The newest outpost of Chef Sam Gorenstein and Roger Duarte’s fast casual seafood spot, MyCeviche in The Shops in Midtown, is also it’s largest with the most extensive menu of ceviche bowls, salads, tacos, burritos, Poke and fresh sides. 

Strictly by accident, I happened to stop in on the very first day the doors were open during their Art Basel Pop Up and got to see Sam in action behind the counter teaching and watching his eager staff assemble the poke bowls, salads, burritos and ceviches.

A clean bright spot, with the signature hi top communal tables, creative murals and plenty of add in salsitas and fresh cut lime wedges, MyCeviche Midtown offers healthy options for the lunchtime shopping crowd and the midtown residents looking for alternatives to wings and burgers.

Much has been written of late about oysters and the chilly climes of the North that yield fresh seafood ingredients from New England. The Wednesday Food section of the New York Times even recently featured a cover story , “Giving the North Its Due”. 

Miami has not had their head in the sand, responding with Danny Serfer’s Mignonette and the anticipated opening of Izzy’s Fish & Oyster by Tongue & Cheek’s, Jamie DeRosa.

Midtown Oyster Bar, the newish concept from the Graspa Group, provides Midtown Miami diners with a refreshing take on seafood specialties with a Mediterranean tendency. The chef, Angelo Masarin, is in fact, from Italy and also helms the kitchen at the nearby Salumeria 104 (which, by the way, is one of my favorite restaurants in Miami). His Italian influence is seen in many of the menu items, yet Midtown Oyster Bar still manages to maintain a New England quality to it.

The interior is bathed in shades of cream and white with cool blues creating a bright, summer atmosphere. Wooden lobster traps dangle above the tables with warm lights tucked inside generating an inviting glow.   While the dining room is small there is a cozy bar area where patrons can watch oysters being freshly shucked and sip on a glass of chilled Sancerre or Vermentino.  Several tables are also available outside.

With all the excitement surrounding SOBEWFF, Chinese New Year on February 19th was basically overlooked in Miami.  But not so at Blackbrick aka @Midtown Chinese, who celebrated the Year of The Sheep by being invited to cook at the James Beard House in NYC.  Owner Richard Hales, Chef Ivan, and the team hopped a plane to present the multi course New Years dinner which even featured homemade local Azucar ice cream and Panther Coffee. 

Back in Miami, you can celebrate New Years yourself by heading over to Midtown to Blackbrick. 

Before even entering Blackbrick Chinese you can detect the unmistakable fragrance of Chinese food wafting down the street.  Once inside, the comforting flavors hit you like a brick (pun intended) and instantly you know you’re in for a gustatory treat. Located in the chic Midtown Miami area, Blackbrick serves refreshingly good Chinese food that lures customers from all parts of Miami. Nominated in 2014 by Bon Appetit Magazine as one of the Best 50 New Restaurants ( and the only nom for Miami ) Chef/owner Richard Hales, of Sakaya Kitchen fame, has had an “overall goal, for decades, to bring Asian food to Florida". And with dishes like Yueng Chow duck fried rice and Gung Bao rabbit, Miami can finally indulge in elevated, modern Chinese fare.  I had the opportunity to sit down with Hales and his chef, Ivan, to discuss how Blackbrick came to be and what he hopes to achieve with this new restaurant.