You know how Instagram food pictures often make you drool? Well I follow a sushi chef that posts pictures of his creations on his account and I am always blown away by what I see. Sometimes you wonder...how can anyone eat that when I just want to frame it and put it on my wall? Then I remember we're talking about sushi, I see how scrumptious it looks, and I think: enough admiration already. The truth is I want to put this in my mouth and just savor it.
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| The captivating sunset at Soho Bay |
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| With Chef Jose Gamez |
Giddy with anticipation, we recently paid a visit to this sushi chef, Jose Gamez, at the newly opened
Soho Bay, located at 520 West Avenue in Miami Beach. Chef Gamez 's resume includes places like Lure Fish Bar, Makoto and Zuma. Soho Bay brings a refreshing combination of Japanese Inspired cuisine, with Latin American favorites, in true Miami style.
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| Margaret Margarita |
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| Lemon Grass Mojito |
We sat down at a corner table on their outdoor terrace, and got a million dollar view of the sun as it set into the horizon.. Between that breathtaking vision, the refreshing
Margaret Margarita I was sipping from inside a colorful green pepper, and the
Lemon Grass Mojito my date for the evening was enjoying, our senses were quickly captured.
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| Lion Fish Rio |
No sooner had the sun disappeared into the water, than out came a beautifully plated Lion Fish Rio, prepared with the ever popular lion fish, and topped with pickled cucumber. It was all drizzled with olive oil, and a thai chili pepper cucumber caipirinha granite. Kicking off the evening like this set the bar pretty high....
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| Foie Buns |
....and they kept delivering. Our next course consisted of their original
Foie Buns, a playful creation made with foie gras on a bed of cilantro,delicately placed inside a miso brioche that was covered with kewpie mayo. The foie was then topped with tomato jam and black cherry soy. It was a majestic bite that kept us immersed in their culinary spell, while we awaited the next course which was....
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Smoked Hamachi Hibachi
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... their impressive Smoked Hamachi Hibachi, which came to the table literally smoking. Remember how I started my post talking about how sometimes it was difficult to start eating dishes that resembled art because you really needed to admire them for a while and make the moment last? This was one of those cases. Each piece of hamachi, or yellow tail, was skewered with micro wasabi, pink grapefruit, drizzled with evoo, yuzu jelly and then sprinkled with truffle salt. The skewers were then decorated with colorful, edible flowers and and served on a hibachi.
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Wagyu Picanha
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| Miso Salmon |
At this point, the entrees began to arrive. We shared their famous Wagyu Picanha, a perfectly seasoned American Wagyu steak served with wild mushroom chimichurri and heart of palms, and their succulent Miso Salmon, which held a smoky flavor that melted in your mouth. In silence, we enjoyed these remarkable dishes with a side of their signature Brussel Sprouts, made with bits of bacon. They were amazing. To take this experience to a whole new level, we paired it with a Last Wish cocktail... whose name befittingly matches its exquisite taste.
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Brussel Sprouts
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| Last Wish |
You must be thinking, when is the sushi coming? I saved the best for last. Let me begin by saying I didn't eat all day prior to coming to Soho Bay because I wanted to be able to indulge in all of its splendors, and like troopers, we both did. My date didn't disappoint and kept up with me bite for bite. Behold the incredible sushi platter Chef Gamez created for us. Words alone cannot describe what we felt as it was brought to our table. On this beautiful platter there was a sampling of everything from fresh salmon belly to sought after Toro tuna. The salmon roe was delicious, and we absolutely loved the Striped Bass. The salmon and hamachi disappeared in our mouths, while the Macarena almost had us standing up and doing the dance. In this heavenly treat, there was also sweet king crab, tender octopus cooked for 1 1/2 hours, succulent scallops and several rolls that exceeded all expectations. It was a sushi lovers' dream and we were living it. Wow.. you are unbelievable Chef Gamez.
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| Outstanding Sushi Platter |
You would think we were excruciatingly full and I won't lie, we were. But that wasn't going to stop us from trying some desserts. So we did what any self respecting foodaholics would do. We unbuttoned that top button and sat back to allow ourselves some room to breathe. While we waited, we sipped on another cocktail. This time it was the
Caipiroska with mixed berries. It was a refreshing drink to prepare for the sweet parade ahead.
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Caipiroska
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Within a few minutes, we were graced with the presence of some pretty impressive desserts. We bit into their
Dulce de Leche,
Guava Colada and most decadent
Souffle (our personal favorite). We may have required a wheel barrow to walk out of Soho Bay after this out-of-this-world adventure, but it was worth every pound.
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| Guava Colada |
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| Dulce de Leche |
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| Souffle |
From start to finish, the meal at Soho Bay was the epitome of perfection. Executive Chef Ricardo Sauri and Head Sushi Chef Jose Gamez make an impressive team dedicated to providing the highest quality of cuisine for their guests. The food and cocktails were stellar, as were the service and ambiance. You can expect that this is not your ordinary dinner experience, but so much more. The moment lasted with me way after we left and I honestly cannot wait to return.
For more information on Soho Bay, visit them
online or call them at 786-618-2788.
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