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Miami restaurant

New Miami food hall, Julia & Henry’s serves up Asian cuisine, all on one floor

June 19, 2023 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

Ding, ding, ding! New Miami food hall, Julia and Henry’s serves up Asian cuisine, all on one floor. The newest curated food hall with a lineup of numerous celebrity chefs finally opened in downtown Miami in the iconic art deco building that housed Walgreens. Story goes this food hall was named after Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler, considered “the mother and father of Miami”! 

Ground Floor, Natural Wine Bar
See through flooring

About the decor:

Your first impression of Julia and Henry’s is, WOW! You’re immediately hit by the multi level, colorfully lit up wine cellar (I’ve only seen it blue and pink).

It’s MASSIVE, I like that there’s an atrium in the middle that spans all three floors. With “balconies” on each floor, this makes the food hall very open and light. There’s a modern, see through staircase and walkways which lets light in also and regular staircase in the rear back wall. The design is modern, whimsical, industrial with hints of colors especially with the bar lounge sofas and wall art.

Currently open in the food hall: ground, mezzanine & balcony third floor. Future will be a floor dedicated to music and “experiences”. The third floor balcony showcases SIX Asian Food Concepts and a craft cocktail bar, The Lasseter and that’s where we went straight to! I mean food not bar.

Lasseter Craft Cocktail Bar
Dining area on 2nd Floor

Scout, then action:

I loved visiting with my foodie buddy @epicurean305 we enjoy the same pacing and like exploring new flavors, do check him out on Instagram. We took a quick tour of the SIX Asian food concepts before settling on two: Fried Snapper bowl from Achar and Pork Lechon Gyozas from Hitchi Haika.

We did end up getting a third dish from Osso on the Ground Floor but that’s for another post.

About the 6 Asian Food Concepts:

@Acharstreet.kitchen
Created by restauranteur, Maher Murshed, who also opened Byblos in South Beach among many others. His vision with Achar was SPOT ON! He nailed it with all aspects for a fantastic dining experience. I mention this constantly…ambiance, presentation and of course, delicious food. Interesting Achar is tagged as Burmese but Murshed is Bangladeshi and the chef is Peruvian??? I don’t care as long as the food is tasty!

Chef Marco Cahaus
Wow, so organized

About Achar’s food:

Fried Snapper Bowl, $18 came with basmati rice, turmeric cauliflower & potato, mashed tomato with onions & a gorgeous colorful, chopped salad. I loved this complete meal and it was great value. The fried snapper was dipped in a chickpea batter so it’s gluten free and seasoned with a house mix. The snapper was perfectly executed, moist and tender. You could taste flavors of each ingredient in that beautifully presented bowl.

There were options of tandoori grilled, beef or chicken skewers which looked very tantalizing. I got to film some fiery grill action there. Definitely going back to try those! There was also a Tamarind tossed Chick Pea Bowl for vegetarians.

Beautiful Fried Snapper Bowl
Sweet Rice Pudding

I managed to have a brief chat with Chef Marco who had worked at Byblos & Bazaar by Jose Andres. Chef definitely has operations organized, you could see colorful bowls laid out ready which just needed the skewered protein. Our dish was ready quite quickly. 

He gifted us Sweet Rice Pudding (Firni) served in a traditional earth clay bowl. It’s made with chinigura rice, rose water and pistachios. A flood of food memories rushed at me in the first bite, this dessert reminded me of a semolina dessert my mom used to make in Hong Kong. I loved this sweet end to what was a well thought out concept and most importantly, our Fried Snapper Bowl was really very delicious.  Well done Achar!

My fav Asian concept so far
Love menu

@Hitchihaika
Japanese Gyozas filled with 7 flavors from around the world by Chef Jose Mendin (Pubbelly & many other food concepts) & Chef Jorge Mijangos. Between $14-$16. We tried Pork Lechon Gyozas with citrus mojo, green herbs. 5 in an order, very tasty and lovely presentation, maybe a little bit teeny.

Pork Lechon Gyozas
Hitchi Haika Menu

Lucky @epicurean305 scored a fantastic window seat right next to Hitchi Haika, it was PERFECT for photo taking.

Now, for the other 4 Asian Concepts:

@shimujaflorida Master Ramen Chef Kei San was serving authentic ramen bowl made fresh in front of you. I’ve heard so much about this restaurant. I can’t wait to try, my only issue is I can’t eat a lot of starchy noodles.

Yum, Ramen bowl
Chef Ken Sei

@palmarmiami described as “Dim Sum” by Javier Ramirez who also opened Alter, Bachour and Palmar in Wynwood where I’ve dined several times. Described as “blending Latin flavors with modern Asian street food and tropical Miami vibes”! The spicy pork noodles and papaya salad looked scrumptious.

Palmar
Spicy Pork Noodles, Papaya Salad

@sankuay by Chef Charles Thomson. A Peruvian-Cantonese Chifa Wok concept and Asian street food. Lomo Saltado looked delightful, priced at $22. I need to try one of his Wok dishes, hey, I am a wok cooking teacher and know a thing or two about this!

Sankuay
Lomo Saltado
Sankuay menu

@yabairolls serves Japanese hand rolls. Yabai brings the vibrancy of Kabukicho, an entertainment district in Tokyo known for their neon signs!

Conclusion:

I would love to hear what Asian dishes you’ve tried or want to try!

Julia & Henry’s is definitely a fun food hall to check out with so many options. Maybe weekday? We went Saturday, around 1:45pm and only waited 5 minutes in line to get in. However, when we came out, the line was half a block long! Or wait a couple more months when it’s not the newest and latest food hall to try?

Love collages of chefs

Filed Under: Asian themed restaurants, blog, Food Halls, Miami restaurant, restaurant review Tagged With: "Asian themed restaurant", "miami foodies", "Miami restaurant review", "miami restaurants", downtown miami, Julia and Henry's, miami food hall, miami food scene

Miami Spice 2022: Mega WOW FACTOR at Sexy Fish!

September 2, 2022 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

What an introduction to Miami Spice 2022…The minute you step into Sexy Fish, you’re immediately hit by the mega WOW FACTOR!  The sensory overload starts with a few humungous sea creatures so you feel like you’re inside an aquarium and museum like fantasy, definitely worth a visit just for this thrilling experience. Do not miss this fabulous opportunity during Miami Spice Lunch. If you’re an Asian food lover, I’ve put together a list of 29 Asian restaurants to explore.

Sensory overload galore!

Brainchild of Richard Caring, London businessman and restauranteur, he opened the first Sexy Fish in London’s affluent Mayfair drawing stylish crowds and celebrities. He’s brought his unique vision to Miami, currently the only outpost in America, and we are always ready for over the top design, exotic entertainment and Asian food. 

Dine under Octopus!

About the food & service…

Exotic Asian seafood centric and robata grilled meats are their main focus. Their description, “full of carefree character and adventurous spirit” is so accurate! 

Miami Spice menu is only available for Lunch, Monday to Friday from 12-3:30pm. 

Choose 3 dishes out of 16 and if you skip the dessert, you can opt for a 4th savory. I was definitely in for that. I went with top Miami food blogger, Karen Miami Curated so we shared all the small plates. This is a lovely way to try many different flavors and textures. Ha, ha, my own fault for not keeping tabs, I was missing my fourth dish, the Salmon Tataki, phooey. 

Grilled Tiger Prawns with Chili, Lime was my favorite, oozing with flavor and so tender.
Crispy Tofu with avocado, another favorite.

There were 4 extra dishes at additional costs. Figure out what you want before going, it’s bam bam bam cause they are so busy. Here’s Sexy Fish’s Spice Menu.

Spice Lunch Menu, only Monday through Friday
Kimchi Fried Rice & Pork, Crispy Chicken & Creamy Nuoc Cham, Steamed Sea Bass with cilantro, chili
Spicy Yellowtail Maki
Warm Cinnamon Donuts with chocolate & exotic curd
Our server, Jonathan was well trained, he rattled off the names of the sculptor, architect and designer and proud to wear his Versace vest.
Chefs who make it all happen!

About the decor…

Wrap this WOW FACTOR round your head…$20 million’s worth of Damien Hirst seaworld sculptures, 90 year old Frank Gehry’s over the top architecture and Versace colorful aqua costumes for all staff. Even their bathrooms are eye candy and a must visit, so bring your phone to capture some. They are located upstairs, there’s a lady who’ll help take photos for a tip. 

Front of House staff all decked out!
Bathrooms are eye candy, so bring your phone!
Gotta take photo with Bond Daniel Craig!

About the bar…

Good luck getting a seat there, seemed very popular and of course, look up for extravagant sea creature sculptures. Check out their drinks menu online, I believe there are very exotic concoctions.

Exotic cocktails, exotic ambience.

It’s definitely an experience you won’t want to miss and Miami Spice is the perfect opportunity to do that. Remember only weekday lunch till end of September! Here’s that list of 29 Asian restaurants for you to try.

ENJOY. 

Drop a comment, I’d love to hear what you’ve tried at Sexy Fish and what dishes you enjoyed? 

Filed Under: blog, Miami restaurant, Miami Spice Tagged With: 'Miami Spice', "Miami Asian food", "miami foodies", "Miami restaurant review", "Miami restaurant", Miami Spice 2022, Sexy Fish Miami, Wok Star Eleanor Hoh picks

Lebanese food and lounges encourages guests to cozy up and eat more!

June 22, 2022 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

Dining out has become more about providing a “cozy home” experience than a traditional dining experience with just tables and chairs! At Amal, a new and modern Lebanese restaurant, they have succeeded in providing that lovely “cozy home” experience! 

Amal means story and hope, love that! The same hospitality group who opened the popular Byblos, focuses on Mediterranean food in South Beach is responsible for Amal. 

Image

About the decor…

There are two sides to Amal with three types of seating! You’ll be able to view your dish being prepared in a spotless, open kitchen on the left. I discover Executive Chef Wissam Baki knew my ex-assistant when they were at The Setai. 

Image

On the right side, you can choose to sit at sofas divided by dining tables for a leisurely dine. 

Image

On the left has more of the traditional tables and chairs kind of dining.

Image

Or for bites while enjoying your cocktail, there are high round smaller tables and very comfy high bar stools. These are on one side of the sofa arrangement and also by the glass windows looking out to the garden. 

Image

Then there are cushioned banquettes by the glass window with chair arrangements. This is where my dining partner @Epicurean305 and I sat, a “power table” to view everything on the right side of the restaurant. And what an incredible coincidence, we sat next to a friend and yoga instructor, Tanya Pergola who was celebrating her weeklong birthday. 

Heads up: Our server mentioned they’ll be opening their rooftop with 360 views of my adopted city, Coconut Grove and a separate menu soon, woohoo! 

About Lebanese food…

I love that @Epicurean305 and I like the same kind of food, so it’s easy to share dishes. 

Image

We started with 2 Lebanese appetizers from the Starter section. I chose Crispy Eggplant & Zucchini. What a beautiful presentation and so addictive, they were stood up and wrapped with a slightly pickled zucchini slice sitting on a bed of labneh and garnished with snow pea tip tendrils. Colorful pomegranate arils dotted around a special Amal platter. 

Image

The other was a popular Lebanese appetizer, Truffle Rakakat, such a cute name. It’s like a Spring Roll but has Lebanese akawi cheese wrapped in phyllo and very, very lightly deep fried, then tips are dipped in chopped pistachios. Honey drizzled around them, garnished with mint leaves and grapes gave them a nice pop of color. 

Image

Next dish was Black Cod, perfectly cooked on bed of tahini, piled high with crispy pita chips, cilantro and garnished with pine nuts and edible flowers. Such an interesting combination. 

Image

You can’t go to a Lebanese restaurant and not have a Skewer! Minced lamb and beef skewer with their own house spice blend came on a bed of biwaz, a mix of grilled onion and tomato topped with more onions but raw. And pita triangles. Very tasty. 

Image

Our sweet end was a Date Cake with pecan tuile, vanilla ice cream and drizzled butterscotch sauce with a bright blue flower garnish. Our server swayed us from the typical Baklava, ha, ha.

My Verdict…

What a superb dining experience, not only with the cozy home feel but Lebanese food is so good for sharing over conversations about more food.

My approach to eating out…

We took a stroll around Coconut Grove, my adopted city and bumped into another friend, Brie having fun with friends.

Would you believe it? My dining friend, @Epicurean305 had another sweet!  A gelato at Bianco Gelato to “clean his palate”, what an excuse! We bumped into a lovely Chinese couple who own Sushi Maki and their 3 kids. 

Get out there, enjoy a wonderful dining experience and meet people! 

Filed Under: blog, Culinary Events, Miami restaurant

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