June 7, 2024
Each Friday, we try to 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.
Martini Hour at Caviar Russe
Coming Soon to Wynwood: Velvet Taco
Blue Collar 2.0 to Open Soon
New Menu at Verde
Martini Hour at Caviar Russe
Caviar Russe, the premiere caviar destination in the heart of Brickell, is shaking up (literally) after work drinks with a taste of Latin luxury with the launch of Caviar Hour! The approachable option for a martini meetup and the sophisticated ritual where martinis meet Miami’s vibrant flavors will be available with upscale happy hour snacks as to unwind in style. During Caviar Hour, guests will enjoy signature martinis and a delightful twist: the Caviar Empanada.
This delectable bite-sized creation elevates a beloved Miami street food into a luxurious appetizer. The flaky pastry is prepared with a savory caviar filling, all crowned with a touch of caviar for an unforgettable flavor explosion. And the best part is the caviar bite with a Latin twist is paired with a martini to wash down for $25, as a steal in the world of caviar and the best of both worlds as the perfect post-work indulgence.
In addition, the bar menu boasts a curated selection of other delectable bites, each designed to complement your martini with bites to include: Caviar Cones with Créme Frâiche, Scallop Cornet, Caviar Bakes Potatoes with Marple Potatoes, Pomme Purée and Chives, Crispy Rice, and more, with the full menu here. Caviar connoisseurs can enjoy the new Caviar Hour with the perfect upscale happy hour snacks from Tuesday – Saturday, 5- 7pm at Caviar Russe located within Four Seasons Miami in Brickell.
Coming Soon to Wynwood: Velvet Taco
Velvet Taco, the acclaimed national restaurant brand known for its innovative, globally-inspired tacos, delicious sidekicks, house-made red velvet cake, boozy libations and late-night hours, is set to open a new Miami location in July, in Wynwood, the city’s cultural arts district. This milestone marks Velvet Taco’s second location in South Florida following its recent debut in Fort Lauderdale last September, where its been garnering a cult following with its scratch-made, chef-driven menu of unique recipes.
Located at 2800 NW 2nd Avenue, the 3,179-square foot restaurant will greet guests with a 48-seat dining room and a 98-seat outdoor patio, perfect for alfresco dining. Combining Velvet Taco’s industrial yet playful design with Wynwood’s artistic spirit, the new location brims with brightness thanks to pops of color, natural wood textures and cheeky and irreverent wall murals.
Further highlighting the brand’s passion for the arts, Velvet Taco tapped the Miami-based, global art group The Color Dreamers to curate the restaurant’s exterior and interior murals. The murals capture the essence of the Wynwood community, featuring the neighborhood itself on an interior wall and a bright, abstract design, complete with a grizzly bear devouring a taco, on the exterior.
Adding to the allure, the Wynwood location will feature Velvet Taco’s first-ever cocktail bar, offering intimate bar seating to enjoy handcrafted libations while soaking in the vibes from the main dining room which includes large airy windows and a front row seat to the dynamic energy synonymous with the bustling streets of Wynwood.
To celebrate the opening, guests in the know can take advantage of their secret Backdoor Chicken for only $15 — a whole rotisserie chicken brined and marinated in-house for 48 hours before being roasted over an open flame — served with six corn tortillas, three sides, and scratch-made heat sauce. The only catch? It’s cash only. The Backdoor Chicken will be available daily while supplies last for the first month and exclusively on Mondays thereafter.
Offering an elevated take on the taco, the menu is a collection of over 20 recipes inspired by global, creative and crave-worthy concoctions. Each item is made from scratch with the freshest ingredients, determined by seasonality and quality.
Favorites include the Spicy Tikka Chicken made with crisp tenders and buttered cilantro basmati rice; Quesa Birria Duo with birria consomé for dipping; Cuban Pig, featuring slow-roasted pulled pork; Kobe Smash Burger in velvet sauce; and Beer Battered Cauliflower with queso blanco, corn pico and candied pepitas. Kiddos can dig into a menu designed just for them, which includes a range of chicken, steak and cheese quesadillas and tacos, as well as tenders and tots.
To top it off, guests can enjoy the brand’s namesake Red Velvet Cake, super-moist, double-layered crimson cake crowned with cream cheese frosting and their signature cajeta sauce, a goat’s milk version of dulce de leche, as the perfect way to end any order.
Taco lovers will have a new reason to stop in regularly thanks to Velvet Taco’s highly-coveted and limited edition Weekly Taco Features (better known as WTFs), featuring a delicious and seductive new recipe that changes every seven days. Some of the brand’s WTFs include the famous ChatGPT Taco, featuring a “surf ‘n turf” theme with flank steak, blackened shrimp, red chile aioli, chimichurri, crispy potatoes, grilled onion, queso fresco, jalapeno and cilantro on a corn tortilla and the Pride Brunch Burger Taco, served in a rainbow waffle tortilla.
All tacos pair perfectly with Velvet Taco’s expertly crafted boozy libations, including new Miami-inspired recipes such as Electric Lemonade, Spicy Watermelon Fresca and the Bad Ass Mojito, along with Velvet Taco fan favorites including the signature Kick Ass Margarita, which can be enjoyed frozen or on the rocks; Paloma, and Sangrita, a red wine blend with boozy pineapples and apples.
Blue Collar 2.0 to Open Soon
The wait is almost over! Miami’s beloved Blue Collar by chef/owner Danny Serfer will soon close its doors and be reborn in a cool, spacious new location right across the street at 6789 Biscayne Boulevard. Scheduled to open mid-June 2024, “the new Blue” will have all the soul that fans have come to love but in a polished, casual new space giving big time Mad Men vibes.
With the help of Samanatha Mckenna of Chelsea Design and Joey Halpern of Joseph Halpern Woodworking, Serfer designed the new space himself with much of its mid-century décor sourced from thrift shops near and far. The 4,000-square-foot space emits rustic and modern charm, but now with a playful sense of glamour that gives the proceedings a sophisticated yet soulful sheen.
Rest assured a ton of signature favorites made the move but Blue Collar’s menu is rich with new additions.
Attractive new Apps include an Egg Roll Trio – cheeseburger, Cuban sandwich and pepperoni pizza (paired with appropriate sauces); and Mushroom & Goat Cheese Croquettes with fig jam; Swedish Meatballs with toast and gravy; and Matzo Ball Soup, available daily. New Entrees will include Shawarma – lamb shoulder, Israeli couscous, saffron, pita, chick pea stew and tahini; Swordfish with twice baked potato and purple mustard, as well as Serfer’s version of a Miami Completa – a composed meal anchored by a protein, served with two sides.
Options run the gamut from Griot (crispy pork shoulder) with pikliz and gravy and Chicken Cordon Bleu with double mustard cream to Crispy Skin Snapper. Any Blue Collar fan will wax euphoric about the restaurant’s daily specials. At new Blue, Dailies are in three categories – Braise, Chop and Pasta. It’s anyone’s guess what Serfer has in the works, but expect everything from osso buco marsala and curried goat to “a big a$$ veal or pork chop” and house-made linguini with clams.
New desserts? You bet, including Sticky Toffee Pudding and house-made, baked- to-order Chocolate Chip Cookies. “Variety and value were and will remain central to Blue Collar,” noted Serfer. “New Blue is not about upscaling and up-pricing. It’s about expansion, evolution and preparing for our next 12 years.”
Central to that evolution is Blue Collar’s new full bar offerings. Like the menu, Serfer promises value and variety when it comes to tipples but notes that the bar program will be one based on the classics. “Proper cocktails made right and in a timely manner at a reasonable price and without pretension,” he adds.
Photo credit: Michael Pisarri
New Menu at Verde
Verde, the waterfront restaurant and bar at the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), has launched a new menu that highlights the fresh, vibrant flavors of spring. Embracing the season’s bounty, the new menu created by Executive Chef Loris Navone and the culinary experts at Constellation Culinary Groupshowcases a delightful array of small and large dishes, abundant salads, homemade pizza, sweet treats and exclusive brunch specials.
Featuring seasonal ingredients and fresh produce, the new small plates include Zucchini Blossoms ($18), ricotta stuffed fried zucchini blossoms with spring vegetables, panko, marinara and roasted shallot dip; Memories of Ceviche ($20), leche de tigre, cobia, drunken onion, corn, micro cilantro and green apple foam; Roasted Garlic Hummus ($18), with fried artichokes, black olive panfritto, smoked paprika, pan pita and extra virgin olive oil; Corn Three Ways ($16), corn puree, roasted baby corn, grilled corn kernels, parmesan foam and pickled fresno pepper, served with crispy polenta; Yellow Tomato Gazpacho ($14), heirloom yellow tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, smoked feta and basil oil; Grilled Fish Tacos ($16), swordfish al pastor, roasted pineapple chutney, cilantro aioli, pickled red cabbage and queso fresco on a corn tortilla. Guests can also enjoy existing small plates such as Salmon & Avocado Tartare ($19); Tomatoes & Stracciatella ($16); and Parmesan Herb Fries ($11).
The menu also features new hearty salad bowls such as the Perez Chopped Summer Salad ($18), with chopped baby gem, arugula, roasted beets, radish, roasted cauliflower, crumbled goat cheese and orange dressing; in addition to the existing Baby Gem Ceaser ($17).
Making its debut this spring, the Pizza Cantuaria ($20), is made with corn cream, fontina sauce, mozzarella, roasted corn, sautéed mushroom, sausage, shaved parmesan, arugula and white truffle oil. Existing favorites such as the Margherita ($15); “First Love” ($18); and Fugazza ($16) will also be featured.
Guests can also indulge in brunch specials, available exclusively on Saturday and Sunday, such as the new Shrimp and Polenta ($23), creamy polenta, porcini sauce, butter-poached shrimp, grilled asparagus, mushroom salad and balsamic pearls. Existing favorites include the Smoked Salmon Benedict ($23); Strawberry & Sweet Mascarpone Pancakes ($20); Potato Leek Galette ($21); Acai Bowl ($19) and French Omelet ($21).
Those with a sweet tooth can now indulge in a Buttermilk Panna Cotta ($18), with mixed berries and citrus, strawberry consomme and praline, in addition to Verde’s irresistible selection of Cane Sugar Donuts ($12); Warm Apple Tart ($16); and Ice Cream ($7), your choice of vanilla, chocolate or cinnamon.