13 November 6-12, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | TH Paul Hobbs TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 Seating begins at 6pm Join us for a communal-style dining experience and savor expertly paired dishes by our Chef, complemented by wines chosen by Sommelier Jorge Lopez. $150 Per Person. Scan the QR code to learn more and purchase tickets. Member discount may be applied to 2 tickets. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K ai1761744959403_BH_MNT_November Wine Dinner Ad.pdf 1 10/29/25 9:36 AM PLAN YOUR WEDDINGS | CORPORATE EVENTS SOCIAL EVENTS Dream Event VIEW OUR EVENT SPACES WWW.THERUSTYPELICAN.COM at 3201 RICKENBACKER CWY, KEY BISCAYNE, FL 33149 | 305.361.3818 BE SOCIAL WITH US! /RUSTYPELICANMIAMI The new spot expanded the concept with a bistro-style menu and a small retail wine shop. The downtown location focused on drinks and light plates, while the South Beach space offered a full dining program. The Bar Lab team has struggled to find lasting success in that downtown corner. In 2019, they announced a partnership with chef Timon Balloo to open side-by-side con- cepts in the Ingraham Building: Balloo, a res- taurant inspired by the chef’s heritage, and Margot Natural Wine Bar. Before Margot could open, the pandemic paused the project. Balloo operated only briefly before closing permanently due to the pandemic, and the chef shifted to new ven- tures in Fort Lauderdale with the opening of his restaurant, the Katherine. Bar Lab later launched Hoja Taqueria in the Balloo space, though it had a short run. Margot eventually opened in mid-2021, introducing a relaxed wine bar that complemented downtown’s limited after-work scene. Bar Lab, founded by Orta and Elad Zvi, helped define Miami’s cocktail scene through the Broken Shaker, which they sold in 2024 along with its neighboring restaurant, 27 Res- taurant, to Generator Hotel. The team said at the time they planned to focus on new proj- ects beyond the Freehand. Orta told New Times that Bar Lab is currently “working on a few things” but wasn’t ready to share details. The closures follow a difficult season for Miami restaurants. In recent months, long- standing establishments such as Caffe Vi- aletto, which closed after 25 years in Coral Gables, and Sardinia, which closed after 20 years, have closed, along with newer spots like Ensenada and RedFarm. The wave of clo- sures reflects the challenges local operators face, including rising rents, higher staffing costs, and shifting dining habits, which have made it increasingly difficult for independent restaurants to remain open throughout the year. OLEE FOWLER ▼ BAL HARBOUR FANCY FILETS Just months after one of Bal Harbour Shops’ most beloved spots closed down, Le Zoo, the restaurant group is opening a brand new res- taurant. Stephen Starr, the Philadelphia-born restaurateur behind some of Miami’s most talked-about dining rooms, will open Slim’s, a sleek new steakhouse that is set to open in spring 2026 at Bal Harbour Shops. Slim’s will take over the original home of Makoto, Starr’s longtime Bal Harbour staple that relocated to a larger space in 2022. The new project trades sushi for steak, channeling midcentury elegance with a cinematic twist. It’s self-described as “an intimate hideaway of cool sophistication,” with leather ban- quettes, vintage murals, and rich textures. The menu will center on steakhouse staples like prime rib, martinis, and other nods to a bygone era. Beyond that, no chef, designer, or exact opening date has been announced. Starr, who got his start in Philadelphia’s nightclub scene, has built one of the largest independent restaurant groups in the coun- try, Starr Restaurants. Known for his perfec- tionism and flair for drama, he’s been called a “creator” rather than a greeter, the type of owner who obsesses over playlists and light- ing levels as much as what’s on the plate. His empire now spans 43 restaurants across six cities. A recent New York Times profile described him as “the $400 million restaurant man,” noting that nine of his places rank among the country’s top-grossing independent spots. His impressive roster in- cludes places like Pastis, Le Coucou, Budda- kan, and Parc. Pastis Miami is owned by the partnership of restaurateur Keith McNally and Starr. And, of course, this isn’t Starr’s first steak- house. In Philadelphia, he runs Barclay Prime, a high-end take on the cuisine, and Butcher and Singer, which channels an old- Hollywood look with dark wood and straight- ahead steakhouse fare. Both are long-running favorites and hint at what Miami diners might expect from Slim’s. In South Florida, Starr’s footprint is easy to spot. He opened Makoto more than a de- cade ago, which remains one of the city’s bus- iest restaurants and was named the winner of New Times’ Best Sushi in 2017. He also brought the ever-buzzy and aforementioned Pastis to Wynwood in 2023 and, until earlier this year, operated Le Zoo, the popular French brasserie that was also located inside Bal Harbour Shops for a decade. Slim’s. 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour, at Bal Harbour Shops; balharbourshops.com/ restaurants. Opening spring 2026. OLEE FOWLER Starr Restaurant Group photo Renowned restaurateur Stephen Starr of Starr Restaurant Group
