Playfully named El’eat (pronounced ‘elite’), this soon-to-open North Miami restaurant and lounge, offers an eclectic modern American menu with rich Latin American and classical Europe influences — this is what we call first-class.
Although you may be fooled by its strip mall location next to the Oleta River State Park, El’eat’s sparkling bronze and crystal, open-concept interior is over-the-top glam.
We were recently invited in to experience the restaurant, before its official grand opening on May 29th, and sample some of the exquisite dishes created by Chef Will Biscoe. To start the evening, we were treated a glass of Perrier-Jouët champagne and, from the chef, an amuse-bouche of deviled eggs decadently salted with Ostera caviar.
The extensive tasting of dishes, especially selected by the chef from the menu, began with two salads — Grilled Asparagus, topped with a fried egg, and, my favorite, an ‘al dente’ Braised Kale with crispy, yet tender smoked pork belly and portobello mushrooms, lightly tossed with creamy lemon vinaigrette.
With the appetizers, each was better than the first. The crispy crusted Jumbo Lump Crab Cake was surprisingly light, yet meaty. More unique were the chef’s inventive Fricadelles – Danish meatballs in a gravy of caramelized onions, mushrooms, then topped with Gruyere cheese and the Avocado Fritters – wedges of avocado that were breaded and deep-fried, and drizzled with Dynamite sauce.
However, the most scrumptious was the Southern ‘biscuit and gravy’-styled Sautéed Garlic Shrimp. Each bite of shrimp was met with a delightful crunch, and, along with corn-buttered 7-UP biscuits, they were like buried treasures under a divine sauce of white wine, tomatoes, and lemon butter.
The competition to stand out alongside the main entrees include the Portuguese-accented PEI Mussels, Grilled Red Snapper and the El’eat Burger, a generous combination of Black Angus brisket, chuck and short rib sandwiched on a French croissant bun.
The clear winner is the aromatic Feijoada-styled Crispy Pork Shank. Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a Brazilian meat stew with black beans. The chef modernized this traditional hearty dish with a four-hour braised pork shank, that falls off the bone, that is delicately spiced with peppery cumin.
Guests with a sweet tooth will enjoy the artful desserts, created by the pastry-trained Biscoe, accompanied by one of the luxurious flavors of High Road Craft ice cream or sorbet.
We must mention the fine wine pairing by El’eat’s manager, (and a natural sommelier), Diego Perez. Outstanding from the 2011 California Reds were the 10+1 Money Pinot Noir, Charles Krug Merlot & Mount Veeder Cabernet. El’eat also has a selection of over 40 craft beers, including three locals on tap in the lounge.
El’eat Restaurant & Lounge is located on the 163rd street restaurant row, 3207 NE 163rd Street, North Miami; (786) 440 – 7104. An off-street parking lot surrounds the location, providing ample parking.