Our second and final night in Miami Beach was at the equally, if not more, expensive Surf Club at the magnificent new Four Seasons Surf Club in Surfside, north Miami Beach.
We had another spectacular site visit followed by drinks with the super sales manager Megan followed by amazing craft cocktails from Italy(made with fiery tomato water from Vesuvius to simulate the spice of a bloody mary!!).
Dinner was in the elegant Surf Club restaurant by Thomas Keller, where he has forsaken his multi course ways of The French Laundry and Per Se and gone to the dishes that were popular in the 1930's when the original Surf Club opened: think Oysters Rockefeller, steaks, etc.
After we ordered, crudites arrived in a beautiful large holder all standing up in shaved ice with a lemon dill dip. Warm Cheddar sticks were divine as well as we enjoyed our 2016 Domaine George's Vernay "Le Pied de Samson" Viognier Les Collines Rhodaniennes from the Rhone Valley. It was a bit too cold, so I had the sommelier leave it on the table where it came to a perfect temperature with tons of mineral richness.
Appetizers were Caesar Salad prepared tableside and I had a yummy and absolutely gorgeously plated Yellowjack Tartare with ginger creme fraiche, garden vegetables(some pickled) and seasoned Brioche crisps)...it was superb and the fish was truly excellent. Of course photos are on FB!
Mains included the Jumbo Lump Crabcake appetizer(Peekytoe crab from Maine) with spicy mayo for our friend, while Will enjoyed the Rigatoni Bolognese with Basil and Ricotta along with a glass of Barolo which cost more than 1/2 the price of our bottle of Viognier!!
My Lobster Thermador was a rich sauce with an entire tail on top and the claw cut up into the sauce and pastry underneath. While it was superb it was worth nowhere near it's 78$ price range and that doesn't include the tax and mandatory 18% service fee almost every restaurant charges in the area!!
Service and food were excellent and Will enjoyed the yummy Mandarin Orange sorbet for dessert(one scoop brings the dessert price down to half of $14!). The best part was the complementary and beyond irresistible Caramel peanut popcorn that came before we left.
