House special
Palm House Dining Room, Bal Harbour listings, ZZ’s Club, Brother’s Keeper, best wine bars, MORE
GETAWAYS • Palm Beach
Mermaid den
I arrived to dinner at Palm Beach’s newest hotel, Palm House, in the mood to indulge. The restaurant there, known simply as the Dining Room, is helmed by chef Jerry Ayala, once an apprentice to legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
The spacious room is as understated as its name: plush turquoise banquettes and light oak finishes don’t immediately signal a den for high-end Japanese-Peruvian cuisine. It’s certainly more subdued than the opulent, pink, seashell-encrusted lobby outside, a temple for mermaids of sorts where bartenders in white tuxedo jackets shake martinis beneath a vaulted cathedral ceiling.
Dining solo, I chose a banquette in the center of the room overlooking it all. It was the middle of the week in May and while the mermaid bar was buzzy, the 88-seat restaurant was calm, maybe a quarter full, which made for a relaxing and pleasant solo outing. A gracious waiter took pains to explain the concept and his favorite dishes, but after a quick glimpse at the menu, I knew exactly what I wanted and orchestrated my own personal tasting menu. Before long, I realized that the diners at the opposite table were former Barney’s creative director Simon Doonan and his interior designer husband Jonathan Adler, the presence of such tastemakers a satisfying co-sign on the hotel’s somewhat over-the-top design.
To start, tuna and wagyu taquitos and black cod butter lettuce, bite-sized little gems packed with flavor, and an ice-cold vodka martini. A dense cylinder of toro tartare generously topped with caviar in a pool of wasabi-inflected soy arrived on a little dish over a bed of ice with a special tiny spoon; pure decadence. Then, I paired a yellowtail jalapeno hand roll with the prime rib tenderloin toban-yaki. Delicious, although once you’ve had a bite of wagyu, it’s hard to go back (Miyazaki prefecture A5 is available at $52 per ounce). I wanted just a couple more bites, and after consulting the waiter, I once again followed my heart back to the taquitos — this time, lobster — to finish the meal. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Palm House Dining Room (Palm Beach) • 160 Royal Palm Way • Daily 5-10p • Reserve.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Makers Air now flying FLL-TBI/ATC (Cat Island/The Bahamas) route daily • In San Miguel D’Allende, Marriott Autograph opens new hotel Clevia • The story behind the house in Mountainhead • Haggling for that European five-star hotel deal.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale properties in Bal Harbour that came to market in the last 30 days.
→ 9801 Collins Ave #17P (Bal Harbour) • 2BR/2.1BA, 1688 SF condo • Ask: $2.1M • beach views from every room at Balmoral Bal Harbour • Days on market: 21 • Annual taxes: $17,226 • Monthly HOA: $4305 • Agent: Menachem Fellig, Compass.
→ 10250 Collins Ave #212 (Bal Harbour) • 2BR/2BA, 1363 SF condo • Ask: $2.25M • corner unit in Beach Haus Bal Harbor • Days on market: 3 • Annual taxes: NA • Monthly HOA: NA • Agent: Nelson Duque, Fortune Christie's.
→ 10203 Collins Ave #302 (Bal Harbour, above) • 3BR/3BA, 2130 SF condo • Ask: $5.95M • more ocean views at The Oceana • Days on market: 17 • Monthly HOA: $4305 • Annual taxes: $66,258 • Agent: Allen Davoudpour, Compass.
MIAMI WORK AND PLAY LINKS: Inside one developer’s plan to sell luxury floating condos • LIVWRK Wynwood proposes trio of 45-story towers in Wynwood Arts District • New Edgewater Whole Foods sets 06/26 opening • Every CEO is writing the same AI memo • The Verge’s father’s day gift guide • Do you have Ozempic hair?
CULTURE & LEISURE • The Cup
Shakira • Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens) • Fri @ 730p, section 121, $336 per
Oilers v Panthers • Game 3 • Amerant Bank Arena (Sunrise) • Mon @ 8p • section 118, $1481 per ($574 lowest avail)
Leanne Morgan • Au-Rene Theater (Ft Lauderdale) • Sat @ 4p • orchestra, $47 per
WORK • Thursday Routine
Vacationland
ANA TERESA RODRIGUEZ • founder and CEO • ATR Luxury Homes Group at Coldwell Banker Realty
Neighborhood you work in: Coral Gables
It’s Thursday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
No two days are ever the same in the world of real estate. My schedule is always full, and I’m on the move. I might be staging a new listing, showing properties to a client, visiting a construction site for a home we’re remodeling or building, overseeing a professional photo shoot for a new property, meeting with clients, preparing a market insight for an investor, showing listings, negotiating contracts, or leading a buyer tour.
What’s on your agenda today?
Today, I have a meeting with our construction team to check on a property that will be ready for sale in a couple of months. I’ll also stop by another soon-to-be-listed property where my marketing team is capturing professional photos and videos. Later, I have showings at two of my Bay Point listings, followed by an important negotiation call for a property we currently have under contract — hopefully, we’ll be closing soon.
Any bar or restaurant plans today, tonight, or this weekend?
My go-to restaurant in Miami is ZZ’s Club in the Design District. I love the exclusivity, the attention to detail, and of course the incredible food. I also just discovered Claudie in Brickell, a new French fusion restaurant. It blends Mediterranean and Italian influences, and the vibe is incredible. I’m also a huge fan of Fisher Island and love all the restaurants there — each one offers an amazing experience, from casual beachside dining to elegant fine-dining options. For drinks, I enjoy the Fisher Island Bar.
Any weekend getaways?
The beauty of living in Miami is that we’re already where the world comes to vacation. Sometimes, the best getaway is simply staying put and enjoying everything this city has to offer, whether it’s soaking up the sun at Soho House or taking the boat out for a day on the water. If I feel like switching things up without going too far, I love heading to The Breakers in Palm Beach for a change of scenery.
Where are you donating your time or money?
Through two initiatives I led, the Friendsgiving Toy Drive and the New Land Theatrical Foundation (where I serve as chairman), we recently raised approximately $500,000. With these funds, we donated 1,765 bicycles to children in need. Through New Land, we support América Viva Classroom, a pilot program bringing multicultural dance classes into public schools. Both initiatives share a common mission: creating opportunities for kids to thrive, whether through the freedom of riding a bike or the creativity of dance.
BARS • First Round
Cain & Abel
Beyond decorative ice block windows on Alton Road, Brother’s Keeper is a stylish neighborhood bar opened last summer by local hospitality group Lost Boy & Co. The façade is your first indication that it trades heavily on Miami Vice-era nostalgia. When I popped in on a recent Saturday night, the bar was filled with men dressed in some version of a tropical button-down shirt and slim jeans — a fashion statement I’d never noticed before in South Beach.
Tropical fish tanks are set behind a purple neon-lit bar, above which wicker jai alai baskets serve as decor, both reflected back on the opposite mirror-paneled wall. High top banquettes line one wall, making for cozy places to post up with friends. There are also plenty of diversions, with TVs playing sports, a pool table, and a dartboard.
The menu places equal emphasis on martinis and beer (Rolling Rock is the house swill). The rest of the cocktails are boozy and creative, with frozen mai tais and piña coladas on tap. I opted for the Bread Service martini, the bar’s take on the always dangerous Vesper, served with a croissant. There’s also a Pepperoncini Gibson — made with the namesake pickled pepper, plus onion and olive brine — that one member of our party thought tasted a little too much like Italian vinaigrette, but I liked. The menu consists of playful bar food, like mozzarella sticks with spicy vodka sauce and tuna poke nachos. And you can even get steak frites au poivre. We decided the occasion called for one of their pan pizzas made on a thick focaccia-like crust.
Just a block south of Dade Boulevard, it’s an ideal stop for the Sunset Harbour post-dinner crowd, the kind of locals’ bar where you’re bound to run into someone you know, and equally appropriate for one last drink or an auspicious start to a big night out. –Shayne Benowitz
→ Brother’s Keeper (South Beach) • 1710 Alton Rd • Daily 5p–2a.
MIAMI RESTAURANT LINKS: Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli strikes again, plans Italian steakhouse Luca Steak to open next year in Wynwood • After two-year shutter, brunch spot OTL reopens in Design District • New Latin-Asian fusion restaurant Casa Crudos debuts in Wynwood • Chefs reflect on La Mar’s legacy following end of 11-year run in Brickell Key • Gen Z’s anti-bar tab ethos • White wine is back.
ASK FOUND
Today, three FOUND subscriber PROMPTS for which we seek intel:
What is your favorite Miami flower shop (or flower delivery service)?
Who’s your go-to tailor?
What’s your Restaurant of the Summer?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@itsfoundmiami.com.
BARS • The Nines
Wine bars
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of the best in Miami and surrounds. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@itsfoundmiami.com.
River House (Little Havana, above), Miami's historic River Inn turned eclectic garden patio wine bar w/ brick-oven pizza, live music, intel