Michael's Genuine: A Must-Taste Culinary Destination When in Miami

August 4, 2009 8:45 pm

Michael's Genuine: A Must-Taste Culinary Destination When in Miami

$Behind the Burner: Michael\'s Genuine: A Must-Taste Culinary Destination When in Miami$

For years I have been a fan of Chef Michael Schwartz's diverse but equally delicious South Beach restaurants, including Nemo, Shoji Sushi and my family's favorite hip diner Big Pink. Finally, in this trip to Florida for Miami Swim 2010 I had the chance to visit Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, which opened in March 2007 in Miami's trendy Design District, a stone's throw from chic high fashion stores like Marni and Y3.

Some people who visit South Beach never make it to Miami's up and coming Design District and that is a "genuine" shame. The drive from the Gansevoort Hotel to Michael's Genuine takes only 11 minutes, so there's no excuse not to explore another fabulous South Miami area besides Collins Avenue, Washington and Lincoln Road. Also, an added bonus is that the prices for both the food and valet parking in the Design District are much more user-friendly than at the South Beach hot spots.

The minute my husband and I walked into the restaurant, we were struck by the warm, neighborhood vibe and crisp modern dècor, with unusual red square suspended light fixtures. We were instantly greeted by the friendly manager and professional wait staff. The restaurant features a cool bar with attractive yuppies enjoying freshly squeezed juices and old fashioned cocktails such as Manhattans and Sidecars, as well as a nice selection of wines by the glass and after dinner drinks. I had a great view of the spotless and well-organized open air kitchen from my seat. Every few minutes, I would watch the cook prepare the mouth watering and must-have Burrata. He would grab a handful of local heirloom tomatoes right from a plentiful display adorning the counter that separated the kitchen from the guests tables. The Burrata portion is also one of the most generous sized ones I have ever seen—a big plus since it is so fresh and tasty you would be sad if it were only modest sized.

Michael's Genuine offers patrons one of those menus where a foodie might momentarily agonize because everything sounds so good, making it difficult to narrow down the delectable choices. I suggest asking the knowledgeable and friendly servers for recommendations—they will not steer you wrong. The menu is updated daily so each visit is a gastronomic adventure.

The menu is broken down into different sized plates— small, medium, large, extra large plus sides and snacks. I would recommend following a "sharing is caring" approach to experience the most dishes possible. We opted for two snacks to start: Homemade Organic Ricotta and Apricot Thyme Jam Crostini and the Thick Cut Potato Chips with Pan Fried Onion Dip.

Our top meal highlights included the Grilled House Smoked Bacon Wrapped Peaches with Toasted Pecans, Piave Vecchio and Balsamic Vinegar; the Homemade Fettuccine with Littleneck Clams, Homemade Sausage, Sautéed Escarole and Garlic; and the Roasted and Grilled Harris Ranch Shortrib with Roasted Cipollini Onion, Romesco Sauce, Toasted Almonds and Hazelnuts. If you appreciate fresh roasted vegetables, then definitely order a side or two. We had Wood Roasted Asparagus, which tasted as if they had been pulled from the garden just moments before reaching our table. If you are smart, you will save room for dessert (priced between $6 and $9), which is overseen by Chef Michael Schwartz's friend and colleague, Executive Pastry Chef Hedy Goldsmith. We devoured the Key Lime Cheesecake Flan with Tropical Salsa and Passionfruit Sorbet, but were admittedly tempted by all of the scrumptious looking offerings including the Banana Caramel Toffee Panini (sold out that night) and the Chocolate Cremoso.

Michael's Genuine is one of the few restaurants outside of Miami's downtown Financial District that attracts a lunch crowd for a great selection of sandwiches ($9-$14), including a falafel wrap, a juicy pulled pork sandwich and grilled salmon BLT, salads ($8-$17) including a tuna Nicoise, spicy grilled beef with kimchi and a great caesar. Light but substantial lunch entrees ($12-$18) include the wood roasted fish of the day, rigatoni with pesto, grilled shrimp and tomato salad and other specialties.

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink
130 NE 40th Street
Miami, FL 33137
305.573.5550
Happy Hour, featuring half price cocktails, wine and beer, Monday through Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

—Alexandra Wilkis Wilson