Matador Room @ The Miami Beach EDITION

Ever since Matador Room opened at The Miami Beach EDITION it seems everyone has been Instagraming a certain copper pineapple cocktail. This $30 elixir was all the rage when the swanky hotel opened its doors during the Art Basel crush this past December. Made with Absolut Elyx, Palo Cortado Sherry, salted caramel bitters, Bittermens Elemakule tiki bitters, house-made pineapple and rosemary syrup, and a torched sprig of rosemary that when the lid is removed, gives the guest a subtle puff of herby fragrance.
Yes, it's pricey, so while you're there you ought to stay for some avocado pizza, which is reason enough to make it to the gorgeous restaurant inside the restored Art Deco hotel.
Celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten may no longer be at J & G Grill at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, but he has partnered with hotelier Ian Schrager at the Edition to create this spot, his ode to Latin cooking. Chef Jeremy Ford ( formerly of 15 Steps at the Eden Roc) heads up the kitchen.
"We knew we wanted to do something that reflects the area," says Vongerichten regarding the inspiration for the restaurant. "These are the flavors that belong in Miami. It's the Seville hotel and we kept the name Matador Room, so it's also inspired by that. Everything is family style, have some olives, tacos, a big bowl of arroz con pollo."

Seagrape at Thompson Miami Beach

Photo courtesy Thompson Miami Beach
Miami favorite Michelle Bernstein is back in a hotel setting, this time with Seagrape at Thompson Miami Beach. Chef Steven Rojas, known for earning a Michelin star at Saddle Peak Lodge in California and most recently at The Island Bistro on Brickell Key, is running things in the kitchen. I loved the space - a multi-level 267-seat dining room with retro furniture, a green marble bar and a tiled outdoor patio. The cushy semi-circular banquettes were buzzing with smartly-dressed locals and Thompson guests on two separate occasions when I dined there.

Photo courtesy Thompson Miami Beach

Expect locally sourced goods with regional influences. "Michelle wanted me to cook they way we do in California, by using local farms and purveyors," says Rojas. "It's great because now I can finally cook the way I want to." Prices reflect the immaculate sourcing with starters $10-$21 and mains $21-$39.
Dinner starts with fluffy Parker House rolls served with fish dip, pickled veggies and butter. From there it's on to rich homemade gougeres, or profiteroles stuffed with melted gouda and topped with sherry glaze and lardo. The Maine lobster ravioli are three delicate pasta pillows stuffed with lobster in a red curry emulsion along with fried ginger. The roasted beet salad comes with avocado hummus while delicate squash blossoms are stuffed with shrimp over creamy gits.
 The lamb chops served with chermoula yogurt and fried sweetbreads was a bit of a roller coaster, still trying to figure what I think of that one. Fish dishes include a halibut with grapes and swiss chard and a red snapper accompanied by a paella "cake."
Desserts include berry Angel food cake with frozen yogurt, guava and cheese-stuffed doughnuts and homemade ice creams in flavors like chai tea.
4041 Collins Ave
(786) 605-1043

A Look Inside the New St. Regis Bal Harbour

It's been over four years since we bid farewell to the old Sheraton Bal Harbour, the Morris Lapidus hotel originally known at the Americana. During that time I watched the new St. Regis go up in my neighborhood, one concrete mixer at a time. Walked down the beach path flanking its pool deck and wondered how the new place would feel compared to the old, which was loosing a bit of its glamour but still held on to its retro cool by virtue of its unique design.
Last Thursday was the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new structure - a three-tower campus that includes the luxury hotel sandwiched between two condo towers. There was the traditional champagne-sabering associated with the St. Regis brand (they saber a bottle every day. That day it was a pricey Krug. I made sure to have a glass.)

The post-opening reception was a congenial way to see the interior of the hotel. Fancy bites of salmon tartar and key lime tarts, plenty of champagne and a crowd that was clearly interested in seeing the new product.

I'll reserve the opinion on the design of the new building until I've been there a few more times and had a chance to really soak up the vibe. One thing is for sure - we're not in Lapidus territory anymore. The interiors were designed by Yabu Pushelberg, a firm known for other local projects like DB Bistro Moderne at the JW Marriott downtown, with trademark muted tones and double-height scale. Walking in, you're meant to feel like you've entered someone's home (albeit a multi-million dollar home) so there's no grand lobby and traditional reception desk. Instead you'll find this sitting area and then a corridor of mirrors festooned with chandeliers.

Further in, you come across this deer sculpture made of crystal balls and the check-in desks - which are sit-down desks. Introductory room rates start at $675, by the way, and expect those to climb to $800 for peak season. And all 243 guest rooms face the ocean.

There's a glass-enclosed wine cellar in the lobby cocktail bar (they've got 2500 labels in stock). And a nice terrace overlooking the ocean. There's also J+G Grill, a restaurant developed by celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (more on that at another time).

Do I miss the old Sheraton? Sure, it's sad to see architectural gems go. But I'm gratified by new development and hopeful this place will succeed. If they bring their trademark level of top-notch service and studied elegance to the city, it's certainly something to celebrate. Lord knows, the beach could use a few places where everyone from the valet to the cocktail server treats you with respect.