Miami restaurant

Good Chinese Food in Miami at No Name Chinese

May 31, 2018 By Eleanor Hoh 2 Comments

Starved for good Chinese food in Miami? Starve no more, welcome No Name Chinese. Opened by Asian food lovers, business partners of Uvaggio Bar & Restaurant fame, Heath Porter and Craig DeWald and helmed by Executive Chef Pablo Zitzmann Sicard and his wife and pastry chef, Natalia Atuesta. Be prepared for a refreshing take using Chinese techniques with a modern twist borrowing from Vietnam, Thailand and Japan.

Please don’t miss my guest post on Miami Curated for another perspective of No Name Chinese especially if you enjoy good wines, hint, there’s a video!

About the decor…
You’ve guessed it, No Name Chinese not only has no name but doesn’t have a sign at their entrance. However, when you enter, you’re immediately struck by the serene ambience. It’s bright and zen with wood floors and exposed brick walls with little decoration so you focus on the food, smart! They succeeded in creating a feeling that you’re here to EAT!

For food lovers: a huge, gorgeous marble counter with blue velvet high chairs gives you front row seat to gawk at chefs chasing high flames while they wok up tantalizing dishes.

An intimate corner flanked by a beautiful fig plant and tile mural showcasing Chinese junks and pagodas. Opposite the counter is a wall lined yellow leather banquette with mirrors above so you can catch the wok chefs in action, neato.

The main dining area has floor to ceiling glass panes with modern wood chairs and industrial looking tables.

The rear bar lounge is a lovely cozy space with green velvet high chairs and a smaller dining area.

About the Food…
No Name Chinese clearly has my vote, hats off to Chef Pablo who’s worked with Michelle Bernstein, Nobu and Jean-George Vongerighten as well as worked in Asia and Japan, learning many of the techniques he’s put into practice at No Name Chinese. I’m all for non-Asian chefs putting their twists on Asian flavors and techniques. It reflects the way I teach which is to base your dishes on technique and driven by ingredients rather than following recipes.

You’ll notice he adds seasonal fruit and citrus components to many of his dishes which is a very refreshing element instead of goopy sauces that you find in many Chinese restaurants.

His small menus for lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch showcase popular Asian dishes. I’d rather have less choice and GOOD food, rather than a bunch of bad food. I got a chance to chat with Chef Pablo to find out his cooking style and his love of music. If you enjoy this video, give it a thumbs UP and subscribe to my Youtube channel to get notifications of new videos!…

There are still so many dishes to try at No Name Chinese like Salt & Pepper Shrimp or Angus “au poivre.” For Brunch, I spy Braised Brisket in Beef Broth topped with a slow poached egg and Cajun seasoning I’m dreaming about.

PLAN OF ATTACK…
When eating at Chinese restaurants, you must have a Plan of Attack…

Gather as many family and friends so you can share “family style” instead of just ordering your own dish, this way you get to experience a variety of flavors.
Check menu and discuss with your server who is happy to guide you with how many dishes you’ll need. Try a dish from each section of the menu from Fresh & Light to Bowl if you love carbs or Sung for low carb but you MUST have DIM SUM because that’s Pablo’s specialty. Forget low carb for this visit.
Busy and need to get back to work? Have the Sum Sum Box!

After visiting four times with friends, I have a pretty good handle of my favorites and will mark it
WA (WokStar Approved) in photo captions.

I met Cheryl Tiu on Instagram @chertiu She is an international lifestyle, food and drink journalist and fellow Asian food lover.We both love promoting Asian Cuisine and Culture. She uses @cross.cultures an “events platform promoting the exchange of cultures through food!” and I do it through Wok Star Supper Club! I gather people and visit good Asian fusion restaurants, so if you’re interested, subscribe to my newsletter in right sidebar. I hope to visit No Name Chinese this fall, these gatherings get filled up and I give first dibs to subscribers. —->>

Here’s my foodie buddy, Brenda Benoit Dudley, on Instagram @masalacha She’s a food writer, an amazing photographer and she calls herself “A Grenadian Soul living in Miami.” We like to visit restaurants and take photos and blog about them! It’s so interesting how we sometimes have totally different perspectives of the same restaurant, so check out her take on No Name Chinese and subscribe to her blog for her latest restaurant hops!
A Few Notes about the food…
Turnip cake
The consistency and flavor is definitely unusual, I am SO SO SURPRISED Americans like this dish. Pablo says it’s one of their most requested dish, beware, only available for dinner. I love that Dim Sum dishes usually only available in Asia during lunch time are also available for dinner at No Name Chinese, very smart.

Turnip cake has a special meaning for me, my mom’s Malaysian spin was to pan fry in the wok with pounded red chillies and scallions with crispy edges and dip in chili sambal and rice vinegar, oh my, so good. Just writing this brings back such fond, fond childhood memories and now I’m going to have to hunt down some to fry!

Smashed Cucumber Salad, Jiaozi and Shiu Mai
I learned how to make these 3 dishes at Pablo’s cooking class in Wynwood, video and blog coming soon! One of my colleagues at the class used the Smashed sauce for steak, who’d have thunk?

Love this article, “What’s the difference between Gyoza and PotStickers”

WA Clockwise: Crudo Yusheng, fish changes daily, interesting to have strawberries with fish but works; Smashed Cucumber Salad, toss for the sesame cream at the bottom; Shrimp Dumplings and Xie & Xia Noodle Salad with Shrimp, Crab, cold buckwheat noodles and an exquisite spicy peanut dressing, make sure you toss well so all the flavors meld together.

WA Turnip Cake, interesting combination of Japanese OKONOMIYAKI STYLE (a savory pancake) and a popular Chinese dim sum called Lo Bak Go. Topped with KATSUOBUSHI (bonito flakes) and Kewpie Mayo, a version of Japanese mayo made with rice vinegar. Only available at dinner time!

WA Mr. Lee’s Jiaozi, named after the dumpling master Pablo learned from in Hawaii. These are substantial dumplings, juicy inside and crispy outside. Fear not, I will share how to make these soon.

WA Grass fed beef with oyster sauce, pickled cucumber, scallions, picked onions, fresh strawberries, red chillies to wrap with Bibb Lettuce or mooshu pancakes. Sarina, the bar manager who’s super efficient, gave us both to try!

Kung Pao Chicken with Szechuan peppercorns,Tianjin chilies, smoked cashews, orange slices garnished with cilantro and scallions. My friend, Brenda ordered it.

Wok Shaken Farm Chinese Eggplant with maple and black bean sauce, crushed nuts and herbs.

Crispy potatoes, special dish Pablo sent over, my friend, Brenda was in heaven!

Duck “a la Hoisin”, Magret duck breast, seasonal fruit (Asian pear), leeks, pickles and cucumber with mooch pancakes, a very interesting combination.

WA Walnut tart got it spot on with the crunchy tart and baby meringue pearls and not too sweet, def order this, I’ve had it twice, so good!

Finka Table and Tap, best Cuban, Korean, Peruvian Fusion

April 18, 2017 By Eleanor Hoh 4 Comments

Expect the unexpected when you visit Finka Table and Tap, a Cuban, Korean, Peruvian Fusion gastropub, inside a brick building that previously housed KFC. A 260 seater that would make any chef/owner run a mile but not pint sized Chef Eileen Andrade. She’s a little firecracker with enough energy to shoot off a rocket!

Chef Eileen Andrade and Wok Star Eleanor Hoh

I love the many ways the restaurant is divided into areas. It’s not just one vast space, so it gives a cozy ambience. The vintage, rustic, shabby chic decor make you feel as if you’re in a dining room of a house and not a restaurant. Something for everyone and that goes for the menu.

2 bars for unique cocktails and craft beer that change daily

Cozy semi-circular banquette for intimate gatherings

However, Eileen’s personal decor style is just the opposite. Very zen, industrial and modern at her home and you’ll never guess, it’s an igloo, how cute is that. She was featured in a ‘behind the scenes’ article by The Kitchn, my go to site for cooking. Eileen’s background was in fashion, often, you’ll see her wearing spiffy black outfits with stylish hairdos and makeup. And she’s tiny like me, I didn’t realize how tiny till we took a photo together. I’m so glad Eileen has found her own niche. It all started when she fell in love with Korean food after traveling to Korea and learned to cook from an old Korean lady. Her mentor was a Peruvian chef and when she put all three flavors together, she knew it would work. Of course, only after having her friends be guinea pigs. She started Finka after a stint opening CubanCube, a food truck with her brother, Jon. This beautiful video by Travelspective showcases her philosophy and how Finka came about.

When I met her parents, we immediately struck up a friendship. We come from the same background, they’re from Cuba and I’m from China, no need to say more. Her mom, Nancy told us how her parents came to America and opened a very successful restaurant 30 years ago, Isla Canarias. There are currently two Isla Canarias which are still going strong, located near Finka. Wow, that was some genius marketing to capture the demographic of people who enjoy Isla. I know foodies who travel 2 hours to get their fill of her Cuban, Korean, Peruvian Fusion dishes. You just have to see the stack of meal tickets on Instagram every night to understand Finka’s popularity. Her menu is clever, she covers a wide spectrum of dishes from flatbreads, wok dishes to lighter fare and lots of vegetarian options as well as the more unusual Ostrich or Bison and what about a Cuban Bibimbap!

I love Eileen’s concept, I enjoy a good mashup and it’s how I cook and encourage Wok Stars to do same. I would rather have people cook good food with a mix of ethnic flavors than mediocre traditional dishes. I discovered how much Latinos and Hispanics love Asian flavors when I started giving cooking classes in Miami, they even know how to say “si yow,” Chinese for soy sauce.

Rock on Eileen!

Korean style Brussel Sprouts with bacon topped with crispy wonton strips. My hubby’s favorite, he’s a sucker for sprouts. These were crunchy and the flavors were magical.

Duroc Pork Belly were crispy and juicy with sriracha glaze, served in this adorable cast iron cauldron.

Fried Alligator Jalea, Aji Amarillo, Salsa Criolla. I would prefer this to be dry, the salsa made the alligator wet, just my personal preference. It was tender though and an interesting flavor.

KFC: Korean Fried Chicken, covered in a fiery blend of Gochujang and a sweet chili sauce, very tender and yummy. Watch Eileen make it on FoodableTV’s video here.

Cuban Fried Rice: shrimp, maduros, pineapple, red peppers, cilantro aioli, fried egg, scallions. Now I know why Hispanics and Latinos love fried rice!

Non-stop stream of people arrive on a Saturday night! Good luck getting in.

Note: my dinner was complimentary but doesn’t sway my judgement.

Best Eats During Art Basel Miami

November 30, 2016 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

Art Basel Miami means there’s a mad scramble to get into popular restaurants, so I’ve compiled some of the BEST eats that are more out of the way. You’ll get innovative food, value for your money and most are chef owned! Yes, I love supporting chef owned restaurants, I admire and respect what they’re doing! As a cooking teacher, I’m constantly asked which restaurants I eat at, so here’s a round up. I wanted to give just 10 but went way over because you can’t not mention ones close by that are so worth trying! Enjoy Art Basel. Stay calm cause it’s going to be crazy but fun. Remember, you can always use Uber Eats to deliver food to you but not same as experiencing in person!
I’ve chosen eats in different areas of Miami, all close to where it’s all happening…
Buena Vista
is just north of Design District but has three blocks of wonderful cozy restaurants.
Buena Vista Deli is good for breakfast, brunch and lunch or just a snack. Gets packed on Sundays.
Shokudo has a zen garden space for a Japanese bento box lunch.

Lemoni-Pizza-collage — Lemoni Cafe, clockwise: skirt steak, portobello mushroom, pizza.

Lemoni Cafe and Pizzeria di Lemoni.
Uh, confusing but you can order food from 2 different menus cause the two restaurants have the same chefs/owners, Chefs Maria and Assia. We like to get our “dessert” at BV Chocolate and Wine store in the next block north, their handmade chocolates are exquisite. Curry chocolate anyone?
What’s atmosphere?
Cozy, ecclectic, artsy.
What kind of food?
Home cooking at its best! Many vegetarian options. Most dishes come with toast.
What’s good?
Stuffed Portobello (bottom right)
Fall off the bone tender Lamb Shank, starting with Greek salad and toast.
Check their menu.

Biscayne Corridor is really becoming a foodie haven…
Vagabond Kitchen & Bar, a mid century modern restaurant inside a hotel was taken over recently by French owners so the decor is very chic. The round cocktail lounge bar is extremely popular as is a bar outside by the pool, definitely get a drink there! Their Grilled Octopus, Cauliflower Steak and Branzino was outrageous.
Blue Collar, Chef Daniel Serfer has the best sense of humor EVER, just check the menu and you’ll see what I mean! His comfort food is seriously so good but it’s always packed, but so worth it. Sunday brunch has lines round the block.

Phuc Yea
NEW Vietnamese Bistro opened by a Vietnamese/American chef, Ani and Caesar! Fun place with small plates. Very busy so reservations are a MUST!
What’s atmosphere?
Modern hip Asian industrial decor
What kind of food?
Viet Cajun, it works!
What’s good?
Imperial rolls appetizer
Salt N’Peppa Fishies
Caramel Pork Riblets
Check their menu

Loba, clockwise: Jessica and moi. Patacon, a whopping dish with rib eye steak, durac pork belly, rice, guac, pico de galo, chimchurri; crispy brussel sprouts; a salad. All delicious home cooking.
LOBA
It’s a family affair, Jessica, her mom, Libia both cook and brother, Jon is in charge of operations. Check out Jessica’s recent Zagat show, she visited chefs all over the world and cooked with them. I love the one in Hawaii where her mom joined her.
What’s atmosphere?
Jessica calls it, “rustic, DIY”. I love all the wood tables and chairs, very earthy. Tiny restaurant so reservations a MUST.
What kind of food?
Columbian soul food.
What’s good?
Columbians know how to cook meat, so the Patacon is a perfect dish to get an all rounder.
Check their menu
Pinch Miami
Chefs John and Rene are the cutest, congrats, they just celebrated their 1st anniversary! They care about what they put out, love that!
What’s atmosphere?
I keep saying cozy, ecclectic but that’s what this is!
What kind of food?
“small bites, big impact” is their motto. Farm to table. Everything I’ve eaten there is perfectly executed, very tasty.
What’s good?
Roasted Organic Carrots appetizer
Pinch Burger (custom blend, they won’t share what’s in it!)
Frenched Organic Chicken with seasonal veggies, we had kale and mushrooms, so freakin’ tasty!
Check their menu
Bin 18
Chef Alfredo Patino is owner of this cute wine bar lounge and restaurant. Always fun to order a few dishes to share.
What’s atmosphere?
Contemporary Cosmopolitan casual chic with chandeliers and concrete slabs over wine barrels. Mismatched chairs.
What kind of food?
Chef calls it Riviera urban cuisine/Roadside European cuisine.
What’s good?
Duck and Truffle Pate with mango ginger chutney and ciabatta!
Pork Belly & Mango to die for.
Pulpo a la Mancha.
Check their menu

Downtown Miami
Niu Kitchen, Spanish tapas, downtown Miami, tiny cozy place, make reservation a MUST! Everything we’ve had there is EXCELLENT, say hi to chef Deme Lomas, he’s so sweet:

Bali Cafe, Indonesian food, kinda fun, sit in the window seats!

Midtown
Black Brick, started by a frustrated Filipino/American Chef Richard Hales who couldn’t find good Chinese dim sum or Asian food in Miami, yeah, I hear ya, so he opened this one and right opposite another one called Sakaya Kitchen! They are my go to restaurants. He put a modern spin on the dishes, so don’t expect anything traditional, I love his Crispy Cumin Lamb Chops appetizer, Salt and Pepper Calamari. In the Dim Sum department, shrimp and chive dumplings, pork cheek pan fried dumplings, Grandma’s red cooked pork belly, Asian eggplant (so good). End with his wife, Jenny’s delicious desserts.
Sakaya Kitchen, Richard calls this Funk Fusion! It’s a fast casual dining spot for good Korean inspired dishes. Order at the counter and sit down to eat, perfect for a grab and go eat, very popular during Art Basel! My favs are Dirty South Korean (pulled pork sliders with kimchi slaw, drooling thinking about this), Cracklin (duck sandwich), The Bulgogi, Angus beef Burger which come with his famous taters, this is a HUGE order so be prepared to hunker down or share (I have been known to finish this in one sitting!) and my absolute fav, Dae Ji (big bowl with spicy pork tenderloin, butter’d broccoli and coconut rice with peanuts, yummy).

Wynwood Arts District
GK Bistronomie, Peruvian tapas and amazing cocktails. Get award winning pork taquitos and veggie tempura (hm, think they don’t have it anymore but ask!), everything there is superbly executed, say hi to Chef Raphael. Always wonderful service and love this industrial, modern space.

Coyo Tacos is the best value for money if you’re in a hurry and need a quick bite. Got to have their freshly made guac and chips. If you’re hungry late at night, they are open till 3am!
Panther Coffee for a caffeine fix!
Dr. Smood, go visit this AMAZING cafe/health store!
Cafeina Lounge is a casual lounge bar with their own art gallery.
Visit Wynwood Walls and go deep into the back area, always happening place!
Also visit Plant the Future, beautiful terrariums in all white unique vessels.
South Beach
Taquiza, freshly handmade blue corn tortillas with superb fillings, Camaron, Asada, Al Pastor. An outdoor atrium, adorable and fun, do NOT miss this experience.

Barceloneta, Spanish tapas, always fun, excellent food and presentation. Fantastic ambience, they’ll always get you in, say hi to Chef Julianna.
Naiyara, Thai street food, get crispy chicken dumplings, best you’ll ever have! Also Chiang Rai curry, it’s a whole experience with a tray of goodies, very fun place, say hi to Chef Bee. Again, reservations a MUST.
DIRT, EAT CLEAN, healthy dishes after you’re exhausted from all that rushing around, say hi to Chef Nicole Votano.
1 Hotel, Chef Tom Colicchio’s BeachCraft is there on ground floor. Breeze through beautiful hotel, you’ll appreciate it, see if you can get to see the pool and bar area, amazing. All white and all the plants are amazing. Visit the store, Plant the Future in there, they also have a store in WYNWOOD.
Juvia, in the Lincoln Road parking garage, go to rooftop for cocktails and hang around a living wall of plants and amazing Miami Beach views, beautiful ambience! Tricky to find, so ask.

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