13 November 23-29, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | CuLture | Cafe | MusiC | 2 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | OGAWA MIAMI IS NOW OPEN! The long-awaited omakase restau- rant by Alvaro Perez Miranda — the res- taurateur that runs Hiyakawa, Wabi Sabi, and Midorie — is now open in Lit- tle River. Ogawa, which translates to Little River, is rooted in the exquisite simplicity of authentic and traditional Japanese omakase. The 11-seat restau- rant will offer a traditional Kappo-style, multi-course meal, a combination of the finest seasonal ingredients, food sourced from the Ibaraki prefecture, and fresh seafood from Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. The experience, crafted by master chef Masayuki Komatsu, will be accompanied by Suntory’s finest whis- keys and premium malt beer, as well as a boutique sake and wine list curated by partner and sommelier Luis Marti- nez. Ogawa will also house a private Japanese garden designed by Akiko Iwata, which will feature one-of-a-kind Nihonga art pieces by Ryota Unno and a Kakejiku scroll by calligraphy artist Keika Ogawa. OGAWA 7223 NW SECOND AVE., MIAMI DINNER ONLY TUESDAY-SATURDAY ALA CARTE ITEMS RANGE IN PRICE FROM $16-$20 RESERVATIONS AND INFORMATION: WWW. OGAWAMIAMI.COM OR @OGAWAMIAMI ADVERTORIAL guests can also expect to find dedicated brunch items served on Saturday and Sunday that spot- light coffees and pastries alongside breakfast- only staples like a croissant egg Benedict over pastrami and chilaquiles. Giorgina. 2700 N. Miami Ave., Miami; 786- 542-5185; giorginamiami.com. Monday through Sunday 5 to 11 p.m., and brunch service Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. NICOLE DANNA ▼ MIAMI TOO GOOD TO GO APP SAVES MONEY AND FOOD WASTE IN MIAMI The numbers say it all: Forty percent of food in the United States ends up in the trash can. If you want to help reduce your carbon emis- sions and get discounts on the foods you love, there’s a solution: the Too Good to Go, an app that connects businesses that want to eliminate their food waste and recoup lost revenue by sell- ing their surplus food at a discounted price to consumers. Stirring up buzz and savings in cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, the service is currently available to Miami residents and is ex- panding to Tampa and Orlando this month. The biggest motivation for users is to limit green- house emissions. Before Sarah Soteroff became Too Good to Go’s senior public relations manager for the U.S. and Canada, she was meticulous about limiting food waste. Now, she uses the app every day. “Because I love deals, and also love food that would otherwise go to waste,” she says, adding that a key part of the business is connecting con- sumers with businesses. “We provide a way for consumers to purchase food at a steep discount — as much as half- priced. And the business recoups some of the money they would otherwise lose by throwing it away,” Soteroff says. The service is viewed as a win-win for consumers and businesses. Via the Too Good to Go app, users can score anything from chips just past their “best by” dates to one-day-old bread or cupcakes from some of the most desirable eateries in Miami, including El Bagel and Misha’s Cupcakes. “We see Miami as an important city for us to grow in,” Chris MacAulay, managing director for Too Good to Go’s U.S. markets, tells New Times. “It’s one of those cities that we feel has the right combination of food partners and consumers to take advantage of what we are doing. We can make the most impact here, with such a density of businesses and people wanting to save, partic- ularly amid the current climate of inflation.” Businesses — mainly restaurants, supermar- kets, and cafés — can list their surplus food on the app. There’s no major commitment because busi- nesses can post whenever they have extra food to sell, and there’s no option for delivery. People can just pick up their purchases during a com- pany-selected window. On average, customers become repeat customers, too, so it’s like free ad- vertising. From there, consumers search within a geo- graphical area, dietary preference, and category (e.g., bread/pastries or groceries). From there, customers pay through the app and schedule a pickup. Currently, the com- pany has more than 12,000 partners and has saved more than 4.1 million meals. The com- pany launched in Den- mark in 2016 and four years later made its stateside debut in New York. Since moving to Mi- ami, the company says it has partnered with more than 170 grocery stores, gas stations, res- taurants, bakeries, and more, saving Miamians hundreds of thousands of dollars on food. According to MacAulay, there are more than 70 participating restaurants in Miami, including Talkin’ Tacos, Panther Coffee, Pizza Rustica, Mi- sha’s Cupcakes, El Bagel, and Just Salad, with bags starting in the $5 range for offerings that would typically be $15-plus. “We’re really just starting to scratch the surface,” says MacAulay. “We want to tap into the localized food types – we’re thinking Cuban restaurants and more Latino-based food businesses for Miami. We are certainly looking to expand.” Photo by World Red Eye The dining room at Giorgina by Grupo Mandolina “WE PROVIDE A WAY FOR CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE FOOD AT A STEEP DISCOUNT.”
