13 JULY 25-31, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | BRUNCH EVERY SAT & SUN BEST WATERFRONT VIEWS IN MIAMI 3201 RICKENBACKER CWY, KEY BISCAYNE, FL 33149 | 305.361.3818 WWW.THERUSTYPELICAN.COM BE SOCIAL WITH US! /RUSTYPELICANMIAMI miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | ▼ FORT LAUDERDALE POPULAR MEXICAN SPOT CARLOS & PEPE’S CLOSES AFTER 45 YEARS On July 15, North Palm Beach-based auction house Sunshine Auction Services announced a “short notice sale” of the entire contents of an unidentified Mexican restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. “Address to be announced,” read a notice published on Sunshine’s Facebook page. “We are selling the complete contents of this up- scale, like-new Mexican restaurant located in the heart of the causeway! Do not miss this opportunity to bid and win on this last-min- ute sale and take advantage of great pricing!” The “heart of the causeway” hint sent a tremor through the hearts of Fort Lauderdale restaurant diehards: Could this be the end of Carlos & Pepe’s, an institution on SE 17th Street for nearly half a century? A day later, the answer appeared to be yes. Early on July 16, the listing on Sunshine Auction Service’s website was updated with the addition of “Carlos & Pepe’s has closed its doors,” along with the restaurant’s ad- dress, 1302 SE 17th St., a scant few blocks east of Federal Highway. The following day, the restaurant’s dining room furni- ture, stainless steel cooking appliances, cookware, silver- ware, blue-rimmed glass cups, and more were put up for auction to the highest bidder. A source with knowledge of the property’s owner- ship and lease agreements confirmed the news: Carlos & Pepe’s has closed for good. Rumors of Carlos & Pepe’s uncertain fu- ture began to circulate on June 30, when the restaurant shared an Instagram post that read, “We will be closing tomorrow, July 1, until further notice to repair and replace mul- tiple HVAC (air conditioning system) units that are no longer working in the restaurant. We are communicating with our landlord in hopes of having a reasonable solution to this issue ASAP.” Since July 2023, the restaurant has been owned and operated by seasoned restaura- teur Paula Ehmke and her husband, Richard Ehmke. The restaurant temporarily closed to undergo a significant renovation in the sum- mer of 2023 and reopened to the public on October 19, 2023. On July 17, Paula took to Instagram to con- firm the news of Carlos & Pepe’s closing. The caption reads, in part, “I’m writing to share some updates regarding our recent develop- ments. After conducting estimates for HVAC replacements on several units and engaging in discussions with our landlord, we’ve un- fortunately been unable to reach a financial agreement. As a result, we must sadly an- nounce that Carlos & Pepe’s on 17th Street will be permanently closing its doors.” Her statement includes a message to the restaurant’s patrons, some who have dined at the restaurant for decades. “I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to all our staff mem- bers, regular guests, visitors, and supporters who have made the past year a memorable one,” she says. “We’ve strived to honor the legacy of Carlos & Pepe’s by serving some of your favorite dishes and recipes. It’s been a source of pride for us to bring joy to many families by restoring a place that holds a spe- cial place in their hearts. We’ve heard count- less stories from guests about their long-standing connection to Carlos & Pepe’s.” Although longtime fans and customers immediately took to the comments to express their sympathy and disappointment, Paula confirmed some good news: Carlos and Pepe’s will continue to operate as a food truck, Carlos and Pepe’s on Wheels, which has been operating over the past year. The food truck will serve “beloved C&P favorites,” she confirms, and can be ordered for takeout or delivery. Opened in 1979, the venerable Mexican restaurant was a Fort Lauderdale staple for nearly half a century and inarguably was part of the fabric of the neighborhood. “That’s sad to hear,” original Carlos & Pepe’s cofounder Burt Rapoport posted on the Let’s Eat, South Florida Facebook group when rumors began circulating about the res- taurant’s future. “Carlos and Pepe’s was cre- ated by Dave Alderman, Dennis Max, Carlos Pugliese, and me in 1978! Me, Dennis, and Carlos moved here from southern California to open it, but Dennis and I couldn’t get along with Dave, so, we exited, never thinking it would be so successful for so long!” Other comments tend to be along the lines of “Wow! Crazy! This has been a neighbor- hood staple for years!” and “Wow, definitely a staple in Fort Lauderdale. Many work Christ- mas parties there when I was younger.” Carlos & Pepe’s longtime owner and manager, Roberto Martinez, had been at the restaurant since its inception when he came aboard at age as a busboy. In June 2023, in his 60s, he left the restaurant and an- nounced his retirement, according to the Sun Sentinel. In an act of solidarity, his busi- ness partners, John and Sandy Benz, retired as well. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR ▼ WYNWOOD TIKTOKER GIVES MIAMI SUSHI SPOT A RAVE REVIEW Viral TikTok star Keith Lee recently had “some of the best sushi I’ve ever had in my entire life.” No, it wasn’t in Japan. No, it wasn’t at a five-star, fine-dining restaurant in Manhattan. It was at a casual Miami sushi mini-chain famed for its omakase, hand rolls, and cool, laid-back atmosphere. Keith Lee posted a TikTok in the early hours of July 17, to rave about Omakai Sushi, which operates locations in Wynwood and Coconut Grove, as well as a ghost kitchen in Aventura. Turns out that when Lee visited Miami in May to undertake one of the interactive hid- den-gem food tours for which he has become famous, he managed to squeeze in a meal at Omakai — not once, not twice, but four times. In his new video, he concedes that he didn’t post about it at the time because he was “gatekeeping” the restaurant — i.e., he wanted to keep it to himself for fear popular- ity would kill its vibe. But he couldn’t help himself, so he came back to ascertain whether it lived up to the six-week-old memory. It did. This time around, he ordered three “Omakase Experience” boxes ($50 apiece), each of which is equipped with little com- partments for nikiri soy sauce, yuzu ponzu sauce, and a smoky soy sauce. The boxes are printed with a full-color informational dia- gram that points out exactly what type of fish is used in each nigiri, sashimi, or sushi roll. (Lee was particularly pleased with this fea- ture because he has a shellfish allergy.) The box also contains instructions for tasting your meal in a particular order and what sauce to pair with what item. Per Omakai, the “Omakase Experience” box should be consumed thusly: 1. Edamame to open the palate (in his case, he got a seaweed salad) 2. Sashimi 3. Nigiris, from right to left 4. Sushi roll (pieces can be eaten at any time) Lee began with a bite of classic salmon ni- giri paired with caramelized onion. One bite and he broke into a huge grin. He was seri- ously beaming — almost blushing — at how much he enjoyed this. He rated it a conserva- tive 8.5 out of ten. “I can’t really eat things that are mushy, but it’s so fresh, that it’s like a snappy, firm kind of fish,” he said, adding with a chuckle, “I’m supposed to be tasting them, but really I’m about to just sit here and eat.” Lee proceeded to run through the row of nigiri, consuming each piece in a single bite. His three favorites: yellowtail, branzino (Eu- ropean sea bass), and otoro (fatty tuna). The three he liked least: bincho-maguro (albacore tuna), kanpachi (amberjack), and something that was called “mystery fish.” “The yellowtail, in my opinion, is a 9.6 out of ten,” he raved. (He gave the otoro an 8.5.) “Overall, is this still my favorite place to have sushi? Absolutely, yes,” he enthused. “It’s not even within question. This is one of my favorite things. Every time I come to Mi- ami, I’m going straight here.” By Friday, Lee’s review had notched nearly 500,000 likes and was inching toward 3,000 comments. Consider the gate unkept. It’s safe to say Keith Lee just put Omakai on the map. Omakai Sushi. Locations in Wynwood and Coconut Grove; omakai.com. NICOLE LOPEZ-ALVAR THE RESTAURANT TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO UNDERGO A SIGNIFICANT RENOVATION IN THE SUMMER OF 2023. Photo by Michael Mayo Fort Lauderdale staple Carlos & Pepe’s appears to be closing after a South Florida auction company announced it would auction the entire contents of the restaurant.
