neMesis Urban Bistro is located in the Legal Arts Building a few blocks west of the American Airlines Arena and close to the Adrienne Arsht Center (hint hint). It's a funky little spot serving fantastic global cuisine. It's the brainchild of former Top Chef contestant Micah Edelstein. Micah's worldly travels are clearly on display throughout her menu.
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I love everything about this place from the decor to the vibe to the great food and wine. This is the kind of place you can go with a group of close friends yet it's also first date appropriate.
The menu is broken down into four sections, sexy nibbles, cool couples, main attractions and happy endings. She had me at sexy nibbles and happy endings... Although the menu has remained the same since opening last summer, Chef Micah also offers daily specials that are worth exploring.
One of my favorite items on the menu is the Caramelized Shallot Focaccia which is topped with hibiscus mascarpone and black lava sea salt in addition to the caramelized shallots. This is a sexy tasting combination and the perfect nibble to start your meal.
Next up on my last visit was Micah's sexy dim sum. Her potstickers are filled with leek and fig braised duck and paired with a guava cardamon sauce. These are another must order.
Our journey continued from China to Japan via Italy. Tuscan Sushi is Micah's Italian riff on sushi. It's prepared like traditional maki sushi (roll) without the fish or rice. She pairs a delicious combination of mascarpone, gorgonzola dulce and figs and wraps it in prosciutto. This may sound odd but it really works well together.
Corn chowder with lamb bacon was a daily special and may have been more homey than sexy but it was good nonetheless. It showcased some very fresh vegetables with a nicely seasoned broth.
The P4- purple Peruvian potato pancakes falls under the cool couples portion of the menu. The P4 is paired with house made apple sage chicken sausage, hibiscus ginger syrup, maple granules and crispy sage. The menu tends to read sweet but most dishes are not overly sweet at all with the exception of maybe this one. That said, the house made apple sage chicken sausage are a nice twist on your typical sausage and the dish really works. Just wondering if the sausage should be on the sexy nibble part of the menu...
For her "main attraction" Chow P went with the daily pasta special which featured house made lamb agnolotti paired with a coward (no nuts) pesto. This was probably one of my least favorite dishes I've had there primarily because I didn't love the thickness/texture of the pasta. Not a bad dish but I am a pasta snob for sure.
I opted for the Piri Piri Bison, paired with a huckleberry dark chocolate chili sauce and sage squash hash. This was an outstanding dish. The bison was tender, flavorful and had a nice char on the outside. Another winner.
It was very difficult to pass on the Willy Wonka sampler platter for dessert but I was in the mood to sample something new and neMesis sort of reminds me of a funky spot you'd find on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Plus, whenever I see bread pudding on a menu I am immediately transported back to Commander's Palace in New Orleans. Micah's version included white chocolate, Greek yogurt and a hibiscus sauce. Happy ending indeed.
This is easily becoming one of my favorite spots in Miami. It has a neighborhood vibe sans a neighborhood. Chef Micah is clearly proud and passionate about her food and it shows.
Go, sit back, relax and enjoy the journey. I'm confident you will leave very happy.
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