Foodie Find: Crudo ArtHouse
Entering the Coral Gables restaurant scene with chef specialties, a modern concept and avant-garde efforts.
Crudos ArtHouse has entered the Coral Gables restaurant scene with a bold and modern concept of sipping and dining in a two-story space with a DJ and some seriously avant-garde tableside efforts. It’s a Japanese and Latin concept in front of house, with a bar and row of tables seating just two. In the back, a purely Japanese culinary concept and upstairs, an intimate lounge. The art collection decorates the walls throughout, as do white trees with gold branches and small bonsai plants rooted in gold rocks.
“In everything we do, our goal – beyond delivering unparalleled food and service – is to stimulate all the senses,” says co-operator Andres Monroy. “Art, food, drink, music, design all must work in harmony to create an all-encompassing experience that is transportive.”
Consider starting with a cocktail. The Green One – that’s the name of the drink – is sour and spicy. We insisted on Padron tequila with the bartender’s blend of ancho verde, cilantro-chili syrup and lime. The push and pull of the Padron and the fresh flavors together offers its own tasteful event.
The meal is another. The Tuna Tartare is plated in a clear tube with hickory smoke bellowing from the sides. Other appetizers include a Truffle Langostinos Casserole, with crispy leeks and scallions and Duck Gyoza with ponzu sauce. The Cloud Pork Belly Buns have pickled cucumber and crispy rice and the Yuzo Lamb Chops are served with crispy potato.
The Yellow Tail Sashimi has a sprinkling of crispy quinoa, masago and micro cilantro and arrives to the table with the yuzu sauce in a martini shaker, poured over the fish in great style. Don’t miss the Salmon Sashimi, with aji amarillo sauce, lemongrass ponzu and masago.
The specialty rolls are also overflowing in presentation. The Buru roll is brilliant with ingredients – A5 Wagyu, shiitake, cucumber, garlic miso sauce, truffle oil — but even better because it’s heated in front of diners with the flames of a tableside torch. The Crudos roll contains the fresh and popular fishes – tuna, salmon, shrimp tempura, crab and masago — though wrapped with the scallions, avocado, eel sauce and tempura flakes it is anything but common.
For mains, choose from plated proteins. There’s grilled salmon with crispy leeks and ponzu sauce and New York Strip with Japanese marinade, charred scallions and Asian chimichurri. The Churrasco has grilled tomato and black garlic ponzu while the Grilled Octopus comes with zucchini, crispy garlic and Asian chimichurri. Pair any of them with a side such as Truffle Corn Casserole, Glazed Mushrooms, Seasonal Vegetables or Parmesan Truffle Fries.
Do not skip dessert. The Burnt Basque Cheesecake is decadent with cool, sweet ice cream and gold flakes. The Chocolate Lava Cake is warm and gooey. And the Tropical Pavlova has mango pineapple sauce and coconut ganache.
The Green One*
2 ounces Patron tequila
1 ounce Ancho Reyes (a spicy liqueur from ancho and poblano chilies
2 ounces of simply syrup muddled with cilantro
sprigs of cilantro for garnish
*Recipe adapted by SocialMiami
Brett Graff is SocialMiami.com’s managing editor and has been a journalist covering money, people and power for over 20 years. Graff contributes to national media outlets including Reuters, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, Maxim, and the PBS show, Nightly Business Report. A former U.S. government economist, her nationally syndicated column The Home Economist is first published in The Miami Herald and then on the Tribune Content Agency, where it’s available to over 400 publications nationwide. She is broadcast weekly on two iHeartRadio news shows and is the author of “Not Buying It: Stop Overspending & Start Raising Happier, Healthier, More Successful Kids,” a parenting guide for people who might be tempted to buy their children the very obstacles they’re trying to avoid.
