The Bazaar by Jose Andres
Reviews
Name: Marjorie Dorcely
Occupation: Vice- President, Compliance- Healthcare Mgmt.
Lives In: Miami/ Fort Lauderdale, FL
Restaurant Pick: The Bazaar by Jose Andres South Beach
Reviewed: The Bazaar by Jose Andres South Beach
Parking was terrible – It was 7pm on a Saturday (Halloween night) on South Beach. Enough said. We ran 30 minutes late just navigating the hordes of pedestrians in costumes that were cruising Ocean drive that evening. So we decided to valet – I knew from my first visit to Bazaar that parking would be expensive and $30 for 3 hours was the going rate that evening – Mentioning dining at the restaurant did not make any difference – parking is not discounted or made complimentary. Once you take a deep breath and decide to take the plunge, then everything else changes. You walk up a few steps to an outdoor dining area, through some double doors into an indoor eating area, then to the front of the house of bazaar, where young and lovely women welcome you with a smile and quickly escort you to your table. Once seated, you can be assured that within a few minutes, a waiter will introduce himself (have had 2 male waiters so far) to you, welcome you and begin your service. He will offer you some water while you browse the cocktail (extensive) menu, and return quickly to answer questions (you will have many) about the offerings. Once the choice is made, then the exploration of the menu begins. It is 4 pages and divided into sections where one can experience the level of mastery of Chef Jose Andres. From the daring to the downright comfort food category, it is an adventure that satisfies many senses. My two non-gushing recommendations, none of which are deal breakers in my book, are with regards to: (a) Parking: make the locals (bridge crowd like me) feel welcome in Wonderland (South Beach) by offering a discount for valet parking or (gasp!) validate and make it complimentary.(b) Music: pay attention to the sounds piping out of the speakers. I did not notice during my first visit and this time, it may have been that it was Halloween and there were parties happening all around us, but curate the music to complement the menu and the atmosphere. Something worldly, start with Buika and go around the world.
Name: Jeff NeSmith
Occupation: Manufacturing Manager
Lives In: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Restaurant Pick: El Jefe Luchador
Reviewed: The Bazaar by Jose Andres South Beach
We drove down from Fort Lauderdale and unfortunately hit Miami Heat traffic and Kinky Boots at the Adrienne Arsht Center. So traffic was thick. We took the scenic route along the MacArthur Causeway, but it was bumper to bumper. We decided to park in the lot at 21st Street, plenty of spots and just $6 instead of $25 at the hotel and a nice short walk to the restaurant. Once seated, we decided on cocktails instead of wine, just one of those moods. We started out planning 3 to 4 dishes each, but somehow ended up with 5 each. Prices for cocktails and tapas ranged from $12 to $25, so not cheap. The quality was top notch all around. Joshua, our server really made the experience stand out. He was extremely thorough in describing the dishes, making recommendations and just checking to make sure that everything was to our liking. Overall a fun experience.
Name: Samantha DeBianchi
Occupation: Realtor
Lives In: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Restaurant Pick: Cviche 105
Reviewed: The Bazaar by Jose Andres South Beach
I have to be honest, a number of my friends and clients had told me about their very negative experiences dining at this restaurant, so my expectations were a bit low. Valet was of course priced high--$30 at the SLS Hotel, but as to be expected when parking at any hotel on South Beach. My friend and I walked back to the hostess stand where 4 people stood at a small stand. The three gentleman (I believe one was a manager), were friendly and welcoming but the hostess entering my name and party size could have used a smile on her face. My friend and I were taken to a table against the wall--seating was very comfortable as I sat in what I could have put in my own living room (very comfortable oversized chair). The atmosphere and vibe was South Beach chic--dim lighting, comfortable seating (a mix of chairs, and couches) with a true "homey" feel and a plethora of the sexiest people in Miami. Within seconds we were greeted by our server who was extremely friendly and truly looked like he was happy to be there. I ordered a Passion Fruit Up and my friend ordered a beer. Drinks were brought out promptly and I was more than happy with my drink--a creamy passion fruit top with a rum infusion on the bottom--good enough to be a dessert (just my style). The menu was a bit overwhelming but the server explained it thoroughly and truly took the time to give us the full run down, offering suggestions and recommendations. Since the restaurant is tapas style we ordered 6 different tapas: brussel sprouts, dragon fruit ceviche, conch fritters, creamy coconut rice, bone marrow and Cuban coffee rubbed churrasco.
Each item was brought out separately which definitely enhanced the dining experience allowing me to really take in the taste of each item. The conch fritters were brought out first, displayed on a piece of palm. With a beer batter-ish exterior, the interior was an infusion of conch and a creamy sauce that tasted absolutely amazing. I wanted to swim in whatever sauce was in this ball. Next up, the creamy coconut rice. This has crunchy puffed rice on top with regular creamy rice inside. I would have to say this was definitely my least favorite. Presented nicely within a coconut, the rice was extremely hot burning my tongue and in my opinion lacked a bit of flavor. There was nothing special about it other than the presentation itself. Next was the dragon fruit ceviche which had a noticeably beautiful presentation--tuna ceviche inside a dragon fruit topped with a dragon fruit foam sitting on a very simple crunched piece of paper (could have done without the paper but not taking points away for this). The ceviche was mixed with pecans, lemon and hibiscus, was very light but very tasty. Brussel sprouts were presented next. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was happy to see that it was a lighter version of the vegetable--mixed with lemon puree, apricots and grapes. The sprouts were a good accompaniment to all the food we ate and what was to come. The last two plates had to have been my favorite--the bone marrow and the cuban coffee rubbed churrasco. I had never had bone marrow so I did not know what to expect. The taste completely aroused my taste buds--the mix of white truffles and Florida citrus with the buttery bone marrow was just decadent. The final plate of churrasco was also impressive--the meat cooked to perfection and blended with the coffee rub and hints of a passion fruit sauce (which mixed beautifully).
Throughout the entire meal we had about 4 different people ensuring our tables were clean, our drink glasses were full--service that I have never seen in South Beach...and was quite impressed with. The server came back to provide his recommendations on dessert--The S-mores chocolate cake and the Key Lime Pie. I was hesitant to order the key lime as I wanted to order something more "exotic", however I am thoroughly happy that I did end up taking the server's recommendation--I could swim in deconstructed key lime pie for the rest of my life and be a happy girl. Both desserts were presented amazingly. The s'mores had a piece of edible gold and a piece of chocolate that was lit on fire to give the full "s'mores effect--the peanut butter ice cream was to die for. The key lime pie was "deconstructed" so it was more like a pudding that you mixed with the merengue and graham crackers than cutting into a pie. Both were beyond amazing...so much so that I decided to order one more dessert--the Pan con Leche. If Tres Leches and Creme Brûlée had a baby, this is what it would taste like--moist yet crunchy. Being a huge sweets person and a connoisseur of all things dessert--I can truly say the desserts were truly on point. After completing the meal, the bill arrived and I was shocked to see a total amount (with tip) of $204. I thought it would have been well over $300. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and I am surprised that others have had such bad experiences here!
Restaurant Information
Location: SLS Hotel South Beach 1701 Collins Ave, Miami Beach 33139
Parking: Valet
Phone: 305-455-2999
Website: www.sbe.com
Restaurant Owners: Jose Andres
Executive Chef: Tito Vargas
Pastry Chef: Jaime Hornby
Type of Cuisine: Sophisticated cuisine
Signature Dishes: Yes
Vegetarian Options: Yes
Alcohol Served: Full bar
Corkage Fee: N/A only events
Bottle Limit: N/A
Restaurant Hours:
Monday –6- 12 AM
Tuesday – 6- 12 AM
Wednesday – 6- 12 AM
Thursday –6- 12 AM
Friday – 6- 12 AM
Saturday – 6- 12 AM
Sunday – 6- 12 AM
Meals Served: Spanish style tapas
Prix Fix Menu: Only on holidays
Take-Out:
Delivery: No
Average Dinner Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 20% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $31-$50 per person
Average Lunch Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 20% gratuity, w/o alcohol):
Payment Options: do you accept credit cards and if so, which ones? Amex, Discover, MC, Visa
Accept Reservations: Yes, for dinner
Need Reservations: Dinner yes
How far in advance do you require reservations be made: Based on availability
Accommodations for Children:
Dining Style: Casual elegant
Disabled Access: Yes + Ramp
Restaurant Size: 400 guests
Accommodate Groups: Yes
Private Dining Room: Lounge- Yes
Tables with Scenic Views: Only at bar centro and view of pool
Outdoor Dining: Bar centro for lunch
Entertainment: No- dining room mood music