We only had one night in Miami before we boarded our cruise ship (we are now somewhere in the middle of the Bahamas at sea) and specifically planned it to have dinner with our friends Michael & Roberto. We chose AZUL for its high ratings, but also because it was right in our hotel and hence, oh so easy; Friday night traffic in Miami Beach and Miami can be awful!
It is a beautiful elegant setting created when the hotel opened for Chef Michelle Bernstein, who has gone on to great fame, but had her humbler beginnings as an apprentice to our dear late Jean-Louis Palladin at the Watergate! Chef Clay Conley (sp?) is now in charge and the operation is as seamless as ever. Superb service, timing and a huge staff which oozes class seems to anticipate our every need.
We started with a bottle of KARL LAGLER "Burgberg" 2007 Federspeil GRUNER VELTLINER, after having polished off a bottle of tasty, but light, DELOACH PINOT NOIR in our suite upstairs. The amuse was a FRIED RISOTTO BALL with Black Truffle which was nice and the breads were a bit burnt (so they brought us a fresh warm batch instantly) and came with a tasty Black Olive Tapenade with Orange.
The food began to excite with our starters as we all shared a PERUVIAN CORVINA CEVICHE with AVOCADO SALAD and yummy TOSOTONES coated with a bit of honey. We decided to share this and there were only three tostones on the plate, but after a quick request from Will, three move appeared magically. The ceviche was superb fleshy fish and a great sauce.
Our "second" round of starters was even more exciting:
A spicy JAPANESE HIMACHI "TRADITO" with Peruvian Chiles, Ginger, Soy Vinaigrette and Crispy Lotus Root Salad CHAR-GRILLED OCTOPUS Salad with Cucumber, Roasted Garlic HUMMUS, Kalamata Olive, Tomato, Mint & Red Wine Vinaigrette
A loaded with MAINE LOBSTER SALALD with a tingling CARROT-COCONUT EMULSION, Hearts of Palm, Grapefruit and Avocado
and my "STEAK 'N' EGG" which was a CARPACCIO of BEEF covered with TRUFFLED ARTICHOKE Vinaigrette SALAD which was nice by outshone by its plate partner the TARTARE of BEEF with TEMPURA-Fried CRISPY EGG YOLK and Aged Balsamic. This was one of the best tartares around. By this time we had moved onto a hugely grapefruit intense SAUVIGNON BLANC 2004 from CRAUFORD "Highlander-Maroon Vineyard" that we loved with the intense flavors of the food.
Our main course wine was a PATRICIA GREENE 206 "Balcombe" PINOT NOIR from Oregon loaded with fruit, spice and some vanilla; DIVINE!
YOGURT Marinated Local SWORDFISH with Minted Yogurt, Toasted Pita Salad, Lobster and a Brown Butter Cashew Sauce was tasty and novel, MAPLE FARMS DUCK BREAST with Confit Leg, Gingered Carrots, Sesame Glaze, Cabbage and Citrus Salad was a huge portion and perfectly cooked. A big hit for all of us was the MOROCCAN INSPIRED LAMB with Harissa Marinated Loin, Lamb Shank Bastilla in phyllo with Shaved Artichoke Salad (as a substitute for the eggplant), RAITA, Grilled Lamb Chop and Pepper Salad.
My CERVENA VENSION LEG "Au Poivre" was indeed spicy peppery and came with Crispy Polenta, Bosch Pears, Spinach, Venison Bolognese and a Polenta Cube that was heavenly and made with Cave Aged Gruyere.
Our desserts were equally impressive with me going for the lighter BASIL PANNA COTTA with Tomato Marmelade, Lemon Olive Oil Sorbet (which was sublime) and Cherry Reduction. Will opted for the CHOCOLATE TRIO of Hazelnut Bar, Milk Chocolate-Lime Ice Cream (yumyum), Chocolate Banana Cake, Ginger Ice Cream and Whipped Ganache. Roberto had the MILK CHOCOLATE & ORANGE which was a semifreddo of the former and a creme brulee of the latter with Orange Sorbet. Michael was good and just tasted!
We left happy knowing that we could always eat several more meals or more each day aboard our ship.
