Miami: Asian Diffusion

I was 17 when I first visited Miami. Four girls, one hotel room and way too much of R Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix).” Towards the end of the trip we went to the Sushi Samba on Lincoln Road. There, sipping the sour apple martini I had earned with my fake I.D., eating sushi with mango and looking out at the endless parade of people and skin, bobbing my head to the thrum of music blasting in the background, I got Miami. I felt that first delicious wave of “this is not my life.” And I liked it. I embraced this sunnier, shinier, seedier and more temporary version.


I’ve never gone back to Sushi Samba, but I have returned to Miami enough times to learn its dimensions: the hazy backstreets, the design district, the tinge of foreignness. I’ve learned the food can be excellent too: anything with tomatoes at Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, the blue-cheese croquetas at Michy’s, the tacos at Lime Fresh Mexican Grill. But I advocate for at least one over-the-top Asian dining experience. Miami is the place to try on sushi as a hot-weather diet staple, and to dine at restaurants you might not at home, from the theatrical to the clubby and cavern-like, and everything in between.

Even if you know what to expect, it hits you. Everyone is so thin! So tan! Also, not all of those body parts look totally realistic. A good choice for dinner after your first day on the beach is BondST Lounge, located in the basement of the Townhouse Hotel. It is an outpost of BondST in Manhattan, though perhaps a better fit in South Florida. You descend the stairs into a jewel box of a room, softly lit and romantic. Health conscious couples sip sake and nibble on delicate portions of sashimi, salads, and grilled fish and meat (by delicate I do mean small, be prepared to order amply). The quality of the fish is excellent, and the sea bass skewer with sweet miso is not to be missed.

For a more substantial meal, and a diametrically opposed dining experience, venture further up Collins to Hakkasan. It’s another spin-off, this time from London, and, like BondST, it suits Miami well. The opulent Miami incarnation is beautiful; all carved wood and dramatic lighting, sandalwood incense and smiling hostesses. Saddle up to the long, beautiful bar for an exotic, well-made cocktail and some people-watching (or, at least as much as you can see into the secluded booths). The dim sum selection is excellent, and the friendly waiters are good guides through the menu—highlights at our table included the Sanpei pepper claypot, the black pepper beef tenderloin and the stir-fry wild mushrooms.

The beauty and opulence of Hakkasan has a rival in The Restaurant at The Setai in South Beach. The Setai is, without exaggeration, one of the most beautiful hotels in the history of ever. Dinner guests who go to the restroom once to powder their noses will return again to ogle the design, everyone at the table in tow. The restaurant is Pan-Asian, from Indian tandoor and a Chinese Barbeque station to a variety of Southeast Asian cuisine. It’s spicy and delicious, and very expensive. Then again The Setai’s ambience, with its courtyard and surreal long walkway towards the water, is much worth the price of admission.

For a change of scene and a more casual take on Pan-Asian take a taxi into the glittering cavern of downtown Miami to the Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key. Cafe Sambal serves flavorful classics made with high quality ingredients and in hearty portions. Order anything with noodles. Sushi works too. Sit out on the deck, which juts into the water so far out you feel as though you’re floating, surrounded by the reflections of the buildings. Not your real life, sure, but pretty damn good for vacation.