The completion of Biscayne Boulevard's Vagabond Hotel culminates with a party this evening to celebrate the MiMo beauty's full restoration.
The Vagabond Restaurant will follow shortly, with an opening slated for sometime in October.
See also: Inside the Vagabond Hotel, Biscayne Boulevard's Restored MiMo Gem (Photos)
Restaurateur/chef Alvaro Perez shared some intel with Short Order about the restaurant, which will be helmed by chef Alex Chang. Chris Wang, a "Wall Street renegade," has been named general manager, and Paul Schroeder is bar manager.
Chang, who will serve as executive chef of the Vagabond Restaurant,
gained notoriety when, as a kinesthesiology major at USC, he opened an underground restaurant with Robert Kronfli, a music major, in their on-campus apartment in 2009. The restaurant, named Paladar, was the subject of a documentary of the same name by filmmaker Gil Freston.
Perez said the restaurant's name is derived from the hotel's diner sign -- a landmark from its original heyday. Inspiration comes from the word "vagabond" itself, as the chef/restaurateur explains. "The true meaning of the word 'vagabond' is a person who wanders. We're all wandering around. We're from New York, Tokyo, Miami. The food will reflect that with an American-based menu with Latin, Asian, and European influences."
The restaurant's interior will feature a vertical garden and works by local artists, including a wall of portraits of "local vagabonds." The ceiling will boast a mural of constellations.
The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. Sunday brunch will also be offered. Dinners will run about $40 to $60 per person; lunch $20 to $30. In addition to a full bar at the restaurant, the Vagabond Hotel will also boast a pool bar.
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