The Squire was struck by the ornate shell chandeliers gracing the dining room of Michy’s, Michelle Bernstein’s cozy, haunt on Biscayne Boulevard and soon learned that the whimsical lighting fixtures were made of Florida sand dollars. Such is the unexpected nature of this self-professed “gourmet neighborhood restaurant” where the eclectic design blends modernity and antiquity with a little kitsch thanks to the illumination. The place has the look and feel of an Asian tearoom re-fashioned by Kelly Wearstler, who knows a thing or two about Hollywood Regency style, and the Squire caught the anything goes vibe right away. With white lacquered chairs upholstered in a bold floral print and comfy orange banquettes perched beneath cobalt blue and orange floral striped walls, the restaurant has the air of a vintage 1940’s Hollywood café. Even the wraparound eat-in bar enclosing custom wine racks stacked high with unusual vintages invites pleasant company and in fact several patrons opted to relax on the cool white barstools while they feasted on Michy’s (Michelle’s alias) comfort food. Since the pivotal Mango Gang era in the late 80’s and 90’s, almost no other Miami chef has made as big a splash on the local culinary scene as Chef Michelle and her menu is chock full of the vibrant flavors and lush compositions that have cemented her reputation.
With a groovy soundtrack of new music to set us on our way, we chose a family style chef’s tasting menu, available at three different price levels, that began with a white gazpacho accompanied by Marcona almonds, white grapes and cucumbers. A traditional Greek salad got a refreshing spin with the introduction of fresh watermelon while the roasted beet salad came complete with luscious slices of pear, baby arugula, feta cheese and almonds. Jamon Serrano & Blue Cheese Croquetas were lightly fried and served fruity sweet with fresh fig marmalde. If you are up to decadence try the Seared Foie Gras ‘n’ Waffles topped with a savory rhubarb maple syrup or the Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads with a carrot orange sauce, shaved fennel carrot salad and crispy bacon.
A parade of tantalizing main courses followed the first course with a Grilled Cobia in a ginger tangerine brown butter, followed by Short Ribs falling off the Bone that melted in our mouths. Michelle then played to our exotic side with a Whole Yellowtail Snapper in Malaysian Curry with mangos and hearts of palm and finally seduced us with her perennial favorite, the Buttermilk and Terragon Fried Chicken.
Don’t miss the signature desserts which brought us some old and new favorites including Bernstein’s famous Bread Pudding with raisins, cognac, chocolate chunks and orange rind that sent us to the moon. Close runners-up were the Baked Alaska with Dolce de Leche ice cream and the Deep Fried Cherry Pie with a black cherry and a vanilla ice cream float.
A Miami native, Chef Michelle Bernstein, is one of the city’s brightest culinary stars. She created a sensation at Azul at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami from 2001 to 2005, then left to open Michy’s in 2005 with her husband/partner David Martinez. In 2008, she received the James Beard Award for Best Chef South and in that same year, she and David opened a chic down-to-earth tapas restaurant in the Miami Design District called SRA. Martinez. The Squire recommends trying the Bernstein flagship where Michelle’s whimsical bistro dishes have coined a style known as “luxurious comfort food.”
Michy’s
6927 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida
(305) 759-2001
www.chefmichellebernstein.com
Dinner: Tuesday-Thursday 6:00 – 10:30 pm
Friday & Saturday 6:00 – 11:00 pm
Sunday 6:00 – 9:30 pm