Saturday, October 24, 2020

Cobaya Ari Taymor at Three




Cobaya Miami Experiment #79 was a return to the scene of a wonderful Cobaya dinner with legendary Miami chef, Norman Van Aken at Three restaurant located in Wynwood.  Norman is unfortunately no longer affiliated with Three but the menu and kitchen is still in the fantastic hands of one of my favorite local chefs, Jeffrey Brana and his cutting edge team.  

We happily returned to Three for another Cobaya dinner because it was with a talented visiting chef, Ari Taymor from Little Prince in Santa Monica, California.  Ari is a former James Beard rising star nominated chef who previously owned the popular Los Angeles spot Alma which won best new restaurant in America in 2013 by bon appétit.  Ari is known for his flavorful vegetable forward dishes.  For Cobaya, he hit us with a well rounded menu full of great flavors and perfectly executed dishes.  It was truly fantastic dinner form start to finish.  










Ari and Jeffrey happily expediting for the guinea pigs.







with braised bacon and smoked potato
Raventos I Blanc, Conca del Riu Anoia Brut 2014, Textures de Pedra, Penedes Spain












melon, cucumber and burrata with pink peppercorn vinaigrette
Domaine Huet, Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg 2018, Loire Valley, France









s






with heirloom tomatoes and a sauce made from the bones
Alphonse Mellot, La Moussiere, Sancerre 2017, Loire Valley, France












with black garlic, fingerlings and frisée
Federico Orsi, Vigneto San Vito Vigna del Grotto 2016, Emilia Romagna, Italy

















from Jamison Farm with cilanto and black vinegar chimichurri
Moccagatta, Barbaresco 2014, Piedmont, Italy






with almond scented cream and plum sherbet
Cruse Wine & Co., Ricci Vineyard St. Laurent 2018, California, United States



As always a huge thank you to the guinea pig nation for your continued interest and support.  The demand far outweighs the available seats and we genuinely hate that aspect of hosting these dinners.  

And of course, a huge thank you to Chef Taymor, and Chef Brana along with at Three executive chef Brian Vaughn, pastry chef Karla Hernandez and sommelier Jean-Baptiste Barre for some great pours.  And thanks to co-owners Candace Walsh and Susan Buckley for your continued support of Cobaya and the local dining scene.



Saturday, June 27, 2020

Cobaya Jose Ramirez-Ruiz





Cobaya Experiment 78 went down at the cool outdoor space located at  Lot 6 in the Little River area of Miami.  In the Cobaya Kitchen was the very well regarding chef from Brooklyn who had recently relocated to Miami.  As an avid online reader of all things food related,  I was very familiar with Chef Jose Ramirez-Ruiz's outstanding reputation in New York as well as his accolades.   I had also attended one of the pop-up dinners he did in Miami and thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.  So, I was very happy to connect with Jose and get him in the Cobaya Kitchen.  

Prior to taking his talents to Miami, Jose was Chef/Owner of Semilla, a small counter only and vegetable focused tasting menu spot in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  Prior to opening Semilla, Jose worked at some of the best restaurants in New York; Per Se, Chefs Table at Brooklyn Fare and Isa.  At Semilla, Jose earned a prestigious Michelin Star along with an impressive two star review from Pete Wells in the NY Times.  Semilla was also named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Bill Addison of Eater.  

Lot 6 is an outdoor venue without a full kitchen.  Thus, a majority of the meal was cooked in a wood fired oven.  And it was outstanding.  The menu was interesting and diverse and most importantly delicious.  The dinner not only showcased Jose's kitchen skills but gave the guinea pigs in attendance a glimpse of great things to come...

Jose moved to Miami with the intention of opening a new restaurant named Isabela.  Lucky Miami!  There is no doubt that Isabela will quickly become one of Miami's best restaurants and a tough reservation to get.  Jose is currently researching and learning all about Miami's sub tropical produce while honing his culinary skills.  Hopefully, we will see him in the kitchen real soon. Stay Tuned!




















The setting for the evening was dynamite thanks to plant/floral designer Hillary Bailey from Studio Madre Selva.




Shrimp Stuffed Olives




Wigwam Country Ham



Roasted Cheese with Lemon Vinaigrette







Mussels en Conserva





Sourdough Bread and Moringa Butter






Plantain Soup, Comte, Crunchies







Snapper Crusted with Crab









Roasted Pork Chops Stuffed with Plantains











Carrots with Yogurt, Spices and Herbs








Yuca with Avocado and Red Onion




Rice Pudding, Black, Sesame, and Mango







Jose's killer crew for the night!




Big thanks to Jose and his team along with all of the guinea pig nation.