We had one last meal at The Bazaar before it closes
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"José's Taco" from The Bazaar by José Andrés features caviar filling in a jamón ibérico taco "shell." Photo: Martin Vassolo/Axios
Parting is such sweet, savory sorrow.
- After 10 years in South Beach, The Bazaar by José Andrés is closing in March. So I stopped by last weekend to celebrate my wife's birthday and to take in one final meal before they close.
Why it matters: Andrés is a world-renowned chef, and The Bazaar is his last remaining restaurant in South Florida.
- Yes, but: Our waiter told us Andrés will be opening a new restaurant in Miami soon. (The Miami New Times also reported that Andrés is looking for a location to open a restaurant locally.)
State of plate: The Bazaar offers more than food: A meal here is a playful but calculated culinary performance that brings traditional Spanish dishes past the modern age to a glittery future where you drink your eggs and eat croquetas out of a shoe.
- The rub: Dining here is expensive. Ideally you would come for Miami Spice. But if you go now, save it for a special occasion.
The atmosphere: We walked past luxury sports cars parked outside the hotel and were seated in the "rojo room" on a black leather couch — framed by red curtains and surrounded by columns covered in multilingual graffiti. A wall-mounted bull head wore a pink lucha libre mask.
What to order: The Bazaar is all about sharing plates, in traditional tapas style, but some are so small you need two.
- But first, a drink: I ordered the Key Lime Pie Daiquiri ($18), a bittersweet cocktail topped with brûléed meringue foam.
We got the meats: We started with the Embutidos platter ($30), which comes with crispy pan de cristal flown in from Spain, topped with tomatoes and served with a cured-meat trifecta: jamón ibérico, lomo and chorizo.
The "Rocky" diet: The star of the show is the "Tortillas de Patatas - New Way" ($10) — a version of the Spanish potato omelet served in a jar not much bigger than a shot glass. Swirl the poached egg inside and sip on the potato foam. It tastes like Thanksgiving in a glass.
Cafecito: Feeling adventurous? Order the "Colada Cubana" ($16) — foie gras and coffee in a yogurt cup. It's creamy and sharp, sweet and savory.
Yes, and: We didn't order a proper dessert, but the Yuca Churros ($16) got the job done.
- This fried snack tastes amazing drizzled in honey and flecked with lime zest. It's served with a side of house-made peanut butter that's — of course — packaged in a paint tube that you squirt onto the plate.
Thought bubble: This place really gives you dinner and a show, as celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern once said. Each dish is a fun creation that gives you a supporting role in the spectacle.
If you go: 1701 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach. They open at 6pm.