Audio By Carbonatix
Remember STK? If you don’t, it’s probably because you had one too many drinks during your visit to the modern steakhouse that’s less of a restaurant and more of a dinner party.
After one hell of a “disco nap” (almost two years) and delays in opening, STK has finally been resurrected in a new spot at the 1 Hotel & Homes with a slightly different look and some new menu items. But don’t freak out just yet – the wagyu beef lil BRG’s, lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, and foie gras French toast that made STK known as the female-friendly “not your daddy’s steakhouse” are still here.
New Times was invited in during its soft-opening phase (the grand opening was last night) for a taste of the menu. It certainly didn’t feel like a soft opening. Tables of good-looking groups of men, twosomes getting to know each other, and young professionals starting their celebratory night filled the dimly lit dining room. As for the bar, it’s cougar city over here. Ferocious and forward ladies scour the territory for available prey.
And the food? Chef Aaron Taylor is back from STK’s previous life to helm the kitchen. Although STK might have gone into a slumber, Taylor was doing anything but snoozing during the time this place was closed. He kitchen-hopped throughout STK’s other locations, bringing back a few tricks and inspiration for new dishes (see duck below) to the Magic City.
Black Rye Affair ($14) mixes templeton rye, lemon juice, blackberries, and mint.
If you were having withdrawals from STK’s puffy, pull-apart, doughy bread topped with blue-cheese butter and accompanying chive oil, we get it. But good news is you needn’t mourn any longer.
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Since we did a media tasting, the prices below don’t reflect the actual portion size of plates.
Heirloom tomato with delice de Bourgogne cheese ($15).
Grilled octopus with purple potatoes, capers, and heirloom tomato ($18) wasn’t the most exciting tentacle I’ve ever chewed on, but it was nicely cooked and seasoned.
Seared scallops with short rib marmalade, squash puree, and pomegranate ($19) was a favorite dish of the evening and a nice play on surf ‘n’ turf.
“Every STK has duck on their menu,” says Taylor. “But Miami never did.” That is until now. In spite of it being served a tad bit cool, the spiced duck breast was the best dish of the evening. Taylor sources from notorious bird farm, Long Island Crescent Duck, and uses both the breast and leg. The latter is confit and turned into a roulade, while the breast gets rubbed with curry, cinnamon, brown sugar, and French chili pepper. It’s served with apricot pistachio chutney and pickled red cabbage ($36).
Chili rubbed rack of lamb cooked to a nice medium rare and served with sunchokes, caper chimichurri, and lamb jus ($45).
Obviously STK is a steakhouse, so you should give in to the carnivore within you and opt for some type of beef cut during your visit. You can go small (6-ounce filet medallion, 8-ounce skirt steak, or 10-ounce strip loin), medium (10-ounce filet, 16-ounce sirloin, 14-ounce bone-in filet, or 20-ounce bone-in rib steak), or do it big with a 24/32-ounce porterhouse or 34-ounce cowboy steak. Our table devoured a sliced 20-ounce bone-in ribeye ($51) without minor hesitation.
Sides (all $10) include cauliflower gratin, STK’s signature jalapeño cheddar grits, mac ‘n’ cheese, parmesan truffle fries, brussel sprouts, and tater tots to name a few.For dessert, the churro milkshake with dulce de leche ice cream, cinnamon liquor, and, of course, churros is still very much a staple.
