Essensia Restaurant & Lounge , a Snail of Approval honoree, follows a farm-to-table philosophy, offering a seasonal selection of natural gourmet cuisine with emphasis on premium local and sustainable, and a mission to be good for you and the environment. Located inside The Palms Hotel & Spa on Miami Beach, you are quickly transported into a serene tropical oasis from the minute you walk through the lobby all the way through it’s impressive and massive outdoor areas, that feature different sections from a gorgeous wedding/event space that seemed from a fairy tale, a pool, and breathtaking botanical artistry. Meticulously overrun with lush greenery, perhaps the most impressive was the restaurant’s on-site chef’s garden, made possible with the help of Miami’s Little River Cooperative where they grow vegetables and herbs which become ingredients incorporated into dishes, staying true to their organic, eco-conscious values.

Luckily we visited on a Thursday night, when they play live music on the covered lounge terrace, where we of course decided to sit and enjoy our cocktails , before chef Richard Earle introduced himself to us and gave us a tour of the place. I quickly learned his dishes were as delightful as his personality, but that is to say about everyone we encountered. We ordered the Hibiscus Island, made with Casa Noble Organic Silver Tequila infused with hibiscus flowers, Rumhaven Coconut Rum, fresh squeezed lime juice, hibiscus syrup, spritzed with Rose Water and a Stars in Your Eyes consisting of Mionetto Organic Prosecco, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, passionfruit puree, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and hibiscus flower. We kept trading our drinks back and forth, I have a hard time choosing a favorite!

After some lively music, delicious cocktails, and getting to see first-hand where some of our ingredients were personally grown, we were ready to dig into their winter menu and made our way from the lounge to the restaurant’s terrace, with an equally splendid view of the gardens and swaying palm trees. If the edible garden didn’t make us feel all that more connected  and trusting of what we were about to eat, the menu also listed further sources, also organic and sustainable, even it’s wines, which are selected for adopting environmentally and socially responsible production practices, and signature cocktails which are made with premium craft and organic spirits and all-natural ingredients. Typical of a girl’s date, we ordered rosé! For appetizers we shared Shrimp Scampi A La Diavola and Ceviche. The Scampi was made with Wild Florida White Shrimp, Focaccia, Organic Sliced Garlic, Lemon, Heirloom Baby Tomatoes, Essensia Garden Parsley, Aleppo Chili and was a surprisingly delicious and unique take than what I’m used to. Definitely a little spicier, but the kick is balanced by the freshness of the tomatoes and herbs and perfected with the moist and airy focaccia.

Our starters were quite filling, but I was only looking forward to more now that my expectations had been met and exceeded! I ordered the Black and Blue Ahi Tuna, a huge delectable portion of Sesame Crusted Aji Amarillo – Miso Marinated Ahi Tuna, Torched Peruvian Corn Salad with Canchita, Choclo, Baby Heirloom Tomato, Avocado, Wild Exotic Mushrooms, Essensia Garden Herbs, Fingerling Potatoes and Black Truffle Oil. When it comes to wine, I’m no connoisseur, but I might as well be when it comes to Ahi Tuna, in fact I’d say it’s my signature craving… Which might mean I’m a lil’ biased since I love it so much, but also quite particular as I’ve had so many different dishes that incorporate it, so don’t take lightly when I say this might be the new favorite!

The tuna slices were so soft they’d almost melt in your mouth in just a few bites, coated in sesame seeds and bursting with flavor. The three types of corns add so much to this plate, like the contrasting chewiness of choclo to the crunchiness of chanchitas.  The tomatoes, avocado, and herbs (straight from their very on-site garden!) add freshness and the perfectly crisp potatoes really tie the dish together. This colorful dish is a textural dream to keep your taste buds excited!

My mom, who was my date, because I mean who better to go on a girl’s night out than with your first bff, ordered the 8oz. Filet Mignon, a Grilled Center Cut Certified Angus Beef Tenderloin, with Potato Puree, Watercress, Red Pickled Onions, Lemon Zest, Port Demi-Glace. Let’s just say it was hard to get any conversation out of her while in front of this plate… As she was clearly ( and contently) devouring it! She said the sauce had a mild spice to it that was delicious but not overpowering allowing you to truly taste the exquisite and delicate meat. The potato puree was creamy and fluffy, the salad was as fresh as you’d think and so much more exciting to eat now that we saw the process of how it gets our plate!

Despite such gracious portions, we were too curious about dessert not to make room for it… I mean there was not a single dish or beverage that didn’t seriously thrill us! We shared a classic, the Vanilla Creme Brûlée, with a hardened caramelized sugar top that is usually my favorite part of the dessert (both eating and breaking! ), but in this case it had to be the lemon madeleine cookie it was served with! A mother’s love was once again proven when I saw that despite her obvious interest, she gave me the bigger half…

Essensia was an absolute treat to each of our senses! Despite seeking many organic eateries I’ve never felt as connected my food as I did here. In fact I even left a bit inspired to start some edible gardening of my own and recommend that if ever you find yourself at The Palms Hotel & Spa you don’t miss the chance to see it, or get a taste of some of the mouth-watering dishes that come from it. I can’t wait to be back and thanks to the seasonal nature of this restaurant I’ll have new plates to look forward to in April when they transition into their spring/summer menu!

Essensia is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. For restaurant reservations, please call 305.908.5458 or click here. Located at 3025 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL inside The Palms Hotel & Spa.