Avra Miami
A excessive finish, casually elegant seafood restaurant in North Miami has been lacking. Enter Avra Miami from New York and Beverly Hills and in simply three months the place is on fireplace, it’s so fashionable. The principle occasion is contemporary fish, not solely the standard picks however extra uncommon Mediterranean favorites like fagri and lithrini, ready any method you prefer it – grilled complete over charcoal, baked in salt, made into ceviche or carpaccio, you title it. Then there’s the good-looking décor that’s a combo of metropolis model and taverna. It’s open for dinner now, however can’t wait for his or her upcoming lunch and brunch hours.
The menu is split into salads, caviar, uncooked bar, appetizers, fish by the pound, sashimi and ceviche, from the ocean, from the land, sides and dessert.
On the entrance to the 330 seat restaurant is a placing bar with, as a substitute of the standard chandelier, terracotta pot as an overhang and focus. The entryway contains a bougainvillea intertwined pergola that provides a colourful and taverna-like contact. The principle space of the eating room has flooring to ceiling home windows, excessive ceilings, white and cream coloration tones, small bushes all through, and a good-looking, uncommon rock sculpture on the partitions. A spacious outside terrace has a view of the swimming pool and ocean past.
A signature cocktail menu has great whimsical names just like the Jacqui o Daquiri, Medusa’s Espressotini and the Martini of Athens. Mr. W tried the Helios Warmth with creyente mezcal, ardour fruit, agave, lime and tajin. Even in Mexico, land of mezcal, it wouldn’t have been higher. My traditional gin martini was excellent.
Earlier than ordering your dinner, take a look on the dazzling show of contemporary complete fish and shellfish as a information to which you need to select. The fish is so contemporary we noticed a hook nonetheless within the mouth of one of many choices.
We began with the signature ceviche, an uncommon preparation with tropical fruit and chick peas ($33). The candy and the citrus actually labored, together with the welcome crunch of the roasted chick peas. Subsequent time we’ll attempt the Avra chips, paper skinny sliced zucchini and eggplant chips, a favourite once I see them on a menu ($30). Whereas ready for the entrée we loved the home made bread we dipped of their Avra further virgin olive oil from the Pelopennese which is taken into account the best in Greece. I might have eaten it with out the bread.
For our entrée, a troublesome selection contemplating there are 14 sorts of seafood, we opted for the Dorado, charcoal grilled (M/P by the pound). It’s served with their signature ladeolemono sauce which is lemon, olive oil, saffron and mustard. It was so tasty and contemporary, it will have been scrumptious even with out the sauce.
We accompanied it with fasolakia (inexperienced beans and tomato) and sauteed spinach ($15).
Subsequent time we‘ll attempt the mussels in garlic broth with crumbled feta ($42), the lobster pasta, or the dover sole meuniere with Ossetra caviar.Choices for carnivores embody a collection of steaks, lamb chops and hen.
Don’t miss dessert which is made in home. Tops is the moist and delicate olive cake with bruleed figs and lemon Chantilly cream, a sublime dessert, or the baklava cake with ice cream to which Mr. W, an skilled on the subject, gave excessive marks ($15) . There’s additionally an interesting collection of Greek after dinner drinks comparable to ouzo, mastiha and brandy, and never your typical Greek natural teas. The administration group actually is aware of their enterprise: service was skilled and pleasant.
Avra Miami has an in depth wine program with a listing that features greater than 1200 varieties and spans the globe. The spotlight is Greek wine, however there are even choices from Slovenia, Slovakia and Israel. A glass (5 ounce pour) begins at $14 and bottles at $65 Cocktails are $18.
Avra Miami is open for dinner every day besides Monday. It’s positioned on the Estates at Acqualina at 17945 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles seaside, FL 33160. Valet parking is obtainable.