Tosca, Miami Beach

Stephan Fortier’s Tosca, new on the dining scene in Miami’s ever evolving South Beach, feels like a private club.  This is a good thing in a destination that’s a magnet for everyone and anyone sporting LV’s and inverted double F’s, but not a lot of clout.  Here, a new restaurant can attract the wrong clientele as fast as you can say, “… frozen, with a floater, please.” “My only goal is for my guests to be happy” … says Nicolas Zeitlin, the assistant general manager of this exclusive find amid the motley offerings lately in south Florida’s Mecca.  And let’s get one thing straight – no way will you not be happy when you’re here.

Antique framed black and white vintage photographs of Filmland’s most alluring female subjects posing (think Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield) adorn the entrance walls.  It’s a signal, girls. Wear your sexiest duds and look the part in this cinematic playground.  This place is channeling a definitive Hollywood groove with giant Klieg lights positioned in the dining room, tucked away and accessed through a secluded outdoor garden that’s very Garden of Eden.  Don’t worry; these are just for effect as the lighting is defiantly anti-soundstage however.  It’ll take you a minute or two to focus on the decor in the soft amber glow that hovers over the entire restaurant.  Rich chocolate leather banquettes anchor just 20 tables while 3 foot floral arrangements set the mood for an evening of sensual dining.  Check-in to a corner booth where a mirrored ceiling allows you to survey the action.  Hint:  take advantage of that.

The supper club atmosphere comes complete with a soundtrack of old R&B favorites piped in for festive moments with your gang.  The O’Jays are crooning … “She used to be my girl”… when you finally get it.  This is not a restaurant but an experience so let your hair down. In a clever take on indoor/outdoor the dining room straddles that magical garden with seating options right on the edge under the stars. If it’s a dreamy night in Miami why not partake of the intimate screening room setting where Felliniesque classics can easily give you romantic ideas between courses, especially with private swings close-by.  The romance continues back inside where you can pen a letter to Juliet’s “wall of love” in Verona, Italy, to be replied by her secretaries.

But let’s get to the food. Tosca celebrates hitting the four corners of the world to deliver ingredients that are simply the ultimate, no if’s, and’s or but’s.  With products from Maine to Japan, the four page menu includes a selection of rare ingredients that clearly raise the bar for fine dining in South Beach.  Fish flown in overnight from fisheries in France, Italy and Greece includes a selection of rare whole fish, like Pink Dorade, Dover Sole, wild Mediterranean Branzino and Turbot for two.  Tosca’s blue lobsters, a rarity occurring in only one of every 2 million, are flown in from Brittany twice a week.   And that’s just the seafood!  Chicken and lamb are sourced from Sylvia Pryzant’s Four Story Hill Farm which produces only true farm to table products typically sold only to private chefs.  And Tosca’s Kobe Ribeye boasts an A5 grade, the highest rating possible.  Don’t even get me started with caviar.  Just make sure Daddy has gone to the bank that day.

After a light asparagus soup amuse, we got into the spirit with a couple Elit by Stolichnaya Martinis, like drinking fine diamonds.  We paired those with a Salumeria board, a fabulous array of Sopressata, Bresaola and an incredible 100% pure acorn-fed Pata Negra Jamón, aged 36 months!  We didn’t leave a single sliver.  Then came a Hamachi crudo, so fresh it practically dissolved on our tongues like Holy Communion.  A Palm Belgian ale really hit the spot with the sashimi grade fish.  Oh boy, how about some pasta?  The Parmesan-Ricotta Ravioli was devoured in seconds. Should we have another? Maybe with some shaved fresh Black Périgord Truffles this time?  Decadence set in when the Four Story Hill Farm Rack of Lamb arrived (classified as one of Tosca’s “Masterpieces”- it is!) along with the yummy creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and a side of Baby Carrots and Haricots Verts.  We were at last converts worshipping at Stephan’s altar, saved forever from humdrum meals on Lincoln Road.

Tosca’s Tiramisu di Verona for dessert brought food craft full circle and it wasn’t until we sat with a couple Remy’s savoring the scene that we realized we hadn’t experienced this level of personal expression in hospitality ever in Miami.  Mr. Fortier has a reputation of transforming everyday life into unforgettable experiences and Tosca is his vision of excellence. In a way, the restaurant taps into the carefree lifestyle of the 1950’s Mediterranean Riviera, transporting guests to a hedonistic place with a sensual ambience. In Stephan words, “… it’s not only about great food and exceptional service; it’s about creating the experience, the escape.” As we sat back in the gorgeously dark room, our hair was down and we let our senses go.  The rest is up to your imagination.