Las’ Lap: James Beard winner Kwame Onwuachi opens on Miami Beach

Without a lot of fanfare, acclaimed chef and James Beard winning Rising Star Chef Kwame Onwuachi(and 2026 Outstanding Chef semifinalist), known for his NYC Lincoln Center restaurant, Tatiana, has opened Las’ Lap in the cozy space along the Collins Canal on Miami Beach.

In the space formerly occupied by Layla in the hotel formerly known as Kayak or The Vinoy and now the Daydrift Hotel at 2216 Park Ave. Miami Beach, Chef Kwame has presented a menu true to his roots and years in Nigeria, offering Afro- Caribbean and Trinidadian inspired dishes, many with a Cuban twist.

The indoor space is vibrant and sultry, while the outside patio provides a lush setting along the canal.

The menu is presented in three sections, and best to ask server about size portions, as we found some of the portions a bit small to share or as a main.

But the varied flavors, the presentation and the quality of food was outstanding.

With our very knowledgeable server guiding us, we started with the “Raw & Chilled”, South Beach Snapper, layered on top of gracamoles and with side of plantain chips. It was light and fresh and easy to share. The Big Eye Tuna with crispy roti and tamarind glaze was another great choice.

The next section, “To Share” featured an Oxtail Cuban with black truffle and wagyu bacon, but we especially enjoyed the Sticky Wings, with just the right amount of fire from the hot honey and jerk BBQ. Other options included Doubles, a traditional Trinidadian street food of fried flatbread with curried chickpeas and smoked snapper.

“For The Table” is the entrée section and honestly we felt these portions were not meant to be shared for more than 2 people, but the flavors made up for the portion size and we enjoyed the Brown Stew Chicken with rice and peas, the Charred Dorade filet with coconut Thai curry, and the Rasta Pasta Bucatini, which came with plenty of manila clams, jerk clam bianco, and generous portion of both Parmigiano and Reggiano cheese. Would love to see truffle supplement option offered here.