French 27 Brings Parisian Romance to SoFi

While Miami restaurants gear up for Valentine's Day dinners, French 27 softly opened with romantic dining and French fare in SoFi.

The restaurant takes over the old Porfirio's space at 850 Commerce St. The dining room, already a stunning structure, has been transformed into a sea of fresh red roses and candlelight. This is not the place to grab a burger with the crew before a night at the clubs — it's a date-night spot through and through.

French 27 gets its name from the 27 regions that make up France and takes influences from each one in its menu. The offerings consist mostly of French bistro classics such as escargots ($21), poulet roti ($33), and French onion soup ($15), alongside some obligatory Miami dishes like ceviche ($23) and seasonal stone crabs (MP).

The kitchen is helmed by executive chef Andreas Trilik, who learned about food and wine at an early age. His family owned a winery in the Alsace region of France, along with a family hotel, where he trained to execute the restaurant's cuisine. Since then, Trilik has traveled the world to hone his craft, working at the InterContinental in Stuttgart, Marriott Castle Harbour Bermuda, and Grand Old House in Grand Cayman. Trilik says his combined experiences can be found in the dishes he executes at this new Miami Beach establishment. "My culinary influence derives from not only my upbringing, but also the places I have traveled. I come from a family of chefs." 

The chef says many of the recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, with some changes to suit Miami's tastes. "You will find French tradition with a trendy twist." One dish steeped in his family's roots is the duck confit ($39). "It adapts many of the traditions found in the regions I grew up with, and it encompasses a special way of marinating the duck."

Trilik collaborated on the menu with fellow French 27 chef, Yann Rio. "We are both master chefs. We truly don't divide our talents. We both brainstorm and bring out the best in each other's experience to create the perfect dish." Together, the team decided not to be limited by the usual Parisian or French country fare. "Our menu explores all regions with delicacies, like escargots typically seen in the Catalan region and fish brought from the Mediterranean sea or traditional French Onion Soup that originated in the 18th Century."

One highlighted menu item, steak-frites ($39 to $53, depending on the size and cut of the steak), is offered several ways. French 27's top toque says the beef is sourced from a local company based out of Fort Lauderdale that cuts the steaks precisely to his specifications. "We only purchase prime steak, and our marinating style is unique to us. We bring our butter in from Paris, which gives it an exclusive taste, and marinate it with fresh herbs." 

The chef adds that all ingredients, such as the corn-fed aged steaks, are carefully sourced. "Our fish comes from the Mediterranean, France, Scotland, and locally. Our duck is from France, and our produce is sourced nationwide in search for the top-tier products." Trilik says trust is the main issue in sourcing product in the United States. "In Europe, we are accustomed to going to a market in search of the best of the best; however, here we have searched for the best companies to provide us with freshest products to bring to the table."

French 27 is open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 to midnight.