My Top 3 Miami Restaurants Right Now! Zuma, Prime 112, and Sugarcane

Wednesday January 19, 2011

In Miami, it's more then just good food if you want to make my top 3 restaurants.  Location, Atmosphere, the Scene, the crowd, and the decor all come into play.

Prime 112 is an oldie but goodie, located in South Beach's highly sought after neighborhood SoFi (for those of you that don't no the lingo- that means South of Fifth)!  365 days a year, 7 nights a week, this place is packed all night! Even with a reservation, expect to wait an hour - and that's with constantly bugging the hostess.  Somehow Prime 112 enthusiasts seem not to care because the scene at the crowded bar and the bacon they serve- so much cooler then nuts keeps us content.  Last week when I was there, I even had a guy who was eating dinner at the bar by himself insist that my friend, Missy and I, have some of his Signature salad because it was huge, to die for, and we just had to.  We kept saying no, but before we knew it we were sharing a strangers salads- don't worry he served us before eating off of it, and we got our own plates.  Everyone in here is dressed to impress- it's a mix of locals, Europeans, and some tourists- but mostly only those cool enough to fit in.  Celebrities and star athletes are the norm.  I remember one night for my friend Dave's B-Day, Mark Walberg, Ludacris, a comedian whose name I'm at a loss for, and 4 NBA stars were all there.  Another time for Giovanni's B-Day, an ex NFL guy at the table next to us, kept sending over rounds of tequila shots after tequila shots after tequila shots for the guys at the table--- and this was before dinner even came!  I highly recommend sharing here- even main courses.  I usually split a fillet with a girlfriend or my husband if he's not sharing the 48 oz Porter House with another hungry man (PS in the future that could feed 4 even though the menu says 2).

If you like sauce with your steak, the Prime 112 sauce is delicious.  One of my favorite apps is their signature diver sea scallops with slow braised short rib, truffled mash and pinot noir sauce.  They also often have great special appetizers, such as the Hawaiian poke tuna I had last week.  It was the best $45 appetizer I ever had, and no there is no sarcasm-- it was amazing and we easily shared it between 3 people.  It is essential to save room for the great sides- all family style- and let me tell you leftover Prime 112 vegies make for delicious frittatas or omelets the next day.  I love the broccoli rab and mixed mushrooms.  I've heard the cauliflower with cheddar gratin and the truffle mac are to die for, but unfortunately I'm lactose intolerant, but hey less calories for me!  My last word of advise at Prime 112 is to sit in the main dining room- don't let them try to move you across the street or outside. Here - you want to be inside.  However, if you have a large group that you want to be able to hear, have a baby with you, or want a quiet night, then you will enjoy sitting in the lounge in the Prime Hotel next door as it has more of a chic chill vibe going on.

Zuma is a new favorite! It just opened this summer, and lucky me I can walk there in less then 2 minutes.  Its located in NoBri (North of Brickell) at the Epic Hotel.  It's the restaurants first US outpost- the others are in Dubai, London, Istanbul, and Hong Kong.  This place is crawling with people that want to be seen and people you want to see.  Giselle and Tom Brady stood at the bar across from my table in the lounge one night before sitting in the back of the restaurant.  We walked out at the same time, and I was able to snag a picture:

Another night, I sat next to Vera Wang.  Besides celebrities, you will find a well dressed sexy chic crowd - ages ranging across the whole spectrum.  The best waitress there or maybe in all of Miami is Eva! I have now eaten here 8 times since its opening- 7 for dinner and one for lunch, and I can't get enough.  Again, I love that this place is all about sharing, and the food comes from 3 areas of the restaurant- the sushi bar, the kitchen, and the robata grill.  If you want a twist on edamame, try their stir fried ones - you won't be able to stop eating them! Their cocktail list is extensive, but I think my favorite is a glass of Reisling with this Asian fusion food.  If you like sake though, there is a great list here as well.  Heck- no one says you need to limit dinner drinking to one type of alcohol.

The spicy yellow tail roll with serano peppers and the sliced seared tuna with chili daikon and ponzu sauce is a great way to start, but by start please note that because food is coming out from 3 places, there is no "order," the food just comes when it is ready and is usually spaced pretty nicely. The rice hotpot with wild mushrooms and Japanese vegetables is so amazing you won't even be able to handle it!  The sweet corn and the zucchini skewers are also great, pair that with either the rib eye or the skirt steak and you will be one satisfied customer!  If you save room for desert, the green tea and banana cake is out of this world, and if you want to just cleanse your pallet, the sorbets come out with an array of fruit and flowers and leaves sticking out  in a little box with ice- so pretty you may just want to stare before taking a bite.  And if you are like me, and like to end a meal with tea, the jasmine green Tea is sensational.  And lastly, in regards of where to sit, I like the lounge a lot- almost better then the full dining room.  They recently opened an outdoor area, but most of the tables are small and awkward- but it's nice because it's on the water so again depends if you are aiming for a more chill dinner or if you want to be part of the scene.

Sugarcane comes to us from the owners of Sushi Samba.  It's located in the hip new area, Midtown, which is right between the art districts, Wynwood and the Design District. The atmosphere is excellent here inside and out- I would actually say outside is the best with lanterns and high bushes hiding the outside world.
 
Concept of sharing and the food coming from 3 places is just like Zuma's.  Some of my favorites include home fries with a fried egg on top, orange soy brussel sprouts, and their sushi is just like Sushi Samba with creative maki rolls.  The crowd is people who have moved on from South Beach and want to get away from the tourists- mid 20s to late 30s is the majority age group here.  Everyone is trendy of course... I mean we are still in Miami after all, but it is not as showy and you can tell people are here to hang for the night mostly and not going to a club after.

So there you go - 3 different neighborhoods, 3 great scenes, 3 great menus, and 3 great atmospheres.  Would love to hear your comments if you agree or disagree.  If you haven't tried one or all of these places, I suggest you make a reservation!


Now that you are all drooling, go get something to eat!

xoxoxo
Lauren

PS- Who is so excited for the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Finale tomorrow?  I have an event in Palm Beach so will have to watch not on real time but cannot wait!! The preview of Kyle looking like she is going to kill someone in the limo is ummm woahhhhh!


PPS-Who is a Chuck Bass lover??? I have been dying every Monday since last month waiting for the return of Gossip Girl! Shout out to Tiffany for seeing him in NYC the other day.  Apparantly he still lives next door to her.  Anyways, I am beyond excited for GG to return as I miss my Monday night drug!  Who else is!??