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Mini mozzarella di bufala, stuffed
with shrimp
A
boutique is a small specialty store that deals in elite and
fashionable items — and that’s precisely what we discovered
at Macchiato Boutique Restaurant in South Miami. Tucked away
opposite Dadeland Station, Macchiato is a little eatery with
big flavors. More than that, once you’re inside, the room
actually seems to expand. The walls are a virtual art
gallery featuring the works of international and local
artists. A stainless steel coffee bar takes up a good
portion of one wall. The dining area is a mélange of
starched white tablecloths and mismatched antique
furnishings that add to the room’s cozy charm.
Its 29-year-old owner,
Marlene Zubizarreta, who owned restaurants in her native
Caracas for the past seven years, works her floor well. The
kitchen is manned by Executive Chef Alberto Fuentes, whose
creative descriptions can lead to a confusing menu, but
whose food boasts character and confidence.
There is an extra
category on Fuentes’ menu. Amuse-bouche are starter treats
designed to share with tablemates. The Mini Mozzarella
($9.50) is wonderful, even though the menu description makes
little sense. It lists mozzarella di bufala stuffed with
shrimp (actually topped with tasty grilled shrimp that added
a second texture to the dish) and sea bacon strips (a smoky
prosciutto wrapper) over a string bean tempura jungle (a bit
of green bean puree). His Asparagus Tips ($5.50) listing is
more accurate, with the vegetable lightly grilled and the
bottoms wrapped in a crispy phyllo pastry with a velvety
butter sauce that rounds out the plate.
The appetizers category
features a fabulous Portobello Pizzeta ($9.50). The large
mushroom is seasoned with garlic and rosemary before baking,
topped with melted mozzarella and placed over a light tomato
sauce. It looks like a pizza without the bread — light but
earthy. The Towered Caprese Salad ($9.50) demonstrates what
creativity can do for an old standard. Local tomato slices
and bufala mozzarella are layered, then wrapped in
phyllo dough and baked for two minutes — just enough time
for the dough to crisp and the cheese to barely melt. The
dome (rather than a tower) is settled over an attractive bed
of basil pesto sauce and spicy mango sauce.
Lobster Ravioli ($19), an
evening special, features oversized pasta stuffed with
lobster and ricotta and splashed into a vodka sauce that
boasts a nice shrimp reduction. The salmon blended into the
sauce is tasty, but the fact that it’s diced into tiny cubes
gives it a processed look. Another special, the Pancetta
Risotto ($20), is made with Gorgonzola cheese and
caramelized onions. The risotto is surprisingly light and
benefits from the curry and carrot coulis base. Another
risotto, featuring Sautéed Prawns ($20) and curry, arrives
in an attractive plantain leaf, but is too cheesy to compare
with its pancetta predecessor.
Fuentes’ menu description
of Tepui Tenderloin ($28) reflects its good size, but focus
more on the exquisite tenderness of this cut of beef, the
beautiful display of two sauces — basil and Napoli — and the
contrasting scoops of mozzarella mousse kennels. The Roasted
Lamb Scaloppini ($17) could benefit from a description
explaining that the tasty mint- and papelon-marinated meat
is served in an uninspiring little bowl and paired up with a
dried fruit couscous. After seeing such attractive
presentations, this is a disappointment. But the Chicken
Breast Rolls ($14) bring us back to quality, with moist
breast meat rolled and stuffed with Kalamata olives and
sun-dried tomatoes, both chopped so finely that Fuentes
calls them caviar. The Grouper ($18) filet could use a bit
more seasoning, though it does contrast nicely with the
sharp parsley coulis. The sweet potato and wasabi kennel is
a quality side, and the crispy white beans (we call them
pine nuts) are a good garnish.
Desserts are the domain
of Zubizarreta’s mother, Paula, who uses only Venezuelan
Chocolate El Rey. So, go for the Warm Chocolate Fondant
($8). Although the cup of French Madeleine’s with Nutella
fondue ($8) is a favorite, it’s more like a
cookies-and-mousse parfait.
Macchiato should be a
destination restaurant. The food is good and the menu is
worth deciphering.
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