Food: South Beach Food Tour Rejuvenates Taste for SoBe
By John Zur
The South Beach Food Tour isn’t just for visitors, as locals can appreciate the eateries and informative – and entertaining – commentary on a stroll around Miami Beach. SunPost was invited to participate in the dinner version of the food tour, on a recent Friday night.
The restaurants included in the food tour remain relatively consistent, although they do change from time to time. Our tour guide, Mirka Harris, said there are various factors that go into the lineup changes including restaurant openings and closings. The stops are not disclosed to the guests upon booking, or even when the confirmation email is received. You’re simply sent the meeting point. For our experience, we were to meet at La Ventana Restaurant (710 Washington Ave.) at 6pm.
La Ventana Restaurant features Colombian cuisine in a no-nonsense, casual-like-eating-at-home setting. We sat at the wood-top bar beside a couple also taking the tour. Apparently there was a party of six that cancelled at the last minute, keeping this group small. We had an appetizer of patacones de carne, or deep fried green plantains with shredded beef, and a beef and potato empanada. The coupling presented a greasy, heavy way to start a walking tour. Pasto, La Ventana’s homemade green jalapeno and cilantro sauce was served on the side. Cerveza Aguila was the accompanying beverage.
Departing La Ventana, Mirka had us looking out for cars running over pedestrians as we ventured north on Washington and crossed in front of The Wolfsonian. Here, we learned that the ornate, mosque-like building was actually a storage facility for Miami’s affluent in the 1930s. Walking east on 10th Street, we took an air conditioned break in the lobby of the Essex Hotel and were versed in the details of Art Deco design. Did you know the lines on the terrazzo floor led to illegal gambling back in the day?
Miami Culinary Tours works in conjunction with – and donates a portion of the South Beach Food Tour profits to – Miami Design Preservation League. Mirka was sure to pay respect to the non-profit organization devoted to the architectural integrity of the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District.
We walked north on the east side of Ocean Drive, avoiding the masses passing in front of the hotels. The scene could not be taken for granted, as the subtlety of the stroll brought about a heightened awareness of the beauty of the buildings to our left – seeing the eyebrows over the windows of The Congress Hotel, for example – and the natural growth of trees of sea grapes to our right.
How could any food tour in Miami be complete without the requisite trip to the cafeteria window for a shot, or two, of colada? For those of us familiar with the Cuban rite of passage, sipping the ultra-sweet, super potent espresso is more than an acquired taste; it’s an acquired experience. The institution of David’s Café (1058 Collins Avenue) was our next stop. Stepping right up to the window, we ordered in a line including a large family and police officers; not an uncommon sight here or at any other cafeteria window. Mirka added, as we crossed back over Collins Avenue, that, being open 24-hours per day, David’s Café experiences influxes of colada-seeking faithful at all hours of the day and night.
As we resumed our walk north on Ocean Drive, we took a moment to discuss the history of The Villa by Barton G., most famously known as the former Versace mansion. An interesting bit of trivia Mirka left with us was that while Gianni Versace’s kin sold the home he bought for 3 million and put 33 million dollars into for just 20 million, Donatella Versace sold the furniture inside for a mere 90 million.
Hotel Victor boasts Bice Ristorante (1144 Ocean Drive), an Italian franchise with twenty locations globally. The brand began in 1926 in Milan and prides itself in its consistency in food and ambiance. Signature décor can be found in every restaurant worldwide, except one: Miami Beach. Our entrée consisted of hand rolled gnocchi in a sweet marinara made from cherry tomatoes with a touch of pesto and chunks of buffalo mozzarella. While tasty, the gnocchi was a little dense and the dish didn’t pair well with the grassy sauvignon blanc. Still feeling semi-full from the appetizers at La Ventana, no one touched the bread basket.
The Palace provided brief entertainment, in passing, as a drag queen crooned. We walked through the lobby of The Tides to venerate their traditional Art Deco interior, before cutting through Z Ocean Hotel. Crossing Collins Avenue in front of Jerry’s Famous Deli, we would make our way down that slice of European resemblance: Espanola Way. To the end we walked, past cozy and intimate eateries that visually and emotionally take you far away from the touristy distractions of the South Beach as immediate as Washington Avenue.
Our next-to-last stop was the Peruvian Cevichery Restobar (448 Espanola Way). There, we sat at the bar with a shot of pisco sour and a fried papa relleno stuffed with beef and potato. The drink was great: strong, touch of lime, sweet and sour. The post-entrée appetizer had a street food quality to it with its greasy taste and grab-and-go size and appearance. Next door to Cevichery Restobar, our trip came to an end at Milani Gelateria (436 Espanola Way). Hailing from Torrino, the owners apparently import their ingredients from Italy. The flavors spin round and round in a wheel-like freezer. The homemade flavors include tiramisu, pistachio, stracciatella, and dulce de leche. Indulge. The texture is wonderfully creamy, yet light. In the end of summer Miami heat and humidity, our gelato melted quicker than the applause for the female singer with the Adam’s apple.
The South Beach Food Tour is $59 per person, inclusive of tax, food, and beverage. A 15% tip is recommended for your tour guide. For a listing of Miami Culinary Tours, please visit http://www.miamiculinarytours.com.
TO GO: Miami Culinary Tours, 1000 5th Street, Suite 200, Miami Beach, Fl 33139. Phone or Text: 855-MIA FOOD (855-642-3663)
[...] The following review was published in SunPost Weekly. [...]