Midtown Oyster Bar: A Nod to New England in Miami
Much has been written of late about oysters and the chilly climes of the North that yield fresh seafood ingredients from New England. The Wednesday Food section of the New York Times even recently featured a cover story , “Giving the North Its Due”.
Miami has not had their head in the sand, responding with Danny Serfer’s Mignonette and the anticipated opening of Izzy’s Fish & Oyster by Tongue & Cheek’s, Jamie DeRosa.
Midtown Oyster Bar, the newish concept from the Graspa Group, provides Midtown Miami diners with a refreshing take on seafood specialties with a Mediterranean tendency. The chef, Angelo Masarin, is in fact, from Italy and also helms the kitchen at the nearby Salumeria 104 (which, by the way, is one of my favorite restaurants in Miami). His Italian influence is seen in many of the menu items, yet Midtown Oyster Bar still manages to maintain a New England quality to it.
The interior is bathed in shades of cream and white with cool blues creating a bright, summer atmosphere. Wooden lobster traps dangle above the tables with warm lights tucked inside generating an inviting glow. While the dining room is small there is a cozy bar area where patrons can watch oysters being freshly shucked and sip on a glass of chilled Sancerre or Vermentino. Several tables are also available outside.
The menu is quite extensive and in addition to a rotating selection of West and East coast oysters, diners can feast on items such as Scampi and Calvisius caviar crudo with crispy fennel or pan seared local Snapper with kale, cannellini beans, pancetta, grape tomatoes and lemon, garlic butter. Other options include smoked and cured fish, caviar, crab cakes, a Florida spiny lobster cioppino (seafood stew), and a New England classic—the lobster roll served cold with mayo or warm with butter. Yum!
Comfort items are also available like the gooey lobster mac and cheese that not only has large chunks of Maine lobster, but tiny bits of lobster that are also cooked in the cheese sauce leaving the diner with pieces of lobster in every bite!
For those on a budget or just fanatical about oysters, Midtown Oyster Bar offers happy hour every day from 4-7pm which includes $6 glasses of Prosecco rose and half price on select oysters. With most oysters regularly priced around $3 each this is a great deal!
The Graspa Group is known for spitting out high quality restaurants and Midtown Oyster Bar is no exception! They’re open for lunch and dinner every day beginning at noon.
3301 NE 1st Ave #103-1, Miami, FL 33137
786 220 2070
NOTE: MIAbites contributors, Melissa Ginsberg ( @thefoodieteach ) and Brandon Chase ( @thebowtiebarrister ) are heading to Europe and SouthEast Asia on a three month trip beginning next month and will be reporting in "from the field". Watch for their fun filled and no doubt mouthwatering reports on MIAbites and follow their travels on: TravelEatDrinkRepeat and on Twitter at @TEDRblog