22 September 21-27, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | bucatini all’amatriciana with aged 600-day prosciutto and sun-dried tomatoes or pap- pardelle smothered in a nutmeg-spiced short rib ragù. But the antipasti of patate fritte — Rapicavoli’s bite-size balls of fried potato, served beneath a deluge of creamy parmi- giano fonduta flavored with black truffle and topped with a single egg yolk — is a can’t-miss dish. 116 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables; 305- 381-5097; lucamiami.com Lucali At first sight, Lucali, the Miami outpost of Mark Iacono’s famed Brooklyn flagship, looks like a regular pizza joint. Furnishings are unassuming — mismatched tables and chairs, an open kitchen, a working bench manned by T-shirted pizzaiolos — but by candlelight, everything glows. Men in white shine with sweat as they use empty wine bot- tles to roll dough. Pizza-makers take their time prepping pies for the wood-burning oven. Crusts eventually emerge thin and blis- tered, their surfaces puffed by blackened bubbles of golden dough and smeared with melted buffalo mozzarella and shredded Par- migiano-Reggiano that cocoons smooth to- mato sauce. Such attention to detail — and the resulting pies — earned Lucali a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation in 2022. 1930 Bay Rd., Miami Beach; 305-695-4441; www.lu- cali.com/location/lucali-miami Lung Yai Thai Tapas If you’re not used to the searing heat of Thai spice, ask for Lung Yai Thai Tapas’ lab e-sarn — a chilled ground-pork salad spiked with hefty doses of cumin, chilies, and star anise. It’s one of a number of recipes chef/owner Bas Trisransi revived after learning at his grandfather’s side decades ago. Bas knows that the development of deep, complex fla- vors can’t be rushed. This is quality Thai food that’s both affordable and casual, and the tapas style will rightly tempt diners to sample everything on the menu. A meal at Lung Yai is a crash course for the palate — and the Mi- chelin Guide took note, awarding the restau- rant a Bib Gourmand designation in 2022. 1731 SW Eighth St., Miami; 786-334-6262; lungyai.com Macchialina Chef Michael Pirolo spent years traveling and cooking at Michelin-starred temples in Pied- mont, Lombardy, Bologna, and Campagne. When he returned to the United States, he linked up with Scott Conant and eventually led the opening of Scarpetta at the Fontaineb- leau Miami Beach before debuting his own Italian restaurant, Macchialina. Pirolo’s skills are many and precise, his menu focused and deceptively simple: a handful apiece of start- ers, pastas, and entrées. The flavors, though, are forward, thanks to expert deployment of fresh and fine ingredients, whether in the form of a salumi plate, a salad of heirloom to- matoes and locally made burrata cheese, a ta- gliatelle ai funghi, or a whole braised fish. The wine list is similarly concise (and Ital- ian). 820 Alton Rd., Miami Beach; 305-534- 2124; www.macchialina.com Mandolin Aegean Bistro Teeny-tiny Mandolin Aegean Bistro is located in a former 1940s bungalow in the Design District, adorned in blue and white. The quaint charm that fills the air is as tangible as the extra-virgin Greek olive oil that fills the vials placed on each table. Mandolin’s straightforward cooking is embodied in a sweet, tender curlicue of grilled octopus misted with the aforementioned Mediterra- nean lubricant. Even chicken kebab — usually relegated to fodder for timid eaters — is unex- pectedly rousing: huge, juicy hunks of grilled white meat kicked up with a quick dip in the dish of tzatziki. Don’t miss the Greek salad: large wedges of ripe tomato, cucumber, and green peppers mingled with smaller shots of red onion, capers, and Kalamata olives. Fun fact: This also happens to be international DJ Diplo’s favorite Miami restaurant. 4312 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-749-9140; www. mandolinrestaurant.com Mia Kitchen & Bar Delray Beach’s Mia Kitchen & Bar, from Joey Lograsso and partner/executive chef Jason Binder is a buzzing, chef-driven estab- lishment matched with a vibey, speakeasy- inspired bar. The open kitchen offers a glimpse of the culinary playground Binder shares with chef de cuisine James O’Neill. Dishes are inspired by Binder’s global travels and crafted by hands that excel at translat- ing memories into edible works of art. “Branzino Evon,” the chef’s take on his mother-in-law’s traditional Cantonese-style fish dish, is a top seller: A raw fillet is smoth- ered in fresh ginger, cilantro, and scallion — and breaded if you like — then doused in 600-degree oil, effectively “steaming” the fish to perfection and locking in the aromat- ics. Another of Binder’s essential creations, “PB&J foie gras,” pairs housemade peanut butter, port wine jelly, and brioche with a seared sliver of goose liver — an upmarket version of the chef’s favorite childhood meal. 7901 W. Atlantic Ave. #101; Delray Beach; 561-499-2200; www.mia.kitchen Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink The Design District’s dining OG — Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink — continues to im- press. Restaurateur Michael Schwartz’s strat- egy can be summed up in six simple words: Serve fresh food, prepared with care. That philosophy earned him a James Beard Award back in 2010. Though he has since assembled a small restaurant empire, Michael’s Genuine remains the purest expression of the chef’s culinary ethos. The menu changes seasonally, but expect classics such as wood oven- roasted octopus, slow-roasted short rib, and plenty of vegetables supplied by local farms. Schwartz’s consistent, “genuine” approach won the restaurant a 2022 Michelin Bib Gourmand tag. 130 NE 40th St., Miami; 305- 573-5550; michaelsgenuine.com Mignonette With its tan leather banquettes, marble raw bar, and hanging constellations fashioned from copper pipes, this seafood restaurant, located across NE Second Avenue from Mi- ami’s oldest cemetery, is like Old Florida meets New Orleans. A meal at Mignonette should start with a round of oysters (or Alas- kan king crab legs, or shrimp cocktail). Move on to a crab cake. The “fancy” redfish comes seared, with a reduction of sautéed shallots, garlic, and piquillo peppers deglazed with brandy, stock, white wine, plus a touch of but- ter, and haricots verts on the side. The beer is ice-cold, the wine list refreshingly oyster- friendly. Pro tip: Chef Danny Serfer also brings us Blue Collar, a restaurant that em- bodies its no-nonsense name, in the MiMo District. 210 NE 18th St., Miami; 305-374- 4635; mignonettemiami.com Mister O1 Known as Visa-O1 when it opened in Miami Beach in 2014, this pizza joint had to tweak its name owing to trademark issues. The “O1” is a reference to the O-1 visa the U.S. reserves for “individuals with extraordinary ability.” So, yes, this pint-size pizzeria thinks highly of its pies — and with good reason: Only the freshest ingredients and premium-quality cheeses (vegan cheese is available for an addi- tional charge) are allowed to top these thin- crust pizzas. The signature pie, the “Star Luca,” is star-shaped, its points formed from perfect little dough pockets filled with creamy ricotta cheese, its center layered with the house Italian tomato sauce along with mozzarella and spicy salami. That stellar cre- ation set Mister O1 apart from other local piz- zerias and led to the concept’s expansion to several other locations, including Brickell, Wynwood, and Boca Raton, not to mention Madrid, Saudi Arabia, and Naples (Florida, that is). 1680 Michigan Ave. #101; Miami Beach; 305-397-8189; www.mistero1.com Naoe Dinner at chef Kevin Cory’s Naoe at the Cour- voisier Centre on Brickell Key is an experi- ence you wouldn’t expect to find outside of Tokyo. The restaurant offers two seatings with a maximum of five people per, and a chef’s-choice menu that might include silver- skinned horse mackerel (aji) glazed with shoyu and plated with pickled wasabi leaves and flowers and freshly grated wasabi root mixed with horseradish on the side. Salmon wrapped in salted white seaweed; roasted freshwater eel; deep-fried shrimp tamago; rice with shiitake mushrooms and hints of eel — all are meticulously prepared and utterly delicious. If you’re still hungry for more, Cory will prepare nigiri sushi. He started his culi- nary training at age 19 and is a perennial win- ner of the Forbes Travel Guide’s Five-Star Award. Naoe is a reservations-only restaurant and doesn’t allow children under 12. Nor should you expect substitutions — those with allergies to shellfish, nuts, gluten, etc., should seek sustenance elsewhere. 661 Brickell Key Dr., Miami; 305-947-6263; naoemiami.com News Cafe An Ocean Drive mainstay for 35 years, News Cafe remains a prime spot to enjoy your cof- fee with an ocean breeze. The café recently underwent a remodel, and snagging an out- door table on the porch surrounded by bou- gainvillea is a must for laid-back day-to-night people-watching. The menu spans breakfast favorites like café con leche French toast and the grilled salmon-stuffed omelet with creamy avocado and Boursin cheese. There’s a range of salads, bowls, and signature mains, including a crowd-pleasing molten chicken parmigiana topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella. When you’ve had your fill, don’t forget to grab a cocktail to-go at the bar next door to fuel your stroll along South Beach’s signa- ture strip. 800 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach; 786- 644-6061; newscafesouthbeach.com Niu Kitchen In 2017, Katrina Iglesias, Adam Hughes, and chef and Barcelona native Deme Lomas opened Arson two doors down from their first venture, Niu Kitchen. The two restau- rants have since been combined in order to accommodate more outdoor seating. The centerpiece of Arson is the Josper, a charcoal- burning grill/oven hybrid that influences Lo- mas’ gastronomy. Whiffs of Asia and South America rise off the menu, including main- Photo by Michelle Muslera A salmon omelet at News Cafe
