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Another New York Transplant
Contemporary Tex/Mex Comes
to the Dolphin Mall
He incorporated corn, chilies and zucchini (“the
three sisters of the southwestern trinity”) into his recipes.
SWNY in South Florida looks, and tastes, a little different from its
Northeastern counterpart.
By Mark Goldberg
If you thought SouthwestNY was a location somewhere
around Battery Park, you’d be wrong. Actually the first SWNY
restaurant was built alongside New York’s World Financial Center
back in 1998 and was one of the first establishments to re-open
following 9/11. But a few weeks ago a new location opened that could
actually be called SouthwestFLA, since it’s in the Dolphin Mall, in
west Miami-Dade.
One difference between the two is that the NY location
looks like a restaurant, while this one has the appearance of an
outdoor cantina filled with upper and lower level tables,
semi-private booths, private party rooms and blue columns supporting
white roofs with terra-cotta Spanish tiles. Another difference is
the New York spot features a Tex/Mex menu, while this one’s Tex/Mex
has a Latin influence. To quote Corporate Chef Wade Burch, “We
didn’t want a cookie-cutter look. Every restaurant has its own
identity.”
That extends to the menu, as well. Chef Burch
emphasized that in addition to the Latin influence, Miami also has a
Native American one, with our Seminole residents. So he incorporated
corn, chilies and zucchini (“the three sisters of the southwestern
trinity”) into his recipes. The result is a menu five pages deep,
with everything from Queso Fundido to Tamarind Glazed Pork Chops and
from Empanadas to Burgers to Fajitas. Another interesting touch is
the replacing of the standard tortilla chips with warm and tasty
hush puppies and a salsa verde dipping sauce.
The Fundido ($7.50) was indeed-o fun. Burch’s homemade
ground chorizo has been muted a bit, since earlier diners couldn’t
take the fiery first batch. The still-flavorful sausage was topped
with melted Juahaca cheese (soft and mild, similar to a muenster).
We scooped out the sausage and cheese, wrapped it in warm flour
tortillas and dipped it in a salsa roja to re-energize the spice.
SWNY Sliders ($6.75), three mini burgers dressed with lettuce,
tomato and pepper jack cheese, were tender and tasty and could have
been a meal in themselves. The Acapulco Ceviche ($9.75) was loaded
with Gulf shrimp and red snapper and served in a cocktail glass with
avocado and red onion. According to Burch, the ingredients were
prepared Mexican style, with more lime juice as well as orange and
lemon. But we found the mix of garlic, Serrano chilies, cilantro and
the juices almost non-existent and the over-marinated seafood rather
tasteless.
The Local Catch of the Day (Market Price) was a very
nice filet of cilantro/pesto marinated Venezuelan red snapper. The
fish was moist and flaky and the drizzled red pepper coulis added a
nice earthiness. The sliced mushrooms had a tasty sweetness, being
sautéed in extra virgin olive oil, garlic and marsala wine. The
filet rested on a bed of Spanish rice. The Tamarind Glazed Pork
Chops ($12.75) were a major disappointment. The chops were
overcooked so they were difficult to cut and chew. Worse, there was
literally no flavor. Thank goodness for the delicious boniato mash
and the even better bourbon creamed corn that accompanied them. The
Mojo Marinated 12-Ounce Sirloin Steak ($17.50) was rich in taste,
but the meat itself was again tough to slice.
Desserts ($4.75 each) need an overhaul. Four of the
six choices were a boring sorbet, ice cream, brownie sundae or fried
ice cream — too much of the same — each overdosed with whipped
cream. Although the Fried Ice Cream with its fried coconut and
cornflakes topping and dulce de leche caramel sauce was clever.
SouthwestNY offers a Rewards Program. Sign up and for
every dollar spent, you get a point. When you collect 250 points,
you receive a $25 discount. To the left of the restaurant, they have
opened a marketplace that serves takeout, which can be enjoyed on
the extensive patio. To the right is the Merchants Cigar Bar, which
opens this week with a high-end menu, fine smokes and upscale
design.
Comments? E-mail
letters@miamisunpost.com.
* * *
SouthwestNY
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ADDRESS: 11401 NW 12th St., in the Dolphin Mall
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PHONE: 305-640-0500
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HOURS: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily; dinner 4 p.m.-10
p.m. Sunday – Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday - Saturday
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FOOD: Southwestern in flavor, Latin in influence
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SERVICE: Amiable and attentive
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PRICES: Appetizers $2.50 to $11.95, entrées from
$11.95 to$19.95
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WINES: Moderately priced with something for
everyone
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ATMOSPHERE: Like a bright Mexican terrace
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RESERVATIONS: Not needed
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CREDIT CARDS: MasterCard, VISA, American Express,
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