Michael Schwartz

April 2013 Restaurant Openings and Closings

April showers may bring May flowers, but they also brought a lot of restaurant openings and closings to Miami -- some of them surprising, some expected. Two long-awaited restaurants opened on Miami Beach. Restaurant Michael Schwartz at the Raleigh Hotel, in the works for over a year, finally opened ... More >>

March 2013 Restaurant Openings and Closings

The term "March Madness" applied to the restaurant scene in Miami in March. Several heavily anticipated venues by some heavy hitters arrived:Jeffrey Chodorow of China Grill Management has opened Biscayne Tavern at the b2 hotel in Downtown Miami. Though the restaurant is still in its "soft opening" p ... More >>

Miami's Top Ten Chefs

Chefs love talking about one another. They discuss talent. They obsess over who cooks better, who lacks integrity, who sold out, who travels looking for recipes to replicate. They talk about hype. They chat about expectations. They know what their colleagues are cooking. They have opinions about eve ... 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 >>

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink Café at Design Miami: The Head Honchos are Running the Show

It was 3 p.m. on Thursday afternoon and there was a long, winding line at Design Miami. The line, however, wasn't exactly where you'd expect. It wasn't by the entrance, or by the stunning Glithero Perrier-Jouet installation. And it wasn't by the ladies' bathroom, either. This line was at Michael S ... More >>

Tikl: Brickell's Small-Plates Concept Deserves a Leisurely Visit

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink Renovates Kitchen, Set to Close For a Week

In anticipation of the fall and winter season, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink will close for a week to undergo some renovations.The restaurant will close on Monday, September 17 and reopen on Monday, September 24. In that week, Michael's Genuine will undergo kitchen and upstairs office renovatio ... More >>

Michael's Genuine Home Brew: Draft vs. Bottle

When Michael Schwartz announced he would be putting his name to a brew, I was excited to be the first kid on the block to try some. After all, Schwartz is at his best when working with simple, honest flavors and ingredients, and what's simpler or more honest (and satisfying) than a good beer?The cla ... More >>

Schwartz, Carmellini, and Other Chefs Force-Feed Readers With Weak Foie Gras Logic

"Certainly a sort of industrial use of creatures, so that geese are fed in such a way as to produce as large a liver as possible, or hens live so packed together that they become just caricatures of birds, this degrading of living creatures to a commodity seems to me in fact to contradict the relati ... More >>

36. Rock Shrimp Pizza at Harry's Pizzeria

It's that time of year when we count down to New Times' Best of Miami 2012 issue in June. Until then, Short Order will serve up 100 of our favorite dishes in the 305. If you have any nominations of your own, please send them to cafe@miaminewtimes.com.36. Rock Shrimp Pizza at Harry's PizzeriaHarry ... More >>

Cochon 555 Miami at Four Seasons Hotel: A Pignificant Way to Celebrate Pork

​We didn't know what to expect from Cochon 555 -- a national, pig-centric culinary event that made its way to Miami for the first time this past weekend at the Four Seasons. We knew that five chefs would be playing with pig parts from five heritage breed animals, but we had no idea how long they h ... More >>

Michael Schwartz's Farm to Table: Lack of Vegan Food Crushes Dreams

​The phrase "farm to table" to me implies lush green produce being wrenched from the ground, maybe run under a garden hose, and then plopped onto your waiting plate.Apparently, I need to consult my rural dictionary, because what happened to the locally sourced and fresh fruits and veggies between ... More >>

Free Tickets: Harry's Pizzeria Hosting Jonathan Waxman Pop-Up (Updated)

​Jonathan Waxman, chef/owner of Barbuto in New York, Top Chef Masters alum, and author is taking over Michael Schwartz's Harry's Pizzeria Wednesday, February 1.Waxman is hosting a pop-up dinner event, featuring dishes from his book, Italian, My Way: More Than 150 Simple and Inspired Recipes That B ... More >>

Sam Gorenstein Leaving BLT Steak To Join Forces With Michael Schwartz

Is there more to this story than meats the eye?​Is there a chef-leaving-South-Beach-steakhouse epidemic going on or what? First Ralph Pagano announced that he was leaving STK Miami, then days later we learn that Daniel Ganem is on his way from Kane Steakhouse, and now Sam Gorenstein has informed S ... More >>

Tomorrow: Books & Books Holds Readers Circle Lunch

Will Michael Schwartz make a surprise visit to Books & Books?​Books & Books is bringing its cafe and book shop together with a Readers Circle Lunch on Thursday, August 11th at noon at the Coral Gables location.Entitled: What Are You Reading?, the lunch will give book lovers a chance to s ... More >>

Second Career Ideas For 10 Miami Chefs

​With the news that former Pacific Time chef/owner Jonathan Eismann is now a realtor, it seemed like an opportune time to reflect upon potential second careers for other local chefs. After all, we know that the restaurant biz is a bitch, and dining establishments don't last forever, and...well, le ... More >>

Food Reigns at The First Annual Soul Fest Weekend at The Stage

We agree!​We technically live in the South, but the food resembles more a Latin American country than a Confederate state. Suggestions for great fried green tomatoes and collard greens usually always lead to cricket sounds. Thankfully, you can hold off your Southern food pangs and that road trip y ... More >>

Michael's Genuine Celebrates Summer Wines

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink​Owner and Executive Chef Michael Schwartz and his hard-working sommelier Eric Larkee (who has been with Design District pioneer Michael's Genuine since 2009), are hosting a wine pairing dinner built completely around what they term "summer's most versatile gra ... More >>

Tasty Americans

John Richards, Miami Culinary Institute director, talks turkey

Frank Jeannetti Dishes About Just How Organic Essensia Is

Jeannetti gets up close and personal with his food.​Yesterday, we chatted with the guy we affectionately referred to as Chef Green Jeans, Essensia's Frank Jeannetti. Click here to read the first part of this interview.You claim your restaurant is organic but, really, with the incredibly high cost ... More >>

Blog Watch: Burger Beast Truck, Beer & Cocktails

​It was a bit quiet out in the food blogs, but here are some highlights to kick off the week.The Burger Beast announces the next Street Food Fridays is on February 11; the Burger Beast truck will be there with Shake Shack on board. And speaking of the beast-mobile, chef Michael Schwartz will cook ... More >>

Baja Fresh Opening In South Beach; Let The Mex Wars Begin

​The national Baja Fresh Mexican Grill chain has been around since 1990, and has two locations in Miami-Dade: At 1021 S Miami Ave. and at 220 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. The corner of Washington Avenue and 12th Street in South Beach, former home of Michael Schwartz's Afterglo, will house Miami B ... More >>

Michael's Genuine Cookbook: Another Sneak Peek

Michael's Genuine Food & Drink​Chef Michael Schwartz's cookbook isn't due out for a couple of months but, to coincide with Art Basel, the restaurant is showing a behind-the-scenes look at what went into putting the book together. A short film, produced by the book's photographer, Ben Fink, wil ... More >>

Mercadito's Tacos for Strength Campaign Gets Local Chefs Involved

​If you're not a subscriber to our weekly Café Bites dining newsletter, here's a taste of what you're missing. Click here to subscribe."Tacos for Strength" might sound like Miami's own version of Popeye and his can of super spinach, but it's actually Mercadito Midtown's bid to help put a dent in ... More >>

Herald Doesn't Know Nada About Midtown

Courtesy of Marc Averette via Wikimedia Commons​The Herald's Sunday article about Midtown's growth mentioned the opening or planned opening of multiple restaurants. Turns out at least two of the reports are questionable.

Michael's Genuine Food Cart's Menu For Saturday

Michael's Genuine food cart is hitting the Design District again this weekend. This month the menu has a decidedly Asian flair to it. James Beard Award winner and Michael's Genuine proprietor Michael Schwartz will be serving banh mi with house-cured pork, pickled vegetables, torn herbs and sambal ai ... More >>

More Oil Spill Reactions From Miami Seafood Chefs and a Fisherman

via http://www.flickr.com/photos/18773952@N00/292143657Dead fish.​Now that the BP Oil Spill has hit the Mississippi Delta and toxic seas lap at unprotected marsh, Miami's eyes are on the slick with greater fear for our coastline than even before.We spoke to more local chefs, a restaurant owner, an ... More >>

Let's Talk Chef Shoes, Part 2: What The Pros Wear

Friday's opening shoe post was mostly about my own experiences with kitchen footwear. Today we find out what Miami's real chefs wear when they're working -- and why.Michelle Bernstein, Michy's, Sra. Martinez: Clogs, as they not only help me from falling on my back side but they also give me those co ... More >>

James Beard Award Semifinalist Interviews: Michael Schwartz and Hedy Goldsmith

Jackie SayetMichael's Genuine talent.​This week we're interviewing our local culinary superstars up for James Beard Awards. This is the first year that the Foundation has released its "long list" of semifinalists, stretching out the waiting period one more month. On March 22, restaurant and chef f ... More >>

Sneak Review of The Sneaky Year In Review

An exceedingly short clip from next weeks' Cafe review, which will be an overview of Miami dining, 2009:Michelle Bernstein added the Omphoy in Palm Beach, Doug Rodriguez doubled his pleasure with D. Rodriguez Cuba at the Hotel Astor, and Jonathan Eismann quadrupled his on the western fringe of the D ... More >>

Out of Season? Not at Michael's Genuine.

Jackie SayetLeggo my lycheesIt's in between tropical downpours in the Design District as I wade through the humidity to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink. Summer's making its usual graceful entrance, and I'm curious about what happens to a restaurant with a menu that celebrates local foods when the ... More >>

Nemo Is Still Swimming on South Beach

This local stalwart has been afloat since 1995.

Dinner on a Farm

Bottled Water Gets the Boot

As containers and costs mount, tap water is the rule in eateries.

Dewey LoSasso

North One 10

The Year in Dining

2007 might go down as pivotal for Miami gastronomy.

Edible Basel

Paradise Found

Paradise Found

Chew the Right Thing

Michael's contemporary food comes from the heart, not the haute

Tin Chefs

The disconnect between a culinary student's white-collar dreams and the restaurant world's blue-collar reality

Inspiration, Activity at Every Turn

Exciting new restaurants are transforming the taste trip north of Miami-Dade.

Car Food Survival: Altoids?

Hey, those almost-empty water bottles and mints may go a long way someday

Drink in Life

The terrorism in the Northeast can bring us together

Best Japanese Restaurant

Shoji Sushi

Side Dish

Feeding and seeding the community

Funky Tuna

Served Right

The Old Man and the CD

Spec's Records patriarch Martin Spector may be 86 years old, but when a used-CD store opened next door to his flagship location, he took the gloves off. Literally.