Sugarcane is an icon of walkable midtown, just south of the Miami Design District
There’s something uniquely charming about a place that has a cocktails menu only built from rum. Not to say, of course, that Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill doesn’t offer more in the way of drinks – the rum-based menu is only an addition to the restaurant’s other “signature libations.” But there’s an intentional specificity to what goes on here, in everything from the menus to the atmosphere.
At Sugarcane, sitting outside in the modern “Sim City” neighborhood of Midtown, is a must on a weather-friendly evening. Geometric star-shaped lights hang over the patio, reflecting off the brightly polished wooden tables. A large hedge protects the privacy of diners from passersby and more plants are scattered throughout. A large tree, bedecked with more lights, grows out of the ground inside the patio and vines dangle along the walls.
The rum cocktails menu does not disappoint, with reimagined classics like the Rum Old Fashioned (substituting Brugal Añejo for bourbon) and the Negroni Boulevard (Diplomatico Mantuano instead of gin). The liquor menu is similarly fashioned, featuring flights ranging from $25 to $45 and a large selection of artisanal rums.
The menu is also well-focused, centering mostly on the raw bar and sushi rolls. The Hokkaido Scallop from the former is a masterclass in contrasting flavors with black truffle, lime, jalapeño, and apple marinated in yuzu juice, a citrus fruit from East Asia. From the sushi section of the menu the crunchy tuna roll, a simple roll with avocado inside, drizzled with sweet chili and finished off with a slight crunch in the form of chili tempura flakes, adds a nice divergence of texture.
Still, our favorite dish was one outside of Sugarcane’s norm: the duck and waffle. A unique take on the more traditional chicken and waffles, this one comes with crispy leg confit served on a bed of waffle, a fried duck egg topping it all with mustard maple syrup on the side. The leg of duck was delicate and tender, the duck egg creamier and richer than a regular chicken egg, and the syrup sweetly flavored with a bare hint of spice beneath. Perhaps the only reason not to order this is its heaviness – at Sugarcane, you’d be well within your rights to indulge in several dishes, rather than limiting yourself to a single entrée that will leave you satisfied… but full.
For the coda, instead of dessert – though there are myriad options here – consider an after-dinner drink. There’s a long list of those here, palate cleansers and stronger liquors alike, ranging from limoncello to Glenlivet. There are also “drinkable desserts,” including coffee spiked with tequila, espresso martinis, and, of course, several creamy rum-based drinks.
Sugarcane is an experience that takes you through every step in the dining process, doing all the thinking for you so the only decisions you have to make is what to enjoy – without wondering whether you should.
