Miami’s Power Dining Duo

Oak Tavern

Miami’s Design District is full of surprises. Oak Tavern is just one of them. A large open space with masonry walls and custom floor lamps fashioned from tree trunks feels like something out of London’s East End with a natty mahogany bar and snazzy leather banquettes. It’s got a bit of a rustic pub groove going on but spiced up with a jigger of Miami chic.  Well, this is the Design District after all and chef/owner David Bracha, who hails from surrounding Buena Vista, knows a thing or two about the bistro concept. In a stylish yet laid back setting, Oak Tavern brings a refreshing new option to visiting foodies.

 

A Bob Marley sound track serenades the lucky patrons who’ve come to discover Chef Curtis Rhodes’ new take on pub fare. The restaurant is aptly named for the big oak tree that graces its oversized outdoor patio, a space that opens itself to the neighborhood and a nice option if the weather’s good as it usually is in Miami. Settle in with one of the signature craft cocktails like The Green Mile, a seductive combination of Plymouth gin, cucumber and chile pepper. It’s the cue to chow down on some of the amazing oysters the restaurant offers along with their awesome crudo, specifically the snapper and sea scallops, both tempting enough to stay on the course of a completely raw meal.

 

But don’t give in.  The night we visited the plat du jour was a Beef Pho with a Papaya Salad.  I have traveled to Viet Nam and I don’t think I’ve tasted a more interesting pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup that is a popular street food there. We added some Asian smoked spare ribs to keep the Eastern groove and were happy washing it all down with Rogue’s Dead Guy ale from Oregon, a nice refreshing brew. It almost took me away from my surroundings, and that’s something that few restaurants do.

 

If you’re a charcuterie fan (and who isn’t when the temperatures drop), Chef Bracha will be making most of the charcuterie in-house.  That means a robust Tuscan fennel salami, spicy soppressata, bresaola and sausages that have a personality that send you searching for a nice microbrew and Oak Tavern’s got one. He has some interesting things up his sleeve for Fall/Winter including a slate of pizzas and small plates like a bison carpaccio and charred lamb ribs with arugula pesto.  We’ll be there, waiting.

 

 

Dolce

Dolce clearly has identified the new groove in Italian restaurants. Tucked on the corner of a prime strip of Miami Beach real estate in the Gale Hotel on Collins Avenue, it’s passionately staked its claim on the South Beach dining scene. On a Friday night off season the place is a bee hive of activity and it’s no secret why.  The menu is a cornucopia of classic Italian dishes, the kind you crave at least once a week, and who doesn’t like that?  This translates to food with a comfort factor but pumped up with a very sophisticated resort sensibility.

 

Starters include the perennial favorite, Fritto Misto, a dish that gave me a déjà vu of my first trip to Milan.  It sounds so sophisticated but (reality bites) it’s just fried vegetables. But like French Fries on a late Friday night out how delicious and healthy, too!  Those Milanese need to keep their waistlines trim despite the awful weather so they can brag they’re trimmer than the Romans. But please let’s not forget the Romans – another appetizer of meatballs seasoned perfectly here and served with soft polenta and Parmigiano. Mama Mia!  Don’t start counting calories once you’ve given in to Chef Paola Dorigato’s made-from-scratch Italian cuisine. A Caprese Salad should calm your nerves about filling up, the tomatoes so sweet I wondered if they imported them from New Jersey. Additional appetizers include a grilled tender octopus and a selection of Neapolitan pizzas fired to order.

 

Still hungry?  If, like us, you find yourselves loving really good food, house made pastas excel like a simple Pappardelle alla Bolognese with a luscious sauce of braised beef, veal and pork – not so simple when it really boils down to it.  A good Bolognese can make your day and it made ours.  We barely had enough room for a standout Eggplant Parmigiana, one of the many classic main plates including Veal Milanese and believe it or not, Spaghetti and Meatballs. Who can argue with that?

 

The restaurant’s sleek design belies its moderate pricing and the classic piped-in soundtrack of Bruce Springsteen favorites will take you back to Long Branch, N.J.  What you need to know here is that in a place like South Beach where the ski’s the limit as far as impressing the public, Dolce embraces the aesthetic of a classic Italian sidewalk café and that is its ace.  It’s equal parts chic dining destination and neighborhood haunt and that’s a combination that works like a dream here.