Executive Chef David Rustarazo tempts the palette with a pre-opening preview of menu items inspired by the Mediterranean and Barcelona
With just weeks until the highly anticipated opening of KLIMA Restaurant and Bar – a culinary concept inspired by gastronomy from the Mediterranean and Barcelona – the corporate management team is giving eager food enthusiasts a sneak peek at the gastronomic creations to be expected on the menu at the newly renovated restaurant property in Miami Beach.
Executive Chef David ‘Rusti’ Rustarazo, together with gastronomic advisor for KLIMA Miami, Albert Ventura and co-founders Pablo Fernández-Valdés and Yago Giner, introduce an eclectic variation of Western Mediterranean and Catalan cuisine, developed over a six-month period, that speaks to the roots of the founding management team, while purveying the very best in local ingredients sourced from the very best South Florida suppliers.
Select appetizers from the newly developed menu will include truffle with poached egg and migas; salmorejo with a choice of quail eggs or ham; grilled tuna with Chipotle salsa brava and fried leeks; roasted chicken croquettes with a curry sauce; oysters with a ponzu sauce and salmon roe, as well as the very finest cuts of authentic Iberian ham. In true South Floridian style, King Crab from local coastal waters will also be on the menu as an appetizer. As a slightly lighter alternative to start, a selection of salads will include fennel with mozzarella, kalamata and tomato seco, as well as burrata with cherry tomatoes, basil and modena vinaigrette. Cold plates with the freshest raw ingredients will include ceviche with avocado and chives; beef carpaccio with foie and truffle vinaigrette and roast beef with tofu mustard and leaf celery.
Main entrées will include a choice of pastas, prime meats and seasonal fish, each prepared with an essence of subtle Western Mediterranean flavor. Pastas will include a stuffed lobster rigatoni; fettuccini a la carbonara and fresh cannelloni with veal Parmesan. Meat dishes will include Rib Eye steak with roasted red potatoes; shoulder of lamb with a side of couscous, yogurt and carrots, as well as the restaurant’s signature “KLIMA Hamburger” – filled with lavish toppings and made with the most organic meat on the market. Seasonal fish dishes will be sourced from local Florida waters, as well as regions of the U.S where the freshest catches are available. Choices will include tuna sashimi with pack choy and soybeans, black cod with pumpkin, orange and miso, as well as KLIMA’s fish of the day – anticipated to be one of the restaurant’s signature dishes for every fish connoisseur.
Desserts will be sure to delight those with the sweetest tooth and will include indulgencies such as cream of passion fruit with coconut and mint; macerated strawberries with an iced lemon sorbet and the “KLIMA Key Lime Pie” made with a secret Spanish ingredient.
In addition to the restaurant’s main menu offered for indoor or outdoor patio dining areas, KLIMA’s bar area will offer patrons a tailored menu of small plates designed for sharing and to accompany the extensive list of wines, beers and cocktails. Bar style counter-top dining is encouraged for those who favor the less intimate and more socially active experience at KLIMA – when meeting friends for lunch or celebrating with colleagues after work.
The 122-seat restaurant property, encompassing a total of 7,700 square-feet, will feature two levels – a ground floor restaurant and bar with indoor and outdoor dining areas, as well as a second floor members-only club scheduled to open in Spring 2015. KLIMA Restaurant and Bar will offer a carefully crafted menu that will offer a blend of contemporary and international fare inspired by the Mediterranean and Barcelona regions. The culinary vision for KLIMA Restaurant and Bar will reflect the roots of the founders while combining the very best in local ingredients sourced from premium South Florida suppliers.
Co-founders of KLIMA Miami, Pablo Fernández-Valdés and Yago Giner, are the former CEO and COO respectively of the popular and award-winning Grupo Tragaluz restaurant group in Spain.
KLIMA Restaurant and Bar is located at 210 23rd Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139, and is anticipated to open in January 2015. For more information, visit www.klimamiami.com