16 MAY 4 - MAY 10, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | 5/4/23* Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ MIAMI-DADE INDULGE IN MIAMI HEAT-THEMED FOOD AND DRINKS Miami has Heat fever. After defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs, the Miami Heat will next face off with the New York Knicks in the hopes of making it all the way to the NBA Finals. If you’re feeling the pressure and want to eat your feelings or grab a cocktail to steady those emotions, New Times has the perfect suggestion: a Miami Heat-themed burger and cocktail. Here’s a fair warning: these items are as on fire as our home team, so be prepared for some spice in your life as you eat and drink to celebrate. The Miami Heat Burger at Lokal and Kush at Clevelander The Miami Heat burger ($18-$20) is a year-round favorite with Miamians who love a burger with a kick. It all starts with a beef patty, freshly ground in house. The burger is topped with Jack cheese, grilled onions for a bit of sweetness, chipotle mayo, and sriracha. Lettuce and tomatoes are added, and the en- tire burger is topped with fresh jalapeños. Vegetarians can indulge in this savory sand- wich by asking for a housemade veggie patty. This burger is zesty, spicy, and guaranteed to raise your heart rate. It’s available at Lokal (3190 Commodore Plz., Coconut Grove; 305- 442-3377; kushhospitality.com) and Kush at Clevelander (1020 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; 305-532-4006); clevelander.com). The Miami Heat Cocktail at Red South Beach Red South Beach’s Miami Heat cocktail will put a gentle tingle on your lips as you toast the team to victory. This sweet and spicy libation is made with Grey Goose vodka, mango puree, spicy peppers, and fresh lemon juice. The Mi- ami Heat cocktail is finished with a sugared rim. 801 South Pointe Dr., Miami Beach; 305- 534-3688, redsobe.com. LAINE DOSS ▼ AVENTURA IS TRADER JOE’S COMING TO AVENTURA? Nearly a decade ago, Miami got its first Trader Joe’s after many years of rumors. The vacation-themed grocery store opened in Pinecrest in October 2013. Since then, several more Trader Joe’s stores have opened in South Florida, includ- ing Miami Beach, Midtown Miami, Coral Ga- bles, Davie, and Fort Lauderdale. There’s a rumor that Trader Joe’s will open a store in Aventura sometime in 2023. The City of Aventura has been courting Trader Joe’s for a long time. In 2021, the City of Aventura tasked its Youth Advisory Board with a presentation “to entice Trader Joe’s to open a location in Aventura.” It looks like residents of Aventura want a Trader Joe’s as well. An online petition, “Bring Trader Joe’s to Aventura/Hallandale Beach, Florida,” currently has 1,094 signa- tures and suggestions on where to place the store. (Gulfstream Park and 187th Street or Biscayne Boulevard are two consumer- friendly options.) Before you write out your shopping list in anticipation of feasting on Speculoos cookie butter and Two Buck Chuck wine, New Times received some mood-dampening news from a Trader Joe’s spokesperson: “We consider many locations. All of the locations that are opening soon are listed on our website. Un- fortunately, Aventura is not on the list at this time.” There is hope yet. In the past, most rumors about Trader Joe’s popping up in Miami neighborhoods have proven to be true. Sto- ries circulated about a potential South Beach location for five years before the company is- sued a formal statement in 2017. The Miami Beach store then opened two years later on West Avenue. The grocery chain is famously tight- lipped about any projects until all leases are signed, and the store is well into the planning phase. The store is then assigned a number and added to Trader Joe’s “opening soon” page on its website. For now, Aventura residents can take comfort in knowing they can shop for gro- ceries at the only Plum Market location in South Florida. LAINE DOSS ▼ DORAL VIVO! AT DOLPHIN MALL WILL BRING A BULL RIDING-THEMED BAR AND MORE Dolphin Mall is about to be one of the most hopping spots in town when Vivo! opens this summer. Live! Hospitality & Entertainment — a di- vision of the Cordish Companies known for its venues that combine entertainment, nightlife, and dining — is opening its first complex in Florida this summer. Currently, Live! Hospitality operates spots in Kansas City, Baltimore, and Louisville. Vivo! Dolphin Mall is a massive 62,000-square-foot food and entertainment complex that will anchor the southwest por- tion of Dolphin Mall near existing entrances two and three. “The Live! brand has a saying that encom- passes all of its efforts, and that is ‘energy loves company,’” Judy Moore, senior vice president at Live! Hospitality, tells New Times. “We’re bringing a mix of so many things and something that Miami, and espe- cially Doral, has never seen before.” The most impressive and interactive spot at Vivo! is the PBR Cowboy Bar — in partner- ship with Professional Bull Riders — offering two expansive bars, live country acts, and a mechanical bull. This marks the 13th PBR Cowboy Bar location nationwide. Another major anchor will be Sports & So- cial, whose sports bar will include a 50-foot LED screen showing the hottest local and in- ternational sporting events. According to Moore, there will be fight songs, light and smoke features during big moments (e.g., a Dolphins touchdown or Heat major slam), live fan cams, and more to create a true stadium- like atmosphere. James Beard Award nominee John Suley curated the Sports & Social menu, which includes kataifi-wrapped shrimp, truffle mushroom flatbread, and cacio e pepe arancini. A backyard space at the complex will in- clude bites from Sergio’s Cuban American Kitchen, which currently has 14 operations throughout South Florida. As part of the backyard area, there will be rotating food trucks and the Crush Bar, serving up “crush” classics — a Maryland-born drink often con- taining orange juice (or another juice), vodka, triple sec, and crushed ice. Finally, a plaza space will host the Blue Moon Garden Bar and a stage and lawn area where national acts will perform. While a firm opening date is yet to be confirmed, Moore is anticipating a summer start. “We’ve been under construction, and we’re so close to completion,” says Moore. “If you go to Dolphin Mall now, you can see the façade is changing, and there will be some exciting installations in the coming weeks, all leading up to opening this sum- mer. We will have some other additions to announce within the next six months, too.” Vivo! Dolphin Mall. 11401 NW 12th St., Mi- ami; vivodolphinmall.com. Opening summer 2023. JESSE SCOTT | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Photo courtesy Kush Hospitality The Miami Heat burger
