frita burger at La Cañita
