It’s no lie; the Squire’s got an eye for Miami. Why? The weather, of course. If, like him, you also find yourself also craving the Miami sub-tropical heat, want to commune with nature in a jungle-like atmosphere and have a nice alfresco feast while you’re at it, head for Wish in The Hotel.
Let’s get one thing straight. Wish is all about outdoor dining and how fabulous it is. Since opening in 1998, the restaurant has maintained a reputation as a top South Florida dining destination. It just doesn’t get more real than this in South Beach with as much as 80% of the restaurant sitting in a magical garden. You’ll be instantly calmed by the trickling water in the fountain sitting center stage and if you’re not one of their glowing green apple martinis should do the trick. Sip slowly as you observe whimsical designer Todd Oldham’s subtle influence on the restaurant’s design. His blue/green color scheme popping up on umbrellas, tablecloths, napkins and even in the drinks with clever color coordinated luminous ice cubes is a salute to the elements, the bluest of skies and the ever translucent aqua surf. Add the verdant surroundings and you have a menu for success. Menus magically light up when opened like a curtain on a show and they alone provide discrete illumination. But who needs more light than this? Wish is a dazzling stage for Mother Nature and there’s a sky to observe above this romantic setting that’s hard to trump.
Now that you know that this is a setting ripe for experimentation, let’s get to more serious things like the food. A large part of the success story is the ongoing evolution in the kitchen over a twelve year span and newly appointed chef, Marco Ferraro, aims to prove this in his inspired menu. Hailing from Calabria in Italy, Marco’s food is a perfect blend of comfort and sophistication – seasonal, light and vibrant – technically complex without being overly conceptual.
We started with a palate cooling gazpacho made with heirloom tomatoes and served chunky. Poured tableside and icy cold, it included a salad of diced tomato, watermelon, cucumber and house made croutons. The warm night air kept our minds on cooling so we decided on some cold poached seafood, always a treat in the Miami tropical climate. Calamari, clams, mussels and shrimp were slow poached to optimum tenderness in a mason jar which remained sealed until serving; then the aromatic crustaceans were poured onto a sidecar of white corn polenta. It was like a message in a bottle, a revelation of Marco’s expertise. We needed more of Marco’s light handed seafood starters so we gave in to the Maine lobster ravioli which was re-imagined as a trio of “packages,” akin to super-sized wontons and these were topped with cardamom-yuzu foam. Who said Italians can’t do Chinese?
After a little pow-wow everyone agreed to stay the course with fish since it was clear that our captain had a steady hand on controlling the rudder. Grilled swordfish proudly showed up accented with a green-chile coconut sauce complemented by a black bean salad that reminded us that Cuba wasn’t far away at least when you’re in Miami. Miso marinated cod rounded out our foray into deep waters swimming in a delicate lemongrass broth flavored with a little cilantro, topped with Japanese mushrooms and served with a soba noodle salad. We got the message loud and clear – Chino Latino cuisine is making a come-back and Wish clearly knows what the locals like. The restaurant was close to capacity the night we visited even with temperatures hovering in the high eighties.
With ambitious food it’s often a no brainer that desserts will take a back seat … not so here. Also created by Ferrero, they equally capture his deft hand with spicing, texture and creativity. A breakfast staple, reborn as a must-try, his French toast is stuffed with crème fraiche, served with a fresh fruit salad and dressed with red wine-passion fruit syrup. Save room! Vanilla frosted cheesecake hits the spot as does vanilla crème brulee, topped with chopped oranges and for a hint of the exotic, pink peppercorns.
With food this good, you’ll practically have to tear yourself away from Wish but rest assured that when you do your every wish will have been granted. At least, all but one that is.
WISH
Located at The Hotel
801 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
305-674-9474
www.wishrestaurant.com