The café experience is helmed by chef Becky Brown, who was originally a food photographer but gained national recognition after competing in the Fox television series MasterChef in 2012. After her stint on the reality competition show, she became a full-time chef in Los Angeles, where she splits her time between private work and restaurant consulting.
Her latest venture is her partnership with pop-up experience company Bucket Listers to create the menu for the Malibu Barbie Cafe in New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, and, most recently, Miami.
"My first idea was that I wanted it to be super fun," Brown tells New Times. "I wanted people to come in and recognize that it was a Barbie situation, so, immediately, I'm thinking, 'Edible glitter!' Pink has to be on the menu in some capacity, and we're basing things off of the 1971 Malibu Barbie.'"
Brown made sure each dish at the Malibu Barbie Cafe was as beautiful as it was delicious.
Bucket Listers photo
"That's where the 'Beach Burger' comes from," she explains. "I wanted that Malibu Barbie moment on the beach eating a burger or maybe having a little wedge salad, playing volleyball with friends; that was what I was going for."
Each reservation at Malibu Barbie Cafe in Wynwood comes with a choice of a main dish, a side item, and a cake pop. Among the options of the main dish, guests will find the "Beach Burger," the "West Coast Wave" salad, and the "Live Your Dream" grilled cheese.
The pop-up menu has Barbie-approved dessert choices and various pink and orange drinks.
Bucket Listers photo
"It's been a part of my repertoire for as long as I've been cooking," Brown says. "That's how I eat, and I want to offer that to other people. So, something like the cauliflower bowl, which is made with curry-roasted cauliflower. It's totally plant-based. We use a plant-based tahini sauce, which is amazing, and then add lots of fresh herbs, arugula, and pickled onions."
The menu offers plenty of options for vegetarians, like the "Pacific Paradise" pancakes and the "Make Waves" avocado toast. For vegans, they have a safe choice with the aforementioned "Gold Coast Call-Flower" bowl.
Along with shareable bites, which vary from $12 to $14, both the fruit skewers and the spinach artichoke dip are gluten-free and vegetarian. Plus, the beet hummus is a pink and vegan spread with no added food coloring.
The intentionality behind the all-day brunch menu allows for all Barbie lovers of all ages to enjoy the menu at any time of day or night.
"I think adults get to come to the Malibu Barbie Cafe and be a little bit of a kid," Brown says. "I'm very nostalgic about Barbie. I played with Barbies growing up, so I think that if it were me coming in, I would get an avocado toast with an egg, but then I would also get pancakes because I want to have the best of both worlds."
Inspired by her two small children, Brown included the make-your-own cupcake on the menu, which kids can decorate while parents enjoy the Barbie-inspired cocktails crafted to pair well with all food selections.
The presentation of the dishes played a big part in the menu creation. With her background as a food photographer, Brown wanted to guarantee the dishes were also beautiful and visually on-theme.
"When I make menus, I think about visuals first," she says. "I use my background as one of the tools in my toolkit to really create a full experience for people. It's going to be seasoned well, made fresh, taste delicious, and be Instagram-worthy."
With many options to choose from, the chef recommends her top three favorite mains, including the avocado toast, burger, and cauliflower bowl.
"I just really wanted to give people something that was elevated," says Brown. "I didn't want them to come here and think, 'Oh, it's a pretty pop-up, but I'm sure the food is going to be mid.' I really wanted the food to stand on its own.'"
Welcome to Miami, Barbie!
Malibu Barbie Cafe Miami. 301 NW 23rd St., Miami; bucketlisters.com. Tickets cost $29 to $44.
