The Whet Palette Productions fine dining

NAOE MIAMI: Kingdom of Cory

One of South Florida’s most well-respected restaurants hides behind a nondescript single door, and a sheer white curtain. NAOE, a natural Japanese cuisine hideaway, continues to receive high rankings and accolades without any signs of slowing down. And yet, “Where is that?” is still a question I often get. Two words, Miami: Brickell Key.

by Brenda Popritkin

Buyer’s Remorse at The Den (Azabu)

“Did you hear about Azabu? It’s a Michelin-starred restaurant that just opened in Miami!” Or so I misleadingly heard and read over and over. Except that’s not factually accurate and there’s so much wrong with that statement. This rumor has become a terrible game of telephone throughout our city. Sushi Azabu is actually not currently ranked on New York City’s Michelin Guide. As per my research, the last time it received a one-star rating was on October 2015 (when the 2016 recipients were awarded) and has not yet regained its star (the 2019 list was announced today).

by Brenda Popritkin

El Cielo Miami

Occupying the ground level of a Brickell high-rise, El Cielo is currently celebrating a three-year anniversary. Three. Years. In Miami? Bravo! Needless to say, it took me a while to visit this Colombian restaurant chain by chef Juan Manuel Barrientos Valencia.

Unless we are talking about Chicago’s Alinea (and the reason you won’t find me at Barton G. or Nusr-Et), I’m not really into overly gimmicky dinners. From all the advertising and social media posts (and there are many), I figured I’d have to navigate through smoke and fluff just to get to the food. By the time dinner ended, with a full-on smoke show, of course, I pondered just how many times I would want to relive that experience now that I knew what it entailed.

Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Miami

Hear this well: As of May 2018, Miami still does not have a Michelin Guide. A restaurant cannot have a Michelin star, or two, or three without a guide to award them.

Do we need a guide? Of course not. We dance to the beat of our own drum. However, like it or not, having our own guide and/or placing on this list would put an official and prestigious stamp on what we already know: we rock.

by Brenda Popritkin

Shhh, it’s Hiden

IMPORTANT UPDATES * August 18th, 2021 Hiden Changes While I once counted — and obsessed over— Hiden as one of my favorite restaurants (read the FULL review below), and placed it high on my TOP MIAMI RESTAURANTS list, my feelings about it have changed. I have decided to provide the following update, given this post […]

THREE WYNWOOD

Hidden within the Wynwood Arcade complex, and surrounded by an area saturated with art, inquisitive visitors, and a touch of free-spirited chaos, this new empire sits quietly. . . and regally. The restaurant, edgy rooftop outdoor-lounge, and upcoming cooking school make up an ambitious and exciting trilogy by one of our very own: Floridian, New World Cuisine founding father, author, and chef-in-the-know Norman Van Aken.