This week, Ortanique chef/co-owner Cindy Hutson and her longtime partner, Delius Shirley, announced they'll be getting back to business with a limited-time revival of their iconic Coral Gables restaurant Ortanique on the Mile. Slated to launch later this month, the pop-up will take over the former QP Tapas space inside MKT Kitchen in Coral Gables, with reservations available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
It's been more than 30 years since the couple first made headlines for Hutson's unique cooking style at Norma's on the Beach, the restaurant she and Shirley opened in 1994 off Lincoln Road. The tiny establishment was known for its Jamaican and Caribbean-inspired fare, with Shirley at the front of the house and Hutson helming the kitchen.
When the couple opened Ortanique in Coral Gables, a larger kitchen and more staff allowed Hutson to expand the menu, combining a love for various cuisines inspired by the duo's travels and infusing it with her unique flare. The establishment closed in July 2021 due to the pandemic.
"Since we closed, our fans — especially our die-hard regulars — kept asking us if there would ever be a chance for them to have a favorite dish or get a little bit of that Ortanique magic," shares Hutson. "After much work, that time is now."
When the couple opened their Coral Gables restaurant, they wanted a name that reflected the ethos behind the menu. Hutson says she chose the word "ortanique" — the name for the hybrid cross between a Seville orange and the wild Jamaican unique.
"They're juicy, sweet, and tangy," Hutson explains. "It's the essence of a grafted fruit that takes all these different flavors and turns it into one amazing flavor experience."
It's the same way Hutson describes her cooking at the restaurant of the same name: a meshing of ethnic cuisines into a singularly exceptional dining experience.
Miami chef Cindy Hutson and longtime partner Delius Shirley are the couple behind the wildly popular Ortanique restaurant.
Ortanique photo
When the two-month-long pop-up opens later this month, expect to find many of Hutson's best-known "neighborhood favorites" — Ortanique classics like those beer-infused mussels, a West Indian-inspired Cornish game hen, braised short rib with Caribbean butter beans and truffle gnocchi, or butterflied yellowtail snapper escovitch with malanga mash and scotch bonnet pickled veggies.
Expect the pop-up menu to change frequently, says Hutson, each night offering a different series of Ortanique hits. Dinner service will follow a three-course format, beginning with an amuse-bouche followed by a selection of appetizers, entrées, and desserts.
Just like at Ortanique, expect the chef to create various one-off specials, be it a soup, salad, meat, or seafood dish. A carefully curated cocktail menu will be available, including Ortanique's famous mojito, as well as select beers and wines.
When asked if there are plans to reopen Ortanique, Hutson — currently a consulting chef for Cerveceria La Tropical and the Miami Cancer Institute — was ambivalent.
"This limited-engagement pop-up is more a tribute than a formal relaunch. As much as I miss the relationships and making people happy with our food and hospitality, I don't know if I'm ready to do that just yet," says Hutson. "But who knows? Maybe I will. Let's see how this pop-up goes."
The Ortanique pop-up launches on Thursday, September 28, and will be available on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings until Saturday, December 16. Guests can choose from two seatings per night, each limited to 40 guests with a two-hour time limit. The first seating can be reserved between 6 and 6:30 p.m., the second between 8:15 and 8:45 p.m. Each seating features a prix-fixe menu priced at $98 per person (including tax but excluding bar and gratuity).
Ortanique Pop-Up. Thursday through Saturday from September 28 through December 16, at 1831 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables; 305-458-8422; @ortaniqueonthemile.
