Gabriel Orta

1. Jose Mendin of Pubbelly Group

When it came time to decide who would be on our list of Tastemakers, there was no shortage of opinions around these parts. Battles were waged, sides were taken, and there was blood on the floor. Given all that, it might surprise you to know when it came to ranking our Top 10: Jose Mendin was undispu ... More >>

2. Hedy Goldsmith of the Genuine Hospitality Group

Hedy Goldsmith screwed Kellogg's. How did she do it? It started when your average, hungover Miamian sought the comforting Sunday morning breeze and sunshine on the patio of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. Amongst the fried, eggy and meaty brunch treats visitors saw homemade Pop-Tarts filled with je ... More >>

3. Joel and Leticia Pollock of Panther Coffee

First-rate food cities need great java. And, with Panther Coffee, owners Joel and Leticia Pollock gave Miami just that. Panther Coffee, available at their Wynwood and Miami Beach shops, or at restaurants around town, works intimately with growers and roasts beans on-premises. Remember when the wo ... More >>

New Times Best of Miami Reader's Poll Closes Tonight -- Vote Yet?

You can't hate on democracy if you haven't yet done your part to participate. At 11:59 p.m. our Best of Miami 2013 Reader's Poll will close down and a tally will be taken to determine a winner. So what's it gonna be? Is the best inexpensive restaurant in Miami La Camaronera Fish Market? Is Miami's ... More >>

4. Lee Brian Schrager of Southern Wine & Spirits

Lee Brian Schrager is vice president of corporate communications & national events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America Inc. That's a long title, so it's best to just remember him for what made him famous -- creator of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The event started as a one-day "Florida E ... More >>

5. Gabriele Marewski of Paradise Farms

A sign that says, "Welcome! Please no meat or cigarettes. Enjoy and respect." welcomes you to Paradise Farms. The sign should simply read, "Paradise." This piece of heaven on earth in Homestead started out as an abandoned five-acre avocado grove. With a lot of love and work, Gabriele Marewski turne ... More >>

6. Kevin Cory of Naoe

Kevin Cory -- sushi master, soft spoken chef, and seafood overlord -- is the man behind Naoe, an omakase-style Japanese restaurant in Brickell Key where dinners start at $160 and most of the menu is chef's choice. Sounds amazing, right? Wouldn't you just love to go tonight? Well, you can't. Cory is ... More >>

7. Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi of Broken Shaker

A few years back, you could get a good cocktail or two in Miami, sure. But more than likely, you'd be served Margaritas made with a corn syrup-laden mix. Maybe you could get a decent martini, but you'd probably wind up with Red Bull and vodka in a plastic cup at a trendy hotel pool bar, instead. Ga ... More >>

Top Ten Places to Take Out-Of-Towners

Hey there, tour guide. Looking to show your out-of-towners a good time? Frozen drinks at Wet Willie's sure sound like fun. How about Cuban sandwiches at Versailles and Sunday brunch on Lincoln Road? Or, perhaps, a drive to the Everglades for fried alligator. Yes, it's gamey. Yes, it tastes like chic ... More >>

New Times Best of Miami Readers' Poll Now Open: Who Will Win From the Top Five?

Think Gabriel Orta is Miami's best bartender? Vote for him. Does Andiamo have the best pizza in town? Which is better: Yardbird or Blue Collar for best fried chicken? With our most exciting issue quickly approaching, we at Short Order are gearing up for the epic Best of Miami 2013 Readers' Poll ... More >>

The Broken Shaker: A Fresh Approach To Bar Food

What's better than handcrafted cocktails by the Bar Lab boys? Savory snacks that perfectly pair with the beverages and help to soak up the booze. Now, the Broken Shaker is serving up both with a rotating menu of small plates designed to complement the beloved cocktails. Short Order sat down with Gab ... More >>

Miami's Ten Best Bartenders

Anyone can get behind a bar and mix a drink. For that matter, anyone can walk into a kitchen and prepare a meal. After all, we've all cooked for ourselves at home, haven't we?But, bartenders, like chefs, have many different levels of expertise. While the person who pops your Budweiser can at a beach ... More >>

In the Mix

SoBeWFF 2013: The Good, the Bad, and the Crowded

Each year, more than 50,000 people attend the South Beach Wine & Food Festival's various seminars, dinners, and parties. Most events sell out far in advance despite the usual complaints of high ticket prices, next-to-impossible parking, and long lines to get a bite of food.People rave about ... More >>

SoBeWFF's Garden to Glass: Hardworking Emeril, Herbology and Copious Cocktails

While the festival may have "wine" in its moniker, cocktails have a prominent place in the South Beach Wine and Food Festival (SoBeWFF), particularly this year. In fact, Miami's mixology scene has become so significant that Garden to Glass was born. The event, hosted at the lush Miami Beach Botanic ... More >>

Lee Brian Schrager's Favorite SoBeWFF 2013 Events

For more on the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, check out New Times' Taste guide, hitting newsstands Thursday, February 21. Unlike the Wizard of Oz, people who know the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival pay attention to the man behind the curtain -- Lee Brian Schrager. The fou ... More >>

December 2012 Restaurant Openings and Closings

The last month of the new year saw a lot of anticipated 2012 restaurants opening under the wire. Ralph Pagano's Alba at Sole On The Ocean provides classic Italian cuisine and fresh seafood with a panoramic ocean view to the northernmost parts of Miami and Miami Beach. Although the official opening i ... More >>

Miami Food Scene 2012: Top 12 Uppers and Downers

The Broken Shaker Opens

The Miami cocktail scene has just gotten a little more interesting with the opening of the permanent edition of the Broken Shaker. Read also:- Best Pop-Up Bar: Broken Shaker- Best Bartender: Gabriel OrtaBar Lab's Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi opened Miami's first pop-up cocktail lounge last January. It ... More >>

Lee Schrager on SoBeWFF, Mixology and Where He Eats in Miami: Hip and Hot, Part Two

One of the hottest things right now, according to Lee Schrager, is mixology -- the skill of blending cocktails with a focus on quality ingredients and innovative flavor combinations. "There's so much emphasis on cocktails right now," he says. To reflect what he calls the "big explosion of mixology, ... More >>

The Broken Shaker Taps Jeremiah Bullfrog To Create Spirited Food Menu

See also The Broken Shaker Returns.When the Broken Shaker opened in January 2012, partners Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi found success in their humble space at the Indian Creek Hotel. Hordes of patrons and industry insiders flocked there for libations made with homegrown herbs and house- made bitters. T ... More >>

The Business of Pop-Ups: Bullfrog, Rapicavoli, and Meinhold Speak

The only thing consistent about pop-up restaurants in Miami is that they are the latest form of branding. They can be used to build a client base that will sustain a permanent space while others are done simply because you can't feed weird people weird food in a normal space. They may be done with ... More >>

Gabriel Orta and Tequila Don Julio: Easy Tequila Cocktails To Make at Home

The Broken Shaker Returns to Miami BeachBest Bartender 2012: Gabriel OrtaAs I walked into the W Hotel South Beach, I was greeted by a friendly gentleman who immediately whisked me to a suite on the 14th floor. Upon opening the door, I was pleased to find two amazing sights: a panoramic view of South ... More >>

The Broken Shaker Returns to Miami Beach

The Broken Shaker: First Pop-Up Cocktail Bar in Miami BeachBest Pop-up Bar 2012: The Broken ShakerBest Bartender 2012: Gabriel OrtaAt Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, The Broken Shaker's Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi told us that The Broken Shaker would reopen this fall somewhere in Miami. We now h ... More >>

Miami Mixologists Represent at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

See also "Sra. Martinez's Robert Montero wins Marie Brizard cocktail challeng" and "Julio Cabrera of Sra. Martinez wins Campari cocktail competition at The Corner."Miami was well represented at the tenth anniversary of Tales of the Cocktail. This five-day long celebration of spirits brings the world ... More >>

The Broken Shaker's Last Call on May 24

It seems like only yesterday that Bar Lab's Elad Zvi and Gabriel Orta opened Miami Beach's first pop-up cocktail lounge, the Broken Shaker. The intent was to bring custom cocktails with designer ice, herbs from the patio garden, and fresh ingredients to show Miamians there is a vast world outside th ... More >>

Johnson & Wales Zest Nominees Include McInnis, Erickson, Phillip Ho

This Wednesday evening, pretty much every top chef in town will gather for what's turning out to be the Academy Awards of Miami dining: Johnson & Wales University's first annual Zest Awards.The invitation-only fete, to take place at the university's Academic & Student Center, is part of ... More >>

Julio Cabrera of Sra. Martinez Wins Campari Aperitivo Cocktail Competition at The Corner (Photos)

Last night, the Corner brought together some of Miami's best bartenders, er, mixologists for the first-ever Campari Best Aperitivo Cocktail Competition. Hosted by the United States Bartenders' Guild, the event had the cocktail creators come up with their own unique take on the classic apéritif. Our ... More >>

Mix It Up Mixology Challenge at The Broken Shaker Crowns Last Year's Winner

​About 35 guests gathered at The Broken Shaker last night to watch as ten Miami bartenders competed in the 2012 Mix It Up Mixology Challenge. This competition weeds out nine other bartenders and sends the winner to compete nationally in New York.After a rather long introductory spiel, the bartende ... More >>

The Broken Shaker Guys: Moonshine Cherries and Building a Cocktail

​It happens every once in a while. A mystery box arrives from a PR firm, usually introducing a new product or book. We've gotten coffee, coconut water, red wine vinegar, and cupcakes, to name a few. But even I was surprised when the UPS guy arrived recently with two mason jars filled with Ole Smok ... More >>

The Broken Shaker: Photos From the Pop-Up Bar's Opening Night

During a preview last night of The Broken Shaker, Miami's first pop-up bar located at the Indian Creek Hotel, I became convinced of one thing: it's a shame this place will only be around for six months. You'll discover the same thing during the official grand opening on February 2.There's a lush, ca ... More >>

Custom Cocktailing in the W Hotel's Living Room

​The Living Room at SoBe's W Hotel claims to offer any patron the cocktail of their dreams courtesy of a team of mixologists who are dedicated to making your evening of alcohol consumption a personalized experience. Named as one of Food & Wine Magazine's "50 Best Bars in America," the beverage ... More >>

The Broken Shaker: First Pop-Up Cocktail Bar in Miami Beach

​Bar Lab is at it again, this time planning to open Miami Beach's first cocktail pop-up bar. The Broken Shaker is set to open in about three weeks at the Indian Creek Hotel on Collins Avenue at 28th Street -- for only six months. We spoke with Bar Lab's Gabriel Orta, who didn't want to let th ... More >>

Wrap Up: Miami's Hottest Mixologists Shake Things Up at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans

​Hardcore partiers and upscale drinkers- did you notice your favorite mixologists missing in action this past week? Were they kidnapped by aliens or even worse, migrate to other cities? No and no. Dont worry, we've got your answer!Miami's top mixologists hit up took over the city of New Orleans fo ... More >>

Morton's Sparkling Sleigh Ride Crashes & Burns

Morton's Sparkling Sleigh Ride​Miami is quickly developing its own cocktail culture. There are bar chefs at the W South Beach (Elad Zvi and Gabriel Orta from Bar Lab), Mercadito Midtown (Paul Tanguay and Paul Carducci from Tippling Bros.) Club 50 at the Viceroy (David Ortiz and Julio Cabrer ... More >>

Short Order Award winners

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