FOUND's restaurant issue
The Joyce, best Monday night reservations, Ura, Claudie, Bistro 8, Sunny's Steakhouse, Mother Wolf, MORE
ABOUT FOUND • Restaurants
Where should you eat right now
At FOUND, we capture the restaurant scene via three primary lenses — short narrative pieces relaying our experiences dining in the field (First Person, First Word & FOUND Table), distilled lists of recommendations (The Nines), and interviews with the city’s movers, shakers, and industry insiders of taste (Routines).
FOUND is fascinated with what’s new, reporting regularly on just-opened spots before the rush. Just as interesting to us: those places that haven’t received their just acclaim, and old favorites that reward return visits. And while we will spend $350 per person for an extraordinary experience, we are equally at home at an exemplary neighborhood bistro.
Across the breadth of our coverage, we’re as focused on the room and the vibe — the way the restaurant makes you feel — as we are the food. We’re also obsessed with the movements and trends shaping the dining scene, from the evolving reservations game (and challenges of getting a table) to the shifting parameters of what constitutes a power lunch. And finally, our coverage reaches beyond the city, into the suburbs and weekend getaway markets (i.e., “surrounds”).
Here now, a sampler of FOUND pieces from the year in restaurants for your late-August enjoyment.
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Art of living
The Skinny: No strip of South Beach is more exciting right now than Española Way, where a spate of buzzy new restaurants is transforming what was once a sleepy pedestrian corridor into an unlikely epicenter of cool. Leading the pack: The Joyce, a 45-seat chophouse that opened last month (with a separate ventanita, The Window,for ordering one of the best burgers in town to go).
The Vibe: Modern, moody, with dim lighting that mainly serves to illuminate walls covered in art from co-owner Andre Sakhai’s enviable collection (Picasso, Basquiat, et al.). Passing through the curtained entry feels like stepping into an exclusive Greenwich Village nook traversed by well-heeled locals and in-the-know visitors. Reservations are currently available through the membership-only app Dorsia, and the crowd looks the part. At the table next to mine, a boisterous party reminisced about their startup’s pre-IPO days. My second trip to the restroom, akin to a mini gallery, was as much an excuse to admire the funky art as it was to pamper with the Aesop products lined up on the vanity.
The Food: Chef James Taylor’s brief menu of creative American classics brings together his experience at some of Chicago’s top restaurants (Alinea, Roister, Bavette's Bar & Boeuf). Thick slices of Hamachi crudo in hatch chile and lime were unbelievably tender; crispy latkes topped with Ossetra caviar melted into crunchy, silky mouthfuls. The creamed kale with rich Saint-André cheese was an ideal accompaniment to a medium-rare Australian filet mignon, as were the tangy, al dente sauteed Brussels sprouts in horseradish and honey mustard. But if a sitdown dinner isn’t in the cards, that Joyce burger, made with a double patty and sharp American cheese, is well worth a visit to the walk-up window.
The Drink: Gregarious beverage director Andrew Herron maneuvers throughout the room wielding hefty sculptural glass vessels in which he delivers selections from a 100-bottle wine collection. Cocktails by Japanese mixologist Takuya Mizuguchi are simple, smooth, and rooted in technique, as was the case with a clarified lassi (a take on the refreshing Indian yogurt beverage) made with gin, absinthe, and lychee.
The Verdict: With edgy contemporary art and a darkened backroom vibe, this spot works just as easily for cocktails and fries before a night out as it does a sexy date or a unique work dinner. The Joyce is trying to be cool, and succeeding. –Falyn Wood
→ The Joyce (Miami Beach) • 448 Española Wy • Wed-Sun 6-11p • Reserve.
–02/27/25
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Restaurants, Monday night
Nine places to dine on a Monday night. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundmiami.com.
ViceVersa (Downtown), Roman aperitivo meet Miami w/ neo-Neapolitan pizza among city's finest, kitchen until 1045p
Walrus Rodeo (Buena Vista, above), Boia De crew does vegetable-forward, wood-fired cooking, like duck pizza, kitchen until 1030p
Cafe La Trova (Little Havana), Michelle Bernstein's Cuban cuisine meets Julio Cabrera's cantinero flair w/ live music, kitchen until 12a
Mandolin Aegean Bistro (Design District), courtyard romance w/ mezze, grilled catch, honey pieh, kitchen until 11p
LPM Miami (Brickell), escargots, sea bream, bone-in ribeye w/ potato galette at French Rivieraesque escape, kitchen until 11p
Macchialina (South Beach), house-made pasta like cacio e pepe, plus veal parm, Miami-style tiramisu w/ dulce de leche, kitchen until 11p
Stubborn Seed (South Beach), Top Chef Jeremy Ford's 8-course tasting menu destination, à la carte menu at bar, kitchen until 10p
Joe's Stone Crab (South Beach), Miami Beach institution since 1913, kitchen until 10p
Makoto (Bal Harbour), shopping break staple for upscale Japanese; frosty wagyu fried rice a must
Photo: David Bley/Walrus Rodeo.
–02/27/25
WORK • Thursday Routine
Password, please
SAMUEL & JOSE TCHERASSI • co-founders • Ura
Neighborhood you work in: Allapattah
Neighborhood you live in: Coconut Grove
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
We’ll spend most of the day at the construction site in Allapattah for Ura, a new members-only sushi-ya helmed by Tokyo sushi legend Namba Hidefumi that we’re prepping for opening this fall. Ura will feature a 10-seat sushi counter complemented by a state-of-the-art jazz kissa-inspired listening room for guests to enjoy curated records. The sushi room and listening rooms are separated by a beautiful Japanese courtyard garden designed by Swiss designer Enzo Enea, where members will enjoy traditional tea ceremonies and more.
Later today, our master mixologist Shunta Yamakawa-san will host a special cocktail-omakase event for our Ura members, showcasing his distinctive fruit cocktails. (If you’re interested in membership, email us at contact@uramiami.com.)
Any bar or restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Given it’s Yamakawa-san's first time in Miami, we'll be taking him to our favorite spots this week, like The Surf Club, so he can try the beef Wellington. We’ll also visit our friend Aitor’s Edan Bistro. He trained at Asador Etxebarri and is serving the best steak in town (not to mention his signature Basque cheesecake).
How about a little leisure or culture?
We had a great time at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Coconut Grove recently; we’re so happy to see how it’s enriched the Miami music scene.
Music is a central piece of what we’re building with Ura. We were mesmerized by the trance we experienced from long listening sessions in jazz kissas around Tokyo; it’s a very specific set of conditions that creates that. While the soundsystem is a crucial piece of the puzzle, format and music selection are just as important. In that sense, Ura's listening room will be a completely orthodox kissa, Miami's first.
Any weekend getaways?
Our getaway of choice is taking the two hour flight to Barranquilla, Colombia, where we were born, and spend the weekend with our Labrador retriever, Cai. Not too far from Barranquilla, though, is Cartagena, also a short two-hour flight from Miami. There’s lots of fun to be had exploring the walled city, the second oldest city in South America. The dining scene has experienced a huge boom lately, and our favorite bar there, Alquimico, is currently ranked eighth by the World’s Best list.
What was your last great vacation?
Our last trip to Japan was very special. We got to choose the hinoki tree from which Ura's 26-foot single-piece omakase counter would be fashioned. For recommendations in Tokyo, we should probably write a book, but we'll confine ourselves to three bookable must-gos (excluding Ura’s masters' Sushi Namba and Cocktailante Oboro, which are members-only):
Jazz kissa Eagle in Yotsuya. One of the longest in operation and most quintessential, Eagle’s the best place to get the orthodox jazz kissa experience. It’s a huge inspiration for our listening room and we’ve spent hours there enjoying Masahiro Goto-san's jazz selections.
Pizza studio Tamaki. Our favorite pizza spot in the world — period. Tamaki-san developed his "Tokyo-Napoli style" pizza without ever visiting Italy. The pizza itself is life-changing, but the appetizers and other small plates, like the lasagna and tiramisu, are equally delicious.
Breakfast omakase at Kaiseki Kurogi. It’s not an easy reservation, but if you land one you’re in for a paradigm-shifting experience. Jose and I have always been in love with the idea of fine dining breakfast, but we’ve always been disappointed — except at Kurogi. The omakase is ultra-seasonal, but expect staples like milk bread toast topped with thinly sliced wagyu and egg omelette, the rice course highlighting two or three different rice varieties, and the kuromitsu kakigori to finish things off.
–03/13/25
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Mexican pastiche
The Skinny: The team behind Hiden and The Taco Stand brings French-Mexican fusion to Little Havana with two-week-old Bistro 8, featuring a menu of shareable plates marrying Latin American ingredients with French techniques.
The Vibe: Behind an unassuming stripmall storefront on Calle Ocho lies a dining room that feels like a modern French bistro teleported straight out of Mexico City. Awash in pink and blue pastels with gold-leaf vaulted ceilings from which bubble-like light fixtures float, it’s full of playful touches like large format terrazzo tiled floors, blue pottery matching the walls, and caned-back dining chairs.
The Food: Chef Pancho Ibáñez cut his teeth at Mexico City's celebrated Pujol, which might explain why my husband and I found ourselves competing for the last drops of a French bistro-style mussel broth wafting with Mexican spice. The house-made tortillas arrive with the perfect chew, making ideal vehicles for anything that hits your table, especially the melting, rich pork belly al pastor that almost cuts like steak.
The Drink: The Mex-tlan is a striking black color courtesy of corn husk ash, an immediate conversation piece. End your night with their carajillo; I've had my share around town (and the world) and this ranks among the finest.
The Verdict: Between the warmth of the hospitality, the thoughtful design, and Ibáñez's unique, confident cooking, Bistro 8 is a welcome addition to Miami’s (somewhat spare) elevated Mexican dining scene. –Olee Fowler
→ Bistro 8 (Little Havana) • 2069 SW 8th St • Wed-Mon 530-10p • Reserve.
–01/23/25
RESTAURANTS • First Word
The sun also rises
The Skinny: While downtown’s beloved Jaguar Sun may have set, a new day has dawned for restaurateur Will Thompson (see Thursday Routine, below) in Little River, where he’s found a permanent home for Sunny’s, his steakhouse that originally premiered as a pandemic pop-up.
The Vibe: A tropical escape in ever-up-and-coming Little River, Sunny’s has outdoor seating around a massive banyan tree (a key holdover from the pop-up). The exteriors are thrown into smart relief inside, by a gorgeous dining room designed with a touch of Palm Beach regency and mid-century modernist flair. There’s also a lush outdoor bar and patio for pre-dinner mingling, as well as another bar inside the restaurant for drinks and walk-in diners.
The Drinks: Jaguar Sun fans will be happy to see the revival of the Green Ghoul, a smoky, mezcal-laden riff on the margarita, and the Wolf Whistle, their spin on a tequila espresso martini. There’s also a large-format clarified rum punch for four, as well as a take on the Hemingway-authored absinthe champagne cocktail, Death in the Afternoon.
The Food: Sunny’s dry-aged steak program is on full display through their massive kitchen — a clear upgrade from their former makeshift outdoor kitchen digs. Start with Treasure Coast oysters or fluke crudo with strawberry and finger lime, before moving on to Parker House rolls and a perfectly dressed Caesar. Pastas include Jaguar Sun classics like a rigatoni with spicy pork sugo and agnolotti with blue crab and saffron. When it comes to the meats, take your pick from USDA prime hanger and Australian Wagyu. There’s also a rotisserie chicken and a pork collar with a Calabrian chili and anchovy rub.
The Verdict: A mature older sister concept rather than a facsimile of Jaguar Sun. The pasta and martinis live on alongside Sunny’s steaks and sauces. –Amber Love Bond
→ Sunny’s (Little River) • 7357 NW Miami Ct • Wed-Sat 5-12p, Sun 4-10p • Reserve.
–10/10/24
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Brickell Riviera
The Skinny: A new French Mediterranean restaurant opened last month from the Riviera Dining Group (MILA, CASA NEOS), Claudie is an opulent dinner scene and a see-and-be-seen hotspot, building energy as the night unfolds.
The Vibe: A portico-framed entrance opens into a massive outdoor space dotted with lemon trees under string lighting, all centered on a stunning fountain. Inside, the dining room is anchored by a wraparound bar with Noguchi-like lamps floating above the banquette-lined space adorned with an eclectic array of abstract art and terracotta pottery cast in a soft pink glow. The women’s bathroom delivers serious art deco drama with its selfie-worthy statement mirror.
The Food: Servers set the tone by snipping fresh herbs tableside directly into the olive oil for bread service — a nice touch. A salade Niçoise arrived beautifully composed with jammy quail eggs and chunks of tuna confit. Burgundy escargots swim in classic garlic-parsley butter, while truffle toupie macaroni delicately balanced earthy truffle with ham and Comté cheese. And a grilled branzino with sauce vierge arrived perfectly à point, bathed in a bright tomato-olive oil. For dessert, the lavender crème brûlée yielded lightly floral notes as promised, beneath its crackling top.
The Drink: The cocktail menu draws inspiration from 20th century artists and writers, as in Hemingway’s Hilltop made with Remy 1738, Calvados, Benedictine, and vermouth, while the wine list highlights French vintners.
The Verdict: Claudie delivers French Riviera opulence to Brickell — a sophisticated marriage of culinary precision and South Beach energy on the mainland. –Olee Fowler
→ Claudie (Brickell) • 1101 Brickell Ave • Wed-Thu 6p-1a, Fri-Sun 530p-2a • Reserve.
–03/20/25
RESTAURANTS • First Person
Roman holiday
Six months after debuting in the Design District, the dining room was packed on a recent Tuesday night at Mother Wolf, chef Evan Funke’s hit L.A. import. The ode to Roman cooking serves sumptuous pastas to a fashionable crowd.
The expansive, richly textured space is aglow with the soft light of Murano glass chandeliers, and rounded red velvet banquettes line the walls. We started with the signature focaccia, a gorgeous spongy round sprinkled with olive oil, sea salt, and wild oregano; fried squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano; and an arugula salad dressed simply with Parmesan, lemon, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. The hospitality was warm in the Italian fashion.
The hospitality’s as warm as the lighting, but also sharp — our waitress explained the menu with authority, later carefully plating the trio of pastas we ordered: two staples of Roman pasta, tonnarelli cacio e pepe and rigatoni all’amatriciana, and the Tuscan pappardelle al cinghiale. They were exceptional. We rounded out the meal with a crispy, thin-crust margherita pizza, but secondi options range from a 24-ounce Australian wagyu to swordfish puttanesca.
While I opted for a one-two punch of Champagne and a vodka martini, there’s a cocktail menu highlighting Italian spirits, liqueurs, and vermouths, as well as wine from across Italy. For dessert: creamy tiramisu and sweet little ciambellle fritti sugar donuts, served with blueberry preserves and crème fraiche panna cotta and just as addictive as the pasta. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Mother Wolf (Design District) • 3841 NE 2nd Ave • Daily 530-1030p • Reserve.
–04/17/25