| TASTE TEST | ▼ Café ▼ DOWNTOWN MIAMI WINE AND SPIRITS HEAVYWEIGHTS JOIN FORCES TO OPEN MAISON MURA ▼ PALM SPRINGS NORTH THE ORIGINAL HOT DOG FACTORY COMES TO MIAMI The hot dog restaurant known for its cam- eos on Bravo TV’s Real Housewives of Atlanta has made its way to Miami. On July 11, the Original Hot Dog Factory will open its first Florida location just in time to celebrate National Hot Dog Month. The Original Hot Dog Factory opened its Longtime friends Matthieu Yamoum and Philippe Vasilescu are taking their love for a memorable beverage to the next level. Yamoum, the former wine director at New York City’s Baccarat Hotel, and Vasilescu, for- mer brand ambassador for Louis XIII Cognac de Rémy Martin, have been buddies for a de- cade, ever since they connected through mu- tual French friends in NYC. When the pandemic hit, they were looking for new career paths and decided on a move to Miami to open a sophisticated premium spirits-driven retail shop. That venue is Mai- son Mura, which translates from the French to “house of good moments” and is slated to open in downtown Miami in October. “The design and the concept will be very much a representation of who we are,” Ya- moum, a native of Reims in France’s Cham- pagne region, tells New Times. “We grew up in the luxury environment with excellent ser- vice, from the moment you are greeted to say- ing goodbye. This has never been done in Florida before.” Maison Mura promises thousands of bot- tles of wine and spirits, appealing to the spec- trum of wine lovers, from amateurs to collectors. The spot will also include a lounge with all-day bites, a 12-person private tasting room, and, as Yamoum puts it, “something for everyone.” He says, “If you walk in and tell me what you’ve liked in the past, we will make a rec- ommendation at your price point. We will have bottles that may start at $50, and then some where only a few in the world have been made.” Adds Vasilescu, a Paris native: “Most im- portantly, it will be a place for friends to gather and share the same passion and love for wine and spirits.” For those looking to take that love to the next level, Maison Mura will offer a limited membership, granting access to exclusive events, tastings with winemakers, and invites to experiences in Miami. The membership costs $5,000 per year and, according to Vasilescu, will go up in price after the first year. Only 150 memberships will be made available and must be secured via one of the two owners. As for future Maison Mura services, Ya- moum says a house car is in the works to make deliveries throughout Miami and help get guests home safely, as well as a boat that will deliver goods to local watercraft. Leading up to its opening, signage pro- 14 14 claiming “Every day is a celebration!” adorns the front of Maison Mura. And, for wine and spirits lovers, there will clearly be many op- tions for fueling that celebration. Maison Mura. 333 SE Third Ave., Miami; mai- sonmura.wine. Opening October 2022. JESSE SCOTT Photo courtesy of the Original Hot Dog Factory The Original Hot Dog Factory is expanding to Miami. When he bought the restaurant, only four hot dogs were on the menu, notes McKinley, who previously operated a Little Caesars and a Subway as a franchisee before launching his own franchise. What was once a simple offering of a clas- sic Detroit Coney, a bacon-wrapped dog, and a footlong has expanded to include nearly 30 options. The Original Hot Dog Factory’s menu has branched out from its specialty dogs, adding hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, corn dog “nuggets,” sides like fries and onion rings, and milkshakes. The hot dog list includes dozens of top- pings and dogs that range from chicken and veggie to German, Italian, and Polish sausage. Popular menu items across locations in- clude the traditional Chicago (tomatoes, pickle spear, sport peppers, sweet relish, onions, mustard, celery salt, and a poppy seed bun), the Detroit Coney (served here with the addi- tion of shredded cheese), and the All-Ameri- can (relish, onion, mustard, and ketchup). McKinley says he’s searching for addi- tional Miami locations, including one in Wynwood, and scouting spaces further north in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The Original Hot Dog Factory. 8583 NW 186th St., Miami; 305-318-1989; theoriginalhotdogfac- tory.com. Daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. NICOLE DANNA first restaurant in 2010 and has since become a household name in Atlanta, thanks in no small part to the national exposure provided by the Real Housewives franchise. That, in turn, was due to entrepreneur Dennis McKin- ley, who for a time was engaged to one of the show’s stars and who saw promise in a restau- rant that catered to the hot dog-loving masses. In 2015, McKinley purchased and re- branded the Smyrna-based brand, imbuing it with a family-friendly atmosphere and ex- panding the menu to feature the nation’s fa- vorite hot dog styles on a single menu. JULY 7-13, 2022 MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com miaminewtimes.com
