Miami Art Kitchen has enjoyed a soft opening in recent weeks in the trendy Sunset Harbour neighborhood. Foodies for over thirty years and world traveled, Elena Shabba and Hernando Gomez have created a casual neighborhood restaurant embracing culinary sophistication. In 2004, Shabba assumed management of an Eastern European fine dining restaurant network while Gomez collaborated on the design elements of each venue. Since that time, Shabba's dream has been developing the concept of what Miami Art Kitchen has now realized.
Nestled into a commercial retail space on the first floor of The Lofts of South Beach, Miami Art Kitchen’s strong artistic touch is evident in all elements. The decor is contemporary, chic and relaxed. A warm and Zen-like atmosphere is augmented by surrounding visuals and ambient acoustics. Outdoor seating is available.
LEFT: Restaurant exterior reflecting Gibb Park.
CENTER: Interior Counter.
RIGHT: Interior Seating.
The pair have created a menu using locally sourced, fresh ingredients.Their service concepts and dishes support a healthy, organic and harmonious lifestyle. A perfect start to the day might include chia pudding with seasonal fruits, labneh (strained Greek yogurt) with house granola, fruit and honey, or overnight oats with yogurt, fruits, and flax. We chose the latter. A mix of subtle sweetness is complemented by an array of textures and the evolution is sublime.
Overnight Oats.
A prominent feature of the menu is toasts prepared as open-faced sandwiches.With roots in the Soviet Union, the owners know them as “butterbrod.”
They later encountered the more refined Danish version of “smorrebrod” by chef Adam Aamann in Copenhagen. His expertise has elevated this sandwich to great sophistication. Miami Art Kitchen has multiple preparations from which to choose, appealing to every palate. We chose garbanzo and chorizo toast, which is adorned with hummus, baked peppers and house made harissa, a hot chili pepper paste. Each toast offered is carefully crafted to be as much a piece of art as a mouthful of delight.
Garbanzo and Chorizo Toast.
We added a side of soft scrambled eggs. Eggs are artfully plated and topped with sour cream, caviar and dill yielding many different flavors.
Soft Scrambled Eggs.
Another inspiration for their menu comes from the new Israeli cuisine which comprises a broad range of ingredients, colors and flavors distinctly Mediterranean. Shakshukas, hummus spreads, and baba ganoush are currently on their soft opening tasting menu with many other items under consideration.
Bowls, salads, and soups present additional variety. We chose a baked salmon bowl. Baked to perfect flakiness atop charred green beans, stewed tomatoes and dressed with honey harissa sauce, this dish evokes a visual and gustatory sensation.
Baked Salmon Bowl.
Miami Art Kitchen also has a talented pastry chef with roots in Cuba and a resume that includes Le Cordon Bleu and experience at several local avant-garde kitchens. Breads and desserts are baked every morning. Savory scones, sweet scones, banana bread, and passion fruit brûlée are a few of the tempting items. Our sweet scone was a perfect pairing to a full bodied beautifully presented macchiato.
LEFT: Macchiato. RIGHT: Sweet Scone.
A liquor license is expected in the next few weeks at which time selected wines, beers, champagne, sparkling ciders and cocktails crafted from those items will be offered, according to the owners.
Shabba and Gomez’s accumulated knowledge and shared passion give them the unique opportunity to entertain and delight guests at their new venue.The hope to them is that their kitchen and conversation will always be an evolving and growing process.
Miami Art Kitchen is located at 1701 Purdy Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Call 305-308-5607 www.miamiartkitchen.com
Reservations taken by phone, Open Table, and ResyHours:
Closed Mondays
Tuesday andWednesday: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Friday. Saturday: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
