The newest seafood restaurant in Brickell elevates dining to new heights. Literally
Adrift Mare, which just opened in July, is part of the reinvention of Miami as a vertical city. In the New Miami, it’s not just residences and offices that climb skyward. The entertainment and amenities have also gone vertical, from the bar Sugar on the 42nd floor rooftop of the East Hotel, to the score of hotel pools that are a half dozen floors above street level. Adding to this multilevel living, straight from the Hong Kong handbook, is the new Adrift Mare restaurant.
Located on the 25th Floor of Hotel AKA Brickell, Adrift Mare’s first ‘wow’ factor is the excellent view of the city and Biscayne Bay beyond. The second ‘wow’ is the space itself: Adrift is laid out in an atrium that rises another ten floors upward. That huge, open chamber is punctuated by a series of vertical light fixtures, hanging down in groups.
The effect is one of abundant spaciousness in an ultra-modern setting. In the daytime Adrift Mare is flooded with light; in the evening the city glimmers outside.
Adrift Mare is the latest creation of Michelin-starred restaurateur David Myers, also known as the “Gypsy Chef.” That sobriquet reflects both his world travels for culinary inspiration and his globe-trotting entrepreneurism; Myers now has 20 restaurants in nine cities and three continents, from Tokyo and Los Angeles to New Delhi and Doha. He has a reputation for boarding a flight every few days to check on one of his eateries and to seek new food inspirations.
Each of Myer’s restaurants has a different theme, and the focus here is on Middle Eastern cuisine with a seafood tilt. “A lot of times when a restaurant says they’re Mediterranean it’ll just be Greek, or maybe with some Italian seafood,” says Thomas Sloan, the general manager. “But we wanted to be truly Mediterranean, with Northern African spices and Tel Aviv dishes, a kind of fusion where you still have your big hitters like shish kabobs.”
The gypsy was not at Adrift when we visited, having just flown off to Japan and then Bali. But his well-trained staff delivered a superlative meal – starting with those very shish kabobs, big chunks of roast lamb on a skewer (chicken or beef is also available). The skewer ($32) was served with pita bread and chili sauce, and with pickled vegetables and red cabbage for a piquant and pleasantly sour contrast to the seasoned roast.
As might be expected, their hummus, served with garlic honey flatbread, is fresh and fluffy ($14). Less expected was their flavorful heirloom tomatoes ($20), served in a tomato consume and topped with burrata cheese, crunchy toasted quinoa, and a drizzle of smoked olive oil. We thought the lobster rolls on brioche bread were a little pricy ($38) but, if you’re down for the splurge, they were delightfully lemony with a hint of sweetness and a saffron aioli to spike the flavor.
In addition to the kabob, we tried three other entrees. The grilled king prawns ($38) were served in their shells, and looked like small lobsters, the taste profile enhanced by fermented garlic. The prime rib eye (14 oz, $68) could not have been better, perfectly grilled on an open flame. But the showstopper was the whole branzino ($55). It was deboned and served with head and tail on, covered with fennel, Fresno chili peppers and bits of sauteed onion, having first been charcoal grilled. What put it over the top was a slather of creamy Moroccan garlic harissa paste in the deboned cavity.
Another thing not to be missed is the crispy eggplant side dish ($10) in which the sliced eggplant is roasted black with lemon salt, and then served with garlic aioli. A unique presentation for anyone remotely fond of eggplant.
Also, to its credit, Adrift Mare has a well curated wine selection from Mediterranean sources and some excellent cocktails (it has a large bar that runs the length of the restaurant). And while the soundtrack is energetic “house” music, the volume is moderated just enough to permit easy conversation. “We want a fine dining experience with luxury service that is not too stuffy,” says Sloan. “This is for foodies who want to have fun, with a view.”
