Restaurant
Review: Talula, Miami Beach
The child of the creative talents of two
much talked about chefs, Talula was opened
in 2003 by chefs Andrea Curto-Randazzo and
Frank Randazzo. Braving new culinary ground
in the northern most edge of Miami's South
Beach, Talula is neighbored by cultured
venues like the Miami City Ballet and the
Bass Museum - a fitting setting for the
innovative dishes and high quality ingredients
that come together in Talula's "Creative
American" cuisine.
Housed in a warm, brick-lined room with
cozy banquettes, deep woods, and Moroccan
sconces that cast pools of soft light, the
ambiance is instantly inviting and nicely
reflects the menu's American-Italian coziness
with modern, eclectic touches.
Andrea's recognition as one of Food and
Wine's top ten new chefs of 2001 and Frank's
James Beard award must surely make the Randazzos
one of the country's most impressive culinary
husband-and-wife teams. A fact not lost
on diners enjoying Talula signature dishes
like the Tartare of Ahi Tuna dotted with
serrano chiles, cucumber, and crisped rice
- a perfect example of the balance of flavor
and texture at which Talula excels. The
silky tuna and juicy cucumber contrast with
the serrano and rice crunch, while the lively
layers of flavors are beautifully balanced
- not so spicy that the delicate tuna is
overshadowed, just enough to give the dish
a shot of pizzazz.
A recent visit included several outstanding
bites. A starter of Conch Ceviche
was a gloriously colored mix of citrus-ginger
marinated conch, silky avocado, and ripe
tomato. Served with sweet-crunchy yuca chips,
it was lovely with an opening bottle of
bubbly. As was the signature Grilled
Foie Gras with Caramelized Figs, judging
by the sighs and heavenward gazing of a
dining companion. Blue corn cakes, a drizzle
of sweet-hot chile syrup and a sprinkling
of candied walnuts completed the dish.
Never one to pass up a chance to test a
kitchen's roasted chicken, I am happy
to report that Talula proved its attention
to detail. Golden skinned and super-moist,
the chicken is served with deliciously creamy
polenta, well-seasoned greens and (for extra
comfort measure) a delicious three bean
ragout. Grilled salmon topped addictive
smoked bacon and potato hash and was
perfectly cooked. (Has anyone else noticed
that it's getting hard to get perfectly
cooked salmon these days?…) A bottle
of Sterling's 2000 Winery Lake Pinot Noir
($54) was a wonderful match.
The wine list is concise and easy to browse,
offering a respectable number of quality
choices at reasonable prices. It does have
a few too many "standard" choices,
with not as many creative, eclectic choices
that we might have expected, given the menu.
But that's just quibbling, given how easy
it is to settle in and enjoy a delicious
meal here.
210 23rd Street
Miami Beach. FL 33139
Tel: 305.672.0778
Web: www.talulaonline.com
Starters $8-18
Entrees $18-30
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