Something new just swam onto the dining scene on South Beach and that something is watr - 1 Hotel & Homes South Beach's newest permanent restaurant located at 2341 Collins Avenue. Set in a picture-perfect scene, 18 stories above the bright lights of the city, watr embodies a tropical divinity only possible in an unforgettable venue that floats over the sea.
Welcoming guests through an entry illuminated by a canopy of stringed lights and adorned with ambient greenery, the space transforms into a Polynesian paradise with décor meant to echo the ocean's waves breaking along the shore. Embracing spirituality and wealth of the element that pronounces life, watr, is inspired by the islands of Polynesia and Japan with notes of fresh seafood and tropical undertones.
Guests will be delighted to experience inspired Sushi and Poke paired with hand-crafted cocktails that elevate the unforgettable adventure to transcendental heights. Bringing the first-ever Cocktail Pairing Connoisseur to 1 Hotel & Homes, watr's innovative Hawaiian-Japanese cuisine will be enhanced with the vibrant libations created to compliment the concept's unique culinary creations.
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| Golden watr |
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| Guess who... |
I had the opportunity to attend a magical opening where we got to taste the amazing menu items that are being offered at watr, along with the refreshing, unique cocktails that will be paired with the dishes. Between the serene setting, the flavors of the locally-sourced seafood, and the playful cocktails, I momentarily forgot I was in the 305 and felt I had journeyed to a tropical paradise for the night. From the sweet undertones of their signature drink, the Golden Watr, to the playful kicks of ginger of the Dancing Geisha, each hand crafted cocktail made its own bold statement and awakened all the senses. |
| Dancing Geisha |
Some of the flavor-filled dishes I loved were the Crispy Rock Shrimp, served with spicy yuzu aioli and the Seaweed Salad Trio, a healthy, light starter consisting of red seaweed, red tosaka which is an invasive species, and wakame. They were each served with their own vinaigrette dressing of sesame, ginger or lime, complimenting their unique tastes.
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| Crispy Rock Shrimp |
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| Seaweed Salad Trio |
The second wave was just as spectacular, featuring an assortment of pokes that had me dancing a bit of hula. They were the Tako, a flavorful mix of octopus, edamame, daikon, hijiki, smoked chili and vinaigrette, the Kabayaki, prepared with sockeye salmon, cucumber, pickled red onions and radish, and my personal favorite, the Kimchi. Yellowfin tuna, avocado and crispy garlic danced in my tongue with each bite and made me moan in Polynesian pleasure.
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| Poke Selection |
The next course was phenomenal. The presentation of the sushi rolls was breathtaking and not only did I thoroughly enjoy the flavor, but I was very impressed with the care and detail that went into its presentation. It fit the entire mood of the evening. Our platter included their California Roll, made with snow crab, avocado, Japanese cucumber and sesame. It also featured their Dragon Roll, which was a tasty combination of shrimp tempura, Japanese cucumber, asparagus, avocado, eel sauce and spicy mayo, and their Happy Veg Roll. This is a great choice for those that may not want a traditional sushi roll. It was made with cashew cream cheese, bean sprouts, alfalfa, avocado and burdock.
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| Sushi Rolls |
The main entrees we tasted at watr were created with just as much originality and expertise. We sampled the Salmon Teriyaki, served with a warm sprout salad and a sweet teriyaki sauce, and the Wagyu Skirt Steak; a tender and mouthwatering steak that gave our palates a pleasing kick with shiitake, kimchi, and yuzu kosho beef jus.
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| Salmon Teriyaki |
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| Wagyu Skirt Steak |
After enjoying some of the Polynesian dancers and the Fire Eating performers, we ended our evening with some sweet bites. The Ginger Bread Pudding was outstanding and I highly recommend it, and the Compressed Pineapple was a different kind of dessert that definitely got my attention.
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| Ginger Bread Pudding and Compressed Pineapple Desserts |
watr is open daily from 11am to 6pm for lunch and from 6pm to 11pm for dinner. Reservations are available by calling 305-604-6580, emailing rooftop@1hotels.com or visiting opentable. For more information, please visit their website here.
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