By Veronica Cancio De Grandy
The continuous growth of the Brickell area has brought new life and a myriad of fine dining options to downtown Miami. One of the new jewels of the downtown cuisine repertoire is The River Oyster Bar located within the Brickell Village, a few doors down from our famous (or infamous) Tobacco Road. The River, as it is popularly referred to, is one of those places that you can visit over and over again and never bore of it. Clean, sophisticated, simple and stylish, the elegance of their white tablecloths and mahogany bar contrasts the geometric themes in the decor.
Chef-owner David Bracha actively participates in every aspect of the restaurant; down to writing the specials on the long blackboard hovering over the bar. On this slate, patrons can find information about specials, the raw bar, wines by the glass, happy hour specials, and whatever else is going on.
One of the strongest appeals the restaurant has is its namesake oyster menu. In addition, to regular raw bar offerings such as clams, shrimp and lobster, The River offers about eight to 10 types of oysters on a weekly basis. If you are baffled by the names and have no idea what the difference are, worry not, the servers are very knowledgeable in this department and can make great recommendations. If you want to try a little bit of everything, you can get a mixed tray, and since the oysters are sold individually, you can order as many or as few as you like.
The one oyster you should not skip is the Kumamoto, this tiny Japanese oyster is packed chalk full of flavor, demonstrating once more that good things come in small packages, The oysters are served on a tray of ice with lemon slices, Wasabi-Cucumber Puree, Fresh Horseradish Cocktail Sauce and an Asian Mignonette (the classic condiment usually served with oysters).
The Raw & Marinated section of the menu is prepared fresh and made to order. Try one of their three Ceviches; Fresh Turks and Caicos Conch, Corvina (a white, lean, and finely-textured Atlantic fish), and Mixed Seafood. What you should not miss is their Tiradito thinly-sliced shell fish drizzled with a mixture of fresh lime juice, cilantro, scotch bonnet chilies, sriracha, soy sauce and sesame oil; it is served with cucumber slices and a light and nice starter.
If you're the kind that's into many courses, start off with their Pan Roasted Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes a very popular dish among the regulars, served with "Smokehouse" Almond Tartar Sauce and Tart Cherry Green Apple Cole Cole Slaw or the Fire Roasted Oysters, shucked, drizzled with ancho chile and topped with chorizo and Manchego cheese and roasted in a broiler. Although the mix might seem a bit unorthodox, it's surprisingly fantastic.
Their Chicken and Goat Cheese, Seared Tuna and Lobster Salads are all triumphs, although we didn’Äôt care much for the Calamari Salad.
Although the restaurant changes its main dishes often, and offers nightly specials, three long time items should not be missed. Their whole Yellowtail Snapper (grilled or fried) is delightful, served with delicious coconut spinach, pigeon pea rice and a Scotch bonnet chile vinaigrette. For lunch the snapper is deboned and served with tomato, plantains and avocado. Also try the Mediterranean Spiced Lamb Chops with the hand-cut truffled fried and a roasted pepper relish that is so tender, the meat falls off the bone. Their piece de resistance is the Pan-Roasted Orange-glazed Escobar (a white mild and buttery flavored fish), served with wok-seared French beans (slightly more delicate than green beans), Shitake mushrooms, roasted cashews and a Daikon radish salad. This dish will astound you, as the combination of flavors dance together in your mouth.
You know what they say, you must always leave room for desert, and at The River that is a must or you might miss out on their Pear Tatin served with honey ice cream. For those who might want something sweeter, try the White and Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie, which there are just no words for. And if you want something with a little kick, definitely go for the Passion Fruit Creme Brulee, the tartness of the fruit contrasts the sweetness of the caramel beautifully and does not overwhelm.
In addition to a full bar, The River offers a large and varied wine list of over 100 bottles, which is sure to please even the pickiest customer as they also have a large reserve list. Word to the wise, as their wine cabinet is close to the kitchen, sometimes the reds get a little warm, so after tasting you may want to ask your server to chill it for about five minutes before serving (this will also give good red time to breathe).
Happy Hour is one of the best times to visit the restaurant as the oysters are half off and all premium cocktails are heavily discounted. But if you only have time between a busy meeting schedule, come in for their weekly prefixed menu which offers three courses of slightly smaller portions, so you won't fall asleep when you sit back at your desk; at $20 (not including tax, beverage or gratuity) it's a steal. Chef Bracha got the idea from the Miami Spice Month, which the restaurant also participates in [miamirestarantmonth.com].
There's a reason why this place has a large percentage of repeat clientele, let's hope you become one of them. The River Oyster Bar is located at 650 South Miami Ave. Call (305) 530-1915 or visit opentable.com for details and reservations.
