Tamara’s Bistro Miami Spice Review – The National’s Mediterranean Must Try
The most wonderful time of the year for Miami foodies is upon us! Miami Spice is going on from from August 1st to September 30th, giving us mouth-watering menus for a reduced price from the most divine restaurants Miami has to offer. Restaurants curate specially tailored three-course dinner menus including starters, entrees, and desserts for the inclusive price of $39.
Tamara’s Bistro, located within The National Hotel, offers a marvelous selection of Mediterranean countryside cuisine within a gorgeous dining environment for their dinner rendition of Miami Spice, available from 5pm -10pm daily. The energizing ambiance immediately hits you when entering into The National. The live pianist is seducing the ivories at the piano bar, accompanied with two alternating singers, both with the caliber of talent to flawlessly belt out hits like Alicia Key’s “Fallin” and Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly”. The entertainment was not only well performed, they also kept the environment light and playful by interacting with the diners, allowing the dinning experience to connect and become an experience beyond just the table. The live music is going on Thursdays -Saturdays during Miami Spice from 8:30 pm – 12:30 am, so be sure to dine during those hours if you intend to enjoy the additional perk.
Grilled Oysters
They had a great selection of starters, including the Grilled Oysters and the Tuna Crudo. The Grilled Oysters were tangled up in a decadently delicious melt of gruyere béchamel sauce with spinach, sprinkled with crisp and savory prosciutto. The chef created a combination of textures and flavors both sultry, creamy, with a bit of salty crunch from the prosciutto. This oyster was beyond your typical sea aphrodisiac, it left us straight up begging for more of it’s divine taste.
Tuna Crudo
The Tuna Crudo was a simply refreshing starter after the deeply savory oysters. The ahi tuna lay atop a perfectly crisp and juicy watermelon disc. To keep the freshness flowing, it had feta cheese crumbles, a hint of mint, balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, and greens flowing over it. With all of these ingredients playing together, it was an energetic and rejuvenating burst of flavors across a wide spectrum.
Vermont Cheddar Grits
The best entree by far was the Jerked Pork Chop. The pork chops were perfectly cooked, searing in the jerked flavors, with a refreshing cherry chimichurri and onion strings on top. The best thing Executive Chef Matthew McDonald could have done with this already amazing jerk chop, is to pair it with a velvety smooth side of grits, and that’s exactly what he did. The Vermont Cheddar Grits were good to the last drop. Take one bite of savory jerk, follow it up with a spoonful of luscious grits, there’s nothing short of heaven there. When my grits were gone, I was a bit sad longing for more, but then very much ready for some dessert.
Pistachio Profiteroles
The dessert to go for on the Miami Spice menu is definitely the Pistachio Ice Cream Profiteroles. These french pastry balls were filled with pistachio ice cream and topped with a strawberry and mint salad, finished with drizzled fudge. The pistachio and mint was a burst of earthy flavors creating a pop for this lush dessert. Among the sweetness of the fudge and strawberries to round out the deep flavors of pistachio and mint, this was just another example of the thoughtfulness gone into perfecting taste collaborations on this menu.
Tamara’s Bistro located within South Beach’s The National Hotel has a dinner line-up not to be missed this Miami Spice season. They take Mediterranean countryside dining to the next level with the selection of starters, entrees, and desserts to choose from. The menu options can definitely entice any palate, and can be mixed and matched to get a real contrast of flavors within one meal.
