Venezuela’s Carlos Garcia Opens Obra Kitchen Table in Brickell

Celebrated Venezuelan chef Carlos Garcia will make his Miami debut today with the opening of his first U.S. eatery, Obra Kitchen Table.

From 2013 to 2016, Garcia's Alto in Caracas held a spot on Latin America's "World’s 50 Best Restaurants" list. In Miami, he'll offer upscale comfort food in Brickell's Jade building right off SE 14th Street near the waterfront.

"With Obra, I plan to bring the warmth of Latin America flavors, what I call cocina sabrosa, which means delicious food prepared with recognizable, seasonal, and local ingredients, presented in the most unpretentious and creative ways," Garcia told New Times in August 2017.

Garcia, who has trained in some of the world's most cutting-edge restaurants, including El Bulli, El Celler de Can Roca, and Mugaritz, made a name for himself by churning out contemporary Venezuelan cuisine at Alto. With Obra, he will offer the same grade of cooking in a more relaxed atmosphere.

The 3,000-square-foot restaurant boasts an open kitchen with a wrap-around counter, allowing diners to watch chefs in action and discuss the food while they eat.

The Venezuelan-influenced menu centers on dishes cooked on a Josper grill and includes spaghetti with octopus carbonara ($21), grilled rice with squid and artichokes ($18), roasted tuna with brown-butter yuca ($28), fried red snapper ($32), and short-rib asado ($34).

Top off the meal with desserts such as tarte Tatin with ripe banana, coffee, and sarrapia ice cream ($8) and mango bajito ($8), just in time for mango season.

During lunch, choose between a condensed à la carte menu and a $21 prix fixe, which includes a cup of Garcia’s chicken soup, a choice of protein, two sides, and dessert. For each prix fixe sold, $1 will be donated to Barriga Llena Corazón Contento, an initiative Garcia founded in 2016 to feed soup to children at a local hospital in Caracas.

Obra Kitchen Table. 1331 Brickell Bay Dr., Miami; 305-846-9363; obramiami.com. Lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, dinner only Saturday, closed Sunday.