12 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 | Asian influences. The eight-table dining room is simple, dark, and rustic, if a tad cramped. Start with pa’ picar — snacks like bolita de queso (deep-fried golden torpedos of stretchy cassava dough filled with Gouda and white cheddar) and alcapurria (delicate picadillo nestled in a plantain masa and fried to crisp perfection). Puerto Rican purists might pass on more unorthodox offerings like macar- rones con res, a truffle and chipotle mac & cheese made with cotija cheese and birria- style braised beef. But they’ll surely rejoice when presented with the mofongo, a Boricua staple of pounded green plantain mash mixed with nibs of pork-belly chicharrón and shaped into a sphere, whose starchy texture softens when dunked into the accompanying caldo de pollo. It can be served alongside chicken, shrimp, or steak and arroz con gandules, the Caribbean island’s version of rice and beans. Chug’s Diner 3444 MAIN HIGHWAY, MIAMI 786-353-2940 CHUGSDINER.COM Michael Beltran distinctly remembers the day he got his nickname. It was his first day as a high school freshman; Beltran walked in late to class, a chocolate milk chug in hand. Today, Chug is the name of the restaurateur’s Cuban-American diner, a successful pop-up he’s since expanded into a permanent, full- service eatery and modern-day ventanita. Where once stood a tiny grab ‘n’ go, Chug’s now shows off an airy, open design inviting morning, afternoon, or late-night dining, complete with diner-style booths and a bar with lounge-style seating. True to the diner ethos, a crave-worthy menu of Cuban-Ameri- can eats covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While you can order lechón hash to start your day or grab a frita patty melt for lunch, don’t miss out on the curated selection of Pastelito Papi’s famous fruit- and meat-stuffed pasteli- tos, or the house Cubano sandwich served on fresh-baked Cuban bread from the diner’s bakery. In 2022, Chug’s was awarded a Mi- chelin Bib Gourmand for its approachable, excellent fare. Clive’s Cafe 5890 NW SECOND AVE. STE. A, MIAMI 305-757-6512 CLIVESCAFE.COM Clive’s Cafe makes its mark with Jamaican favorites such as curry goat, oxtail, and jerk chicken. The original Wynwood location, which had been around for nearly four decades, closed, but the Little Haiti digs make for a colorful haven in which to eat some of the best Jamaican fare in Miami. The chicken is cooked to diner perfection and the curry is a smooth and subtle blend. The jerk chicken with rice and beans is a favorite menu item. The mood is laid-back — right down to the small radio pumping out reggae sounds. You just may catch Clive’s fan Lenny Kravitz taking in the scene. The place is great for takeout but just as nice for a pit stop at any time of day. Cote Miami 3900 NE SECOND AVE., MIAMI 305-434-4668 COTEKOREANSTEAKHOUSE.COM Simon Kim has brought Cote, his New York cross between a Korean barbecue restau- rant and a traditional steakhouse, to the De- sign District. The restaurant offers a selection of Waygu beef, including Ameri- can Waygu and A5 Japanese Wagyu — the latter sourced from the Miyazaki prefec- ture, where true Wagyu are raised. The steaks are dry-aged for a minimum of 45 days in house and then seasoned with a mixture of British Maldon, Himalayan pink, and Korean thousand-day salts before being presented raw and cooked to order table- side. And if you have a taste for primo caviar, Cote has you covered. It came as no surprise in 2022 when Cote Miami earned a Mi- chelin star. Cvi.che 105 105 NE THIRD AVE., MIAMI 305-577-3454 CEVICHE105.COM A fusion of Japanese and Peruvian flavors meets an immersive atmosphere inspired by Chug’s Diner Ariete Hospitality photo
