Japanese Fusion Restaurant Salvaje Debuts First U.S. Location at Hyde Midtown Miami

Salvaje, a restaurant with locations in Spain, Panama, and Colombia, opens its doors today on the rooftop of Hyde Midtown Miami. Led by chef Fermín Azkue, the kitchen offers a menu of Japanese-fusion dishes.

Using imported ingredients, Salvaje — the name is Spanish for "wild" — serves dishes like grilled and teriyaki-glazed lamb shank, tandoori chicken on a stick, and truffle fried rice with roasted duck.

"Salvaje has an international menu to which we are adding and experimenting with products and gastronomy of each location and culture,"  Azkue tells New Times. "We like to innovate and share a part of each location with the rest of the restaurants around the world."

Azkue, who was born in Venezuela, worked in restaurants in Spain, France, and England, including Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London, before joining the first Salvaje location in Panama in 2018. The chef says his cooking pays homage to his roots and international culinary career, noting that he chose Miami as a destination because of the city's own diverse food culture.

"Like the city of Miami itself, we are a great international mix," Azkue says. "We are united by many things with the city, such as the diversity of its people, the quality, the fun, and that Latin touch of passion."
The 170-seat space boasts a retractable roof, bamboo daybeds, and an indoor dining room of mismatched tables surrounded by bookshelves. Guests who prefer outdoor seating will dine surrounded by oversize palms and an assortment of illuminated light fixtures.

There's an omakase sushi bar, and a cocktail list, the latter of which incorporates a Latin twist into concoctions such as the "Rita Salvaje," made with tequila, Gran Marnier, orange juice, and ginger; and "Vikingo," a vodka-based drink mixed with berries, lime juice, eucalyptus, and soda. A daily sunset hour from 4 to 6 p.m. will offer discounted drinks and a special food menu.

Salvaje. 101 NE 34th St.; Miami; miami.salvaje.world/cocina. Open 3 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.