GK Bistronomie Review – Foie Gras Empanadas & Expert Mixology

By Karen Davis

My excitement about this restaurant began the moment I landed on their website. The unique menu had my mouth watering and the Wynwood location was perfect for Miami’s first Bistronomie! The Concept Bistronomie originates from Paris, as a movement fueled by top chefs who wanted to bring five star cuisine to a more relaxed setting.  GK Bistronomie excels at it.

Upon arriving to the restaurant I was warmly welcomed and I was quickly seated with my guest. After taking in the ambience, our first round of cocktails came out which had been recommended by our waitress. The creative cocktail menu was expertly cultivated by Jossimar Lujan over a long period of time. If you ever meet this gentle, affable Peruvian you will feel his intense excitement for spirits and they very special menu he has brought to Miami. The Lima Redemption cocktail was an orange infused Pisco with fresh squeezed lime, strawberry allspice black pepper dill and spearmint. Additionally, the Queen Myra cocktail was a wonderful balance of passion fruit Absolut Pear, celery and ylang ylang. The fresh ingredients in the cocktails made our world stop and with every sip our taste buds erupted with excitement. Jossimar creates unique and captivating libations.

Not knowing where to begin with the menu, we left our selection up to the Chef with a special request of the Foie Gras Empanadas. While waiting for our appetizers we were greeted by General Manager who was gracious enough to give us an overview of all of the elements of the restaurant, from the staff, to the industrial décor and the Executive Chef himself. Peruvian Executive Chef Rafael Perez comes from an impressive culinary background stretching over twenty years and is recognized by the world’s most prestigious restaurant and hotel collections as a culinary genius. The menu offering a Peruvian cuisine, reflects his global epicurean talent and oozes his passion for cooking. As our brief history lesson ended, our first dishes arrived.

The Cherrywood Smoked Shrimp was my absolute favorite dish of the night. The Ceviche was filled with flavor and literally made me dance in my seat. The Pink Key West which had shrimp, heirloom tomatoes, orange lime cilantro green plantains, and popcorn arrived at the table literally smoking hot and it was absolutely delectable.

The last app was the tantalizing Foie Gras Empanadas. A tender Hudson Valley Foie Gras infused in a delightful campari onion marmalade, encrusted with anise seeds. These were insanely good. Perfectly cooked with the foie brilliantly complemented by the sweet onions. Every bite was a gift.

Before the entrées came out, we ordered another cocktail. Although it was the third cocktail of the night, the Linda Paloma earned a first place in my heart. It had Casamigos Pisco infused with ginger, pear, limes, green tea, orange juice and fresh pineapple with a sprinkle of indian spices. Each ingredient played off the next so well, that it was very easy to forget there was any liquor in this deeply and complexed flavored Linda.

Another pleasant surprise for the night was the genius behind GK Bistronomie Executive Chef Rafael Perez who graced our table throughout the night. His humble attitude and dedication to his trade radiated throughout the restaurant. He explained what our entrees would be and minutes later we were joined by a snapper that was an absolute masterpiece.  The snapper dish came with grilled vegetable escabeche, spanish chorizo, malanga vidalia onion in a semi-thick parsley broth.  It was as aesthetically pleasing as it was delicious.

The last person to join our table was the previously mentioned master Mixologist Jossimar Lujan, His passion for his job was palpable. He explained that his menu took six months to create and each fresh ingredient was meant to evoke at least one of our five senses. Leaving us to enjoy our desert he assured us he would be back with our grand Finale for the evening. As if they had not spoiled us enough Chef Perez ended our food journey with a Nutella Mousse. A soft rich chocolate mousse that just melted in our mouth accompanied with pralines, thyme and crystalized coffee.

To top off our evening Mixologist Jossimar returned with our grand finale, the Wynwood Sahumerio. It contained star fruit, orange, darjeeling chamomile and Absolut Elyx. Immaculately presented this cocktail tantalized all of our senses and captured our eye with its beauty.

Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant and would recommend GK Bistronomie to anyone searching for a fabulous culinary experience in the heart of Wynwood!!