March 29, 2024
We’re back after skipping last Friday’s roundup to recover from the flu. Each Friday, we compile South Florida food-related news and events that we couldn’t fit on the site earlier in the week, as well as other local news that piques our interest. Want to be included in our next roundup? Shoot us an email at bark@miamifoodpug.com.
New Brunch at Il Mulino New York-Miami
New Programming at Swan
The Alley Reopens at The Betsy Hotel
National Beer Day Celebrations
New Brunch at Il Mulino New York-Miami
Il Mulino has revamped its Sunday Brunch ahead of upcoming Springtime celebrations (Mother’s Day, Graduations, etc.). Featuring a curated menu of dishes by Chef Michele Mazza, brunch includes a luscious 3-course prix fixe menu. The 3-course menu boasts a variety of breakfast and lunch dishes like sautéed clams, Tuna Tartare, creamy Burrata French Toast, Frittata Campagnola and tempting sweet gelato. These alluring Italian staples are best paired with Il Mulino’s premium selection of wines and artisanal cocktails.
Brunch is available every Sunday at $42++ per person, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Il Mulino will continue to offer its Sunday Brunch buffet during select holidays, like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
New Programming at Swan
Swan, the famed Miami Design District restaurant from hospitality mavens David Grutman and Pharrell Williams, announces the introduction of their new Social Lunch menu now available Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The menu, designed around market-driven ingredients, will feature a two-course ($36 per person) and three-course ($42 per person) experience including menu items such as Charred Octopus, Cobb Salad, Pesto Rigatoni, Double Smashburger and Brandzino. Guests can also enjoy special side dishes like parmesan fries and miso brussel sprouts, as well as desserts like the Brothers Bond Butterscotch Budino. Finish off your experience with a $10 cocktail like the Purple Reign or The Swan.
In addition to Swan’s Social Lunch, the chic restaurant is also launching for the first time a special Happy Hour menu available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Guests will be able to indulge in specialty $10 cocktails like the Purple Reign and Lychee Sangria, $8 wine by the glass and beer, and small bites including Chips & Caviar, Grilled Cheese, Tuna Crudo and Salami Pizzeta.
The Alley Reopens at The Betsy Hotel
The Alley, discreetly tucked within the celebrated The Betsy Hotel, has re-entered Miami Beach’s culinary scene after a COVID-19 mandated closing of its doors in 2020. Now open, The Alley is a trattoria-style pizzeria that serves an array of artisanal pizzas, flavorful salads, an assortment of charcuterie-style specialty cheeses, and finely selected cured Italian cold cuts, complete with a Ventanita for guests on the go.
Helmed by award-winning Chef Laurent Tourondel, who is the creative force behind every culinary concept at the hotel, The Alley’s elevated menu is thoughtfully curated with the finest ingredients to highlight the bold and delectable flavors in each bite. Guests at The Alley can expect many of the restaurant’s fan-favorite dishes to return, alongside exciting newly imagined additions.
Crafted with meticulous care and skill, The Alley’s reimagined menu serves as a love letter to the simplicity of traditional Italian fare. Guests can begin the dining experience with an assortment of tempting breads, such as the Ricotta Di Buffalo “Sweet Whey”, served on a fluffy rosemary focaccia and topped with Barolo vinegar, olive oil and sea salt; or the Cannellini Beans & Kale Bruschetta, topped with fresh basil and parmesan, among others.
Crisp and refreshing salads include the Arthur Ave., made with salami, cucumber, onion, provolone and pepperoncini; Raw Zucchini, with lemon-garlic olive oil, basil, and almond; or the Cavalo Nero, topped with capers, anchovy, and breadcrumbs.
The Formaggi section boasts an array of cheeses, each served with honey-almond amaretto and plum-raisin mostarda. Selections include the creamy Quadrello di Bufala, a buffalo-milk cheese sourced from the Lombardy region in Northern Italy. Paired with fresh cheese, the Salumi section features classic Italian meats, such as the Prosciutto San Daniel, and the Mortadella / Pistachio.
At the heart of The Alley’s offerings are perfectly prepared handmade pizzas, each made simply with the freshest ingredients and cooked in rustic brick ovens. One bite of any of The Alley’s delicious artisanal pizzas, will transport guests from South Beach to Italy in an instant.
Must-try pizzas, which can all be made with a Gluten Free Dough upon request, include the newly-added Francese, made with tomatoes, mushrooms, prosciutto cotto, Comté, Gruyère and Pili Pili oil; Quatro Formaggi E Pepe, featuring fontina, robiola, taleggio, and mozzarella topped with black pepper; or the Shrimp Scampi, crafted with rock shrimp, pesto, and wild arugula.
A variety of velvety soft serve ice creams are a welcomed addition to the menu, inspired by its popularity throughout Italy. Staying true to the Italian tradition of soft-serve ice cream, The Alley brings a taste of Italy to the table with an array of unique and creamy flavors made in-house, featuring staples such as the Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl, topped with an amaretti cookie and imaginative flavors such as the Vanilla & Mushroom Popcorn, served with a caramel drizzle.
Adjacent to The Alley is The Ventanita, an over-the-counter café where guests on the go can satisfy their sweet tooth from the window. The Ventanita will offer all soft serve flavors with the added bonus of freshly-brewed coffee from South Florida staple, Panther Coffee.
The Alley’s drink menu serves as an enhancement to any dish, offering a variety of spritzes, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. Imbibe on the namesake cocktail The Alley Spritz, made with Aperol, prosecco and Fever Tree soda. Savor a non-alcoholic option like the Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade, featuring raspberry, freshly squeezed lemons, and Fever Tree Superior Club Soda.
National Beer Day Celebrations
Join the revelry at Lost Boy Dry Goods and Fox’s Lounge as they celebrate National Beer Day on Sunday, April 7. In honor of the occasion, everyone’s favorite Downtown bar and South Miami hotspot extend an invitation to all beer enthusiasts for a day of happy hour beer specials featuring half-priced beer at Lost Boy Dry Goods and $5 beer at Fox’s Lounge. With an array of brews ranging from IPAs to smooth lagers, there’s something to suit every palate.