Fiola impresses with both quality and inventiveness
By Andrew Gayle
It has been four years since Fiola restaurant was transplanted to the tony Miami suburb of Coral Gables from Washington, D.C., by master chef and restaurateur Fabio Trabocchi. Coral Gables is a notoriously unforgiving environment for new restaurants, but Fiola has not only survived (including nine rugged pandemic months) but is thriving. And for good reasons.
Fiola impresses on many levels, but its attention to detail is paramount. The seating, for example. The dining area is divided into three areas, separated by two glass-wall partitions, one stocked with bottles of wine, the other decorated with blown glass vases and bottles of rare Barcadi rum (Fiola is located in the family office building of Facundo Bacardi). You can sit on one of the green banquettes that line the walls and partitions or in comfortable, upholstered armchairs, each with a small pillow for the base of your back. The napkins are made with what feels like 400-thread Egyptian cotton, soft to the touch. The cutlery is gold, the tableware is Richard Ginori from Florence.
On the night we dined, the complimentary amuse bouche was a perfect example of the complexity of flavors – and presentations – at Fiola. Our waiter described it as a “paleta” or popsicle, a small bite of cantaloupe topped with Jamon Iberico, resting in a pool of white garlic sauce with cashew powder and chive oil, served in a small hand-crafted bowl lined with gold leaf.
For diehard fans of Fiola, several of the signature dishes remain on the menu. These include the amazing lobster ravioli. The lobster is cooked over a low temperature rather than boiling it, to ensure juiciness. The ravioli dough is wonton, not egg pasta, so that it can be steamed rather than boiled. The dish uses ginger and rosemary to enhance the flavor.
Another signature dish is the porcini mushroom “cappucino” soup, which starts with a bowl occupied by Parmigiano foam, chanterelle mushrooms, and sheep’s milk ricotta-stuffed pasta, over which the waiter pours a hot porcini mushroom broth from a porcelain coffee pot. A work of art filled with subtle shifts of flavor.
With the addition of Cuban-American chef Brian Garcia, however, some of the newer dishes reflect a sensibility to South Florida tastes, especially in the realm of seafood. One of these is a “gragnano” spaghetti, using whole wheat pasta cooked in a fish broth and tossed with a creamy blend of parsley stems, white wine, clam stock, and tiny red peppers, then layered over four types of fresh clams. A fantastic and complex explosion of flavors with a nice bite to the pasta – and no cheese in the sauce.
He reprises this depth of flavors with a grilled branzino that is served “fisherman style” with Prince Edward Island mussels, a corn and zucchini succotash, red piquillo peppers, and lemongrass. The result is a highly aromatic broth and a delicious texture to accompany the flaky branzino with its seasoned, crisp skin. Another masterpiece of rich, deeply entangled tastes.
Of course, Fiola is, at heart, an Italian restaurant, with risotto, rigatoni, carpaccio, and burrata of mozzarella on the menu. But it’s in the newer dishes that local flavors and the inspirations of Chef Garcia are apparent. These include some superb sides, like a savory charred sweet corn cooked with butter, chives, and black pepper, and roasted heirloom baby carrots cooked with spiced almonds, grappa cherries, and sumac honey. As good as it sounds.
“It’s an eclectic menu that has something for everyone,” says owner-partner Thomas Angelo. “If someone wants a hardcore Italian meal, with comfort food like meatballs or pasta, they can have that. If someone wants something clean, like fish, we have that. And then we have some great seasonal dishes, where we try to keep the menu fresh.”
Fiola de Fabio Trabocchi
1500 San Ignacio Ave.
305.912.2639
Fiolamiami.com
