My new friend and longtime journalist and food science guy Emmanuel Laroche interviewed me recently and as often happens in interviews he put me on the spot! But in a friendly way. He asked me the ‘top five places in Miami I love to go and I recommend’. It is always tough (read impossible), in that you don’t want to upset any friends.
In the order he has the links below for your convenience and reference.
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The seemingly timeless farmstand down south of the city, “Robert Is Here” is always on my list for people who love food. Everyone I’ve ever sent makes sure to go back every chance they get. Even if they live faraway. (I let them know if they are going to also see Teena’s Pride. Much smaller but she, along with her farming son Michael Borek are another kind of gemstone in the world of produce).
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It would be easy for me to list a variety of ‘favorite Latin restaurants in Miami’. I could list 20! But … Enriqueta’s is close enough to go to for breakfast or lunch. They don’t serve dinner! Smart. Wish I could have figured that life out!
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Palacio De Los Jugos‘ was a place I was taken to soon after we moved from Key West to Miami and had created two restaurants within the Betsy Ross Hotel. While I have become accustomed to ‘Palacio’ that first day was a mindblower! I felt like I had gone through some kind of space/time worm hole into a dazzling Latin Xanadu. One I wanted to stay in for hours. The sensual, aromatic, rustic, ballsy charm of the place seduced me! Those delicious pressed to order tropical juices, the killer cafeteria of home cooking done on a block party scale and the rows and rows of properly ripening fruits and vegetables … Let’s not leave out the boom box music coming from a pickup truck, the machete wielding coco frio man, the rando assortment of cowboy hats, cheap watches, metal studded belts, sold by folks who were trying to make their way in the world too …
well … part of how I was able to leave the paradise of Key West and remain in the big city.
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Sereia is a brand new restaurant in Miami. Though the lineage goes back to Lisbon where the Chef/Partner Henrique Sá Pessoa has proven Michelin power. This was the hardest answer to give in that I have an easy dozen places in Miami doing what might be called, ‘high end food’ that I admire greatly. What tipped the scales is that Chef Henrique along with my former Chef de Cuisine Miguel Massens have graciously allowed me to join them in doing a celebratory dinner for the legend of legends, Chef Jacques Pépin early next year in the restaurant. AND … it will be accompanied by a number of Chefs in Miami that are on almost everyone’s ‘best of’ lists. Along with the three of us …. there be in the kitchen that evening cooking, (date etc. details forthcoming I promise!), The Kilgore’s, (Brad being Soraya’s ‘sous’ that night he tells me), Danny Ganem of ‘Fiola‘, Michael Schwartz of ‘Michael’s Genuine‘, and Michael Beltran of ‘Ariete‘. So …. I think you see my point and why I wanted to shine this particular spotlight. The list next time? Well that we will have to wait and see!
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The bookstore one was easy. Forever and Always …. ‘Books & Books” by Mitch Kaplan. The Crown!!
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Emmanuel…. Please step in.
Here are 5 locations in Miami “Chefs Norman Van Aken” likes to visit:
1- Robert Is Here
Website: https://buff.ly/3AmWGcY
IG: @robertisherefruitstandandfarm2- Enriquetas Sandwich Shop
Website: https://buff.ly/3WQcIF9
IG: @enriquetas_sandwich_shop3- Palacio De Los Jugos
Website: https://buff.ly/3WQcIoD
IG: @elpalaciodelosjugos4- Sereia
Website: https://buff.ly/4ccA3Ft
IG: @sereiamiami5- Books & Books
Website: https://buff.ly/4cfy6rM
IG: @booksandbooks🎧 If you would like to listen to the flavorful insights from Chef Norman Van Aken. Then tap the link to listen now! https://buff.ly/4c9XcIChashtagflavorsunknown hashtagchefpodcast hashtagnewepisode hashtagNormanVanAken hashtagNewWorldC