Moscow Restaurateur Arkadiy Novikov to Open First U.S. Restaurant in Downtown Miami

Arkadiy Novikov, a well-known restaurateur from Moscow, will open his first U.S. eatery at the Met 1 in downtown Miami.

Novikov Restaurant & Bar, a pan-Asian concept with locations in London, Dubai, and Moscow, is expected to debut this winter on the first level of the 40-floor condominium building, according to the restaurant's website.

Novikov, who owns more than 50 restaurants across Moscow and has worked as a caterer to Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, thought Miami was a perfect fit for his brand because of the city's international allure, says Ashlie Rolfe, who represents the restaurant.

Facing Biscayne Bay, the 8,500-square-foot space, which previously housed Chop House, will include a 250-seat dining room with a cocktail bar, a sushi bar, a private dining area, and a chef's table. There will also be outdoor, waterfront seating.

Though many of the restaurant's details are under wraps, the Miami outpost is expected to resemble Novikov London, offering dim sum, sushi, rice and noodle bowls, and charcoal-grilled and wok dishes. The restaurant will also feature a seafood and vegetable display where customers can handpick ingredients for their meals.

A menu for Novikov Miami is not yet available but is expected to follow an Asian theme with dishes rooted in Chinese, Malaysian, and Japanese cultures. Popular items at Novikov London include beef and foie gras dumplings; porcini and truffle rice; green cashew prawns; steamed scallops in soy and ginger; and Wagyu and foie gras nigiri. Depending upon size, plates average $10 to $30 each at Novikov London.

The locations in Moscow, London, and Dubai have received mixed reviews, many of which note that the vast array of menu choices turns away some diners. Jay Raynor's scathing 2012 review in the Guardian noted the restaurant was overcrowded: "It's full; packed to the fake ironwork with the hooting and the depilated, the bronzed and Botoxed." All three current locations attract a steady stream of customers and often require a reservation to guarantee a table.

Novikov Restaurant & Bar. 300 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami; novikovmiami.com. Opening date, hours of operation, and menus are not yet available.