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People love freedom of choice, and that's exactly what a top wine list provides. Some restaurants offer weighty tomes of their offerings which span the globe, include verticals, and make for interesting reading even for teetotalers. Others focus specifically on one country or region. Enjoy the excellent wine lists at these fine Miami/South Florida restaurants, presented in alphabetical order.
People love freedom of choice, and that's exactly what a top wine list provides. Some restaurants offer weighty tomes of their offerings which span the globe... more
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1
Azul
Mandarin Oriental, Miami, 500 Brickell Key Dr., Miami, FL 33131 / 305-913-8254
Since the Mandarin Oriental, Miami hotel is built on prestigious Brickell Key, it is not surprising that its high-end restaurant, Azul, offers unparalleled vistas of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline through floor-to-ceiling picture windows. Many sophisticated diners, however, find the view of the place’s extensive raw bar just as spectacular. But the main attraction is the cuisine of chef Clay Conley. Following a celebrity chef with the firecracker charisma of Azul’s former head honcho Michelle Bernstein is no cinch. But the smoothly polished elegance and ease with which Conley manipulates impeccable upscale (and often organic) ingredients into ultra-creative Asian, Mediterranean, New American and Latin-influenced combinations actually is a far better match for the sleek space. Playful reinvention is one of Conley’s strong suits---hence “steak ‘n’ eggs” with beef tartare and carpaccio, crispy egg yolk, and truffled artichoke vinaigrette; a deconstructed “New England clam chowder” with crunchy-coated clams, pork belly confit and malt vinegar; or a witty take on the old continental classic, veal Oscar, with Alaskan king crab plus crab meat “tater tots.” Also delightful are multi-part plates like a three-way Moroccan lamb (spicy harissa-marinated loin, grilled chop, and shank meat in a b’stilla pastry). Top-flight service and wine list, too, which makes Azul one of Miami's premier dining destinations.
2
Café Marquesa
The Marquesa Hotel, 600 Fleming St., Key West, FL 33040 / 305-292-1244
This sophisticated little enclave is home at the beautiful Marquesa Hotel, one of the island's more elegant inns. The Caribbean-inspired New World cuisine shines, and chef Susan Ferry packs in visiting connoisseurs from all over the globe. Dine on such seafood delicacies as grilled macadamia-crusted mahi mahi with blood orange-ginger butter and pineapple-chile salsa or pan-seared diver scallops with passion-fruit coulis, mango, pea shoots and pickled lotus root. The wine selections rival the cuisine for creativity and quality. Wine-savvy servers gleefully enlighten interested patrons on which wines best match meal selections. The service, for that matter, is infallible, oozing with both professionalism and that refreshing small-town sweetness. The island, so crammed full of rambunctious inebriation, requires an oasis of refuge, and Café Marquesa is just that.
3
Chez Jean-Pierre
132 N. County Rd., Palm Beach, FL 33480 / 561-833-1171
For more than a decade, word of mouth has drawn an international clientele to this tucked-away location, where Jean-Pierre Le Verrier serves modest, yet elegant, Provençale cuisine. Tiered levels and smallish rooms give it a homey, cozy quality, but it's not casual by any measure. The trompe l'œil varies from room to room; here a French beach scene, there a fireplace. Other rooms provide a mélange of eclectic art. A simple starter of a garden of greens topped with warm shiitake mushrooms and drizzled with a sherry vinaigrette dressing is understated, yet perfect. The Provençal chicken breast is fragrant with rosemary, oregano and sage, served with a traditional zucchini ratatouille. End the meal with impeccable profiteroles, three voluptuous pastries filled with homemade vani
4
L'Escalier
The Breakers, One South County Rd., Palm Beach, FL 33480 / 561-659-8480
Palatial luxury sparkles beneath the crystal drops of many-shaded chandeliers. But where once only the level of cuisine and service seemed to reach beyond the startling altitude of the ceiling, now we’re just not as easily wooed. The French-rooted cuisine, served as three-, five- and seven-course tasting menus in a dining room that can be as barren as the connecting bar is busy, can be just slightly less than utterly wonderful at times, and servers confuse courses---or forget them entirely---when the pace is slow. Nevertheless, quality still rules, from the bread basket to the amuse-bouches to the rolling Champagne and cheese carts, and in comparison to other regional and more youthful restaurants, L’Escalier will always be a grand dame. Luxe, seasonal ingredients---chanterelle and morel mushrooms, truffles, duck foie gras and game in the fall and winter, tender greens, baby asparagus, sautéed sweetbreads and pan-roasted seafood in spring and summer---will never fail to entice us. For dessert, those with a sweet tooth can't lose by choosing the Tahitian vanilla crème brûlée, flawlessly smooth and creamy beneath its crispy shield of caramelized sugar, accented with lacy cookies and embellished with a spun-sugar ornament. The wine list boasts 700 selections up to a 1988 Romanée-Conti at $1,950, with other exquisite French and numerous California options.
5
Escopazzo
1311 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 / 305-674-9450
Since its inception in 1993, locals have remained loyal to this romantic, softly lit restaurant, which serves as a haven for those who are weary from the mad rush to SoBe's in restaurants. In our book this spot is always in, consistently creating sophisticated dishes derived from family recipes. That family would be the Bodonis, including the husband-wife chef team of Pino and Giancarla, and momma Maria Pia, who assembles the restaurant's signature tiramisu. The food is brimming with Northern Italian tradition updated via upscale touches---as the restaurant has expanded in size over the years, so has the ambition of its offerings. Even the carpacci are distinctive, including yellowfin tuna with fennel, pink peppercorns, and farm raised Baerii caviar; and seared lamb carpaccio accompanied by crispy goat cheese rolls. A more decadent starter comes by way of an almond-crusted Hudson Valley foie gras finished with lavender and port sauce. Pastas and risotti are hearty and innovative, seafoods simply stunning---try Artic char, a salmon-like freshwater fish served with lemon, asparagus and truffle zabaglione. Smithfield pork tenderloin filled with smoked mozzarella in a Madeira, sage and amarene cherry sauce showcases the Bodoni's magic with meats. Pino pours from an impressive list of Italian wines, some easier on the wallet than others, and oversees the stellar service in this rustic Italian gem.
6
The Forge
432 41st St., Miami Beach, FL 33140 / 305-538-8533
This Miami Beach landmark, owned and operated by second-generation jet-setter Shareef Malnick, has been open for over three decades. But the sprawling space still pulses nightly with an assortment of celebs-wannabes and their entourages. Infamous for its ornate décor and club-like ambience, this is the perfect backdrop for a film noir. Kitschy? Deliciously so. As for the food, it’s similarly larger-than-life regarding portions (and size of check) and luxury of ingredients---like the famed strip “super steak” and signature super-flavorful deckle, similar to a hanger steak. But the cooking is inconsistent; you may have to send your meat back repeatedly, till the kitchen gets it right as ordered. Further, many preparations seem overwrought, geared less to their top-end ingredients than to the place’s over-the-top décor---like coldwater oysters pristine enough to need barely a squirt of lemon, which come instead with six different Asian or Latin sauces. High octane cocktails, and one of the most extensive wine lists in South Florida, render the forgettable food forgotten. True hedonists will enjoy a Cuban cigar with a Cognac in the lounge after dinner (regulars store their collections in private lockers in the giant humidor).
7
Little Palm's Dining Room
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, 28500 Overseas Hwy, Little Torch Key, FL 33042 / 305-872-2551
A deliciously romantic setup (under 16 not permitted), the restaurant at the secluded Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is in a class of its own. The remote natural surroundings are a breathtaking backdrop for opulent outdoor dining. Located three miles offshore and accessible only by boat, The Great House offers Floribbean cuisine, with dishes like coconut-conch chowder, mojo-marinated duck, chile-rubbed grouper or local fish ceviche. Wines are exceptional, and the service, with a practically two-to-one patron-to-employee ratio, is attentive. If you're aching to splurge and be pampered---to experience the absolute finest ambience that South Florida has to offer---look no further.
8
The Restaurant at The Setai
The Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 / 305-520-6000
Since opening in 2005, The Restaurant (the premier eatery at The Setai, which has three other dining spaces: The Grill, The Courtyard, and The Pool & Beach Bar) has had the reputation of being one of Miami’s most expensive dining experiences. Prices remain high though these days no higher than those at many upscale restaurants in town. But the advent of executive chef Jonathan Wright (whose previous posts include New Orleans’ Windsor Court, Raffles in Singapore, and Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons) has made the difference between a luxe-level dining experience and a pricelessly transcendent one. While the cuisine is East-West at all three meals, percentages change from mostly Western at breakfast (with a few Asian selections) to about 50-50 at lunch (chicken with avocado and bacon, or chicken curry with Thai eggplant) to a mostly Asian-inspired dinner menu meant to strongly encourage interaction between diners and chefs at The Restaurant’s scattered Chinese, Thai and Indian open kitchens. Dishes include crispy Peking duck salad with spiced mango, lychees, papaya, pine nuts and plum dressing; wok-fried local stone crab claws with pepper and chili; and dim sum that are so well-flavored in themselves that their accompanying dipping sauces are niceties, not necessities. Dim sum are also a highlight of two quite affordable East-West dining opportunities: afternoon tea service and a Sunday buffet brunch. The encyclopedia-size wine list is equally exciting, with both rare and famous selections---and a fun philosophy, according to maître d’ Patrick Sheehan, that “every bottle tells a story.”
9
The Restaurant
Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, 2800 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, FL 33480 / 561-582-2800
The Restaurant exudes contemporary elegance and a soft, tropical feel with creamy travertine, floor-to-ceiling arched windows and an opulent, floral room centerpiece that matches table arrangements. Every seat in the grand dining room is within sight of the ocean. Three-, four- and five-course tasting menus are offered in place of à la carte dishes. The “Southeastern Regional” cuisine, with Caribbean and Old South influences running rampant, emphasizes organic ingredients, less butter and more vegetable sauces. Expect a glut of fresher-than-thou seafood ranging from Key West prawns to just-caught yellowtail snapper and a plethora of tropical fruits and vegetables that include not just your standard mango and boniato but make use of banana blossoms and sunchokes. We adore the daily-changing trio of crèmes brûlées (raspberry-vanilla cream, tiramisu and Bartlett pear-flecked, for instance) served in demitasse cups. The wine list names about 300 labels, including a 1955 Château Lafite Rothschild 1er Cru Classé for $2,700.
10
Smith & Wollensky
1 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 / 305-673-2800
This branch of the respected restaurant in Manhattan has a good location going for it: a colossal old house on the southernmost tip of South Beach. Be sure to reserve a window table, or one in the outdoor café, for the best view of cruise ships steaming by on adjacent Government Cut. Diehard carnivores and wine connoisseurs unite as America's reclaimed meal of choice, steak, continues as a time-honored standard here. Dry-aged porterhouse and tenderloin rule, but the sizzling pork loin is a standout. The $75 seafood platter includes tender shrimp and a feast of the day's raw-bar selections. Wine aficionados rejoice over the generous and premium inventory of international wines. And even novices will appreciate S&W’s occasional dinners (about one per month) presented in conjunction with selected wineries, that offer five courses with paired wines.
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