Caviar Bumps on a Party Bus: Miami Spicing With Chef Michael Schwartz

I was invited to a Miami Spice preview dinner that visited both of chef Michael Schwartz's Miami restaurants, Amara at Paraiso and Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, and I walked away very impressed. Not just because the food was good, but because the menus didn't feel like the usual Miami Spice ripoffs. (Check out our list of some of the wildest Miami Spice menus you can't miss this year.)

Oh, and the way I visited the restaurants was via a fun party bus filled with glasses of champagne and caviar. I mean, we're in Miami, after all. 

Stop No. 1: Amara at Paraiso

We kicked off at Amara at Paraiso on what felt like a miracle July night in Miami: no sticky humidity, just perfect weather for waterfront dining. They served us various lunch appetizers, including chicken and mushroom croquettes accompanied by truffle aioli. The croquettes came filled with shredded chicken and mushrooms in béchamel, then they stuck a chicken bone in at the end after deep frying, making for a fun presentation.

The arugula and fennel salad with grapes, blue cheese, almonds, and balsamic vinaigrette hits all the summer notes, being refreshing without being boring. Other lunch appetizers guests can expect include the salmon causita layered with purple potatoes, avocado, and ají panka aioli. Then we moved to dinner entrees. The real MVP was the 12-ounce grass-fed Uruguayan ribeye steak from their dinner menu. Miami Spice has a reputation for somewhat skimpy portions, especially when it comes to meat. Not here. This was a proper 12-ounce steak, perfectly cooked, served with mini potatoes, onion, tomato Provençal, and garlic butter. The pan-roasted red snapper with broccolini and haricot vert brought Mediterranean vibes to the table.

Beyond what we sampled, Amara's lunch menu ($35, Monday through Friday) features homemade rigatoni with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, basil and ricotta salata, charcoal grilled cobia served over Brazilian seafood stew with steamed rice and kale salad, and a French dip with thinly sliced roasted ribeye, grilled onions, horseradish mayo and melted provolone on toasted baguette that won't rotate during Miami Spice. For dinner ($60 daily), guests can start with seared carpaccio of beef tenderloin with frisée, parmesan, shaved summer truffle, and Harry's vinaigrette or hamachi crudo with plum, green onion, and finger lime. Vito's burrata with fresh peaches, basil, and salsa macha, which we didn't try, is another permanent fixture. Dinner entrees include vegetable lasagna layered with eggplant, calabaza, Swiss chard, ricotta, parmesan, and roasted tomato sauce.

Their Miami Spice cocktail, the "Panaka Passion," packed passion fruit with a spicy kick. I could have had three more, but duty called.

Stop No. 2: Michael's Genuine Brings the Wood-Fired Heat

A party bus shuttled us over to Michael's Genuine, where Schwartz himself handed out caviar bumps while the group enjoyed a champagne toast. Wednesday nights mean live jazz at Michael's, which adds to the atmosphere.

We tried the shrimp and chorizo arancini with smoked chile aioli, which arrived smoky and crisp without weighing you down. But the crowd favorite was hands-down the wood-oven roasted eggplant with tomato harissa, feta, herbs, chickpeas, za'atar, and pita. Think of it as Shakshuka's eggplant cousin, served with fluffy pita bread.

The pan-seared cobia came with fennel, orange, Castelvetrano olives, arugula, and smoked paprika aioli. The fish was buttery and flaky with citrus notes that didn't overpower.

Michael's Genuine offers a $35 lunch (Monday through Friday) and a $45 dinner (Monday through Saturday), with menus that change frequently due to their seasonal approach. Beyond what we tried, lunch guests can expect grilled gem lettuce with tonnato, smoked trout roe and chives, or bacon-wrapped peaches with pistachio pesto to start. The wild mushroom panini with caramelized onions, fontina, gruyère, and arugula on ciabatta rounds out the lunch entrees alongside the cobia and wood-oven eggplant.
Dinner includes wagyu beef tartare with parsley caper salad, horseradish aioli, and potato pave, as well as coconut fried snapper with mango remoulade for appetizers. The wagyu bistro filet with marinated zucchini, lemon, and pine nuts joins the dinner entree lineup.

For dessert, the toasted polenta cake with fresh citrus and cream cheese ice cream sparked a table debate about which nostalgic cereal it resembled: Fruity Pebbles or Lucky Charms? The pavlova with mango, peach, and mascarpone creme was solid too. Michael's Genuine's Miami Spice cocktail, the "Bright Side of Jack," is a refreshing mix of whiskey, mango, and lime soda. Amara's menu also boasts a flourless chocolate torte topped with Grand Marnier cream and orange anglaise, alongside a mango, lime, and white chocolate tart.

Add It On

Amara offers worthwhile add-ons, including their signature yuca puffs ($10 or $19 for the truffled version), a mini-seafood platter ($68), and a surf and turf parrillada to share ($29, which serves two).

Schwartz made a point that resonated: these menus will rotate frequently at both restaurants because his kitchens are driven by produce and seasonality. Translation: Come back multiple times during Miami Spice and you'll get different dishes. Not a bad problem to have when the meals are this tasty.

Michael's Genuine Food and Drink. 130 NE 40th St., Miami; michaelsgenuine.com.
Amara at Paraiso. 3101 NE Seventh Ave., Miami; amaraatparaiso.com.