Artisan Beach House Serves Rustic Brunch With a Waterfront View

Sunday brunch at Artisan Beach House is special. Maybe it's because the restaurant's bright outdoor patio faces a serene, unobstructed view of the Haulover Cut, with the waves just loud enough to hear as you nosh. Or, maybe it's the thick slices of fresh bread, toasted to just the right crunch and smeared with creamy avocado or light basil and burrata, that do the trick. Whatever it is, spending a Sunday afternoon at Paula DaSilva's latest restaurant venture is not to be missed.

The former Hell's Kitchen contestant helms the kitchen at Artisan Beach House, which opened in January 2017 at the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour. The restaurant reunited DaSilva with nightlife concept creator and restaurateur Seth Greenberg, who first teamed up with the chef at the now-defunct 1500 Degrees at the Eden Roc. The opening also marked DaSilva's official return to Miami's dining scene, after taking a seven-month hiatus from the kitchen to travel and spend time with family.

The Brazilian chef began her career at 3030 Ocean in 2000 under the tutelage of chef Dean James Max. In 2010, she left Fort Lauderdale to accept the executive chef position at farm-to-table restaurant 1500 Degrees at Eden Roc in Miami Beach. Three years later, she returned to 3030 Ocean in Max's stead but departed shortly thereafter.
Artisan Beach House offers the same kind of rustic cuisine DaSilva is known for creating, especially during brunch. The menu features an assortment of toasts and sandwiches, salads, and egg plates, paired with cold-pressed juices and craft cocktails.

To start your meal, opt for the baked farm eggs ($12). Presented on a sizzling skillet, two sunny-side up eggs are flooded with truffle oil and served with thick slices of toasted bread. Or try the prime rib eggs Benedict ($23), where an English muffin is smothered in caramelized onions and horseradish cream.
In terms of sandwiches, consider the focaccia fried egg melt ($18), topped with mortadella, salami, soppressata, manchego, piquillos, house-made olive spread, and an egg. For something a bit lighter, try the avocado toast crowned with feta cheese and pomegranate.
Whatever you do, don't leave brunch without the Nutella French toast ($18). Three slices of pillowy brioche bread are sprinkled with powdered sugar and plated with caramelized bananas. Between each layer of bread, find a generous smear of Nutella.

Brunch runs from noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit artisanbeachhouse.com.