By Justina Coronel
James Beard Award Winner Chef Michelle Bernstein brings Miami a taste from different cultures, a natural touch of flavorful ingredients, and a delicious flair of soulful cooking with the opening of CENA by Michy on Biscayne Boulevard. Bernstein cooks what she truly enjoys and that transfers gracefully onto the dishes that she prepares. Bernstein is a Miami native of Jewish and Latin descent who brings adventurous, yet simplistic recipes to the menu. CENA, which translates from Latin as “the most important meal of the day,” is a neighborhood restaurant that travels guests into a world of incredible flavors and world-taste wonders.
This modern-day feel restaurant with an open concept view of the kitchen has a beautiful gold exquisite piece of art on the wall that encourages all guests to enjoy its beautiful delicacies. The bar is welcoming with multiple cocktail concoctions to serve such as the Cena Bramble and the Michy-lada. The Cena Bramble is shaken with either vodka or gin with lemon juice then strained over crushed ice topped with aperol laced peach-rhubarb compote. The Michy-lada has a little kick with baby bell and hot peppers with sour and navel orange that attains charred papaya shrub, spiced pomegranate and citrus, and then finally topped with estrella damm beer with an ancho chili smoked salt rim. The perfect way to cool down after this zesty drink is with the scrumptious food.
Through her one-of-a-kind appetizers, Bernstein puts her own unique pizazz into the vegetable starters. The Beet Sorghum Risotto has roast beets with the added touch of horseradish crème fraiche; now you can’t ‘beet’ that! The Creamy Polenta has crunchy yet perfectly cooked brussel sprouts covered with a l’ekema oil slow poached egg. Bernstein tops the vegetable starters with a Cauliflower Steak that is pickled with garlic aioli, marconas, raisins, and capers, oh my! The best way to top off your dining experience is with a signature dinner dish, the Harissa Lamb Spare Ribs. It is deliciously cooked on la parilla with sumac yogurt smudge and tanzeya slow cooked fruit.
This feel good restaurant embraces Bernstein’s colorful personality and her true dedication to good food. Make sure to indulge and enjoy the most important meal of the day at CENA by Michy.
CENA by Michy is located at 6927 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138
For more information, please visit www.cenabymichy.com
Click here to view this post in the September/October 2015 digital issue