At many restaurants, a tasting menu is one of the best ways to experience the menu. These multi-course feasts usually include a little bit of everything, giving diners a comprehensive journey through a restaurant’s offerings. If you visit any of these six restaurants, a tasting is a must.
COTE
COTE is a carnivore’s dream: The Michelin-starred Korean steakhouse is all about meat, meat, and more meat (in fact, that’s the name of a section on the menu). A la carte ordering is possible, but the best bang for your buck is one of the many tastings available. For an experience that won’t break the bank (too much), there’s the Butcher’s feast that comes with four selected cuts and a number of accompaniments like pickled seasonal vegetables, scallion salad, egg soufflé, and stews. It’s a lot for the price tag.
Budget be damned? Splurge on the Steak Omakase, which offers a grand tour of the restaurant’s signature offerings can be complemented by a wine pairing for the ultimate indulgence. Worry about your bank account later—the experience is unmatched.
COTE is located at 3900 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33137. For more information, visit their official website.
Lion & The Rambler
At this charming Coral Gables eatery, tasting menus are the norm; a la carte ordering is only offered at certain times. And that’s OK because the modern American cuisine at Lion & The Rambler is best experienced as a chef’s tasting.
You can choose from a four-course or seven-course menu, and both feature a wealth of snacks to begin your culinary adventure. Selections change regularly, but here are the types of dishes you might find during your visit: thrice fried chicken, line-caught cod, and grilled spiny lobster.
Lion & The Rambler is located at 804 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables, FL 33134. For more information, visit their official website.
Paperfish Sushi
One of the first things you’ll notice about Paperfish Sushi is the menu. The Nikkei restaurant serves up a wide range of Peruvian-Japanese specialties, and it can be difficult to make up your mind since everything sounds delicious.
That’s why we recommend one of the platters or the omakase. Are you visiting as a group? The signature omakase includes nikkei ceviche, tiradito, eight pieces of nigiri, eight pieces of sashimi, and signature maki; it’s meant for sharing and highlights some of the eatery’s freshest fish. Individual diners can opt for nigiri, sashimi, or a mixed platter, all of which include menu highlights as well. The best part: These prices are pretty affordable compared to other Brickell restaurants.
Stubborn Seed
If you choose the chef’s tasting menu at South Beach’s Stubborn Seed, make sure to have your camera ready: These are some of the prettiest plates you’ll encounter. Both the 8-course and 11-course menus are pricey, but the food speaks for itself. In fact, you don’t really have a choice; the restaurant only offers a la carte at the bar. It’s hard to nail down what type of cuisine this place offers, but one word is enough: delicious. Come in with an open mind.
Stubborn Seed is located at 101 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139. For more information, visit their official website.
Tanuki
Over on Alton Road, Tanuki offers some of the best Japanese food on that side of the causeway. Here, guests have options upon options upon options when it comes to satisfying their appetites.
Thankfully, Tanuki’s tasty tastings help keep things simple for diners. Choose from a 5-piece or 8-piece nigiri/sashimi platter of chef’s favorite seasonal fish, or go all out with the Tanuki Omakase, which includes tuna tartare, truffle yellowtail, and a California roll on top of whatever the chef feels like showcasing. No matter what you choose, Tanuki delivers a quality experience.
Zitz Sum
Great things are happening at Zitz Sum, the Michelin-recognized Asian-inspired restaurant in Coral Gables. This is the place for adventurous palates, as the primarily Chinese-inspired menu can change fairly quickly. A la carte ordering adds up fast, so we suggest just biting the bullet and opting for the signature tasting menu. The whole table must participate but trust us: You’ve never experienced something like this. The food is above and beyond what most of the neighborhood’s restaurants are serving up.
Zitz Sum is located at 396 Alhambra Circle, Suite 155, Coral Gables, FL 33134. For more information, visit their official website.
