26 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 | and boasts a glass-cube wine “cellar” that holds hundreds of vintages. All servers are well-versed in the treasures within. Sanguich 2057 SW EIGHTH ST., MIAMI 305-539-0969 SANGUICH.COM Imagine, for a moment, the Cuban sandwich of yesteryear. You could smell pork roasting from blocks away. Then came the sweet per- fume of cured ham, followed by a waft of fresh bread and a quick jolt of tangy mustard seeds pickling in vinegar. Sure, it’s the 21st Century, the era of industrial food and ghost kitchens, but Rosa and Daniel Figueredo’s Sanguich de Miami is a throwback to cooking the way it once was and should be again. Or- ganic meats and cheeses are tucked into a cloudlike bun that’s pressed and crisped, cre- ating masterpieces like pan con bistec and croqueta preparada that have tantalized Flo- ridians for decades. These careful, old-school techniques earned Sanguich a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2022. Sereia 3540 MAIN HIGHWAY, MIAMI 305-967-8152 SEREIA.MIAMI You may not think of naming a new kid on the block one of the “best,” but Sereia is a rare gem. Lauded Portuguese chef Hen- rique Sá Pessoa of two Mi- chelin-starred Alma in Lisbon opened Sereia in May with es- teemed chef de cuisine Miguel Massens at the helm. In its beautiful and bright dining room, guests are greeted by a serene ambiance with subtle, subliminal nods to the ocean. Sereia does translate as siren, after all, and the dining room does a great job of showcasing that. As beautiful as it may be, however, it’s the food you’ll be writing home about. Sá Pessoa’s bac- alhau à brás, a salted cod concoction with shoestring potatoes and egg, is a thing of beauty. And the arroz de pato, a duck rice with smoked bacon chorizo, will have you checking fares to Lisbon. Sérêvène 1920 COLLINS AVE., MIAMI BEACH 305-847-4000 SEREVENEMIAMI.COM France and Japan unite at Sérêvène, the Hotel Greystone’s signature restaurant. Executive chef Pawan Pinisetti has cultivated a unique setting to enjoy dishes that are sustainably sourced, thoughtfully crafted, and lovingly finished tableside for a dramatic flourish. Pin- isetti himself is often on hand to describe the dish’s inspiration, translating his whimsical ideas and personal experiences into an edible story. While dishes rotate seasonally, a few re- main constant. Take the deconstructed beef tartare prepared tableside, cubes of Creek- stone Farms filet mignon mixed in your pres- ence with diced red onion, whole capers, chives, and grated egg yolk. The dish is served with baked Lay’s — a wink meant to convey that this often-upmarket dish shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Lobster uni alfredo ar- rives like a tiny cylindrical statue: butter- poached lobster with a generous heap of domestic caviar atop a base of al dente buca- tini set in a pool of uni-whipped Parmesan foam. As it reduces to a seductively rich sauce, you realize it’s all an elaborate illusion of dec- adence that satisfies nonetheless — a sleight of hand for which you’ll gladly return. Shaddai Fine Lebanese Cuisine 9519 S. DIXIE HIGHWAY, MIAMI 786-401-7714 SHADDAIMIAMI.COM Tucked away in the corner of a Pinecrest strip mall is the urban culinary oasis, Shaddai Fine Lebanese Cuisine. You’ll find three floor lamps of varying heights and colors, three wooden camel statues, and a wall adorned with three swords. Nearby are three booths. Are these trios symbolic of the Holy Trinity? Perhaps. The Bethlehem-born owner, Anton Sammour, known as Chef Tony, has been cooking Lebanese food since he was 8 years old. His wife, Elizabeth, who works the front of the house, is from Guatemala. If you make it through the plethora of appetizers, you will be greeted by kebabs, lemon chicken, rack of lamb, and spicy fish. You might also be greeted by a server saying, “Con per- miso,” as she reaches to fill your water, reminding you that you’re still in Miami and not at the crossroads of the Mediter- ranean Sea and the Middle East. Service may be slow, but for now, there’s only one person in the kitchen, and he says, “I would rather have people wait a bit longer than have a bad meal.” Shingo 112 ALHAMBRA CIRCLE, CORAL GABLES SHINGOMIAMI.COM Although there are plenty of new omakase restaurants in Miami, one truly stands out from the rest: Shingo in Coral Gables. Helmed by fourth-generation master and award-winning sushi chef Shingo Akikuni, the 14-seat counter in Coral Gables is like a teleportation device to Osaka, Japan. Here the premium fish sourced entirely from Ja- pan is sliced with uniform precision and dressed with barely a swipe of seasoning like nikiri. Here Chef Akikuni and his sec- ond-in-command handle the group of 14 without missing a beat as they seem to glide while serving each dish. Plus, the servers ever so gracefully pour sake from Japan and even offer to hold your belongings so you can give yourself over entirely to the experi- ence. No surprise Shingo merited a 2024 Michelin star. Silverlake Bistro 1211 71ST ST., MIAMI BEACH 786-803-8113 INSTAGRAM.COM/ SILVERLAKEBISTROMIAMI Miamians should be doubly grateful to Sandy Sanchez and her husband, chef Benoit Rablat, the duo behind Hialeah’s La Fresa Francesa; we have them to thank for Silverlake Bistro, as well. Drawing inspiration from their time together in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake area, the couple serves straightforward American fare with subtle French and Latin twists at this unassuming gem in the Normandy Isles neighborhood of Miami Beach. The interior is done up in retro California shabby chic, from trippy wallpaper to kitschy flea market finds. The menu filled top to bottom with winners, including a rich gnocchi mac & cheese seared in duck fat, fried empanadas stuffed with chunks of flank steak, and a dish of smoky roasted heirloom carrots on a bed of creamy ricotta and honey. And then there’s the burger: two juicy, grass-fed USDA prime beef patties topped with melted sharp cheddar on a housemade brioche bun slathered in porcini mushroom butter. The friendly and attentive staff address their many regulars by name and extend invitations (regardless of satiety) to sample dessert offerings, including a dark chocolate pot de crème and a salted-butter and sugar crêpe. Pro tip: Visit on a Thursday and avail yourself of 50 percent off the wine list. Stiltsville Fish Bar 1787 PURDY AVE., MIAMI BEACH 786-353-0477 STILTSVILLEFISHBAR.COM Culinary couple — and erstwhile Top Chef contestants Jeff McInnis (season 5) and Ja- nine Booth (season 11) — operate this Sunset Harbour fish house, which draws inspiration from the former’s early years in the Florida Panhandle, where he subsisted on simply prepared seafood paired with tropical cock- tails. The indoor-outdoor venue includes a maritime-themed dining room and bar and a menu that ranges from signature items that range from spicy Buffalo fish wings and a housemade, oak-smoked fish dip prepared with the freshest local catch to Southern fa- vorites like shrimp ‘n’ grits and sweet-corn spoon bread. For a unique experience, guests can choose their meal directly from an ice- filled tub that showcases the day’s selection of fresh fish. Pro tip: The weeknight happy hour is popular among locals in search of deals on cocktails, rum sippers, and bar bites. Stubborn Seed 101 WASHINGTON AVE., MIAMI BEACH 786-322-5211 STUBBORNSEED.COM Jeremy Ford — the Florida-born, smooth- scalped winner of the 13th season of Bravo’s reality cooking show Top Chef in 2016 — pres- ents gorgeous dishes the likes of which Mi- ami has rarely seen. Though Ford offers an à la carte menu that’s ever-changing, the best way to experience Stubborn Seed is through its eight-course chef’s tasting menu, available weeknights before 9 p.m. for $150 per person. The restaurant’s commitment to delivering the “perfect bite” with every dish earned it a Michelin star in 2022. The Surf Club Restaurant 9011 COLLINS AVE., SURFSIDE 305-768-9440 SURFCLUBRESTAURANT.COM The prices at the Surf Club Restaurant are among the highest you’ll find in Miami, but then, so is the quality. Located in a completely rebuilt Mediterranean Revival-style resort in Surfside, the restaurant stands just a few blocks from high-end Bal Harbour. Designed by Russell Pancoast, the original inn and eat- ery opened on New Year’s Eve 1930 and quickly earned the nickname “Millionaires’ Surf Club” for its level of exclusivity and abil- ity to attract the rich and famous. Today the restaurant is run by one of the biggest names in American food: Thomas Keller, who re- mains the first and only U.S.-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from Michelin. Keller doesn’t take shortcuts. His beef Wel- lington is made from 48-hour-braised short rib in a beef mousse, layered with a spinach and black-truffle mushroom pâté and wrapped in a paper-thin crèpe, then bundled in thick brioche and placed in the oven for about half an hour, warming the center and producing an outer crisp. Then (and only then) it is presented on a wooden cart and sliced tableside. The folks at Michelin took note in the 2022 debut of its Florida guide, awarding the Surf Club Restaurant a star. Sereia Photo by Ruben Cabrera TOP 100 RESTAURANTS
