I just returned from a Miami Spice menu lunch at Alter. The experience is extraordinary and the food clearly the most artistic and complex that I have enjoyed to date in Miami. Chef owner Brad Kilgore, 29 , has an impressive bio that includes working alongside Laurent Gras, Grant Achatz (Alinea, Chicago) and Jean-Georges Vongerichten ( J&G Grill, St. Regis Bal Harbour). When longtime friends Leopoldo Monterrey and Javier Ramirez conceived the restaurant, Brad’s vision made him the clear choice.
The atmosphere is casual and relaxed, yet chic and upscale. Walls are industrial, rustic wooden tables a bit distressed and a neon sculpture is above a bar that separates the open kitchen from the dining room.
Interior Decor.
Their own description "progressive American cuisine" may insufficiently articulate the precise and exacting attention given to each dish that arrives at your table as an art form.
Our first starter was a coddled soft egg topped with sea scallop espuma (foam) and augmented by chives, truffle pearls, and a disc of crispy Gruyere. The dish was stunning in both presentation and spectrum of flavors.
Seared Scallops.
Blue crab shumai arrived in a shallow pewter colored plate gently floating in thai green curry garnished with culantro relish, kumquat, and rice crisps. The visual palate of color was a prelude to a gustatory sensation with the precise amount of heat.
Our first entree was seared scallops served resting on discs of purple potatoes. Seared to perfection and enhanced by passion fruit yuzu butter, mustard seeds, and persian lime - clearly the best scallops I have ever eaten.
BLT
Brad’s BLT could stand for a “Blissful Lunch Temptation." Carefully designed on rectangular Zak the Baker bread topped with smoked tomato jam, garlic aioli, and moroccan olives with pressed bacon between the bread layers; it was smoky, savory, and spectacular.
Exquisite desserts are made in house. Panna cotta is served with yogurt and lychee, cherry lemongrass sorbet, coconut snow and a petite fresh flower. Tropical fruit gazpacho was a rendition of pineapple sherbet, meringue, and mint. Both were exotic, refreshing, and a perfect finish.
LEFT: Panna Cotta, RIGHT: Tropical Fruit Gazpacho.
Manager Antoine Lecas is charming and welcoming. He leads an experienced service team that is attentive and passionate about the menu. Creative cocktails and carefully selected wines are available at modest prices.
This most luxurious lunch offering during Miami Spice is not to be missed.
It will be a delight returning to Alter, where artistry, precision, and culinary prowess coalesce.
Alter Wynwood, 223 N.W. 23rd Street, Miami, FL, 33127. Info at 305-573-5996.
