10 September 19-25, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | September 19-25, 2024 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | not all about noodles here, however. Boia De offers plenty of non-pasta delights, including meat and fish dishes and crisp potato skins filled with milky stracciatella cheese, caviar, and a hard-cooked egg. The editors of Flori- da’s first Michelin Guide took note, awarding the strip-mall standout a star. Bombay Darbar 2901 FLORIDA AVE., MIAMI 305-444-7272 BOMBAYDARBAR.COM What began as a mom-and-pop 30-seater has grown into an Indian-food mainstay with lo- cations in Coconut Grove, Doral, and Fort Lauderdale. Diners crunch on crisp papadum wafers while watching Bollywood movies on a large screen and perusing the menu. That list is lengthy, but at its heart are the tikkas, tandooris, and vindaloos that fans of Indian food crave. Bright vegetable samosas are a good start, as are some of the tandoor-baked breads — try the soft, fluffy, onion-flecked kulcha naan. Most dishes can be ordered mild, medium, or hot. On that last count, Bombay Darbar thoughtfully offers cold Kingfisher beer to cool you down from even the spiciest of culinary adventures. Byblos 1545 COLLINS AVE., MIAMI BEACH 786-864-2990 BYBLOSMIAMI.COM Byblos, the Eastern Mediterranean restau- rant at the Royal Palm South Beach, focuses on interpreting dishes from Levantine cul- ture, found mostly in Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Syria, and parts of southern Turkey. The original Byblos is in Toronto, and as is often the case with Miami outposts, this one offers a more extensive seafood selection than its Ca- nadian sibling. It’s equipped with a wood-burning oven, used to bake pide (Turkish flat- bread) and to finish off whole fish, lamb, and chicken dishes that are rustic yet refined. Cafe La Trova 971 SW EIGHTH ST., MIAMI 786-615-4379 CAFELATROVA.COM Between Cuban cantinero Julio Cabrera’s daiquiris and chef Michelle Bernstein’s fare, there’s something uniquely Miami about Cafe La Trova. Bernstein’s comfort food is all-around tempting; she works to meet the foodie fantasies of her guests, whether they’re in search of elaborate dishes or a traditional tres leches dessert. Cabrera’s cantineros take pride in the art of drink making. Here, they “throw” daiquiris, tossing the precious liquid from shaker to shaker to create an arch in the air before spontaneously bursting into a choreographed dance number. But as with all things Magic City, this joint isn’t fueled solely by good food and drink: At any given time of the day, expect guayabera-clad musicians or jazz trumpet players to fill the air with their vibrant tunes from a stage whose backdrop is the weathered façade of an Old Havana edifice. The debut Florida Michelin Guide recognized Cafe La Trova for its superior food and drink. Café Panisse 7310 SW 57TH AVE., SOUTH MIAMI 305-665-3322 INSTAGRAM.COM/CAFEPASTISSOMI An impossibly tiny kitchen at this modest, unassuming eatery consistently turns out simple, hearty, satisfying French bistro fare at affordable prices. The bistro has been a staple in South Miami for more than two decades, serving delicious French cuisine inside a small yet intimate restaurant in an unassum- ing, blue awning-lined strip mall on Red Road. Until recently, the IYKYK crowd knew it as Café Pastis, but that all changed halfway through 2024 when the management got suf- ficiently fed up with being confused with Starr Restaurants’ famed establishment of the same name, which carpetbagged from NYC to Wynwood in 2023. Name change not- withstanding, Café Panisse immediately transports its guests across the Atlantic with its bistro tables, French ambiance, and lovely decor. Try the first-rate steak frites or a su- perlative bouillabaisse, followed by a cook- book-perfect crème brûlée, and be thankful you’re in Panisse’s neighborhood. Caffe Abbracci 318 ARAGON AVE., CORAL GABLES 305-441-0700 CAFFEABBRACCI.COM Ask anyone about Caffe Abbracci and the word “family” will likely come up. And no wonder: The doted-upon Italian restaurant has maintained its consistently excellent rep- utation for more than three de- cades, thanks to its late founder, revered restaurateur Nino Per- netti, who died from COVID complications in 2022 at age 76. The restaurant gracefully car- ries on in his memory, sticking to a fantastic formula of warm, inviting service and a steadfast menu of classic and contempo- rary Italian dishes. Abbracci is always filled with locals (in- cluding families) who know to order well-ex- ecuted options like vitello tonnato, red snapper al cartoccio, and Pernetti’s homages to his daughters: tortellini Tatiana and agno- lotti Katerina. Captain Jim’s Seafood Market & Restaurant 12950 W. DIXIE HIGHWAY, NORTH MIAMI 305-892-2812 CAPTAINJIMSMIAMI.COM David Garcia (La Camaronera Seafood Joint) now owns this iconic North Miami seafood spot, which dates back to the 1990s. This heir to Miami seafood royalty kept the menu mostly unchanged, allowing Captain Jim’s to do what it does best: serve the freshest fish possible. Favorites include stone crab claws (in season) and a beautiful take on conch salad with meaty hunks of the mollusk tossed in a spicy tomato marinade and cubed red and green peppers. Fresh yellowtail snapper and hogfish can be ordered grilled, black- ened, or fried. Regulars go for the “Captain’s Combo” — the catch of the day served with one side. Captain’s Tavern 9625 S. DIXIE HIGHWAY, PINECREST 305-666-5979 CAPTAINSTAVERNMIAMI.COM In 1971, Bill “The Captain” Bowers opened the doors of his seafood restaurant in the boon- docks of southwest Miami-Dade, now known as Pinecrest, and has remained an institution for locals and tourists alike ever since. When Bowers died in 2020 at the age of 91, his wife, Audrey Palomino Bowers, and their son, Dale Palomino, who has worked at the Captain’s Tavern since he was 16 years old and now serves as head chef, took over. So it has re- mained a family affair, and the patriarch’s presence remains very much in evidence. The menu, the apotheosis of a seafood lover’s de- light, continues to offer the tried-and-true sta- ples that made the Captain’s Tavern famous: cracked conch, oysters Rockefeller, and, of course, a Tuesday two-for-one Maine lobster special. The restaurant also offers a full raw bar and sushi menu. Pretty much everything at the Captain’s Tavern is housemade, from the sauces to the desserts. Casa Isola Osteria 1418 20TH ST., MIAMI BEACH 786-558-5787 CASAISOLAMIAMI.COM When Pubbelly Noodle Bar closed in Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour neighborhood back in 2019, it left an empty space in the hearts of fans of José Mendín. Fortunately, the chef kept the lease, opening a quaint Italian bistro with longtime business partner Sergio Navarro and former Lucali chef Santo Agnello. The result, Casa Isola Osteria, is a charming spot that serves up red-sauce classics like linguini with white clams and pappardelle alla bolognese with braised Wagyu. The star of the show, however, is a stellar rigatoni alla vodka. The restaurant’s décor attempts to replicate the ambiance of a tiny Italian village, so if you’ve been jonesing for some international travel, it’s a chance to get away to Italy — if only for a meal. Chayhana Oasis 250 SUNNY ISLES BLVD., SUNNY ISLES BEACH 305-917-1133 CHAYHANAOASIS.COM A mural depicting a desert beneath a floating pair of eyes is the only sign that beckons pass- ersby into this Uzbek-style hideaway, accessi- ble only from one side of NE 163rd Street. Chayhana Oasis offers fare not only from Uz- bekistan but also the entire central Eurasian region. Translation: You can eat your way around several nations. To keep the proceed- ings simple and entertaining, the menu con- tains quirky descriptions of lesser-known dishes. Begin with the doma, tender stuffed Turkish-style grape leaves; continue with shish kebabs of lamb, chicken, beef, or shrimp. For dessert, try gnezdo, a crunchy meringue topped with diced walnuts. In stan- dard European fashion, wash it all down with a shot of top-shelf vodka. Go ahead — there’s no shortage of fresh, chewy Uzbek-style bread to soak it up. Chefs on the Run 10 E. MOWRY DR., HOMESTEAD 305-245-0085 CHEFSONTHERUNINHOMESTEAD.COM Puerto Rican-born chef/owner Jodrick Ujaque took stints at well-known Caribbean- inspired Miami establishments before open- ing his Homestead restaurant in 2011. With influence, however, comes innovation, evi- denced by a menu that displays a tasty blend of American, Taíno, Caribbean, and even TOP 100 RESTAURANTS Caffe Abbracci Caffe Abbracci photo
