It's no secret that I spend most of my time scouring my home town for hidden gems with exceptional food and good atmosphere. It's also no secret that when I need a night out on the town, I do it right. When Friday rolls around I typically commence the weekend with some cocktails & fine fare at some place low key- where I can shut the noise out from the week and unwind with friends. Like almost every Miami native I don't normally make my way to the beach as often as I'm expected to, but when I do, I drive past all the party going noise and head north to Bal Harbour- a quiet suburb of Miami Beach. Perched on the second floor of Bal Harbour shops sits a hidden gem that's surrounded by lush palms & greenery, luring curious guests in with rich smells from the kitchen: The Grill at Bal Harbour.

Upon entrance we were greeted with warm smiles by the hostess and the manager. Although our table was ready at the time of our reservation we decided to start off at the bar first for cocktails before dinner. I sat down with my friends Adriana of Hotel Hopping & Ixamar of The Wander Tog and ordered our first drinks of the night. Adriana ordered her usual Dirty Martini & Ixamar one of their signature cocktails- The Salty Dog. Gin has been my new go-to liquor so I went ahead and ordered the Crisp Martini which was a delightful balance of gin, elderflower, Sauvignon Blanc and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

A few drinks and several laughs later we decide to take our seats at the dinner table. The staff swapped out our martini glasses with chilled glassware and helped us get started with menus. Shortly after ordering, appetizers were brought and we immediately dug in.

We started off with the grilled artichokes & tuna tartare which were to die for. I've honestly never had artichokes so tender & meaty- the sauce paired with the dish was also incredible and the perfect top off to ease our way into the evening.

As the food kept coming so did our cocktails. We were especially surprised at the elevated level of service that was given to us by our server (and really the entire staff) when she noticed our martini glasses were once again ready to be swapped out for chilled glasses in the middle of dinner. If that doesn't scream attention to detail I don't know what does.

And then came our entrees. Honestly speaking we barely ended up taking photos of our food in the moment because we simply could NOT keep our hands from digging into our plates. One of my personal favorites was the True Dover Sole, which is hailed from the narrowest part of the English Channel, and is flown across the Atlantic to be cooked and plated all within 24 hours of being caught. It was breaded & pan fried to perfection- lightly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. And for everyone who eats meat the prime center-cut filet was apparently some of the best everyone else in the table has ever had.

No meal would be complete without dessert, and even though we decided on one plate our server decided to bring us both desserts because we just had to try them- again with the wonderful hospitality.

For those of you feeling traditional- you can never go wrong with a hot fudge sundae, complete with toasted almonds and caramel sauce. But for those of you who like to live on the edge the tres leches is definitely the way to go. Being Cuban I've always been weak at saying no when it comes to Tres Leches desserts and this one was no different- I'm pretty sure I ended up eating most of the dessert on my own.

Overall my experience at The Grill at Bal Harbour was one that will definitely keep me coming back- even if it means trekking to the beach during rush hour traffic. The food and impeccable dining experience are very well worth it. So if you're looking for an exclusive dining experience with a relaxed atmosphere this weekend look no further than this little hidden paradise.

Cheers!

-Z

A high-end hideout: The Grill at Bal Harbour