If you're a chef searching for a place to showcase your goods, Shoma Bazaar is signing new concepts to be part of the project. Slated to launch in early 2021, the 14,000-square-foot space, situated at the main entrance of the six-story rental community known as Sanctuary, will feature 15 stalls for artisan food vendors.
Shoma Bazaar founder and president Masoud Shojaee, alongside vice president of development and operations John Hart, are excited to unveil their refined take on the food hall model to area residents — and restaurateurs.
"So many projects like this are thematic and uniform, where all stalls look basically the same, signage is uniform, and the food is similar," says Hart. "We have found this to be particularly the case in South Florida, and with Shoma Bazaar, we hope to create a culinary and visual adventure for guests to offer something unique and different at every turn."
Shoma Bazaar's interior, designed by R&B in Wynwood, is divided into six unique zones: a cafe/bakery, biergarten, street-food area, American and Asian themes, and a bar/lounge, each with its own culinary focus and look.
Rather than recruit established commercial names, Hart says, his goal is to focus on creating an artisan, grassroots feel for what he envisions as a local community gathering place. While the project creators are open to looking outside the state for talent, their preference is to find chef-driven talent close to home.
A rendering of the Asian-themed dining area at Shoma Bazaar at Sanctuary Doral.
Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Doral
"We are going to be really selective — we're looking for the heart of Miami and the young talent that's out there," says Felix Bendersky, who owns the agency. "The business model was created for startups or established brands, everything from food trucks looking to transition to brick-and-mortar to dynamic up-and-coming talent. The most important thing, however, is that the culinary partners have passion and a desire to do something amazing."
Names that sign on to become part of Shoma Bazaar will have a number of amenities to support their efforts. A large commissary will allow chefs to create and execute anything they can dream up, while eight of the stalls feature hotlines that will provide customers with a direct view of behind-the-scenes action in real time. Two big-screen TVs — one in the bar/lounge and one at the biergarten — will stream live feeds of the chefs in their element or allow users to host virtual culinary events like cooking classes and mixology demonstrations.
Shoma Bazaar will also have a coordinated takeout, delivery, and off-premise catering system. Guests will be able to order a number of ways. Onsite and outside delivery will be accessible through a single app specifically enabling guests to order from their phones within the hall itself or direct at the counter with contactless payments.
"Considering the current environment with coronavirus we will be implementing every protocol necessary in order to create a safe environment for our guests and team members," says Hart. "We want to create a home for the more than 500 residents of Sanctuary at Doral and the local community while also creating a destination for visitors from surrounding communities and out of towners. With everything that's happened over the last few months, we're looking to make Shoma the perfect place to bring the community back together in the best way possible."
Shoma Bazaar at Sanctuary Doral. 9400 NW 41st St., Doral; 786-605-0000; shomabazaar.com.
