14 September 7-13, 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 | passion for,” sums up Soberanis. “Just going there and experiencing them is amazing. Want something extra special? They can make you whatever you like.” Hidden Speakeasy at Eatapas. 4140 N. Fed- eral Hwy., Oakland Park; 754-779-7554; eata- pasfl.com. Sunday through Thursday 6 p.m. to midnight, and Friday through Saturday 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. LIZ TRACY ▼ MIAMI MOTEK TO OPEN LARGEST LOCATION YET AT BRICKELL CITY CENTRE What initially began in 2020 as a small pas- sion project turned restaurant wedged be- tween two jewelry stores in downtown Miami has recently emerged as one of Mi- ami’s most successful Israeli-Mediterranean hot spots. Motek, owned by husband-wife team Charlie and Tessa Levy with locations in Aventura and Coral Gables, has announced it will soon open at Brickell City Centre. The restaurant will occupy the fourth-floor spot previously occupied by Est. 33 Thai Craft Brewery & Kitchen. “This growth is all about momentum,” Charlie Levy tells New Times. “We’ve had fans in Coral Gables, Aventura, and throughout Miami, so we thought if it could work there, it could work anywhere. At this point, it’s much easier to take a successful restaurant and expand than building a concept from scratch, which is what we’re doing here.” Motek’s Brickell City Centre spot will be the restaurant’s fourth location and largest to date. A unique component compared to other sites, however, is the in-house bakery where pita, Jerusalem bagels, bourekas (savory meat- or cheese-filled hand pies), and more will be crafted fresh daily. Menu staples will include the brand’s famed South Beach Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash People’s Choice-winning “Arayes” burger, with Lebanese beef stuffed into a pita and served with tahini and harissa aioli. Other highlights include an all-day brunch with savory dishes like shakshuka and less familiar offerings like the malawach Yemenite pancake topped with tahini and a spicy tomato mix. Staples like hummus, mezze, salads, kababs, and wraps are on the menu, too. For dessert, a silan date syrup- sweetened halva ice cream is a standout flavor journey, layered with fluffy tufts of shaved halva and candied pecans. Vibe-wise, the Brickell City Centre loca- tion seats as many as 250 guests between its yellow accent-painted, contemporary Medi- terranean dining room and outdoor patio. Other components include wood-fired ovens and a 24-seat bar for sipping on concoctions like the “Carajillo,” an espresso shot with Li- cor 43 that screams with vanilla notes and a citrus kick. Beyond Brickell City Centre, it’s been a busy year for Motek. In March, its Coral Ga- bles location opened on Miracle Mile, and its Aventura outpost moved to a space in Aven- tura Mall’s outdoor courtyard, nearly tripling the size of the space. According to Levy, yet another is on the horizon, with a Miami Beach restaurant slated to open in early 2024, as well as plans to expand to Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lau- derdale and West Palm Beach in the future. Motek at Brickell City Centre. 701 S. Miami Ave., Miami; motekcafe.com. Opening winter 2023. JESSE SCOTT ▼ CORAL GABLES CRAFT SPIRITS ‘N COCKTAILS FEST RETURNS IN OCTOBER One of Miami’s most popular and longtime events geared toward all things craft spirits celebrates a milestone this year. The tenth edition of Craft Spirits ‘n Cock- tails — which brings together more than 100 liquor brands spanning Miami-made, domes- tic, and international — will return to South Florida on Friday, October 6. “It’s been such a great run for us to go from where we’ve started to where we are now,” Frank Moreno, founder of the festival, tells New Times. “The Miami cocktail scene has changed quite a bit since 2013 when we started. Just look at the craft spirits, hand- crafted cocktails, and whole litany of spirits that have enjoyed a resurgence since. When it comes to cocktails, Miami now punches a lot more than its weight.” At the core of the experience is an oppor- tunity for attendees to learn about new spirits and concoctions directly from the brands. While the 2023 lineup is still being finalized, 2022 participants included names like Brugal rum, El Cristiano tequila, Fords gin, Russell’s Reserve whiskey, and Una vodka. Among the focal points for Craft Spirits’ n Cocktails on this anniversary: the influx of new and local brands. According to Moreno, several all-new Mi- ami-based brands will make their festival de- but, including Allapat- tah-bred J.F. Haden’s, which has become much buzzed-about (literally) for its espresso liqueur. Moreno also promises to showcase low- and no-alcohol cocktails at this year’s event while focusing on trends, including cocktails made using nonstandard bases like vermouth, wine, and sake. Also new this year is the festival’s location. After a nine-year stint at the New Orleans-in- spired, multilevel Cruz Building in Coconut Grove, Craft Spirits’ n Cocktails is expanding to Coral Gables Country Club for its decade mile marker. “We had a fantastic venue with the Cruz building, but we outgrew the space in some ways and wanted to move to a place that also lends itself to the cocktail culture,” Moreno sums up. “We’re excited to have a new home — and one that’s all one level — that can welcome more people a chance to experience what Craft Spirits’ n Cocktails is all about.” Tickets for the event are on sale at $100 each, granting attendees access to unlimited tastings and light bites from the likes of the Thorn cocktail bar and Chela’s from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. VIP tickets are also available, priced at $125 per person, and include entry an hour earlier and a rolled cigar from Drew Estate. Craft Spirits ‘n Cocktails 2023. 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, October 6, at Coral Gables Coun- try Club, 997 N. Greenway Dr., Coral Gables; craftspiritsfest.com. Tickets are $80 to $126 via eventbrite.com. JESSE SCOTT Motek photo Motek’s award-winning “Arayes” burger Craft Spirits ‘n Cocktails photo Contraluz, Maluma’s mezcal brand, was featured at 2022 Craft Spirits ‘n Cocktails event. “WHEN IT COMES TO COCKTAILS, MIAMI NOW PUNCHES A LOT MORE THAN ITS WEIGHT.”
