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What are the biggest headlines in food right now?
Variety is the spice of life, and locals will soon have even more dining choices to choose from.
The Oasis is scheduled to open in Wynwood later this month, and it’s already poised to be a new hot spot. The 35,000+-square-foot venue will feature a wealth of culinary concepts, including Buya Dumplings + Buns (from the team behind nearby Buya Izakaya), Mr. Mandolin (fast-casual Mediterranean food), and New York’s Prince Street Pizza. The Oasis will also house a fitness studio, retail stores, and more.
Over in Doral, more details have been announced about the forthcoming Shoma Bazaar food hall. The place has already been fully leased, and many local favorites are among the tenants. Familiar names include Eating House, Ella’s Oyster Bar, Ash Pizza, Doce Provisions, and InRamen. Shoma Bazaar is expected to open sometime within the next few months.
And Chef Adrianne continues to expand her food empire with a new restaurant in Coral Gables called Forte. The Italian eatery is taking over the former Cibo Wine Bar location on Miracle Mile, and guests can expect Sicilian-inspired fare. Forte is slated to open sometime in April.
Have you eaten anything good lately?
On weekends, Coral Gables’ MKT Kitchen hosts Li’s Dim Sum, a popup by chef Raymond Li (ex-Palmar). On the menu: XO rice and egg; cold Shanghai noodles; pork, shrimp and vegan siumai; and smashed cucumbers — to name a few specialties. The menu is constantly changing, so every experience is different (yet consistently delicious). Check out their Instagram for hours and specials. We’re excited to go back for the Szechuan ropa vieja very soon.
The new Japanese takeout and delivery concept Bubusan is another highlight. Based out of South Beach’s Azabu, Bubusan offers hearty omakase boxes jam-packed with nigiri, rolls and other delights; the packaging is top-notch, too. And that tuna pizza is ::chef’s kiss::
What’s a food product that blew your mind 😱?
While exploring Palmetto Bay, we stumbled upon Kimchi Mart. It’s an Asian grocery store, and we discovered our latest obsession there while perusing its selections: frozen instant boba tea. While we’re wary of anything with the word “instant” in it, we decided to take a chance — it was only $5 after all. The DIY tea was one of the best decisions we’ve made (no joke), and if you’re fans of boba tea, it’s better than any that we’ve encountered at shops across Miami — except for maybe Chatime at Sunset Place (RIP). The grocery store is also home to some tasty mochi ice cream. If you’re in the area, definitely stop by.
What are you reading?
One story that warmed our hearts was Miami New Times’ feature on Derek Gonzalez, the founder of Pilo’s Street Tacos. He’s committed to becoming one of the largest employers of people with developmental disabilities, or as he prefers to call them, “special abilities.” Gonzalez’s mission was inspired by his aunt Pilo, who had Down syndrome.
Question: Can influencers and food writers coexist? Dish Miami spoke to a number of folks in food media — including one-half of your loveable Miami Food Pug duo — to get their take on the current food coverage landscape. The piece is an in-depth look at transparency and other pressing issues facing the media realm today.
What local business are you supporting?
Mo’s Bundt Cakes. Words can’t do justice to how delicious these cakes are, so we’ll just link you directly to their Instagram. Can’t decide which sweet to get? Let us help you with one word: Nutella.
