The evening began at Conant's Corsair with two appetizers — hamachi crudo with pickled rhubarb, spiced chilies, ginger oil, and crispy shallots; and heirloom tomatoes and burrata with opal basil and country bread.
For the entrees, diners had the chance to try the squid ink campanelle with baby clams, mussels, calamari, and scallions; raviolini ricotta with baby tomatoes; and Scottish salmon with asparagus, charred kale, and scallion salsa verde.
Once all plates were wiped clean, giving the ironic impression they were never covered in food to begin with, eaters took a two-minute walk across the resort for dinner number two at Bourbon Steak. While our minds told us no, our stomachs couldn't resist, so you can guess who won that fight.
To cleanse one's palate from the first dinner, which was a nice way of saying lets pretend we didn't just eat all that food, attendees were given a tamarind-ginger popsicle to leave a fresh, cool feeling for their tastebuds...basically a fancy breath mint. The popsicles are a dessert compliment at Bourbon, with rotating flavors throughout the two months of Spice, giving diners an element of surprise.
Once everyone's mouths were prepared, Bourbon began with three appetizers — black mission figs and Humboldt Fog goat cheese with grilled radicchio, walnut, and aged balsamic; Scottish salmon pastrami with pumpernickel croutons; and Maine lobster risotto with lemongrass, ginger, and yellow sweet corn.
For the second round of entrees, diners were given organic chicken breast with chanterelle mushroom, baby spinach, and crispy pesto gnocchi; and barbecue-glazed Angus rib eye with jalapeño corn bread, and warm whole-grain potato salad.
But it's safe to say the best was kept for last with a combination of both restaurants' finest desserts. From a cracker jack sundae with popcorn ice cream, and salted caramel sauce; Valrhona chocolate cake with olive oil gelato, and navel orange; to milk chocolate budino with smoked chantilly; and brown sugar cake with blueberries and buttermilk ice cream; it's clear that's what pushed us all over the edge and straight into a food coma.
Beginning August 1, these sampled plates will be available as a part of Miami Spice's $23 lunch and $39 dinner menus. There's no question that diners looking for a Spice outing in the North Miami area can't go wrong at either establishment. So get excited and come hungry because this was just a peak at what you'll be able to nosh away on in just about 48 hours.
Miami Spice runs from August 1 through September 30 and offers diners prix-fixe lunches for $23 and dinners for $39 at 181 participating restaurants around town. Check out at newtimesironfork.com, and purchase tickets to New Times' Iron Fork, the official Miami Spice kickoff event, taking place tonight, at ticketfly.com.
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