Recipe: Jamie DeRosa’s Thanksgiving Stuffing
November 24, 2014The $3,000 Vodka
January 29, 2015[map]
Located at the base of Brickell World Plaza, Tamarina is surrounded by tiered pools of water and a modestly landscaped terrace. The glow of Tamarina's glass enclosed dining room will enchant you as you arrive at the 600 block of Brickell Avenue.
During last week's Art Basel mayhem, we chose to escape the bustle with an intimate dinner at Tamarina. The decor has gone through a gorgeous transformation since housing the former Lippi restaurant. David d'Almada of Sagrada in London successfully transformed the restaurant into four separate dining experiences. With seductive hues of aubergine and dark wood tones, the space now features a Crudo bar and al fresco Champagne bar.
Our visit began with an aperitif at the sprawling marble bar. Bar Manager, Nathan Rogers, offered a wealth of information on Tamarina's bar program which features an impressive selection of small batch spirits. We sipped on a 'Raised Spirits' while Nathan shared his knowledge and love for the bar. This clean-tasting, gin-based cocktail is combined with rosemary syrup, lemon bitters, a dash of cucumber and lemon juice, then garnished with a rosemary sprig and rim of salt and pepper. If you share Nathan's adoration for gin, we recommend asking for a tasting of his top choices.
We were seated in the center of the main dining room - a perfect position to feast on all the striking accents. Dramatic sheers drape down from the towering ceiling to divide the main bar while a vintage brass shelf displays cut crystal glassware.
As lounge music quietly penetrated the room, dinner began with a selection of east and west coast oysters ($3-$4 each), perfectly matched with a glass of Sommariva Prosecco ($10). Unlike most Prosecco, this selection was clean and bright and allowed us to enjoy the varying flavors of each oyster.
We continued to explore the crudo bar menu with a crisp, floral glass of CORSE ($12) Vermentino. Diners can choose a Tasting of Four Crudo ($16) or order a la carte. Our tasting also included Yellow Tail Snapper crudo ($12) and Ahi Tuna Tartare ($17). Delicate Tiger Prawn carpaccio ($14) is served with a light drizzle of olive oil, pinch of black lava salt and finely diced tomato. Each dish is pristinely fresh and served in reasonable portions.
Embracing a coastal Italian theme, our dinner showcased standout dishes such as Chilean Seabass ($32), Ravioli ($18) and Polpo ($18). The tender, buttery Seabass was seared to perfection with salmorigi, a classic Italian condiment made of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic, then simply presented with roasted vegetables. Ravioli is served firm to the bite in a light sage butter sauce and deliciously filled with ricotta and spinach.
Tamarina's desserts are equally as elegant. Bambolini ($9) is served as a trio of warm doughnuts stuffed with creamy gelato while their interpretation of Tiramisu ($9) is presented as an opulent sphere of layered mascarpone served on a bed of chocolate crunch.
With prices as palatable as its exquisite cuisine, Tamarina seems to have updated more than just decor and should be on your list of must-try restaurants.