Azul at Mandarin Oriental Miami
If beautiful views of Biscayne Bay and a stunning Asian interior by Tony Chi are what you seek, Azul at Mandarin Oriental, Miami is here just for you. Azul has been the crown jewel of South Florida’s dining scene since it opened its doors December 2000 and was named one of “Top 50 Hotel Restaurants” for two consecutive years by Food & Wine magazine, as well as “Best New Restaurant in America 2001″ by Esquire. Azul’s opening helped position downtown Miami as a serious dining destination for savvy visitors.
Since 2005, Clay Conley has been at the helm, keeping Azul on the nation’s culinary radar with his elegant yet unpretentious cuisine. Now, fresh from a culinary tour of Asia, Chef Conley unveils an inspired new menu as fresh, modern and provocative as the restaurant itself.
Beginnings ($14-$27) provide a sense of the chefs skill at beautifully layering flavors and textures. New menu items, inspired by Conley’s recent trip to Japan where he fell in love with the country’s cooking and sense of balance, include a delicious Japanese hamachi, served tiradito-style with Peruvian chiles, ricotta sauce, ginger, soy vinaigrette and a crispy lotus root salad. This simple dish, created initially as a special offering at a Mandarin Oriental event in Japan, is the perfect representation of Conley’s style. With one bite, the diner is treated to a domino-effect of flavors, with each component simultaneously playing off the other and leading to a sensuous, combined finish. Sumptuous wild mushroom ravioli are served with a piquant sherry sauce, parmesan foam and roasted tomato fondant. Seared Hudson Valley foie gras is accompanied by a half-moon of seared scallop - meant to be eaten in small bites, together - and silver dollar-sized celery root pancakes.
Conley uses primarily organic meat and fish at Azul and his fastidiousness with ingredients, and smart sourcing, are evident in his Sea ($33-$42) and Land ($41-$55) options. Wild salmon is crusted in black olives and served with roasted fennel, stewed sweet peppers and saffron accented potato. Morocco meets haute cuisine with a summery yogurt marinated swordfish, accompanied by toasted pita, tomato salad, minted yogurt and a nutty brown butter lobster sauce. Perfectly pan-seared Florida snapper is served with wilted corn silk, crispy polenta, chorizo and sherried clam sauce. “The snapper is actually inspired by tonkotsu, a rich, pork-flavored Japanese soup,” Conley offers. “Pork, seaweed and corn was a combination I fell in love with so I adapted it. In my dish, I use snapper, chorizo and an heirloom variety of corn called buttercorn to get the flavors I want.” Conley uses miso as a marinade for a sumptuous duck breast - a delicate Napa cabbage parcel stuffed with shredded duck confit, edamame-studded fried rice, served with a salty & sweet carrot and rice wine vinegar reduction.
Veal sirloin “Oscar” features Alaskan King crab, crab “tater tots”, asparagus and Bearnaise sauce. Signature mainplates, such as Conley’s Moroccan-inspired lamb trio - harrisa-marinated loin with raita, shank bastilla, grille chop and pepper salad - remain on the menu by popular demand. A myriad of tempting desserts are available, with a new dessert menu in the works.
For those seeking a classic end to an unforgettable meal, Azul is one of the few Miami restaurants offering a traditional cheese course; with selections ranging from Spain’s mellow Drunken Goat to Roaring Forties blue cheese, available in small plates of three ($14) or large plates of five ($19).
Conley, former culinary director of Todd English’s Olive Group, is enjoying a star-making year. He’s been tapped as a host chef for James Beard Foundation’s Taste America 20th Anniversary, a 20-city dinner series slated for late September, teaming Conley with Miami’s top toques, including Beard award-winners Norman Van Aken and Mark Militello. In addition, he will be a guest chef at Monterey’s Great Wine Escape in November 2007 and his interactive private cooking classes, held six times a year in Azul’s kitchen, have become one of the hottest tickets in town.
A great deal of Azul’s charm is its captivating design. As guests enter, they pass the magnificent white marble-clad open kitchen, which encompasses the restaurant’s raw bar. Floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides treat diners to dramatic views of the Biscayne Bay and Miami skyline. In addition to the beautiful 120-seat dining room and several tables strewn across the outdoor terrace, Azul features a private dining table for 10, reached by crossing an interior footbridge. Beautiful lace metalwork, hardwood floors and pristine white linens help set the scene for one of Miami’s most acclaimed haute dining experiences.
Azul at Mandarin Oriental Miami
500 Brickell Key Drive
Miami, FL
Lunch is served from noon to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Dinner from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Reservations are suggested at (305) 913-8254.
Valet parking.
All major credit cards accepted.
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