Just when you thought Sunny Isles (Little Moscow as the locals call it), could not get any fancier, Ikra Restaurant and Lounge opened up a sumptuous 15,000 square-foot restaurant and entertainment complex. Ikra, which is the Russian word for caviar also boasts a stage for live entertainment, a private karaoke room and a terrace with a hookah lounge.
Ukrainian restaurateur Roman Gurevych describes Ikra as an “innovative restaurant that fuse(s) Mediterranean cuisine with French technique…in a unique and exciting setting of European opulence combined with contemporary elegance.” The chef who has successfully brought this fusion to life is Patrick Kirchner, a French chef who was previously running Baoli Miami’s kitchen before joining Ikra. After dining at Ikra over the weekend we can attest to the realization of this grandiose vision.
The setting is an aphrodisiac haven that drips of splendor. The places imbues you with a sense of regalness and sexiness just by being there. There were two singers and a saxophonist performing sets while we were dining. They were playing covers of golden oldies and it was a treat. There is also a children’s playroom equipped with movies, games and video games in case you don’t want to deal with a babysitter spending hours in your home unsupervised. We caught a couple minutes of the classic “Jungle Book” movie, which was playing in Russian of course. Late night there is also a private karaoke room that is only open for bottle service.
The staff donned crisp black on black with white suspenders uniforms and were on point all night, methodically swapping out our plates and silverware for each new course. Antonio was one of the most talented and educated waiters we have ever encountered. He is an attractive waiter/sommelier/
We started with a drink called the Basil Smash – cucumber infused Hendricks gin with basil, maple syrup, St. Germain, lime and ginger beer. It was smooth, slightly bitter and tasted like a basil garden in a glass.
The Shedonist could not get enough of the Octopus Carpaccio with tomato confit, capers, chives, lemon and olive oil. It was a fresh melodious plate that was tender, not chewy and enhanced immensely by the capers.
Since we had never tried Ukrainian fare before we had to order something from the Ukrainian side of the menu. We chose the Red Caviar Crepes that was served with sour cream. We are not huge fans of caviar or sour cream, but these were so satisfying. It was like an extravagant version of a bagel, lox and cream cheese. The sour cream coupled with the salty caviar and neutral crepes melded together in a blissful fashion. It is served with black caviar too if you want to eat like an Oligarch.
The Artichoke Carpaccio was our favorite dish of the night. It was a creative concoction consisting of shaved artichoke hearts, Parmesan, scallion, lemon, cilantro and baby arugula with (optional) fresh shaved truffle. The silky artichoke conjoined with the Parmesan and truffle was divine and set off fireworks in our mouths.
The White Wine Mussels were from the Mediterranean and submerged in a magnificent white wine broth with parsley and lemon. Antonio suggested that we order French fries and bread to take full advantage of the orgasmic dippage and we were happy we obliged.
Ikra Restaurant and Lounge offers fresh Mediterranean and French fused cuisine in a uniquely luscious and inviting venue. The music, decor and cuisine entwine into a delightful experience, which we would be happy to partake in again.
