Michael Schwartz is not a white-tablecloth kind of restaurateur. Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, his flagship place, uses placemats. Harry's Pizzeria, a neighborhood pizza shop, has bare tables.
But his fourth restaurant (his third is an outpost of Michael's Genuine in Grand Cayman) has many white tablecloths. It also has delicate china, a crystal chandelier, purple lilies in petite vases, and rose-hued wallpaper printed with flora and fauna.
And in this very elegant setting, entrées such as antelope -- alongside turnips, apricots, and mizuna -- will be proffered for $41. There will also be marrow bones and frogs' legs.
See also:
- Michael Schwartz Grabs Former Barbuto Cook to Run Cypress Room
- Michael Schwartz to Open the Cypress Room
Dubbed the Cypress Room, his new Design District joint is located at 3620 NE Second Ave. and is set to debut March 27. An ode to 1920s fine dining, the Cypress Room is fancy, pricey, and awfully good-looking.
The Cypress Room's kitchen will be helmed by chef de cuisine Roel Alcudia, who worked at Jonathan Waxman's restaurant Barbuto in New York. Desserts will be orchestrated by Hedy Goldsmith, executive pastry chef of the Genuine Hospitality Group and a finalist for a James Beard Award. The restaurant's fare will be farm-centered, polished American cuisine that's primarily cooked on its wood-burning grill and rotisserie.
Menu items include appetizers such as marrow bones with preserved lemon, celery, and grilled baguette ($19) and frogs' legs with brown butter, spinach, and Marcona almonds ($21). Entrées are priced from $24 to $44, the latter being the cost of filet mignon with butter-braised potatoes, creamed kale, and red wine jus. There are also house specialties meant for sharing, including an $139 côte de boeuf.
Goldsmith's desserts at the Cypress Room are more refined and less nostalgic than those offered at Michael's Genuine. They include a toasted Oregon hazelnut parfait with dry caramel, puffed farro, and pickled cherries ($15). The restaurant also features an extensive bar program, with aperitifs, cask-aged, and house specialty cocktails.
Average checks will total about $75 per person, perhaps more. It certainly isn't cheap, but this fine-dining restaurant comes to the Design District via one of Miami's best-loved restaurateurs. It has an intriguing menu. The setting is lovely, and the drinks sound good. So check out more photos below.
The Cypress Room opens for dinner Wednesday, March 27. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 6 to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight. The restaurant will be closed Sundays.
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