Sunday, June 12, 2016

KYU (Wynwood Miami) 5 Stars







KYU is one of the best new restaurants in town. And that's all you really need to know.  Just review my pictures below and go. Your'e welcome.

KYU is located in a modernized warehouse in the heart of Wynwood with the majority of the renovations completed by the prior occupant Shikany.


Chef Lewis courtesy of KYU


Here is what you need to know going in.  The kitchen is manned by Chef Michael Lewis who spent the past 6 years as executive chef at the popular Zuma.  He's trained under several heavyweight chefs including David Bouley at Bouley Bakery and Eric Ripert at Le Bernadin.  At 25 he was appointed Chef de Cuisine at Jean-Georges restaurant on Central Park West which was  awarded three Michelin Stars. Subsequent to that, he opened restaurants for Jean-Georges in Paris, France, Nassau, Bahamas and London.

At KYU, he partnered with his manager at Zuma, Steven Haigh who runs the front of the house.  They clearly have a good rapport as the front and back of the house have been in synch during my visits resulting in stellar service.

Michael and Steven's vision was to create a wood-fired Asian inspired restaurant and they delivered.   They hit the ground running and haven't looked back.  The restaurant was slammed on a recent weeknight at 6pm.  Refreshing to see.  And well deserved.   

They are open six night a week for dinner (closed Monday) and also offer a solid lunch menu that also packs it in.  Brunch goes down on Sundays plus they offer a nice happy hour deal weeknights from 4:40 - 7:30 with discounted bites and beverages.  It's a great way to get your feet wet without spending your rent money.  Oh and they are also offering a "chefs experience" - make it simple and let us do the work.  $150.00 for 2 and $210.00 with pairing.

Back to the food.  Every dish I've had has been outstanding.  Some may be aggressively seasoned for some palates (older diners who can't read...)but I'm sure the kitchen can tone down some items or steer you in a different direction.  

The menu is broken down into six sections.  Snacky Snacks where prices range from $7-15.  Fresh & Bright (like me) $9-14. Chilled & Refreshing $12-24. Wood Fired $18-29.  Something on the side (yes leave the wife at home) $8-14 and Smoked which is where you want to focus on $32-38.  

Why do I think it's already one of the best restaurants in town? Chef Lewis has created an interesting, unique and  balanced menu and nails it. It's that simple.  Great products, great diverse flavors that enhance each dish along with perfect execution.  Consistency is king and they consistently deliver top caliber cuisine with every dish they serve. 

It should be noted that Michael and Steven are huge proponents of green and sustainable methods.  Thus, for every tree they burn in their wood burning oven, they replant 5 new trees.  They also attempt to reduce waste by using an Orca waste composter and plan on sourcing most food locally.  




smoked Duck breast "burnt ends" 

I had to lead with this dish because it is simply incredible.  Crispy burnt ends, juicy and flavorful duck flawlessly executed.  I've enjoyed a lot of great duck dishes along the way but this may be the best of the best. A must get. Word on the street is that the brisket may be better and i'm a huge brisket fan so stay tuned.  Winner, winner burnt ends dinner.




crisp Pork Belly steamed bun




beef Short Ribs, sweet soy and garlic 



crispy-spicy Hamachi Tartare





Grilled Octopus, hearts of palm, red onions and sudachi lime




Roasted Cauliflower and goat cheese, shishito-herb vinaigrette





Burrata, yuzu marmalade and toast




Squab & Herbs 




crispy banana and bourbon French Toast, salted butter and maple syrup (brunch menu)



RESERVATIONS

(786) 577-0150
OPEN TABLE

HOURS
Monday: Closed

Lunch:
Tuesday - Saturday
12pm - 6pm
Dinner:
Tuesday - Wednesday
6pm - 12am
Thursday - Saturday
6pm - 1 am
Sunday Brunch:
11am-8pm
Happy Hour:
Tuesday-Saturday
4:30pm-7:30pm

1 comment:

Charlie Byrne said...

I visited on a recent Sunday morning at 11:30AM. We happened to be in Miami and I'd heard almost nothing about this place, just one recommendation, but the brunch menu had a lot of "regular" items on it, so we dropped in.

Within about one minute, I knew something special was going on here. You know what many restaurants look and feel like at 11 Sunday morning? "The Walking Dead".

But not here.

The energy was high, all staff and cooks moving quickly, smiling. A buzz all around even though I was one of the few customers seated at that point.

Before long, GM/owner Steven stopped by to chat. When he picked up that I was a food-obsessed nut, he brought over Chef Michael, who spent a good 5 minutes at the table with my wife and I.

I'm sure we got added attention since it was not yet busy, but still, the level of service was quite amazing - *all around*.

And as for the food... well, you've already covered that! Can't wait to return.