Enjoy Off The Hook Seafood at Stiltsville Fish Bar
Stiltsville Fish Bar, the highly-anticipated new restaurant by Grove Bay Hospitality Group (GBHG) and culinary duo Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, is preparing to open in the heart of Miami Beach’s Sunset Harbour neighborhood on Friday, September 29, 2017. The concept is inspired by McInnis’ childhood, growing up in Florida’s panhandle, fishing and boating in the Gulf waters, and the pair’s love of simply prepared seafood. The new collaboration will feature classic seafood cookery buoyed by modern techniques, paired with a beverage menu of refreshing Key West style drinks.
“After a long and stressful month, we look forward to inviting the community to bring their friends and family to enjoy Stiltsville Fish Bar,” says GBHG Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Francesco Balli. “Guests can kick-back and relax at this new bayside neighborhood eatery,” adds Ignacio Garcia-Menocal, GBHG Co-Founder and Co-CEO. “Jeff and Janine have created an amazing menu that’s not only delicious but reasonably priced. There’s something for everyone,” says GBHG Chief Operating Officer, Eddie Acevedo.
The approachable menu will feature locally sourced seafood and ingredients with a variety of choices from Snacks to Large Plates and Sides. A highlight from the Snacks ($7-14) section is the Smokin’ Havana Scallop with Cuban tobacco smoked plantain and crispy ham chips. Small Plates selections include Sweet Corn Spoon Bread ($8) made with buttermilk cream and scallions with the option to add butter poached lobster for an additional $12; Cobia Tiradito ($15) topped with avocado, crispy hominy and popped corn, aji amarillo chili, cilantro, and lime; and savory Wood Grilled Oysters ($17) perfect for slurping with greenneck butter and charred sourdough. Refreshing Salads consist of The Hammock Salad ($15) containing grapefruit, local hearts of palm, avocado, and local tomatoes atop butter crunch lettuce; Heirloom Tomatoes & Pimento Cheese Croquette ($14) with boiled goobers and pickled green tomatoes drizzled with molasses vinegar; and a Butter Lettuce & Avocado Salad ($10) with grilled corn, summer squash, zucchini, and breakfast radish dressed with a creamy buttermilk ranch.
Generous Large Plates are the ultimate comfort food with Shrimp N’ Grits ($24) – stone ground grits, Creole sausage, melted tomato, sweet peas and shrimp butter; Creamy Gnudi with Melted Heirloom Tomatoes ($22) – pillows of house made ricotta finished with Dade County orange and tarragon infused extra virgin olive oil; and a Gremolata and Bone Marrow Crusted N.Y. Strip ($38) with buttermilk whipped potatoes, grilled broccoli and tomato jam. The Big Fish for 2 – a Crispy Whole Yellow Tail Snapper (MKT) – will be served fried, dusted with key lime and a tangy lemon basil salsa verde. Sides ($7) include Chilled Watermelon & Pickles; Lemonade Brined & Charred Broccoli; Ratatouille filled with Yukon Whipped Potatoes; Stone Ground Local Grits with Grilled Sweet Corn; Sweet Plantain “Mofongo” Bacon & Garlic Sofrito; Florida Cracker Rice N’ Beans; and Fingerling Potato Tostones with Black Garlic Aioli.
“The tenets of the Stiltsville menu are local, creative, and delicious,” says McInnis, “From fresh-caught Florida fish to citrus and vegetables, the goal is to feature the finest that the Sunshine State has to offer.”
The beverage program ($12-$14), is thriving with rum focused cocktails inspired by the relaxed vibes of the Florida Keys and Key West. Guests can chill out with refreshing cocktails such as the Oaxacan Paradise – Vida Mezcal, Hamilton Jamaican Black, pineapple juice, lemon juice, Orgeat, and chocolate bitters; Stone Fruit Reviver – Bombay Sapphire, Lillet Blanc, apricot liqueur, lemon juice, and peach bitters; Palm Tree in Scotland – Glenlivet Founders Reserve, Batavia Arrack, Orgeat, lemon juice, and pineapple; Rum Sazerac – Mt. Gay, Felipe II Brandy, Demerara syrup, and an Absinthe rinse; Southern Tropics – Buffalo Trace bourbon, Redemption Rye, Curacao, passion fruit, and lemon juice; Nouveau Carre – Olmeca Reposada, Cocchi Americano, Benedictine, and Peychauds bitters; and Sunny’s Strawberry Sunset – Elyx, St Germaine, yellow Chartreuse, Orgeat, lime juice, and fresh strawberry.
The architecture and design, by SAI Designs along with Celano Design Studios, features a relaxed setting reflecting a fun nautical-inspired motif. The 4,000-square foot space has an open and inviting dining room that includes a large bar and lounge area with both interior and outdoor seating. Great attention to detail was made with whimsical decorative items like brass purse hooks at the bar in shape of Poseidon and his trident; imaginative purple barnacle planters with tiny air plants; beer taps made from swordfish bills; shell chandeliers casting an amber colored ambiance; wooden columns evocative of the Stiltsville structures; black and white photos depicting the heyday of the original landmarks; and a color palette replete with seafoam greens, aquatic blues, sandy beiges, and browns reminiscent of driftwood or old pirate ships. “We really wanted to capture the spirit of life on the water,” remarks Booth, “The storied history of the Stiltsville houses was the perfect muse for our new concept.” The upstairs deck, opening in 2018, will be a place for guests to lounge in a comfy hammock chair and watch the sunset with libation in hand.
Stiltsville Fish Bar is located at 1787 Purdy Avenue on Miami Beach. The restaurant is open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5PM to 11PM (bar opens at 4PM); Friday and Saturday from 5PM to 12AM. Weekend brunch, lunch, and a daily fish market with grab and go options will launch at a later date. Telephone: (786) 353-0477; www.stiltsvillefishbar.com