An Exotic Escape

“Miami Beach in the summer is hot, steamy and sexy, and no place more so than Gitano Miami Beach in the Faena District,” said Gitano founder, James Gardner.

 “Come cool off on our jungle rooftop with ocean views and sip a spicy mezcal margarita before heading down to the restaurant to sample our delicious new mushroom sopes with shaved truffles—they are not to be missed,” added Gardner. 

The new dish, featuring ingredients like epazote and huitlacoche, is one of many on the summer menu inspired by traditional Mexican recipes from Executive Chef Antonio Maldonaldo’s hometown of Puebla, Mexico. For a light meal in the summer heat, go for the heirloom tomato and tamarind salad, which comes with sorbet that’s infused with passionfruit and a hint of mezcal.

 
When coming off the beach, the tacos al pastor are a perfect street-food-inspired snack chockfull of Oaxaca cheese, pineapple, achiote marinated pork and salsa jalapeno. “Wash 
it down with our iconic Jungle Fever, which brings a sense of familiarity and home, whether you’re with us in Tulum, New York or Miami,” Gardner noted.

Heartier fare includes the Duck Carnitas Huarache. “Huarache is a thick tortilla filled with refried beans, chile habanero and cashew, and marinated duck that’s slow cooked for 48 hours. It’s finished with pickled jalapeno and squash blossom,” said Maldonaldo. The new lamb dish is slow-roasted in the oven for 12 hours in a marinade of adobo chiles and Pacifico beer. “This is a typical dish found in northern Mexico and Guadalajara.”

Those with a sweet tooth can nosh on homemade corn ash churros topped with corn ice cream and mezcal caramel popcorn on the side. Sample Maldonaldo’s take on a traditional Mexican dessert called “fresas con crema.” Irapuato is full of roadside stands selling freshly picked strawberries and strawberry-and-cream popsicles, the chef explained. “I’ve added biscoff cookies to the recipe, which makes it very tasty!”