Miami serves seafood fresh from the ocean

Miami carries some of the best food in the nation and has the second-most restaurants per capita in Florida, finishing just behind Orlando. The sheer amount of places to eat can be overwhelming, but The Flying Nunn tried a few venues on a recent visit and here are my thoughts and prayers. 

Head to the Art Deco District immediately to A Fish Called Avalon below the Avalon Hotel at 700 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. Guests experience live music while taking in the fresh air and clean, white surroundings of the over 30 year old establishment. You can't go wrong with this menu, but the helpful staff can guide you along. Begin by ordering the bang bang shrimp with brown sugar butter and curry in a delicious cucumber mint sauce and add on the jumbo shrimp cocktail that is served with a light perfect for picture taking. For main dishes, the Chilean sea bass is a must, with a miso glaze and shrimp dumplings surrounding the dish as edible ornaments. Finish the night off with the extremely flavorful 2019 National Pie Champion pecan-crusted key lime pie.

Hankerin' for some southern cooking? Just drive over to the Lil Greenhouse Grill in the Overtown neighborhood at 1300 NW 3rd Avenue. The barbeque sauce is lathered on the wings, rib tips and half chicken with love and tender care. Hold on to your sides with collard greens and mac n' cheese that take comfort food to a whole new level in this intimate establishment that is quickly becoming more and more popular every day.

For something completely different make way to Cerveceria La Tropical in Wynwood. This massive 28,000 square foot space opened in February of this year thanks to CEO Manny Portuondo's Cuban inspiration and vision. A modern brewery was built to accompany the restaurant with a wide range of beers from amber lagers to smooth IPAs. Snacks are offered to go with the cervezas such as plantain chips and warm chicharrones. The trifecta burger hit the spot with ground brisket, chuck and short rib, served with a tamarind barbeque ketchup. Their garden is growing right into the future with a friendly and welcoming patio that includes a special nighttime outdoor bar inside a large cage. 

If you desire dinner with a show try Villa Azure Restaurant & Lounge for a busy night out on the town. A DJ plays music while a guitarist adds live strummings to the atmosphere while diners smoke the hookah. This Mediterranean focused restaurant combines all of the ingredients of a nightclub with delicious food. More of a place to be seen than heard as the atmosphere is usually quite loud on the weekends. 

Sometimes hotel restaurants can be hit or miss, but Ambersweet inside The Confidante Miami Beach hit all the right notes. The steak tartare on the starter section of the menu was a stand out thanks to black garlic aioli and parmesan egg yolk. I am still digesting the tomahawk ribeye even days later because of its 32 ounce size, served with fingerling potatoes. Don't forget dessert with the decadent key lime bar or the campfire composed of chocolate cremeux and spiced fudge. Finally, wash it all down with a well crafted cocktail, like a decked out cranberry infused mojito or the classic Ambersweet margarita.

If the menu seems too much to make a choice, just ask the staff for suggestions. Servers spend so much time onsite that you can trust what they talk about as far as selections on what to fill an appetite. 

Visitors have much to explore in Miami as far as cuisine goes, so start planning your trip today by visiting MiamiandBeaches.com!