Pork Belly
Michael’s Genuine, in Miami’s up-and-coming Design District, is a foodie’s paradise dressed down as a casual neighborhood bistro. Chef Michael Schwartz excels at what should be three basic restaurant concepts: the space, the staff, the food and wine.
The bistro, opened in 2007, can accommodate up to 100 diners both indoors in a comfortable dining room and outdoors in a bustling courtyard area. The ambiance is relaxed, even with a roomful of some of Miami’s most beautiful people.
The staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the menu and its ingredients. There is a palpable excitement amid the crew about the product being offered that is akin to being a kid in a candy store.
The food…is absolutely amazing. Chef Schwartz masters New American cuisine and many of the ingredients used or served are housemade. The pork belly over kimchee is succulent. The short rib Panini is rich and delectable. The beet, heirloom tomato and blue cheese salad is ultra-fresh and perfectly dressed. A special of the day, the croque-madame sandwich is prepared with house-cured ham is comforting and completely old school perfect. The restaurant’s wood fire oven also works miracles on the ultra-fresh fish sourced by Chef Schwartz and his team.
Croque-Madame
The wine list is eclectic, interesting and offers great value. There are over twenty wines by the glass ranging from Austrian Gruner Veltliner to Krug Grande Cuvée and Piedmonte Barbera. The list is smartly designed to be unintimidating to all fans of the grape. The Chardonnays are categorized into ‘unoaked’, ‘light oak to moderate’ and ‘moderate to heavy oak’ and varietals are divided by region making it straight-forward to select the right wine for the occasion or dish.
Chef Michael Schwartz hits it out of the ballpark with this venue by offering unpretentious food in a casual atmosphere. A must-try dining experience when in Miami.
130 N. 40th Street
Miami, FL 33137
305-573-5550
Hours of operation:
Lunch: Monday – Friday 11:30AM – 3PM
Brunch: Sunday 11AM – 2:30PM
Dinner: Sunday 5:30PM – 10PM; Monday – Thursday 5:30PM – 11PM; Friday – Saturday 5:30PM – midnight
Happy hour: Monday – Friday 4:30PM – 6:30PM
Delicious food and fun atmosphere! Great review – reminds me that I want to return.