I was going to a play at the Arsht Center and was looking for a nice place to grab a bite to eat beforehand.
I love a good glass of wine, so Sixty Vines seemed like the perfect place. Normally, I shy away from chain restaurants (there are about a dozen or so locations of Sixty Vines in Texas, Florida, and other Southern states). But, with a location set to open on Las Olas soon, I thought I’d check out its nearest neighbor. I was pleasantly surprised. It certainly didn’t seem like a chain.
The airy dining room is cavernous, yet once you are seated, it seems very cozy. Sixty Vines delivers simple, yet flavorful cuisine paired perfectly with 60 wines on its sustainable tap system. Our waiter noted that we could create our own wine flights, he even brought over a couple for me to sample gratis. I chose four that I wanted to try. I assumed they’d come in tasting-sized glasses. Nope, full-sized glasses lined the table, along with a printout of each wine’s name. I looked like a proper alcoholic. My niece, who was dining with me, sipped on a single glass of Malbec.
We had about two hours before curtain, so we figured that we’d have a few of the shared plates as appetizers and then share an entrée. The shared plates were so huge that most could have served as an entrée! Roasted cauliflower ($13) could have been cooked a tad more for my liking, but it was flavorful thanks to the accompanying whipped eggplant and chili oil. Grilled flatbread served no purpose with this dish, as the cauliflower was so raw, but we used it with saucy harissa shrimp ($17), in a casserole-like blend with cracked olives, braised fennel, garlic, and parsley. Burrata ($17) drizzled with basil pesto, overwhelmed the grilled ciabatta, making the tomato and garlic confit, and balsamic vinaigrette almost useless. Again, we used some of the bread from the cauliflower dish to allow us to enjoy the full flavors in front of us. Tapioca-dusted zucchini, peppadew, and shishito peppers ($12) are crispy and flavorful with cilantro and sweet chili vinaigrette. My niece does not eat red meat, so I got to enjoy all five of the bacon-wrapped, dates ($9), sweet and sticky with a balsamic glaze.
Each of the dishes paired perfectly with the wines. Our server was very attentive for the most part. He brought the wrong dish once, but by then we were so full it was probably for the best that it was returned. We didn’t have room (or time for) an entrée, but we did split a slice of Basque cheesecake ($9). A perfect ending to a lovely meal.
Sixty Vines
150 NE 8th St., Miami
786-607-7846
sixtyvines.com
My husband and I met a week before Thanksgiving in 1992. We don’t usually celebrate that as our anniversary, but as we get older each date takes on more meaning. We decided to celebrate by having dinner at The Katherine on Thanksgiving Eve. The only reservation we could get was at 5:30, so we took it. Imagine our surprise when we walked in and we were the only ones in the place, not just on our arrival, but through most of our meal. When we left two hours later the majority of the tables were still vacant. The staff, not having much to do were a little raucous in the kitchen, if I were a grumpier guy I would have complained, but I remember being that young, working in a restaurant on a slow night and being just as bored. Our service and the food didn’t suffer though.
We started with two of The Katherine’s signature appetizers: Tuna Crispy Rice ($16), rice cakes that are pillowy soft on the inside and crispy on the outside are topped with sushi grade raw tuna, spicy mayo, sweet soy, and chives. They come four to an order and each one is two bites of heaven. Hamachi crudo ($18) is the appetizer that made this place famous. All it is, is a thin slice of raw fish, but it’s the charred onion, and the flavor bomb of black garlic dashi that makes this dish so memorable.
The food at The Katherine is a creation of love from owners, three-time James Beard nominated chef Timon Balloo and his wife, Marissa Katherine. The menu is inspired by his unique mixed cultural heritage (Chinese, Indian, Trinidadian) and from their global travels over the last couple of decades. Entrées are a bit on the small size, given the price, but both were so rich, we couldn’t finish them. My hubby had crab and summer corn fried rice, ($27) garnished with truffle paste, egg yolk, and nori furikake. The crab was sweet and complemented the corn beautifully. I enjoyed my short rib orecchiette ($29) which showcased perfectly al dente pasta and plenty of juicy beef, herbs, and a tomato sauce with aged balsamic vinegar for a little zip.
The Katherine
223 E. Broward Blvd.
754-216-0690
katherinerestaurant.com
