20 September 21-27, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | and Eleven Madison Park in New York, taps into his global travels and local farm finds to create an evolving menu that mirrors the sea- sons. Within the concise list, seafood dishes stand out, highlighted by the grilled prawn with saffron-infused sabayon mousse, as well as a smoked coconut rice entrée that deli- cately layers the grain with wild crab and ci- lantro aioli. Among the vegetable-based dishes, grilled oyster mushrooms are meaty and tender, artfully arranged like a crown atop a foam made from aged Parmesan and topped with a runny poached egg. 3413 Main Highway, Miami; 786-518-3998; www. kruskitchen.com La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market Everyone knows La Camaronera as the iconic Little Havana seafood joint founded by a fam- ily of Cuban fishermen. For more than 40 years, the restaurant’s owners, the Garcia brothers, have been cooking up their famous favorites — including grouper soup, shrimp empanadas, conch fritters, and a fresh fish sandwich — along with dozens of other Cu- ban-inspired dishes. Most people flock to the dive for the house specialty: camarones fritos, a dish that has been featured on Michelle Bernstein’s PBS show Check, Please! and Guy Fieri’s popular Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. 1952 W. Flagler St., Mi- ami; 305-642-3322; lacamaronera.com La Fresa Francesa Beyond its croquetas and fritas, Hialeah isn’t much lauded for culinary excellence. For that reason alone, you might not expect to see La Fresa Francesa here. You could almost hear the collective gasp when La Fresa Francesa opened near a canal that slices diagonally along the city’s southern edge. But Sandy San- chez and Benoit Rabiat, the couple behind the restaurant, say the opportunity to set up shop in Hialeah was too good to pass up. Inside, washed-out farm chairs seem to dance around doily-lined bistro tables to the intoxicating French crooning often reserved for tourists in Montmartre. The menu offers classics like steak frites, croque madame, and roasted quail. On Saturday and Sunday, a brunch menu features creations like soft-baked eggs with truffle butter and cheese and bananas flambé French toast on medianoche bread. Vive la Hialeah! 59 W. Third St., Hialeah; 786- 717-6886; lafresafrancesabistro.com La Leggenda Pizzeria Napoli-born and raised chef/owner Giovanni Gagliardi, dubbed La Leggenda (the Legend) by friends in Italy for his pizzaiolo skills, is making some of the best Neapolitan-style pies in South Florida. Gagliardi performs his magic in a small space tucked away near the eastern terminus of Española Way, where his domed, wood-fueled oven turns out from- scratch pizzas with crusts that are invariably soft, airy, and perfectly blistered. Don’t miss the Margherita STG, made with real-deal mozzarella di bufala campana and fragrant fresh basil. Non-pizza highlights include gn- occhi alla sorrentina, an Instagrammable cre- ation that delivers sublimely creamy gnocchi dished up in an edible blistered-dough bowl. Desserts are as good as the pizzas, but good luck deciding between a pistachio-flecked ge- lato the color of early spring leaves and a co- coa-dusted tower of tiramisu so generous with the mascarpone that it jiggles. 224 Espa- ñola Way, Miami Beach; 305-763-8566; la- leggendapizzeria.com La Sandwicherie Since this French-owned eatery began selling sandwiches, salads, smoothies, and shakes in 1988, a crowd has lingered along the lengthy counter at the flagship location that extends up an alley off 14th Street between Washing- ton and Collins avenues in South Beach. The food is great, but the funky al fresco charm accounts for a large part of the appeal. La Sandwicherie’s counter workers begin with fresh, crusty French bread (or an enormous croissant), then ply it with the patron’s pref- erence of meat, cheese, or a combination thereof, such as ham, turkey, roast beef, sa- lami, and Swiss cheese, as well as more dis- tinctive, Euro-friendly choices such as Camembert, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, saucisson sec, and pork/duck liver pâté. Next come crisp toppings such as lettuce, toma- toes, green peppers, hot pickled red peppers, black olives, red onion, cucumber, and cor- nichons. Garnishes are followed by a finish- ing splash of tart Dijon-based French vinaigrette. Voilà! A damn good sandwich. La Sandwicherie has expanded from its original Miami Beach counter to additional locations in North Beach, Brickell, Wynwood, and Coral Gables. 229 14th St., Miami Beach; 305- 532-8934; lasandwicherie.com L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Much like great fashion houses, the great chefs of the world create restaurants that keep their legacies alive. Although Joël Robuchon died in 2018, his name lives on at this Design District gem that marries the interactive ambiance of Japanese sushi counters with the casual spirit of Spain’s tapas bars and Robuchon’s take on modern French cuisine. Today, the chef’s pro- tégés stay true to his legacy with a menu of iconic Robouchon creations alongside dishes that highlight South Florida’s regional bounty. Grab a seat at the communal bar facing the kitchen and order the “Evolution” tasting menu, or go à la carte with “Le Burger,” a patty that blends foie gras and beef. Either way, you’ll appreciate why L’Atelier is the only res- taurant in Florida to earn two Michelin stars. 151 NE 41st St. Ste. 235; Miami; 305-402- 9070; latelier-miami.com Le Jardinier Located in the Design District, Le Jardinier is the southern outpost of Alain Verzeroli’s first solo restaurant (also called Le Jardinier), which opened in 2019 in a luxury building in midtown Manhattan and quickly earned a Michelin star. For two decades, Verzeroli worked alongside the great Joël Robuchon, helping the French chef assemble menus and a small galaxy of Michelin accolades. On his own after Robuchon’s death in 2018, Verzer- oli runs his restaurant in partnership with the same company that operates L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, which is located a spiral staircase up from Le Jardinier. As its name suggests, Le Jardinier adheres to the increasingly fashion- able “eat your vegetables” ethos. Dishes like farro risotto with a confit tomato and mimo- lette cheese are soulful and satisfying enough that meat becomes an option rather than a necessity. That doesn’t mean the menu is stocked with only rabbit food. A bavette steak resting in its own juices and served with roasted artichokes and royal trumpet mush- rooms will grab any carnivore’s attention. Verzeroli’s pristine Miami outpost earned a Michelin star in the guide’s Florida debut. 151 NE 41st St. Ste. 135; Miami; 305-402- 9060; lejardinier-miami.com Le Tub Waterside tables, gigantic burgers, and no-BS service make Hollywood’s Le Tub Saloon worthy of repeat visits. Tourists tend to stop by for the GQ- and Oprah-hyped burgers, but they stay for the breezy, open-air bar and the large wooden deck festooned with kitschy South Florida décor and plenty of picnic benches with a view of boat traffic on the In- tracoastal. Le Tub is rightly known for its sir- loin burger, a never-fail option made with a 13-ounce ground top sirloin patty that’s sea- soned, charbroiled, and served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Pair it with a beer and thick-cut home fries, followed by the owner’s housemade key lime pie for a thor- oughly satisfying repast. 1100 N. Ocean Blvd., Hollywood; 954-921-9425; le-tub.com Leku Located within the Rubell Museum, Leku is a beautiful space that invites diners to enjoy the restaurant’s Basque fare indoors or in an outdoor garden. The restaurant takes inspira- tion from the Rubell Collection, right down to the plating of the croquetas. The menu reads like the greatest hits of Spain: jamón iberico, a whole branzino finished in the res- taurant’s Josper oven, and local Key West gambas al ajillo — all presented in ways that match the artworks that grace the museum’s walls. 1100 NW 23rd St., Miami; 786-464- 0615; lekumiami.com Lil Greenhouse Grill Karim Bryant and Nicole Gates own this charming little spot in Overtown that offers modern takes on classic soul-food dishes. Bryant, who oversees the kitchen, has a solid foundation built on stints at Capital Grille, Prime 112, and BLT Prime in Doral. With a background in radio, Gates has the task of spreading the word and making sure custom- ers — from the neighbor on the corner to mega-celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King — stay happy. But who wouldn’t be happy when served a plate of barbecue smoked wings or chicken and waffles? Chase it with a selection from Lil Greenhouse Grill’s wine and beer menu — but be sure to save room for banana pudding. 1300 NW Third Ave., Mi- ami; 786-277-3582; lilgreenhousegrill.com Little Moir’s Food Shack Canadian chef Mike Moir vacationed in Jupi- ter three decades ago and stayed to found a pescatarian’s paradise in 2002. Here, “ocean to table” is taken literally; fresh seafood, deliv- ered by the boatload, is the backbone of the Ontario-born restaurateur’s ever-changing Floribbean menu. You might find tempura- fried sea bass cheeks served over a papaya and pineapple salad with a roasted poblano aioli on offer at midday, then return for dinner to discover that it has been replaced with hog- fish and lobster fritters served with Tabasco aioli over a golden-beet citrus slaw. One thing you’ll always find, however, is a list of the fresh-caught fish of the day. Grouper, snapper, hogfish, swordfish, tilefish — if it swims our coastal waters, it’s likely an option, best when crusted and fried in thin-sliced sweet potato, then baked and served with tasty sides made from the freshest of fresh produce. 103 S. U.S. Highway 1 #D3; Jupiter; 561-741-3626; www. littlemoirsjupiter.com/food-shack Luca Osteria If you’re on a quest to find the best pasta in Miami, consider Luca Osteria, where Giorgio Rapicavoli channels his Italian heritage in a quaint spot named for his son. Located along the pedestrian-only stretch of Giralda Plaza, the restaurant offers the chef’s indulgent in- terpretations of classic dishes with the same spirit his beloved Eating House churns out quirky-creative riffs on American favorites. Here, homemade pastas pair with the bar’s selection of house spritzes, while hearty main plates do best with one of several takes on the classic negroni. Pasta is a must-order — be it L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon photo A look inside L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
