Tacos are clearly having a moment, and in many ways, restaurateur John Kunkel has come full circle as he gears up to open the chef-driven BTW (Burgers, Tacos, Whiskey) in the former flagship Lime South Beach location this Thursday.
"It's looking likely for Thursday," a BTW spokesperson said. "As you know, opening scheduling can be a moving target."
See also: 50 Eggs Opening a Taco Spot?
To spearhead the taco train, as well as other concepts 50 Eggs has in the works, Kunkel plucked Michelin-starred chef Danny Grant from the swank 1826 Restaurant & Lounge.
BTW will take over Lime's space and courtyard, as well as the locale next door. The vibe will be relaxed, with food that nods to America's love for burgers, tacos, and whiskey.
"It's the anti-brand hangout joint that every chef and person will want to hang at and have a drink in," Kunkel says.
Menu highlights include queso fundido with Chihuahua cheese, chorizo, and poblano peppers and chicken wings with rock shrimp butter, cilantro, serranos, and lime. There will also be six burger and taco options, including the BLAT burger with Miami Smokers bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato; a bacon-wrapped Tijuana dog with guacamole, peppers, and cotija cheese; al pastor tacos with marinated pork belly, red onion, pineapple, and cilantro; and mahi-mahi tacos with chipotlenaise, cucumber, cilantro, radish, and shaved cabbage. A carne asada burrito with guaca verde, caramelized onions, cotija cheese, refried beans, and Carolina gold rice will satisfy those looking for more than just tacos. Paletas have been swapped out for soft-serve ice cream in vanilla-churro and chocolate-chili flavors.
And to live up to its name, BTW will offer more than 120 whiskeys, along with 20 daily $3 shots. In addition, more than 20 mezcals will give a nice kick to all the tacos.
50 Eggs lead mixologist Robert Ortenzio has crafted a cocktail menu that includes the BTW margarita (El Jimador Blanco, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and orange juice); the spicy serrano-rita (serrano-infused Peligroso Reposado tequila, watermelon, lime juice, and agave nectar); a shaken piña colada (Bacardi Superior, fresh coconut meat, coconut water, and muddled pineapple); a pineapple caipirinha (Leblón cachaça, fresh pineapple, lime juice, and demerara sugar); and the clover club (Beefeater, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, and egg white). The price range is expected to be between $3 and $12.
This is the first of a new series of concepts 50 Eggs has planned. The next is a fast-casual Lewellyn's fried chicken concept that will inhabit the University of Miami sometime this summer and serve Kunkel's granny's famous fried chicken (already served at Yardbird). Further down the pipeline is the 50 Eggs test kitchen in the MiMo District, which is still under construction. This space will be not only the new headquarters for 50 Eggs but also the home of a concept "Miami has yet to see," Kunkel hints. Expect 20-some seats and a chef's table for eight. "There's nothing like the Slanted Door here. It's about time."
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