12 May 18-24, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ MIAMI-DADE CAFÉ LA TROVA AND SWEET LIBERTY MAKE NORTH AMERICA’S 50 BEST BARS If you’re craving an after-work cocktail, happy-hour libation, or weekend tipple, look no further than one of Miami’s best bars, ac- cording to experts. Earlier this week, North America’s 50 Best Bars released its list of the best drinking dens in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Carib- bean — and two familiar favorites have once again claimed a spot. The annual list celebrates the best of the bar and cocktail industry and provides a ranking of bars voted for by drinks experts from around the world. This year, 15 new establishments were added to the top 50 picks. Among them, one Miami restaurant still holds sway as one of the best bars not only in the Magic City but the world. (The complete list can be viewed at worlds50bestbars.com.) Little Havana’s Café La Trova, which pays homage to Cuba’s historic cantinero style of bartending, took the ninth slot on the North American list. Miami Beach’s Sweet Liberty was ranked 34th. Bar Lab Hospitality’s global beverage director Chris- tine Wiseman was named the Altos Bartend- ers’ Bartender Award at the same ceremony held in Mexico. This year, Café La Trova co-owner and maestro cantinero Julio Cabrera was also given the Roku Industry Icon Award, chosen to represent someone who has worked to progress the bar industry the most. “For the last few years, we’ve been hon- ored to receive the recognition and also to be in the top ten in North America, which is amazing,” Cabrera tells New Times. “We are very happy about that.” At Café La Trova, visitors are transported to the island of Cabrera’s birth. The restau- rant is part of his promise to his family to open a restaurant like the one they lost dur- ing the Cuban Revolution. Cabrera remem- bers spending time with cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles at his fa- ther’s establishment as a child. It was open 24 hours a day, functioning as a coffee shop, restaurant, and bar that would transform into a late-night spot for live music, beer, wine, and cocktails. “I never thought to become a bartender. My parents wanted me to go to university, but destiny had a different path. I was bored at my job, and someone told me the hotels were looking for people to work, so I went to apply for bartending, and they accepted me,” explains Cabrera, who began his bar- tending career in the late ‘80s, working as a cantinero by night while teaching others the profession by day. The cantineros at the Little Havana bar and restaurant are clad in dinner jackets and offer expert service as they perform before patrons with shakers and strainers. If you’ve never been, it’s worth a trip to experience the performance that comes with classic Cuban cocktails like the “Floridita’s Hemingway Daiquiri,” the “Cantineros’ Special,” and the “Trio Matamoros” (single-barrel rum served neat with a cafecito and cigar). Today, Cabrera says he feels lucky to work alongside family once more, including his wife, father-in-law, cousins, and children, all while embracing everything that is important to the Cuban culture, from the food and ci- gars to coffee, rum, and live music. “When I started my career in Miami, I was 42. Little by little, I gained notoriety and won a few awards just being myself and showing my passion for my profession. And when I opened my bar, I was 55, hoping to carry on the legacy and heritage of my family and give back to my family what they lost,” Cabrera says. “Moving forward, my goal is to help guide the future generation of bartenders here in Miami,” he adds. “My hope is to teach them how to build a lifelong career. All you need is passion and integrity.” NICOLE DANNA ▼ MIAMI ARIETE HOSPITALITY GROUP’S FIRST-EVER CIGAR BAR Brasserie Laurel — Ariete Hospitality Group’s (AHG) modern French spot that opened downtown in 2022 — has a new neighbor in downtown Miami. Conveniently, the spot’s name translates to “the neighbor.” | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Photo by Adam Delgiudice Julio Cabrera of Café La Trova grand seafood plateau ($195), but the most expensive entrée on the menu is the entrecôte, a boneless premium ribeye with frites for $72. The service is also spot on. One bar- tender confided that he had been hired months back and had so much training that he felt like he had been here for years. In- deed, the water glass was refilled, silver- ware replaced, drink orders filled, and plates dropped seamlessly. The staff also seemed genuinely happy to be there. An- other bartender said he was told Pastis was hiring months ago and wasn’t familiar with the name. Once he Googled it, he knew he had to be a part of it. It also seems that, unlike some other trendy Miami restaurants, you’ll be able to experience it within this century. Pastis ac- cepts reservations through Resy, and if you don’t mind dining early or later, you can ac- tually find a table for this coming weekend. And, you can always show up and find a seat at the bar. Stephen Starr says that Pastis has tapped into New York’s zeitgeist, and he’s betting that will translate to other cities. “Pastis –– and all of Keith McNally’s res- taurants –– have in part created what is now New York popular culture. My hope for the future of Pastis in Miami is that it becomes as iconic as the one in New York has been.” To that note, Starr says he and McNally are already planning to open Pas- tis in Nashville and Washington, D.C. Pastis is the little black dress of restau- rants: It’s simple yet elegant. It’s perfect for a glass of wine with friends, a romantic date night, or when you simply need a good mar- tini after a long work day. You can dress it up with oysters and champagne or dress it down with a beer and a side of frites. And it works wherever it goes — be it Paris, New York, or even Miami. After all, magic (and home) can be found anywhere there’s good food, good drink, and a warm welcome. Pastis Miami. 380 NW 26th St., Miami; 305-686-3050; pastismiami.com. Sunday through Wednesday 5 to 11 p.m., and Thurs- day through Saturday 5 p.m. to midnight. [email protected] Photo by Joshua Perez Linguine vongole at Pastis ($28) Bite the Big Apple from p11 >> p14
