Midas touch

Oro (South Beach)

RESTAURANTS • First Word

The Skinny: Opened in January on Lincoln Road, Oro is Chef Victor Muñoz's globally-inspired golden palace — part restaurant, part performance venue.

The Vibe: A golden escalator whisks you up from street level into what can only be described as Miami's most committed theme restaurant. Nearly every surface gleams gold: walls with 24-karat leaf, gilded arches, performers with golden chandeliers balanced on their heads. Musical acts circle the dining room every hour, while the retractable roof opens for South Beach rooftop views. It's maximalist theater that draws plenty of tourists; you might as well embrace the spectacle.

The Food: Also over the top. Kaluga caviar with fermented banana peel butter, plantain waffle, and horseradish crème made for one of the more creative caviar preparations I’ve had. The birria gyoza offers a fusion twist with braised wagyu cheek, cilantro, and bone marrow consommé. Tom kha crudo delivers with hamachi and wasabi topped with coconut broth and finger lime. The Alaskan halibut arrives with a carrot curry that begs to be lapped up, while Okinawa gnocchi offers perfect al dente texture with sweet potato and sage brown butter.

The Drink: Cocktails read theatrical with names like Shangri-La, featuring Macallan 12 with sherry cask and foie gras, while the Vanilla Sky delivers boozy dreamsicle vibes. The classics section executes proper versions of standards.

The Verdict: Oro swings big with genuine culinary ambition wrapped in Miami's most gilded package. It’s worth experiencing for the spectacle alone, with food that (mostly) lives up to the setting. –Olee Fowler

→ Oro (South Beach) • 818 Lincoln Rd • Tue-Wed 6p-12a, Thu-Sat 6p-2a, Sun 12-5p • Reserve.

Photo: Salar Abduaziz