16 November 9-15, 2023 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 | ▼ CORAL GABLES EATING HOUSE’S TASTING MENU IS LITERALLY MIAMI ON A PLATE Miami has a food world all its own. From fri- tas and cubanos to croquetas and coladas, out-of-towners may as well be handed an en- tire glossary of gastronomic terms needed to navigate our city’s food scene. And, of course, there are the restaurants — and chefs — that helped to make these Magic City foods famous in the first place. You can count Miami chef Giorgio Rapica- voli among them. The chef behind Eating House and Luca Osteria on Giralda Avenue is best known for crafting wholly unique dishes at an establishment he designed to embody the essence of the city he calls home. “For me, Eating House is all about Miami. We prepare food for locals, source local ingre- dients, and hire locals to work with us,” the chef tells New Times. “We’re also not defined by any specific style or cuisine. I’m free to do whatever I want, and offer this fun, inventive menu where you get food you won’t find any- where else.” So Rapicavoli asked himself, “How do you get even more fun from a restaurant that’s completely inspired by Miami?” You offer a tasting menu inspired by your favorite South Florida restaurants, of course. And Rapicavoli has done just that, presenting a very Miami-centric meal designed to evoke all the nostalgia of the city he calls home. The tasting menu, currently available for dinner through November, isn’t new. It’s ac- tually the third installment of Ravpicavoli’s edible ode to Miami, a series the chef plans to continue with the ongoing theme of local res- taurant riffs. The limited-time, prix-fixe menu is priced at $59 per person, available Tuesday through Thursday. What you’ll get: seven courses that pay homage to some of the area’s most legend- ary dishes, each given an Eating House twist. This curated selection of dishes is a collab- orative effort between the chef and his team who pitch ideas based on longtime local es- tablishments and favorite culinary finds. This time around, the menu cues iconic spots like Garcias, Flanigan’s, Los Perros, Matsuri, and AC’s Icees. For the next few weeks, that means you can indulge in a series of Miami dishes like rigatoni made with the Big Cheese of Miami’s essential “garlic roll”; Flanigan’s-inspired smoked pork rolls made with slow-cooked pork, onion, and cheddar cheese and served with a roasted gar- lic ranch dipping sauce; or a Los Perros riff on Colombian maicito (a dish of cooked corn ker- nels topped with mozzarella cheese, special sauces, and crushed potato chips) made with burnt corn, sofrito, queso blanco, roasted pine- apple, and crispy potatoes. “Sure, it’s all the things I grew up eating and restaurants that epitomize Miami, but it can go beyond that. I still want to do some- thing with Publix,” he muses. “It doesn’t have to just be restaurants. Just things that make Miami, well, Miami.” Eating House Miami. 128 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables; 786-580-3745; eatinghousemiami.com. NICOLE DANNA ▼ HOMESTEAD TIME FOR CINNAMON ROLLS! November means one thing when you’re in Homestead, with the intoxicating scent of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls in the air. This month, everyone can get in on the action when the iconic strawberry farm and bakery reopens for the season. Knaus Berry Farm, the farmstand that’s so famous for its giant cinnamon rolls they’re even sold on Goldbelly, has officially opened for its 67th season. The bakery welcomed its first customers at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31. Knaus Berry Farm was founded in 1956 as a roadside stand where Ray and Russell Knaus sold berries. The brothers expanded their inventory to include pies, breads, and other baked goods after a fruit broker told Ray’s wife, Barbara, that her cookies were good enough to sell. The farm is now run by Ray and Barbara’s children and their families. Knaus has a passionate following, with people willing to wait in line for hours to get their hands on a dozen cinnamon rolls. Lines often form well before the bakery opens, filled with people who’ve traveled miles for a chance to be among the first to grab a box of those fresh, sweet rolls. This season, cinnamon rolls cost $2 apiece, $8.30 for a half-dozen, and $16 for a dozen (up 75 cents from last season). As al- ways, there’s a 12-dozen-per-person cap on purchases. If you’re planning a trip to the farm, remember that Knaus only accepts cash and is closed on Sunday, as well as on Thanks- giving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. When asked if there are any tips and tricks for avoiding the lines, longtime Knaus bakery manager Thomas Blocher tells New Times there’s no getting around the wait, and lines are always longer on Friday and Saturday. “We hear stories about generations of peo- ple coming to Knaus,” sums up Blocher. “It’s nice to hear that we’ve left a positive memory in their lives.” Knaus Berry Farm. 15980 SW 248th St., Homestead; 305-247-0668; knausberryfarm. com. Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cash only. NICOLE DANNA | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Eating House photo An ode to Matsuri with Eating House’s newest installment of its Miami tasting menu 3201 RICKENBACKER CAUSEWAY KEY BISCAYNE, FL | 305.361.3818 WWW.THERUSTYPELICAN.COM BE SOCIAL WITH US! FIND US ON
