Michaels Genuine Food in the Miami Design District is.

While working in Miami recently, I’ve had few occasions to actually do something besides work. This last month I’ve averaged over 100 hours a wk. One night I found myself getting out early after only 13 hrs at 9pm. I asked one of my most talented employees for a good food recommendation, knowing who better to ask for food advice than a chef? Michael’s Genuine Food was the response.

New, hip and hot are not exactly uncommon terms in Miami, but this very talented and demanding chef told me he had had one of his best meals in years there just last week and thought I’d appreciate it as well. At the time it had been open about 6 weeks and was getting hype as the trend d'jour. That said, I was there within the hour.

Open until 11 on weeknights, 12 on weekends, I drove over and found what has become my new go to. Very Avecesque menu wise. Divided into small, medium and large plates it was easy to find 1/2 a dozen or so interesting possibilities, a pleasant respite from the mediocre garbage I’ve been eating in the food court while waiting for a TCO (temporary certificate of occupancy) for the project I’m involved with down there (check out CobbCinebistro.com if interested).

Little did I know that one of the best plates of the year awaited me that evening. Right up there with last years stars, Crispy Ong Choy @ TAC and ExtraMSG’s Portland care package of Pastrami. The ubiquitous Pork Belly, but this time paired with a Kimchi Sauce with Crushed Peanuts and Pea Shoots, nothing short of revelation. The spice and tang of the Kimchi cut the rich unctuous said belly and crunchy Pea Shoots and Peanuts strewn about were nothing short of superb. This dish really worked on numerous levels and the party was in my mouth.

Other items of distinction were: Roasted Local Mutton Snapper with Charred Corn, Asparagus and Bacon, a Crostini of Wood Roasted Double Yolk Farm Egg with Gruyerre, Tomato and Chives, Crispy Beef Cheek with Whipped Celeriac and Chocolate Reduction, Sweetbreads with Cippoline Onion Chutney, Brown Butter Sauce and Watercress etc…

I obviously was going to have to come back with more ordering power. Enter Steve Z working on a Miami Project himself the following week.

We planned to meet again around 10 pm and sample the above and then some. We had another excellent meal and both agreed on the Pork Belly as the standout. Later the next week when I actually had a day off, I met up with some European friends of mine, snobs all and proud of it, and had one more truly excellent meal despite sitting outside in the summer rain. If anything, it kind of added to how memorable the evening was. Sitting in the courtyard with jazz playing, laughing and talking with good old friends, the food interesting and well done, it was more than the sum of it’s parts and it really did feel “genuine”.

Michael’s Genuine Food
130 NE 40th St.
Miami Fl

A few weeks ago I had a short one-night visit to Miami. On Jazzfood's recommendation above, I headed out to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in the Design District.



The menu, as described above, was interesting and I had a hard time deciding which dishes to order. I finally settled on the house salad with manchego and Serrano ham with a Riesling vinaigrette, the pork belly with kimchi, crushed peanuts and pea shoots and housemade fettuccini.

The house salad was a great start. The tender greens, pungent cheese and rich Serrano ham was nicely balanced against the Riesling dressing. As discussed above, the pork belly/kimchi dish was spectacular with the just the right amount of porky richness, acid and hint of heat coming from the kimchi. The housemade fettuccini was cooked perfectly with a rich broth balanced by some escarole and fiore sardo cheese.

I was also impressed with wine list which had several interesting choices by the glass and a bottle menu with good wine at various price points.

I agree with Jazzfood that the comparison to Avec is very apt. The restaurant was casual and bustling while being serious about food and wine. I was sad that I had an early flight and couldn’t just sit at the bar and drink wine until closing time. Next time I am in Miami, I will definitely go to Michael’s again.

I've been back several more times now and continue to enjoy it as much as I had originally. In fact last week on my last P.M. in Miami I went for my last meal there prior to relocating to Tampa for the next few months.

One other excellent place I was brought to by my Chef d'Cuisine was Por Fin in Coral Gables. The chef is from Barcelona and worked for Ducasse in Paris. The Fried Egg with Truffle, Potato Foam and Chips was stunning. These two places are way above any food experiences I've had in S Florida in the last 4 months. Both are worthy destinations for LTH'rs.

Por Fin
2500 Ponce De Leon Boulevard
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305-441-0107

These pictures didn't turn out so well (Michael's is VERY dimly lit, or at least our table was), but they're still worthwhile:

Maldon on the table. Didn't use any, but nice to see a quality salt!


Ginger-lemongrass soda -- the highlight was actually the candied ginger garnish, which was easily the best I've had.


crispy beef cheek, whipped parsnip, pickled pearl onions, frisse, mustard sauce


crispy pig ear salad - baby arugula, red onion, pickled radish


grilled yellowjack collar


beet & local heirloom tomato salad, string beans, fresh hearts of palms, walnut vinaigrette, blue cheese


wood roasted local black grouper, wood roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta, lemon aioli


goat cheese "cheesecake" with rhubarb sorbet


Tangerine “Cremesicle” Pot de Creme with blackberry basil marmalade & hot doughnuts



Everything was at least very good. Real standouts: the chewy and smoky and meaty pancetta nuggets, the beautiful crunchy outside/tender inside beef cheek, the beet/tomato salad, and the desserts. I also quite liked the yellowjack collar, although Beth thought there was too much soy in the sauce/marinade.

Thanks, everyone, for the recommendation.

On Jazzfood's recommendation, I made it to Michael's last week. Despite the fact that it was a $25 cab ride each way from our hotel in South Beach (and I'm a cheap bastard), it was worth it. One of the best meals I've had in a long time.

As we were seated, we mentioned to the waiter that it was a consulting chef from Chicago that told us to go there. "Oh, yeah, I think I waited on him." (Apparently, Jazzfood made quite an impression.) So, we asked him if he remembered what Jazzfood has described as the best dish he had all last year. We told him it was in the "medium plates" section. He immediately said "the pork belly."

Everything said upthread about the pork belly with kimchi and peanuts is true - great sweet and spicy flavors, great textural contrasts. Texture was also a highlight of the black grouper with wood-roasted brussels sprouts.

I agree with others. If you're in Miami, Michael's should be a destination.

Any new, decent, medium priced restaurants in South Beach?

Talula is new and looks great. I haven't been there yet but the menu looks good. Moderate pricing for Miami Beach.

http://www.talulaonline.com/

Yuca's isn't new but has wonderful food and good prices.

It's not new, but I recently had yet another great meal at A Fish Called Avalon. Excellent seafood and prime people watching right on Ocean Drive.

A Fish Called Avalon
700 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 532-1727

It's not new, but I recently had yet another great meal at A Fish Called Avalon. Excellent seafood and prime people watching right on Ocean Drive.

I will actually be staying in South Beach next week for over a week, and that place sounds perfect. Anything specific to recommend?

Also, do you or anyone else have any other particular recommendations for good food, especially for the Miami Beach area? I think I will try Tap Tap, and will consider Michael's Genuine. There is also a no frills fried seafood place in Little Havana I want to try (the name escapes me).

We are planning a trip to Miami, and saw the nice coverage of Michaels in the recent NYT piece:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/travel/03choice.html

But we also have a stumper: one member of our party is vegan. Any thoughts on Miami options that would be hospitable?

borborigmy wrote:

It's not new, but I recently had yet another great meal at A Fish Called Avalon. Excellent seafood and prime people watching right on Ocean Drive.

I will actually be staying in South Beach next week for over a week, and that place sounds perfect. Anything specific to recommend?

As the name implies, the fish is very good. Both times I was there, I ordered the daily special. In a seafood restaurant located right on the ocean, I tend to do that thinking that would be the freshest fish. If you make a reservation in advance (recommended), ask for a table with a good view on the "terrace", rather than at street level.