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December 2019 www.BiscayneTimes.com Volume 17 Issue 10
Volume 17 Issue 10
Wynwood’s Cautionary Tale
How gentrifi cation made an arts mecca, then ruined it
December 2019
www.BiscayneTimes.com
Volume 17 Issue 10
Volume 17 Issue 10
2 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
1(:/<35,&('
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 3
4 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
`
2019 New Waterfront Pool Home
- $2.49M
New 5,300 SF Contemporary Home with Ocean Access, no
bridges to Bay. 4BR, 5BA + den/office or 5th BR, 665sf
covered patio downstairs. 2 car gar. Dock up to 75' ft boat.
Montgomery
&
Koebel, Inc.
12700 Biscayne Blvd.
Suite 303, North Miami, FL
Direct Bay Access - 2250 Bayview Ln
4 Bedroom 3 Bathroom pool home, 2,805 SF
. Quiet
cul-de-sac, best location on the island. 75’ft on
water with Bay access in seconds. On 9,375 SF lot.
12855 N Bayshore Dr
- $1.2M
3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms plus office, 2,351 SF.
Updated home with heated pool & jacuzzi. New
dock and boatlift, new metal roof and hurricane
impact windows. 24hr Guard Gate Community.
Where Buyers
and Sellers
intersect
every
day
305-606-2252
jeffkoebel@realtor.com
Happy Holidays!!!!
Modern Remodeled Waterfront- $ 997,000
2,281 SF, 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ bathrooms, pool, one car
garage. Recently refinished with modern design. On huge
corner lot. 24hr Guard Gated Keystone Islands.
Keystone Islands - $1.075M
4 bedroom 3 bathroom, 3,063 sf home with 2 car
garage. 75’ft on the water with newer seawall &
dock. 100ft wide canal. No bridges to B
ay. on
9,375 ft lot. 12805 N Bayshore Dr.
848 Brickell Key Dr. - $949,000
2 bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom on 27
th
floor
with forever water views. I
mmaculate
1,795sf
apartment with open kitchen
concept, plus large balcony.
2015 New Construction - $699,000
3 bedroom 3 bathroom. 1,865 SF home
on 9,040 SF
corner lot. Open kitchen concept, high ceilings,
hurricane impacts windows & doors and metal
roof. 24hr Guard Gated Keystone Islands.
75’FT Waterfront - $1.1M
12710 Hickory Rd.
Looking for a fantastic
waterfront location? This is the one! Quiet
cul-de-sac. 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, pool,
2,583
SF, 2 car garage on 9,579 SF lot. 24hr Guard
Gated Keystone Islands!
Boater’s Paradise
Keystone Island Waterfront!
FAST BAY ACCESS
FOR SALE OR LEASE
2019 New 5,300 SF Waterfront Home
Best Waterfront Location!
Three Tequesta Point on
Brickell Key!!
Lowest Price East of Bayshore Dr.
Just Reduced!
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 5
Custom Design & Fabrication
Dealers/Representatives of:
•Compac: Quartz Stone
•Arteriors: Furniture & Lighting
•Privilegio Milano:
Bed & Table Linens, and Towels
•Pigeon & Poodle:
Bath Accessories, Bar & Desk Sets
•Romo: Textiles & Wall Coverings
Design/Fabrication of:
•Kitchens
•Closets
•Fixed and Freestanding
Case-goods
•Window Treatments
Other Services:
•Counter tops fabrication
•Int./Ext. Residential &
Commercial Painting
•Wall repair/Plastering
•Venetian Plaster
•Audio & Visual Service
•Original Artwork • Home Accesories
•Candles • Picture Frames • Throw Pillows
•Window Treatments • Custom Area Rugs
•Custom Furniture • Custom Mirrors
www.urbano-home.com - contact.urbanohome@gmail.com
8361 NE 2nd Avenue - Miami - FL, 33138 Ph. 305.479.6389
CUSTOM MADE
WINDOW COVERING
URBANOSHADES
8361 NE 2nd Avenue - Miami - FL, 33138
Ph. 786.262.7675 - urbanoshades.com
8363 NE 2nd Ave - Miami - FL, 33138
Tues.- Fri. 11A.M. - 7P.M. • Sat. 12P.M. - 6P.M.
Art & Home Gallery By Aldo 305.967.8511
www.AHGbyAldo.com • Aldo@AHGbyAldo.com
Across from The Citadel
20% - 30% Discount
Turn-key residential Interior Design services.
Renovation & construction project management.
www.Pinteriors.net - Info@PuschendorfInteriors.com
8363 NE 2nd Ave Miami 33138 - 305.751.0100
LITTLE RIVER
DESIGN DISTRICT
6 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Celebration
Come join us at Bayside MarketPlace as we welcome in the new year!
Starting At Noon
Fireworks at Midnight
Live music and programing through midnight featuring VIVA Band & DJ YUS.
There will be free family activities including games and fun for everyone!
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 7
It takes courage to change. Making the choice to have gastric sleeve surgery isn’t
easy, but once you do, you begin to see the possibilities. Don’t let old habits or
routines hold you back any longer. Make the change for you, your health,
and your future. Start now by registering for a FREE seminar at Jackson North.
CHANGE IS LIFE.
Call 305-585-TRIM or visit JacksonCanHelp.org.
CHANGE IS
TAKING SHAPE
Individuals featured are paid actors and not Jackson Health System patients. Individual results may vary.
FREE GASTRIC SLEEVE
WEIGHT-LOSS SEMINAR
Thursday, December 12
at 6:30 p.m.
14614 JHS_BiscayneTimesBariatricsDecember1.indd 1 11/15/19 11:02 AM
8 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
COVER
22 Wynwood: A Cautionary Tale
COMMENTARY
12 Feedback: Letters to the Editor
16 Eye on Miami: Lobbyists Be Banned!
OUR SPONSORS
18 BizBuzz: December 2019
COMMUNITY NEWS
36 Miami Artist Karen Rifas: A Tribute
36 Train Stations Could Be Here Soon
37 Miami Commission Election: The Numbers
NEIGHBORHOOD CORRESPONDENTS
46 The (Polluted) Waterways of Miami Shores
48 North Miami and Beyond: Show Kindness
50 Does a Water Park Fit with Aventura?
ART & CULTURE
52 Elisa Turner: Off the Basel Path 2019
54 David Bennett’s (Expanded) Galleries + Museums
57 Events Calendar: Santa’s Enchanted Forest!
POLICE REPORTS
58 Derek McCann’s Biscayne Crime Beat
PARK PATROL
60 Janet Goodman: Scott Rakow Youth Center
COLUMNISTS
62 Pet Talk: Farewell to Mary Tanguay
63 Family Matters: Kids Are Dying — Wake Up!
64 Your Garden: Compacted Soil = Flooding
65 Going Green: Give Experiences as Gifts
66 Vino: Affordable, Delicious Sparkling Wines
67 Dish: It Was a Busy Year for Restaurant Openings
DINING GUIDE
68 Restaurant Listings: 252 Biscayne Corridor Restaurants
MEET OUR TEAM OF
BOARD CERTIFIED ALLERGISTS
18 conveniently located offices in
Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties
Board certified physicians with extensive
experience treating children & adults
Leading allergy & asthma practice
in South Florida established in 1974
Aventura
21150 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 408
Aventura, FL 33180
PH. 305-932-3252
F. 305-932-2798
Miami Beach
400 Arthur Godfrey Rd., Suite 504
Miami Beach, FL 33140
PH. 305-538-8339
F. 305-538-4907
Hollywood
2699 Stirling Rd., Suite B-305
Hollywood, FL 33312
PH. 954-981-9180
F. 954-961-4752
North Miami Beach
16401 NW Second Ave., Suite 204
North Miami Beach, FL 33169
PH. 305-945-4131
F. 305-945-0052
OFFICES NEAR YOU
Jaime Landman, M.D. Philip C. Mirmelli, M.D. Kfir Shamir, M.D. Barry J. Mark, M.D.
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Jim Mullin
jim.mullin@biscaynetimes.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Erik Bojnansky, Senior Writer
erik.bojnanskya@biscaynetimes.com
Anne Tschida, Arts Editor
anne.tschida@biscaynetimes.com
Francisco Alvarado, Geoffrey Anderson,
David Bennett, Jay Beskin,
Jacqueline Coleman, John Dorschner,
Paul George, Janet Goodman, Margaret Griffis,
Helen Hill, John Ise, Nancy Lee, Derek Michael
McCann, Dinah McNichols, Kim Ogren, Jenni
Person, Silvia Ros, Dianne Rubin, Mark Sell,
Stuart Sheldon, Jeff Shimonski, Elisa Turner
BUSINESS MANAGER
Kenneth Cooper
kenneth.cooper@biscaynetimes.com
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Nancy Newhart
nancy.newhart@biscaynetimes.com
954-980-7639
Marc Ruehle
marc.ruehle@biscaynetimes.com
786-514-7080
ART DIRECTOR
Marcy Mock
marseadesign@mac.com
ADVERTISING DESIGN
DP Designs
production@biscaynetimes.com
CIRCULATION
South Florida Distributors
PRINTING
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www.stuartweb.com
CONTENTS
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63
Serving communities along the Biscayne Corridor: Arch Creek East, Aventura, Bay Point, Bayside, Biscayne
Park, Belle Meade, Buena Vista, Coventry, Design District, Downtown, Eastern Shores, Edgewater, El Portal,
Enchanted Lake, Hibiscus Island, Highland Lakes, Keystone Point, Miami Shores, Morningside, North
Greynolds, North Bay Island, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Oak Forest, Oakland Grove, Palm Grove,
Palm Island, Sans Souci, Shorecrest, Sky Lake, Sparling Lake, Star Island, Wynwood, and Venetian Islands
©
52
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 9
The only hospital in South Florida to be named to the 2019 list
Outperforming over 2,700 hospitals across the nation, delivering on key
metrics, including better survival rates and higher patient satisfaction
Mount Sinai Medical Center has been named one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals
by IBM Watson Health™ for two consecutive years.
GREAT DOCTORS
CONTINUE TO YIELD GREAT RESULTS
100 Top Hospitals® is a registered trademark of IBM Watson Health™.
10 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
The Original KB’s Christmas TreesThe Original KB’s Christmas Trees
HARVESTED AND SHIPPED DIRECT FROM OUR FARMSHARVESTED AND SHIPPED DIRECT FROM OUR FARMSHARVESTED AND SHIPPED DIRECT FROM OUR FARMS
Now Open 7 Days a Week 8:30AM-10PM
Serving South Florida for over 44 years!
TREES FROM
2ft- 40ft
Fresh Wreaths
Stands • Flocking
Prolong ®
SOME THINGS DON’T
NEED TO COME
IN A BOX!!
KEYSTONE POINT
WATERFRONT CORNER LOT
REMODELED WATERFRONT
75’ DIRECT OCEAN ACCESS
24 HR GUARD GATED
COMMUNITY
6BD/6.5BA, pool, 2 car
garage, 7,214 Sft. $2.6M
OVERSIZED 1/3 ACRE
CORNER LOT ESTATE,
ACROSS THE STREET
FROM MULTIMILLION
DOLLAR BAYFRONT
HOMES!
5BD/4.5BA, 4, 732 Sf., pool & jacuzzi,
garage. 36" white quartz glass floors &
glass tile baths, Italian quartztop, kit.
Impact glass. Huge master suite &
sprawling bath, nice bay breezes 1.5M
KEYSTONE POINT BOATER’S PARADISE 130’ ON THE WATER
SANS SOUCI ESTATES SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN MASTERPIECE
SANS SOUCI
WATERFRONT,
LOWEST PRICE IN
SUBDIVISION
5 Bdr 3 Bth Pool, 75' on Water.
New Impact Window and Doors,
New Roof, Interior is Dated,
Needs Redecorating
Priced to Sell at land Value
Only 1.1M
“SANS SOUCI ESTATES” “NEW REMODELED CONTEMPORARY”
FOR SALE 1.5M, ALSO FOR RENT $9,000 A MONTH
SANS SOUCI ESTATES
BOATER'S DREAM HOUSE
NEW SEAWALL & DOCK
4BD/3BA, pool, 2 car garage,
new addition, high vaulted
ceilings over 3,200 sf. 24"
marble, 2016 granite kitchen
and baths. hurricane impact
windows in place. $1.48M
Also FOR RENT $7,900/MTH
BAY VIEWS – 75’ DOCK & 25,000 LB. BOAT LIFT
OWNER WILL FINANCE
WITH 20% DOWN
OWNER FINANCING
ALSO FOR RENT $4000
CONTEMPORARY NEW 2020
CONSTRUCTION OVERSIZED LOT
North Miami 6BD, 6.5BA,
pool/jacuzzi, 6,043 Sf., 2 or 4 car
garage. 30’ high ceilings, all
concrete floors, large format
porcelain plank flooring. Glass tile
baths, natural gas designer Italian
kit w/Sub-Zero & Wolf appl., impact
windows & doors, 130’ of dockage
close to bay 3.3M
SUBJECT PROPERTY
KEYSTONE POINT
WATERFRONT
3BD/2BA, Direct Ocean
Access. 75’ on the Water Plus
Boatlift. All New Contempo-
rary Quartz top Center Island
Italian Kitchen. Remodeled
Porcelain Baths Only $859K
"BISCAYNE GARDENS" NORTH-
EAST MIAMI AREA, WATERSKI,
JET SKI, FISHING, CANOING,
PADDLE BOARD ETC.
3BD/3BA, 1.5 Garage 2,910 Sf,
Oversized 1/3 Acre Lot Completely
Remodeled New 2019 All Marble
Flooring Marble Baths, Large Center
Island Italian Kitchen w/quartz top
counters and White Lacquer Cabinets,
Hurricane Impact Windows.
Owner will Finance. Only $599K
WATERFRONT TO LAKE
LOWEST PRICED WATERFRONT IN SUBDIVISION
FOR RENT $1,950
SANS SOUCI “FOR RENT”
UPDATED TOWNHOUSE
2BD/2.5BA ready for immediate
occupancy. Great location
E. of Biscayne Blvd. (US-1) walk
to shopping, Whole Foods, LA
Fitness, restaurants etc.
5 Minutes to beaches or 10
minute bike ride. $1,950/MO
KEYSTONE POINT
WATERFRONT
CORNER LOT
3BD/2BA, 2,200 Sf., Direct
ocean access, no fixed
bridges to bay!! 76' on water!!
All new remodeled.
Priced right to sell!! 875K
SANS SOUCI
ESTATES
6BD/5.5BA, pool, 2 car
garage. 6,000 Sf. remod-
eled 30’ high ceilings wide
open “great room” many
custom built-ins. 3.5M
WIDE BAYVIEWS TO DOWNTOWN
SOLD BY JEFF!
CALL 305-895-JEFF TO PLACE YOUR HOME HERE
SOLD BY JEFF!
CALL 305-895-JEFF TO PLACE YOUR HOME HERE
REAL ESTATE BROKER / CEO
305-895-JEFF(5333)
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 11
The Original KB’s Christmas TreesThe Original KB’s Christmas Trees
HARVESTED AND SHIPPED DIRECT FROM OUR FARMSHARVESTED AND SHIPPED DIRECT FROM OUR FARMSHARVESTED AND SHIPPED DIRECT FROM OUR FARMS
Now Open 7 Days a Week 8:30AM-10PM
Serving South Florida for over 44 years!
TREES FROM
2ft- 40ft
Fresh Wreaths
Stands • Flocking
Prolong ®
SOME THINGS DON’T
NEED TO COME
IN A BOX!!
KEYSTONE POINT
WATERFRONT CORNER LOT
REMODELED WATERFRONT
75’ DIRECT OCEAN ACCESS
24 HR GUARD GATED
COMMUNITY
6BD/6.5BA, pool, 2 car
garage, 7,214 Sft. $2.6M
OVERSIZED 1/3 ACRE
CORNER LOT ESTATE,
ACROSS THE STREET
FROM MULTIMILLION
DOLLAR BAYFRONT
HOMES!
5BD/4.5BA, 4, 732 Sf., pool & jacuzzi,
garage. 36" white quartz glass floors &
glass tile baths, Italian quartztop, kit.
Impact glass. Huge master suite &
sprawling bath, nice bay breezes 1.5M
KEYSTONE POINT BOATER’S PARADISE 130’ ON THE WATER
SANS SOUCI ESTATES SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN MASTERPIECE
SANS SOUCI
WATERFRONT,
LOWEST PRICE IN
SUBDIVISION
5 Bdr 3 Bth Pool, 75' on Water.
New Impact Window and Doors,
New Roof, Interior is Dated,
Needs Redecorating
Priced to Sell at land Value
Only 1.1M
“SANS SOUCI ESTATES” “NEW REMODELED CONTEMPORARY”
FOR SALE 1.5M, ALSO FOR RENT $9,000 A MONTH
SANS SOUCI ESTATES
BOATER'S DREAM HOUSE
NEW SEAWALL & DOCK
4BD/3BA, pool, 2 car garage,
new addition, high vaulted
ceilings over 3,200 sf. 24"
marble, 2016 granite kitchen
and baths. hurricane impact
windows in place. $1.48M
Also FOR RENT $7,900/MTH
BAY VIEWS – 75’ DOCK & 25,000 LB. BOAT LIFT
OWNER WILL FINANCE
WITH 20% DOWN
OWNER FINANCING
ALSO FOR RENT $4000
CONTEMPORARY NEW 2020
CONSTRUCTION OVERSIZED LOT
North Miami 6BD, 6.5BA,
pool/jacuzzi, 6,043 Sf., 2 or 4 car
garage. 30’ high ceilings, all
concrete floors, large format
porcelain plank flooring. Glass tile
baths, natural gas designer Italian
kit w/Sub-Zero & Wolf appl., impact
windows & doors, 130’ of dockage
close to bay 3.3M
SUBJECT PROPERTY
KEYSTONE POINT
WATERFRONT
3BD/2BA, Direct Ocean
Access. 75’ on the Water Plus
Boatlift. All New Contempo-
rary Quartz top Center Island
Italian Kitchen. Remodeled
Porcelain Baths Only $859K
"BISCAYNE GARDENS" NORTH-
EAST MIAMI AREA, WATERSKI,
JET SKI, FISHING, CANOING,
PADDLE BOARD ETC.
3BD/3BA, 1.5 Garage 2,910 Sf,
Oversized 1/3 Acre Lot Completely
Remodeled New 2019 All Marble
Flooring Marble Baths, Large Center
Island Italian Kitchen w/quartz top
counters and White Lacquer Cabinets,
Hurricane Impact Windows.
Owner will Finance. Only $599K
WATERFRONT TO LAKE
LOWEST PRICED WATERFRONT IN SUBDIVISION
FOR RENT $1,950
SANS SOUCI “FOR RENT”
UPDATED TOWNHOUSE
2BD/2.5BA ready for immediate
occupancy. Great location
E. of Biscayne Blvd. (US-1) walk
to shopping, Whole Foods, LA
Fitness, restaurants etc.
5 Minutes to beaches or 10
minute bike ride. $1,950/MO
KEYSTONE POINT
WATERFRONT
CORNER LOT
3BD/2BA, 2,200 Sf., Direct
ocean access, no fixed
bridges to bay!! 76' on water!!
All new remodeled.
Priced right to sell!! 875K
SANS SOUCI
ESTATES
6BD/5.5BA, pool, 2 car
garage. 6,000 Sf. remod-
eled 30’ high ceilings wide
open “great room” many
custom built-ins. 3.5M
WIDE BAYVIEWS TO DOWNTOWN
SOLD BY JEFF!
CALL 305-895-JEFF TO PLACE YOUR HOME HERE
SOLD BY JEFF!
CALL 305-895-JEFF TO PLACE YOUR HOME HERE
REAL ESTATE BROKER / CEO
305-895-JEFF(5333)
12 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
474 E 24th St. $659,000
632 NW 134th Ave. $393,000
4755 Alton Road $899,000
42 NW 107 St. $875,000
780 NE 69th St. #T3 $399,000
Gutted & ready for you to build your dream
home in the sky! Unit is 2,580 sf. 2 balconies
(totaling 54’ long) wrap around this corner unit.
CALL
FOR INFO
ON OUR
RENTALS!
1165 NE 135th St. $375,000
GREAT CURB APPEAL, Beautifully updated 3
Bedroom 2 Bath home with 3 car garage siting on
an almost 12,000 sq ft lot! This home will not last!
520 NE 59th St. $779,000
RARE to market, this 2 story gem has a
main house w/4BR/2BA & 2 half baths
PLUS a guest cottage w/ 1BR/1BA.
16699 Collins Ave. #3806 $640,000
Amazing panoramic ocean views from this 2 BR
PLUS DEN, 2.5 BA condo home in the sky on the
WKÀRRURIWKHLFRQLF/D3HUODFRQGRPLQLXP
8634 NE 10th Ave. $300,000
You will love this adorable charming
2BR/1BA Shorecrest cottage right out of a
fairy tale.
Very rare to market after 20 years, this
Fourplex has well below market rent with
projected Cap Rate of 8%.
ENJOY MIAMI BEACH LIVING in this beautifully
maintained MIMO style home surrounded by lush tropical
landscaping! Gorgeous 3BR/3BA PLUS bonus room.
500 NE 56th St. $699,000
Location! Location! This HISTORIC Art Deco
masterpiece is located on one of Morningside’s
most beautiful corner lots and has 3BR/ 2BA.
GORGEOUS MIAMI SHORES WATERFRONT
TOWNHOME! This huge 3 story 2 Bed 2.5 bath
TH is bright & spacious all the way through!
1514 NE 105th St. #C5 $600,000
Exquisite 4/2 Home in highly sought after Belan area
featuring vaulted ceilings, beautifully remodeled
bathrooms, barrel tile roof and hurricane shutters.
Beautifully remodeled mid century home
located in Miami Shores. This 5/3 home boasts
UH¿QLVKHGULFKKDUGZRRGÀRRUVWKURXJKRXW
.
8827 Hawthorne Ave. $779,000
MAGNIFICENT POOL & GORGEOUS
BACKYARD! This charming 4 BR and 3
BA is a MUST SEE!
Attention boaters and investors. This original
waterfront home is located on one of the
¿QHVWVWUHHWVRQDOORIWKH/DV2ODV,VODQGV
110 Fiesta Way
$1,500,000
Seller offer SELLER FINANCING! Zoned C2 (mixed-
use commercial), the property can be turned into a
hotel, medical center, or develop a 10 story building.
1822 Dixianna St.
$1,849,000
Location! Location! Location! This duplex is located
in the hot Wynwood district. The building has a new
roof. Each unit has a separate fenced back yard.
3437 NW 3rd Ave. $459,000
NEW LISTING
JUST SOLD!
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
JUST SOLD!
NEW PRICE
NEW LISTING
305-742-5225
CALL NOW
Please follow us on:
PROPERTIES EXCLUSIVELY FOR SALE BY THE JACK CODEN GROUP
Once your home is under contract, do not turn off utilities or cancel your insurance until the day you close. This is because closings are often delayed a
day or two and you do not want to cancel your insurance coverage or electricity only to discover the closing has been rescheduled for a few days.
Tip of the Month
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XCLUSIVELY
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Used Books, Good Bargains
I liked Jenni Person’s article about the im-
portance of books in a home (“Home Li-
brary Takeaways,” November 2019). And
since misery loves company, there are a
couple of resources I wanted to share.
The rst is local: the Miami-Dade
County Store, north of the Gratigny Park-
way, off Red Road at 980 W. 84th Street,
Hialeah. This store sells remaindered books
from libraries or the school system. Ofcial-
ly, I think they charge a dollar for ve books,
although when I go to pay, it always seems
to be a lot less than I’m expecting. Maybe
there’s a discount for a board-foot of books,
or it’s cheaper by the dozen?
Be warned that the books are not
sorted at all, so you will come away with
a crick in your neck, as you troll the
metal shelving for treasures.
The other is a website, www.
abebooks.com, a worldwide network of
secondhand and antiquarian booksellers,
and if you’re lucky, you can get a book
delivered to your mailbox for less than
Amazon charges for the shipping. I’ve
had books come from the UK for less
than $5, including shipping.
I’m really glad to hear that I’m not
alone in my addiction!
Mike Taylor
Miami Shores
No Complaints from Where I Sit
This is not a rebuttal to John Ise’s
column “Depressing, Disconcerting, De-
cayed” (October 2019). Instead, it is an
update on the neighborhood east of Bis-
cayne Boulevard from NE 108th Street
to NE 110th Terrace, which is a part of
unincorporated Miami-Dade County,
[known as Biscayne Shores].
I have been a resident here since 1973.
Yes, I have seen high, low, and in-between
neighborhood activities. Presently, a
renaissance is taking place: Remodeling
and renovating homes on 108th Street. A
new house is being built on 109th Street,
where I live. Four two-story homes were
recently built on 110th Street.
On NE 110th Terrace, a working-class
neighborhood, homes are well maintained.
Bike riders, fast walkers, joggers, skate-
boarders, and adults walking children
home from the school bus drop-off on
109th Street — these are the activities I see
from my library window. I smile a smile of
comfort, pleasure, and safety. All is good.
New businesses have moved, or are
about to, into the neighborhood.
Across from Quayside (107th Street)
is Busy Bee Car Wash and Aldi market.
Being built: Michael’s, Ross, Burlington,
and PetSmart.
Next block north: Dunkin’ Donuts
and the Fontana Shops, home to Chez
Georges French Kitchen — superior
cuisine. Then there’s Three Palms Cuban
Café at 115th Street. Opening soon: a
new BBQ restaurant and a condo across
from the Jockey Club.
At 108th Street on the east side of
Biscayne Boulevard, delicious smoothies
and natural juices are served by the Long
Tail. Food trucks include the healthful
Acai Bowl.
Along N. Bayshore Drive, also east of
the Boulevard, is a beautiful and breath-
taking view of Biscayne Bay. Across the
bay is Miami Beach, where tourists pay
big bucks for what I enjoy daily.
Yes indeed, all is good in the ’hood.
Merle D. Ulery
Biscayne Shores
Thanks for the Introduction, Fred!
Your “My View” writer Fred Jonas
(“Red Square Rising,” August 2019) has
succeeded in adding another fan to your
Biscayne Times readership. I am enjoy-
ing your paper immensely, and I feel I
am learning a lot about the life and times
of the Miami area.
I feel fortunate to have discovered
you via Fred.
Judith Marks-White
Westport, Connecticut
Updates, Please, on the Water Bills
I read Erik Bojnansky’s article “A Flood
of Woes” (June 2019) with great interest
since I am one of those residents affected
by water bills from North Miami Beach’s
water system.
Are there any updates as to what
they will be doing? I have found this
billing so abusive to the residents.
However, even before this, I thought the
penalty unincorporated Miami Dade
residents had to pay was very unfair. If
Miami-Dade County cannot provide
water for our areas and they delegate to
another city, then why aren’t they also
paying a penalty?
North Miami Beach also has an addi-
tional percentage penalty, depending on the
level of water restriction at a given time.
I appreciate your article’s informa-
tion and hope to read the outcome of the
city’s reconsideration.
Arabrab Somar
Biscayne Shores
Commentary: LETTERS
Continued on page 14
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 13
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14 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
The Historian Speaks, and Wants
Us to Listen — Closely
While Margaret Grifs’s October 2019
article on “Biscayne, Bay of Sunken
Dreams” might have been interesting,
it was, sadly and unhappily, riddled
with errors.
The 1925 Shoreland Company map
shows the Mid-Bay Causeway as “The
Drive of the Campanil I., the separated
“I” likely standing for “Islands.” While I
have seen other references that do show
names for the islands, this map, which is
the company-issued map, does not.
At one point in the article, Grifs
states that “four more islands would
rise out of the bay.” That is completely
incorrect, as the plans of the Shoreland
Company, as shown on the company
map, show six more islands planned, the
furthest north island being named Miami
Shores Island, noting that it was to be
“600 acres after lling.”
That island was to be the terminus of
the mid-bay causeway and was to be larger
than all of the other manmade islands in
Biscayne Bay (the County and Venetian
Causeway islands) at the time, and was
planned to be the recreation island for
Miami Shores, including a golf course.
Because of the “bust” of the great 1920s
“boom,” the island, known today as Indian
Creek Village, was only half built, hence the
somewhat odd shape of the island.
Further on in her story, Grifs
states that “the Venetian Causeway is
the oldest causeway in the county,” and
that is incorrect. Since the free-to-
automobiles County Causeway (now the
MacArthur) opened in 1920 and the toll
causeway named the Venetian opened in
1925, I am wondering how a causeway
ve years younger than the actual oldest
causeway can suddenly become “the
oldest causeway in the county.”
Grifs also relates that Locke T.
Highleyman “loaned money to John S.
Collins,” and then goes on to make it
appear as if Highleyman was the main
lending force behind the initial con-
struction of what would become known
as the Collins Bridge. That statement is
highly doubtful.
Highleyman is not mentioned in any
context in Jane Fisher’s biography of
her husband, Carl, Fabulous Hoosier;
in Jerry Fisher’s biography of his distant
cousin, Carl, The Pacesetter; or in J.N.
Lummus’s The Miracle of Miami Beach.
(Lummus was one of the triumvirate
of the rst four major developers of
what would, in 1915, become the Town
of Miami Beach, the other three being
Fisher, John S. Collins, and his son-in-
law, Thomas J. Pancoast.)
Having written six and a half his-
tories of Miami Beach and its northern
suburbs, and being America’s senior col-
lector of Miami memorabilia and Floridi-
ana (61 years this past May), I must state
that I have never seen Highleyman’s
name related to Miami Beach.
The very next statement on that page
is also incorrect. Highleyman did not
introduce Collins and Pancoast to Fisher.
The introduction was through John
H. Levi, a principal at Standard Ship
Building in New York. It would be Levi
who oversaw the building of Carl’s yacht
after he and Jim Allison sold their Prest-
o-Lite Corporation to Union Carbide
for $5,633,000 each, and he who would
eventually go on to work for Fisher as
his right-hand man (Pete Chase — Chase
Avenue on Miami Beach — was his sales
director) and become the only mayor of
Miami Beach ever to be pictured on the
cover of Time magazine.
There is also a serious omission on
that page: the primary principals of the
Shoreland Company (the company that
built Miami Shores following the build-
ing of the Venetian Causeway by the
Bay Biscayne Improvement Company)
were Ellen Spears Harris and her cousin
Hugh Anderson. In the Ethan Blackman
book, Miami and Dade County, Florida,
Joseph F. Chaille is named, but there is
nothing mentioned about any relation-
ship with the Shoreland Company.
Also on that page, Grifs notes
“residential islands 8 and 9,” yet earlier
she referred to “four islands rising out of
the bay.” The fact is that six islands were
planned along the Mid-Bay Causeway,
ve to be residential, and the sixth, as
stated above, to be the Miami Shores
Island to be used strictly for recreation.
Grifs also refers to “four wing
islands,” and that is correct, but she only
mentioned one of the hoped-for cause-
ways; and indeed, the 79th Street Cause-
way, propounded by the great Henri
(Henry) Levy, was built. However, the
other one, according to the map, would
have left the mainland at Northeast 54th
Street and entered Miami Beach at ap-
proximately 51st Street on the Beach side.
Letters
Continued from page 12
Commentary: LETTERS
Continued on page 45
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 15
16 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Commentary: EYE ON MIAMI
Money, Money, Money
Next year, lobbyists’ stranglehold on our county commission could
come to an end
By Nancy Lee
BT Contributor
Do term limits curb lobbyist inu-
ence? We’ll soon nd out. This
stinking system of inuence-
peddling on the one hand and raising
money for candidates on the other is
rotten. Lobbyists even write scripts for
the dumber county commissioners like
Pepe Diaz.
Term limits are a teeny, tiny step in the
right direction, because sitting commis-
sioners could never lose an election under
the old system — the lobbyists just were
too efcient at raising money for them.
In Miami-Dade County, citizens
changed the charter, voting in term limits
for commissioners. It passed years ago.
Regrettably, it wasn’t retroactive. Politi-
cal wonks have been patiently waiting for
eight years to pass. Some county com-
missioners have been in ofce forever;
Dennis Moss has been there since 1993.
I say halleluiah for term limits. We’re
seeing the end of long-held county ef-
doms, and it feels so good. Five county
commissioners from odd-numbered dis-
tricts will ofcially be out of ofce, leaving
open seats for the elections in August 2020.
Five open seats to vote on. Damn,
I’m ecstatic.
Audrey Edmonson gave a truly
moronic quote to the Miami Herald about
being kicked to the curb after 14 years on
the county commission. The quote infuri-
ated me. It’s why I’m writing about this
subject. “If you don’t have an experienced
commission,” she said, “you won’t be able
to see through what the lobbyists are tell-
ing you.”
Audrey: “You needed 14 years of
experience to gure out when you were
being conned?”
• • •
Who will admit they like lobbyists?
Maybe their children and the spouse who
is accustomed to the ner things. Politi-
cians will say they’re a necessary evil,
but they actually like most of them.
In Miami Beach, lobbyists disclose
their fees, which comes in handy. Some
get at fees, such as $12,500 for Alexander
Heckler to represent Terra Group. Alexan-
der Tachmes gets $650 per hour to repre-
sent Aiyara LLC, a restaurant company. Of
course, they all have lots and lots of clients,
so they are making “ner things” kind of
bucks. Ron Book and his two-person staff
made almost $5 million in 2013, according
to Sunshine State News, and his rm had
81 clients that year.
Unfortunately, even the very best of the
county commissioners will see a lobbyist ten
times faster than they’ll see you. Your $100
is chump change next to a lobbyist who can
raise $10,000 for that commissioner.
Ron Book’s businesses and family
have given about $8000 to Miami Gardens
Mayor Oliver Gilbert, who is running for
the commission from District 1 next year.
Of course, that doesn’t include what Book
raised from others, and it’s still early.
I would say, by the obscene $366,685
that Gilbert has raised so far, he should
win. He appears to be the choice of the
mega donors. Except… Sybrina Denise
Fulton, mother of murdered Trayvon
Martin (I call it the Skittles murder), is
running against him. Hillary Clinton and
Cory Booker have endorsed Fulton, who
has hardly raised any money ($41,467),
but she does have the community behind
her. Plus, voters in that part of the county
might not care so much about ads, and
Gilbert must tread lightly with negative
ads against the much-loved Fulton.
I nd City of Miami Commissioner
Keon Hardemon’s run for county com-
missioner particularly awful. He comes
from a lobbyist family. With his connec-
tions, he should win Edmonson’s District
3. He’s already raised $97,325. Almost
every donation was $1000, from about
100 people. Those contributors will get
the royal treatment, while his constitu-
ents will have no clout.
When City of Miami Commissioner
Johnny Winton was rst elected, he
wouldn’t even see lobbyists. When they
slithered in, he’d instruct them to send
their boss. That didn’t last long.
More awful than lobbyists raising
money for candidates, though, are lobby-
ists put into positions of power. Accord-
ing to ProPublica, President Trump has
had 281 lobbyists in his administration.
Trump’s swamp contains “one lobbyist for
every 14 political appointments.” Worse,
he puts them in positions overseeing indus-
tries where they worked on the dark side.
According to Open Secrets, $3.46
billion was spent on lobbyists in 2018.
Woof! That would go a long way toward
subsidizing unaffordable prescriptions.
I got in touch with Sylvia Farina,
who for 20 years was a chief of staff to
three Miami-Dade County commission-
ers. Sylvia ended her career working
for Katy Sorenson. I sent her Audrey
Edmonson’s stupid quote. Sylvia said,
“If you hire experienced people for your
staff, then lobbyist issues will be ne.”
Another former chief of staff inspired
me with hope: “If new commissioners hire
professional staff to give them objective,
independent advice, this powerful local
governing board could become the most
respected legislative body in Florida.”
Wow! If we start to respect commis-
sioners, that would put most of us lunatic
Miami-Dade writers out of business.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Courtesy of Floridapolitics.com
Lobbyist Ron Book’s businesses and family have given about $8000 to
Miami Gardens Mayor Oliver Gilbert.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 17
18 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Our Sponsors: DECEMBER 2019
By Margaret Grifs
BT Contributor
Garland and green grass. Kwan-
zaa and kayaks. Menorahs and
mojitos. Poinsettias and perfor-
mance art. The holidays in Miami are a
unique experience that can be enjoyed
by all. Here are a few year-end deals and
experiences that will make the transition
to 2020 easier and fun.
Enjoy traditional kosher Christmas
cookies with Grammy winner Nestor
Torres at the annual Holiday Concert
presented by Martha/Mary Concerts
(www.marthamaryconcerts.org, 305-
458-0111). Torres will grace the audi-
ence with a set of Latin jazz and holiday
tunes that will knock a little extra jingle
into your cascabels. Daniella Mass, an
America’s Got Talent favorite, will open
the show with versions of holiday music
and more. Tickets are a steal at $15 and
$25. The 3:00 p.m. concert takes place
at the Corpus Christi Church (3220 NW
7th Ave.). Free onsite parking is avail-
able. The adjacent baroque Chapel of La
Merced will be open before and after the
show so you can enjoy the extensive col-
lection of Spanish Colonial art.
At the Aventura Arts and Cultural
Center (3385 NE 188th St., 877-311-
7469), you’ll nd a number of shows
dedicated to time-honored holiday fare.
The king of them all is, of course, Tchai-
kovsky’s Nutcracker. The Arts Ballet
Theatre of Florida performs this classic
on Friday, December 6, and Saturday,
December 7, at 7:00 p.m. and again
on Sunday, December 8, at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets are $40. A children’s matinee
is presented both December 5 and 6 at
10:30 a.m. and costs only $10.
In a less traditional mood? Saunter
over to the Institute of Contemporary
Art, Miami (61 NE 41st St., 305-901-
5272) on Friday, December 6, at 6:00
p.m. for Lesbiennale 2019, a night
of live performances and club edits
presented by Boiler Room and curated
by Nadine Ahmad (Pxssy Palace) and
Naeem Davis (BBZ). Highlights include
live performances from Philadelphia’s
Moor Mother (artist, poet, and musician
Camae Ayewa) and Toronto’s Victoria
Sin, a performance artist who focuses on
gender identity.
Soon you might nd yourself on
a shopping expedition where you will
mutter, in Chief Martin Brody dead-
pan, “I’m gonna need a bigger cup.”
Enter Alaska Coffee Roasters (13130
Biscayne Blvd., 786-332-4254) for
some of the best coffee in the world as
a quick pick-me-up. If it’s lunchtime,
order yourself a house-made soup and
salad lunch for only $6! Or start the
day with a traditional breakfast. And
enjoy the wood-red pizzas, signature
sandwiches, or vegetarian dishes at any
time. The Game Night Fridays (7:00-
9:00 p.m.) trivia contest is a fun way to
win the prizes while enjoying happy-
hour specials.
Make your tree shopping easy with
a stop at KB’s Real Christmas Trees
(11400 Biscayne Blvd., 305-899-1955).
For over 40 years, former North Miami
mayor Kevin Burns has been lling
Miami homes with Fraser r, blue
spruce, and concolor r trees shipped
directly from his farms up north.
Whether you want a 40-foot giant or a
small wreath to ll your home with a
warm forest scent, KB’s has something
that will t your needs. Delivery and
set-up is available.
If your favorite gift recipient spent
Miami Art Week fawning over the art-
works, consider commissioning a piece
from local sculptress and new advertiser
Jenny Barnette, who is accepting orders
for portraits and sculpture. Jenny studied
at the Florence Academy of Art, where
she developed her style by learning the
techniques of the Old Masters, particu-
larly those of the Italian Renaissance. Or,
perhaps, you were the one summoned
by a muse at one of the art fairs. Expand
your skills and learn to creature your own
objets d’art with Jenny’s detailed instruc-
tion. Schedule a class, group or private, at
Jenn’s Sculpture Atelier (7115 N. Miami
Ave. 305-364-5048, jennssculptureatelier.
com). Clip the ad in the BT, and get $50
off tuition.
Congratulations go out to longtime
advertiser Hannah Lasky (305-772-
8426), who will be part of a group show
at the Paseo Wynwood art fair (3000 N.
Continued on page 20
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Our Sponsors: DECEMBER 2019
Miami Ave.) during Art Week. The re-
ception is on Tuesday, December 3, from
7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Stop by and say hi.
Although she’s focusing more intently on
her paintings these days, Hannah is still
taking appointments if you need a cut or
color, or just to commission an artwork.
Her pieces and her haircuts grace many
homes in the Biscayne Corridor.
Some of your gift recipients aren’t in
the Corridor or even in South Florida, so
you’ll need to ship. Barbara and Nancy at
Private Postal Systems (12555 Biscayne
Blvd., 305-895-6974) have 39 years of
experience packing parcels and sending
them via DHL, FedEx, UPS, or even
USPS. You can count on them to wrap
your gifts securely and advise you on the
best shipping options for your precious
items. Ship early!
Returning to the topic of local artists
for a moment, last summer Biscayne
Times encouraged everyone to partici-
pate in the 2019 Knight Arts Challenge
sponsored by the Knight Foundation.
The program selects winning entrants to
receive matching funds for their cultural
projects. The 44 winners of this year’s
challenge will be announced this month
and receive a share of $1.85 million. No,
we can’t tell you ahead of time who the
victors are, but we can suggest you start
thinking about what ideas you’ll enter in
the 2021 challenge. Visit KF.org/arts.
Whether it’s Miami Art Week, New
Year’s Eve, or one of many events in
between, you’ll need to dress to im-
press. Swish Boutique (771 NE 125th
St. North Miami, 786-482-8780) has a
store full of fun fashions that are sure to
make you stand out among your peers
wherever you wander. If your calendar
is really full this month but you’re low
on cash, make use of the store’s trade-in
policy to get a new outt for each event.
Trade-ins receive 50 percent of the resale
value in store credit. And students get
a 15 percent discount on Saturdays with
current school ID.
Need a place to wear that outt on
New Year’s Eve? Bayside Marketplace
(401 Biscayne Blvd., 305-577-3344) is
ringing in the New Year with a host
of fun and family-friendly activities.
Besides the free reworks, you’ll be
joining Mayor Francis Suarez, city
commissioners, Bill Talbert with the
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors
Bureau, the Big Orange Committee, and
Monty Trainer at the 36th annual cel-
ebration of the Big Orange. The Bayside
Marina Stage will feature local bands
from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. The big
stage will be set alongside Biscayne Bay
at Bayside Marketplace near Lombardi’s
Restaurant and Hard Rock Café. An-
other stage near Hard Rock Café will be
featuring a really great DJ!
Are you anxious about your less-
than-perfect teeth at the height of party
season? José J. Alvarez & Associates
(3483 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach,
305-224-6714) is offering one-day
makeovers and two-visit handcrafted,
signature veneers that will give you a
great reason to smile by New Year’s
Day, but only if you call soon. Dr. José
J. Alvarez is an award-winning graduate
of the University of Pennsylvania and a
board-certied implantologist.
What will take a little longer to
resolve, if you are signicantly over-
weight, is changing your body shape.
Fret not. You can do it, with help from
the staff at Jackson North Medical
Center (160 NW 170th St., North Miami
Beach, 305-585-TRIM). Sign up for
a free gastric-sleeve and weight-loss
seminar held Thursday, December 12, at
6:30 p.m., and you’ll be on your way to
better health.
Here’s great news from Art Friedrich
at the Urban Oasis Project. The project
received $5,524 during Give Miami
Day, which will fund the organization’s
garden build project for a whole year. A
big round of applause if you were one of
those donors. Of course, you can learn
more about making fresh, local food
accessible to all from Art himself at the
Legion Park Farmers Market (6601
Biscayne Blvd.). It’s open from 9:00 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m. every Saturday. The Pallets
in the Park program, where you can
enjoy performances from local poets and
musicians, will be held December 28.
Over in the Shores? Welcome back
Miami Shores Farmers Market, which
has reopened for the season. Run by the
indefatigable Claire Tomlin, the market’s
vendors feature fresh produce, baked
goods, prepared foods, juices, and more
every Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
at Miami Shores Optimist Park (9301
NE 2nd Ave.). On the rst Sunday of the
BizBuzz
Continued from page 18
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 21
month, the market is also host to a com-
munity bazaar, where patrons can sell
their antiques and other collectibles. Call
305-531-0038 to reserve a spot.
Alumni from Monsignor Edward
Pace High School (15600 NW 32nd
Ave., 305-623-PACE) are invited to join
students, faculty, and a special guest
to celebrate the $1.5 million project to
renovate Spartan Stadium. The upgrades
to the football eld and track course will
include new polyurethane turf and serve
Pace’s football, soccer, track, cross coun-
try, cheerleading, and girls’ ag football
teams. Cheers to athletic director and
1985 alumnus Tom Dufn, who will be
leading the troops on to victory, we’re
sure. The groundbreaking ceremony will
be held Thursday, December 5, at 1:00
p.m. on campus. Go Spartans!
This time of year, it often seems
that our guestrooms (and couches) were
secretly listed on Airbnb to be lled with
out-of-towners seeking refuge from the
cold wastes north of Lake Okeechobee.
You have to take them somewhere to
eat, but how many appearances can you
make at your favorite feedbag before you
get bored with it? Here are new choices
to add to your list.
Try Sins Gastrobar (9835 NE 2nd
Ave., Miami Shores, 786-801-0955)
which makes its rst appearance in
the BT this month. Venezuelan siblings
Carlos and Adriana Oropeza opened
this adventure in “sinfulness” recently.
The menu is divided into various circles
of “hell” that Dante would have loved to
sample. From the “not yet a sinner” to
“no regrets” to “guilty pleasures,” it’s all
good and very rich. Rack of lamb, truf-
ed sweet corn brûlée, and s’mores with
a twist will tempt even hardcore ascetics.
If your halo is only slightly tarnished,
you can choose from the lighter dishes,
such as kale and quinoa salad, cornbelly
soup, or wild mushroom risotto. The
theme continues into the cocktails menu
with Sinarita on 2nd, Forbidden Sour,
and Lying Tongue among the selections.
Dante would also like the deals featured
in this month’s ad.
Also welcome new advertiser
Mizumi Buffet & Sushi (3207 NE
163rd St., 305-705-2059) to North Miami
Beach and the pages of Biscayne Times.
Besides offering an extensive assortment
of fresh sushi, you can also treat yourself
and your companions to other innovative
or traditional Japanese and Chinese
dishes and desserts. Clip the coupon in
this issue’s ad to receive a 10 percent dis-
count off the already reasonable prices.
Weekday lunches are only $13.95; on
the weekend, they’re $15.95. The dinner
buffet is $22.95 on weekdays, and $24.95
on weekends. Call to ask about the prices
for children.
Amaranthine Mediterranean
Bistro (9801 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami
Shores, 786-907-4924) is another recent
addition to the blossoming Miami Shores
business district. Enjoy traditional
dishes, such as moussaka, galaktobou-
reko, and skopelos, or expand your range
to include the huevos fritos, croque
madame, and even a succulent ribeye.
And, thankfully, there’s Mark
Soyka’s Café Roval (5808 NE 4th Ct.,
786-953-7850), a popular destination for
locals wanting to impress their out-of-
town friends and family. The unique
coral rock architecture ensconced in a
tropical garden catches everyone’s eye
and lift spirits. But happy hour, with $7
cocktails, could be the perfect medicine
for holiday burnout.
If coffee just isn’t perking you up
enough to go out and ght the crowds,
you may be fatigued from over-shopping
or you may actually be coming down
with something. Schedule a visit to Medi-
Station Urgent Care (9600 NE 2nd Ave.,
Miami Shores, 305-603-7650), where
you can be quickly treated if you’re sick
and also receive a wellness I.V. that can
deliver nutrients for energy, immunity,
detox, or even a little holiday indulgence.
Most insurance plans are accepted.
Consider taking a break from all
the family arguments, broken toys, and
burnt dishes by visiting the Islands of
the Bahamas for a relaxing and restor-
ative trip. By restorative, we not only
mean your spirit, but also the economy
of our wonderful neighbors who suffered
great misery this hurricane season. The
ministry of tourism tells us that the vast
majority of tourist destinations are still
operating, and a trip anywhere else in
the chain will help with the long eco-
nomic recovery ahead. Visit Bahamas.
com for ideas, tips, and help with book-
ing a visit.
Happy Holidays from BizBuzz and
Biscayne Times.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
By Anne Tschida
Cover Photo by Armando Colls
Spread Photo by Silvia Ros
Wynwood’s Cautionary Tale
The recent history of this neighborhood follows a distressing
pattern: Artists move into a depressed area for cheap rents, then
galleries and hipsters follow, and fi nally commercial interests
exploit its popularity, raise rents, and drive out the artists
24 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Some people may remember the
early years of Wynwood’s de-
velopment as an arts district, the
backyards and courtyards of the rst
galleries that set up shop in the rough
neighborhood tucked between Biscayne
Boulevard and I-95 just north of down-
town. And some might say those outdoor
spaces were the real germinators of a
new arts and cultural scene that grew
more quickly than the natives, the nation,
and even the broader art world imaged.
Wynwood, and eventually the larger
geographic and more substantial com-
munity, wasn’t a traditional arts center.
It still isn’t. It’s had highs and lows
that make it a uniquely Miami work in
progress.
It must be noted rst that Wyn-
wood wasn’t an empty quarter. It was
a heavily Puerto Rican, working-class
area with a thriving garment district that
had fallen on hard times like so many
urban cores in the 1960s and ’70s. And
Miami always did have a contemporary
art scene, though much smaller and less
focused than today.
But for the moment, let’s concentrate
on Wynwood as a place, and as a symbol
of Miami’s burgeoning contemporary art
landscape. And let’s step back to some
of those early nights, sitting around a
dimly lit old picnic table in the back of
the Dorsch Gallery after closing time,
when artists, musicians, and hangers-on
would chat about the pros and cons of
contemporary works, the merits of elec-
tronic music, living arrangements for the
underpaid cultural creator, or just gossip.
Brook Dorsch opened his gallery,
one of the rst in Wynwood, in January
2000, at a time, he recalls, when “there
were interesting noises of a few cars
getting drugs from the bungalows across
the street — and homeless people riding
bikes on rims with no tires, and the
random bullet casings found on the roof
and sidewalk.”
But those decrepit streets around
the gallery added to the allure of nding
and living with authentic local art, and
the gallery lled in as a boho gathering
spot for an area that had none. And the
art was fresh and new, in a setting for
Miami artists who previously had few
outlets for showing their work.
The huge cleaned-out, cleaned-up
Dorsch Gallery warehouse space was
ideal for exhibiting big, sometimes brash
sculptures and paintings. There were the
large sculptures of Robin Grifths, made
with wood and quirky found objects,
often with a mechanical feel or element
(he’s a math professor). The similarly
large works crafted from heavy materi-
als like steel and even jet parts from
Ralph Provisero, which nonetheless had
a light, ethereal look, were exquisite.
Jordan Massengal, whose broad brush
strokes added to the unease of his narra-
tive visuals, showed his early paintings
there. All were at the time unknown and
still mostly underappreciated.
The setting added to the opening-
night ambiance. “Since I lived in the
space,” says Dorsch, “I usually stayed
open very late, and…after a few hours
BT photo (2010) by Silvia Ros
Continued on page 26
Brook Dorsch: “Since I lived in the space, I usually stayed open very late, and aer a few hours, we’d shut the front door and a group of people would hang out in the backyard
and have fantastic conversations under the stars.”
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 25
we’d shut the front door and a group of
people would hang out in the backyard…
and have fantastic conversations under
the stars.”
The space was large enough to ac-
commodate other events — like dance,
music, and lms. Recalls Dorsch: “There
was a New Year’s Eve party with DJ Le
Spam that drew over 400 people.”
The gallery was a work of love, he
says. “When I rst looked at the space, it
was lled with junk and debris. The roof
had been leaking, and everything was
moldy. You could barely move.... It was
perfect! And the deal included the house
next door.”
That abode was actually a crack
house, and after the tenants nally
departed, Dorsch gave it over to some
memorable performance art, including
David Rohn’s transvestite real estate
agent, Gretchen Bender, who tried to
“sell” the property.
Weston Charles was co-founder of
the area’s very rst gallery, the
artist-run Locust Projects. He
was, in fact, no stranger to the neighbor-
hood; his grandfather owned a lighting
supply and manufacturing place in
Wynwood, and Charles himself got his
rst art job working as a sculptor for a
restorer who had a little shop there.
But even he was still wary of the lo-
cation. “It was dangerous, and lled with
homeless,” he says. “People only went
there looking for trouble.”
But Charles, along with fellow recent
art-school grads COOPER and Eliza-
beth Withstandley, found a nondescript
rectangular structure with bricked-up
windows for about $500 a month that
would sufce and give them a chance to
let young artists show in an otherwise
small, closed, and cliquish art world.
From its inception, Locust Projects was
much loved for the alternative, exciting
art it featured.
Locust had no backyard per se,
but the adjacent empty lot served the
same purpose for congregating and
mingling. Those early pioneers might
have been conjecturing about the ef-
forts of the interventionist architectural
collective from Rome, Stalker, which
made a model of the Miami River from
dominoes that could be manipulated and
rerouted like a game. Charles recalls
that Stalker handed out cups of coffee
at drawbridges over the river and across
causeways, calling these acts “mean
time” interventions — instead of getting
mean while waiting for the bridge, you
relaxed. Charles laughs and says he’s not
sure people would trust such handouts
today.
One of his favorite initial exhibits, a
happening, really, was a VW bus trans-
formed into a mobile radio station that
broadcast throughout the night. “Was
anyone listening?” he says. “Who cared?
It just took place and it was cool.”
They also may have discussed some
of the rst shows from Miami art-
ists like Luis Gispert, the TM Sisters,
Tom Scicluna, Ivan Toth Depeña, and
Jason Hedges, who would later become
mainstays. Charles recalls that the young
founders had no blueprint as to what and
how they would exhibit; they just wanted
to give opportunities to artists closed out
of the traditional system. And, he says,
they simply wanted to be around art.
Rocket Projects was another gallery
that featured local artists who hadn’t had
a voice before — and it too had a back-
yard with a funky late-night vibe and an
indoor lounge. Back then, partying with
the art wasn’t like it would later be, with
swarms descending on Wynwood mostly
just to drink. It was more of a place to
hang out and talk; the beer and wine
were part of the conversation. (Okay,
there may have been more beer than
discussion of art history, but the point
was, these gatherings opened up a new
world vastly different from the clubs of
South Beach.)
Rocket Projects founders Nina Arias
and Nick Cindric also wanted to be
around art, to invite others to talk and
learn about it, and to show new works.
We got to see the plastic “gardens” of
decaying matter from Cristina Lei Ro-
driguez, who would later show nationally
and internationally; and works from now
Continued on page 34
Robin Griths’ work at a Dorsch Gallery show in 2004.
Courtesy of the artist
26 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
familiar names such as Daniel Arsham
and George Sanchez. One memorable
installation came from the now defunct
dynamic trio Jason Ferguson, Chris-
tian Curiel, and Brandon Opalka, who
collaborated under the name FeCuOp.
(They reunited this past September for
a performative piece for the 21st Locust
Projects anniversary.)
“With everyone hanging out in
our backyard,” remembers Cindric, an
art dealer, “and discussing art theory
on their lunch breaks to everyone
who’d made it to one of our open-
ings, Rocket was special. It created a
groundswell of energy and manifested
more creativity.
“That may sound like a bold state-
ment,” he continues, “but I still have
people stop me at an event to talk about
it fondly, 13 years later.”
Rocket Projects closed in 2006.
Bernice Steinbaum was another
early gallery pioneer in the neigh-
borhood, but she brought some ex-
perience with her. Coming from 20 years
as a gallerist in New York, she already
had a number of artists and collectors
following her. She also showed work that
Miami had never seen, with an empha-
sis on women (sadly, still underrepre-
sented). She brought us, for instance, the
acclaimed work of Maria Magdalena
Campos Pons and Carrie Sieh.
Steinbaum, recognized about town for
her outsize glasses and personality, and
her multicolored Asian smocks, became
enamored of the natural surroundings
she found when she moved to Florida,
and built one of Miami’s most respected
galleries, located at N. Miami Avenue and
36th Street.
She also began to change her
emphasis and started showing art with
environmental underpinnings made
from recycled materials. “People here go
outdoors” for inspiration, she explains,
not inside, like New York; and the fragil-
ity of the natural world was something
she wanted to explore in art, bringing
visitors with her on her mission.
“I want everyone to do something,
give something, for god’s sake, learn
something,” she says, in art and in life.
“I want us to be transformative.”
Other transformative commercial
galleries were populating the neigh-
borhood, including the David Castillo
Gallery, Diet Gallery, Anthony Spinello,
Ingalls & Associates, all featuring both
local and international artists. The
granddaddy of them all was Fredric
Snitzer, whose artists would become
some of Miami’s biggest exports and
emissaries: Hernan Bas, José Bedia, Bert
Rodriguez, Naomi Fisher, and many
others.
Along with the powerhouse private
collections of the Rubell family and Martin
Margulies, and short-lived more experi-
mental spaces — the strange and wonder-
ful TransEAT comes to mind, where Span-
iards Montse Guillen and Antoni Miralda
introduced us to the art of food and having
fun while soaking up culture — Wynwood
was the undisputed destination for new and
often compelling art.
That migration clearly caught the eye
of developers, and not just to rent cheap
space to galleries and artists, says Locust
Project’s Weston Charles. “I remember
them stopping by,” he says. “They were
denitely seeing something.”
Nick Cindric of Rocket Projects
remembers that “it was the beginning
of something much larger” than we ever
Continued on page 28
Cautionary Tale
Continued from page 22
Locust Projects 2004: Artist Jedediah Caesar invited dozens of other artists to send in cheaply constructed posters, which were pasted to Locust’s walls.
Courtesy of Locust Projects
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 27
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BT photo (2016) by Silvia Ros Courtesy of the artist
knew. He recalls huddling with about 15
other early Wynwood arrivals, “talking
about how we could combine efforts and
have a single gallery night walk.”
And voilà, Second Saturdays was
born, something that became both a
boon and a bane to the Wynwood art
experience.
Developer David Lombardi didn’t
wait for Second Saturdays before he
moved in. He bought his rst Wynwood
building in 2000. “I just thought it was
too cheap and too well situated to stay
down for long. I liked that you could get
to South Beach in seven minutes, down-
town in ve minutes, and the Design
District.” He became a major player in
the beginning, helping to shape the look
and feel of Wynwood. But eventually he
looked around and took note of another
asset: art.
“I was surprised to learn just how
many artists were working in the area
because it wasn’t readily apparent from
the streets,” he says. “As you know, any-
where there had been a window on these
buildings, it had been blocked up in the
1990s, and every fence had barbed wire.”
That inspired Lombardi to open
Wynwood Lofts, where artists and cre-
atives could take an ownership stake in
the neighborhood and purchase condos.
He also built the big storage facility
Museo Vault, an art infrastructural addi-
tion to the area, and later leased to some
of the more popular attractions, includ-
ing O Cinema, Wynwood Yard, and the
Wynwood Social Club.
The most prominent and powerful
developers, the family team of Tony
Goldman with son Joey and daughter
Jessica of Goldman Properties, had also
targeted the area. Already known for
helping to revive Manhattan’s SoHo
and South Beach, the Goldmans bought
up about 30 properties, then sought to
loosen the liquor laws so some of those
spaces could become bars and restau-
rants, which they believed could help
transform Wynwood from an occasional
gallery-hopping stop into a thriving
entertainment scene.
The Goldmans persuaded the city
to form the Wynwood Arts District,
which would initially allow for 15
liquor licenses in a compact area, and
relaxed parking restrictions. In a few
Continued on page 30
Cautionary Tale
Continued from page 26
Brandon Opalka collaborated at Rocket Projects with artists Jason Ferguson and Christian Curiel under the name FeCuOp.
Cristina Lei Rodriguez, Enchanting Intruder, installation at Rocket Projects, 2003.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 29
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short years, the once-deserted streets
were filling up with people frequent-
ing the new lounges and eateries
that were occupying the warehouses,
joined soon by retail stores and other
commercial outlets.
But Wynwood truly exploded as the
go-to hipster ’hood when Tony Gold-
man launched the Wynwood Walls
in 2009, capitalizing, literally, on an
already mushrooming — though more
underground — street mural phenom-
ena. While local taggers and writers
had been covering walls for a number of
years, legally and illicitly, when Gold-
man unveiled his assemblage of walls
at 2520 NW 2nd Ave., he launched an
entirely new chapter. Famed grafti
artists like Shepard Fairey, Os Gemeos,
Ron English, Kenny
Scharf, and Retna,
among others, were
commissioned to
turn Wynwood into
an international
destination.
It worked. Now,
along with night
revelers who ap-
peared for Second
Saturdays, the
streets were team-
ing with locals and
tourists. Wynwood
was morphing into
the commercial
center it is today, an
arts and entertain-
ment district, with
emphasis on the
latter.
Of course, new
galleries, the
bars and eat-
eries, and the color-
ful walls couldn’t
make Wynwood
the attraction it
would be by the
new millennium
without the most
important game-changer: Art Basel.
The art fair not only put Miami on the
international map, it sprouted numer-
ous ancillary events, from satellite fairs
that took place in Miami Beach and on
the mainland to pop-up happenings and
home-grown one-off exhibitions.
The whole city, from north to south,
became Art Basel’s stage, and developed
into the largest art event in the Western
hemisphere, what we now call Miami
Art Week. There were extravagant par-
ties literally on the sand at the beach, and
in plazas all over town, some of which
were not even VVIP. Stylishly dressed
Europeans could be found wandering the
streets around I-95 — walking, no cars.
Those Basel weeks in the early
2000s had a pioneering spirit, a feeling
of fresh creation. I remember smiling to
the whimsical Cars and Fish massive
digital visual-and-sound installation,
in which projections along Biscayne
Boulevard of dancers and sh played
off the walls of the newly inaugurated
Miami Performing Arts Center (now the
Arsht), accompanied by junkanoo bands,
produced by Gustavo Matamoros and
the late Charles Recher — with some
2500 attending the parade during Basel
in 2005.
And intriguing was a sandcastle
installation and performance by well-
known Miami artist Carlos Betancourt,
in a series of exhibitions that lled
empty warehouse space, developed by
Omni Arts. En La Arena Sabrosa refer-
enced his memories of being at the beach
“with my parents as a child and building
sand castles out of Dixie cups with not
a care in the world. In this installation,
I re-created and re-purposed the expe-
rience, building these sand castles —
around 6000 — again, not
like a child would do, but
like a grownup, [though]
I brought my parents and
some friends to help me
build it.... It was illuminat-
ed with theater lights with
sunset colors.” A couple
of years later, in 2006,
images of 101 of those
friends and acquaintances
appeared on stand-up cut-
outs in another warehouse
for a piece called the The
Cut-Out Army — natu-
rally we all wanted to see
if we were included.
Today there seems to
be little room left during
Basel for fun, experi-
mental programming that
makes us believe some-
thing on the cutting edge
is happening. But as
Betancourt points out,
that was a different time,
one that was destined to
change.
“Like any city, there
was less ‘noise’ back then,
less distraction,” he says
today. “But an artist should
know how to avoid these
anyway. There was perhaps greater com-
munication among artists, but that was a
result of less opportunities maybe. And
back then [in the early Wynwood days],
because of the absence of social media, the
Continued on page 32
Cautionary Tale
Continued from page 28
Courtesy of Art Miami
Bernice Steinbaum, recognized about town for her outsize glasses and personality,
arrived with 20 years of gallery experience in New York, and proceeded to show work
that Miami had never seen.
Developer David Lombardi bought his first Wynwood
building in 2000: “I was surprised to learn just how
many artists were working in the area because it wasn’t
readily apparent from the streets.”
e granddaddy of all transformative gallerists was Fredric
Snitzer, whose artists would become some of Miami’s
biggest exports and emissaries: Hernan Bas, José Bedia,
Bert Rodriguez, Naomi Fisher, and many others.
BT photo (2010) by Silvia Ros
BT photo (2008) by Silvia Ros
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 31
SOLD
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4631 SW 12TH ST, MIAMI 326 NE 94TH ST, MIAMI SHORES 999 NE 94TH ST, MIAMI SHORES
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297 NE 97TH ST, MIAMI SHORES 1145 99TH ST, BAY HARBOR ISLANDS
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32 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
underground scene was still thriving —
keeping all its secrets real tight.”
Change was hitting Wynwood at
a breakneck speed, at least compared
to the rst decade of its art existence.
There were novelty stores, outdoor
markets, food trucks, photo shoots, and
Second Saturdays seemed to go on all
day. To avoid the crush of revelers, many
galleries began skipping those Saturdays
and hold their openings on Thursdays or
Tuesdays — any day but that one.
In addition, rents were soaring,
while art acionados were dwindling.
It was too much for Bernice
Steinbaum. “I found it a little shock-
ing,” she now says about the crowds
of partiers. “It was becoming a tourist
trap, a social scene.”
Visitors were no longer really inter-
ested in art (unless it was pap produced
by non-serious galleries, in her opinion),
and after her husband died, she closed up
shop in 2014. Others had left before her;
high costs had forced Rocket Projects to
shutter its doors permanently, and major
galleries like the French Galerie Perro-
tin, Lyle O. Reitzel, and Kevin Bruk left
for good as well. Snitzer, Dorsch, Diet,
and Castillo all moved, mostly north-
ward to Little Haiti environs; Castillo
to the Beach; Snitzer south, closer to
downtown.
About ten years into its run as an
arts district, I wrote in these pages
that Wynwood was becoming
almost unrecognizable, and for the most
part, not in a good way. Would these
crowds of tourists upend efforts to foster
a serious art town? Would the Wynwood
era become just another Miami burst of
activity, a ash in the pan?
If anything, the circus atmosphere
of Wynwood has only grown. If you like
bubble teas and truck shows, here’s your
place. But at least, with the support of
the Wynwood Business Improvement
District, the neighborhood has also
turned into a community magnet, with
a gay pride parade and a performing
partnership with Miami City Ballet.
Wynwood, however, is no longer the
arts center. But around it a surprisingly
solid arts foundation has been forming. Our
museums are stronger than ever. Private
collections, now including the De la Cruzes
and the Bramans’ spectacular Institute of
Contemporary Art, are part of the landscape.
And serious funding, from the Knight
Foundation and Oolite Arts, is making it
somewhat easier to create and exhibit art.
Also, those who were at the fore-
front of the Wynwood marvel have not
disappeared.
Locust Projects, for instance, moved
to the Design District (pushed out, says
Charles, by property values and “the
crazy” atmosphere) and is now helmed
by Lorie Mertes, an observer of Miami’s
art development since she rst followed
Locust in Wynwood as curator of the
MAM (now PAMM). She has noted its
evolution: “It’s evolved from a scrappy,
artist-run space to becoming a 501(c)(3)
in 2001 with a board of directors to a na-
tionally recognized alternative art space.”
Now with a full-time director and
funding, Locust has become a hybrid,
featuring national and international art-
ists with an alt-art bent, and still includ-
ing local representation.
“Locust has been a vital part of
Miami’s art scene from the begin-
ning,” Mertes continues. “It drew
together all walks of Miami’s nascent
art community. Even in the pre-air
fly away
Cautionary Tale
Continued from page 30
Continued on page 34
Tony Goldman with daughter Jessica
in 2010: He quietly bought up some 30
Wynwood properties, persuaded the
City of Miami to create an arts district
with liberal liquor laws, then, in 2009,
transformed the area with the opening of
his Wynwood Walls on NW 2nd Avenue.
Acclaimed street artists Retna and El Mac teamed up in 2009, under the auspices of
Primary Flight, to create this commissioned wall mural near the Dorsch Gallery on
NW 24th Street.
e whole city, from north to south, became Art Basel’s stage, and developed into the
largest art event in the Western hemisphere, what we now call Miami Art Week.
Photo by Moris Moreno
BT photo by Silvia Ros
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 33
fly away
34 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Courtesy of the artist
BT photo by Silvia Ros
conditioning days, their Saturday-
night openings, their space in Wyn-
wood, was the place to be.”
Founder Weston Charles, who has
remained active in his support of Locust
after leaving it in the rst decade, agrees
that a 21-year-old Locust has landed on
a happy medium, showing bigger-name
national artists while continuing to give
opportunities to overlooked and emerg-
ing locals.
Bernice Steinbaum runs a smaller
version of her gallery from her home in
Coconut Grove, and has had a promi-
nent booth at Art Miami for more than
a dozen years. Fred Snitzer and David
Castillo are in the invitation-only Basel
show at the convention center. Brook
Dorsch and wife Tyler Emerson’s gleam-
ing new gallery features nicely curated
shows, often by locals such as Karen
Rifas and Mette Tommerup.
Carlos Betancourt will exhibit On
the Edge: The Hopeful Forest during Art
Week in the main lobby of the East Hotel
on Brickell — totemic sculptures that
explore the crafting of found, recycled,
and repurposed objects.
The Rubells have expanded west, to
a larger space in Allapattah; and Oolite
Arts will, in the next years, reopen in a
block-long complex in the Little River
neighborhood north of Little Haiti.
While most have given up on
Second Saturdays, many of the Wyn-
wood transplants and others have
replaced it with a Sunday progressive
brunch. The activity hasn’t died, just
relocated, reshaped, revised.
Twenty years after Wynwood began
as a nascent art center, it is no
longer the desired spot for galleries
and studios. In fact, it is often thought
to be a hindrance. But unlike 40 years
ago or 20 years ago or even 10 years ago,
art is not bound by location — it can be
found everywhere, from the Beaches to
the mainland, north and south.
Is it all high quality? No. Have we
developed respected and rst-rate art
schools? Not really. Is the foundation
strong enough to cultivate and nourish a
community that isn’t just about parties,
egos, and haphazard backyards?
Guess we’ll have to check back in
two decades.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Cautionary Tale
Continued from page 32
Carlos Betancourt’s The Cut-Out Army, 2006: “Like any city, there was less ‘noise’ back then, less distraction. And back then,
because of the absence of social media, the underground scene was still thriving — keeping all its secrets real tight.”
Wynwood is no longer an art center, but around it a surprisingly solid arts foundation has been forming, including the Bramans’
spectacular Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 35
36 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR
By Erik Bojnansky
BT Senior Writer
As recently as this past January,
Miami-Dade Transit director
Alice Bravo told Biscayne Times
that after Tri-Rail moves into Virgin
MiamiCentral Station, work would begin
toward setting up a temporary “demon-
stration station” on NE 2nd Avenue at
the edge of the Miami Design District.
Back then, Tri-Rail was projected to
start operating at Virgin MiamiCentral
Station by summer. The summer has
come and gone, and it’s now apparent
that Tri-Rail won’t be using MiamiCen-
tral until sometime after December 2020.
And that indenite delay has caused
local ofcials to begin thinking instead
about where the next permanent Tri-Rail
station should be built.
On November 14, during a commit-
tee meeting on transit issues, Bravo told
Miami-Dade County commissioners that
creating a temporary station is no longer
practical. That’s why the Florida Depart-
ment of Transportation is now willing to
allow a $1.97 million grant — previously
earmarked for a temporary station — to
be used to build a permanent station in
the vicinity of Midtown Miami.
“The state is willing to modify the
grant to make a permanent station,” said
Bravo during the county’s Transporta-
tion and Finance Committee meeting.
That news pleases Albert Garcia,
chairman of the Wynwood Business Im-
provement District (BID). For the past 14
months, the Wynwood BID has argued
that a future station should accommo-
date current and potential demand of the
Wynwood and Edgewater neighborhoods.
Garcia hopes that the next station
will be built at the southern end of
Midtown Miami, between NE 25th and
27th Street. To help make that dream a
reality, the BID has paid at least $25,000
on studies explaining the need for a
station in that location. The BID has also
garnered support from local property
owners who are willing to donate part of
their land and contribute funds toward
Trains and Tribulations
Biscayne Corridor property owners engage in a station turf war
A Lifetime of Achievement
Artist Karen Rifas is a hometown favorite
By Tyler Emerson-Dorsch
Special to the BT
This past October, Oolite Arts
awarded 44 Miami-based individ-
ual artists awards for projects and
travel at the second annual Ellie Awards
ceremony. The 2019 Michael Richards
Award, a lifetime-achievement award,
went to Karen Rifas.
As her gallerists, Brook Dorsch and
I congratulate Rifas for this recognition
of her life of work in art, as well as her
persistence, generous spirit, experimen-
tation, and canny eye.
Rifas moved into an expanded color
palette only three years ago — a shift that
was symbolic of breaking free of restraints,
both in herself and in her art history. Her
architectural spaces, once created with
cords and dried leaves, remain as ambitious
as ever; the vivid colors and solid planes
she now employs help us to take notice.
The Michael Richards Award recog-
nizes a Miami-based visual artist whose
practice has achieved a high level of
professional distinction. It was created as
a tribute to Michael Richards (1963-2001),
a provocative and poetic artist whose
body of work primarily addresses racial
inequity and social injustice. An alum of
Oolite Arts (formerly ArtCenter/South
Florida), Richards died in his art studio
in the World Trade Center during the
9/11 terrorist attacks. The jury comprises
local and national curators and arts
experts, and the award comes with a sig-
nicant cash prize of $75,000. The Bass
Museum also commits to give the recipi-
ent an exhibition within the next year.
“The Ellies celebrate the individual
artists who are the backbone of Miami’s
visual arts community,” according to
Oolite. And Rifas acknowledged that
“village” when she received the award.
“This is an honor for the whole commu-
nity,” she said. “It’s the story of my being
able to succeed as an artist here, to be
educated here, work here, make art here,
and teach many of the people who are
working artists in Miami today.”
Indeed, Rifas has built her entire
career in Miami. She moved here when
she was 12 and met her future husband at
Ponce de Leon Middle School. While she
was raising a family, she took art classes
at the Kendall campus of what was then
Miami-Dade Community College, now
MDC. She had good teachers, among
them the late Robert Huff. As soon as
her daughter got a driver’s license, Rifas
says, she enrolled at the University
of Miami, where she later received a
master of ne arts degree. She focused
on making installations that combined
bronze sculptures with organic materials,
and had her rst exhibition in 1987.
Her exhibition history maps the
many shifting players in the Miami art
scene as she won notice and then support
from galleries, institutions, and small
artist-run spaces, a number of which
have changed, moved, or closed over the
years. If all goes well, the focus of her
exhibition history will be her institu-
tional shows, as it should be.
I recently sat down with Rifas and we
went through her résumé, with an eye to
tracing Miami’s art history through the in-
terplay between the people and institutions.
Karen Rifas, one of our most celebrated artists, has worked in Miami her
entire career.
Continued on page 39
Continued on page 38
Tri-Rail trains like this are supposed to run from the airport to downtown’s
MiamiCentral depot, and from there, perhaps north up the FEC tracks.
Courtesy of De La Cruz Collection
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 37
Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDORCommunity News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR
Continued on page 40
BT photo by Silvia Ros
By Erik Bojnansky
BT Senior Writer
In his next four years as Miami’s
District 2 commissioner, Ken Rus-
sell says, he wants to complete a
Brickell-to-Edgewater baywalk, promote
initiatives for affordable housing, and
curb development that would negatively
impact residents and neighborhoods.
And while Russell admits he can
do a better job responding to every-
day complaints like potholes and code
compliance issues, the commissioner is
sure that most District 2 voters approve
of the job he’s doing. That’s why he was
re-elected for another four years, though
he admits he did have doubts.
“I was starting to get down because
of all the negative campaigning and
blogging,” Russell says. Those blogs and
campaign iers, he says, portrayed him
as an ineffective elected ofcial at best,
and as a corrupt politician at worst. What
was really bad, he claims, was that the
media repeated his opponents’ claims as
“scripture.”
But when he campaigned and min-
gled with District 2 residents, he says, he
“felt the love” and their appreciation for
the work he’s done.
“I’m very proud of the results of this
election,” says Russell, an ally of Mayor
Francis Suarez and current chairman of
the Miami City Commission. “It really
tells me that I’m on the right track with
the residents.”
Russell’s critics see it differently.
They say Russell was able to defeat three
challengers owing to unfair campaign
practices, lack of news coverage, the
advantage of incumbency, and a large
campaign war chest.
“I don’t know if there were any sur-
prises,” says Gary Ressler, a Downtown
Development Authority board member
who campaigned against Russell. “An
incumbent city commissioner has never
lost re-election. It was an uphill battle to
begin with.”
But Grant Stern, an Edgewater
activist, blogger, and occasional radio
talk show host, isn’t done yet. Stern, who
campaigned for candidate Jim Fried,
accuses Russell of using city employees
and vehicles in violation of state law to
campaign on Election Day.
Stern also alleges that the Biscayne
Neighborhoods Association (BNA), a
non-prot representing the Omni and
Edgewater areas, pushed for Russell’s
election, also in violation of state and
federal laws.
Stern tells the BT that he intends to
le a complaint with the Florida Elec-
tions Commission (regarding the city
employees) and the IRS (regarding BNA).
Both Russell and BNA president Andres
Althabe have denied the allegations.
Whatever the reason, Russell did
enjoy a decisive victory on November 5.
With 3777 ballots, he won 59.6 percent of
the vote, enabling him to avoid a Novem-
ber runoff.
Coming in second was Jim Fried, a
real estate broker backed by Russell’s
ardent opponents. Fried, in his rst run
for political ofce, received just 971
votes, or 15.3 percent.
Coming in third place was Rosa Palo-
mino, a perennial state representative
candidate, with 862 votes, or 13.6 percent.
Javier Gonzalez, another real estate
broker who once presided over the Coco-
nut Grove Village Council, nished last
in his second run for the District 2 post,
with 726 votes, 11.5 percent.
With access to at least $1.1 mil-
lion, Russell had an enormous nancial
advantage over his opponents. Fried’s
campaign only assembled $75,352 in
contributions; Gonzalez raised $12,835;
and Palomino had just $5350 in cash and
in-kind donations.
In an e-mail to the BT, Fried states
he did the best he could with limited
Miami City Commissioner
Ken Russell “Feels
the Love”
Yet only 6333 of 55,003 registered voters cast ballots
Miami City Hall: Commissioner Ken Russell now presides as
commission chairman.
Ken Russell: The candidate collected $463,090 for his campaign and
$662,650 for his political action committee.
BT photo by Silvia Ros
Karen Rifas
Continued from page 36
38 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Continued on page 43
In Rifas’s early career, Gloria Luria
presented her rst gallery show. Several
other galleries were also important and
repeated outlets for her artwork and
development. ArtCenter/South Florida
provided a more experimental venue
in 1990, and Rifas showed there at least
seven times. Her decades-long collabora-
tion with dancer and choreographer Dale
Andre began there. Through one of her
teachers, Ron Fondaw, Rifas worked with
sculptor Patrick Dougherty on an immer-
sive exhibition at North Miami Center of
Contemporary Art (COCA) in 1991.
COCA, now MOCA North Miami,
also provided exhibition opportuni-
ties to many emerging artists. Sheldon
Lurie gave Rifas shows at two of MDC’s
galleries. She showed at the Miami-Dade
Public Library many times. Her works
were reviewed in numerous publications,
including the Miami Herald , El Nuevo
Herald, Miami Rail, Miami New Times,
the Knight Arts blog, and here, in the
pages of Biscayne Times.
Rifas taught at MDC’s Kendall
campus, the University of Miami, and
New World School of the Arts. In
subsequent years, she supported her
own students, doing studio visits and
attending their shows. Her students
are now artists and art professionals
like Adrienne Chadwick, Nicole Doran,
Tomm El-Saiah, Alejandro Contreras,
Rafael Domenech, Loriel Beltran, Adler
Guerrier, Ibett Yanez del Castillo, Zach-
ary Balber, and Luis Gispert, to name a
few. She and her husband, Harold, are
a familiar presence at all the art events
around town, and their support of artists
here is palpable.
Her students and peers have curated
her work into thoughtful and impact-
ful exhibitions. William Cordova has
a talent for making formal, poetic, and
conceptual connections visible in his
group exhibitions, which show work by
Miami-based artists. He includes Rifas’s
work in many of these shows. She was in
an iconic 2001 show, “globe — Miami —
island,” curated by Robert Chambers, her
classmate at Kendall and later UM, at
the Bass in 2001, when Art Basel Miami
Beach’s inaugural event was canceled
after the 9/11 attacks. Adler Guerrier has
included Rifas in a show currently on
view at Fundación Atchugarry, and Ibett
Yanez is including Rifas in a group show
as part of Casa Cor Miami this month.
Connections such as these can make
a huge difference at all stages in a career.
Robert Thiele gave Rifas her rst draw-
ing show at North Miami’s Bridge Red in
2013. This show gave Rifas the con-
dence to experiment with new modes
and forms at a time when, she says, she
felt limited to the leaf and cord installa-
tions for which she was so well known.
This show owed to another at Under
the Bridge, run by Lou Anne Colodny,
the founder of COCA. This show paired
cord installations and solid-color painted
shapes on the wall, a format related to
the drawings from the previous show.
At meetinghouse, a penthouse space
run by Philip Bonnery, Moira Holo-
han, and Veruska Vasconez in a historic
building downtown, Rifas expanded her
Karen Rifas, I’m Dancin’ As Fast As I Can, 2005, installation view, Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale.
Courtesy of NSU
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 39
Trains and Tribulations
Continued from page 36
the construction of a Tri-Rail station.
“New businesses and new residential
are coming into this area, and we [Edge-
water, Midtown Miami, and Wynwood]
already receive upward of ve to six
million annual visitors,” Garcia says.
“The streets are not getting any wider, so
in order to be able to manage not only
current but anticipated growth we aspire
to bring to the neighborhood, we have to
bring in additional [transit options].”
However, Craig Robins, founder of
Dacra and principal developer of the
Design District, insists that the area, a
159-acre commercial sector that’s been
transformed into a luxury shopping and
dining destination, also needs a train
station.
“While we feel strongly that the
station in the Design District should not
be moved, we have no objection to the
county building a second station in Wyn-
wood if they feel it is needed,” Robins
states in an e-mail to the BT. “Our hope
This is the site of the proposed Design District train station for a Tri-Rail commuter system.
Continued on page 42
BT photo by Caitlin Graneld
40 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
funds and time. “I wish we had more
time to get our message out,” he states.
“Ten weeks is an impossibly short period
time to put together a campaign, but
everyone on my team gave it their all,
and so did I.”
Russell’s win means that District 2
will remain in the hands of a Coconut
Grove resident, as it has since the City
of Miami switched to a single-member-
district system in 1997 (see “Miami’s
Election Rejection,” October 2019).
Fried, an Edgewater resident, was
promoted as a voice for District 2
residents living in downtown Miami and
Edgewater. However, Russell nished in
rst place in precincts throughout District
2, both inside and outside Coconut Grove.
Russell obtained more than 50 per-
cent of the vote in all but three precincts.
Two of those precincts, 577 and 578,
were located in the Golden Pines area, on
the north side of U.S. 1. Russell captured
47 percent of the ballots (221 votes).
Palomino, who is president of the
Douglas Park Homeowners Association
—located within Golden Pines — re-
ceived 27 percent (127 ballots). Gonzalez
got 20.6 percent (97 ballots). And Fried
received just 5.3 percent (25 ballots).
In Precinct 599, which covers part of
Midtown Miami and western Edgewater,
Russell captured just 44.7 percent, while
Fried won 36.8 percent. Few voters in
that precinct even turned out — just 38
out of 1077 registered voters.
Indeed, fewer voters turned out
in this District 2 election than in 2015,
when Russell emerged victorious over
seven other contenders. Four years ago,
6598 ballots were cast out of 41,566
registered voters in the District 2 race
— a turnout of 15.9 percent. This year
the turnout was 11.5 percent, with only
6333 out of 55,003 registered voters
participating.
Nevertheless, Russell received more
votes this past November than the 2727
he received in 2015. “The end result was
better than we hoped for,” he says.
Russell won 62.4 percent of the 2873
ballots cast in Coconut Grove, where he
lives and where he has advocated for a
strengthened Neighborhood Conservation
District to control the size of future homes.
Coconut Grove, in fact, provided 45.3 per-
cent of all his votes throughout District 2.
He performed well in the downtown
area, too, capturing 63 percent of the
1604 ballots cast in precincts
located in Brickell, the Cen-
tral Business District, and
Park West. The largest portion
of Russell’s downtown votes
came from Brickell, where he
received 716 ballots. He was
endorsed by the Brickell Home-
owners Association.
He also won 56.6 percent
(128 votes) of Precinct 516,
which covers the Upper Eastside
neighborhoods of Morningside
and Bayside, where the turnout
of 15.1 percent was higher than
the District 2 average.
In contrast, the precincts
within the Omni, Edgewater,
and Venetian Islands had a far
lower turnout. Out of 11,550
registered voters in those neigh-
borhoods, only 6.3 percent, or
727 people, cast ballots.
“Most people didn’t even
know there was an election
happening,” complains Fried
supporter Grant Stern.
Those who did know
tended to vote for Russell, who
received 64.5 percent of the
Omni-Edgewater-Venetian Is-
lands ballots, compared to 22.6
percent for Fried.
Stern says Russell’s vic-
tory was secured by his huge
cash advantage, as well as the
minimal coverage of the race by
large media outlets. “Ken had 12
times the amount Jim had,” Stern
grumbles. “Screw the media. Hell, man.”
Besides having a money advantage,
Stern accuses Russell of using his of-
ce’s city staff to deliver food and water
to workers at two polling stations on
election day. As evidence, the Fried cam-
paign supplied the BT with somewhat
blurry photos of an individual arriving
in a city car while carrying a labeled bag.
Russell replies that he was in touch
with his staff on city issues even while
he was campaigning on election day. On
that day, his district director was inform-
ing him about visiting a Grove constitu-
ent over a desired trafc-calming device,
Russell says. Food and water were
never brought to campaign workers by
city staff using city vehicles, he insists.
“There were a lot of crazy accusations,”
he says.
Stern also says that Andres Althabe,
president of the Biscayne Neighbor-
hoods Association, used his nonprot
organization to campaign for Russell
in Edgewater in violation of federal
laws governing nonprots. Stern claims
that support was a reward for Russell
having appointed Althabe to the Plan-
ning Zoning and Appeals Board. Along
with the BNA’s endorsement came
e-mails promoting Russell, as well as
candidate forums — hosted by Althabe
— that were biased in favor of Russell,
Stern asserts.
Stern also claims that the BNA or-
ganized a “candidates’ walk” attended
by Russell during Yom Kippur, when
Fried (who is Jewish) couldn’t attend.
“It appears the nonprot acted like a
non-registered political committee,”
Stern says.
Stern adds that the BNA paid Elea-
zar Melendez as a consultant. A former
journalist who once worked as Russell’s
chief of staff, Melendez’s Vision with
Action political action committee re-
ceived $150,000 from Russell’s Turn the
Page PAC during Melendez’s
run for District 1 commission-
er. (Melendez nished third
out of seven contenders. The
seat was won by Alex Diaz de
la Portilla in a runoff.)
Melendez says he re-
ceived his last payment from
the BNA in July, prior to the
election, and sees Stern and
his accusations as ridiculous.
“Grant Stern has no credibility
in this community and has not
achieved anything in many
years, other than being a loud-
mouth, unlike Ken Russell
who gets things done,” says
Melendez, who, following the
election, resumed his contract
work with the BNA.
Althabe scoffs at the
notion he could be bought
off by an appointment to the
Planning Zoning and Appeals
Board, and points out that he
has often voted against Rus-
sell’s zoning initiatives.
“I didn’t participate at
all in the [2015] election
campaign when Russell was
elected commissioner, and
about a year later, he nominat-
ed me to the board,” Althabe
tells the BT, adding that “only
in a feverish mind” can some-
one claim that Russell was
“rewarding me in anticipation
that, three years later, I would
support his reelection.”
Althabe says he encouraged condo-
minium associations to open their build-
ings to all District 2 candidates, and
denies there was a “candidates’ walk.”
Instead, Althabe explains, a single condo
association organized a walk with Rus-
sell and some city department heads to
point out code violations and broken
roads caused by construction rms
building high-rises in Edgewater.
“They wanted the commissioner
[Russell] and code compliance, and they
wanted the police to walk through the
neighborhood and show them the condi-
tions that needed improvement,” he says.
As for his endorsement of Russell,
Althabe says, that didn’t come until
he had several conversations with all
the candidates. “I spoke to Fried three
times,” he explains. And after those
conversations, Althabe says he felt
Ken Russell
Continued from page 37
Continued on page 44
District 2: Four years ago, 6598 ballots were cast
out of 41,566 registered voters — a turnout of 15.9
percent. This year the turnout was 11.5 percent,
with only 6333 out of 55,003 registered voters
participating.
Map by Marcy Mock
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 41
is that our neighbors to the south are not
trying to take something away from us
in order to benet themselves.”
A station at both NE 27th Street and
on NE 2nd Avenue beneath the I-195/
Julia Tuttle Causeway, is probably im-
practical. According to Steven Abrams,
executive director of Tri-Rail’s overseer,
South Florida Regional Transportation
Authority (SFRTA), train stations should
be at least 2.5 miles apart. The proposed
Midtown and Design District stations
would be less than one mile apart.
Nevertheless, City of Miami Mayor
Francis Suarez has expressed his will-
ingness to make an exception in the case
of Midtown Miami. During a November
1 meeting about Tri-Rail, held at Miami
City Hall, Suarez argued that the normal
rules probably don’t apply to what he
called the most densely developed cor-
ridor in the southeast United States. “I’d
like to see a stop at or near every com-
mercial area,” he said.
The location of a new Tri-Rail
station, and how that station would be
built, could be discussed by SFRTA
board members within the next couple of
months, Abrams tells the BT.
“Our next board meeting is Decem-
ber 6, but the agenda is packed, so while
I may provide a brief update, I do not
anticipate a board discussion until our
January 24 meeting,” Abrams explains
in an e-mail.
The City of Miami may also soon
have a greater say in where train sta-
tions can be placed within its municipal
boundaries. A resolution, co-sponsored
by county Commissioner Xavier Suarez
(Francis Suarez’s father) and county
Commissioner Jean Monestime, would
require the local transportation agency,
the Transportation Planning Organiza-
tion (TPO), to coordinate with Miami
city ofcials in identifying future Tri-
Rail station locations. That resolution
will likely be heard by the TPO’s board
on December 19. (Monestime and both
Suarezes are TPO board members.)
A station, or stations, just north of
downtown may be the next step toward
creating Tri-Rail Coastal Link, the pro-
posed, publicly funded commuter train
system that would run from Miami-
Central Station to Jupiter Inlet in Palm
Beach County, with as many as 28 stops.
But before any commuter-train plan
can progress, it will need approval by
the railroad tracks’ owner, Florida East
Coast Railway (FEC), as well as Virgin
Trains USA, a private company that
operates the Brightline express train
between the downtown areas of Miami,
Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach,
and aims to open a station at Orlando In-
ternational Airport by mid-2022. (Virgin
Trains USA has an exclusive easement
agreement with FEC.)
In 2014, state, county, and City of
Miami ofcials agreed to allocate $68
million to pay for a rail extension linking
the state-owned rail corridor west of
I-95, where Tri-Rail now operates, to
the FEC railway that runs near Biscayne
Boulevard.
The money would also cover the cost
of building a Tri-Rail platform within
the MiamiCentral complex. Under a
2015 agreement between Tri-Rail and
Brightline’s operators, Tri-Rail can set
up additional stations along the FEC
railway within eight miles of Miami-
Central, pending technical reviews. That
northern point is generally considered to
Trains and Tribulations
Continued from page 39
Map showing proposed station favored by Wynwood business interests with walking times from 1/4 and 1/2 miles.
Continued on page 42
42 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR
be the Y-shaped rail junction at NE 73rd
Street and NE 2nd Avenue.
The agreement also requires Tri-Rail
to pay Brightline’s operators $1 million
for access to the tracks. Abrams says the
$1 million will be paid once Tri-Rail is
allowed to operate from MiamiCentral,
an event that has yet to happen because
Virgin Trains and FEC have yet to nish
installing Positive Train Control safety
technology along the rail corridor, as
mandated by the federal government.
Tri-Rail and Virgin Trains also have
yet to forge an agreement that would
allow Tri-Rail stations north of NE 73rd
Street. That hasn’t stopped the Miami-
Dade County Commission from invest-
ing $72 million toward the construction
of a train station at 19700 W. Dixie High-
way, just west of Aventura Mall. Under a
development agreement approved by the
county on October 10, Virgin Trains will
use county funds to build the station and
a pedestrian bridge that would stretch
over W. Dixie Highway and Biscayne
Boulevard toward Aventura Mall.
The station itself will be owned by
the county. A lease agreement detail-
ing rent has yet to be negotiated. Virgin
Trains, meanwhile, is negotiating for
the construction of additional train sta-
tions in PortMiami, Boca Raton, Disney
World, and Tampa.
Still, the Aventura Station develop-
ment agreement does require Virgin
Trains USA to enter into good faith
negotiations with a commuter train
service that charges rates far lower than
the $10-$40 for a ride on Brightline.
That includes designing a platform for a
future commuter train at Aventura Sta-
tion. (The logical train service would be
Tr i-Rail.)
Another effect of the Aventura sta-
tion deal: It reignited discussions about
Tri-Rail Coastal Link. As county Com-
missioner Estefan Bovo put it during the
November 14 committee meeting: “The
investment in Aventura sent a shock-
wave across the entire line.”
Indeed, a few weeks after the
Aventura Station deal was consummated,
a pair of meetings on future Tri-Rail
stations was held at Miami City Hall on
November 1, hosted by father-and-son
Suarez plus Monestime.
During that meeting, Albert Garcia,
Wynwood BID founder David Polinsky,
and Edgewater landowner Rick Rammos
declared their intention to give land
and funds toward the construction of a
commuter train platform. They again
presented a study that concludes there
will be far more residential and commer-
cial development within a half mile of
NE 25th Street than there will be within
the Miami Design District.
The Wynwood BID pitch was fol-
lowed by a proposal by Plaza Equities
chairman Neil Fairman to build a station
at NE 62nd Street for the phased 7.8 mil-
lion square-foot Magic City Innovation
District project slated to be built on 18
acres in Little Haiti.
Commissioner Xavier Suarez made
his own pitch — to have Tri-Rail trains
travel along an existing east-west rail
link from Miami International Airport
toward the Biscayne Corridor, with at
least one station at the site of the stalled
Poinciana Industrial Park project in the
Gladeview-Liberty City area. Suarez’s
idea was embraced by Monestime, as
well as Al Hardemon, uncle of Miami
City Commissioner Keon Hardemon,
who declared that such an east-west line
would be an “opportunity for Model City
and Liberty City.”
The Design District had no repre-
sentatives at the November 1 meeting.
However, attorney Neisen Kadsin did
appear on the Design District’s behalf at
the county committee meeting, where
he argued that a station near NE 36th
Street was imperative for a future rapid
transit connection between Midtown
Miami and Miami Beach. That’s why
$2.5 million in state and county funding
was originally earmarked for a tempo-
rary Design District station on NE 2nd
Avenue beneath I-195, he argued.
But Albert Garcia says time is run-
ning out. If Tri-Rail’s directors wait any
longer, future development may prevent
the construction of a new station.
Rick Rammos, co-owner of Bon
Vivant Woodworking, says his family is
willing to contribute a portion of its land
to build a train station. His family owns a
controlling interest in Miller Machinery
& Supply Company, which has operated
in a two-story warehouse at 127 NE 27th
St. since the 1930s. And although Bon
Vivant moved to Opa-locka last year, the
family still owns the two-story building
on the south side of 27th Street, which
now serves as an ofce building for such
businesses as Metro 1 Properties, Plaza
Construction, and Brodson Construction.
Rammos says his family’s property
is better suited than the NE 2nd Avenue
Design District site for a train station
because they would allow more room
for freight and Brightline trains to pass
by any Tri-Rail trains that are unload-
ing passengers. That’s why All Aboard
Florida, the precursor to Brightline,
approached the family ve years ago.
“They were interested in making a
deal, purchasing our property, or doing
a joint venture,” Rammos recalls. “We
had discussions, plans drawn up, and
numbers thrown out, but nothing made
sense to us.”
(Virgin Trains did not reply to ques-
tions from the BT by deadline.)
Since then, Rammos says, the family
property has been in “limbo.” But should
a station be built behind his family’s
building, they might be interested in
developing something next to it. Cur-
rent zoning already allows 12-stories of
development, he adds.
“I would think they would end up
being some kind of ofce, commercial,
or retail, something along those lines,”
he tells the BT. “But I’m not a planner or
an architect.”
Tony Arellano, managing partner of
Downtown Realty Advisors, says train
stations are desperately needed in an
area overowing with new development
and vehicular trafc. Nevertheless, just
because a train station is nearby doesn’t
mean that a property is any more attrac-
tive for development.
“I think train stations are good for long-
term value,” Arellano says, “but in the im-
mediate term, I don’t see any huge effects.”
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Trains and Tribulations
Continued from page 41
Tri-Rail’s Steves Abrams (left) says stations should be at least 2.5 miles apart, but the Midtown and Design
District stations would be less than one mile apart.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 43
Karen Rifas
Continued from page 38
color palette for the rst time in decades.
Up until this point, with the exception
of a series of ready-made sculptures, her
palette was earthy or, as in her drawings,
based on Bauhaus colors. It was signicant,
then, that she intervened in the dark brown
and white space with careful applica-
tions of pink and black paint on particular
architectural elements. The introduction of
pink was dramatic and deeply symbolic for
Rifas, constituting another breakthrough.
In the year that followed, she created a
large body of new paintings on paper in an
explosion of color. She showed this series
at our Emerson Dorsch Gallery with an
installation that echoed the forms on
paper. The following year, Sylvia Karman
Cubiña, director at the Bass Museum,
gave her the most perfect room in which
to create her vivid world. The resulting
exhibition, “Deceptive Constructions,”
was exquisite, her best to date. What lent
this exhibition its power was that its works
emerged from a lifetime of making art in
this particular scene — an intersection of
museums, galleries, and artist-run spaces.
By navigating so much of it, Rifas has
developed artwork that is appealing to so
many who see it, from those new to art to
those who are in it for life.
It takes an ecosystem of supportive
peers, institutions, and intermediaries
like galleries and independent curators
to create an art scene that can build an
artist’s entire career. Jane Chu, former
chairwoman of the National Endowment
for the Arts, has said just this — that
a healthy art scene requires multiple
rungs in its ladder. The Michael Rich-
ards award shows how these rungs are
coming together to form a ladder.
This recognition of her life of work in
art is a tting honor for Karen Rifas, and
we are grateful to Oolite Arts for shining
a light on her and the other 44 winners.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
BRINGING
ART TO LIFE
IN MIAMI
Congratulations to the 44 winners of
the 2019 Knight Arts Challenge Miami,
sharing $1.85 million to bring their best
arts ideas to life, and to this year’s
Knight Arts Champions, leaders who
are shaping the arts in South Florida!
KF.org/arts | @knightfdn | #knightarts
Photo: Mateo Serna
Installation view from “Deceptive Constructions,” 2018, at the Bass
Museum.
Courtesy of Bass Museum
44 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Community News: BISCAYNE CORRIDOR
that the neighborhood would be better
served by someone experienced like
Russell, as opposed to someone “learn-
ing from scratch.”
Russell argues that voters rejected
Fried’s backers, which the incumbent
described as “the casino interests, the
lobbyist interests, and the developer in-
terests.” Most of those interests, he adds,
were resentful of his previous votes and
actions. “They had one goal — to unseat
the District 2 commissioner,” he says.
Fried’s campaign did receive
thousands of dollars from lobbyists and
companies afliated with the Haven-
ick family, which owns the Magic City
Casino in Little Havana. The Havenick
family has plans to bring a poker room
and jai alai fronton to Edgewater, plans
that were complicated by Russell push-
ing through legislation requiring the sup-
port of four out of ve city commission-
ers to open any new gambling facilities
in Miami.
Fried’s campaign and Common
Sense, an Electioneering Communica-
tions Organization tied to Fried, received
at least $5500 from companies associ-
ated with the Havenick family. Manny
Prieguez, a businessman and lobbyist
who represents Magic City Casino, gave
$5000 to Fried’s campaign and spent
another $10,000 on anti-Russell iers.
High-prole lobbyist Ron Book, who
has also worked on Magic City’s behalf,
contributed $5000 to Common Sense.
Magic City Casino wasn’t the only
big contributor to the Fried campaign.
Gary Ressler, who is displeased with
Russell’s leadership of the Downtown
Development Authority, gave Fried
$3000. Dezer Development gave $3000.
Hallandale-based sales consultant Alex
Kleyner gave $3000. And attorneys
from the land-use rm of Bercow Radell,
which hosted two Fried fundraisers, gave
at least $3250.
Russell collected $463,090 for his
campaign and $662,650 for his political
action committee, Turn the Page. Major
contributions included $22,000 from
the OKO Group, headed by Russian
developer Vladislav Doronin; $20,000
from the Treo Group, which is devel-
oping Regatta Harbour in Coconut
Grove; $20,000 from Optimum Devel-
opment; $20,000 from Baldwin 7 LLC
in Delaware; $11,000 from multifam-
ily building developer ZOM; $11,000
from real estate investor and attorney
Jay Solowsky; as well as $9000 from
Solowsky’s frequent business partner
and restaurateur Steven Perricone.
Russell also received $10,000 from
developer Tibor Hollo; $10,000 from
Miami Design District developer Craig
Robins; $10,000 from Midtown Op-
portunities; $10,000 from Rishi Kapoor
of Location Ventures; $10,000 from
businessman Jonathan Leyva; $10,000
from Harlequin Property Management;
$10,000 from PMG Florida LLC headed
by Kevin Maloney and Ryan Shear;
$10,000 from Itay Avital’s Tano Group;
and $10,000 from the Sapir Organization.
Also contributing $10,000 was devel-
opment rm Crescent Heights, headed by
Russell Galbut, which would be Magic
City Casino’s landlord should it gain
approval for a poker room and jai alai
fronton at 3050 Biscayne Blvd.
Although Russell refused big dona-
tions during his rst run for ofce, the
incumbent explains he has no problem
accepting contributions from at least
some developers. “I’m very proud of
being a strong fundraiser,” he explains.
“They measure the horse race viability of
a candidate. And this is the only way to
get the message out.”
Indeed, $100,000 of Turn the Page’s
funds were left over from Russell’s cam-
paign for Congress in 2017. Ultimately
he abandoned his run after the state
legislature passed a law requiring elected
ofcials to resign their current ofce
prior to running for another. Former
University of Miami president Donna
Shalala was elected.
But will Russell tire of his job as
commissioner again and take another
shot at Florida’s 27th Congressional
District? No, he says.
“Donna Shalala is going to live
forever and serve for as long as she
wants to serve,” says Russell. “She’s an
Energizer Bunny. I’m very glad to have
her there. Her interest in local issues has
really helped me move the ball on things
that have federal overlap, and I need her.
I need her help.”
Besides, Russell asserts, he prefers
being a commissioner: “As the mayor
always says, ‘The worst day as a city
commissioner is better than the best day
in Congress.’ I have more ability to do
things for my constituents.”
When told that Russell has no desire
to run for Congress again, downtown
property owner Gary Ressler laughs. “I
call bullshit,” he says. “Let’s see what
happens.”
At the very least, Ressler says, he
hopes the election has shown Russell,
and the rest of Miami’s leadership, what
needs to be done to make Miami a more
sustainable place in which to live and
do business.
“It is what it is,” Ressler sighs.
“There’s no option but to make the best of
the situation at hand.”
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Ken Russell
Continued from page 40
Jim Fried: “I wish we had more time to get our message out. Ten weeks
is an impossibly short period time to put together a campaign.”
Grant Stern, Fried supporter: “Most people didn’t even know there was
an election happening.
BT photo by Silvia Ros
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 45
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Finally, a note regarding the above-
mentioned Henry Levy. While very
important to the development of primar-
ily North Beach, Levy was not one of the
“founding fathers” any more than Rose
Weiss was “the mother of Miami Beach.”
Levy was a great man, but he came
to Miami Beach in 1922 or 1923, as
noted in both Sunshine, Stone Crabs and
Cheesecake: The Story of Miami Beach
and 33154: The Story of Bal Harbour,
Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek Vil-
lage and Surfside.
Not only did Mr. Levy propound the
79th Street Causeway and build Norman-
dy Isle, but he also built the lower third
of what today is the Town of Surfside,
with the original name having been
Normandy Beach, as well as Normandy
Beach South, the strip of oceanfront
on Miami Beach from approximately
67th to approximately 77th Streets. He
is further memorialized by the fact that
71st Street on Miami Beach has been
renamed Henry Levy Boulevard.
Lest the readers of Biscayne Times
think that I am being picky, I assure
them that they are correct, and, yes, I
am, because when it comes to history,
which I teach at both Barry University
and Nova Southeastern University’s
Lifelong Learning Institute, nothing is
more important than facts and truth, and
too much of Greater Miami’s history has
been subverted by and with misinforma-
tion, hooey, fairy tales, fol-de-rol, and, as
we would say in French, “bubbemissehs.”
That is neither right nor the way it
should be, and as Miami’s senior histo-
rian, now having collected FEC Railway,
Florida transportation memorabilia,
Miami memorabilia, and Floridiana for
61-plus years, nothing is more important,
when it comes to history (and as stated
above) than truth and facts. And that is,
as Paul Harvey used to say, “the rest of
the story.”
Seth H. Bramson
Miami Shores
Margaret Grifs replies: Dear Mr.
Bramson, thank you for your ever-
present interest in keeping the story of
Miami faithful. As you well know, a
1500-word “Community News” story
can easily spin itself into 15,000 and
more, when not constrained by space
and time requirements. Many details
and personages you would have liked
included had to be set aside for other sto-
ries, at other times. And you’ve already
written those delightful books.
As for your valid concerns about
inconsistencies, I think Drive of the
Campanili makes more sense than Cam-
panil, because “campanili” is the plural
in Italian of “campanile” or bell tower,
which were to be features on the islands.
I too questioned why the National
Register of Historic Places decided to
consider Venetian Causeway as the
oldest causeway in the county. I believe
they included the original Collins Bridge
in their thinking, which was the access
bridge to the Venetian Islands before
the new bridges were built. Or perhaps
extensive rebuilds of the MacArthur
bridges in the 1950s and 1990s disquali-
ed that causeway as being the oldest.
Whatever the reasoning, the National
Register of Historic Places supported in-
clusion of the Venetian Causeway in the
register, which I think was a good thing.
The new causeway from Miami to Miami Beach opened on February 28,
1926, shortly after the lling in of the Venetian Islands.
Letters
Continued from page 14
Commentary: LETTERS
Neighborhood Correspondents: GREATER MIAMI SHORES
46 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
By John Ise
BT Contributor
Want to enhance your calm?
Achieve a more tranquil state
of mind? Reach for Nirvana?
Okay, escape the daily rat race that is
modern Miami and at times can resemble
an ant farm, with us residents the ants?
Well, fret not, fellow villager. A state
of bliss awaits you a few minutes away.
Greater Miami Shores is bookended by
two wonderful (albeit underappreciated
and underutilized) canals that meander
from Biscayne Bay westward.
One of my favorite pastimes to escape
the hustle and bustle that has become
a constant jackhammer on the nervous
system is to pull out my two-person
kayak, yank one of the kids out of bed
early, and head out to either the Biscayne
Canal, which borders north of Miami
Shores and the south of Biscayne Park,
or the Little River Canal, directly to the
south of El Portal and north of Little Haiti.
Hitting either one of these water-
ways brings a sense of calm that instant-
ly transforms my perspective on Miami
and the ant farm. No longer stuck in traf-
c, I enjoy more tranquil views — the
backyards of my fellow villagers, Miam-
ian and North Miamian. As I glide along
the water, I see jumping sh, lounging
manatees, scurrying iguanas, squawking
ducks, and barking dogs. These canals
teem with remarkable life.
The Biscayne Canal is most easily
entered from a boat ramp/dock in a
North Miami parking lot next to West
Dixie’s Grifng Park, wedged between
the North Miami Jaycees building and a
North Miami Parks & Recreation com-
munity center. Heading east from this
point, you’ll pass the neatly manicured
back yards of Biscayne Park residents to
the north and unincorporated land to the
south, and you’ll eventually end up at a
dam that abuts Miami Shores Country
Club, just as you go beneath the Miami
Country Day pedestrian bridge.
Perhaps one of the most memorable
experiences I’ve had on the Biscayne
Canal was when an overly protective
Doberman caught sight of my son and
me as we kayaked along. After getting
a sprinting head start, the beast leaped
into the canal, barking and snarling as
it dogpaddled after us while we sped up
our own strokes to ee. Dogs chasing
cars are one thing, but kayakers?
Find Your Bliss, Wash
Your Hands
Nearby canals are safe for boating, nature watching
A shadowy group, Citizens for Ethical and Effective
Leadership, bombarded the village with attacks on
Christian Ulvert.
Little River cleanup, March 18, 2017: Last year alone, 130 tons of trash
was collected.
Photo by Kevin Rose
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 47
The Little River canal is both nar-
rower and more urban, and serves as
kind of socioeconomic metaphor. The
best public ingress point for the canal is
an El Portal pocket park along NW 2nd
Avenue and NW 86th Street that hosts a
pedestrian bridge, primarily for the stu-
dents who attend Horace Mann Middle
School and live on the southern side of
the canal. Outside school hours, the steel
door on the pedestrian bridge is tightly
shut and padlocked.
The Little River canal brings Mi-
ami’s socioeconomic divide into plain
view. Whereas the Biscayne Canal is
somewhat suburban, Little River is funky,
urban, and gritty. Heading east, you’ll
pass by the relatively afuent houses of
El Portal to the north and the working-
class connes of unincorporated Dade
and Miami’s Little Haiti to the south. I’ve
particularly admired a seemingly aban-
doned tractor trailer that teeters precari-
ously close to the canal. On the northern
side, you’ll oat by the backyard temples
of the Open Awareness Buddhist Center,
aging punk-rocker Iggy Pop’s part-time
residence, the colorful cottages and boat-
house of the Little River Farm House, and
the recently refurbished City of Miami
Oakland Grove Mini Park.
Traveling east on both the Little
River and Biscayne canals, your jour-
neys will end at dams teeming with
debris, garbage, and more single-use
plastic and Styrofoam products that will
convert you into an eco-activist, willing
to chain yourself to a redwood tree.
It’s witnessing the accumulation of
debris that gets me wondering about the
health and well-being of our canals. And
truth is that the canals, like most of South
Florida waterways, are buckling under the
twin pressures of rapid population growth
and unmitigated development. To get a pic-
ture of the health of the Biscayne and Little
River canals, let’s talk rst about what we
can see, and then what we can’t.
As mentioned, a quick glimpse of the
canal dams tells the story of the constant
accumulation of trash. I watched a plastic
container the size of a small Volkswagen
drift by me once on the Little River.
El Portal’s Kristin McLean of the
Little River Conversancy, a nonprot
dedicated the restoring the health of the
Little River, notes that the Little River
has the highest volume of solid waste
collected by the South Florida Water
Management District — 130 tons’ worth
pulled from the canal over the past year.
And then there’s the pollution that you
cannot see. Miami-Dade’s DERM, which rou-
tinely tests the water quality at various points
along all of Miami-Dade’s canals, reports
in its most recent tests that 73 percent of the
samples for the Little River Canal’s waters are
“above the acceptable levels for Escherichia
coli, more commonly known as E. coli, the
bacterium commonly associated with fecal
matter and bad food. The Biscayne Canal had
a 60 percent rate, also higher than acceptable.
When I asked a DERM representative
interpreting the results for me if this means
I shouldn’t swim in the canals, he replied,
“I wouldn’t!” And I came to agree with his
conclusion after reading more: E. coli’s
virulent strains can cause gastroenteritis,
urinary tract infections, meningitis, and
severe diarrhea, resulting in an estimated
500,000 annual deaths worldwide.
Beyond that, the canals are at
constant risk of nutrient imbalances that
contribute to algae blooms, seagrass die-
off, and sh kills.
The culprits of this toxic brew are
varied and still being debated. We can
safely point to stormwater runoff that
carries land pollutants into the canals.
Fertilizers, both residential and commer-
cial, that enter canal waters are a primary
contributor to nutrient pollution. And then
there are our septic systems, whose ood-
ing, runoffs, and leaked contents seep
right into these waterways…and voila…E.
coli! Kristin McLean says that she saw a
septic tank along a canal whose base had
completely rotted out so that the contents
were just sinking into the groundwater.
While awaiting governmental action,
what’s one to do? Miami Waterkeepers,
a clean-water advocacy organization,
advises that we keep fertilizer and pesti-
cide use to a minimum, plant native spe-
cies, use mulch instead of herbicides to
control weeds, maintain our septic tanks,
and pick up our yard and pet waste.
But perhaps the very best thing resi-
dents can do for our canals’ well-being
is to enjoy them. When we enjoy them,
we’ll begin to value them. While some-
what polluted, they’re still safe for boating
and serve as enjoyable hosts while we
commune with nature. Nirvana awaits.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
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48 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Neighborhood Correspondents: NORTH MIAMI / NORTH MIAMI BEACH
The Season of Kindness
Keep a lookout for the holiday blues
By Mark Sell
BT Contributor
’Tis the season. It’s time to give
thanks, take stock, look up from
that smartphone, shut off the TV,
and break from the news and conrma-
tion bias. Now we try to connect with
family, friends, and strangers.
Any time works, but this six-week
season of thanks and giving that ends
with resolution serves as a marker to
fortify for the coming year.
In that spirit, we take a break from
North Miami/NMB news this month
— with one exception. The November 5
story by Aaron Leibowitz in the Miami
Herald about North Miami shenanigans
with a city insurance contract for Tama-
rac Commissioner Mike Gelin is worth a
read. Gelin won local preference through
a 3-2 vote with a sketchy virtual ofce at
$62.50 a month. It is a peculiar story of
how the sausage is made, with an extra
helping of stinky sh.
That said, one can nd cause for
thanks. Here in South Florida, the morn-
ing air is again clean and crisp. Tropical
disturbances spared us this season, a
welcome reprieve. Beaches, gardens,
parks, outdoor markets, and street
events beckon with the chance to meet
old friends and make new ones. We’re
thankful for any health, family, friends,
work, colleagues, money, and time we
have, all of which provide strength to
connect and contribute, provided that
— to borrow from Dr. Suess — we’re in
pretty good shape for the shape we are in.
For all the gratitude, we also know
that holidays get lonely.
Most of us have been there in
one way or other — awkward family
gatherings or bereavement, isolation,
caregiving pressures, and illness, all of
which can make the season exquisitely
painful. Just in time for the holiday run-
up, check out New York Times columnist
Nicholas Kristof‘s November 9 piece:
“Let’s Wage a War on Loneliness.”
Loneliness hurts. It also kills. Kristof
cites data indicating that social isolation
is more lethal than smoking 15 cigarettes
a day. It increases inammation, heart
disease, dementia, and likelihood of
earlier death.
Loneliness can lead to depression,
opioid use, political extremism, often an
alluring magnet for the disconnected and
disenfranchised. It doubtless fuels the
global politics of grievance and increases
tribalism, exacerbated by media outlets
that nd prot hijacking brain amygdala
to produce eyeballs, clicks, and revenue.
Now, with the advance of “deep-fake”
technologies, it is entering a new phase.
The antidote to this is community —
a living, breathing, organic assembly of
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 49
diverse personalities, interests, and opin-
ions — starting with each individual. The
British government last year appointed
Baroness (Diana) Barran as minister for
loneliness. Her ministry is handing out
small grants to gardening clubs, bird-
watching groups, dog walking clubs (dogs
are great company and wonderful con-
versation starters), and “public benches”
to encourage casual friendly chats. Any
town can do the same.
We list below some resources for
jump-starting such conversations.
While it might be easy to post one’s
good fortune on Facebook or Instagram,
there’s more to life than appearances.
We can walk into a familiar or strange
gathering or our workplace or our house
of worship, and quietly read the room
to nd the lone person — the colleague
off by his or her own at the ofce or the
stranger who just walked into your house
of worship — and throw out a line.
Whatever the case, Barran tells
Kristof, it’s important to keep things
upbeat. “We should focus on people’s
gifts rather than people’s problems,” she
says, “because most of us would prefer
to talk about our gifts.”
Amen. Who wants to be known by
their shortcomings — or to be more
precise, their current bout of weather?
I recently attended a milestone
high school reunion. It was good to
see us connect, but also striking to
notice how we tended to cluster into
groups or cliques. Like, after all, at-
tracts like.
That’s the natural temptation for
most of us; our social groups and con-
nections are usually far less demographi-
cally varied than the community as a
whole. Here in funky North Miami (and
South Florida), it’s a privilege to reach
out and break bread with people who
grew up in Liberty City, Haitian villages,
the South Bronx, Kyiv, Medellin, or in
this very town. South Florida’s ever-
shifting kaleidoscope of humanity offers
revelations harder to come by in Tulsa or
Indianapolis. My workplace in Brickell,
for instance, includes people from Egypt,
India, Poland, France, Trinidad, Hondu-
ras, California, and Pennsylvania, with
connections to time zones around the
world. It’s high-pressure — most are too
often busy to chat — but there’s a certain
welcome zz.
Away from the gleaming towers,
our community has terrific needs, too,
with a yawning prosperity gap, lack
of affordable housing, and communi-
ties riven by gun violence and family
breakups. One can read to the blind,
tutor a struggling student, help some-
one learn to read, or be a Big Brother
or Big Sister. Or if that’s too much,
one can volunteer at the Humane
Society of Greater Miami at 161st
Street and West Dixie Highway or the
Pelican Harbor Seabird Station on the
79th Street Causeway.
The City of North Miami is always
looking for volunteers at events, and its
public information ofcer, Kassandra
Timothe, says the North Miami Food
Pantry is in dire need of volunteers.
(Search online for feedingsouthorida.
org or Pass It On Ministries.)
Food is an issue for lots of people.
One friend in her early 70s let slip that
her North Miami rent is jumping from
$930 to more than $1000 a month on a
$1300 Social Security check after Medi-
care. How can that work?
There are some excellent, non-po-
litical, faith-based social justice groups,
such as miamipact.org, which takes on
affordable housing, gun violence, and
immigration. Hands on Miami — at
handsonmiami.org — is a wonder-
ful portal for volunteering, often with
one-off opportunities for those who
wish to sample rst. The Smile Trust, at
mthsmile.com, offers plenty of opportu-
nities to serve the homeless. And United
Way offers its own resources.
Apart from that, fresh air and
sports are a great healer for many of
us, even the non-athletic. People of any
age and shape can show up and paddle,
as I do, with a dragonboat team in
Hollywood or Rickenbacker Causeway.
The scenery, exercise, and fellowship
are glorious.
Sure, the news is disturbing. All the
more reason, then, to turn off that TV,
stop looking at that smartphone, buy a
Democrat or Republican lunch, volunteer
at that family shelter, take a class, or say
hi to that person on the bench. It’s food
for your well-being, for that of those
around you, and for your community.
Heck, it’s even patriotic.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
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50 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Neighborhood Correspondents: AVENTURA
A Karmic Chuckle
When “no, thanks” turns into “oh, no!”
By Jay Beskin
BT Contributor
The Israelis have a Hebrew saying:
Im tidcheh oto bekatan tekabel oto
begadol, which translates roughly
to: “If you do not accept the small ver-
sion now, you’ll be stuck with the larger
version later.”
A psychologist I know treats middle-
age people who were repressed in young-
er years and suddenly begin to act out
in odd, immature ways (think Michael
Jackson). His conclusion is this: “Every-
one’s entitled to a childhood. If you fail
to give them one as a child, they’ll give
themselves one as an adult.”
Another friend of mine says, “What
fails to go around comes around, but this
time you’d better watch out!”
All this wisdom comes to mind as
I survey the current state of the City of
Excellence. We are being haunted by the
Ghost of Christmas Past when we turned
down something tasteful under the tree and
received instead something utterly tasteless.
Or perhaps a better title for our
predicament is the Revenge of Ken-
neth Treister. As the great architect
approaches his nonagenarian years, we
recall his visit to Aventura in its nonage.
We angered the great man, but he seems
to be getting the last chuckle.
Readers of this space in 2013 may
remember the recounting of Treister’s
abortive presentation to the Aventura
City Commission shortly after incorpo-
ration in 1995. Arthur Snyder was the
mayor and yours truly was a member of
the commission.
Snyder was on the lookout for proj-
ects to enhance our image, and he turned
to his “friend Ken,” who was still bask-
ing in the afterglow of the construction
of his Miami Beach Holocaust Memo-
rial. As an architect and sculptor, he had
somehow managed to bring the Holo-
caust to life without being too mired in
the past or too mawkishly sentimental.
And if you can do that through art, you
can do anything.
Snyder didn’t tip us off in advance
to give us a feel for what he hoped to
accomplish — and sometimes politics
is unlike war, in that the element of sur-
prise can backfi re spectacularly.
He had asked Treister to come up
with something to make the new city
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December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 51
more attractive, with an emphasis on
giving a new face to NE 188th Street,
formerly known as Thunderboat Row (or
sometimes Gasoline Alley), famous for
its factories that built really fast boats.
The genius of that industry, who
started six different companies to
build boats on that street and who
invented several speedboat models,
was Donald Aronow, whose career
was ended spectacularly when he was
murdered on that very street. It seemed
a good idea to have the area associ-
ated with something more artistic and
modernistic than gunning people down
in the middle of the workday.
The mayor brought Treister in to
share his vision. For a mere two mil-
lion dollars, he would create a complex
water sculpture, illuminated by lasers
and offering a kaleidoscopic vision of
nature meeting technology. They put
on quite a show with their presentation,
but we could not work up two million
smackers’ worth of enthusiasm for this
futuristic mirage.
The area at the tip of NE 188th is
called Dumbfoundling Bay, and we
treated Snyder and Treister as if they had
brought us a dumb foundling to adopt.
Snyder shrugged and stayed; Treister
fumed and stalked off. All those cool
props found their way into the graveyard
of unfullled fantasies, and life went on.
Fast forward a couple of decades
and we face an entirely new landscape.
The location at NE 188th Street is now
known for the Aventura Arts & Cultural
Center, and the only thing getting killed
around there is time, mostly by bored
kids trailing their parents at the center
and immersing themselves in brainless
recreation on their phones. Treister is a
gray eminence who has probably forgot-
ten the incident, and if you remind him,
he will probably laugh it off. But the
crazy irony of it all is that we have the
water-and-light show after all.
Instead of having it as art, we have it
as the tackiest commercialism.
The Tidal Cove Waterpark is part
of the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry
Resort & Spa, and no doubt it is a lot of
fun for the kids, fun enough to get them
off their phones. It looks like fun when
you drive past, and nobody wants to be
the party-pooper old fogey who tries to
deny children their fun (especially if my
psychologist friend nds out).
This particular brand of fun is pretty
pricey; JW Marriott is not a discount
brand by any means. Still, despite the ex-
pensive look, it was clearly not designed
by Kenneth Treister.
In fact, it looks much more like
it was designed by Fisher-Price or
Mattel or Hasbro, or whatever company
dominates the toy industry these days.
It screams Kiddie Park, and if you can’t
hear that subtle artistic scream, you can
denitely hear the kiddies scream as
they gleefully careen down the seven
water slides. Even if you keep your eyes
discreetly averted as you drive by, your
ears provide unmistakable evidence of
all the raucous fun.
Water parks are an important feature
of a society catering to the needs of all
age groups, but there is a particular type
of setting appropriate for this sort of
thing. You need a big open-lot kind of
area that looks like a venue for a carnival
or a rollercoaster or a go-cart racing
track or all of the above.
In this type of environment, the
gaudy furnishings and the long tubular
plastic troughs do not look tacky at
all. If anything they convey a feeling
of humanity nding joy in every kind
of surrounding, and those same giddy
sounds can provide a feeling of uplift.
They become the sounds of innocence
and joy and hope marching proudly into
the future.
Those same sounds in the urban-
cum-suburban atmosphere of Aventura
just convey obliviousness and clueless-
ness. And the big articial ice-cream
cone structure…ugh!
No, I am not proposing we do any-
thing about it. It is what it is, and I hope
the kids whose well-to-do parents drop
them off at the park have loads of fun
and tell their friends Aventura is a cool
place. They should feel free to squeak
and squeal in their tender years without
fear of offending my tender ears.
I am merely reecting that my col-
leagues and I might have missed the
Thunderboat back when Treister came
around. I can’t help thinking that, had we
given him his water-and-light show as a
classy artistic ourish, we wouldn’t have
had it land on us as a sleazy sideshow.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
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52 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Culture: THE ARTS
Off the Basel Path 2019
Some recommended stops on the mad dash through Miami’s Art Week
By Elisa Turner
BT Contributor
It’s that time once again for the sassy,
brassy, subtropic winter days and
lingering nights of Miami Art Week.
We’ve looked way beyond the big-bucks
market madness brought on by inter-
national collectors, galleries, artists,
and dealers converging here, snarling
trafc worse than ever, to discover lively
choices to pique your curiosity, possibly
even sparking your own creativity.
Plus, these choices won’t make over-
the-top demands on your bank account.
The best strategy for navigating Miami
Art Week is to plan ahead but remain
open to the serendipitous, so-Miami
encounters along the way. Mark your
calendar for these prime events.
“KILOMBO: A Photographic Journey
Through a Mystical Universe,” cu-
rated by Carl Juste
This exhibit is located in the ambi-
tious multidisciplinary Iris PhotoCol-
lective ArtSpace recently opened by its
founder, prize-winning photojournalist
Carl Juste. On view are stunning
black-and-white photographs by Maria
Daniel Balcazar. With a superb eye for
telling details, she documents the cul-
tural and historic richness of kilombos,
Brazil’s autonomous Afro-Brazilian
communities. A book accompanies
this exhibit, which has traveled to
Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Balca-
zar captures distinctive moments of
beauty, hope, and struggle, rendering
traditional rituals with grace and clar-
ity, witnessing their adaptation to the
present day.
Balcazar will be present at the open-
ing reception December 3, 7:00 p.m.
There will be a salon conversation and
book signing on Friday, December 6,
at 5:00 p.m., and free admission to a
youth workshop on Saturday, Decem-
ber 7, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. A master
workshop will be held on Sunday,
December 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Early registration is encouraged
via irisphotocollective.com.
“KILOMBO: A Photographic Journey
Through a Mystical Universe,” photog-
raphy by Maria Daniel Balcazar
December 4-7 1:00 to 9:00 p.m.
IrisPhotoCollective ArtSpace
225 NE 59th St., Miami
305-796-4718
info@irisphotocollective.com
Faena Festival: The Last Supper, as-
sembled by Zoe Lukov, chief curator
at Faena Art
Some might wish for guidance from
above to handle Miami Art Week, but no
worries, Faena Festival presents Jillian
Meyer’s audaciously clever mobile video
installations, featuring this message
in skywriting: YOU’LL BE OKAY. It’s
teamed with video installations by
late legendary Cuban-born artist Ana
Mendieta; together they appear on an
LED billboard boat cruising Miami
waterways.
Faena Festival’s “The Last Supper”
promises an abundant array of lm,
art, and communal meals, radiant with
themes evoking spirituality and sacrice.
There are new commissions by Myrlande
Constant, Jamilah Sabur, and others.
Gabriel Chaile of Argentina offers large
adobe totems inspired by indigenous tal-
ismans, including one with a functional
oven for baking bread. Bread-baking
ceremonies in the Faena Hotel Public
Space TBA. Collective rituals like going
to the movies are encouraged by lms
screened on Faena Beach and in the
hotel’s screening room. Dates and times
to be announced.
Faena Festival: The Last Supper
December 2- 8
www.faenaart.org
Faena Hotel
3201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
305-534-8800
Black Power Naps/Siesta Negras,
installation by Navild Acosta and
Fannie Sosa
In luminous colors and appealing
textures, this multi-sensory and interac-
tive installation at Miami Dade College
Faena Festival: Mobile video installation; sky-writing image by Jillian Mayer.
“KILOMBO,” Maria Daniel Balcazar, Iris PhotoCollective ArtSpace.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 53
Museum of Art and Design offers a
safe and quiet space for rest and dreams.
The lights are low; gauzy canopies oat
above some of the fanciful, pillowy beds.
Yes, it sounds gimmicky, but spend time
absorbing the gentle vibrations here,
and you’ll most likely be seduced by its
relaxing sensations. The artists were
inspired to counter exhausting tactics
used to subdue slaves, considering
those debilitating effects parallel to our
current, fatiguing systems of inequality.
Their response is to create a space for
restoring the overwhelmed spirit with
soul-pleasing relief.
From 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. on De-
cember 4, the artists invite visitors to
a midday break within the installa-
tion, where they’ll perform guided nap
meditations and DJ soundscapes from
bed. From 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Decem-
ber 5, the artists provide a Platonic Play
Party workshop, exploring the virtues of
platonic touch, which they believe will
ultimately encourage better rest.
Black Power Naps/Siesta Negras by
Navild Acosta and Fannie Sosa.
Admission free during Miami Art Week.
December 4, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; De-
cember 5, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Decem-
ber 6, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; December 7,
10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; December 8, 10:00
a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Miami Dade College Museum of Art and
Design
Freedom Tower
600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
305-237-7700
Artists in Residence in Everglades
(AIRIE)
For nearly two decades, Artists in
Residence in Everglades (AIRIE) has
raised a unique, activist voice to honor
South Florida’s fragile and threatened
natural resource, the famed River of
Grass. Over the years, AIRIE has
brought more than 185 artists, writers,
composers, and choreographers to Ev-
erglades National Park to live and work
in the park for one month, engaging
with park rangers and other environ-
mental professionals. The result has
often been extraordinary, tapping into
the park’s too often overlooked history
and culture, interpreting and recording
this legacy for new generations.
In its debut art fair appearance,
AIRIE presents Dana Levy’s immersive
photographic mural of a verdant cypress
dome, as well as paintings, drawings,
prints, and videos by AIRIE Fellows,
including Harumi Abe and Christina
Petterson.
Artists in Residence in
Everglades (AIRIE), Booth A39
UNTITLED, ART
Ocean Drive and 12th Street,
Miami Beach.
December 4-7, 11:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m.;
December 8, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Guest curator Jordan Stein
moderates a discussion with AIRIE
artists
December 7 at 2:00 p.m.
646-405-6942
I Made a Mound City in
Miami-Dade County by Tren-
ton Doyle Hancock
Step into Trenton Doyle
Hancock’s storytelling
installation, reinventing the
entrance and main gallery
of Locust Projects, to get
chummy with his zany com-
ic-book characters waging
classic battles of good vs.
evil. His valiant but awed
superhero, Torpedo Boy,
defends the gentle Mounds,
described as hybrid plantlike
creatures, against their sworn
enemies, the blood-thirsty
and mutant Vegans.
Hancock spins his cheeky,
spooky narratives via a
site-specic mix of sculpture,
drawings, prints, and video,
inserting sly references to
issues of race and class.
At the entrance is a special homage
to childhood, from which these sto-
ries initially spring, mimicking toy
store shelves. They’re stocked with his
custom-designed dolls, the Moundverse
Infants. There’s also a pop-up comic
book store and early hand-drawn pages
from the prolic artist’s forthcoming
400-page graphic novel, The Mound-
verse. Hancock’s seriously wry art has
appeared in two Whitney Biennials and
other museum exhibitions, most recently
at MASS MoCA, the Massachusetts
Museum of Contemporary Art.
I Made a Mound City in Miami-Dade
County by Trenton Doyle Hancock
December 3-7, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Reception with the artist December 3,
7:00-9:00 p.m.
Locust Projects
3852 N. Miami Ave., Miami
305-576-8579
“Bat Basel” by Phlebotomy
Billed as the largest presentation
to date by Phlebotomy, “Bat Basel”
takes over Churchill’s Pub, that
stalwart institution in Little Haiti for
40 years. Performers include alterna-
tive/dark-wave band Astari Nite and
Rat Bastard, the storied “Noise King”
of Miami’s underground music and
noise scene.
Dress code: vampire/goth/post-punk.
For ages 18 plus. Cover $10, or $13 if not
in dress code.
December 7, 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
Churchill’s Pub
5501 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
305-757-1807
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Emerging from the Swamp, 2014, Dana Levy, Artists in Residence in
Everglades.
“Black Power Naps/Siesta Negras,” Navild Acosta and Fannie Sosa.
54 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Culture: GALLERIES + MUSEUMS
WYNWOOD GALLERY WALK
& DESIGN DISTRICT ART +
DESIGN NIGHT SATURDAY,
DECEMBER 7, 2019
ART FAIRS
ART AFRICA
919 NW 2nd Ave., Miami
305-517-7977
www.artafricamiamifair.com
December 3 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 7, noon to 7 p.m.
December 8, noon to 5 p.m.
Reception December 3, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Admission: $15-$50
AQUA ART MIAMI
1530 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Aqua Hotel
305-517-7977
www.aquaartmiami.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
December 5, noon to 9 p.m.
December 6 and 7, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
December 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
VIP Reception December 4, 3 to 10 p.m.
Admission: $20-$100
ART BEAT MIAMI
5925 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
305-306-7521
www.artbeatmiami.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 8, noon to 8 p.m.
Reception December 5
ARTSPOT
2217 NW 5th Ave., Miami
spectrum-miami.com/artspot-miami
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 5 through 7, noon to 8 p.m.
December 8, noon to 6 p.m.
Admission: $0-$75
VIP Reception December 4, 6 to 9 p.m.
ART BASEL
1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach
Miami Beach Convention Center
www.artbaselmiamibeach.com
December 5 through 8
Hours: December 5, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
December 6 and 7, noon to 8 p.m.
December 8, noon to 6 p.m.
VIP Reception December 5, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: $45-$500
ART MIAMI
1 Miami Herald Plaza at NE 14th St., Miami
305-517-7977
www.artmiami.com
December 3 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: $35-$275
VIP Reception December 3, 6 to 10 p.m.
CONTEMPORARY AND DIGITAL ART FAIR
2400 NW 5th Ave., Miami
www.cadaf.art
December 5 through 8
December 6 and 7, noon to 9 p.m.
December 8, noon to 5 p.m.
Reception December 5, 6 to 10 p.m.
CONTEXT MIAMI
1 Miami Herald Plaza at NE 14th St., Miami
800-376-5850
www.contextartmiami.com
December 3 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: $35-$275
VIP Reception December 3, 6 to 10 p.m.
DESIGN MIAMI
Meridian Avenue and 19th Street, Miami Beach
Miami Beach Convention Center
305-572-0866
miami2019.designmiami.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4, 1 to 8 p.m.
December 5, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December 6 and 7, noon to 8 p.m.
December 8, noon to 6 p.m.
Admission: $27-$225
VIP Reception December 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
FRIDGE ART FAIR
121 SE 1st Ave., Miami
Langford Hotel
www.fridgeartfair.com
December 4 through 7
Hours: December 5 through 7, 11:47 a.m. to 7:59 p.m.
Admission: $20
Reception December 4, 6 p.m. to midnight
INK MIAMI ART FAIR
1850 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Suites of Dorchester
212-674-6095
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
December 5 through 7, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
December 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: Free
Reception December 5, 7 to 10 p.m.
MIAMI RIVER ART PROJECT
400 SE 2nd Ave., Miami
James L. Knight Center
www.miamiriverartfair.com
December 3 and 4
Hours: December 3 and 4, 2 to 6 p.m.
Admission: Free-$100
VIP Reception December 2, 6 to 11 p.m.
NADA ART FAIR
1400 N. Miami Ave., Miami
Ice Palace
212-594-0883
www.newartdealers.org
December 5 through 8
Hours: December 5, 2 to 7 p.m.
December 6 and 7, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
December 8, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $10-$40
VIP Reception December 5, 10 a.m. to noon
PINTA
2217 NW 5th Ave., Miami
Mana Wynwood
www.pintamiami.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 7, noon to 9 p.m.
December 8, noon to 7 p.m.
Admission: $20-$75
VIP Reception December 4, 5 to 9 p.m.
PRIZM
145 E. Flagler St., Miami
954-372-6241
www.prizmartfair.com
December 3 through 8
Hours: December 3, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
December 4 through 8, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: Free-$200
Reception December 3
PULSE MIAMI
4601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
212-255-2327
www.pulseartfair.com
December 5 through 8
Hours: December 5, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
December 6 and 7, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
December 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $35-$100
VIP Brunch December 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
RED DOT MIAMI
2217 NW 5th Ave., Miami
917-273-8621
www.reddotfair.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 5 through 7, noon to 8 p.m.
December 8, noon to 6 p.m.
Admission: $10-$85
VIP Reception December 4, 6 to 9 p.m.
SATELLITE
18 NW 14th St., Miami
917-683-8300
www.satellite-show.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 5 and 6, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.
December 7, 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.
December 8, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: $15
VIP Reception December 4, 6 p.m. to midnight
SCOPE MIAMI
801 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach
On the beach
212-268-1522
www.scope-art.com
Mette Tommerup, Love, Ur, installation view, mixed media, 2019, at
Emerson Dorsch.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 55
December 3 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 8, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission: $40-$200
VIP Reception December 3, 4 to 8 p.m.
SPECTRUM
2217 NW 5th Ave., Miami
www.spectrum-miami.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 5 through 7, noon to 8 p.m.
December 8, noon to 6 p.m.
Admission: $10-$75
VIP Reception December 4, 6 to 9 p.m.
UNTITLED
12th Street and Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
On the beach
www.art-untitled.com
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 7, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
December 8, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: $40
VIP Reception December 3, 1 to 8 p.m.
GALLERIES
&GALLERY
7610 NE 4th Court, #101, Miami
www.andgallery.net
786-442-8280
December 1 through 15:
December 1, 3 to 6 p.m.
December 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
December 14, 4 to 7 p.m.
“In the Garden” by Carol Fryd
Reception December 1,
3 to 6 p.m.
AKE LLC
151 NE 41st Street, Suite 223, Miami
www.annaerickson.com
December 1 through 8:
“Fuck ’Em If They Can’t Take a Joke” by Eric Doeringer
BAKEHOUSE ART COMPLEX
561 NW 32nd St., Miami
305-576-2828
www.bac.org
Open daily from noon to 5 p.m.
Open Studio Brunch December 5, 9 a.m. to noon
BONNIER GALLERY
3408 NW 7th Avenue, Miami
305-960-7850
www.thebonniergallery.com
December 3 through 7:
“Portraits from the Woods: Recent Photographs” by
Norman Reedus
Reception December 7, 6 to 11 p.m.
BRICKELL CITY CENTRE
701 S. Miami Ave, Miami
www.brickellcitycentre.com
Opening December 4:
“Conversations with Nature” with various artists
Reception December 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
BRIDGE RED STUDIOS
12425 NE 13th Ave., North Miami
305-978-4856
www.bridgeredstudios.com
Through January 5, 2020:
“Concrete Jungle: Narrative of Presence” with various
artists
“Inhabited Forests” by Kerry Phillips
“S.O.S. (Esso Es): SAIC Alumni Exhibition” with
various artists
CASTANIER GALLERY
45 NE 26th Street, Miami
305-602-0207
www.castaniergallery.com
Through January 4:
“Colors of the Uprising” by JonOne
Reception December 5, 6 p.m.
CENTRAL FINE
1226 Normandy Dr., Miami Beach
917-306-1218
www.centralne.com
Opening December 1:
Cooper Jacobi solo exhibition
DAVID CASTILLO GALLERY
420 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach
305-573-8110
www.davidcastillogallery.com
December 2 through January 31:
Sanford Biggers solo exhibition
Reception December 7, 7 to 10 p.m.
DIANA LOWENSTEIN GALLERY
98 NW 29th St., Miami
305-576-1804
www.dianalowensteingallery.com
Group exhibition with Loris Cecchini, Daniel Domig,
Udo Noger, Alejandra Padilla, Dirk Salz, and Santiago
Villanueva
DOT FIFTYONE GALLERY
7275 NE 4th Ave., Unit 101, Miami
305-573-9994
www.dotftyone.com
December 1 through January 15, 2020:
“So It Will Be the Past” by Marcos Castro
Reception December 1, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
EMERSON DORSCH
5900 NW 2nd Ave., Miami
305-576-1278
www.emersondorsch.com
Through January 11, 2020:
“Love, Ur” by Mette Tommerup
FABIEN CASTANIER GALLERY
45 NE 26th St., Suite A, Miami
305-602-0207
www.castaniergallery.com
Through January 4, 2020:
“Colors of the Uprising” by JonOne
Reception December 5, 6 p.m.
FREDRIC SNITZER GALLERY
1540 NE Miami Ct., Miami
305-448-8976
www.snitzer.com
December 1 through January 19:
“Miami Flow 2” by Tomás Esson
GARY NADER ART CENTER
62 NE 27th St., Miami
305-576-0256
www.garynader.com
December 1 through March 1, 2020:
“Luna” by José-María Cano
“Vertical Encounters” by Soraya Abu Naba’a
“Masters: Modern and Contemporary Masters” with
various artists
“Espacio Botero” by Fernando Botero
LOCUST PROJECTS
3852 N. Miami Ave., Miami
305-576-8570
www.locustprojects.org
Through February 8, 2020:
Pepe Mar, Undone, mixed media in artist’s Plexi box, 2019, at David
Castillo Gallery.
56 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Culture: GALLERIES + MUSEUMS
“I Made a Mound City in Miami-Dade County” by
Trenton Doyle Hancock
Reception December 3, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
MANA CONTEMPORARY MIAMI
145 E. Flagler St., Miami
www.manacontemporary.com
December 5 through 8, 2 to 9 p.m.
Open artist studios
VIP Cuban breakfast December 5, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MINDY SOLOMON GALLERY
8397 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
786-953-6917
www.mindysolomon.com
December 1 through January 18, 2020:
“Dirty Words” by Mark Flood and Sam Jablon
Reception December 1, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
NINA JOHNSON GALLERY
6315 NW 2nd Ave., Miami
305-571-2288
www.ninajohnson.com
December 2 through February 8, 2020:
“Some Pictures and Other Songs” by Terry Allen
Reception December 2, 7 to 9 p.m.
PAN AMERICAN ART PROJECTS
274 NE 67th Street, Miami
305-751-2550
www.panamericanart.com
Through January 13, 2020:
“Waiting for the Right Time” by José Toirac
PIERO ATCHUGARRY GALLERY
5520 NE 4th Ave., Miami
305-639-8247
www.pieroatchugarry.com
December 1 through January 26, 2020:
“Good Blue Day” by Eugenio Espinoza
“Dialog in Black and White” by Nevelson Atchugarry
Reception December 1, 6 to 9 p.m.
RALEIGH HOTEL
1775 Collins Ave, Miami Beach
305-534-6300
www.raleighhotel.com
Through February 29, 2020: “Les Lalanne at the
Raleigh Gardens” with various artists
ROBERT FONTAINE GALLERY
2750 N.W. 3rd Avenue Unit 22, Miami
305-397-8530
www.robertfontainegallery.com
Opening December 4:
“Woke Up on Fire” by Anthony Lister
Reception December 4, 7 to 10 p.m.
SPINELLO PROJECTS: THE ANNEX
Gesamtkunstwerk Building
2930 NW 7th Ave., Miami
www.spinelloprojects.com
December 1 through January 20, 2020:
“Grounded” with various artists
SWAMPSPACE
3841 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
416-488-2881
www.swampspace.blogspot.in
Through December 27:
“Three Graces — Naughty Then and Now” with Bunny
Yeager, Kitty Brophy, and Eve Eurydice
TILE BLUSH
8375 NE 2nd Ave., Miami
ofce@tileblush.com
www.tileblush.com
Through January 18, 2020:
“13” by Deon Rubi
WALTMAN ORTEGA FINE ART
305-576-5335
2300 N. Miami Ave., B, Miami
www.waltmanortega.com/
Through December 27:
“The Echo of the World” by François Bard
WHITE CUBE OFFSITE
3800 NE 1st Ave., Miami
December 3 to 8
Hours: December 3, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
December 4 through 8, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cerith Wyn Evans solo exhibition
WYNWOOD WALLS
NW 2nd Avenue between 25th
and 26th streets
305-573-0658
www.thewynwoodwalls.com
Ongoing:
“Beyond Words” with various
artists
MUSEUM &
COLLECTION
EXHIBITS
THE BASS MUSEUM OF ART
2100 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
305-673-7530
www.thebass.org
Through April 5, 2020:
“In the Cone of Uncertainty” by
Haegue Yang
December 1 through April 19,
2020:
“Blind Spot” by Lara Favaretto
December 1 through September
27, 2020
“Better Nights” by Mickalene
Thomas
THE BASS: WINDOWS @
WALGREENS
7340 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Through January 12, 2020:
“Borrowed Landscape” by Harumi
Abe
Through February 2, 2020:
“Becoming Manifest” by Julie
Davidow
El Espacio 23
2270 NE 23rd St., Miami
305-460-9900
December 4 through 8:
“Time for Change: Art and Social
Unrest” with various artists, from
the Jorge M. Pérez Collection
DE LA CRUZ COLLECTION
23 NE 41st St., Miami
305-576-6112
www.delacruzcollection.org
December 3 through December 7,
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“From Day to Day” with various
artists
FAENA ART
3300-3398 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
305-534-8800
www.faenaart.org
December 2 through 8:
“Faena Festival: The Last Supper” with various artists
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY FROST
ART MUSEUM
10975 SW 17th St., Miami
305-348-2890
thefrost.u.edu
Through January 5:
“Art After Stonewall” with various artists
Ongoing:
“Connectivity” with various artists
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, MIAMI
61 NE 41st St., Miami
305-901-5272
www.icamiami.org
Through January 31, 2020:
“All the Eternal Love I Have for the Pumpkins” by
Yayoi Kusama
Through February 2, 2020:
Sterling Ruby
December 3 through April 19, 2020:
Carlos Sandoval de Leon
December 3 through April 26, 2020:
Wong Ping
JEWISH MUSEUM OF SOUTH FLORIDA, FLORIDA
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
301 Washington Ave., Miami Beach
305-672-5044
www.jmof.u.edu
Through February 3, 2020:
“A Walk in the Garden” by Mira Lehr
Through March 2020:
“Tamim” by Zachary Balber
Ongoing:
“MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida”
LOWE ART MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
1301 Stanford Dr., Coral Gables
305-284-3535
www.lowemuseum.org
Through January 19, 2020:
“Diago: The Pasts of This Afro-Cuban Present” by
Juan Roberto Diago
Through May 3, 2020:
“Cities of the Mind” by Carlos Estévez
THE MARGULIES COLLECTION
591 NW 27th St., Miami
305-576-1051
www.margulieswarehouse.com
December 2 through 7, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
December 8, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“20th Anniversary Exhibition” with various artists
MIAMI-DADE COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART +
DESIGN
Freedom Tower
600 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
305-237-7700
www.mdcmoad.org
Through January 12, 2020:
“Where the Oceans Meet” with various artists
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART NORTH
MIAMI
770 NE 125th St., North Miami
305-893-6211
www.mocanomi.org
December 2 through March 29,
2020:
“About to Happen” by Cecilia Vicuña
“Poetic Invocations” by Alice Rahon
Reception December 5, 8 to 11
p.m.
MUSEUM OF GRAFFITI
299 NW 25th Street, Miami
786-580-4678
www.museumofgrafti.com
Opening December 5
“Negative Space” by Niels Meulman,
a.k.a. Shoe
Opening reception December 5, 11
a.m. to 7 p.m.
THE NATIONAL YOUNGARTS
FOUNDATION
2100 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
305-377-1140
www.youngarts.org
Through December 13:
“Within Interdependence” with various
artists
NSU ART MUSEUM FORT
LAUDERDALE
1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
954-525-5500
www.nsuartmuseum.org
Through July 5, 2020:
“Happy!” with various artists
November 17, 2019 through June
30, 2020:
“I Paint My Reality: Surrealism in
Latin America” with various artists
Ongoing:“From Pencil to Paint” by
William J. Glackens
OOLITE ARTS
924 Lincoln Rd., 2nd Floor, Miami
Beach
305-674-8278
www.oolitearts.org
Through December 15:
“On the Road II” with various artists
Through January 12, 2020:
“Borrowed Landscape” by Harumi
Abe
Through February 2, 2020:
“Becoming Manifest” by Julie
Davidow
Reception December 7, 10:30 a.m.
to noon
PÉREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI
1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
305-375-3000
www.pamm.org
Through January 5, 2020:
“History Painting” by Zhao Gang
Through January 26, 2020:
“American Echo Chamber” by José Carlos Martinat
Through February 9, 2020:
“Elemental” by Teresita Fernández
RUBELL MUSEUM
1100 NW 23rd St., Miami
305-573-6090
www.rfc.museum
December 4 through 8
Hours: December 4 through 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
December 7 and 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Permanent collection with various artists
THE WOLFSONIAN-FIU
1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach
305-535-2622
www.wolfsonian.org
Through January 26, 2020:
“Caricaturas” by Conrado Walter Massaguer
Through February 2, 2020:
“Deco: Luxury to Mass Market” with various artists
Ongoing:
“Art and Design in the Modern Age: Selections from
the Wolfsonian Collection” with various artists
Compiled by David Bennett
Send listings, jpeg images, and events information to
art@biscaynetimes.com
Hernan Bas, Eclipsed, acrylic on Arches oil paper, 2019, at
Fredric Snitzer Gallery.
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 57
Culture: EVENTS CALENDARCulture: EVENTS CALENDAR
Fairchild Brings Back Its NightGarden
Now here’s an enchanted forest of un-
earthly delights. At Fairchild Tropical
Botanic Garden (10901 Old Cutler Road,
Coral Gables), the gorgeous NightGarden
reveals its ying fairies, a Wise Talking
Tree, oating orchids, holographic but-
teries, music, and other sound-and-light
effects and interactive surprises along the
garden paths. In its second year, NightGar-
den has tripled in size, has expanded guest
parking, and features food and drinks from
Miami restaurants and food trucks. The
spectacular runs most nights now through
January 15 (with reworks and more
New Year’s Eve). Check online for daily/
holiday hours and for some blackout dates
due to private events. Online ticket pricing
depends on date and entry time: $20-$29
and $15-$12 for members and member
children under 10; $29-$33 and $22-$26
nonmembers and children under 10. www.
thenightgarden.com
Nu Deco Does Nutcracker
Having just released its debut album —
and on the verge of its youth ensemble
orchestra launch — Miami’s Nu Deco
Ensemble returns to the Arsht Center’s
Knight Hall (1300 Biscayne Blvd.) for
a Miami-inspired holiday performance
Thursday, December 12, at 8:00 p.m.
The program features holiday arrange-
ments from co-artistic director Sam
Hyken, including the première of the
Nu Deco Nutcracker. Also appearing:
Maroon 5 keyboardist, composer, and
2018 Grammy winner PJ Morgan; and
the Miami Mass Choir, longtime veterans
of the Arsht’s free Gospel Sunday Series.
Tickets $35-$85. www.arshtcenter.org.
Wallcast’s “Sounds of the Season”
The New World Symphony performs its
annual Sounds of the Seasons concert,
which you can watch free as a Wallcast
Concert on the NWS’s huge (and upgraded)
outdoor projection wall Saturday, Decem-
ber 21, 7:30 p.m. The program includes
Leroy Anderson’s classic “Sleigh Ride” and
“A Christmas Festival”; selections from The
Nutcracker; Anthony DiLorenzo’s “Latin
Holiday Medley”; John Williams’s selec-
tions from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone; Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Overture
to his ballet Der Schneemann (The Snow-
man), written when he was just 11; and the
NWS’s 2015 commission by Nu Deco’s
Sam Hyken, “Chanukah 5776.” NWS
Fellows turn out for a pre-concert chat in
SoundScape Park (400 17th St., Miami
Beach). Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and
holiday munchies. www.nws.edu.
Step Back in Time Along the
Miami River
Paul George of HistoryMiami will regale
you with true stories of the 19th-century
Miami River waterfront, its transfor-
mation, and what we now know about
its much, much earlier residents, the
Tequesta, as you ride aboard an Island
Queen vessel for the upriver-downriver
Miami River cruise. The boat tour
takes place Sunday, December 21, from
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. HistoryMiami mem-
bers $50; nonmembers $60; children 12
and under: $25. Light snacks and drinks
available for purchase onboard. Meet at
Miamarina at Bayside Marketplace (401
Biscayne Blvd.). www.historymiami.org.
Doctor’s Rx: Laugh Off That
Holiday Guilt
Comedy-trained entertainers and sing-
ing brothers Will and Anthony Nunziata
bring their two-part harmonies onstage
alongside Comedy Central’s Jessica Kirson
(she’s just taped an hour-long special
for the network) for The Italian Jewish
Christmas Show! It’s a night of music
and good humor that includes holiday and
Italian classics and enough Italian-Jewish
“holiday guilt” to remind you that yours
likely isn’t the craziest family on the block.
The touring show runs one night only, Sat-
urday, December 21, at 8:00 p.m. at the
Aventura Arts and Cultural Center (3385
NE 188th St.). Tickets $62.50-$67.50. www.
aventuracenter.org
Will You Dine and Dance with the
Fishes?
Latin and Caribbean food and culture
are on the menu during Miami Seaquar-
ium’s Tastes of Miami, running Thurs-
day through Monday, December 26-30.
Music, food, Latin dance (including
instruction), and special kids’ activities
(including a Conservation Fun Zone)
highlight the schedule, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. daily. Miami Seaquarium (4400
Rickenbacker Causeway) hours are 10:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, so you’ll have
extra of time to wander through the
exhibits. The fair is included in regular
admission price. Discounts available at
www.miamiseaquarium.com.
Mangoheads Strut Again
The crowd along last year’s King Mango
Strut parade route cheered “Ruth Bader
Ginsburg” and her medics; booed “Red
Tide Rick”; applauded a python exorcist
and the Electile Dysfunction contin-
gent; and hooted at Political Pinnochios,
among them “Melania” and her “Marry
for Love” signage. Get the idea? Noth-
ing from the 2019’s headlines is safe
from parody so long as attendees keep
in mind that little Miss Mango and her
tiara-wearing cohorts all help make
the Coconut Grove tradition a family-
friendly event. The parade starts at 2:00
p.m. Sunday, December 29 at the corner
of Commodore Plaza and Main Highway,
where things also wind up with a party,
bands, dancing, and food and drink.
www.kingmangostrut.org.
Compiled by BT contributor Dinah
McNichols. Please send information and
images to calendar@biscaynetimes.com.
Bayfront NYE Bash Greets 2020
South Florida’s largest outdoor party
takes place New Year’s Eve, Tuesday,
December 31, at Bayfront Park (301
N. Biscayne Blvd.). Leave your car
at home, and join the 150,000 people
expected to turn up for a free dance
party with Funky Frank in the amphi-
theater, reworks over the bay, and the
countdown for Miami’s “Big Orange”
ascent on the side of the InterConti-
nental Hotel. Festivities begin at 8:00
p.m. and end at midnight. No bottles,
cans, coolers, or personal reworks,
please. Free. Happy New Year! www.
bayfrontparkmiami.com/NYE.
Next Stop, Enjoy the Buskers!
The seventh annual street performance Buskerfest takes place Friday, De-
cember 13, 4:00-6:00 p.m., with Comic Cure’s own Comedy Corner, artists,
musicians, and other performers working through their sets at various stops
along the Metromover Inner Loop, as well as some satellite stops. As usual,
at 6:00 p.m., the Buskextravaganza heads to Bayfront Park (301 Biscayne
Blvd.) for a free family-friendly nale featuring Cleaveland Jones, Inez Bar-
latier, and SHENZI at the Tina Hills Pavilion. Buskerfest “passports” offer
downtown discounts and rafe prize opportunities. buskerfestmiami.com.
If Santa Had a Playground for His Elves…
Oh, wait, he does! It’s Santa’s Enchanted Forest, and while you may not see the forest for
the lights, your kids (and you, eventually) will be squealing. Now in its 37th year, this holiday
tradition features carnival game arcades and foods, plus scores of rides for all thrill and age
levels (some rides cost extra), plus holiday music, displays, light shows, entertainment, Santa
himself, and “South Florida’s tallest Christmas tree.” It runs now through Sunday, Janu-
ary 5, at Tropical Park (7900 SW 40th St.). Hours: 5:00 p.m. to midnight nightly, closing at
1:00 a.m. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and 11:00 p.m. New Year’s Eve. Adult (ages
9 through 64) day pass: $35.51; kids (3-8) and seniors: $21.49. Season passes available. Free
parking and shuttle service are available. www.santasenchantedforest.com.
58 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Columnists: POLICE REPORTS
Biscayne Crime Beat
Compiled by Derek McCann
Stop Whining — He Has It Much
Worse
300 Biscayne Blvd.
A homeless man was sleeping outdoors, on
the lthy sidewalk, his usual nightly ac-
commodations. He kept all his possessions
in a backpack. Sadly, this bag held not only
his bank account but also his valuable life
items. Well, sad to say, he violated Home-
less Living 101 when he set his backpack
down beside him, instead being street
smart and using said bag as a pillow. It was
stolen, of course, so what’s the poor guy
to do? Think on this, Miamians, and quit
bitching about the lawn chairs being out
of place by the pool. Show some gratitude
and kindness this holiday season.
She Was Too Busy to Notice
100 NE 2nd Ave.
This woman was dancing away the night.
After all, this is Miami, and party central,
right? Even at a shady though chill dive,
right? She had her cell phone swiped
clean out of her zipped-up purse, which
she said was on her side. She’d taken all
the necessary precautions, she insisted,
adding, “I so can’t believe they took my
phone? I mean, do you like believe that?”
She called the phone, but it was turned
off. There are no leads, of course. People
never get their phones back.
This Just Made a Bike Thief’s Day
7900 Block of Biscayne Boulevard
A man parked his bike and entered a
smoke shop. And when we say “parked,”
we do mean just that. He didn’t chain it or
secure it by any means. So it took just a
few minutes for some opportunistic thug
to grab the bike and pedal north along the
Boulevard. Surveillance cameras don’t
have a good image of the thief. The mind-
boggling detail is that this chump just
parked his bike. This is Miami, people! At
least he gets a mention in Crime Beat.
Tricked While Waiting
1000 Block of Biscayne Boulevard
Now, this she should have seen coming.
A mom and her son were waiting for
their Uber ride downtown, with Mom
no doubt hoping she wouldn’t have to
pull her gun — yes, she was packing
heat. Despite that bulge on her person,
a group of teenagers walked by her,
and one of them, she thinks, “bumped”
her. You’d think you’d remember a
THE CITY IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
The free Miami-Dade Transit Tracker App makes it easier than ever to have a fun-
lled Miami-Dade County vacation on public transit.
Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover are your best travel value in Miami. They
connect you from airport to hotel to scores of popular tourist destinations, by rail
or by road. It’s a big system, but the MDT Tracker App puts it all in order for you.
GET APP AND GO!
Download MDT Tracker from the
App Store or Google Play now!
www.miamidade.gov/transit
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 59
suspicious bump, right? And not just
“think it happened”? The Uber ride did
come, and that’s when Mom realized
her phone had been “bumped” right out
of her pants pocket, though she still had
her gun. So Mom couldn’t give an Uber
review, and you know how they want
those right away.
Good Thing They Weren’t Friends
100 Block of NE 82nd Street
A dispute occurred between two
roommates. The victim, who referred
to her male roommate as “an acquain-
tance,” reported that she had asked
said person to leave the premises. This
caused a problem. After he gave her
back his key, he left but returned to
the apartment and kicked down the
door, screaming at his former room-
mate/acquaintance: “I am going to kill
you!” The landlord was also threatened.
The enraged man did leave again, but
not before throwing a garbage can at a
car, causing $1500 in damage. Police
tracked him down, at which time he
said he had no idea what they were
talking about or how that small baggie
of weed got into his pocket.
The Tale of the Bike Lock
100 NE 2nd Ave.
During the course of his daily bike ride,
this cycle warrior parked his bike at a
bike rack, using a Kryptonite lock. So,
of course, if Superman can’t break it, it
must be the perfect lock, right? This is
Miami, people, and guess what? Super-
man is not in the business of stealing
bikes! The man said he was completely
shocked that someone was able to rip
open the Kryptonite. He duly led his
police report, but we bet that his bike is
waiting for a spot under the Christmas
tree of its new home.
That Pillow Must Give Sound Sleep
6500 Block of Biscayne Boulevard
Another homeless man complained to
city workers about a burglary. He’s a vet-
eran of the homeless wars and knew the
ropes — or so he thought. He was sleep-
ing on a pillow that, yes, covered his
belongings, with his head rmly weigh-
ing it down. Yet somehow someone was
able to remove all of his things, and did
it clean, gently lifting and lowering his
head as he slept. The shocked man told
police that he could not believe a perp
— and likely a homeless perp — could
just magically steal his stuff.
Uber, Cut and Run
400 NE 68th St.
Our victim hopped into her Uber and took
her ride uptown. As she was getting out,
she carelessly left her phone on the seat,
then remembered and waved to the driver
to stop. He did and she opened the door.
Both stared at the Metro PCS phone as it
lay on the seat. Just as the woman reached
for it, the driver hit the gas, causing the
woman to fall. She tried calling her phone,
but the driver didn’t answer, naturally.
She called Uber HQ and was told the man
never reported back to work. Why, Miami,
are we so careless with our phones when
they are our new wallets?
Victoria, He’s Robbing You Blind
401 Biscayne Blvd.
At Victoria’s Secret, which most men
avoid unless they’ve been dragged there
by their girlfriends, a brazen and sudden
theft occurred. The stolen items? Bikini-
t undergarments. And they were stolen
to the tune of $1000. That’s a lot of un-
derwear for one active gent to share. An
employee saw him stufng the bikinis in
his own undergarments, as well as into
a black bag he had with him. In fact, the
employee watched for quite a while since
it took some time. There is video avail-
able upon request, but it has not been
requested.
Loss Prevention Got It Half Right
3200 Block of N. Miami Avenue
At this retail establishment, two loss-
prevention ofcers were patrolling the
premises. There were also two skanky-
looking males carrying Footlocker
bags. They’re in a Nordstrom Rack, so
it’s denitely upscale, retail-wise. And
they’re using the gym bags as tools of
the craft, placing items — mainly shoes,
because Nordstrom stocks such nice
shoes — into those bags, then trying
to make their way out of the store. Did
it work? Not a chance. The two loss-
prevention ofcers confronted both men,
who ran off. They dropped one of the
bags during their ight. Let’s hope the
one they managed to hold on to held all
left-foot size 6 AAA’s.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
$3; non-resident children $7 and non-
resident adults $11.
The rink has locker rooms, a Zam-
boni nook, metal bleachers for viewing
the ice action, and a party room that is
set up with a long table and chairs. On
a Sunday afternoon visit in late October,
the BT crashed a birthday ice-skating
bash for seven-year-old Jack. He and
his mom, Daniella Milota, live in Coral
Gables and received RSVPs from about
21 kids. They rented the entire rink for
the party, for the non-resident fee of
$628. Music was pumped in over the PA
system, and the kids were having a blast.
The Youth Center also has a bowl-
ing alley, where Miami Beach residents
can bowl for free on the six lanes.
Sneakers are allowed, but you can
rent bowling shoes and balls if needed.
Kids must be at least 40 inches tall and
accompanied by adults. Large groups
must have one adult for every four kids.
The lanes are available for private party
rentals on weekends.
Parking is free at the center, and
bike racks and Citibike rentals are found
at the staircase by the front entrance.
60 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Columnists: PARK PATROL
Bring Ice Skates and
Bowling Shoes
Scott Rakow Youth Center offers unique family entertainment
By Janet Goodman
BT Contributor
Living in South Florida, it isn’t
always easy to get into the holiday
spirit, especially for Northern
transplants. For them, cold air and snow
are synonymous with the holiday season.
Although I’m certain they don’t miss
shoveling or driving in the white stuff,
that kind of winter weather is a “Happy
Holidays” maker, while Miami’s hot
temperatures are mood killers.
Luckily, a visit to the Scott Rakow
Youth Center in Miami Beach can get
you dreaming of sugar plums in no time:
lace up those fi gure skates and step onto
the frozen water at its popular Barbara
Medina Ice Skating Rink.
This nearly 13,000 square-foot
indoor ice arena is open every day, offer-
ing public and freestyle (for experienced
skaters) sessions, private lessons, youth
hockey, and adult ice hockey. Check
www.miamibeachparks.com for sched-
ules. Skating coaches can be hired by the
hour, and skate rentals are also avail-
able. Public sessions for residents are
Walking up from the parking lot, the
large yellow sculpture Untitled by
artist Charles O. Perry and supported
by Miami Beach Art in Public Places
is hard to miss; after making it past
the front desk and decorative hallway,
visitors will have the chance to “meet”
the center’s beloved namesake, Scott
Rakow, who is honored on a photo wall
of remembrance.
Scott Rakow was a former Parks and
Recreation employee and Youth Center
teen coach who grew up in Miami Beach
and later became one of its police of-
fi cers. He served for four years on the
force until he was shot and killed in 1988
while pursuing a fl eeing suspect in an
undercover drug sting. The suspect and
an accomplice were convicted of various
offenses, including fi rst-degree murder,
The youth center is named in honor of fallen Miami Beach police offi cer
Scott Rakow.
The ice rink, nearly 13,000 square feet, is open every day with public
sessions, private lessons, and hockey for kids and adults.
BT photos by Janet Goodman
SCOTT RAKOW YOUTH CENTER
2700 Sheridan Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33140
305-673-7767
Hours: M-F 8:30 a.m.-
8:15 p.m.; weekends 9:30
a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Picnic tables: Yes
Ice skating: Yes
Indoor basketball: Yes
Bowling lanes: Yes
Athletic fi elds: No
Night lighting: Yes
Swimming pool: Yes
Playground: Yes
Park Rating
W 28th St W 28th St
Scott Rakow
Youth Center
Pine Tree Dr
Pine Tree Dr
Sheridan Ave
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 61
and were sentenced to life in prison. Of-
cer Rakow was 29 years old.
The Miami Beach Youth Center
rst opened in 1976 and was promptly
renamed after Ofcer Rakow’s death. In
2010, a major renovation project managed
by KVC Construction was completed.
More recently, $5.1 million of a general
obligation bond (GOB) program has been
earmarked for improvements at the Youth
Center, of which only $69,300 has already
been implemented. The project includes
the installation of new security cameras, a
re alarm, an emergency generator, a new
air-conditioning system, high-impact win-
dows, paint, and a full roof replacement.
Another free amenity for Miami
Beach residents is the Youth Center’s
indoor basketball court, which also hosts
a soccer program on Fridays, gymnas-
tics, and a Halloween haunted house
in October. The tness center located
across the way temporarily closes then
for additional Halloween preparations.
GOB funding will go toward new oor-
ing for the basketball gymnasium.
One of three public Miami Beach
pools is found at Scott Rakow Youth
Center (the others are located at Nor-
mandy Isle Park and Flamingo Park).
This six-lane outdoor lap pool is heated
in the winter and offers an aquatics
program consisting of free swim, multi-
level swim classes, infant and toddler
water safety lessons, and water polo,
and is the home of the Miami Beach
Seahawks swim team. The surround-
ing pool deck has lounge chairs, four
blue umbrella tables, and several picnic
tables; restrooms, water fountains, and
locker rooms are nearby. The pool area is
scheduled for renovations as part of the
GOB funding.
Next to the pool is a roofed courtyard
equipped with cafeteria-style lunch tables
and ve vending machines for beverages,
ice cream, and snacks. The covered space
comes in handy during rainstorms and is
used for summer camp activities.
On the second-oor level of the
Youth Center, a large game room is open
seven days a week for visitors and the
after-school program. Four pool tables,
air hockey, ping-pong, two foosball
tables, and two dart boards provide
fun for all. Five Xbox and PlayStation
entertainment centers are available only
to kids signed up for the after-school
program, as are the 13 computers found
in the adjacent media room. Music les-
sons, arts and crafts, and various senior
program activities take place in class-
rooms throughout the facility.
Outside the aquatics complex is
a serene picnic area with three tables
under leafy trees and a fenced-in
children’s playground. Swings, slides,
climbers, and several park benches are
installed on soft safety ooring and
under a canvas shade cover.
Miami Beach residents may remem-
ber playing tennis on rooftop courts at
the Youth Center, but those days are
gone for good. The roof foundation is
unsafe for that activity today and is
scheduled for a complete replacement,
paid for through the GOB funding. But
future plans for the closed Bayshore Mu-
nicipal Golf Course, located behind the
Youth Center, entails turning the nine-
hole links into a 19.4-acre park, which
will include a dog park, gardens, lake-
side boardwalk loop, and tennis courts.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
The lap pool, heated in winter, offers open swim periods, classes, infant
and toddler safety programs, water polo, picnic tables, and lockers.
Six bowling lanes are open to kids at least 40 inches tall (with adult) and
can be rented for parties on weekends.
This large game room on the second oor is open every day, with nearby
rooms for media, music lessons, arts and crafts, and programs for seniors.
62 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Columnists: PET TALK
A Farewell to Mary Tanguay
South Florida mourns the loss of a community advocate
By Janet Goodman
BT Contributor
Miami Shores Woman’s Club
president Pat Cocchi can’t
wait to speak about her best
friend, “sister from another mother,” and
rst vice president, Mary Tanguay, who
passed away September 14 at the age of
69, after a two-year battle with pancre-
atic cancer.
“She has done so much good for so
many people,” Cocci tells the BT. “She
was a rare person. You couldn’t get a
harder worker. I know she went straight
to heaven.”
Over the years, Mary and Pat helped
raise tens of thousands of dollars for
charities and local institutions, such as
the Autistic Child Advocate Association,
the Center for Autism and Related Dis-
abilities, the Humane Society of Greater
Miami, My Animals Rock, the Miami
Theater Center, the Brockway Memorial
Library, and the Miami Shores Commu-
nity Center. Mary was also an ambassa-
dor for H2U (Health to You) in Aventura.
The two women met in 1993 at
Mary’s pet shop, Mary’s LB in North
Miami, and immediately clicked when
they found out they both were cuckoo for
Elvis Presley. Over their three-decade
friendship, they shared a lot of laughs
and their love for the King, traveling
twice to Graceland (where Mary rst
noticed cancer symptoms), sitting front
row at local Elvis impersonator concerts,
and watching horror icks.
“We did everything together, and we
got into a lot of trouble together,” says
Pat, laughing. “We had so much fun.”
Mary also went out of her way to help
people, notes Pat. Mary’s daughter Maria
Ramirez, who runs the store along with
new manger A.J. Gonzalez-Vence, agrees.
“Walking into the shop is like walk-
ing into Cheers — everybody knows
your name,” says Maria. “My mom knew
customers’ names and what they buy.
She made sure we have a family relation-
ship with our customers.”
It’s a rare thing these days amid im-
personal big-box chains to have a friend-
ly pet expert greet you at the mom-and-
pop-shop door and only think of what’s
best for your pet and not the bottom line.
“Mom was all about unbiased informa-
tion for our customers,” Maria adds.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1950,
Mary Tanguay grew up in Hialeah. Ac-
cording to her daughter, she didn’t go past
the ninth grade and was a mother by age
15, with three kids by age 19. She became
a single mom after divorce, worked at an
assortment of jobs to raise her family, re-
married, and moved to North Miami. Her
boat-cleaning business took muscle, but
Mary wasn’t immune to hard work.
One day she telephoned a local pet
store near closing time to ask the owner
if he would remain open just a few min-
utes longer so she could race over and
pick up several bags of dog food for her
Dobermans. When the owner indignant-
ly answered, “Absolutely not,” right then
and there Mary decided to go into the pet
supply business. She wanted to be there
for her customers.
Her rst shop in North Miami was
too small and her supplier warned that
she couldn’t make a go at that location.
She found the perfect place at 13295
W. Dixie Highway in 1989. There she
ourished like a force of nature, not only
growing the community’s pet store, but
rescuing and rehoming dogs and cats at a
time when animal rescue barely existed.
She became a bird expert, raising and
caring for cockatiels and parakeets, and
was the longtime go-to pet professional
to help anyone with a furry, feathered, or
scaly friend.
Because of Mary, Pat has had a
menagerie of pets over the past quarter
century. “Animals in our community
have suffered a terric loss with Mary’s
death,” she says.
Mary’s LB Facebook page is abuzz
with touching comments. “I could
always stop by and get advice and a
smile,” wrote Harvey Bilt. “Mary added
so much to so many pets’ lives — and
their owners.”
Arnold Markowitz wrote: “Loss,
tears, and sorrow here. At the Rainbow
Bridge, wagging tails and joyful noise.”
Others called Mary “one of the good
ones,” “a great lady,” “a godsend,” “a
wizard,” “a source of wisdom,” “one of a
kind,” and “unforgettable.”
A celebration of life was held for Mary
at Helen’s Pet Poodle in Ojus on November
10, where friends, family, and customers
(human and canine) gathered to remember
her. Elvis impersonator Chris MacDonald
performed “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
one last time for his No. 1 fan, while a box
of tissues passed through the crowd.
Mary’s LB lives on. Maria contin-
ues to run the downstairs shop, while
Mary’s cremated ashes keep watch in a
special nook upstairs in an Elvis-deco-
rated urn, near urns of beloved pets. It’s
a tting resting place for a remarkable
animal advocate.
Janet Goodman is a Miami Shores-based
dog trainer and principal of Good Dog
Bad Dog Inc. Contact her at
info@gooddogbaddogmiami.com.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
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Mary’s LB: “Walking into the shop is like walking into Cheers —
everybody knows your name.”
BT photo by Janet Goodman
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 63
Columnists: FAMILY MATTERS
We Face a Moral Rot
Gun violence has metastasized in this country
By Stuart Sheldon
BT Contributor
My friend Crystal, in Philadel-
phia, received the following
text message from her 15-year-
old daughter, M, on October 30: “Mom
— there is a lockdown. They say it’s not
a d r ill .”
M attends a top public school. Crys-
tal is a married working mom, hustling
to raise two teen girls. As if that’s not
hard enough.... What does one even do
with a text like this from your baby girl?
And what does it say about America, our
“shining city on a hill”?
Crystal didn’t see the text for over a
minute, as she was in a meeting.
Then, in her own words: “Slow
motion. But rapid-re texts asking where
she is, what she hears, what are they
saying to her, what people are doing.
Desperately thinking of something reas-
suring to say and thinking, ‘This could
be the last thing M reads.’”
Gun violence is no longer in Amer-
ica. It is America. It’s metastasized to
become who we are and how we’re seen.
Let’s call it by its right name: moral rot.
Death of an empire. Ignorance. The loss
of decency and basic respect...for the
sanctity of children…and human life.
There’s silence from Crystal’s
daughter. Because they’re being quiet
and because she has no answers.
My son was almost six when 20
six-year-olds were slaughtered in their
little school chairs at Sandy Hook seven
years ago. Where have we gone since?
Inconceivably, further down the shame-
ful pit of Second Amendment soundbites
and psychotic “patriots” and young black
men shot in cold blood for being black.
Finally, a text: “It’s over.”
Sixteen minutes later, M’s school sent
a businesslike e-mail explaining the lock-
down, congratulating students’ behavior,
and assuring that no one was harmed.
Classes resumed, homework was given.
Crystal, in a state of mental/emotion-
al discombobulation, spent the rest of her
day wondering how she was supposed
to talk with her kids later that night. “So,
honey, one heckuva lockdown at the old
schoolhouse, huh? Heh heh.”
She asks: “Are we raising robots or
empathetic adults who aren’t desensi-
tized to trauma?”
Over dinner, she forced her daughter
to walk her through the events of the day:
— M in line for lunch in the caf-
eteria, where there are no doors. The
cafeteria kids were the last to know; they
found out when the lights went out and
people began to panic.
— The lunch ladies tried to yell over
the mayhem. Announcements to “nd
the nearest classroom” were coming over
the PA, but only snippets were caught.
“This is not a drill.”
— Some 150 cafeteria kids linked
hands and ran out the only exit — di-
rectly into the hallway where they heard
the shooter was.
— M didn’t know where those 150
kids went. Some people were white with
terror, others kept repeating that this
wasn’t real.
— M huddled in a corner of a nearby
music room and said her plan was to dive
behind a cello, should the gunman enter.
— An “all clear,” and students were
told to go to class.
— M didn’t get lunch.
At the end of this day, Crystal, tells
me, she has “emotions coming out of
my armpits.”
A brush with a school shooting is a
wakeup call, she said. And America gets
the same wakeup call several times a
month now.
So, wake the f*&k up!
A recent study in the American
Journal of Medicine found that in 2017,
1144 U.S. active-duty military and police
ofcers were killed by guns worldwide,
while 2462 U.S. school-age children
were killed by rearms — more than
twice the number.
As if that’s not proof that our society
has putreed, approximately 3 million
children witness gun violence every year.
What do you say to your little one after
he’s watched a guy get killed?
I lived in Costa Rica the past year,
a country with 4.9 million people. And
guess what? Children never see people
getting shot because that doesn’t happen
in normal countries. In fact, I never
heard of anybody getting shot. Practi-
cally no one has guns.
Words don’t matter anymore, and
you’re probably already bored with this
rant. I don’t blame you. It’s beyond ex-
hausting. So let’s cut to the call to action.
Assemble and vote!
Contact Everytown for Gun Safety
(www.everytown.org). We hosted an
Everytown meeting in our home and
connected victims with compassionate
citizens. Everytown raises funds to pay
lobbyists to beat back the beasts.
Get your kids off shooter games. Our
society is crumbling. Rome, the Otto-
mans, Britain. No one thought their suns
would set. Our sky is dark.
Most important: Vote out anyone
who tries to normalize M’s story. No
more smokescreen talk of mental illness,
thoughts, and prayers. Silence is collusion.
Be a real patriot. Fix it!
Stuart Sheldon is an award-winning
artist, author, and Miami native. Follow
him on Facebook, Instagram @stuart_
sheldon and his blog, FancyNasty.us.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Billboard by Stuart Sheldon
“Mom — there is a lockdown. They say it’s not a drill.”
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64 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Columnists: YOUR GARDEN
Soil Compaction Kills
Your Trees
Commercial “nutrient” injections won’t fix the issue
By Jeff Shimonski
BT Contributor
Through the loss of so much tree
habitat, and the preference for
open landscaping on residential
and commercial properties, Miamians
are being increasingly affected in obvi-
ous ways.
These days we all worry about
driving down ooded roads after heavy
downpours. People driving compact
cars have a real problem on inundated
roads, and even SUVs can stall in deeper
water. More rainwater is running onto
roadways because we’re covering all
that land with impermeable concrete and
compacting any remaining soil.
The photo that accompanies this ar-
ticle is of a local road I drive along several
days a week. It was still raining when I
took this photo. It had been one of those
weeks when it seems to rain almost every
day, and any open ground was probably
saturated when I took the photo.
But I notice as I drive through
residential areas — and as you can see in
this photo — it’s rare for the entire street
to ood. Plus, I’m seeing more ood-
ing on roads next to newly constructed
homes. As is clear in this photo, ood-
ing occurs next to regular parking areas,
even on bare ground, because the soil is
so compacted that the rainwater just runs
off into the street.
This area where the photo was taken
has few, if any, storm drains. Thus it
takes a while for the ooding to dissipate.
In areas where there are storm drains,
the water is just diverted to the ocean
and bays near us.
Just think of the other stuff that
ows into the storm drains along with
the water — lawn chemicals, fertil-
izers, and all the organic matter that
landscapers blow off the properties into
the streets, not to mention the dog crap
that people leave on any open piece of
exposed grass without picking it up. This
is called “nonpoint source” pollution.
But I digress. The point here is that
compacted soil left behind after new
construction leads to many problems.
I came across one problem recently,
after writing an after-the-fact tree evalua-
tion on a newly built residential property
where a number of live oak trees had most
of their roots removed during construction.
I’d completed my report and sent it
out to my client with a number of recom-
mendations, including how to resolve
the issues of compacted soil around the
remaining large trees.
Tree protection fencing hadn’t been
put up to protect the roots of these trees,
as required during construction, and
now the trees were suffering from soil
compaction. That compaction keeps water
and oxygen from reaching the tree roots,
which then start to die. When the roots
die, the tree’s canopy begins to thin out.
Less water and fewer nutrients reach the
foliage, so tree growth slows considerably.
A couple of weeks later, I got a call
from a pest control company that also
offers horticultural chemicals to clients.
They had some questions regarding
several large live oak trees on the right-
of-way adjacent to the property that were
in decline from soil compaction.
My client, who’d built the house,
needed to make the trees look better
before turning over the property to the
new owner, and had contacted this pest
control company to inject the trees with
“nutrients” to make them look better.
The person from the pest control
company asked me what kind of per-
mitting was needed to inject trees in
the right-of-way in that municipality. I
asked why the company didn’t know the
answer already, if they provided that
kind of service. There was no answer.
I then asked if they’d read my report,
which recommended “air spading” to
de-compact the soil around the trees in
order to let water and nutrients reach the
roots. Again, no answer.
Frustrated, I then asked if they were
aware that the injection service they were
providing was only treating the symptoms,
not the underlying causes of the tree decline,
which would continue, despite their treat-
ments. No answer, and the phone call ended.
I see the results of soil compaction
everywhere in South Florida. During
construction, municipalities rarely en-
force the required tree protection zones,
and as a result, trees that are left are in
decline once construction is nished.
Then, because municipal code re-
quires a few trees and some shrubs to be
planted around the project, new land-
scaping is dug right into the compacted
ll. But because the roots of these plants
can’t grow into the compacted soil, and
because any of the soil biota that could
work with tree roots is dead, the new
landscaping is almost entirely dependent
upon regular fertilizer applications. With-
out regular fertilizer application, most of
these trees decline — and without sub-
stantial roots, they topple over in storms.
Jeff Shimonski is an ISA-certied arbor-
ist municipal specialist, retired director
of horticulture at Parrot Jungle and
Jungle Island, and principal of Tropical
Designs of Florida. Contact him at jeff@
tropicaldesigns.com.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
BT photo by Jeff Shimonski
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December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 65
Columnists: GOING GREEN
No Boxes, No Bows
This holiday, give the gift of nature and time
By Kim Ogren
BT Contributor
If you’re the curious type, check out
the fun and instructive video avail-
able on YouTube about swapping con-
sumerism for sustainability. It’s called
The Story of Stuff. It’s where I learned
about the shell game that is planned
obsolescence, and that there is no away
where we can throw trash.
I’ve bought plenty of pointless holi-
day gifts, but I’ve also spent time with
family outdoors in lieu of all the fuss.
I want to share some of those experi-
ences and ideas with you in the hope that
they’ll inspire you this holiday season.
My mother was ahead of her time.
She was frugal beyond belief, and in
many ways more of an environmental-
ist than my father, who was a profes-
sional naturalist.
Mom was the only person I know
who could squeeze blood from a turnip
and turn it into the best Christmas.
Sometimes our holidays seemed “off,”
compared to those of my friends. Gifts
of socks and toothbrushes were wrapped
with care. All the wrapping papers were
carefully removed and saved. (The mini-
mum amount of tape was used.) I still
have some boxes with 1970s department
store names on them.
There were three of us kids. Christ-
mas was quiet and over in about ten
minutes. Then off we were on a boat
ride to an undeveloped island or shing
ten miles offshore. Our Christmas tree
was often a Florida native cedar — root
ball intact. There are ve Christmases’
worth of mature cedars in my yard.
Now that both of my parents are gone
and the world is degrading so quickly,
there’s not much I wouldn’t give for
more days like those.
My husband and I usually give each
other an experience for birthdays and holi-
days. Clever one that he is, and not unlike
my mother, he can really stretch a holiday.
One Christmas he asked me to marry him.
The next Christmas we got married. Now
we go on a daytime or nighttime leisurely
13-mile bike ride at Shark Valley on our
anniversary. I chat with the alligators (I
can call them). My husband proudly points
out the birds during the day or the constel-
lations by night.
Zookeeper for the Day at ZooMi-
ami was the very best gift my husband
ever gave me. They’ve since updated
this offering to a VIP guided tour or a
behind-the-scenes tour. Spending the
day with monitor lizards, accounting for
every bird in the aviary, and feeding the
owls’ little pinkies while an ambassador
talked with me about biology, habitat,
and animal behaviors helped fulll a
lifelong dream of mine.
A great source of pride for me is
my annual Florida State Park Family
Pass. My “locals only” card provides me
easy access at a moment’s notice on any
drive. There’s a passport for $17.99, for
stamping entries, and the family pass
costs $120.
With a $30 contribution, you can
adopt a turtle through the Sea Turtle
Conservancy. The package pairs nicely
with a promise to participate in a night
nesting walk in June or to attend the
annual Tour de Turtles, where hundreds
of people gather to watch a satellite
tagged turtle crawl into the Atlantic. The
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca
Raton has an exceptional turtle experi-
ence, too.
If you’ve never done it, it’s time
for a day hike on the Florida Na-
tional Scenic Trail beginning at the Big
Cypress. There’s a perfect three-mile
out and back that takes you through a
number of habitats. Skip the lines for an
airboat ride and just enjoy the easy pace
and sounds of nature.
Here are two outings I haven’t tried,
but you bet I will soon: The Pelican
Harbor Seabird Station sunset cruise
and the Biscayne National Park Insti-
tute’s sailing trip to Boca Chita.
Finally, the list of programs made
available with the Miami-Dade Parks
programs is extensive. FUNdamentals
of Camping looks perfect.
Every year my father would take me
to an outtter, and we’d select another
piece of good camping equipment. One
year a tent. Another year some dry
bags. A sleeping bag. A water lter. I
enjoy them all, and the memory of going
together to pick them out. Mostly, I enjoy
not getting cold, bitten, or letting wet
weather bother me. I’m grateful to have
experienced waking on cool mornings in
the middle of the Big Cypress with my
husband after having backpacked to a
camp ve miles in.
I hope I’ve saved you a trip to the
doctor for one of those prescriptions
they’re writing for folks to get outdoors
— though now and then we do need
someone to give us that boost, to be told
what to do. It takes the will power off
our proverbial holiday plate. Feel free to
contact me via feedback below for more
details or to send your suggestions for
fellow BT readers!
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
BT photo by Kim Ogren
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66 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Columnists: VINO
By Jacqueline Coleman
BT Contributor
Move over, Champagne! You
aren’t the only sparkling wine
in town. All it takes is a quick
stroll down the bubbly aisle at your local
wine shop to notice the variety in spar-
kling wines these days.
From Spanish Cava to Italian Pro-
secco, Franciacorta to American bubbles
from California, New Mexico, and
beyond, wine lovers no longer have to
rely on the classic cuvée from northern
France to mark celebrations. This is not
to say that Champagne doesn’t have its
place, just not on our list of Vino price-
approved wines.
When it comes to more economi-
cal options, Cava is having quite the
moment. If I had to pick a winner among
the sparkling wines made outside of
France, I’d say that Cava wins as the best
bang for your buck. It’s quite possible to
nd a high-quality Cava at a reasonable
price. In fact, here are three of them.
Look no further than the Cune Cava
Brut as a guaranteed crowd pleaser. The
blend is 50 percent Xarel-lo, 35 percent
Macabeo, and 15 percent Parrellada, and
100 percent enjoyable classic Cava. Fruit
and oral aromas tantalize on the nose
and blend with freshness in the palate. It
is very balanced, with ne bubbles and a
smooth nish that clings to your cheeks.
The acidity is just right, meaning you
can use Cune as an accompaniment to
seafood, white meat, and salty cheese, in
addition to your celebratory moments.
The Anna de Codorníu Blanc de
Blancs Brut Reserva is on the higher
end of our price range, and the higher
end of the overall enjoyment scale. For
those who prefer Champagne grapes,
this may be the Cava for you. With 70
percent Chardonnay in the blend, this
sparkler has bright, juicy citrus and
apple avors with some nutty aromas
sneaking into the nose and lingering at
the back of the tongue. Anna is a little
weightier than the Cune, making it an
excellent option for any occasion that
calls for bubbles at the dinner table.
Pronounced fresh-eh-net, the Freix-
enet Cordon Negro Brut Cava presents
regally in a black-and-gold bottle and
is an easy one to drink. Apple and pear
avors dominate, with some savory
notes oating throughout. Whew, you’ll
get some acidity, too, which holds it all
together nicely. This is a lighter Cava,
but with excellent avor.
Let’s move along to Prosecco, which
is an Italian specialty made from the
Glera grape. There were two in this
category, and one of them is produced in
Italy by a U.S. label you may recognize.
The Josh Cellars Prosecco is made in
an extra dry style, meaning there is a
tad bit more sweetness in the wine than
found in your classic brut. It’s sharp on
the nose, with apple, pear, and citrus
aromas that all persist
through into the palate.
This bottle left me
wanting in the bubbles
category, but overall it’s
a pleasant sparkling.
For a more interest-
ing choice, reach for La
Vostra Prosecco. Still
a lighter wine, it comes
with great bubbles,
balanced acidity, and
just the right amount of
citrus fruit. La Vostra
is a crisp and refreshing
Prosecco. One of the
great things about Pro-
seccos is that they come
across as uncomplicated,
easily enjoyable spar-
kling wines, and that is
exactly what you will
get with La Vostra.
If you still can’t
wrap your head around drinking a
sparkling wine made outside France, let
me introduce you to a couple of French
options that may satisfy your craving for
bubbles at a bargain. The Cruse Blanc
de Blancs Brut strikes me as a better
option for one of those hot daytime
celebrations than for something fancy
at night. It’s light and citrusy, but the
aromas of the wine are a bit stronger
than the actual avors in your mouth.
It’s refreshing for a daytime boat cruise,
which is tting, if you think about it.
Lastly, consider the Depréville
Brut, which is a perfect option for
those who truly enjoy a Blanc de Blancs
Champagne. It’s made in the traditional
method and shows soft and elegant with
a long, smooth nish. At less than $10
retail, Depréville does a wonderful job of
giving Champagne drinkers the option
to save a few bucks without losing out on
the best bubbly qualities they enjoy.
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
La Vostra Prosecco is $10.99, the Cruse Blanc
de Blancs Brut is $8.99, and the Depréville Brut
is $9.99 at the North Miami Total Wine & More
(14750 Biscayne Blvd., 305-354-3270). Whole
Foods Market in downtown (305-995-0600) carries
the Anna de Codorníu Blanc de Blancs Brut
Reserva for $13.99. The North Miami ABC Fine
Wine and Spirits (14025 Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-
6525) has the Cune Cava Brut for $11.99 and the
Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava for $9.99. The
Target in North Miami (305-944-5341) carries Josh
Cellars Prosecco for $13.99.
Celebrate with Bubbly on
a Budget
Red, white, and you: Agreeable wine for $15 or less
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 67
Columnists: DISH
A Look Back at 2019’s
Biggest Openings
Food news we know you can use
By Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne
Rubin-Anderson
BT Contributors
What an eventful year it has
been for Miami’s diverse
food scene. Diners had many
reasons to celebrate throughout 2019, as
some huge names opened exciting new
concepts in South Florida. Now that it’s
the end of the year, there’s no better time
to share some of our favorites.
One of the more newsworthy addi-
tions to the scene was Le Jardinier (151
NE 41st St., Suite 135, 305-402-9060),
a vegetable-forward restaurant by a
protégé of the late chef Joël Robuchon.
At this gorgeous eatery, we found our-
selves falling head over heels for vibrant
dishes like honeynut squash agnolotti
and Maine scallops that burst with avor.
Our resolution for next year is to save
enough money to visit the upstairs
concept, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
(151 NE 41 St., Suite 235, 305-402-9070),
whose creative tasting menus promise an
unforgettable experience.
Another restaurant that opened
to huge fanfare this year: Gregory’s
Diner (7301 Biscayne Blvd., 305-846-
9130). From the team that brought us
the beloved Mandolin Aegean Bistro,
Gregory’s is a more casual concept than
its older sibling. While previous occu-
pants of the space failed due to identity
crises, this concept suffers from no
such problem. It’s a diner through and
through, albeit with a fresh coat of paint
and elevated (yet still approachable)
fare. We’d bury our face into their jumbo
matzo ball soup again in a heartbeat, and
the sandwiches — from the patty melt
to the chicken cutlet — are all denitely
two-handers.
Celebrated chef Bradley Kilgore
tried his hand at a more relaxed concept
this year in the form of Ember (151 NE
41st St., Suite 117, 786-334-6494). The
buzzworthy Design District bistro has
given Kilgore and his team a place to try
modern takes on classic comfort foods.
Think poutine, shrimp and grits, smoked
fried chicken, mac and cheese, and other
favorites (with the Kilgore touch, of
course). Standouts for us included the fun
spin on a Caesar salad (jardin Caesar) and
the roasted cornbread custard. The food is
heavy, so prepare to roll out of there.
While these restaurants made a
big splash upon opening, more recent
additions to the South Florida scene are
wasting no time making their mark.
Keep an eye on Amaranthine Bistro
(9801 NE 2nd Ave., 786-907-4924) in
Miami Shores. The charming Mediter-
ranean eatery cooks up an eclectic menu
to satisfy diners at all hours. Breakfast,
lunch, dinner, brunch, happy hour....
Amaranthine covers all the bases. Entic-
ing morning fare includes selections like
a prosciutto omelet and Nutella pancakes,
while an array of tasty salads, pastas,
and proteins can be had later in the day.
There’s never a bad time to pop in.
Further north, Mizumi Buffet &
Sushi (3207 NE 163rd St., 305-705-2059)
is also treating guests to a wide variety
of delicious food — in this case, a trea-
sure trove of sushi and other Asian cui-
sine. The menu is too long to list, but all
the crowd favorites are here, including
dragon rolls, spicy tuna, shrimp dump-
lings, spring rolls — plus the kitchen
sink. Expect to pay no more than $25 per
person for the buffet; at that price, visit-
ing Mizumi is a no brainer.
Aventura recently welcomed Casa
D’A n ge lo (2906 NE 207th Ave., 305-
699-5500) into the fold. The name
might ring a bell to some local food-
ies, as this isn’t the restaurant’s first
outpost in South Florida. It is the first
one in Miami-Dade County, however.
No longer do hungry locals have to
venture past the county line for a taste
of Casa D’Angelo’s popular pap-
pardelle, gnocchi, pomodoro, or other
Italian specialties.
A stone’s throw away, bartaco (2906
NE 207th St., Suite 104, 305-614-8226)
is keeping diners happy, too. The
beach-inspired establishment lives up
to its name with an extensive list of the
namesake staple. Aside from traditional
proteins like carnitas and sh, bartaco
boasts tacos stuffed with miso cod, crispy
rock shrimp, tuna “tatako,” and other
inventive llings. A robust craft cocktail
lineup, with an emphasis on tequila and
mescal, provides even more reasons to
become a regular at this new spot.
The year was full of great additions
to the local restaurant scene, and 2020
should be full of even more. We can’t
wait. Happy holidays!
Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne Rubin-
Anderson are co-founders of Miami Food
Pug, an award-winning South Florida
food blog that fuses the couple’s love of
dogs and food.
Send us your tips and alerts:
restaurants@biscaynetimes.com
Feedback: letters@biscaynetimes.com
Courtesy Ember
Roasted cornbread custard at Bradley Kilgore’s Ember.
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68 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
MIAMI
Brickell / Downtown
ADDiKT
485 Brickell Ave., 305-503-0373
So long, 15th and Vine. The now-shuttered W Miami restaurant
has been replaced by a more playful, approachable spot:
ADDiKT. While the dishes have cheeky names like “Banh-Who?
Banh-Me” (a Vietnamese pork belly sandwich) and “Juan in
a Million” (shrimp tacos), this is some serious international
cuisine. The view alone is worth the visit — any seat offers a
breathtaking look at Brickell. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, and
dinner. No matter the meal, the creative menu will keep you
on your toes. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Alloy Bistro
154 SE 1st Ave., 786-773-2742
Deep within the bowels of an otherwise unspectacular swath
of urban sprawl lies a small but wondrous urban oasis where
the food is fresh, creative, and presented with playful finesse.
Chef Federico Genovese’s imaginative Mediterranean fusion
menu rotates daily, and features fresh, seasonally driven reci-
pes whose ingredients are sourced both locally and overseas.
On a recent visit, nothing fell short of divine: the 24-hour short
rib served over aged white cheddar and topped with mashed
potatoes was expertly prepared. A show-stopping take on a
classic blueberry tart dessert served with coconut foam gar-
nished with powdered green tea was an inspired way to end
the night. Even the bread was baked to perfection and served
with the most fragrant olive oil I’ve ever had the pleasure of
tasting. If there is an oyster’s pearl to be found in the heart of
downtown Miami, this is it. $$$ (AM)
All Day
1035 N. Miami Ave., 305-699-3447
Here is a stroke of inspired insanity: an artisanal coffee shop
and all-day breakfast bistro at the edge of downtown Miami’s
clubland corridor. Fans of breakfast have plenty to fawn over,
including a delicious baked egg and leek skillet served with a
side of toasted baguette, and a curiously exotic poached egg
and congee bowl. Sandwiches and salads are also available.
The space is bright and accented with beautiful natural woods,
and sports some seriously hip flourishes including a neon
drink menu illuminating the coffee station. Single-origin coffee
is a specialty here and the baristas prepare it with effortless
finesse. For the weekend warriors, after the all-night EDM
bender, thankfully there is All Day. $$ (AM)
Area 31
270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, 305-424-5234
Not that the sleek interior of this seafood restaurant (named
for fishing area 31, stretching from the Carolinas to South
America) isn’t a glamorous dining setting. But we’d eat
outside. From the expansive terrace of the Epic condo and
hotel on the Miami River, the views of Brickell’s high-rises
actually make Miami look like a real city. It’s hard to decide
whether the eats or drinks are the most impressive. The
food is impeccably fresh regional fish, prepared in a clean
Mediterranean-influenced style. The cocktails are genuinely
creative. Luckily you don’t have to choose one or the other.
$$$-$$$$ (PRB)
American Social
690 SW 1st Ct., 305-223-7004
The gastropub grows up, offering a huge modern playground
for the social butterfly to enjoy all aspects of life. From indul-
gent chicken and waffles at brunch to open-faced short rib
flatbreads at dinner, dozens of craft beers and a long list of
cocktails for happy hour, flat-screen TVs to watch all the impor-
tant games, and even an area to dock your boat. Your most dif-
ficult task will be choosing between plush indoor seating and
outdoor riverside seating. $$-$$$$ (MB)
Arson
104 NE 2nd Ave., 786-717-6711
James Beard-nominated chef Deme Lomas is known for his
Spanish tapas restaurant NIU Kitchen in downtown Miami,
but his latest venture is poised to steal the spotlight. Located
just a stone’s throw from NIU Kitchen, Arson remedies some
of that restaurant’s shortcomings — a tight space and limited
menu — to craft a distinct yet familiar experience that will
appeal to NIU fans and first-timers alike. The Josper charcoal
oven makes meats like the Patagonian lamb chops and Angus
grass-fed skirt steak come out perfect; one bite of either will
entice you to order a second round. $$$ (MFP)
Balans
901 S. Miami Ave., (Mary Brickell Village),
305-534-9191
Open until 4:00 a.m. on weekends, this London import
(Miami’s second Balans) offers a sleeker setting than its
perennially popular Lincoln Road progenitor, but the same
simple yet sophisticated global menu. The indoor space can
get mighty loud, but lounging on the dog-friendly outdoor
terrace, over a rich croque monsieur (which comes with an
alluringly sweet/sour citrus-dressed side salad), a lobster
club on onion toast, some surprisingly solid Asian fusion item
s, and a cocktail is one of Miami’s more relaxing experiences.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Bali Café
109 NE 2nd Ave., 305-358-5751
While Indonesian food isn’t easy to find in Miami, downtown
has secret stashes — small joints catering to cruise-ship and
construction workers. This cute, exotically decorated café
has survived and thrived for good reason. The homey cook-
ing is delicious, and the friendly family feel encourages even
the timid of palate to try something new. Novices will want
Indonesia’s signature rijsttafel, a mix-and-match collection of
small dishes and condiments to be heaped on rice. Note: bring
cash. No plastic accepted here. $-$$ (PRB)
Bengal Indian Cuisine
109 NE 1st St., 305-403-1976
To say that there’s a lack of Indian restaurants in South
Florida would be an understatement. Thankfully, Bengal Indian
Cuisine in downtown Miami helps bolster the county’s slim
offerings with tasty classics like chicken tikka masala, pakora
(lentil-based vegetable fritters), and naan bread. Although
they warrant their prices, the à la carte offerings for dinner
can quickly put a dent in your dining budget. Instead, take
advantage of the generous lunch buffet that won’t break the
bank. $-$$ (MFP)
Big Easy
701 S. Miami Ave., 786-866-9854
If you visit Big Easy with expectations of po’boys, muffulettas,
and beignets, you’re going to be very disappointed. The
restaurant has nothing to do with New Orleans — it’s actually
the nickname for South African golf pro Ernie Els, one of the
restaurant’s partners. Here’s what you can expect: delectable
South African cuisine incorporating a wealth of flavors and
spices. Start with the Boerie Bites — they look like mini-hot
dogs but elevated — then work your way to the bison ribeye
and the toasted couscous risotto, which can double as a meal.
$$-$$$$ (MFP)
Bonding
638 S. Miami Ave., 786-409-4794
From trend-spotting restaurateur Bond Trisansi (originator of
Mr. Yum and 2B Asian Bistro), this small spot draws a hip
crowd with its affordable menu of redesigned traditional Thai
dishes, wildly imaginative sushi makis, and unique signature
Asian fusion small plates. Highlights include tastebud-tickling
snapper carpaccio; an elegant nest of mee krob (sweet, crisp
rice noodles); blessedly non-citrus-drenched tuna tataki,
drizzled with spicy-sweet Juneo and wasabi cream sauce;
greed-inducing “bags of gold,” deep-fried wonton beggar’s
purses with a shrimp/pork/mushroom/water chestnut filling
and tamarind sauce. $$ (PRB)
Boulud Sud
255 Biscayne Blvd. Way, 305-421-8800
Those mourning the loss of db Bistro Moderne in downtown
Miami now have reason to smile. Renowned chef Daniel
Boulud hasn’t given up on South Florida. He’s brought down
his popular Mediterranean concept Boulud Sud to fill the
space. Items like lamb flatbread, grilled octopus, and Baharat
chicken have replaced the French-focused fare of Sud’s pre-
decessor. Although much of the restaurant has changed, one
thing hasn’t: It’s still home to one of the best happy hours in
the city. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Café Bastille
248 SE 1st St., 786-425-3575
Anyone looking for brunch, a quick lunch or dinner would be
remiss to snub Café Bastille, a quaint bistro that practically
vanishes against downtown Miami’s dreary cityscape. Once
inside, however, this modern French eatery oozes charm and
boasts seriously hearty portions, especially during brunch. The
ham and salmon benedicts as well as the crêpes are phe-
nomenal, and no French meal is complete without sampling
dessert. For dinner, try the filet mignon de boeuf served over a
creamy peppercorn sauce. Remember to ask about daily spe-
cials; it’s easy to overlook the tiny board located in the back of
the restaurant. $$ (AM)
Café at Books & Books
1300 Biscayne Blvd., 305-695-8898
Adding unique literary/culinary arts components to the Arsht
Center, this casual indoor/outdoor café, directed by Chef Allen
Susser (arguably Miami’s earliest and most dedicated local-
ingredients booster), serves fresh and fun farm-to-table fare all
day, everyday — unlike the Arsht’s upscale Brava!, open only
for pre-performance dinners. Especially delightful vegetarian/
vegan dishes range from snacks like cornmeal-battered “urban
pickles” with dill tsatziki to a hefty curried cauliflower steak.
Major breakfast pluses include heritage pork hash, eggs with
Miami Smokers bacon, and free parking till 10:00 a.m. (in Lot
C). $-$$$ (PRB)
Cantina La Veinte
495 Brickell Ave., 786-623-6135
In a spectacularly stylized indoor/outdoor waterfront setting,
this first U.S. venture from Mexico’s Cinbersol Group serves
upscale modern Mexican fare with international influences
transcending Tex-Mex. No ground-beef tacos here. Rather, fill-
ings range from cochinita pibil (pork in achiote/orange sauce)
to grilled bone marrow — even escamoles: butter-sautéed ant
eggs. For the less adventurous, fried calamari with a Jamaican-
inspired hibiscus reduction or dobladitas de jaibas suave,
delectibly crunchy softshell crabs wrapped in flour tortillas
Restaurant Listings
The Biscayne Corridor’s most comprehensive restaurant guide. Total this month: 252
Restaurant listings for the BT Dining Guide are
written by Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne
Rubin of Miami Food Pug (MFP), Andrew
McLees (AM), Mandy Baca (MB), and the late
Pamela Robin Brandt (PRB) (restaurants@bis-
caynetimes.com). Every effort has been made
to ensure accuracy, but restaurants frequently
change menus, chefs, and operating hours, so
please call ahead to confirm information. Icons
($$$) represent estimates for a typical meal
without wine, tax, or tip. Hyphenated icons
($-$$$) indicate a significant range in prices
between lunch and dinner.
$ = $10 and under
$$ = $20
$$$ = $30
$$$$ = $40
$$$$$ = $50 and over
NEW THIS MONTH
MIAMI
BRICKELL / DOWNTOWN
DC Pie Co.
1010 Brickell Ave., Suite 200, 786-453-6888
Lucali co-founder Dominic Cavagnuolo has created a sister brand to his beloved Miami Beach pizza joint. A more casual affair, DC
Pie Co. caters to solo diners with its smaller pies. Toppings here are generous and varied. You can load up your pizza with pork
sausage, artichoke hearts, basil, and much more. Baked items like beef meatballs and chicken wings help round out the experi-
ence, while craft cocktails like Manhattans and gimlets give you an additional reason to stick around (and come back). $-$$ (MFP)
MIDTOWN / WYNWOOD / DESIGN DISTRICT
Dukunoo Jamaican Kitchen
316 NW 24th St., 786-334-5150
There’s a restaurant on almost every corner of Wynwood, but Caribbean food is a rare sight. With Dukunoo Jamaican
Kitchen, locals won’t have to travel far for jerk chicken, oxtail, and other island staples. An ample number of family-style
dishes make this an ideal place for friends and loved ones to enjoy a night out. Curries, whole snapper, yard-style fried
chicken — this menu is best conquered in a group. One thing to keep to yourself: the namesake green plantain dessert.
$-$$$ (MFP)
MIAMI SHORES
Amaranthine Bistro
9801 NE 2nd Ave., 786-907-4924
Day or night, Amaranthine Bistro is ready to serve up exquisite Mediterranean cuisine. Early risers can take advantage of
flavorful dishes like a Tuscany omelet (mortadella and provolone) and nutella pancakes, or grab an iced coffee for the road.
In the evening, the menu swaps breakfast fare for tuna tartare, gnocchi, lobster risotto, ribeye, and other mouthwatering
dinner selections. No matter what time they pop in, guests are in for a treat at this charming neighborhood bistro. $-$$$
(MFP)
NORTH MIAMI
Captain Jim’s Seafood Market and Restaurant
12950 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-892-2812
Captain Jim’s is a seafood paradise, boasting a wide range of fried delights and other specialties. Calling this menu big is
an understatement, as it’s filled with all sorts of delicious selections: fried cracked conch, oysters, scallop scampi, seafood
puttanesca. You’ll start salivating one-fourth of the way through. You can easily subsist on these favorites or opt for an
entrée like gulf coast shrimp or corvina fillet. Diners can have it all here. $-$$ (MFP)
AVENTURA / HALLANDALE
Casa D’Angelo
2906 NE 207th St.,305-699-5500
Casa D’Angelo has made a name for itself in Fort Lauderdale, and now it’s doing the same in Aventura. Chef Angelo Elia’s
namesake restaurant isn’t redefining Italian food — it’s just perfecting it. Calamari, burrata, and octopus are all common
sights on restaurant menus, but they’re all done so well here. Same for the pastas: the pappardelle and gnocchi will
have your taste buds dancing. Succulent meat and fish options like veal medallions and branzino shouldn’t be ignored
either. $$-$$$ (MFP)
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 69
with creamy/kicky jalapeño sauce, are irresistible. Bonus: A
specialty market/deli with imported packaged goods, cheeses,
pastries, more. $$$ (PRB)
Casa Tua Cucina
70 SW 7th St., 305-755-0320
Casa Tua, the Miami Beach institution, has made its way to
the mainland. Unlike the South Beach location, this outpost of
Casa Tua isn’t an Italian restaurant — it’s an Italian food hall.
Located inside Saks Fifth Avenue at Brickell City Centre, the
first-floor concept is made up of various dedicated stations.
Those craving pasta can choose from several delicious white-
and red-sauce dishes, while guests in the mood for pizza have
no shortage of selections. Portions are big, so come hungry.
$$-$$$ (MFP)
Cipriani
465 Brickell Ave., 786-329-4090
Derived, like all Cipriani family restaurants worldwide, from
legendary Harry’s Bar in Venice (a favorite of Truman Capote,
Hemingway, and other famous folks since 1931), this glamor-
ous indoor/outdoor riverfront location in Icon has two abso-
lutely must-not-miss menu items, both invented at Harry’s and
reproduced here to perfection: beef carpaccio (drizzled artfully
with streaks of creamy-rich mustard vinaigrette, not mere olive
oil) and the Bellini (a cocktail of prosecco, not champagne,
and fresh white peach juice). Venetian-style liver and onions
could convert even liver-loathers. Finish with elegant vanilla
meringue cake. $$$$$ (PRB)
Clove Mediterranean Kitchen
195 SE 3rd Ave., 786-717-6788
Clove Mediterranean Kitchen whips up affordable and healthy
fare for the businessperson on the go. Streamlined counter
service offers a selection of basic building blocks: a base (pita,
bowl, or salad), a dip or spread, proteins and veggies, and top-
pings and dressings, including smoked paprika mustard, honey
and orange tahini, and creamy feta. Although the cuisine tends
toward the light side of Mediterranean cooking, portion sizes
are undeniably hearty, making Clove a serious value. With its
hip, clean, fast-casual appeal and above average cuisine, this
is a welcome addition to the bustling downtown neighborhood,
where people are hungry for exciting alternatives to the brown
bag lunch and leftovers. $-$$ (AM)
Crazy About You
1155 Brickell Bay Dr. #101, 305-377-4442
The owners, and budget-friendly formula, are the same here
as at older Dolores, But You Can Call Me Lolita: Buy an entrée
(all under $20) from a sizable list of Mediterranean, Latin,
American, or Asian-influenced choices (like Thai-marinated
churrasco with crispy shoestring fries) and get an appetizer
for free, including substantial stuff like a Chihuahua cheese
casserole with chorizo and pesto. The difference: This place,
housed in the former location of short-lived La Broche, has
an even more upscale ambiance than Dolores — including a
million-dollar water view. $$$ (PRB)
Crust
668 NW 5th St., 305-371-7065
Chef-restaurateur Klime Kovaceski is back, and we are oh
so glad. Not only does his pizza-focused restaurant fill a hole
in the neighborhood, it offers a cozy space that feels more
like someone’s rustic home. A lot of thought went into their
crusts, and it shows — sturdy enough to hold less traditional
ingredients like perfectly cooked octopus and steak, and still
doughy on the inside. The medium at 14 inches and 6 slices is
large enough for two, and there will still be leftovers. Delivery
available. $$ (MB)
CVI.CHE 105
105 NE 3rd Ave., 305-577-3454
Fusion food — a modern invention? Not in Peru, where native
and Euro-Asian influences have mixed for more than a cen-
tury. But chef Juan Chipoco gives the ceviches and tiraditos
served at this hot spot his own unique spin. Specialties
include flash-marinated raw seafood creations, such as
tiradito a la crema de rocoto (sliced fish in citrus-spiked chili/
cream sauce). But traditional fusion dishes like Chinese-
Peruvian Chaufa fried rice (packed with jumbo shrimp,
mussels, and calamari) are also fun, as well as surprisingly
affordable. $$ (PRB)
DIRT
900 S. Miami Ave. #125, 786-235-8033
DIRT, South Beach’s popular clean-eating concept, has
brought its talents to Mary Brickell Village. The restaurant’s
third location features an extensive menu that has Brickell
diners covered from morning to evening. Breakfast is served
all day here, so if you want a frittata tostada or matcha pan-
cakes at 3:00 p.m., DIRT can make it happen. Tasty toasts
— including the ever-present avocado variety — and sandwiches
abound, but it’s the seasonal platters that will keep you com-
ing back. $$ (MFP)
Dolores, But You Can Call Me Lolita
1000 S. Miami Ave., 305-403-3103
From the stylish setting in Miami’s historic Firehouse No. 4,
one would expect a mighty pricy meal. But entrées, which
range from Nuevo Latino-style ginger/orange-glazed pork ten-
derloin to a platter of Kobe mini-burgers, all cost either $18 or
$23. And the price includes an appetizer — no low-rent crapola,
either, but treats like Serrano ham croquetas, a spinach/leek
tart with Portobello mushroom sauce, or shrimp-topped egg-
plant timbales. The best seats are on the glam rooftop patio.
$$$ (PRB)
Edge, Steak & Bar
1435 Brickell Ave., 305-358-3535
Replacing the Four Seasons’ formal fine dining spot Acqua,
Edge offers a more kick-back casual welcoming vibe. And in
its fare there’s a particularly warm welcome for non-carnivores.
Chef-driven seafood items (several inventive and unusually
subtle ceviches and tartares; a layered construction of corvina
encrusted in a jewel-bright green pesto crust, atop red piquillo
sauce stripes and salad; lobster corn soup packed with sweet
lobster meat; more) and a farm-to-table produce emphasis
make this one steakhouse where those who don’t eat beef
have no beef. $$$$-$$$$$ (PRB)
The Egg Spot
228 SE 1st St., 786-803-8329
The team behind Butcher Shop in Wynwood is now trying their
hand at breakfast. Located in downtown Miami, the Egg Spot’s
claim to fame is its eggy morning fare. Guests will find hearty
bites like the Son of a Butcher, a filling smoked brisket and
egg sandwich, and the Bridge & Tunnel, a tasty Taylor ham and
croissant creation. Dieters have nothing to fear, as there are
many lighter — and more lunch-appropriate — selections like
salads and “power bowls” available. $ (MFP)
Fratelli Milano
213 SE 1st St., 305-373-2300
Downtown isn’t yet a 24/7 urban center, but it’s experiencing
a mini explosion of eateries open at night. That includes this
family-owned ristorante, where even newcomers feel at home.
At lunch it’s almost impossible to resist panini, served on foc-
cacia or crunchy ciabatta; even the vegetarian version bursts
with complex and complementary flavors. During weekday
dinners, try generous plates of risotto with shrimp and grilled
asparagus; homemade pastas like seafood-packed fettuccine
al scoglio; or delicate Vitello alla Milanese on arugula. $$-$$$
(PRB)
Garcia’s Seafood Grille and Fish Market
398 NW N. River Dr., 305-375-0765
Run by a fishing family for a couple of generations, this vener-
able Florida fish shack is the real thing. No worries about the
seafood’s freshness; on their way to the dining deck overlook-
ing the Miami River, diners can view the retail fish market.
Best preparations are the simplest. When stone crabs are in
season, Garcia’s claws are as good as Joe’s but considerably
cheaper. The local fish sandwich is most popular – grouper,
yellowtail snapper, or mahi mahi. $-$$ (PRB)
Hokasan
21 SW 11th St.
Chinese restaurants are few and far between in Brickell. Enter
Hokasan, a low-key dim sum spot where dumpling lovers have
plenty of reasons to rejoice. This Brickell locale specializes in
the doughy bundles of joy, which comprise most of the menu.
You know the drill: Fill out the form with your picks — make
sure to throw in some classic pork and cabbage dumplings —
and prepare for some flavorful fare. Chilled tapas like yuzu
miso mushrooms and okra will help round out your appetite.
$-$$ (MFP)
Il Gabbiano
335 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-373-0063
Its location at the mouth of the Miami River makes this ultra-
upscale Italian spot (especially the outdoor terrace) the perfect
power lunch/business dinner alternative to steakhouses. And
the culinary experience goes way beyond the typical meat mar-
ket, thanks in part to the flood of freebies that’s a trademark
of Manhattan’s Il Mulino, originally run by Il Gabbiano’s owners.
The rest of the food? Pricy, but portions are mammoth. And
the champagne-cream-sauced housemade ravioli with black
truffles? Worth every penny. $$$$$ (PRB)
Jaguar Sun
230 NE 4th St., 786-860-2422
Jaguar Sun might seem like a standard lobby bar. It’s not. This
is a menu that both welcomes and challenges guests. Pastas
like bucatini and rigatoni make up most of the large plates
here, with smaller plates like ’nduja toast and Parker house
rolls rounding out the satisfying food offerings. On the cocktail
side, Jaguar Sun juxtaposes familiar spirits with out-of-the-box
selections that will keep you coming back to not only imbibe
but also learn. $-$$ (MFP)
Katsuya
8 SE 8th St., 305-859-0200
Fans of Miami Beach’s Katsuya no longer have to cross the
bridge to get their sushi fix. Located at the SLS Lux in Brickell,
this latest branch of the popular Asian restaurant features
many of its sister location’s favorites, along with new soon-to-
be favorites like A5 fried rice with wagyu beef and tea-smoked
duck confit leeks. Although the design of this Brickell beauty
may be minimalist, the food is not — it speaks volumes, and
you’ll want definitely want to listen. $$$-$$$$ (MFP)
Komodo
801 Brickell Ave., 305-534-2211
Accommodating a whopping 300 seats, this contemporary
three-floor behemoth blurs the line between restaurant and
lounge. An indoor/outdoor layout festooned with floating
bird-nest pods creates a treehouse ambiance enhanced only
by Southeast Asian fusion of tuna porterhouse, lobster onion
rings, skewers of miso black cod, and wasabi shrimp. $$$$$
(MB)
La Estación American Brasserie
600 NW 1st Ave., 786-490-2949
The flagship restaurant of the Virgin Trains/Brightline station
is a beast, both in size and in quality. The spacious downtown
restaurant is located in a transportation hub, so the cuisine
has to cater to a variety of tastes, and it does so successfully.
Seafood is a large part of the menu, which features highlights
like Maine lobster sliders and seafood pasta. Another standout
is the steak frites. These items may sound tame on paper, but
you’ll quickly see that they aren’t. $-$$ (MFP)
La Loggia Ristorante and Lounge
68 W. Flagler St., 305-373-4800
This luxuriantly neo-classical yet warm Italian restaurant was
unquestionably a pioneer in revitalizing downtown. With alter-
natives like amaretto-tinged pumpkin agnolloti in sage butter
sauce and cilantro-spiced white bean/vegetable salad dressed
with truffle oil, proprietors Jennifer Porciello and Horatio
Oliveira continue to draw a lunch crowd that returns for dinner,
or perhaps just stays on through the afternoon, fueled by the
Lawyer’s Liquid Lunch, a vodka martini spiked with sweetened
espresso. $$$ (PRB)
La Mar by Gastón Acurio
500 Brickell Key Dr., 305-913-8358
It’s said that Peruvian cuisine is Latin America’s most varied
and sophisticated. Reserve a patio table at this indoor/outdoor
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Christmas Eve
Brunch starts at 10am
$40 Special 4 course menu or
selected a la cart options
New Year's Eve
Brunch starts at 10am
1st seating 5pm to 8pm 5 course menu $95
2nd seating starts at 8:30pm 6 course menu $125
For more details call
7869074924 or visit
www.amaranthinebistro.com
70 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Mandarin Oriental eatery to experience Miami’s best for your-
self — along with some of the city’s best bayfront vistas. The
specialty is seafood, and the beautifully balanced recipes of
Acurio (called Peru’s food ambassador to the world), executed
flawlessly by onsite executive chef Diego Oka, especially
elevate ceviches, similar but more delicate tiraditos, uniquely
lively “Nikkei” (Peruvian-Japanese fusion) sushi creations, and
elegant whipped potato/fresh seafood causas, to world-class
fine-dining level. $$$$-$$$$$ (PRB)
La Sandwicherie
34 SW 8th St., 305-374-9852
This second location of the open-air diner that is South
Beach’s favorite après-club eatery (since 1988) closes earlier
(midnight Sunday-Thursday, 5:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday),
but the smoothies, salads, and superb Parisian sandwiches
are the same: ultra-crusty baguette stuffed with evocative char-
cuterie and cheeses (saucisson sec, country pâté, camembert,
etc.) and choice of salad veggies plus salty/tart cornichons
and Sandwicherie’s incomparable Dijon mustard vinaigrette.
Additionally the larger branch has an interior, with a kitchen
enabling hot foods (quiches and croques), plus A/C. $-$$ (PRB)
La Petite Maison
1300 Brickell Bay Dr., 305-403-9133
On any given night, you’re sure to find a lively crowd at La
Petite Maison. The internationally acclaimed French and
Mediterranean restaurant has unsurprisingly garnered a loyal
following since its opening. Don’t expect out-of-the-box cre-
ations here: La Petite Maison focuses on getting the classics
right. Items like the tuna carpaccio, grilled veal chop, roasted
baby chicken, and rack of lamb may sound simple on paper,
but once they hit your palate, you’ll realize what all the fuss is
about. $$$-$$$$ (MFP)
Latin Café 2000
1053 Brickell Plaza, 305-646-1400
In a sea of upscale restaurants, Latin Café 2000 is a breath of
fresh air in Brickell. The Cuban café stands out for all the right
reasons: low prices, big plates, and familiar fare. Steak sand-
wiches, fried pork chunks, and other Cuban classics are all avail-
able here along with a full bar. Unlike its other locations with
old-timey decor, this Brickell outpost is full of modern flourishes
that make the place pop. One thing hasn’t changed, though: the
sight-for-sore-eyes ventanita serving Cuban coffee. $-$$ (MFP)
Lost Boy Dry Goods
157 E. Flagler St., 305-372-7303
After 6:00 p.m., downtown Miami tends to be a ghost town.
That’s not the case at Lost Boy Dry Goods, a former-clothing-
store-turned-bar that offers a generous happy hour. Throughout
the evening (and well into the night), Lost Boy’s welcoming staff
pours gin and tonics, junglebirds, and other classic libations at
affordable neighborhood prices. Complementing these drinks is
an extensive bar bites menu featuring cheese boards, German
pretzels, and hefty sandwiches paired with delicious Zapp’s
potato chips. For a quieter time, come for lunch. $-$$ (MFP)
Luke’s Lobster
Brickell City Centre, 701 S. Miami Ave., #353,
786-837-7683
Lobster rolls are tiny, sometimes overpriced slices of luxury,
especially when portions run about as small as your aver-
age New York City apartment. This is not the case at Luke’s
Lobster, the venerable New England fast-casual chain champi-
oning traceable, sustainable seafood. Luke’s understands the
key to its destination status involves copious amounts of fresh
lobster (1/4 pound, to be exact) as well as a healthy dose of
disarming simplicity. True to its simple charm, Luke’s Lobster
is about as cheap and cheerful as seafood gets. All of the
rolls — lobster, crab, and shrimp — are delicious, but it’s the
signature buttery lobster roll with its split top bun and mysteri-
ous seasoning that is an absolute must-try for the uninitiated.
Considering its limited seating, it’s safe to say this playfully
rustic yet diminutive eatery gets hit hard during peak lunch
rush at Brickell City Centre. $$ (AM)
Lutong Pinoy Filipino Cuisine
195 SE 3rd Ave., 786-717-6788
For the adventurous epicurean of Asian persuasion, Lutong
Pinoy offers a deep dive into authentic Filipino cuisine, an
otherwise unmapped territory to a great majority of South
Florida’s bon vivants. Influenced by Malay-Indonesian, Indian,
Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and American cuisines, Lutong
Pinoy crafts plates showcasing ingredients indigenous to the
Philippines, and offers an extensive menu touching upon a
full spectrum of exotic flavors. Some of the highlights at this
diminutive hole-in-the-wall include the boneless lechón belly
(roasted pig), kare-kare kawali (Asian vegetables cooked in
peanut sauce), and the Sinigang na Hipon (shrimp in sour
broth). For many, however, the main event is the halo-halo, a
popular Filipino dessert made with shaved ice and evaporated
milk, topped with a mélange of ingredients, including sweet
red and white beans, bananas, coconut, sweet potato, coco jel-
lies, leche flan, and milk. The boodle fight platter is piled high
with an assortment of meat, rice, and vegetables on a bed of
banana leaves. First conceived in the mess halls of the Filipino
military, the boodle fight platter encourages eating with your
hands. When checking in, remember to keep your mind and
stomach wide open. $-$$ (AM)
Meraki Greek Bistro
142 SE 1st Ave., 786-773-1535
Tucked away in an unassuming and quaint nook of downtown
Miami, Meraki Greek Bistro is a pleasant surprise for anyone
hunting for an urban hideaway. With a pride that is palpable,
this bright little bistro boasts friendly service and delicious
Mediterranean medium to large plates. Sample Mediterranean
fare à la carte from Meraki’s souvlaki (skewer) bar, or share a
poikilies (family meal). Specials are also served daily, further
expounding upon all of the wonderfully slow-cooked options on
the menu. Meraki Greek Bistro offers everything you’d hope for
in casual dining at a reasonable price. When it comes to Greek,
the proof is in baklava — and these guys nail it. $-$$ (AM)
Mirabelle
114 SE 1st St., 786-440-6561
Plane tickets to France can get expensive. If you’re on a bud-
get, get whisked away to Europe at Mirabelle. The downtown
Miami French eatery features sweet and savory staples like
chocolate mousse, almond croissants, croque monsieur, and
more. It’s a place that works for a quick workday lunch or a
nice, romantic dinner. Feeling extra fancy? Splurge on a wine
and chocolate tasting at the bar, where you’ll find a wide range
of ports, dessert wines, and other grapes. $-$$ (MFP)
Momi Ramen
5 SW 11th St., 786-391-2392
Banish all thoughts of packaged instant “ramen.” Perfectionist
chef/owner Jeffrey Chen (who cooked for more than a decade
in Japan), changes his mostly ramen-only menu often, but con-
stants are irresistibly chewy handmade noodles; soups based
on creamy, intensely porky tonkotsu broth (made from marrow
bones simmered all day); meats like pork belly and oxtail; and
authentic toppings including marinated soft-cooked eggs, pick-
led greens, more. Other pluses: It’s open 24/7, and the ramen
ranks with the USA’s best. Minuses: It’s cash only, and the
ramen might be the USA’s most expensive. $$$ (PRB)
My Ceviche
1250 S. Miami Ave., 305-960-7825
When three-time James Beard “Rising Star Chef” nominee
Sam Gorenstein opened the original My Ceviche in SoBe, in
2012, it garnered national media attention despite being a tiny
take-away joint. Arguably, our newer indoor/outdoor Brickell
location is better. Same menu, featuring local fish prepared
onsite, and superb sauces including a kicky roasted jalapeño/
lime Juneo), but this time with seats! What to eat? Ceviches,
natch. But grilled or raw fish/seafood tacos and burritos, in
fresh tortillas, might be even more tempting. Pristine stone-
crab claws from co-owner Roger Duarte’s George Stone Crab
add to the choices. $$ (PRB)
N by Naoe
661 Brickell Key Dr., 305-947-6263
Like local secret-star chef Kevin Cory’s dinner-only Naoe,
newer lunch-only N by Naoe shares a reservations-only,
omakase-only (chef’s choice) policy— and actually shares the
same door. Turn left for Naoe, right for N. Main differences:
N has one elegant communal table, perfect for impressive
power lunches (vs. Naoe’s intimate individual seating), and
prix fixe lunches are $80 vs. $200 for dinner. Admittedly,
lunch is abbreviated: soup and multi-course bento box plus
one dessert, without the dozen or so sushi dishes. But bentos
are much bigger (seven compartments vs. four), and equally
unique. Think of N as a relatively bargain-priced introduction to
Naoe, or as a revelatory dining experience on its own. $$$$$
(PRB)
Naoe
661 Brickell Key Dr., 305-947-6263
Chances are you’ve never had anything like the $200 prix-
fixe Japanese dinner at Kevin Cory’s tiny but internationally
acclaimed oasis, but trust us: It’s one of those rare, exhilarat-
ing, instantly revelatory Eureka! dining adventures that’ll keep
you thinking about it for years. The reservations-only, omakase-
only (chef’s choice) meals begin with a subtly inventive sea-
sonal soup true to both Japanese tastes and local terroir (like
miso/fresh Homestead corn) and a four-course bento box of
the chef’s creations, proceed to about a dozen sushi dishes
eons above others in Miami, and end with three desserts.
Always changing, always astonishing. $$$$$ (PRB)
NIU Kitchen
134 NE 2nd Ave., 786-542-5070
This contemporary Catalan eatery is located, according to
its three playful proprietors, “somewhere between Dali’s
moustache and Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia.” Actually, it’s in
the heart of downtown, but the description does reflect the
Barcelona-born chef’s weirdly wonderful yet seriously skilled
twists on tapas. Instead of Catalonia’s rustic, bread-thickened
tomato soup, there’s a refined cold tomato broth poured over
a mustard ice cream-topped crouton. Mato, a simple cheese
and honey dessert, translates as custardy fresh cheese atop
eggplant “jam,” with candied hazelnuts. $$$ (PRB)
North Italia
900 S. Miami Ave, #111, 786-475-9100
The former Oceanaire location at Mary Brickell Village has
been taken over by North Italia, replacing seafood with mod-
ern Italian cuisine. You’ll find all the usual suspects here, such
as pizzas and pastas alongside classics like chicken parmesan.
The first thing you’ll notice, though, is the size of the venue;
the restaurant can seat over 300 people. The space makes
quite the first impression — and so do the strozzapreti and bur-
rata tortelloni. Don’t forget to order the tiramisu. $-$$$ (MFP)
Novecento
1414 Brickell Ave., 305-403-0900
For those who think “Argentine cuisine” is a synonym for “beef
and more beef,” this popular eatery’s wide range of more
cosmopolitan contemporary Argentine fare will be a revelation.
Classic parrilla-grilled steaks are here for traditionalists, but
the menu is dominated by creative Nuevo Latino items like a
new-style ceviche de chernia (lightly lime-marinated grouper
with jalapeños, basil, and the refreshing sweet counterpoint
of watermelon), or crab ravioli with creamy saffron sauce.
Especially notable are the entrée salads. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Novikov
300 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-489-1000
When we first heard of Novikov, we thought the upscale down-
town Miami restaurant was all about Russian food. We were
wrong. Although the restaurant gets its name from Russian
restaurateur Arkadiy Novikov, the menu is composed of
Chinese and Japanese favorites. Everything is shareable, and
most patrons should find satiety with two to three dishes each.
If you only order two dishes, the rainbow naruto roll and duck
salad are must-tries — especially the latter, with its deliciously
crispy skin. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Obra Kitchen Table
1331 Brickell Bay Dr., 305-846-9363
Latin restaurants are a dime a dozen, but few challenge your
palate like Obra Kitchen Table. At this Brickell hotspot inside
the Jade, chef Carlos Garcia and his team craft an assortment
of Venezuelan delights that also incorporate global influences.
The result: unique bites like grouper confit with fried arepa,
yuca and bacon millefeuille, and octopus bucatini carbonara
unlike anything you’ve tasted. Sit at the 25-seat bar for a more
intimate dining experience, where you’ll see these creations
come to life. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Pairings by Tomás Cuadrado
900 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 105, 786-475-1811
We’re usually hesitant to recommend a restaurant with a
chef’s name in it — we think the food should do the talking.
But Pairings by Tomás Cuadrado is the real deal. Given the
chef’s Spanish background, the menu unsurprisingly features
an array of tapas like shrimp croquettes, baby octopus, and
fried quail eggs. These flavorful selections are accompanied
by an extensive list of satisfying mains like roasted Spanish
rabbit and baked red snapper that are sure to turn you into a
regular. $$$ (MFP)
Pega Grill
15 E. Flagler St., 305-808-6666
From Thanasios Barlos, a Greek native who formerly owned
North Beach’s Ariston, this small spot is more casually contem-
porary and less ethnic-kitschy in ambiance, but serves equally
authentic, full-flavored Greek food. Mixed lamb/beef gyros
(chicken is also an option), topped with tangy yogurt sauce and
wrapped, with greens and tomatoes, in fat warm pita bread,
are specialties. But even more irresistible is the taramasalata
(particularly velvety and light carp roe dip), available alone or
on an olive/pita-garnished mixed meze platter. $$ (PRB)
Pieducks
1451 S. Miami Ave., 305-808-7888
If you can overlook a name as unenlightening as most in-jokes
(it evidently refers to a favorite character of owner Claudio
Nunes’s kids — we assume the Pokemon Psyduck), you’ll
experience pretty perfect pizza. Sadly, not all brick ovens turn
out perfectly char-blistered crusts, crisp outside and airy/
chewy inside, but that’s what you’ll consistently find here and
a newer take-out/delivery-only Midtown branch. And unlike
many artisan pizzerias, Pieducks doesn’t get cheesy with
cheese quantity (though we like that extra cheese is an option).
Elaborate salads complete the menu. $$ (PRB)
Pilo’s Street Tacos
28 SW 11th St., 305-800-8226
Three words describe Pilo’s Street Tacos in Brickell: good, fast,
and filling. The area already has its fair share of taco shops,
and Pilo’s is among the pricier offerings, but that’s because of
the quality — and quantity. These tacos are filled to the brim
with proteins like “drunken shrimp,” brisket strips, and crispy
chorizo. Don’t miss out on the salsas: There are ten different
ones from which to choose, and they range from sweet to
spicy to “Somebody call a fire truck.” $-$$ (MFP)
Quinto La Huella
788 Brickell Plaza, 786-805-4646
Uruguayan beef is in a class of its own, but it requires serious
skill and the right tools to prepare it the way Uruguayan parril-
leros do. Located within the hulking steeled Brickell City Centre,
Quinto La Huella brings a dark, moody ambiance and the
prestige of one of South America’s best restaurants, Parador
La Huella, to the complex. The centerpiece of this rustic eatery
is an authentic wood fire parrilla, an essential component to
grilling meat like a true gaucho. It should come as no surprise
then that the beef — ordered medium rare, of course — is the
main attraction here. Other options represent typical steak-
house fare, with some standout wood-fired seafood entrées
and pastas that deserve a try. Snag a seat outdoors during
the more temperate Miami months; otherwise, opt to sit near
the heart of the controls: the parrilla. Bring a liberal side of
patience with you while dining room service sorts itself out.
$$$$ (AM)
Raw Juce
901 S. Miami Ave., 305-677-3160
Brickell’s Raw Juce is making healthy living easy with a color-
ful array of cold-pressed “juce.” Fruit-forward and vegetable-
forward creations not only refresh but also give customers a
quick vitamin boost. Despite the name, Raw Juce isn’t just
about juices: acai bowls, oatmeal parfaits, and salads are
available to get patrons ready for their workout or help them
recover from a grueling one. For those of you in need of a
serious detox, Raw Juce’s cleanse packages have you covered.
$-$$ (MFP)
The River Oyster Bar
650 S. Miami Ave., 305-530-1915
This casually cool jewel is a full-service seafood spot, as
evidenced by tempting menu selections like soft-shell crabs
with grilled vegetables, corn relish, and remoulade. There are
even a few dishes to please meat-and-potatoes diners, like
short ribs with macaroni and cheese. But oyster fans will find
it difficult to resist stuffing themselves silly on the unusually
large selection, especially since oysters are served both raw
and cooked – fire-roasted with sofrito butter, chorizo, and
manchego. There’s also a thoughtful wine list and numerous
artisan beers on tap. $$$ (PRB)
Seaspice Brasserie & Lounge
422 NW N. River Dr., 305-440-4200
Unlike older Miami River market/restaurants like Garcia’s, run
by fishing families, this stylishly retro/modern-industrial con-
verted warehouse (once Howard Hughes’s plane hangar) has
an owner who ran South Beach’s hottest 1990s nightspots,
so expect celebrity sightings with your seafood. What’s unex-
pected: a blessedly untrendy menu, with simply but skillfully
prepared wood-oven-cooked fish and clay-pot, shellfish casse-
roles. Standouts include luxuriant lobster thermador, as rich as
it is pricey. $$$-$$$$$ (PRB)
Join us in the ultimate upscale buffet experience that
introduces a whole new concept to Asian dining. We bring you
an extensive selection of sushi, sashimi, rolls, seafood, popular
Asian dishes, hibachi grill, cold bar and dessert.
3207 NE 163RD St., N Miami Beach
(Next to Outback Steakhouse)
305-705-2059 • mizumifl .com
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3:30pm • Sat-Sun 12pm-3:30pm
Dinner: Sun-Thurs 5pm-10pm • Fri-Sat 5pm-10:30pm
NOW OPEN!NOW OPEN!
With coupon. One coupon per
table. Not valid on holidays.
Not valid with other offers.
Expires 12/31/19
Biscayne Times
With coupon. One coupon per
table. Not valid on holidays.
Not valid with other offers.
Expires 12/31/19
Biscayne Times
LUNCHLUNCH
PER ADULTPER ADULT DINNERDINNER
PER ADULTPER ADULT
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 71
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Sokai Sushi Bar
350 S. Miami Ave., Unit #CU-B, 786-667-3061
When it comes to Peruvian-Japanese fusion, Sokai Sushi Bar
pulls out all the stops. This Brickell outpost is the brand’s
fourth location, and it features many of the same delicious
bites that fans have come to know and love. That includes
delightful pork belly buns, tuna pizza (it tastes better than it
sounds), and a bevy of signature sushi. Don’t sleep on the
Asia roll: The salmon, cream cheese, and truffle oil creation is
packed to the brim with flavor. $-$$ (MFP)
Shake Shack
901 S. Miami Ave., Suite 109, 786-292-5777
Shake Shack, the ever-popular fast-casual burger joint, con-
tinues its South Florida expansion with a Brickell location. All
the New York brand’s signature favorites make an appearance,
including its crown jewel: the Shackburger, a cheeseburger
with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce. It sounds basic on
paper, but it easily stands above the rest of the fast-casual
pack. Other selections like hot dogs, fried chicken sandwiches,
and frozen custards also deserve a fair share of the spotlight
and ensure your doctor stays in business. $ (MFP)
Soya & Pomodoro
120 NE 1st St., 305-381-9511
Life is complicated. Food should be simple. That’s owner
Armando Alfano’s philosophy, which is stated above the entry to
his atmospheric downtown eatery. And since it’s also the formula
for the truest traditional Italian food (Alfano hails from Pompeii),
it’s fitting that the menu is dominated by authentically straight-
forward yet sophisticated Italian entrées. There are salads and
sandwiches, too. The most enjoyable place to dine is the secret,
open-air courtyard. Alfano serves dinner on Thursdays only to
accompany local musicians and artists. $-$$ (PRB)
Sovereign
22 NE 3rd Ave., 786-534-8712
Bubble tea in Miami is a rare sight. And in downtown Miami,
it’s practically nonexistent — at least it was until Sovereign
opened. The Asian fusion fast-casual spot offers the Taiwanese
treat with its trademark tapioca pearls, plus hearty poke bowls
full of tuna, salmon, and other fresh fish. Non-bowl house spe-
cialties round out the offerings and include the likes of Korean
glass noodles, bao buns, and chili beef. Come hungry to make
the most of your visit. $ (MFP)
Sparky’s Roadside Barbecue
204 NE 1st St., 305-377-2877
This cowboy-cute eatery’s chefs/owners (one CIA-trained, both
BBQ fanatics nicknamed Sparky) eschew regional purism,
instead utilizing a hickory/apple-wood-stoked rotisserie smoker
to turn out their personalized style of slow-cooked, complexly
dry-rub fusion: ribs, chopped pork, brisket, and chicken. Diners
can customize their orders with mix-and-match housemade
sauces: sweet/tangy tomato-based, Carolinas-inspired vinegar/
mustard, pan-Asian hoisin with lemongrass and ginger, tropical
guava/habanero. Authenticity aside, the quality of the food is
as good as much higher-priced barbecue outfits. $-$$ (PRB)
Stanzione 87
87 SW 8th St., 305-606-7370
Though Neopolitan-style pizza isn’t the rarity it was here a
decade ago, this is Miami’s only pizzeria certified authentic
by Italy’s Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. This means
following stringent rules regarding oven (wood-fired), baking
time (90 seconds maximum, here closer to 50), tomatoes
(imported San Marzano), olive oil (extra-virgin), even flour (tipo
00, for bubbly-light crusts). Toppings do exceed the three origi-
nal choices served in 19th-century Naples, but pies like the
Limone (fresh mozzarella, pecorino, lemons, arugula, EVOO)
prove some rules should be broken. $$ (PRB)
Station 28
91 SE 2nd St., 305-905-0328
A little paradise in the heart of downtown Miami, complete
with hidden patio, lush greenery, long communal tables, tropi-
cal juices like papaya and lucuma, and extra large Peruvian
sandwiches and burgers. This oasis offers a more casual
taste of the cuisine, the comfort foods that will remind you of
home, no matter where you come from. Their $10 daily special
includes your choice of a sandwich or burger with fries, salad
or soup, and dessert. Delivery available. $ (MB)
Swagat Indian Kitchen
900 Biscayne Blvd., Unit 101B., 786-375-9259
Where do you take an a picky eater? Swagat Indian Kitchen.
Calling its menu long is an understatement. Dozens of options
are available, including Indo-Chinese fare like chili paneer
(Indian cottage cheese) and Bombay street food specialties
such as vada pav (deep-fried potato dumplings). The naan
alone is worth the visit; don’t sleep on these breads that come
topped with everything from rosemary and garlic to cheese
and nuts. Traditionalists need not worry as Indian staples like
chicken tikka are here, too. $-$$ (MFP)
Tacology
701 S. Miami Ave., 786-347-5368
Tacology, the latest concept from Cantina La Veinte’s execu-
tive chef Santiago Gomez, is a more approachable and afford-
able ode to Mexican food. Unlike its dimly lit upscale sibling,
Tacology embraces a bright color palette and vibrant décor
that is undeniably enticing — a description that also applies
to the cuisine. As the name suggests, delicious tacos abound
on the menu, but they shouldn’t be the only items you order:
The Mexican nachos and crispy pork skin are other standout
dishes that should be on every diner’s mind at this Brickell City
Centre restaurant. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Toro Toro
100 Chopin Plaza, 305-372-4710
Back before Miami’s business district had any “there” there,
the InterContinental’s original restaurant was an executive
lunch/dinner destination mainly by default. This replacement,
from restaurant empire-builder Richard Sandoval, brings down-
town power dining into this decade. As the name suggests,
you can go bullish with steakhouse fare, including an abbrevi-
ated (in variety, not quantity) “rodizio experience.” But the
place’s strongest suit is its pan-Latin small plates — upscaled
refinements of classic favorites: crisp corn arepas with short
rib, guacamole, and crema fresca; fluffier cachapas pancakes
with tomato jam; more. $$$-$$$$$ (PRB)
Toscana Divino
900 S. Miami Ave., 305-571-2767
When an upscale restaurant remains perennially packed
during a recession, you figure they’re offering something way
beyond the usual generic Italian fare. While familiar favorites
(Caprese salad, etc.) are available, the changing menu is
highlighted by harder-to-find Tuscan specialties, albeit luxe
versions: pappa al pomodoro, tomato/bread peasant soup ele-
vated by an organic poached egg and finocchiona (a regional
fennel salami); an authentic-tasting “fiorentina” porterhouse,
with smoked potato purée plus more traditional veggies. A
budget-conscious boon: changing three-course lunches and
early-bird dinners. $$$-$$$$$ (PRB)
Truluck’s Seafood, Steak, and Crabhouse
777 Brickell Ave., 305-579-0035
Compared to other restaurants with such an upscale power-
lunch/dinner setting, most prices are quite affordable here,
especially if you stick to the Miami Spice-priced date-dinner
menu, or happy hour, when seafood items like crab-cake “slid-
ers” are half price. Most impressive, though, are seasonal stone
crabs (from Truluck’s own fisheries, and way less expensive than
Joe’s) and other seafood that, during several visits, never tasted
less than impeccably fresh, plus that greatest of Miami restau-
rant rarities: informed and gracious service. $$$-$$$$ (PRB)
Vinaigrette Sub Shop
159 E Flagler St., 786-558-5989
Bring an appetite to Vinaigrette Sub Shop, a fast-casual spot
from the operators of Mignonette. Unlike its upscale seafood
sibling, downtown Miami’s Vinaigrette is no frills (unless you
ask). Affordable subs are stuffed to the brim with turkey, roast
beef, and more; a hefty 8-inch sub is under $10. If you don’t
feel like creating your own, opt for the eatery’s massive Italian
specialties. The namesake Vinaigrette is packed with prosciut-
to, mortadella, sopressata — and the kitchen sink. $-$$ (MFP)
Whole Foods Market
299 SE 3rd Ave., 305-995-0600
From the minute you walk through its doors or pull into a spot
in the underground garage, you’ll notice this Whole Foods is
a bit different. Not only have local artists outfitted its walls in
graffiti art, but also half of the store is dedicated to grab-and-
go food and an ample and comfortable seating area, including
casual counters and tables. Grab a coffee for energy at MET
café, because you June be there awhile. Options include items
from Jugofresh, Zak the Baker, and pre-made desserts by
Versailles restaurant. There’s also La Churrasqueira, Sushi
Maki, Pizza Bar, and a soup bar featuring 20 soups like stone
crab and chicken corn chowder. Parking is free for one hour
with the purchase of an item. $-$$ (MB)
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
315 S. Biscayne Blvd., 305-487-7130
Proprietor Wolfgang Zweiner worked for decades at Brooklyn’s
legendary Peter Luger’s before opening the first of his own
much-praised, old-school steakhouses in 2003, which explains
the quality of the USDA prime-grade steaks here — dry-aged on
premises for bold, beefy flavor and tender but toothsome tex-
ture. Prices are prodigious but so are portions. The 32-ounce
porterhouse for two easily feeds three or four folks curious to
taste the difference. Plentiful sides include a bacon starter
favored by those who love Canadian bacon over pork belly.
Personally, just the simple, superb steaks leave us happy as
clams. $$$$$ (PRB)
World Famous House of Mac
600 NW 1st Ave., 786-636-6967
The first rule of visiting World Famous House of Mac: Don’t
tell your doctor. Located inside Virgin Miami Central Station,
House of Mac is known for its mesmerizing mountains of
pasta. You can keep things classic with a five-cheese truffle
iteration or go bigger with pizza mac, surf and turf mac, or beef
and broccoli mac. Don’t ignore the non-mac offerings, though.
The buttermilk fried chicken and waffles is a sleeper hit. And
yes, there are salads as well. $$ (MFP)
Zest
200 Biscayne Blvd., 305-374-9378
Cindy Hutson finally has a home in the neighborhood with
her “cuisine of the sun.” If you can manage to order the entire
menu, from cast-iron charred calamari to 50/50 meatballs and
conch scampi, do it. You won’t be disappointed in food that
is so perfectly matches the city’s weather and overall culture.
The décor also screams Miami, in lively lime green, orange,
and neutrals with pops of blue in between. Don’t forget the
tropical drink. $$-$$$$ (MB)
Zuma
270 Biscayne Blvd. Way, 305-577-0277
This Miami River restolounge has a London parent on San
Pellegrino’s list of the world’s best restaurants, and a similar
menu of world-class, Izakaya-style smallish plates (robata-
grilled items, sushi, much more) meant for sharing over drinks.
Suffice to say that it would take Junebe a dozen visits to work
your way through the voluminous menu, which offers ample
temptations for vegetarians as well as carnivores. Our favorite
is the melt-in-your-mouth pork belly with yuzu/mustard miso
dip, but even the exquisitely-garnished tofu rocks. $$$$ (PRB)
Zuuk Mediterranean Kitchen
1250 S. Miami Ave. #105, 305-200-3145
Middle Eastern cuisine receives the fast-casual treatment at
this build-your-own-meal concept focused on serving quality
salads, pita wraps, and customizable rice and grain bowls. It’s
refreshing that executive chefs Sam Gorenstein and Danny
Ganem deliberately chose to eschew fried foods; all of Zuuk’s
offerings sit pretty on the “fresh, fast, and light” side of din-
ing. Star-making dishes include a delicious spiced lamb kefte,
slow roasted beef, and baked falafel, replete with regional
Mediterranean sauces, spreads, and other flavorful toppings
that add character to your meal. Table service is practically
nonexistent, but the financier with 15 minutes to spare will
appreciate the fact that counter service is about as brisk and
pleasant as a cool Mediterranean sea breeze. $-$$ (AM)
72 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Midtown / Wynwood / Design District
3 Chefs Chinese Restaurant
1800 Biscayne Blvd. #105, 305-373-2688
Until this eatery opened in late 2010, the solid Chinese restau-
rants in this neighborhood could be counted on the fingers of
no hands. So it’s not surprising that most people concentrate
on Chinese and Chinese/American fare. The real surprise is
the remarkably tasty, budget-priced, Vietnamese fare. Try pho,
12 varieties of full-flavored beef/rice noodle soup (including
our favorite, with well-done flank steak and flash-cooked eye
round). All can be customized with sprouts and fresh herbs.
Also impressive: Noodle combination plates with sautéed
meats, salad, and spring rolls. $$ (PRB)
Amara at Paraiso
3101 NE 7th Ave., 305-702-5528
Edgewater isn’t usually a neighborhood that comes up in
discussions of Miami’s food scene. Amara at Paraiso could
change that soon, however. This Latin America-inspired
concept from chef Michael Schwartz overlooks Biscayne Bay,
providing guests with a beautiful backdrop for an equally allur-
ing menu. The stars of the show are the restaurant’s wood
grill and Josper oven that turn out an array of items like grilled
lamb ribs, beef short rib, and hefty meat and seafood platters.
The view alone is worth a visit. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Alter
223 NW 23rd St., 305-573-5996
Award-winning chef Brad Kilgore offers some of the most
exciting food in town, with menu items like soft egg with sea
scallop espuma, chive, truffle pearls, and Gruyere; and grouper
cheeks with black rice, shoyu hollandaise, and sea lettuce.
Novices don’t fret — the staff will guide you through your eat-
ing journey. The warehouse vibe speaks to the neighborhood’s
appeal while letting the food speak for itself. Grab a spot at
the chef’s counter, the best seat in the house. Reservations a
must. $$$$$ (MB)
Beaker & Gray
2637 N. Miami Ave., 305-699-2637
Named after essential tools in the kitchen, you can’t miss the
restaurant, with its rooftop orange neon sign. Inside industrial
meets rustic chic, as is the standard in Wynwood. All menus
are expertly labeled and separated into fun, yet useful catego-
ries like Bites, Colds, Strange, and Shaken. The sandwichito
with pork belly and watermelon rind on plantain brioche, and
adult-friendly chicken nuggets with avocado and sweet ’n’ sour
have become quite iconic. The wine list includes lesser-known
vineyards. $$-$$$ (MB)
Blackbrick
3451 NE 1st Ave. #103, 305-573-8886
Inspiration for the Chinese food at this hotspot came from
authentic flavors Richard Hales (from Sakaya Kitchen) encoun-
tered during travels in China, but the chef’s considerable imagi-
nation figures in mightily. Example: Don’t expect General Tso’s
chicken on the changing menu. The General’s Florida Gator,
though, is a distinct possibility. Dishes less wild but still thrill-
ing, due to strong spicing: bing (chewy Chinese flatbread) with
char sui, garlic, and scallions; two fried tofu/veggie dishes (one
hot, one not) savory enough to bring bean curd maligners (and
confirmed carnivores) to their knees. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Boia De
5205 NE 2nd Ave., 305-967-8866
The owners of the now-defunct La Pollita food truck have
traded tacos for more upscale fare with Boia De, their intimate
Buena Vista concept. New American cuisine with Italian influ-
ences graces the menu here, where guests will find flavorful,
shareable plates like baked clams, ricotta gnocchi, rabbit pap-
pardelle, and potato skins with caviar and stracciatella. The
place is a bit on the pricier side — particularly for the neighbor-
hood — but the food and hard-to-find wine selections justify the
premium. $$-$$$$ (MFP)
Buena Vista Deli
3252 NE 1st Ave., Suite 107, 305-576-3945
Buena Vista Deli may have left its namesake neighbor-
hood, but it hasn’t lost any of its charm. The eatery
has moved to nicer digs in Midtown Miami, allowing it
to expand its offerings through a partnership with Eat
Greek Miami. As a result, customers can now choose
from the traditional deli menu — full of classics like
the French onion soup and croque monsieur — or opt
for a Mediterranean menu featuring gyros and grilled
specialties. It’s the best of both worlds. $-$$ (MFP)
The Butcher Shop Beer Garden & Grill
165 NW 23rd St., 305-846-9120
Unbelievable but true: At the heart of this festive, budget-
friendly beer-garden restaurant is an old-school gourmet butch-
er shop, where sausages from classic (brats, chorizo) to cre-
ative (lamb and feta) are house-made, and all beef is certified
USDA prime — rarely found at even fancy steakhouses. Take
your selections home to cook, or better yet, eat them here,
accompanied by intriguing Old/New World sauces, garnishes
(like bleu cheese fritters), sides, and starters. Desserts include
a bacon sundae. Beer? Try an organic brew, custom-crafted for
the eatery. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Carrot Express Midtown
3252 Buena Vista Blvd. #108, 786-312-1424
In the past few years, healthy fast-casual concepts have
become a dime a dozen in Miami. Predating many of them is
Carrot Express, a Miami Beach staple that’s been serving up
lean and green offerings for roughly half a decade. The lat-
est Carrot Express outpost in Midtown finally brings favorites
like poke bowls and stuffed sweet potatoes to the mainland.
Herbivores, in particular, have reason to rejoice: Vegan burgers
and sausages are just a few of the plentiful meatless options
available. $$ (MFP)
Charly’s Vegan Tacos
172 NW 24th St., 305-456-8202
For plant-based eaters, Charly’s Vegan Tacos is an easy sell.
For carnivores, the name might be an instant turn-off. Give
it a chance: Charly’s makes some tasty tacos, many of which
resemble their meat counterparts to the T. For example,
there’s the “carne asada” taco that uses grilled seitan steak;
and the “chicharron prensado,” which uses “porkles” crack-
lings for that recognizable crunch. Get a few of either plus a
bowl of pozole (Mexican stew), and you’ve got yourself quite
the meal. $-$$ (MFP)
Coyo Taco
2300 NW 2nd Ave., 305-573-8228
If you go to this affordable Mexican street-food-themed joint
expecting one of today’s many fast-casual, healthy-type
Mexican taco/burrito chains, where the attraction is mainly
just that fillings are fresh, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Here tortillas are handmade and fillings are either genuinely
traditional (like cochinita pibil) or delightfully original — and
sometimes satisfyingly sinful, like duck confit with enough skin
and fat to scandalize all the health-obsessed places. There are
first-rate vegetarian fillings, too, like mushroom/huitlachchle
with cotija cheese; tasty churros for dessert; and beer and
margaritas. $-$$ (PRB)
Crazy Poke
312 NW 24th St., 786-401-7542
Crazy Poke, Wynwood’s latest poke spot, is joining a crowded
landscape; the neighborhood is already full of places that
serve the Hawaiian specialty. Fortunately, the restaurant has
one big advantage: flexibility. Guests who make their own bowl
have a laundry list of ingredients available, including over one
dozen mix-ins and an array of sauces like creamy miso and
wasabi aioli. Signature selections like the Citrus Shrimp take
the guesswork out of ordering, but we suggest you let your
creativity run wild. $$ (MFP)
Dr. Smood
2230 NW 2nd Ave. 786-334-4420
Its large windows and corner location will draw you in, but the
comfortable and expansive minimalist interior with Carrera
marble, walnut wood, and hotel-like seating will keep you.
While their motto is “smart food for a good mood” in the form
of mylks, smoody’s, and organic live juices, the menu also
includes coffee, soups, salads, sandwiches, spreads like cacao
mushroom tahini and seasonal berry jam, and non-traditional
desserts with flax, almond meal, and coconut butter. Most
of the items can be grabbed to-go, but expect to wait in line.
$-$$ (MB)
The Daily Creative Food Co.
2001 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-4535
While the food formula of this contemporary café is familiar –
sandwiches, salads, soups, breakfast food, and pastries, plus
coffee and fruit drinks – a creative concept differentiates the
place. Signature sandwiches are named after national and
local newspapers, including Biscayne Times, giving diners
something to chat about. Sandwiches and salads can also be
do-it-yourself projects, with an unusually wide choice of main
ingredients, garnishes, breads, and condiments for the cre-
atively minded. $ (PRB)
Eat Greek
3530 Biscayne Blvd., 305-456-2799
Sometimes, you’re in a hurry and can’t enjoy a sit-down
meal. Other times, all you want is to sit down, relax, and
enjoy some good grub. Eat Greek is perfect for either situ-
ation. Here, those in a rush can pick up a lamb gyro pita
wrap or falafel platter for the road. Or if you have the time,
grab a seat and indulge in pork chops, grilled salmon, and
other large plates. There’s no wrong decision here. $-$$
(MFP)
Ella
140 NE 39th St., 786-534-8177
Located off of the Design District’s upscale Palm Court, this
sun-filled, airy café with pops of sea foam and blonde maple,
is Michael Schwartz’s newest eatery, inspired by his daughter,
Ella. A breakfast and lunch spot, it focuses on simplicity with
perfectly honed sandwiches, salads, and pastries. Offering
only eight seats indoors, the majority of the seating is outdoors
under large café umbrellas providing an excellent view of the
courtyard. $$-$$$ (MB)
Ember
151 NE 41st St., Unit 117, 786-334-6494
Celebrated chef Brad Kilgore continues his hot streak with his
latest concept, Ember. The most affordable of his restaurants,
Ember focuses on classic American bistro fare with a twist.
You’ll find comfort food like poutine, pimento cheese beignets,
and smoked fried chicken on the menu — very different items
than those at the more upscale Alter. Get the full experience
by ordering off the Over the Embers section, which features
lasagna, roasted cornbread custard, and other items “not tra-
ditionally grilled or cooked over fire.” $$-$$$ (MFP)
Enriqueta’s Sandwich Shop
186 NE 29th St., 305-573-4681
This Cuban breakfast/lunch old-timer actually serves more
than sandwiches (including mammoth daily specials )— and
since reopening after a fire, does so in a cleanly renovated
interior. But many hardcore fans never get past the parking
lot’s ordering window, and outdoors really is the best place
to manage Enriqueta’s mojo-marinated messy masterpiece:
pan con bistec, dripping with sautéed onions, melted
cheese, and potato sticks; tomatoes make the fats and
calories negligible. Accompany with fresh orange juice or
café con leche, and you’ll never want anything else, except
Junebe a bib. $ (PRB)
Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop & Café
2818 N. Miami Ave., 786-449-2517
As a genuine City of Miami firefighter, Derek Kaplan puts fires
out, but since age 15 he’s also been lighting fires — in his
oven. The decades of baking experience shows in both his
locally award-winning signature pies, especially Key lime and
salted caramel “crack,” and in changing produce-based sea-
sonal selections. For full, balanced (i.e., all-pie) breakfasts and
lunches, there are also savory options like mac ’n’ cheese pie,
or satisfyingly rich, totally non-sissy quiches. $-$$ (PRB)
Ghee Indian Kitchen
3620 NE 2nd Ave., 786-636-6122
Chef Niven Patel, the talent behind the wildly success-
ful Ghee Indian Kitchen in Dadeland, is giving Design
District foodies a reason to salivate. Cypress Tavern’s
former space is now home to his restaurant’s second
outpost, where patrons can enjoy mouthwatering bites
like smoked chicken samosa, turmeric marinated grou-
per, and turkey kofta. Although you can order à la carte,
the three-course, family-style tasting menu for $55 is a
steal and deserves your consideration; it’s one of the
most affordable tastings in the area. $$ (MFP)
GoBistro
315 NW 25th St., 786-332-3597
Reasonably priced Asian cuisine is rare in Wynwood — or rath-
er, it was. Broward’s GoBistro has brought its sushi and ramen
to the 305, and we’re oh-so-grateful. The second you look at
the menu, you can’t help but notice the variety. Feeling just a
little peckish? Opt for appetizers like avocado fries and chick-
en wings. Hungrier patrons can scarf down miso pork ramen,
dragon rolls, and soft shell crab buns. Picky eaters, take note:
There truly is something here for everyone. $-$$ (MFP)
Harry’s Pizzeria
3918 N. Miami Ave., 786-275-4963
In this humble space (formerly Pizza Volante) are many key
components from Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink two blocks
east — local/sustainable produce and artisan products; wood-
oven cooking; homemade everything (including the ketchup
accompanying crisp-outside, custardy-inside polenta fries, a
circa 1995 Michael Schwartz signature snack from Nemo).
Beautifully blistered, ultra-thin-crusted pizzas range from clas-
sic Margheritas to pies with house-smoked bacon, trugole (a
subtly flavorful — fruity, not funky — Alpine cheese), and other
unique toppings. Rounding things out: simple but ingenious
salads, ultimate zeppoles, and Florida craft beers. $$ (PRB)
Ichimi
3252 NE 1st Ave., Ste. 118, 786-522-3834
Fans of Asian cuisine will find plenty to like at Ichimi. This
Japanese restaurant features classics like dumplings, bao
buns, and rice bowls. But the business’s real claim to fame is
its ramen, which comes with a variety of broths and toppings.
First-timers should stick to the namesake ramen infused with
a special blended soy sauce, while more adventurous types
can choose a curry ramen or a black garlic iteration. Big por-
tions and reasonable prices make Ichimi a perfect fit for any
budget. $$ (MFP)
Joey’s Italian Café
2506 NW 2nd Ave., 305-438-0488
The first new restaurant in the Wynwood Café District, this styl-
ish indoor/outdoor Italian hangout is as casually cool as one
would hope — and as affordable. There’s a five-buck half-serv-
ing of spaghetti al pomodoro and respectable vino for under
$30. And few can resist delicately thin, crunchy-crusted pizzas
like the creative Dolce e Piccante or orgasmic Carbonara.
Pastas are fresh; produce is largely local; the mosaic-centered
décor is minimalist but inviting. And no need to be wary of the
warehouse district at night: Valet parking is free. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Kaido
151 NE 41 St., Unit 217, 786-409-5591
James Beard-nominated chef Brad Kilgore has another hit on
his hands with Kaido, his beautiful Design District cocktail
lounge. While Kaido is touted as a drinking den, its cocktails
and food get an equal share of the limelight. The Alter chef’s
offerings include small plates such as blue crab rangoon, a
curry cobia summer roll, and lemongrass duck sausage. Feel
like splurging? An A5 wagyu katsu sandwich can be yours for
$125. Pair it with a sakura-infused negroni, and you’re golden.
$$-$$$$$ (MFP)
Kush
2003 N. Miami Ave., 305-576-4500
From the folks behind the popular Coral Gables artisanal beer
pub LoKal — voted a “Most Green Restaurant in Florida” by
the Nature Conservancy — Kush pushes the concept farther:
that farm-to-table dishes (some from LoKal, others created
new) and craft beers aren’t mere craft; they’re art. Which you’ll
find on the walls. On tables you’ll find, among other things,
the Kush & Hash burger: Florida-raised beef, ground in-house,
served with hash (the edible, not smokable, kind), bacon, fried
egg, and housemade ketchup on a waffle bun, with a side of
maple syrup. Edgy enough for ya? $$-$$$ (PRB)
KYU
251 NW 25th St., 786-577-0150
The Asian-inspired restaurant wholly encompasses the creative
vibe of the neighborhood with a raw space outfitted in murals
by 2Alas, micro green centerpieces, and lots of concrete
features as well as a balanced menu of wood-fired items and
refreshing ingredients. Roasted cauliflower comes with goat
cheese salad and shishito-herb vinaigrette; tuna tataki takes
a spicy turn with fire-roasted peppers, fermented chili, and
citrus; and white ponzu, green chili, and herbs accompany
sliced Hamachi. There’s also sweet soy and garlic short ribs,
Korean fried chicken, and Thai fried rice in a stone pot. Open
for brunch on Sundays. $$-$$$ (MB)
Laid Fresh
250 NW 24th St., 305-699-0601
Wynwood has a laundry list of restaurants, but very few of
them cater to the morning crowd. Thanks to Laid Fresh, early
risers (and all-day breakfast lovers) have a wide selection of
eggy sandwiches and other treats to start the day. The soft
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 73
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
scrambled sandwich with brie and avocado is heaven on a
plate, while the egg whites and avocado is less rich and more
cardiologist-friendly. Ready for the weekend? Enjoy a mimosa
(or two) in the restaurant’s signature mug. $ (MFP)
Lagniappe
3425 NE 2nd. Ave., 305-576-0108
In New Orleans, “lagniappe” means “a little extra,” like the
13th doughnut in a baker’s dozen. And that’s what you get at
this combination wine and cheese bar/backyard BBQ/enter-
tainment venue. Choose artisan cheeses and charcuterie from
the fridges, hand them over when you pay (very little), and
they’ll be plated with extras: olives, bread, changing luscious
condiments. Or grab fish, chicken, veggies, or steak (with salad
or cornbread) from the hidden yard’s grill. Relax in the comfie
mismatched furniture, over extensive wine/beer choices and
laidback live music. No cover, no attitude. $$ (PRB)
Leal Bistro + Art
2700 N. Miami Ave., 786-542-5246
When you’re craving a quick, budget-friendly bite, Leal Bistro
+ Art delivers in spades. The charming family-owned café fits
right into the artsy Wynwood neighborhood with its cute aes-
thetic. Begin your meal with the hearty beef ribs soup and then
move onto Leal’s slow roasted pork sandwich. If you’re just in
the mood for a snack, you can’t go wrong with a fresh cheese
arepa. For something even more substantial, nosh on the
smoked duck breast with black tea and red wine sauce during
dinner. $-$$ (MFP)
Le Chick
310 NW 24th St., 305-771-2767
Out of the ashes of Dizengoff and Federal Donuts rises Le
Chick, a rotisserie-chicken spot that should hopefully avoid its
neighbors’ fate. While chicken is the restaurant’s signature
protein, it’s not the only standout. A delicious Royale With
Cheese is sure to please burger fanatics (and Pulp Fiction)
fans with two hefty patties, cheddar, pickles, and secret sauce.
The best value, though, is the Why Not platter that comes with
all the hits: rotisserie chicken, fried chicken, pork ribs, and
onion rings. $-$$ (MFP)
Le Jardinier
151 NE 41 St., Suite 135, 305-402-9060
Le Jardinier by Joël Robuchon makes it easy to eat your
vegetables. Here, proteins take a backseat to the veggies.
This should come as no surprise to diners, considering the
concept’s name and lively green aesthetic. Just as impressive
as the décor is the food. Dishes aren’t cheap — prices mostly
range from high teens to 40s — but you’re getting what you
pay for. As for highlights, consider the Maine scallops, roasted
lobster, and fingerling gnocchi — they make quite the first
impression. $$-$$$$$ (MFP)
La Sandwicherie
169 NW 23rd St., 786-409-2390
La Sandwicherie, the popular late-night spot in Miami Beach
and Brickell, has brought its huge sandwiches to Wynwood.
This outpost boasts the same favorites found at other loca-
tions, like the SOBE club (turkey, brie, and avocado) and the
Terminator (ham, turkey, salami, and provolone). You can also
pick a protein and create your own sandwich with a mountain
of veggie toppings; you’re encouraged to get creative. A word
of advice: Get your sandwich on a croissant for even more
flavor. $-$$ (MFP)
Lemoni Café
4600 NE 2nd Ave., 305-571-5080
The menu here reads like your standard sandwiches/salads/
starters primer. What it doesn’t convey is the freshness of the
ingredients and the care that goes into their use. Entrée-size
salads range from an elegant spinach (goat cheese, pears,
walnuts, raisins) to chunky homemade chicken salad on a bed
of mixed greens. Sandwiches (cold baguette subs, hot pressed
paninis, or wraps, all accompanied by side salads) include a
respectable Cuban and a veggie wrap with a deceptively rich-
tasting light salad cream. $-$$ (PRB)
Love N’ Gyros
2814 N. Miami Ave.
Wynwood is full of elevated dining spots like Alter, KYU, and
Hiden. But what if you just want something casual? Enter
Love N’ Gyros, a cool Greek joint that’s easy on the wallet.
The concise street-food menu should look familiar to fans
of Mediterranean cuisine: Pitas are plentiful and first-timers
should start with the OG, a delectable mix of pork and tzatziki.
Other filling proteins are available, too — just make sure to
save room for the Fortomenes loaded fries — aka cheese
heaven. $ (MFP)
Mad Lab Creamery
140 NE 39th St.
Pastry chef Soraya Kilgore, known for her desserts at
Alter, now has her own place dedicated to sweets: MadLab
Creamery. Located in the Design District’s Palm Court, the ice
cream store features a wealth of Instagram-worthy creations,
many of which can be adorned with your choice of over two
dozen toppings. Among those toppings: sprinkles, chocolate
honeycomb, and cotton candy (a must). Here, no order is
complete without a Japanese cheesecake or chocolate slab.
Prepare to kiss your diet goodbye. $ (MFP)
Mandolin Aegean Bistro
4312 NE 2nd Ave., 305-576-6066
Inside this converted 1940s home’s blue-and-white dining
room — or even more atmospherically, its tree-sheltered gar-
den — diners feast on authentic rustic fare from both Greece
and Turkey. Make a meal of multinational mezes: a Greek sam-
pler of creamy tzatziki yogurt dip, smoky eggplant purée, and
airy tarama caviar spread; and a Turkish sampler of hummus,
fava purée, and rich tomato-walnut dip. The meze of mussels
in lemony wine broth is, with Mandolin’s fresh-baked flatbread,
almost a full meal in itself. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Maska
3252 NE 1st Ave., Suite 109, 786-971-9100
Thanks to Maska, your search for great Indian food in Miami
is now a lot easier. The Midtown Miami establishment is big
on sharing; prepare to split dinner highlights like the tandoori
prawns, butter chicken, and dosas (Indian crêpes). Maska
pulls influences from different regions of India, so the menu
is expansive — this is a place where all palates are welcome.
Whether you like spice or prefer your food more subdued,
Maska will fill the Indian food-size hole in your life. $-$$ (MFP)
Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink
130 NE 40th St., 305-573-5550
An instant smash hit, this truly neighborhood-oriented restau-
rant from chef Michael Schwartz offers down-to-earth fun food
in a comfortable, casually stylish indoor/outdoor setting. Fresh,
organic ingredients are emphasized, but dishes range from
cutting-edge (crispy beef cheeks with whipped celeriac, celery
salad, and chocolate reduction) to simple comfort food: deviled
eggs, homemade potato chips with pan-fried onion dip, or a
whole wood-roasted chicken. There’s also a broad range of
prices and portion sizes to encourage frequent visits. Michael’s
Genuine also features an eclectic, affordable wine list and a
full bar. $$-$$$$ (PRB)
Mignonette
210 NE 18th St., 305-374-4635
From Day One this Old Florida/New Orleans fusion oyster bar,
from Blue Collar’s chef/owner Danny Serfer and food blog-
ger Ryan Roman, received myriad raves for its cuisine and
informed service. All manner of oysters (roughly six superb
selections available raw daily, and cooked choices including
subtly brandy-sauced oysters Bienville), plus other superb
seafood and Blue Collar’s famous veggie creations — even
a dynamite prime rib — is of a caliber that catalyzes its own
neighborhood gentrification, rapidly. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Mike’s at Venetia
555 NE 15th St., 9th floor, 305-374-5731
This family-owned Irish pub, on the pool deck of the Venetia
condo, for more than 15 years has been a popular lunch and
dinner hang-out for local journalists and others who appreciate
honest cheap eats and drinks. Regulars know daily specials
are the way to go. Depending on the day, fish, churrasco, or
roast turkey with all the trimmings are all prepared fresh. Big
burgers and steak dinners are always good. A limited late-night
menu provides pizza, wings, ribs, and salad till 3:00 a.m. $-$$
(PRB)
Mister-O1
2315 N. Miami Ave., 786-991-9343
With pizza this good, it’s hard to remain hidden. Mister-O1,
the once-secret pizzeria in a Miami Beach office building, is
embracing its mainstream success with a third location — this
time in Wynwood. The restaurant knows not to mess with a
good thing, so expect to see all its beloved classics on the
menu. The burrata and Barbara salad are still must-eats, as
is the literal star of the show: the Star Luca, a star-shaped pie
with spicy salami, ricotta and mozzarella. $$ (MFP)
Morgans Restaurant
28 NE 29th St., 305-573-9678
Housed in a beautifully refurbished 1930s private home,
Morgans serves eclectic, sometimes internationally influenced
contemporary American cuisine compelling enough to attract
hordes. Dishes are basically comfort food, but ultimate comfort
food: the most custardy, fluffy French toast imaginable; shoe-
string frites that rival Belgium’s best; mouthwatering maple-
basted bacon; miraculously terrific tofu (crisply panko-crusted
and apricot/soy-glazed); even a “voluptuous grilled cheese
sandwich” — definitely a “don’t ask, don’t tell your cardiologist”
item. $$-$$$ (PRB)
NOA Café
2711 NE 2nd Ave., 305-573-2557
Originally just a catering company, tiny NOA (initials of
Israeli-born chef/owner Adi Kafri’s three daughters) gradually
became a “best-kept secret” lunch spot for its budget-friendly
fresh focaccia sandwiches, plus perfectly dressed full-meal
MediterAsian salads. The cute Edgewater oasis now serves
dinner, too. Highly recommended: the big, beautiful Middle
Eastern mezze platter (with falafel balls, silky hummus, tahini,
grape leaves, heaps of grilled veggies, more), or lavishly
veg-studded pad Thai (with an unusual lemongrass/orange
peel-spiked sauce), either enough for two to share over wine.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
OTL
160 NE 40th St., 786-953-7620
Coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, and yoga, anyone? Yes, there’s
now such a place, and it’s naturally in the Design District. OTL
is an ambitious concept pushing light bites and strong coffee,
courtesy of an auspiciously motley troika of influencers, includ-
ing the team behind The Smile NYC, LIV impresario David
Grutman, and Miami Design District braintrust Craig Robins.
Coffee shops are oftentimes the beating hearts of creative
hubs, and OTL is no different; expect to see plenty of over-
caffeinated designers, artists, developers, and retail employ-
ees on their lunch breaks. The place is bright and clean, and
could double as a white cube gallery with its pastel chairs, light
wood accents, blue chip artwork, and upstairs multipurpose
space reserved for performance and pop-ups. The food, while
flavorful, is mildly overpriced, but it’s an afterthought when you
realize that good coffee has finally arrived in the Miami Design
District. $-$$ (AM)
Ono Poké Shop
2320 N. Miami Ave., 786-955-6894
A casual, clean, and vibrant little eatery, Ono Poké Shop is
the latest eatery to catch the trending “poké fever” that’s hit
some of Miami’s most up-and-coming neighborhoods. Greatly
influenced by traditional Japanese cuisine, the menu consists
of tried and true combinations, such as spicy ahi tuna tossed
in a spicy soy dressing, as well as flexible options to customize
your own poké bowl to taste. Quality ingredients and fresh fish
make for a satisfying, healthy meal when lunch o’clock rolls
around. $$ (AM)
Palatino
3004 NW 2nd Ave., 786-360-5200
When longtime favorite Jamaican joint Clive’s fell victim
to gentrification, few expected to find similarly skilled old-
school Caribbean-American soul food in Wynwood again,
especially not at old-school prices. But that’s what this small,
74 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
super-friendly mom-and-pop spot serves up: breakfasts like
ackee and salt fish, fried dumpling and callaloo, or an egg/
maple sausage/cheese grits combo; plates (with sides) of
oxtails, curry goat, jerk chicken; richly crusted piquant chicken
or meat patties that contend with Miami’s best. Surprises
include homemade pastries, and $1 ice cream cones in tropi-
cal flavors like soursop. $-$$ (PRB)
Palat Miami
4702 NE 2nd Ave., 786-953-7577
When you’re craving Italian food, where do you go? Palat
Miami should be on your shortlist. The neighborhood Italian-
fusion restaurant is serving flavorful food that hits the spot no
matter the occasion. Small bites like piquillo peppers are per-
fect for splitting with friends over a bottle of wine, whose bud-
get-friendly pricing may tempt you to order a second. Larger
appetites are welcome, too, and they can indulge in braised
rabbit tagliatelle and other hearty items. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Palermo Restaurant & Wine Bar
4582 NE 2nd Ave., 786-502-4460
When it comes to cooking up delicious Argentine cuisine,
Palermo Restaurant & Wine Bar succeeds on all fronts. At
Palermo, you can expect quality and value; prepare for
big portions and flavors across the board. Since this is an
Argentinean restaurant, your order should include one of their
many cuts of meat. We suggest the oh-so-tender skirt steak
plus a few empanadas for good measure. If you’re not big on
steak, the restaurant also serves up a variety of Italian dishes.
$-$$ (MFP)
Prohibition
3404 N. Miami Ave., 305-438-9191
Frankly, we don’t get why this expansive, high-ceilinged space
with enormous front windows and open kitchen is so often
described as evocative of a Prohibition-era speakeasy; ambi-
ance here is artfully and amusingly sinful, not secretive. Fare
is a fun, familiar mix of modern comfort foods (truffled lobster
mac ’n’ cheese, NY strip steak with truffled parmesan fries,
many other items featuring truffle oil) and retro favorites like
meatballs. It’s simple, solid stuff served in generous portions
to match the menu items that best truly evoke Prohibition
times: hefty, old-fashioned, two-fisted cocktails. $$$ (PRB)
Pummarola Pizzeria Napoletana
3328 N. Miami Ave., 786-535-4988
Proof in Midtown Miami may be long gone, but good
pizza is not. Pummarola — a Coral Gables favorite — has
taken over Proof’s former location, pumping out pies
and pastas that are far more affordable than its pre-
decessor. Don’t let the low prices fool you: This is high-
quality cuisine. Just a taste of their margherita pizza,
gnocchi pasta, or meatballs is evidence enough. Best of
all, you won’t be waiting long; most items take just a few
minutes to come out. $-$$ (MFP)
R House
2727 NW 2nd Ave., 305-576-0240
A strikingly stylish restaurant that’s part art gallery could be
pretentious, in a still largely ungentrified area of cutting-edge
artsy yet still working-class Wynwood. But modular movable
walls to accommodate changing installations, and its own
name make it clear the art component is a serious working
gallery. Hardworking chef/owner Rocco Carulli demonstrates a
locals orientation with a menu highlighted by skillfully crafted,
hearty entrées (Brazilian seafood moqueta stew, coffee/
chili-rubbed short ribs, sweet pea falafel) available in afford-
able half-portions: small plates of big food for starving artists.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Rice Mediterranean Kitchen
2500 Biscayne Blvd., 305-705-6090
Feeling creative? Channel that energy at Rice Mediterranean
Kitchen, where you have an assortment of tasty options to
build the ultimate meal. Pick your base from delicious greens
or grains and then select your dips, proteins, and toppings to
bring everything full circle. Basmati rice, hummus, spicy baba
ganoush, honey nut feta, braised beef, and falafel are just a
few of the items you can pick from. With so many options avail-
able, repeat visits are in order. $-$$ (MFP)
Riviera Focacceria Italiana
3252 NE 1st Ave., 786-220-6251
This kitchen actually serves a full menu of specialties firmly
rooted in Liguria, the northern Italian coastal region around
Genoa, pesto capital of the universe. Pastas like panisotti
(plump vegetarian triangles containing ricotta plus chard,
spinach, and typical herbs/spices) are definitely not generically
Italian. Still, the reason to come here: the variously stuffed or
topped focaccias, particularly signature focaccia di Recco (a
Ligurian hill town). Two ultra-thin layers (almost transparent) of
light char-bubbled bread filled with imported stracchino, a mild
fresh cheese like mozzarella, but swoon-inducingly oozy-soft.
$-$$ (PRB)
Sabor a Peru
2923 Biscayne Blvd., 305-573-6736
Opened many years before ceviches became a staple on every
Miami hipster-bar menu, this formerly tiny family-run Peruvian
place serves food that’s traditional, not trendy. That includes
ceviches, simple and servicable. But Sabor’s strong suit — and
why it has not only survived but thrived (as a recent expan-
sion attests) — is its cooked dishes, always fresh, flavorful,
and served in prodigious portions. Our personal fave: jalea (a
delicately breaded, crisp-fried mix of tender marinated fish and
shellfish, with yucca and criolla onion sauce); one order feeds
at least three diners. Note: Open for big breakfasts, as well as
lunch/dinner. $-$$ (PRB)
Sakaya Kitchen
Shops at Midtown Miami, Buena Vista Avenue
305-576-8096
This chef-driven, fast-casual Asian eatery is more an izakaya
(in Japan, a pub with food) than a sakaya (sake shop). But why
quibble about words with so many more intriguing things to
wrap your mouth around? The concept takes on street-food
favorites from all over Asia, housemade daily from quality
fresh ingredients. French Culinary Institute-trained Richard
Hales does change his menu, so we’d advise immediately
grabbing some crispy Korean chicken wings and Chinese-
inspired, open-faced roast pork buns with sweet chili sauce
and homemade pickles. $$ (PRB)
Salumeria 104
3451 NE 1st Ave. #104, 305-424-9588
In Italy, salumerias started, like American delicatessens, as
shops selling salumi (cured meats), but evolved into the
equivalent of eat-in deli/restaurants that also serve cold and
hot prepared foods. At this modern Midtown salumeria, the
soups-to-salads-to-sweets range of fare is the same. Custom-
sliced imported cold cuts are a main focus, especially for those
who enjoy taste-testing a plate pairing Italy’s two most famous
prosciuttos: Parma and San Daniele. But homemade pastas
are also impressive, as are hard-to-find regional entrées like
fegato alla Veneziana, which will turn liver-haters into lovers.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill
40 SW 12th St., 786-500-0201
Cuban cuisine expands its footprint in Brickell with the addi-
tion of Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill. This branch of the popular
chain leans on the ubiquitous “healthy bowl” concept. Guests
have full freedom to create their perfect meal from an assort-
ment of proteins, including turkey and beef. Sizeable sides
like black beans and mojo yuca ensure you get your money’s
worth. Craving more traditional Cuban food? Their pan con
lechon and croqueta preparada sandwiches have you covered.
$ (MFP)
Sette Osteria
2103 NW 2nd Ave., 305-576-8282
Eagle-eyed visitors will find an unassuming Italian restau-
rant at the southern end of Wynwood: Sette Osteria. The
Washington, D.C., transplant is located away from the hustle
and bustle of the neighborhood, but it’s only a matter of time
before word gets out about this culinary gem. Earthy tones
and an open kitchen welcome diners, who will fall in love with
signature dishes like seafood linguine and veal scallopini.
A bevy of Italian wines await to quench your thirst as well.
$$-$$$ (MFP)
Shokudo World Resource Café
4740 NE 2nd Ave., 305-758-7782
At its former Lincoln Road location, World Resource’s café
was better known for people-watching than for its standard
sushi/Thai menu. But as the new name signals, this relocation
is a reinvention. The indoor/outdoor space is charming, but
creative takes on popular pan-Asian street foods are the real
draw. Travel from Japan and Thailand through Korea, Vietnam,
China, the Philippines, and beyond via light housemade momo,
curried potato-stuffed Tibetan/Nepalese steamed dumplings;
savory pulled pork buns with kimchi and crisped onions.
Noodle dishes, hot or chilled, are especially appealing. $$-$$$
(PRB)
Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill
3250 NE 1st Ave., 786-369-0353
This chic indoor/outdoor space is an offspring of Lincoln
Road’s SushiSamba Dromo and a sibling of Sugarcane
lounges in NYC and Las Vegas, but more informal than the
former and more food-oriented than the latter, as three kitch-
ens — normal, raw bar, and robata charcoal grill — make clear.
Chef Timon Balloo’s LatAsian small plates range from subtle
orange/fennel-marinated salmon crudo to intensely smoky-rich
short ribs. At the daily happy hour, select dishes (like steamed
pork buns with apple kimchi) are discounted. $$-$$$ (PRB)
SuViche
2751 N. Miami Ave., 305-960-7097
As its fusion name suggests, this artsy indoor/outdoor eatery
doesn’t merely serve a mix of Japanese sushi and Latin
ceviches but a true fusion of both, largely owing to signature
sauces (many based on Peru’s citusy/creamy acevichado
emulsion with Japanese spicing) that are applied to sushi rolls
and ceviche bowls alike. Additionally there are some popular
Peruvian-fusion cooked dishes like Chifa (Peruvian-Chinese)
lomo saltado, served traditionally, as an entrée, or creatively in
springs rolls). To add to the fun, accompany your meal with a
cocktail from Miami’s only pisco bar. $$-$$$ (PRB)
St. Roch Market
140 NE 39th St., 786-542-8977
Food halls are all the rage, and the Design District isn’t miss-
ing out on the fun. St. Roch Market, the popular New Orleans
multi-vendor establishment, has opened a Palm Court outpost
that features something for everyone. Sushi (Itamae), fried
chicken (Coop), and banh mis (Tran An) are just a few of the
market’s standouts, all of which pair nicely with a sazerac or
another signature cocktail from St. Roch’s Mayhaw bar. With
so many options available, you’ll quickly become a regular.
$-$$ (MFP)
Taco Chido
2901 NE 2nd Ave., 786-313-3093
Tacos should be inexpensive, filling, and delicious.
The ones at Taco Chido check all those boxes. At this
Edgewater Mexican eatery, guests will encounter an
extensive list of tacos, both familiar and unfamiliar. Al
pastor, steak, and carnitas are all crowd favorites, and
they’re joined by the likes of rarer proteins like tem-
peh and mushrooms. Tostadas, ceviches, and tortas
round out the diverse menu that easily fits any budget
— a full meal can be had for under $10. $ (MFP)
Tap 42
3252 NE 1st Ave. #101, 786-864-0194
With all the growth that Midtown Miami has seen, there’s been
one type of restaurant sorely missing in the neighborhood: a
decent sports bar. Tap 42, which recently took over the short-
lived Apeiro location, runs with this idea and complements it
with a flavor-forward mentality. The eatery started as a Fort
Lauderdale watering hole and has since expanded to Coral
Gables — and now Midtown Miami. Staples like the Prohibition
burger and Drunken Goat burger make an appearance, but so
do location-specific items like the grilled salmon Zen bowl that
serves as a lighter alternative for guests. $$ (MFP)
The Taco Stand
313 NW 25th St., 786-580-4948
We know what you’re thinking: “Oh great, another taco shop
in Wynwood.” The neighborhood is certainly not lacking in
options, but this San Diego transplant is sure to give its neigh-
bors some healthy competition. Those familiar with the brand
know that the seafood offerings like the Baja taco (battered
fish) and spicy shrimp taco are winners; just one bite is all the
proof you need. Another must: a mountain of carne asada and
fries, which can feed a group of four. $ (MFP)
Vista
5020 NE 2nd Ave., 305-405-7547
The husband-and-wife team behind Italian restaurant Fratelli
Milano has struck gold again. Vista, the latest venture from
Roberto Bearzi and Fiorella Blanco, builds on the best parts
of the downtown Miami favorite and infuses them with a Latin
flair. There’s a bigger emphasis on seafood at Vista, so expect
to find a variety of crudos, fresh fish, and other selections that
will perk up your palate. Pastas haven’t gone anywhere: gnoc-
chi, rigatoni, risotto, and more are available to scratch that itch.
$-$$$ (MFP)
Zak the Baker
405 NW 26th St., 786-280-0327
This part-rustic/part industrial-chic breakfast and lunch spot,
located in Zak Stern’s bakery, is one certified-Kosher café
where neither religious dietary laws nor culinary standards
are compromised. Reason: The menu of open-face sandwich
“toasts,” soups, salads, and small plates doesn’t overreach, but
stays centered on Zak’s substantial and superbly crusty organic
sourdough loaves, arguably the best bread in Miami. Varieties
range from classic Jewish deli rye to exotic olive & za’atar or All
American cranberry/walnut. Toast toppings, sweet or savory, are
mainly local vegetable and dairy combos, so non-carnivores, as
well as diners keeping Kosher, luck out. $$ (PRB)
Upper Eastside
Andiamo
5600 Biscayne Blvd., 305-762-5751
With brick-oven pizzerias popping up all over town the past few
years, it’s difficult to remember the dark days when this part
of Mark Soyka’s 55th Street Station complex was mainland
Miami’s sole source of open-flame-cooked pies. But the pizzas
still hold up against the newbie pack, especially since exec
chef Frank Crupi has upped the ante with unique-to-Miami
offerings like a white (tomato-free) New Haven clam pie. Also
available: salads, panini, and a tasty meatball appetizer with
ricotta. There’s a respectable wine and beer list, too. $$ (PRB)
BarMeli
6927 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-5558
Just east of Liza Meli’s defunct Ouzo’s Taverna, her similarly
rustic-festive tapas and wine bar/market has an extensive,
mostly small-plates menu including all of Ouzo’s Greatest
Greek Hits (refreshingly light and lemony taramosalata carp
roe spread, amazingly succulent grilled fresh sardines, her
mom’s lemon cake, more), plus more broadly Mediterranean
creations like an Italian-inspired grana padano flan, uniquely
topped crostini and flatbreads, cheese/charcuterie boards.
The boutique wine selection focuses on unusual (sometimes
virtually unknown, and unavailable elsewhere in town)
Mediterranean varietals from family-owned vineyards. $$ (PRB)
Battubelin
749 NE 79th St., 786-391-0300
Shorecrest gem Mina’s Mediterraneo is long gone, having
been replaced by another soon-to-be neighborhood favorite:
Battubelin. The Italian eatery checks all the boxes when it
comes to a memorable dining experience: appetizing cuisine,
friendly service, and lots of wine. The menu isn’t reinventing
the wheel — just refining it. Plates like the gnocchi pesto pasta
and the burrata and prosciutto pizza are items we’ve seen
before, but rarely at a caliber like this. Word of advice: Save
room for tiramisu. $-$$ (MFP)
Blue Collar
6730 Biscayne Blvd., 305-756-0366
Like its predecessor in this space (Michael Bloise’s American
Noodle Bar), this working-class-themed eatery is helmed by a
former fine-dining chef, Daniel Serfer, a Chef Allen’s vet who
now crafts casual, creative fare at prices all can afford. Dishes
are eclectic. The roughly dozen veggie dishes alone range from
curried cauliflower purée to maduros to bleu cheese roasted
asparagus. Shrimp and grits compete with any in Charleston;
pork and beans, topped with a perfectly runny fried egg, beats
Boston’s best. $-$$ (PRB)
Bon Gout BBQ
99 NW 54th St., 305-381-5464
Bon Gout BBQ will have you smacking your lips in no time. All
your favorite proteins make an appearance at this Little Haiti
shop: chicken, pork, beef, and fish. The griot — Haitian fried
pork — is a must for first-timers and a steal at $10. Heftier
plates like the fried fish dinner are still surprisingly affordable
and double as lunch and dinner; you’ll be rolling out of here.
There are some big Haitian flavors hidden inside this small
storefront. $ (MFP)
Boteco
916 NE 79th St., 305-757-7735
This strip of 79th Street is rapidly becoming a cool alt-culture
enclave thanks to inviting hangouts like this rustic indoor/out-
door Brazilian restaurant and bar. Especially bustling on nights
featuring live music, it’s even more fun on Sundays, when the
fenced backyard hosts an informal fair and the menu includes
Brazil’s national dish, feijoada, a savory stew of beans plus
fresh and cured meats. But the everyday menu, ranging from
unique, tapas-like pasteis to hefty Brazilian entrées, is also
appealing – and budget-priced. $$ (PRB)
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 75
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Café Roval
5808 NE 4th Ct., 786-279-6800
Café Roval’s Old World flourishes set the perfect mise-en-
scène for magic. Restaurateur Mark Soyka of News Café, the
Van Dyke, Andiamo, and Soyka Restaurant made a bold move
opening his latest restaurant in the storied pumphouse build-
ing just north of his 55th Street Station property. The subtly
anachronistic décor casts an ambiance suspended in time.
Coral-rock walls extend toward a beautifully vaulted ceiling in
the dining room adorned with antique chandeliers. Elsewhere,
quirky touches abound throughout the dining room and into
the outdoor seating area. During the cooler months, dining
is best experienced by candlelight on the backyard patio,
comfortably nestled between lush gardens and a reflecting
pool. The restaurant’s menu is influenced by a savory fusion of
Mediterranean, Asian, French, and American cuisine. Lots to
try here, including caviar, tuna crudo, grass-fed lamb burgers,
oxtail buns, and some vegetarian options such as sprouted
chickpea cakes and the vegan dish du jour. Selections from
the bar include playful cocktails eschewing liquor in favor of
wine, beer, and sake. $$$-$$$$ (AM)
Cake Thai Kitchen
7919 Biscayne Blvd., 305-534-7906
Helmed by a perfectionist young chef (formerly from Makoto)
and his host/dessert-maker mom, this hip hole-in-the-wall
serves typical Thai street food. Many dishes are astonishingly
ambitious, like peanut/garlic chip/cilantro-sprinkled roast duck
noodle with Chinese broccoli, and intense pork fat-enriched
broth. Other unique specialties include spicy house-cured
pork/crispy rice sausages, soy and whisky-marinated steak
jerky, swoonfully sinful pork belly with basil sauce, and citrus/
curry-tinged fried chicken wings. Arrive early to score the wings.
Surprisingly scrumptious tofu and veggie preparations, too.
$-$$ (PRB)
Cream Parlor
8224 Biscayne Blvd., 786-534-4180
Don’t let the name fool you: This eclectic eatery is a lot more
than just ice cream. At this cozy neighborhood spot, you can
enjoy breakfast items all day or nosh on house specialties like
the grilled smashed potato — the name says it all — for lunch
or brunch. Dessert is a must at Cream Parlor, and first-timers
need to experience Unicorn Poop ice cream (much more
appetizing than it sounds). Even if you’re not hungry, stop in
to admire the vintage décor and crack a smile. Check out the
patio in back. $-$$ (MFP)
Doggi’s Arepa Bar
7281 Biscayne Blvd., 786-558-9538
MiMo residents, rejoice: Doggi’s Arepa Bar has brought its
Venezuelan street food offerings up north. The restaurant’s
second location features everything that regulars have come
to know and love about the place: giant portions, reasonable
prices and an extensive menu. If it’s your first foray into this
type of cuisine, start with the shredded beef arepa — essential-
ly a corn flour pocket of flavor. The cachapa — a corn pancake
with cheese and cream — is another beloved specialty that’s
not to be missed. $-$$ (MFP)
Dogma Grill
7030 Biscayne Blvd., 305-759-3433
Since opening, this hot dog-PLUS (capital letters intended) joint
has had several owners and menu changes. Currently it’s in
a “Best of” phase. Main draw remains 100% beef dogs with
numerous regionally inspired topping combos (our favorite:
the elaborate, authentic Chicago), but vegetarians can again
enjoy the original menu’s veggie franks, absent for several
years, topped identically. More recent adds worth sampling
are regional specialty sandwiches, like New Orleans shrimp
po’boys. And though there’s no indoor seating, current owner
Diego Villamedi has expanded the outdoor area and spruced
up its landscaping for better insulation from Boulevard traffic,
making picnicking more pleasant. $ (PRB)
East Side Pizza
731 NE 79th St., 305-758-5351
Minestrone, sure. But a pizzeria menu with carrot ginger soup?
Similarly many Italian-American pizzerias offer entrées like spa-
ghetti and meatballs, but East Side also has pumpkin ravioli
in brown butter/sage sauce, wild mushroom ravioli, and other
surprisingly upscale choices, including imported Peroni beer.
As for the pizza, they are classic pies, available whole or by the
slice, made with fresh plum tomato sauce and Grande mozza-
rella (considered the top American pizza cheese). Best seating
for eating is at the sheltered outdoor picnic tables. $ (PRB)
Ferraro’s Kitchen
1099 NE 79th St., 786-534-2136
Seasoned restaurateur Igor Ferraro, who’s honed his chef
chops here and abroad in Italy, has opened a new eatery
for those seeking two of life’s tastiest pleasures: pasta and
wine. The inviting dining room is also spacious, and you’ll find
ample room at the bar as well; saddle up to the latter for a
better view of the kitchen, where Chef Ferraro is busy creating
homemade pappardelle, lasagna, and other Italian classics.
Complement your meal with a bottle from the expansive wine
selection, then order the signature tiramisu for a sweet ending.
$$$ (MFP)
Fiorito
5555 NE 2nd Ave., 305-754-2899
While owners Max and Cristian Alvarez’s description of their
eatery as “a little Argentinean shack” is as charming as the
brothers themselves, it conveys neither the place’s cool
warmth nor the food’s exciting elegance. Dishes are authenti-
cally Argentine, but far from standard steakhouse stuff. Chef
Cristian’s background at popular pop-up The Dining Room
becomes instantly understandable in dishes like orange and
herb-scented lechon confit (with pumpkin mash, pickled cab-
bage salad, and Dijon mojo) or sopa de calabaza, derived from
Argentina’s peasant stew locro, but here a refined, creamy
soup. Many more surpris es — even steaks. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Flavorish Market
7283 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-8787
As Zabar’s reflects Manhattan’s Upper Westside neighborhood,
this smaller specialty foods shop is geared toward Miami’s
Upper Eastside lifestyle. The carefully curated stock ranges
widely: upscale packaged foods; boutique wines/beers; arti-
sanal cheeses and cured meats; cookbooks, kitchen utensils,
more. But highlights are locally produced fare: Mimi’s famed
raviolis; Roc Kat’s tropical ice creams; chef/restaurateur Ken
Lyon’s prepared foods, including daily-changing dinners for
two; Zak the Baker’s crusty sourdough breads, plus sand-
wiches on same. Best-kept secret: While there’s no official café
component, comfie counter seats enable on-premises break-
fasting, lunching, and coffee/pastry breaks. $-$$ (PRB)
Firito Taco
1071 NE 79th St., 305-793-6676
Nestled between Tap 79 and Royal Bavarian Schnitzel House,
this low-key taco shack features two sections — one for eating
and one for playing bocce. The menu is limited to ten over-
stuffed tacos (two per order), quesadillas, desserts like churros
and paletas, and floor-to-ceiling fridges of ice-cold beer. The
most popular tacos are the carne asada with tomato, onion,
cheese, garlic chili aioli, and cilantro and the Tinga Club with
chicken, avocado cream, bacon, tomato, queso, garlic chili
aioli, and scallions. $$ (MB)
Ironside Pi zza
7580 NE 4th Ct., 305-531-5055
From the team behind Brickell’s upscale Toscana Divino, this
casual indoor/outdoor pizzeria (hidden inside Little River’s
artistic Ironside complex) retains the strengths of it predeces-
sor, Ironside Pittzza — an award-winning Neopolitan pizzoalo;
mouthwatering wood-oven crusts; vegetarian/vegan and
gluten-free toppings. But the expanded menu, including impec-
cable cured meat options, is a vast improvement. Especially
recommended: housemade porchetta; nduja Calabrese (salami
spread); the Regina pizza with prosciutto crudo, buffala moz-
zarella, perfectly ripe tomatoes, and arugula; involtini (stuffed
pizza rolls); an unusual carciofi salad with pine nuts and mint
slivers. $$ (PRB)
Jimmy’s East Side Diner
7201 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-3692
Open for more than 30 years and still regularly packed with
locals, Jimmy’s respects the most important American diner
tradition: breakfast at any hour the place is open — though
that’s only through mid-afternoon. Menu highlights include
pecan waffles, biscuits with sausage gravy, and eggs any style,
from old-school western omelets to trendy frittatas. Among
sides, truly crispy hash browns are neighborhood legend, with
creamy grits a satisfying second. For those who like lunchier
fare, hot open-faced turkey sandwiches feature the real deal,
not gelatinous deli-type turkey roll. $ (PRB)
La Placita
6789 Biscayne Blvd., 305-400-8173
La Placita, the new Puerto Rican restaurant from local chef
José Mendin, made massive headlines at its opening, all due
to a controversial flag mural on its exterior. Don’t let this
squabble with the city distract you from the food, which con-
tinues the Pubbelly chef’s hot streak. Key West conch salad,
seafood stew, and tamales are among the many highlights
here, but the crowd favorite is the mofongo. Get the mashed
plantain dish with ropa vieja, and watch your taste buds perk
up. $-$$$ (MFP)
The Plantisserie
7316 NE 2nd Ave., 786-502-3363
Plant-based dieters have a new reason to celebrate: Little
River has its first plant-based organic deli. Inside the
Plantisserie, customers have vegan options galore to choose
from — available à la carte or in bulk. Hosting a party? Stock
up on meatless lasagna and shepherd’s pie by the pound. Or
if you plan on eating in, try a quiche Lorraine with eggplant
bacon or a jackfruit empanada. Rotating specials ensure that
there’s something new every time you visit. $ (MFP)
Loba
7420 Biscayne Blvd., 786-536-6692
As suggested by this comfie gastropub’s interactive literary
ambiance (décor features shelves of paperbacks), the concept
of young financial-analyst-turned-restaurateur Jessica Sanchez
is to encourage creativity, including exploring Miami’s unique
culture-agriculture through food created by a staff including
experienced chefs, FIU culinary students, and her mom Libia,
former owner of the traditional Colombian Patacón chain.
Needless to say, the menu is eclectic, ranging from South
American (the Patacón, a bandeja paisa-inspired sampler
plate) to modernized Old South (MiMo Fried Chicken with
crispy kale and local honey). Boredom? Impossible. $$-$$$
(PRB)
Lo De Lea
7001 Biscayne Blvd., 305-456-3218
In Casa Toscana’s former space, this cute, contemporary
parillada is proof that you can have an Argentinean meal and
a cholesterol test in the same month. While traditional paril-
lada dishes are tasty, they’re meat/fat-heavy, basically heaps
of grilled beef. Here the grill is also used for vegetables (an
unusually imaginative assortment, including bok choi, endive,
and fennel), two of which are paired with your protein of
choice. You can indulge in a mouthwateringly succulent vacio
(flank steak), and walk out without feeling like you’re the cow.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Manjay
8300 NE 2nd Ave., 305-542-2971
When you’re craving Caribben cuisine, keep Manjay top
of mind. This establishment inside The Citadel food hall
may have a small menu, but its flavors are anything but.
The jerk chicken bites with plantain fries are a substan-
tial starter that should be succeeded by the Kreyol Bib,
a Creole-style slow braised pork sandwich. Sides like red
beans and rice and mofongo (crushed sweet plantains)
guarantee that you leave with a full belly. Get some
Haitian-style beignets to go if you have room. $-$$ (MFP)
Ms. Cheezious
7418 Biscayne Blvd., 305-989-4019
This brick-and-mortar location of Miami’s most awarded food
truck has an expanded menu, featuring favorites like mac
’n’ cheese, but what you’ll mostly want is just grilled cheese.
Which is a misnomer. “Just grilled cheese” sandwiches are
76 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
what your mom made. Here you’ll find cunning creations like
Frito Pie Melts (the Southwestern classic corn chip/cheese/
jalepeño/onion/chili combo, served on sourdough instead
of in a Frito bag), or the Croqueta Monsieur (ham croquettes,
tavern ham, Swiss cheese, béchamel). A welcome expansion:
the spacious backyard, featuring lawn chairs and sizable
shade trees, is definitely a more relaxed dining area than a hot
sidewalk. $$ (PRB)
Moshi Moshi
7232 Biscayne Blvd., 786-220-9404
This offspring of South Beach old-timer Moshi Moshi is a cross
between a sushi bar and an izakaya (Japanese tapas bar).
Even more striking than the hip décor is the food’s unusually
upscale quality. Sushi ranges from pristine individual nigiri
to over-the-top maki rolls. Tapas are intriguing, like arabiki
sausage, a sweet-savory pork fingerling frank; rarely found in
restaurants even in Japan, they’re popular Japanese home-
cooking items. And rice-based plates like Japanese curry
(richer/sweeter than Indian types) satisfy even the biggest
appetites. $-$$$ (PRB)
Ni.Do. Caffe & Mozzarella Bar
7295 Biscayne Blvd., 305-960-7022
Don’t let this little café’s easily overlooked strip-mall location,
or its informal interior, fool you. The warm welcome is authen-
tically Italian, as are cleverly crafted antipasti, simple but
full-flavored pastas, and homemade pastries (from rosemary
breadsticks to fruit-topped dessert tortas) that will transport
your taste buds to Tuscany. And the housemade mozzarella or
burrata cheeses — truly milk elevated to royalty — will transport
you to heaven. A small market area provides Italian staples,
plus superb salumi and the magnificent mozz, to go. $$-$$$
(PRB)
O Munaciello
6425 Biscayne Blvd., 786-907-4001
Neapolitan pizza is the star of the show at ’O Munaciello
Miami, whose roots originate in Florence, Italy. The full-service
restaurant and pizzeria is bright and inviting, and its menu is
home to an array of pizza selections sure to please the picki-
est of palates. A standout: the San Daniele, which masterfully
mixes mozzarella, fresh arugula, shaved Parmesan, and cured
ham. Diners not in the mood for pizza can opt for pastas like
a linguine with clams or a spaghetti cacio e pepe with prawn;
a small selection of meat and seafood entrées is available as
well. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Organic Bites
7010 Biscayne Blvd., 786-542-9654
Too often healthy eating is associated with deprivation, but not
at this breakfast/lunch/dinner bistro. Co-owners Andres and
Ana Reid’s concept focuses mainly on people-pleasing dishes
that are 100% chemical/GMO-free, not on calorie-counting.
The ingenious international comfort food menu of ex-José
Andres Bazaar chef Goncalo Costa does include vegetarian/
vegan dishes but ranges far beyond: deceptively decadent-
tasting eggs Florentine (with tomato and avocado hollandaise);
Portuguese bacalhau cakes with black-eyed pea salad; big
juicy certified-organic burgers with smoked truffle mozzarella
on onion brioche buns, with sweet potato fries. To accompany:
fresh juices or organic wines. Ambiance is kid-friendly; prices,
atypical of many organic eateries, are parent-friendly. $$ (PRB)
Phuc Yea!
7100 Biscayne Blvd.,
305-494-0609
When renowned pop-up Phuc Yea quietly folded back in
2011, restaurateurs Ani Meinhold and Cesar Zapata refused
to let their innovative “Viet-Cajun” cuisine become another
Miami memory. Fast forward several years and patience has
undoubtedly paid off: Phuc Yea is back, sporting a swanky new
permanent home and a menu that not only expands upon but
improves what the restaurant did right the first time. The new
multi-story restaurant is effortlessly hip, featuring neon signs
and weathered rustic wood furniture throughout. The menu
leans toward smaller tapas-style plates, which are sure to infu-
riate Miami’s gourmands, but make up for diminutive portion
sizes with flavor for days. The signature Cajun woks are superb,
while the smaller dishes such as the fragrant yet mild-tasting
eggplant curry and the stellar “Broken Rice” — saucy caramel-
ized pork belly served over short grain rice — are great for
sampling when friends or family join in on the fun. If you order
dessert, opt for the extremely popular bread pudding, or the
mung bean pudding if you’re feeling adventurous. $$$ (AM)
Sandwich Where?
36 NE 54th St., 786-419-2772
Don’t let the cute name fool you. Sandwich Where? takes its
namesake item seriously. The homey shop offers tasty sand-
wiches at affordable prices — a lunch special with half a hoa-
gie, chips, and a drink will set you back roughly $6. That’s a
bargain, as are their regular sandwich offerings like prosciutto
mozzarella, turkey and brie, and soppressata. Pair one with
a delectable smoothie like the Tevez (pineapple, orange, and
raspberry), and you have yourself a great lunch. $ (MFP)
Siam Rice
7941 Biscayne Blvd.,
305-758-0516
You’ll find all the familiar favorite Thai and Japanese items
here, and prices for curries and noodle dishes (all customiz-
able regarding choice of protein, preparation, and heat level)
are especially good at lunch. But don’t overlook somewhat
pricier specialties like a deep-fried yet near-greaseless bone-
less half duck with veggies in red curry sauce. There’s also an
unusually extensive list of salads, some with inventive fusion
touches, like a grilled shrimp/soba salad featuring traditional
Thai flavors (sriracha chiles, fish sauce, lime) and Japanese
green tea noodles. $-$$$ (PRB)
Sherwood’s Bistro & Bar
8281 NE 2nd Ave., 786-359-4030
Little Haiti isn’t exactly known for its culinary options, but the
new food hall at The Citadel will change that perception by
year’s end. Until then, Sherwood’s Bistro & Bar is doing its part
in filling the neighborhood’s void. Expect larger-than-life plates
like rabbit pot pie, gnocchi with oxtail ragu, and bouillabaisse
at this comfort-food-centric restaurant. The word “homey”
immediately comes to mind: Sherwood’s could literally be
someone’s house (we’re fairly certain it was), and the fascinat-
ing design just adds to the eatery’s allure. With convenient
parking all around, there’s no reason not to visit. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Sushi Siam
5582 NE 4th Ct., 305-751-7818
On the menu of sushi-bar specialties plus a small selection of
Thai and Japanese cooked dishes, there are a few surprises,
such as a unique lobster maki that’s admittedly huge in price
($25.95), but also in size: six ounces of crisp-fried lobster
chunks, plus asparagus, avocado, lettuce, tobiko (flying fish),
masago (smelt) roes, and special sauces. Thai dishes come
with a choice of more than a dozen sauces, ranging from
traditional red or green curries to the inventive, such as an
unconventional honey sauce. $$$ (PRB)
Tap 79
1071 NE 79th St., 305-381-0946
One-time fine-dining chef Alfredo Patino, whose still thriving
wine/tapas bar Bin No. 18 was one of the first chef-owned
restaurants to bring casual culinary sophistication to the down-
town/midtown Biscayne Corridor, does the same for still-tran-
sitional 79th Street with this convivial gastropub, which has
a similar sharable-plates menu, but built more around beer
than wine pairings. Highlights range from carefully curated,
imported charcuterie/cheese plates to fun chef-driven items:
house-cured beef jerky, brown sugar/ginger-marinated salmon
“Scooby Snacks,” hearty Coke-braised short ribs with sweet
corn polenta and pungent Junetag blue cheese. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Via Verdi Cucina Rustica
6900 Biscayne Blvd., 786-615-2870
After years of critical acclaim cooking the cuisine of their
native Piedmontat ultra-upscale Quattro, on Lincoln Road, twin
brother chefs Nicola and Fabrizio Carro decided to work for
themselves, hands-on renovating the former space of MiMo
District pioneer Uva 69. Cuisine here is similarly authentic,
with creative twists. But there are important differences:
emphasis on local, rather than mostly imported, ingredients;
inspiration from all Italian regions; and best, astonishing
affordability. Housemade spinach/ricotta gnudi baked in an
ocean of burrata is a delight, but it’s hard to go wrong here.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Wabi Sabi by Shuji
851 NE 79th St., 305-890-7228
Before its sudden closure in late 2018, Wabi Sabi’s healthy
bowls were all the rage on NE 79th Street. After a months-long
hiatus due to a family emergency, chef Shuji Hiyakawa has
reopened his beloved bowl spot. The menu remains short and
sweet, with five tasty options loaded with tuna, salmon, and
other delectable seafood — all underlined with sushi rice, cha-
soba noodles, or another sumptuous base. The real highlights,
however, are the daily specials. Call to see what Shuji is cook-
ing up. $-$$ (MFP)
Winewood
7251 Biscayne Blvd., 305-754-8282
Along the Upper Eastside’s Biscayne Corridor best known for
its historic MiMo architecture, this darkly wooden and quirky
neighborhood wine bar stands out. Although a lucky few will
appreciate the tiny rustic dining area, the majority of guests
will sit outdoors at the mercy of Miami’s grueling summer heat.
The menu leans heavily upon Argentinean staples and Italian
cuisine, echoes of Devita’s Restaurant and Che Soprano,
which previously occupied this space. Entrées such as lomito,
seafood tablas, and fresh pastas and stuffed raviolis are gen-
erously portioned and delicious. Exploring the wine menu will
take patience as the list promotes a thoughtfully diverse terroir
from regions all over the world. Those reeling from weekend
withdrawal can opt for a glass of wine with a side of live enter-
tainment beginning Tuesday through Saturday. $$-$$$ (AM)
NORTH BAY VILLAGE
222 Taco
1624 79th St. Cswy., 833-222-8226
At first glance, the menu at North Bay Village’s 222 Taco may
look like that of your standard taco joint. But a deeper dive
into the selections reveals more than just tacos, quesadillas,
and other traditional fare. “Coco-Ceviche” and Mexican pizza
are just a few tasty ways that 222 Taco is making a name for
itself. Larger parties can opt for a one-pound al pastor taco
platter and other affordable family-style options. Fun fact: They
also serve breakfast. $-$$ (MFP)
Oggi’s Caffe
1666 79th St. Cswy., 305-866-1238
This cozy, romantic spot started back in 1989 as a pasta fac-
tory (supplying numerous high-profile restaurants) as well as
a neighborhood eatery. And the wide range of budget-friendly,
homemade pastas, made daily, remains the main draw for its
large and loyal clientele. Choices range from homey, meaty
lasagna to luxuriant crab ravioli with creamy lobster sauce,
with occasional forays into creative exotica such as seaweed
spaghettini, with sea scallops, shitakes, and fresh tomatoes.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Rico Sandwich Café
1440 79th St. Cswy., Suite 1402, 305-867-4977
Two adjectives describe Rico Sandwich Café perfectly: good
and fast. This low-key North Bay Village shop cooks up
satisfying Latin food in a jiffy. The menu is much more than
sandwiches — in fact, sandwiches make up just a small portion
of the selections here. Mains include grilled palomilla steak,
chicken parm, short ribs, pastas, pizzas, omelettes — basically
everything except the kitchen sink. Despite the eclectic mix of
food, there is one constant: quality. $-$$$$ (MFP)
Shuckers Waterfront Grill
1819 NE 79th St. Cswy., 305-866-1570
Sometimes accidents can lead to better things. Case in point,
this North Bay Village waterfront institution is back with their
casual, no-fuss service, cheap beer, special grilled wings (that
require no sauce), and raw oysters. The revamped space
makes the entire experience just a little fresher and a little
happier. Speaking of happy, their happy hour deals are still as
good as ever. $$ (MB)
Sushi Siam
1524 NE 79th St. Cswy., 305-864-7638
(See Miami / Upper Eastside listing) (PRB)
Tacos vs Burritos Cantina
1888 79th St. Cswy., 305-868-2096
When you pit tacos against burritos, everyone wins. Despite its
competitive name, Tacos vs Burritos Cantina shows equal love
to both culinary vessels. In fact, diners will find a lot more than
just tacos and burritos: tostadas, quesadillas, and tortas can
also be filled with your protein of choice. While you could load
up on the usual suspects like carne asada and chorizo, you’re
better off being adventurous and going for less traditional (and
harder-to-find) fillings like tongue and tripe. $ (MFP)
NORTH BEACH
Café Prima Pasta
414 71st St., 305-867-0106
Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks? Opened in 1993
(with 28 seats), the Cea family’s now-sprawling trattoria has
added inventive chef Carlos Belon and modern menu items,
including fiocchi rapera (pear/cheese-filled pasta purses
with truffled prosciutto cream sauce), an unlikely (soy sauce
and parmesan cheese?) but luscious Italian/Japanese fusion
tuna carpaccio, and fresh-fruit sorbets. But traditionalists
needn’t worry. All the old favorites, from the café’s famed
beef carpaccio to eggplant parm and pastas sauced with
Argentine-Italian indulgence, are still here and still satisfying.
$$$-$$$$ (PRB)
Silverlake Bistro
1211 71st St., 786-803-8113
At Silverlake Bistro, American influences abound. The cozy
eatery features an array of rich items like the Napa grilled
cheese sandwich and gnocchi mac and cheese that will have
you hating yourself — but they’re oh so worth it. Balance these
out with some vegetables like the baby carrots with honey
and ricotta, one of the restaurant’s many highlights. Our sug-
gestion: Throw caution — and your diet — to the wind and get
the burger, a double-patty monster with porcini mayo and the
kitchen sink. $-$$$ (MFP)
MIAMI SHORES
Côte Gourmet
9999 NE 2nd Ave., #112, 305-754-9012
When it comes to Miami’s dining scene, neighborhoods like
Wynwood and Brickell tend to get all of the attention. Côte
Gourmet, however, is putting Miami Shores on the map. This
locals spot specializes in appetizing French cuisine, such as
staples like escargots and foie gras. Brunch is a highlight,
featuring more casual cuisine like crêpes and a decadent
croque madame to fill you up. Regardless of whether you visit
for brunch, lunch, or dinner, expect reasonable prices, service
with a smile, and oh-so-satisfying food. $-$$$ (MFP)
PizzaFiore
9540 NE 2nd Ave., 305-754-1924
Owned by Arcoub Abderrahim, who opened South Beach’s orig-
inal PizzaFiore way back in 1996, this café serves the kind of
nostalgic, medium-thin crusted, oozing-with-gooey-cheese piz-
zas reminiscent of our childhood pies in northern NJ Sopranos’
territory, except now there are options for today’s toppings
— sundried tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, etc. But there’s also
a full menu of Italian-American classics, including antipasto
salads, subs, and particularly popular, pastas. Garlic rolls are a
must, but we didn’t have to tell you that. $-$$ (PRB)
Smoothie Express
9440 NE 2nd Ave., 786-534-8696
When you need a quick bite, pop into Smoothie Express.
Despite the name, smoothies are just one part of the diverse
menu at this Miami Shores establishment. Its healthy wraps,
salads and burgers are perfect for a fast meal or a post-work-
out pick-me-up; pair them with the eatery’s namesake item,
and you’ll be good until dinner. For your little ones, there’s a
kids menu with quesadillas, sliders, and grilled cheese, plus
child-friendly smoothies like oreos and cream. Here, everyone
leaves happy. $ (MFP)
NORTH MIAMI
Alaska Coffee Roasting Co.
13130 Biscayne Blvd., 786-332-4254
When people speak of the West Coast as the USA’s quality
coffeehouse pioneer territory, they’re thinking Seattle — and
then south through coastal California. North to Alaska? Not
so much. But owner Michael Gesser did indeed open this hip
place’s parent in Fairbanks back in 1993, after years of travel-
ing through every coffee-growing country in the world. Brews
like signature smooth yet exotic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe don’t
even need cream or sugar, much less frappe frou-frou. All
beans are house-roasted. There’s solid food, too: brick-oven
pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and pastries. $-$$ (PRB)
Amarone
15400 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 107, 305-440-0766
Amarone touts four things in their logo: wine, pasta, pizza, and
spirits. Where to start? Try the brick-oven pizzas. While they
don’t break new ground in the creativity department, this North
Miami Italian restaurant gets the classics right — even your
basic margherita is impressive. Decadent pastas with truffle
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 77
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
oil and other rich ingredients make this place a carb lover’s
dream. Wine connoisseurs will also have their hands full with
selections from all over Italy. $-$$ (MFP)
Basilic Vietnamese Grill
14734 Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-0577
Those who say great pho is few and far between are in for a
treat: Basilic Vietnamese Grill offers a stunning take on the
subtle majesty of this humble noodle soup. It June be enough
for some restaurants to rest on the laurels of one spectacular
dish, but brothers and co-owners John, Chuck, and Vince Vu
aim for the bleachers, offering a broad selection of delicious
contemporary and traditional Vietnamese foods that aim to
please. The bahn mi sandwich is only served during lunch, but
is alone well worth the trip to this wonderful addition to North
Miami. $$-$$$ (AM)
Bagel Bar East
1990 NE 123rd St., 305-895-7022
Crusty outside (even without toasting) and substantially chewy
inside, the bagels here are the sort homesick ex-New Yorkers
always moan are impossible to find in Miami. For those who
prefer puffed-up, pillowy bagels? Forget it. Have a nice onion
pocket. There’s also a full menu of authentic Jewis h deli
specialties, including especially delicious, custom-cut — not
pre-sliced — nova or lox. Super size sandwiches easily serve
two, and they’ll even improvise a real NJ Sloppy Joe (two
meats, Swiss, coleslaw, and Russian dressing on rye) if you
ask nice. $$ (PRB)
Barok Café
12953 Biscayne Blvd., 305-456-0002
Barok Café forgoes the usual pomp of upscale eateries and
focuses on simple, delicious, and effective French cuisine.
The middling décor and surrounding sunbleached strip malls
leave something to be desired, but all is easily excused when
the food is this good. The morel dishes — large, spongy mush-
rooms in a fragrant sauce served with meat or pasta — steal
the show, and are worth the considerable uptick in price.
Meanwhile, everything from the pasta to the seafood is fresh,
and the service makes up for its slight inattentiveness with
affability and charm. The wine menu, while diminutive, is
diverse enough to pair well with the meats, pastas, and sauces
with aplomb. Considering the quality of the food, Barok Café is
a bona fide sleeper hit. $$$-$$$$ (AM)
Café Crème
750 NE 125th St., 786.409.3961
You don’t have to circle the world in search of sweet and
savory treats from the City of Lights. Situated adjacent to the
Museum of Contemporary Art, Café Crème is a French bistro
helmed by Buena Vista Café proprietors Claude Postel and
Cory Finot. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, their selec-
tion of tartines, croissants, soups, salads, and daily quiches
won’t disappoint diners seeking simple dishes in this spacious
and welcoming dining room. Service is attentive and friendly,
allowing you plenty of space to linger over your velvety latte.
A word of caution: Those with an indomitable sweet tooth,
beware! Pastry chef Romain Soreauto has made it near impos-
sible to resist the pastries, all baked on-site daily. They will
leave visions of coffee éclairs, tarts, macarons, and Napoleon
cakes dancing through your mind for days to come. Très bon!
$-$$ (AM)
Cane á Sucre
899 NE 125th St.,305-891-0123
From the Vega brothers (who pioneered the Design and MiMo
districts with, respectively, the original Cane A Sucre and
UVA 69), this charming artisanal sandwich bar is the perfect
breakfast/lunch stop before or after ingesting visual arts at
nearby MOMA. Actually, creations like El Fig (fig confit, gorgon-
zola cheese, walnuts, and honey on an authentically French
crisp-crusted fresh-baked baguette) are art in their own right.
Inventive, substantial salads, sides, daily soups, and home-
made sweets (including mouthwateringly buttery croissants)
complete the menu. $-$$ (PRB)
Chéen-huyae
15400 Biscayne Blvd., 305-956-2808
Diners can get some Tex-Mex dishes here, if they must. But
the specialty is Junean-rooted Yucatan cuisine. So why blow
bucks on burritos when one can sample Caribbean Mexico’s
most typical dish: cochinita pibil? Chéen’s authentically succu-
lent version of the pickle-onion-topped marinated pork dish is
earthily aromatic from achiote, tangy from bitter oranges, and
meltingly tender from slow cooking in a banana leaf wrap. To
accompany, try a lime/soy/chili-spiced michelada, also authen-
tically Mexican, and possibly the best thing that ever happened
to dark beer. $$-$$$ (PRB)
KC Healthy Cooking
11900 Biscayne Blvd. #103, 786-502-4193
Hidden inside an office building across from Home Depot, this
family-friendly spot has no fancy features — such as a sign
outside. But walk through the corporate lobby and you’ll find
truly heartfelt, health-conscious, homemade dishes, some
surprisingly sophisticated. There’s no red meat on the globally
influenced menu, but there are poultry and fish, along with
many vegetarian or vegan choices: organic pumpkin soup,
zingy Thai curried veggie soup, an elegantly layered, molded
tuna/avocado/quinoa “cupcake,” a real Bundt cake — vegan
(no dairy) but remarkably tasty. $$ (PRB)
Pastry Is Art
12591 Biscayne Blvd., 305-640-5045
Given owner Jenny Rissone’s background as the Eden Roc’s
executive pastry chef, it’s not surprising that her cakes and
other sweet treats (like creamy one-bite truffle “lollipops”) look
as flawlessly sophisticated as they taste — perfect adult party
fare. What the bakery’s name doesn’t reveal is that it’s also a
breakfast and lunch café, with unusual baking-oriented fare: a
signature sandwich of chicken, brie, and caramelized peaches
and pecans on housemade bread; quiches; pot pies; even a
baked-to-order Grand Marnier soufflé. The pecan sticky buns
are irresistible. $$ (PRB)
Petit Rouge
12409 Biscayne Blvd., 305-892-7676
From the mid-1990s (with Neal’s Restaurant and later with
Il Migliore), local chef Neal Cooper’s neighborhood-oriented
Italian eateries have been crowd-pleasers. While this cute
32-seat charmer is French, it’s no exception, avoiding pretense
and winning fans with both classic and nouvelle bistro fare:
frisée salad with lardons, poached egg, and bacon vinaigrette;
truite Grenobloise (trout with lemon/caper sauce); consommé
with black truffles and foie gras, covered by a buttery puff pas-
try dome; perfect pommes frites, and equally perfect apple or
lemon tarts for dessert. $$$ (PRB)
Piccolo Pizza
2104 NE 123rd St., 305-893-9550
Pizzas at this spin-off from family-owned Il Piccolo impress
even NYC visitors, thanks to recipes proprietor Hubert
Benmoussa learned from an authentic Neapolitan pizzaolo.
Other favorites here include subs on homemade baguettes
and, surprising for a pizzeria, delightfully custardy quiche
(Benmoussa is part French). But it would be unthinkable
to miss the pies, especially our favorite Italia: subtly sweet
tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, onions, plus mixed
greens and uncooked prosciutto on top — both pizza and
salad. There are also nicely priced catering trays of finger subs,
quiche squares, pizza bites, more. $-$$ (PRB)
Pinecrest Bakery
13488 Biscayne Blvd., 305-912-4200
Pinecrest Bakery has opened up shop in North Miami and
brought an extensive selection of Cuban specialties to the
other side of town. As you’d expect, pastelitos, empanadas,
and other traditional delights are on the menu, but the bakery
also doubles as a café. This means you’ll also find sandwiches
galore, including staples like the Cuban sandwich (ham, pork,
swiss cheese, pickle) as well as Philly cheesesteaks and turkey
melts. And of course, there’s no shortage of cafecito. $ (MFP)
Ricky Thai Bistro
1617 NE 123rd St., 305-891-9292
Named after the Thai/Italian owners’ son, this “best kept
secret” neighborhood eatery is regularly packed by food-savvy
locals for good reason: Southeast Asian herbs grown right
outside the bistro, plus locally made rice noodles and precision
cooking make the Thai fare among the most sparkling fresh,
and authentically spiced/spicy in town. Must-haves include
Pad Kee Mow (called “drunken noodles,” but a more accurate
translation is “drunkard’s noodles,” for their assertive and
alcohol-free chili/ basil flavoring); duck or whole hog snapper,
both crisp outside, juicy inside; succulently sour ground beef
larp salad. Portions are unusually generous. $$ (PRB)
Sergio’s Cuban Café + Grill
1821 NE 123rd St., 305-702-7211
Abuela’s Cuban cooking can make us feel all warm and fuzzy.
Unfortunately, it can also make us fat. Enter Sergio’s Cuban
Café + Grill, a somewhat healthier approach to the beloved
cuisine. Guests can create their own bowls and add healthy
mix-ins like lean ground turkey and cauliflower rice for a
satisfyingly “skinny” meal. Of course, the usual suspects like
the Cuban sandwich and even a Cuban cheesesteak make an
appearance for those not watching their waistline. $ (MFP)
Steve’s Pizza
12101 Biscayne Blvd., 305-891-0202
At the end of a debauched night of excess, some paper-thin
designer pizza with wisps of smoked salmon (or similar fluff)
doesn’t do the trick. Open till 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., Steve’s has,
since 1974, been serving the kind of comforting, retro pizzas
people crave at that hour. As in Brooklyn, tomato sauce is
sweet, with strong oregano flavor. Mozzarella is applied with
abandon. Toppings are stuff that give strength: pepperoni, sau-
sage, meatballs, onions, and peppers. $ (PRB)
Sushi Lucy
1680 NE 123rd St., 786-391-2668
One of the worst parts about dining out is the wait. At North
Miami’s Sushi Lucy, waiting for your food is a foreign concept.
The Asian eatery sends out items by the boatload — literally —
so guests pick out their dishes as they pass by on a conveyor
belt. If you’re not in the mood for sushi, rest assured you won’t
leave hungry. Hot kitchen entrées like the shrimp dumplings,
salmon rice bowls, and chicken skewers round out the estab-
lishment’s extensive menu. $-$$ (MFP)
Tatore
15180 Biscayne Blvd., 305-749-6840
Meet the fugazzeta, a regional Argentinian specialty that is
essentially a white pizza with mozzarella, onions, and oregano.
And although simple, it’s hard to come by in town. FYI: You can
find it here. An ample outdoor space is popular on the cooler
days, and inside, the great red oven takes center stage. You
can go traditional with your pizza or try the Nicanora, which
has caramelized onions and bacon. The restaurant opens early
enough to serve the breakfast of champions — empanadas.
$-$$ (MB)
Tomato & Basil
653 NE 125th St., 305-456-1193
This rustic Italian eatery with reds, whites, and lots of light
wood, will instantly transport you to the carefree streets of
Italy, Vespa included — so will the thin pizza, creamy polenta,
and carefully curated wine list. Their complimentary rolls with
homemade tomato sauce are extra heavenly. Delivery avail-
able, but if you decide to dine in, there is plenty of free parking.
$$ (MB)
Urbano Steak House
2114 NE 123rd St., 786-637-7711
If you’re vegetarian, Urbano Steak House is not for you; the
“Let’s Eat Meat” sign inside this Argentinian establishment is
a dead giveaway. Once you sit down, you’ll see a variety of
different cuts on the menu along with native staples like empa-
nadas and sweetbreads. There are non-carnivore options, but
you’re not here for a salad. Instead, get the “parillada” — the
gigantic meat platter comes with steak, short rib, blood sau-
sage, and an assortment of other proteins. Good luck finishing
it by yourself. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Whole Foods Market
12150 Biscayne Blvd., 305-892-5500
(See Brickell / Downtown listing.)
78 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Zaika Indian Cuisine
2176 NE 123rd St., 786-409-5187
This friendly and dateworthy-cute spot features “Modern
Indian” cuisine — both North Indian-type traditional favorites
interpreted without the oiliness and heavy sauces typical of
westernized curry houses, plus refined reinventions using
authentic (though heat-adjustible) spicing in original creations
and/or less familiar South Indian coastal dishes: coconut-rich
Konkan fish curry, irresistible lasooni jhinga (yogurt/garlic-
marinated char-grilled shrimp). Vegetarian dishes featuring
paneer cheese are outstanding, but even samosas sparkle,
with peas still popping-fresh. Multi-course lunch specials ($9-
$13) — custom-cooked, not old steam-table buffet stuff — are a
terrific deal. $$ (PRB)
BAY HARBOR ISLANDS
Asia Bay Bistro
1007 Kane Concourse, 305-861-2222
As in Japan’s most refined restaurants, artful presentation is
stunning at this Japanese/Thai gem. And though the volumi-
nous menu sports all the familiar favorites from both nations,
the Japanese-inspired small plates will please diners seeking
something different. Try jalapeño-sauced hamachi sashimi;
toro with enoki mushrooms, bracing ooba (shiso), tobiko caviar,
and a sauce almost like beurre blanc; rock shrimp/shitake
tempura with a delicate salad; elegant salmon tartare with a
mix-in quail egg. And spicy, Juneo-dressed tuna rock makis are
universal crowd-pleasers. $$$ (PRB)
Bay Harbor Bistro
1023 Kane Concourse, 305-866-0404
Though small, this ambitious European/American fusion bistro
covers all the bases, from smoked salmon eggs Florentine
at breakfast and elaborate lunch salads to steak frites at
dinner, plus tapas. As well as familiar fare, you’ll find atypical
creations: caramelized onion and goat cheese-garnish ed leg
of lamb sandwiches; a layered crab/avocado tortino; pistachio-
crusted salmon. A welcome surprise: The bistro is also a bak-
ery, so don’t overlook the mouthwateringly buttery croissants,
plumply stuffed empanadas, or elegant berry tarts and other
homemade French pastries. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Open Kitchen
1071 95th St., 305-865-0090
If we were on Death Row, choosing a last meal, this very chef-
centered lunchroom/market’s PBLT (a BLT sandwich with melt-
in-your-mouth pork belly substituting for regular bacon) would
be a strong contender. Co-owners Sandra Stefani (ex-Casa
Toscana chef/owner) and Ines Chattas (ex-Icebox Café GM)
have combined their backgrounds to create a global gourmet
oasis with a menu ranging from light quiches and imaginative
salads to hefty balsamic/tomato-glazed shortribs or daily pasta
specials (like wild boar-stuffed ravioli). Also featured: artisan
grocery products, and Stefani’s famous interactive cooking
class/wine dinners. $$-$$$ (PRB)
The Palm
9650 E. Bay Harbor Dr., 305-868-7256
It was 1930s journalists, legend has it, who transformed NYC’s
original Palm from Italian restaurant to bastion of beef. Owners
would run out to the butcher for huge steaks to satisfy the
hardboiled scribes. So our perennial pick here is nostalgic:
steak à la stone — juicy, butter-doused slices on toast, topped
with sautéed onions and pimentos. This classic (whose carb
components make it satisfying without à la carte sides, and
hence a relative bargain) isn’t on the menu anymore, but
cooks will prepare it on request. $$$$$ (PRB)
NORTH MIAMI BEACH
Area Code 55 Brazilian Steakhouse
16375 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-6202
Area Code 55 Brazilian Steakhouse’s name is a mouthful —
and so are its meats. The all-you-can-eat establishment puts
you in total control of the experience. A flip of a card signals to
the restaurant’s gauchos that you’re ready to chow down on
everything from filet mignon and lamb chops to bacon-wrapped
chicken and pork sausage. Eat until you’re full or hate yourself;
nobody’s stopping you. A word of advice: Don’t fill up on the
restaurant’s super-addictive cheese bread, no matter how
tempting. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Ají Carbón
16978 NE 19th Ave., 786- 955-6894
Embracing a decidedly contemporary take on traditional
Peruvian dishes, Ají Carbón serves up tacu tacus, rice lomos,
and chaufas, risottos, soups, and salads with an artful twist.
Among the many standout entrées is the arborio, made with
rocoto sauce and panko shrimp, embellished with a surpris-
ingly welcome drizzle of sweet passion fruit reduction. Fans of
Peru’s most treasured seafood treat, ceviche, will appreciate
the variety: in addition to the traditional leche de tigre, guests
can sample ceviches made with various sauces, including
rocoto, yellow pepper, and cilantro. $$-$$$ (AM)
The Alchemist
17830 W. Dixie Hwy., 786-916-3560
It’s impossible to walk into The Alchemist without smiling. The
café is gorgeous, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating for
all, including pets. Inside, the coffee shop lives up to its name
with cool containers and quirky art that befit a mad scientist’s
office. Open-face sandwiches and pizzettas make up most of
the menu, which also includes risotto, escargot, and other fun
items not typically found at your usual java joint. Plus, there’s
beer and wine for unwinding. $-$$ (MFP)
Cacio e Pepe
15903 Biscayne Blvd., 305-627-3436
When you name your restaurant Cacio e Pepe, you’d better be
serving good pasta. Fortunately, chef Stefano Mazzi’s food backs
it up. At this North Miami Beach gem, guests will find a wide
range of Italian classics such as butternut ravioli, black truffle
risotto, and seafood linguine. They’re items you can find else-
where, but they’re done especially well here. A meal can get pric-
ey — some mains are upwards of $30 — but you’ll quickly under-
stand why dining here commands a premium. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Chef Rolf’s Tuna’s Seafood Restaurant
17850 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-932-0630
Known for decades as simply Tuna’s, this indoor/outdoor
eatery, combining a casual vibe with some surprisingly sophis-
ticated food, now has a name recognizing the culinary refine-
ments introduced by Rolf Fellhauer, for 28 years executive
chef at Continental fine-dining spot La Paloma. Additions to the
predominantly seafood menu include chateaubriand or rack of
lamb for two, both carved, with old-school spectacle, tableside.
Owner Michael Choido has also renovated the interior dining
room, and added the Yellowfin Lounge, which features an
extensive selection of artisan beers. $$-$$$ (PRB)
CY Chinese
1242 NE 163rd St., 305-947-3838
Szechuan cuisine is a fascinating and sometimes polarizing
art — not everyone is a fan of the pain wrought from the dis-
tinctive mouth-numbing heat. But if spicy pain is the name of
your game, there’s plenty of joy to be found at CY Chinese, a
worthy Chinese restaurant specializing in regional southwest-
ern cuisine with a kick. Dishes range from typical Chinese fare
(dumplings, egg rolls, pork, and duck served a million-and-one
different ways) to exotic (signature dry pots, Szechuan dishes)
to adventurous cuisine (tip: don’t order the mung bean jelly if
you’re on a date, and if you don’t already know and love tripe,
you might want to pass). All of the dishes sampled were deli-
cious and unequivocally authentic, although perhaps a little bit
too oily. All meals can be made to taste, so specify how much
salt, oil, and spice you’d prefer with your server while ordering.
If you can excuse the shabby interior and idiosyncratic yet
strangely charming table service, the real deal is waiting for
you at CY Chinese. $$-$$$ (AM)
Eat Green
14881 Biscayne Blvd., 305-948-6006
What does it take to be the most eco-friendly, health conscious,
and accessible restaurant in the city? Eat Green, a minuscule
blip relegated to the sidelines of Biscayne Commons shopping
plaza, June have the answers. Tiny but beautiful in a sleek min-
imalist way, Eat Green deserves credit for its thoughtful design:
sustainable bamboo decor, pleasant lighting, and chemical-
free diningware make eating clean seem like an infinitely more
attractive proposal. Expect standard organic and farm-raised
fare, including salads, wraps, quesadillas, soups, cold-pressed
juices, and coffee. While this June seem like more of the same,
it’s in no way disappointing, and should be noted that every-
thing not only tastes good, but is affordable, too. Eat Green
succeeds at paying respect to the earth while soothing the
body, soul, and wallet with equal aplomb. $-$$ (AM)
El Gran Inka
3155 NE 163rd St., 305-940-4910
Though diners at this upscale Peruvian eatery will find cevich-
es, a hefty fried-seafood jalea, and Peru’s other expected tradi-
tional specialties, all presented far more elegantly than most in
town, the contemporary Peruvian fusion creations are unique.
Especially recommended are two dishes adapted from recipes
by Peru’s influential nikkei (Japanese/Creole) chef Rosita
Yimura: an exquisite, delicately sauced tiradito de corvina, and
for those with no fear of cholesterol, pulpo de oliva (octopus
topped with rich olive sauce). $$$-$$$$ (PRB)
Empire Szechuan Gourmet of NY
3427 NE 163rd St., 305-949-3318
In the 1980s, Empire became the Chinese chain that swal-
lowed Manhattan — and transformed public perceptions of
Chinese food in the NY metropolitan area. Before: bland faux-
Cantonese dishes. After: lighter, more fiery fare from Szechuan
and other provinces. This Miami outpost does serve chop
suey and other Americanized items, but don’t worry. Stick with
Szechuan crispy prawns, Empire’s Special Duck, cold sesame
noodles, or similar pleasantly spicy specialties, and you’ll be a
happy camper, especially if you’re an ex-New Yorker. $$ (PRB)
Fat Boy’s Wings & Tings
1562 NE 165th St., 305-209-2533
At Fat Boy’s Wings & Tings, you know what you’re getting your-
self into: wings — and a lot of them. These are some meaty
wings, so six pieces should be enough for most folks at this
North Miami business (but you can order up to 100). They’re
tasty on their own, but they really shine with flavor options
like lemon pepper and pineapple jerk. As for other “tings,” Fat
Boy’s offers entrées like jerk shrimp pasta, oxtail, and curry
goat. Be prepared for leftovers. $-$$ (MFP)
Ginza Japanese Buffet
16153 Biscayne Blvd.,305-944-2192
Highlighting the lunch and dinners spreads at this all-you-
can-eat Japanese buffet are a hibachi station (where chefs
custom-cook diners’ choice of seafood or meat), plus many
types of maki rolls and individual nigiri sushi, both featuring
a larger variety of seafood than at many sushi bars -- not just
salmon and tuna but snapper, escolar, surf clam, snow crab,
and more. But there are also steam-tabled hot Japanese and
Chinese dishes; an array of cold shellfish and salads with mix-
and-match sauces; and desserts. Selections vary, but value-for-
money is a given. $$ (PRB)
Hiro Japanese Restaurant
3007 NE 163rd St., 305-948-3687
One of Miami’s first sushi restaurants, Hiro retains an amusing
retro-glam feel, an extensive menu of both sushi and cooked
Japanese food, and late hours that make it a perennially popu-
lar after-hours snack stop. The sushi menu has few surprises,
but quality is reliable. Most exceptional are the nicely priced
yakitori, skewers of succulently soy-glazed and grilled meat,
fish, and vegetables; the unusually large variety available of
the last makes this place a good choice for vegetarians. $$
(PRB)
Hiro’s Sushi Express
17048 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-949-0776
Tiny, true, but there’s more than just sushi at this mostly take-
out spin-off of the pioneering Hiro. Makis are the mainstay
(standard stuff like California rolls, more complex creations
like multi-veg futomaki, and a few unexpected treats like a
spicy Crunch & Caliente maki), available à la carte or in value-
priced individual and party combo platters. But there are also
bento boxes featuring tempura, yakitori skewers, teriyaki, stir-
fried veggies, and udon noodles. Another branch is now open
in Miami’s Upper Eastside. $ (PRB)
Holi Vegan Kitchen
3099 NE 163rd St., 786-520-3120
Science confirms that eating an exclusively plant-based vegan
diet is unequivocally the healthiest and most eco-friendly
lifestyle around. Unsurprisingly, Miami turned a blind eye to
science for years, forcing the wandering vegan to settle on
steakhouse salads of ill repute and other questionable dishes.
Today, after years of compromise, we have another vegan
restaurant in town: Holi Vegan Kitchen, a fast-casual oasis of
plant-based treats intended to satisfy the minds, bodies, and
souls of earth’s most conscious foodies. Expect vegan and
gluten-free options for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner, as
well as a selection of wine, beer, cold-pressed juices, and
delectable plant-based desserts. $$$ (AM)
Ivan’s Gastro
14815 Biscayne Blvd., 305-944-4826
Diners who remember Haitian-born, Le Cordon Bleu-trained
Miami chef Ivan Dorvil’s lightened/brightened Caribbean
dishes at pioneering Nuvo Kafe already know how French
technique and gentle global (mainly Asian) touches can
elevate homey island fare. A decade later, at the Chopped
champion’s hip yet blessedly affordable new gastropub, the
remarkably refined Haitian/Carib/Asian fusion dishes remain
revelatory: rich yet clean-tasting shrimp mofongo; dainty akra
(grated malanga fritters, crisp outside, creamy inside), served
with puréed watercress sauce; oxtail, slow-braised in a red
wine-enriched sauce — as sophisticated as the best boeuf
Bourguignon, but more decadent. $$-$$$ (PRB)
King Palace
330 NE 167th St., 305-949-2339
Specialties here are authentic Chinatown-style BBQ (whole
ducks, roast pork strips, etc., displayed in a glass case by the
door), and fresh seafood dishes, the best made with the live fish
swimming in two tanks by the dining room entrance. There’s
also a better than average selection of seasonal Chinese veg-
gies, like delicate sautéed pea shoots. The menu is extensive,
but the best ordering strategy, since the place is usually packed
with Asians, is to see what looks good on nearby tables, and
point. Servers will also steer you to the good stuff, once you con-
vince them you’re not a chop suey kinda person. $$ (PRB)
Korean Kitchen
1661 NE 163rd St., Ste. A, 954-766-5558
It may not look like much on the outside, but delicious Korean
food awaits inside this North Miami Beach gem. Korean
Kitchen cooks up a wealth of familiar dishes like beef bulgogi
and sweet and spicy wings — things you may encounter at simi-
lar spots. The real winners are the “less accessible” items like
fish cake soup, squid stir fry, and steamed eggs; you’ll be hard
pressed to find those selections elsewhere. Go in with an open
mind and you’ll have a great time. $ (MFP)
Kuten Inclusive Kitchen
3507 NE 163rd St., 305-944-3189
Kuten Inclusive Kitchen takes its name seriously: All
diets are welcome. This charming breakfast and lunch
spot’s offerings lean on the healthier side, so expect
tartines, salads, soups, and other lighter fare (including
vegetarian options). Most items can be made gluten-
free, such as its hearty bacon and egg roll as well as
the pasta auvergne with roasted eggplant (one word:
yum). Customers in a hurry should opt for fun bakery
selections like almond keto cookies, popcorn cake, and
cheese bites. $ (MFP)
Lettuce & Tomato
17070 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-760-2260
Despite its inauspicious location, this unassuming gastropub
is a certified gem, priding itself on using fresh, seasonal ingre-
dients to create inspired takes on salads, sandwiches, burgers,
and gourmet bites. An earnest labor of love for husband and
wife team Roy and Agostina Starobinsky, this cozy spot presents
a thoughtful selection of flavorful offerings, including a quinoa
cremosa adorned with truffle oil and microgreens, a house-
cured salmon tosta, braised pork belly buns, and grilled octopus.
Drink selections include a Tokyo Bloody Mary, mimosas, and a
delightfully satisfying Asian take on a classic mojito, made with
sake instead of traditional rum. Lettuce & Tomato deserves
credit for crafting an unpretentious menu that doesn’t skimp on
quality or inventiveness. A most welcome surprise. $$ (AM)
Little Saigon
16752 N. Miami Ave., 305-653-3377
This is Miami’s oldest traditional Vietnamese restaurant, but
it’s still packed most weekend nights. So even the place’s
biggest negative – its hole-in-the-wall atmosphere, not encour-
aging of lingering visits – becomes a plus since it ensures fast
turnover. Chef/owner Lily Tao is typically in the kitchen, craft-
ing green papaya salad, flavorful beef noodle pho (served with
greens, herbs, and condiments that make it not just a soup
but a whole ceremony), and many other Vietnamese classics.
The menu is humongous. $-$$ (PRB)
Merkado 31 by Cholo’s
1127 NE 163rd St., 305-947-3338
Merkado 31 is a welcome update to the Peruvian spot former-
ly known as Cholo’s Ceviche & Grill. Apart from its spiffy new
digs, there’s a new menu, including an entire section called
Merkado Green, aimed at healthy eaters, vegetarians, and veg-
ans — the citrusy quinoa is a must-try. But if you’re looking for
something a little more traditional, the piled-high causas and
Ceviche Clasico are mainstays. $-$$ (MB)
Moon Thai
Intracoastal Mall 3455 NE 163rd St., 305-974-5129
The original Moon Thai opened in Coral Gables in 2000, and
the restaurant has since expanded with Kendall, Coral Springs,
and Weston locations (to name a few). One of its newest
outposts is in North Miami Beach, where guests can dig into a
variety of Thai and Japanese specialties. Whether you choose
the organic Japanese menu or the organic Thai menu, there’s
no shortage of options for any palate. If you’re only a little bit
hungry, then the à la carte seafood selections are the way
to go. Otherwise, the noodles and curries are your best bets.
$$-$$$ (MFP)
Nothing Bundt Cakes
15400 Biscayne Blvd., Suite #112, 305-974-4536
Nothing Bundt Cakes is saying something with their satisfy-
ing sweets. The bakery behemoth’s new location in Aventura
offers Nothing’s signature item in a wide range of sizes and fla-
vors. Want to indulge without hating yourself later? A bite-size
red velvet or pecan praline bundtini is the way to go. Otherwise,
dig into a mini confetti bundtlet or go all out with a bundtlet
tower or a tiered cake. If you have a particular bundt cake in
mind, they likely have it. $-$$$$ (MFP)
Oishi Thai
14841 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-4338
At this stylish Thai/sushi spot, try the menu of specials, many
of which clearly reflect the young chef’s fanatical devotion to
fresh fish, as well as the time he spent in the kitchen of Knob:
broiled miso-marinated black cod; rock shrimp tempura with
creamy sauce; even Nobu Matsuhisa’s “new style sashimi”
(slightly surface-seared by drizzles of hot olive and sesame oil).
The specials menu includes some Thai-inspired creations, too,
such as veal massaman curry, Chilean sea bass curry, and siz-
zling filet mignon with basil sauce. $$$-$$$$ (PRB)
Panya Thai
520 NE 167th St., 305-945-8566
Unlike authentic Chinese cuisine, there’s no shortage of genu-
ine Thai food in and around Miami. But Panya’s chef/owner, a
Bangkok native, offers numerous regional and/or rare dishes
not found elsewhere. Plus he doesn’t automatically curtail
the heat or sweetness levels to please Americans. Among
the most intriguing: moo khem phad wan (chewy deep-fried
seasoned pork strips with fiery tamarind dip, accompanied by
crisp green papaya salad); broad rice noodles stir-fried with
eye-opening chili/garlic sauce and fresh Thai basil; and chili-
topped Diamond Duck in tangy tamarind sauce. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Paquito’s
16265 Biscayne Blvd., 305-947-5027
From the outside, this strip-mall Mexican eatery couldn’t be
easier to overlook. Inside, however, its festivity is impossible
to resist. Every inch of wall space seems to be covered with
South of the Border knickknacks. And if the kitschy décor
alone doesn’t cheer you, the quickly arriving basket of fresh
(not packaged) taco chips, or the mariachi band, or the
knockout margaritas will. Food ranges from Tex-Mex burritos
and a party-size fajita platter to authentic Mexican moles and
harder-to-find traditional preparations like albóndigas – spicy,
ultra-savory meatballs. $$-$$$ (PRB)
PhoMi2Go
17010 W. Dixie Hwy., 786-916-2790
Run — don’t walk — to this hidden North Miami Beach gem
that boasts a bevy of Vietnamese staples like pho and bahn
mis. Given the name, such selections should come as no
surprise. What is surprising, though, is the pricing. The major-
ity of items cost less than $10, but their quality warrants a
higher valuation. No meal here is complete without an order of
5-spice chicken wings or egg rolls, either of which can be had
for less than a Lincoln. $ (MFP)
Siam Square
54 NE 167th St., 305-944-9697
This addition to North Miami Beach’s “Chinatown” strip has
become a popular late-night gathering spot for chefs from
other Asian restaurants. And why not? The food is fresh, nicely
presented, and reasonably priced. The kitchen staff is willing
to customize dishes upon request, and the serving staff is
reliably fast. Perhaps most important, karaoke equipment is in
place when the mood strikes. $-$$ (PRB)
Tania’s Table
18685 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-932-9425
A location at the tail end of a tiny, tired-looking strip mall
makes this weekday lunch-only kosher eatery easy to miss.
But the cute bistro, an extension of chef Tania Sigal’s catering
company, is well worth seeking for its unusually varied daily-
changing menus — not just familiar Eastern European-derived
dishes (chicken matzoh ball soup, blintzes, etc.) but numerous
December 2019 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 79
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
Latin American specialties (zesty ropa vieja), Asian-influenced
items (Thai chicken/noodle salad), lightened universal Ladies-
Who-Lunch classics (custardy quiches, grilled trout with mus-
tard sauce), and homemade baked goods. $$ (PRB)
That’s Mine Craft Burgers and Beer
14831 Biscayne Blvd., 305-705-2143
“That’s Mine!” is exactly what you’ll say once you try something at
this creative burger joint. At That’s Mine, the food is too good to
share (although you probably should). Burgers like the Pork and
Blue — a blue cheese, bacon creation with agave BBQ sauce
— are more than enough for one person; get the slider version
to feel satisfied vs. guilt ridden. Or double down and order a
Unicorn Fart, too: The strawberry shake with candied sprinkles
and Nerds is more than just a nice Instagram photo. $-$$ (MFP)
Vegetarian Restaurant by Hakin
73 NE 167th St., 305-405-6346
Too often purist vegetarian food is unskillfully crafted bland
stuff, spiced with little but sanctimonious intent. Not at this
modest-looking vegan (dairy-free vegetarian) restaurant and
smoothie bar. Dishes from breakfast’s blueberry-packed pan-
cakes to Caribbean vegetable stews sparkle with vivid flavors.
Especially impressive: mock meat (and fake fish) wheat-gluten
items that beat many carnivorous competitors. Skeptical?
Rightly. But we taste-tested a “Philly cheese steak” sandwich
on the toughest of critics — an inflexibly burger-crazy six year-
old. She cleaned her plate. $$ (PRB)
Yakko-San
3881 NE 163rd. St. (Intracoastal Mall), 305-947-0064
After sushi chefs close up their own restaurants for the night,
many come here for a rare taste of Japanese home cooking,
served in grazing portions. Try glistening-fresh strips of raw tuna
can be had in maguro nuta – mixed with scallions and dressed
with habit-forming honey-miso mustard sauce. Other favorites
include goma ae (wilted spinach, chilled and dressed in sesame
sauce), garlic stem and beef (mild young shoots flash-fried with
tender steak bits), or perhaps just-caught grouper with hot/
sweet/tangy chili sauce. Open till around 3:00 a.m. $$ (PRB)
SUNNY ISLES BEACH
AQ Chophouse
17875 Collins Ave., 305-918-6888
AQ Chophouse may have a small menu, but the plates are
anything but. All appetites are welcome here. In the mood
to nibble? Tuna tartare and seafood ceviche have your back.
Craving carbs? A short rib ravioli with sage and butter will hit
the spot. Just plain hungry? AQ’s signature 18-ounce NY strip
is calling your name. A concise selection of sushi rounds out
the dinner offerings, any of which goes well with a black cherry
Old Fashioned or another delicious libation. $$-$$$$$ (MFP)
Biella Ristorante
17082 Collins Ave, 305-974-0174
Romantic dates and family outings are just a few of the situ-
ations where a visit to Biella Ristorante is a good idea. This
Sunny Isles Beach restaurant welcomes patrons with a vast
menu of high-quality Italian favorites. Harissa tuna tartare and
beef carpaccio are notable starters that prepare the palate for
an onslaught of fun flavors. Entrées like Biella’s pear ravioli
and black truffle risotto are full of said flavors, and a dessert
menu featuring tiramisu, gelato, and more ensures a memo-
rable evening. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Chayhana Oasis
250 Sunny Isles Blvd., 305-917-1133
Sampling traditional Uzbeki cuisine brings to mind a conflu-
ence of several Eastern styles, including the best flavors from
Turkish, Russian, and Chinese cooking, cherry-picked and
mixed to surprising effect. Chayhana Oasis, a bold mid-size
restaurant that manages to look opulent without seeming
gaudy, showcases Uzbekistan’s diverse cultural heritage in
its food, which has a comforting, understated simplicity to it.
Vegetarians might have trouble navigating the menu, which
skews heavily in favor of carnivorous appetites. If you’re game
for a meaty dish, try the deliciously authentic pilaf, the Eastern
salad made with cucumbers and fried beef, the lamb filled
Manty dumplings, and any one of the many kebabs. Service is
also friendly and above average. $$-$$$ (AM)
Il Mulino New York
17875 Collins Ave., 305-466-9191
If too much is not enough for you, this majorly upscale Italian-
American place, an offshoot of the famed NYC original, is your
restaurant. For starters, diners receive enough freebie food
— fried zucchini coins, salami, bruschetta with varying toppings,
a wedge of quality parmigiano, garlic bread — that ordering off
the menu seems superfluous. But mushroom raviolis in truffle
cream sauce are irresistible, and perfectly tenderized veal
parmesan, the size of a large pizza, makes a great take-out
dinner…for the next week. $$$$-$$$$$ (PRB)
Kitchen 305
16701 Collins Ave., 305-749-2110
Offering eclectic American fare, this resort restaurant room,
despite its contemporary open kitchen, has the retro-glam
look of a renovated discotheque — which is what it was. In fact,
it’s still as much lounge as eatery, so it’s best to arrive early
if you want a relatively DJ-free eating experience. A seductive
mango-papaya BBQ sauce makes ribs a tasty choice any night,
but most local diners in the know come on nights when the
restaurant features irresistibly priced seasonal seafood spe-
cials (all-you-can-eat stone crabs one night, lobster on another).
A spacious dining counter overlooking the cooks makes the
Kitchen a comfortable spot for singles. $$$ (PRB)
Mozart Café
18110 Collins Ave., 305-974-0103
This eatery (which serves breakfast as well as lunch and
dinner) is a kosher dairy restaurant, but not the familiar
Old World type that used to proliferate all over New York’s
Lower Eastside Jewish community. Décor isn’t deli but mod-
ern-artsy, and the food is not blintzes, noodle kugel, etc.,
but a wide range of non-meat items from pizzas to sushi.
Our favorite dishes, though, are Middle Eastern-influenced,
specifically Yemenite malawach (paratha-type flatbread
sandwiches, savory or sweet), and shaksuka (nicknamed
“eggs in purgatory”; the spicy eggplant version will explain
all). $$-$$$ (PRB)
Saffron Indian Cuisine
18090 Collins Ave. #T-22, 786-899-5554
Saffron Indian Cuisine makes us happy. Miami is lacking in
Indian food, and this Sunny Isles Beach addition helps fill that
void. The restaurant replaces another Indian eatery — Copper
Chimney — and fans of that place will find plenty to love here.
Garlic naan and veggie samosas are musts as snacks, but
don’t overdo it. The lamb tikka masala and kebabs deserve a
spot on your order as well. $-$$ (MFP)
Sumo Sushi Bar & Grill
17630 Collins Ave., 305-682-1243
Sushi June well have been served in Sunny Isles before this
longtime neighborhood favorite opened, but Sumo was the
neighborhood’s first sushi bar to double as a popular lounge/
hangout as well as restaurant. Ladies’ nights are legend. While
Thai and Chinese dishes are available, as well as purist nigiri,
few can resist the truly sumo-wrestler-size maki rolls, the more
over-the-top, the better. Our bet for biggest crowd pleaser: the
spicy Pink Lady (shrimp tempura, avocado, masago, cilantro,
and spicy Juneo, topped with rich scallop-studded “dynamite”
sauce. $$-$$$ (PRB)
Sushi Zen & Izakaya
18090 Collins Ave. 305-466-4663
In an area with no lack of Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine,
it’s hard for yet another Asian restaurant to stand out. But
Sushi Zen & Izakaya succeeds by offering variety — and lots of
it. Name any traditional dish, and they probably have it here:
ramen, fish balls, udon, pad thai, tuna poke … the list goes on
(and on). Don’t miss their Japanese lunch specials. At $12-$14
for a sizable Bento Box, you’ll leave with your stomach and
wallet full. $$ (MFP)
Timo
17624 Collins Ave., 305-936-1008
Since opening in 2003, the inventive yet clean and unfussy
Italian/Mediterranean-inspired seasonal food at this hot
spot, created by chef/owner Tim Andriola (at the time
best known for his stints at Chef Allen’s and Mark’s South
Beach), has been garnering local and national raves. Don’t
bother reading them. Andriola’s dishes speak for them-
selves: a salad of crisp oysters atop frisée, cannelloni bean,
and pancetta; foie gras crostini with a subtle caramelized
orange sauce; a blue crab raviolo with toasted pignolias and
brown butter; or a wood-oven three-cheese “white” pizza.
$$$-$$$$ (PRB)
AVENTURA / HALLANDALE
Amaize
19129 Biscayne Blvd., 786-279-2260
You come to Amaize for one thing only: an arepa. At this fast-
casual establishment, the popular Venezuelan/Colombian
corn-meal pockets can be customized with different proteins
and other fillings. Those new to arepas should try a classic
Mechado Mix (shredded beef, black beans, baked plantains,
and shredded white cheese), which serves as a satisfying
introduction. Other more out-of-the-box selections include the
Shaggy (pulled beef and gouda) and the Beauty Queen (avo-
cado chicken salad). Order them all if you want; they’re only
$6-$9 each. $ (MFP)
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
17901 Biscayne Blvd., 305-830-2625
When people rave about New York pizzas’ superiority, they
don’t just mean thin crusts. They mean the kind of airy, abun-
dantly burn-bubbled, traditional coal (not wood) oven — like
those at Anthony’s, which began with one Fort Lauderdale
pizzeria in 2002 and now has roughly 30 locations. Quality
toppings, though limited, hit all the major food groups, from
prosciutto to kalamata olives. There are salads, too, but the
sausage and garlic- sautéed broccoli rabe pie is a tastier green
vegetable. $$ (PRB)
Bagel Cove Restaurant & Deli
19003 Biscayne Blvd., 305-935-4029
One word: flagels. And no, that’s not a typo. Rather these
crusty, flattened specimens (poppy seed or sesame seed) are
the ultimate bagel/soft pretzel hybrid — and a specialty at
this bustling Jewish bakery/deli, which, since 1988, opens at
6:30 a.m. — typically selling out of flagels in a couple of hours.
Since you’re up early anyway, sample elaborately garnished
breakfast specials, including unusually flavorful homemade
corned beef hash and eggs. For the rest of the day, multitudes
of mavens devour every other delectable deli specialty known
to humankind. $$ (PRB)
bartaco
2906 NE 207th St., Ste. 104, 305-614-8226
Taco lovers can now satisfy their Mexican food craving at
bartaco. Inside this Aventura ParkSquare eatery, guests can
enjoy creative tacos with uncommon yet tasty fillings like
glazed pork belly, roasted duck, and crispy brussels sprouts.
Despite the name, bartaco doesn’t skimp on non-tortilla selec-
tions. Other highlights on the menu include tuna poke, street
corn fritters, roasted chicken, and rice bowls. Thirsty? Check
out the seasonal caipirinha or signature margarita to cool off.
$-$$ (MFP)
Bourbon Steak
19999 W. Country Club Dr. (Turnberry Isle Miami),
786-279-0658
At Bourbon Steak, a venture in the exploding restaurant
empire of chef Michael Mina, a multiple James Beard award
winner, steakhouse fare is just where the fare starts. There are
also Mina’s ingenious signature dishes, like an elegant decon-
structed lobster/baby vegetable pot pie, a raw bar, and enough
delectable vegetable/seafood starters and sides for noncarni-
vores to assemble a happy meal. But don’t neglect the steak —
flavorful dry-aged Angus, 100-percent Wagyu American “Kobe,”
swoonworthy grade A5 Japanese Kobe, and butter-poached
prime rib, all cooked to perfection. $$$$$ (PRB)
Chicken Guy
19565 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 2946, 305-428-2444
Chicken Guy from celebrity chef Guy Fieri is an ode to chicken
tenders — there’s not much else at this Aventura Mall estab-
lishment. Where you’ll find variety is the sauce selection: The
brand prides itself on its 22 sauces. Appease your sweet tooth
with wasabi honey or honey mustard, or spice things up with
peri peri and curry mayo. Can’t decide? You can’t go wrong
with Guy’s famous Donkey Sauce (mayo, roasted garlic, mus-
tard, Worcestershire, and lemon). $ (MFP)
Corsair
19999 W. Country Club Dr. (Turnberry Isle Resort)
786-279-6800
Celeb chef Scott Conant has moved on, but Corsair remains
a lively place. Lately they’ve been promoting their Saturday
and Sunday brunches, every week of the year, along with
special events tied to holidays. But any day of the week, the
restaurant’s patio is the place to be, with its sweeping views of
Turnberry Isle’s lushly landscaped golf course. Full review com-
ing soon. $$$-$$$$
CVI.CHE 105
19565 Biscayne Blvd., 786-516-2818
CVI.CHE 105 has made its way up north, opening a location
inside Aventura Mall’s latest expansion. This is the Peruvian
brand’s third restaurant, and it follows a tried-and-true for-
mula: “Don’t mess with a good thing.” The ceviches, tiraditos,
and other Peruvian fare that diners have fallen in love with are
available here, including the ever-popular lomo saltado. The
one major difference: Diners up north no longer have to make
the trek to Brickell or Miami Beach. $$ (MFP)
Dr. Smood
19501 Biscayne Blvd., 786-334-4420
It’s no secret that dining out adds up — both in terms of calo-
ries and costs. Dr. Smood is focused on controlling the former
by providing customers with “Smart Food for a Good Mood.”
That healthy motto has gotten the company far. This beauti-
ful Aventura branch follows successful openings in Wynwood
and South Miami. While Dr. Smood is mostly known for its
juices and detox programs, this branch at Aventura Mall also
provides visitors with grab-and-go grub befitting its setting. The
free wireless internet here is the icing on the cake. $-$$ (MFP)
Etzel Itzik
18757 W. Dixie Hwy., 305-937-1546
Though this homey kosher oldtimer, self-described as a deli
but really more of an Israeli/Middleterranean restaurant (think
kebab on pita, not pastrami on rye), opened in 1997, it’s still
something of a locals’ secret due to its location in a nonde-
script strip mall. But it’s worth seeking out even by diners not
restricted by religious laws; food is both highly flavorful and
hugely fun — starting with the array of free veg appetizers
that appear before you even order: herbed chickpeas, pickled
salads, more. Especially recommended: shakshuka (eggs
poached in complexly spiced and spicy chunky tomato sauce),
a breakfast dish but available later, too. $-$$ (PRB)
Fuji Hana
2775 NE 187th St., Suite #1, 305-932-8080
A people-pleasing menu of typical Thai and Japanese dishes,
plus some appealing contemporary creations (like the Spicy
Crunchy Tuna Roll, an inside-out tuna/avocado/tempura maki,
topped with more tuna and served with a luscious creamy
cilantro sauce) has made this eatery a longtime favorite. But
vegetarians — for whom seafood-based condiments can make
Asian foods a minefield — might want to add the place to their
“worth a special drive” list, thanks to chefs’ winning ways with
tofu and all-around accommodation to veg-only diets. $$-$$$
(PRB)
Genuine Pizza
19565 Biscayne Blvd. #956, 786-472-9170
Local celebrity chef Michael Schwartz continues to grow his
culinary empire with an Aventura location of his new Genuine
Pizza concept, inside Aventura Mall. At first glance, the piz-
zeria’s menu may look familiar — especially to fans of Harry’s
Pizzeria down south. Genuine Pizza is Harry’s 2.0; all of the
latter’s locations are being rebranded into GP. While the res-
taurant’s design has changed, the food hasn’t. Guests can still
enjoy favorites like the rock shrimp pizza, polenta fries, and
warm chocolate chunk cookies. $$ (MFP)
International Smoke
19565 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 946, 786-254-0422
International Smoke — a collaboration between television
personality Ayesha Curry and chef Michael Mina — takes
barbecue seriously. The Aventura Mall establishment fuses
American and international influences for a unique take on
BBQ, a cuisine that Aventura sorely lacks. Get messy with the
signature smoked St. Louis cut pork ribs and then dive into
smoked Korean bone-in short rib, grilled Moroccan spiced
lamb chops, and other mouthwatering bites from around the
world — all for much less than a plane ticket. $$-$$$$ (MFP)
Le Pain Quotidien
19565 Biscayne Blvd., 786-629-5056
At Le Pain Quotidien, diners get the best of both worlds. Those
on the run can grab LPQ’s ready-to-go croissants, scones, and
soups, while guests who’d rather sit back can enjoy hot dishes
l ike croque monsieurs and crispy quinoa cakes at their leisure.
Regardless, both types of diners should make it a point to
order the bakery’s signature drinks, which range from healthy
to downright decadent. The Belgian mocha — available hot or
iced — is the perfect post-dinner treat. $-$$ (MFP)
Levy’s Shawarma
3575 NE 207th St., 305-974-4899
If you see a place named Levy’s Shawarma, it’s safe to say
they serve shawarma. But at this Aventura fast-casual spot, the
name doesn’t tell the entire story. Other Israeli delights abound
here as well, such as matzah ball soup, schnitzel, chicken
shishkabab, and lamb chops. For something more familiar,
dig into the monstrous pastrami burger or some BBQ ribs. No
matter what, save room for the heavenly chocolate babka. It’s
perfect for sharing, but you won’t want to. $-$$$ (MFP)
The Little Beet
19501 Biscayne Blvd., Floor 3, 305-359-5808
Guilt-free food does not mean flavor-free food at the Little Beet.
The Aventura Mall establishment prides itself on its local, sus-
tainable food sources, and it shows. The menu is composed of
bowls, and there’s no shortage of options: nut-free, gluten-free,
dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan — the list goes on. For starters, try
some brown rice, throw in some beets and lentils, and finish off
with braised pork and sweet chili garlic. The sheer number of
choices means you’ll be coming back again (and again). $ (MFP)
Mo’s Bagels & Deli
2780 NE 187th St., 305-936-8555
While the term “old school” is used a lot to describe this spa-
cious (160-seat) establishment, it actually opened in 1995. It
just so evokes the classic NY delis we left behind that it seems
to have been here forever. Example: Lox and nova aren’t pallid,
prepackaged fish, but custom-sliced from whole slabs. And
bagels are hand-rolled, chewy champions, not those machine-
made puffy poseurs. As complimentary pastry bites suggest,
and the massive size of the succulent, sufficiently fatty pas-
trami sandwiches confirm, generous Jewish Mo(m) spirit shines
here. $$ (PRB)
Mr. Chef’s Fine Chinese Cuisine & Bar
18800 NE 29th Ave. #10, 7, 86-787-9030
Considering our county’s dearth of authentic Chinese food, this
stylish eatery is heaven-sent for Aventura residents. Owners Jin
Xiang Chen and Shu Ming (a.k.a. Mr. Chef) come from China’s
southern seacoast province of Guangdong (Canton). But you’ll
find no gloppily sauced, Americanized-Cantonese chop sueys
here. Cooking is properly light-handed, and seafood specialties
shine (try the spicy/crispy salt and pepper shrimp). For adven-
turers, there’s a cold jellyfish starter. Even timid taste buds
can’t resist tender fried shrimp balls described this way: “With
crispy adorable fringy outfit.” $$-$$$ (PRB)
Poke + Go
2451 NE 186th St., 305-705-3784
It seemed like only yesterday that South Florida suffered from
a lack of decent poke restaurants. In just one year, though, the
diced raw-fish specialty has popped up everywhere — including
here. Poke + Go’s fast-casual vibe is perfect for scarfing down
the flavorful Hawaiian seafood bowl, which can feed at least
two people here. Mix and match to your tastes or opt for a
combo like the Slammin’ Salmon, which features the name-
sake fish and adds Asian slaw and white garlic sauce for good
measure. Either way, you’ll leave full. $-$$ (MFP)
Serafina
19565 Biscayne Blvd., #1944,
786-920-0989
New York’s Serafina is now open at Aventura Mall, and this
location is a pizza lover’s dream. Pies are a big part of the
menu, which also includes a bevy of Italian classics and more
creative fare. Skip the basic margherita and get the tartufo
nero with black truffles — your sense of adventure will pay off
with this pizza that’s the very definition of richness. Also, save
room for the panna cotta, whose simple description hides
some mind-blowing flavor. $$-$$$ (MFP)
Sr. Ceviche
2576 NE Miami Gardens Dr., 786-440-7851
While northern Miami-Dade County has other Peruvian places,
none serve award-winning ceviches like those of chef/co-owner
Alonso Jordan, who took top honors at the first International
Day of Ceviche festival. Varieties range from traditionally
based (albeit with distinctive personal tweaks) flash-marinated
raw fish preparations to contemporary creations like Lima-style
fried ceviche, crisp-coated like jalea but sauced/garnished in
ceviche’s more complex style; sampler platters feature several
choices, and serve a small army. Also a standout on the full
Peruvian menu: pescado a lo macho, precision-fried whole fish
showered in an unusually luxurious assortment of seafood.
$$-$$$ (PRB)
Sushi Siam
19575 Biscayne Blvd., 305-932-8955
(See Miami / Upper Eastside listing)
Whole Foods Market
21105 Biscayne Blvd., 305-682-4400
(See Brickell / Downtown listing.)
80 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com December 2019
Dining Guide: RESTAURANTS
