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Gibraltar on Grove Isle is one of the sexiest dinner joints in Miami. Set on a romantic island floating in Biscayne Bay just a stone’s throw from South Bayshore Drive, the location has seen more weddings than a Vegas chapel.
Last Friday, Short Order spent a couple of hours in the kitchen at the new incarnation of the old Baleen space. The kitchen is headed by chef Jeff O’Neill, who is in charge of all the culinary operations on the property, including the regular menu, room service, bar, pool, and members-only menus.
O’Neill has been featured on Oprah, and his pear chutney turkey burger is one of the most downloaded recipes on her website. You can order it yourself and see why people like it so much. The CIA-trained chef is a welcome addition to the property. Dr. Cathi Sawyer of Hartford, Connecticut, on vacation in Miami, said, “This is phenomenal. We come here every day.”
Here’s an inside look at the place.
Thanks go to Chef Jeff, executive sous chef Scott Downs, “grill guy” Eddie Johnson, saucier Todd Allen — who says, “I love food. I came all the way from New Jersey to work for this guy” — line cook Carlos Mesa, line cook Katrina Romero, “all-around guy” Paul Cantrell, kitchen staffer Fredner Tropnas, and everybody else on the property.