28 September 19-25, 2024 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 | Sushi Erika 1700 JOHN F. KENNEDY CSWY., NORTH BAY VILLAGE 786-216-7216 In 2018, Erika, the daughter and right hand of beloved sushi master Michio Kushi, opened her own tiny sushi spot just down the road from her dad’s old haunt, Sushi Deli, in North Bay Village — and she brought many of her late father’s classics with her. Don’t be misled by the diminutive space — Sushi Erika offers an impressive array of maki, soups, and salads. The impeccably crafted rolls range from a California roll or bagel roll to battera, a pressed mackerel su- shi roll. Signature rolls include the North Bay roll — made with deep-fried scallop and crab salad topped with two types of fish roe, masago, spicy mayo, and kimchi sauce. Be sure to check the board for daily specials. Tâm Tâm 99 NW FIRST ST., MIAMI 786-359-4647 TAM-TAM-MIA.COM If you’re longing for a taste of Vietnam mi- nus the flight, look no further than Tâm Tâm. Honored as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in 2024, the small restaurant at the corner of NW First Street and First Ave- nue across from the county courthouse downtown has an outdoor façade that may be unassuming, but the inside is anything but. Tâm Tâm was conceived by owners and partners Tam Pham and Harrison Ram- hofer, born from their mutual disappoint- ment with Miami’s Vietnamese options. Awesome ambiance aside, what Tâm Tâm really delivers is food. Pham, the recipient of Michelin’s 2024 Young Chef Award, draws inspiration from traditional Vietnam- ese dishes, including his mom’s cooking, while sticking to what has become the res- taurant’s signature mantra: eating and drinking. Taquiza 7450 OCEAN TERRACE, MIAMI BEACH 786-588-4755 TAQUIZATACOS.COM No one told Taquiza’s Steve Santana to un- dertake the painstaking process of turning corn to masa to produce his own tortillas. No one demanded those tortillas be filled with the slightly spicy, charred poblano strips called rajas or the tangy corn fungus known as huitlacoche. Yet after stints with Jeremiah Bullfrog and at Giorgio Rapicavoli’s Eating House, the computer programmer turned chef decided it had to be done. And thus, in 2014, Santana’s little walk-up counter on Col- lins Avenue set a new standard for tacos in a city where tacos are a booming business. The South Beach stand is no more, but Taquiza on North Beach offers the same margaritas, made with care in virtually any flavor combi- nation you can imagine. Craving yours with fresh coconut water, tamarind, and pineap- ple? Done! Want a strawberry-cilantro mar- garita? Your barkeep will muddle the fresh ingredients. The River Oyster Bar 33 SE SEVENTH ST. SUITE 100, MIAMI 305-530-1915 THERIVERMIAMI.COM Located in the heart of Brickell for more than 20 years, the River Oyster Bar is one of Miami’s top happy-hour destinations for busy professionals. The cuisine offers a modern twist on classic seafood and a re- prieve from the Miami heat in a sleek yet comfortable dining room. The restaurant is known for its ice-packed selection of hand- shucked, cold-water oysters, hand-selected local produce, and fresh cold-water fish brought in from Alaska. From local Cape Ca- naveral shrimp to stone crabs from the Flor- ida Keys (in season), quality ingredients are what always take precedence at the River Oyster Bar. Tâm Tâm Tâm Tâm photo
