As you can see, or so the title implies, “Miami” is still stuck in my head. Damn you Will Smith and your catchy lyrics. And as the song plays on, so do my Miami posts.
Night two in Miami could have been a total disaster. I mean, where is there to go after the magnificence that is Casa Tua but downhill? But Michelle Bernstein saved the day, or night really, with Michy’s. Michy’s is a modern bistro in North Miami Beach, about 20 minutes away from South Beach. Michelle Bernstein is a celebrated Chef, winning the James Beard Award in 2007 for Best Chef South. She has also been featured on the Cooking Channel, which is how I found out about the restaurant. I knew the moment I saw the Deep Fried Apple Pie A La Mode, featured on Unique Sweets, that it was a dessert I could really sink my teeth into. So, with high hopes, and an empty stomach, I visited Michy’s.
To start, we ordered the Peruvian Style Ceviche, with the Seafood of the Day, Ginger, Lime, Chilies, Corn, and Sweet Potatoes. The Ceviche was clean but flavorful. The ginger and chilies added an element of heat to the cool dish.
The Creamy Polenta with Truffle Poached Egg and Bacon Bits was a clear choice from the get-go. This is the best polenta I have ever had, and yes, I understand the weight I am putting on this dish. The moment my fork perforated the egg, it exploded into the smooth polenta. The Bacon Bits should actually be referred to as Bits of Bacon, since they in no way, shape or form resemble the imitation Bacon you find in the Supermarket. They only enhanced the already delicious dish.
As a palette cleanser, if you will, we ordered Kumamota Oysters, petit and flavorful gems.
The Duck Confit was not your typical duck confit at all. It was crispy, and served along a Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad, tossed in a Sicilian Blood Orange Marmalade and mustard vinaigrette. I enjoyed the Duck Confit, but I loved this salad. I found myself repeating the ingredients over and over so I could replicate this dish at home. (Stay tuned; there just might be a Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad in your future).
The Sautéed Prawns and Handkerchief Pasta with Fava Beans, Kale and Seafood Nage was a favorite of the table. Here’s your fun fact of the day: a Nage is a flavorful liquid used to poached delicate foods (shrimp in this case). The liquid is thickened with cream or butter. The large noodles were delicate but sturdy enough to hold the vegetables. I liked this dish, but what I really enjoyed the most was being able to point out the ingredients used to make the Nage. Thank you French Culinary Institute. This Bite-Sized Blonde is forever indebted to you.
The Short Ribs Falling Off the Bone, which is actually what they are called on the menu, was served over a Parsnip Potato Mousseline, Natural Jus, and Roasted Root Vegetables. It was hearty and rich, but not enough to make me forget the dessert I had been waiting for all night.
Deep Fried Apple Pie A La Mode. More like A La Amazing. The first thing you notice with this dessert is the great, big sphere of milky vanilla ice cream, speckled with pieces of toffee. Yum, but even more yum when paired with deep-fried apple pie. Sure, you could really deep fry about anything and it would taste good. But good is just not good enough to describe this dessert. The deep-fried dough is crispy as can be and the warm apple pie filling is luxurious.
What a way to end Miami…on a sweet note!
Michy’s
6927 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, Florida
305.759.2001
Bite Sized Banter 