MIAMI (August 19, 2009)
Ceviche
Miami is known for its cultural diversity, particularly its Latin flavor that comes from its large and diverse community of Hispanics that hail from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Peru and many other countries. This cultural influx has impacted the city’s food culture, giving the city signature foods that aren’t necessarily native but reflect the city’s makeup. That said, Miami brings more to the table than Latin cuisine: one of its homegrown delicacies has been drawing hungry visitors for years. Here’s a look at some of Miami’s key signature foods, what makes them great and how to work them into an event.
First Taste: Stone crabs are a local delicacy caught in the waters in the Florida Keys. According to Steven Haas, incoming chair of the Greater Miami CVB and founder of Miami Spice, “Stone crabs are a must-have dish.” Besides their sweet flavor, Haas says stone crabs are also popular because the animals aren’t killed to prepare them. Only the claws are eaten, so fishermen simply remove the claws—which the crabs regenerate—and put them back in the water.
Cuban food, particularly the Cuban sandwich, is also one of Miami’s signature foods due to its sizable Cuban community. A Cuban sandwich is made with soft, tasty Cuban bread, ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, slices of dill pickles and yellow mustard, which makes for great texture and hearty flavor. It’s then pressed on a sandwich press for proper warmth and shape. Ceviche, despite being a traditional Peruvian dish, has also become a Miami signature food due to the growth of the city’s Peruvian community. It’s basically a citrus-marinated seafood dish in which the marinade actually “cooks” the fish.
What to Look For: The key to great stone crabs is that they’re served cold with either butter or mustard sauce on the side, though Haas claims that all they really need is a little lemon. The tricky part is knowing how to crack them open, but most places—especially Joe’s Stone Crab—will show your group members how to open and eat them properly. Keep in mind that stone crab season runs from October to May and they’re only available then.
When it comes to a Cuban sandwich, the roast pork is “what truly makes the sandwich,” says Valerie Bihet, director of the Miami DMC The Vibe Agency. Haas, however, feels that shoestring potatoes should be part of a great Cuban sandwich to add a crunchy texture and flavor. That said, not all restaurants add them to Cuban sandwiches. Instead, you more often get them when you order a frita, a Cuban hamburger made out of spicy ground beef, lettuce, onions and ketchup.
Other Cuban treats to try while in Miami include arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), ropa vieja (shredded flank steak in a tomato-based sauce), croquetas (breaded cylinders of a floury paste that includes either ham, chicken or fish), picadillo (richly seasoned ground beef hash usually served with rice), carne con papas (a potato-meat stew), maduros (sweet fried plantains) and yuca (a potato-like tuber flavored with a garlic-based sauce called mojo). You can top off dinner or complement breakfast with café con leche, which is thick, sweet Cuban-style espresso mixed with whole milk, arguably the fuel that a good portion of the city runs on.
There are a wide varieties of ceviches to choose from, but Haas recommends one made with either cod, mahi mahi, shrimp, calamari or mussels. “All of these combinations work well,” he says. “Ask the waiter about spice because sometimes they’ll overpower it with the spice,” he observes.
Where To Get Them: Haas’ prime pick for getting stone crabs is at Joe’s. “It’s definitely hand-down the best with nobody coming close,” he declares. While you can get stone crabs elsewhere, he feels that Joe’s was the originator and still the best. Besides the crabs, Joe’s also has “the best side dishes of any Miami restaurant,” says Haas, who recommends the hash browns and Key lime pie for dessert, which he simply describes as “the best, ever.”
Joe’s does not take individual reservations, so the waits can be as long as three hours. However, groups of 20 or can make reservations ahead of time. According to Robin Petrick of Joe’ Stone Crab, the restaurant has 2 private rooms for groups: one seats up to 50 and another up to 30. “With groups of 150 or more guests, we can offer a brunch or lunch on a Sunday or Monday, where we would open specifically for the group as we are not open for lunch on those days. We have handled groups up to 500 guests,” adds Petrick. Also keep in mind that Joe’s is a seasonal restaurant and is closed from August until mid-October.
Joe’s also does catering, allowing you to work stone crabs into an event through a special dinner. That said, stone crabs range in price from $30 to $75, depending on the size, so you need to factor that aspect into your planning and maybe save it for special groups.
For Cuban food, particularly sandwiches, Haas recommends David’s Café in Miami Beach or Versailles in Miami, which he describes as “the Joe’s Stone Crabs of Cuban food.” Both serve up great Cuban sandwiches and other dishes and can accommodate groups. For her part, Bihet agrees with Haas about David’s. “Open 24 hours a day, this South Beach staple has been serving classic Cuban cuisine since 1977. Looking for a bit of breakfast at four in the morning? Try a plate of scrambled eggs with diced ham and a cup of café con leche. Another South Beach location is Puerto Sagua (7th and Collins), is ideal for the die-hard foodie. Its focus is not about ambience or service, just really good food like ropa vieja, picadillo with no raisins, black beans, maduros and more,” she recommends. Bihet also recommends Versailles for groups, as well as La Carreta in Little Havana.
For ceviche, Haas recommends Soyka (full disclosure: he co-owns it) and also Adriana Restaurant in Surfside, which is north of Miami Beach and near the Bal Harbour area, home to meeting hotels and a popular mall, Bal Harbour Shops, known for its upscale range of brands. This could allow planners to set up a shopping outing and top it off with sampling some ceviche and other Peruvian delicacies at Adriana Restaurant.
Working Them In: The Vibe Agency works in Miami’s signature foods in several ways. “We take tour groups to various places to sample what you can find in Miami and what makes it special, kind of like a mini dine around: Cuban food, Key lime pie, stone crabs, café con leche, etc.,” says Bihet.
Another way is through a themed dinner, like a Latin-style party. “We make sure that the theme is carried throughout the event. We bring it into the décor, the entertainment, the location, all based around the food. It's important to offer our client something that's more interesting (as opposed to a prepackaged menu), fun, and complimentary to the overall tone and tenor of the event,” explains Bihet.
The Vibe Agency also works food into team building, having group members learn how to make some of Miami’s signature foods. “It's is a fun and effective way to bring diverse team members together, help them bond as a group, and learn more about each other through food preparation, cooking and dining together,” she observes.
She also takes groups to certain restaurants, depending on the budget and season, including Joe’s Stone Crabs, or adds a simple but tasty touch to corporate events with food, like serving mini Cuban sandwiches or a deconstructed paella, a delicious rice and seafood dish.
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