Email Author Lee Klein

Miami New Times' restaurant reviewer for the past decade, and the world's indisputable master of disguise.

Awards

• 2011 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published April 22, 2010

  "Style Over Steak"

• 2011 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published July 1, 2010

  "Flapjack Flip-Off X"

• 2011 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published October 7, 2010

  "Gigi Ingenuity"

• 2010 - Association of Food Journalists Awards, published July 2, 2009

  "Hakkasan's Haute Hong Kong Cuisine"

• 2010 - Association of Food Journalists Awards, published June 25, 2009

  "Flapjack Flip-Off IX"

• 2009 - Bert Greene Award/International Association of Culinary Professionals, published August 14, 2008

  "Kick the Bottle"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published April 10, 2008

  "Doug Rodriguez is Back"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published December 4, 2008

  "Joe the Restaurant"

• 2009 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published August 28, 2008

  "Tap Tap"

• 2008 - Bert Greene Award/International Association of Culinary Professionals, published November 22, 2007

  "Eat Shit and Die"

• 2008 - The Green Eyeshade Excellence in Journalism Awards/Atlanta SPJ, published November 22, 2007

  "Eat Shit and Die"

• 2008 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published May 17, 2007

  "Flapjack Flip-Off VII"

• 2008 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published May 10, 2007

  "Chew the Right Thing"

• 2008 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published November 22, 2007

  "Eat Shit and Die"

• 2008 - Association of Food Journalists Awards, published May 17, 2007

  "Flapjack Flip-Off VII: Bananarama!"

• 2008 - Association of Food Journalists Awards, published May 10, 2007

  "Chew the Right Thing"

• 2008 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published November 22, 2007

  "Eat Shit and Die"

• 2007 - AAN AltWeekly Awards, published July 13, 2006

  "Foie Wars"

• 2007 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published September 7, 2006

  "The Wonder Boys"

• 2007 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published September 28, 2006

  "Pure and Demure"

• 2007 - Better Weekly Newspaper Awards/Florida Press Association, published December 21, 2006

  "Last Chance Bistro"

More

2012 Stories by Lee Klein

• Katsuya by Starck at the SLS Hotel South Beach: Chic Food at a Chic Locale

  published Sep 20, 2012

  Master sushi chef Katsuya Uechi's first restaurant made a splash in Studio City, California, in 1997. Nine years later, when he teamed up with Parisian design powerhouse Philippe Starck, it was a matc... More >>

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  Katsuya by Starck: Chic Sushi Spot Fits SoBe Like Wasabi on Fish

  published September 20, 2012

  Katsuya by Starck Miami Review: This Chic Sushi Spot Fits SoBe Like Wasabi on Fish View more photos: " More >>

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  The Dome: Caviar and Eclectic Global Fare in an Eco-Chic Environment

  published September 13, 2012

  The Dome Restaurant Review: Caviar, Eclectic Global Fare in an Eco-Chic Environment Slide show: More >>

• Macchialina Taverna Rustica's Mantra: Do the Right Thing

  published Aug 31, 2012

  Macchialina Taverna Rustica is something of a stretch for the Pubbelly team of Jose Mendin, Sergio Navarro, and Andreas Schreiner. It stretches the perimeter of their little empire from the Sunset Har... More >>

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  Macchialina Taverna Rustica: Magic and Pasta Happen Here

  published August 30, 2012

  Macchialina Taverna Rustica: Magic and Pasta Happen Here More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Nemesis Urban Bistro: Take-It-Or-Leave-It Proposition Worth the Challenge

  published Aug 23, 2012

  Being an artist generally implies the pursuit of personal vision over commercial viability; if the latter comes at all, it does so serendipitously. Yet chefs who see themselves as artists rarely take ... More >>

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  Nemesis Urban Bistro Dizzies With Its Spins on Convention

  published August 23, 2012

  Nemesis Urban Bistro Dizzies With Its Spins on Convention More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Provecho Bistro Latino, An El Rancho Grande Spin-Off

  published Aug 16, 2012

  Provecho Bistro Latino opened its doors on 15th Street off of Alton Road a few months ago (in the space where Cha Cha Cha Cafe performed a rather short dance). It attracted little notice in the local ... More >>

• Aijó Nuevo-Japanese Fusion Now Open at Jade

  published Aug 15, 2012

  The latest entry in the burgeoning downtown dining scene is Aijo, which opened yesterday on the ground floor of the Jade building in Brickell. The owner is Rene Buroz, a lawyer in his native Caracas, ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Is Maison d'Azur Owner Trying Again In Eden South Beach Spacer

  published Aug 15, 2012

  Will owner of Maison d'Azur take over the burden -- er, garden of Edenr One of my most reliable sources, Strep Throat, has passed on word that Stephan Fortier, the man behind Maison d'Azur, is pl... More >>

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  Pilar Restaurant and Lounge in Aventura Stays the Course With Well-Priced, Perfectly Cooked Fish

  published August 16, 2012

  Pilar Restaurant and Bar in Aventura Stays the Course With Well-Priced, Perfectly Cooked Fish More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Sick People Are Cooking Your Dinner

  published Aug 10, 2012

  "Backed Into the Corner" is the provocative name of a new research report that shows almost nine out of ten Miami restaurant workers do not receive any paid sick days and that nearly 50 percent of tho... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Estiatorio Milos: Exquisite Mediterranean Seafood, If You Can Afford It

  published Aug 09, 2012

  Estiatorio Milos rolled into South Beach with a roar of pre-opening buzz this past May. Costas Spiliadis, who has four other Estiatorio locations in his global den, spared no expense in creating a spl... More >>

• Villa Mayfair Is Closed Until October

  published Aug 09, 2012

  I noticed the Villa Mayfair was shuttered last night, so I gave the restaurant a call. No answer. The website did provide an answer: "Villa Mayfair is currently closed for the summer. We are looking f... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Pollos & Jarras: Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken Downtown

  published Aug 07, 2012

  In February of this year, chef Juan Chipoco and his sous chef Luis Hoyos of CVI.CHE 105 opened a Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant right next door on NE 3rd Avenue in downtown Miami. Pollos &... More >>

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  Estiatorio Milos: Exquisite Greek Seafood for Eye-Poppingly High Checks

  published August 9, 2012

  Estiatorio Milos: Astoundingly Good Greek Seafood for Eye-Poppingly High Checks More >>

• Fake Chocolate Milk Smackdown, Part One: Silk Almond vs. Blue Diamond Almond

  published Aug 06, 2012

  What hath the dog days of summer wroughtr A smackdown testing out fake chocolate milk, that's what. Does this mean that nothing much of interest is happening in the local food world todayr Unless you ... More >>

• Las Olas Cafe: Cash-Only Breakfast For the Locals

  published Aug 02, 2012

  The aroma of cafe cubano wafts through the air at the corner of Sixth Street and Euclid Avenue in South Beach. It is coming from the take-out window of Las Olas Cafe, where for years the locals have l... More >>

• Kahlua Iced Coffee In A Can: Why Notr

  published Aug 01, 2012

  Kahlua buys an awful lot of coffee beans to create its liqueur, so why not take those same Arabica beans (from Veracruz, Mexico) to make coffee, then take the two beverages, blend them, seal in cans, ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  The Dining Room Closes, Re-Opens Tomorrow As "Pop-Up at Vesper"

  published Jul 31, 2012

  The Dining Room closed its petite South Beach venue last week and has decided to move in with relatives until it finds a place of its own. Sort of. Vesper Brasserie in the Shelbourne Hotel will be giv... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Miami Restaurant Openings & Closings, July 2012

  published Jul 31, 2012

  Miami Restaurant Openings & Closings June, 2012The big news in July regrettably revolved around closings: Sra. Martinez said adios in the Design District, David's Cafe II shut down its Lincoln Roa... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  The Best of Miami Spice 2012, Part Three

  published Jul 30, 2012

  See also Miami Spice, the Good, the Great and the Grudging, Part One and Part TwoThis three-part look at Miami Spice comes just as the dining program gets set to begin August 1. There has been a split... More >>

• Michael Bloise No Longer at Sushi Samba

  published Jul 27, 2012

  I missed the news, and perhaps you did too. Chef Bloise tweeted this four days ago:@MichaelBloise: As of today, July 23, 2012, I am no longer working at Sushi Samba. I am looking forward to my next ch... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Miami Spice 2012: The Good, The Great and The Grudging, Part Two

  published Jul 27, 2012

  See also: "Miami Spice 2012: The Good"This three-part look at Miami Spice comes just as the dining program gets set to begin on August 1. There has been a split in price categories this year, meaning ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Miami Spice 2012: The Good, the Great, and the Grudging, Part One

  published Jul 26, 2012

  Over the next three days, in the runup to the August 1 rollout of Miami Spice, I will rate the deals of some 50-plus menus as either good, great, or grudging.There has been a split in price categories... More >>