Michelin Announces Four New Florida Bib Gourmand Restaurants
Michelin Announces Four New Florida Bib Gourmand Restaurants
An Orlando sushi spot and a noodle bar, a Vietnamese restaurant in Miami, and a taco shop in Tampa have been named as the Sunshine State's newest great value restaurants
On April 18, the Tampa Edition Hotel will host the 2024 Florida Michelin Star Award Ceremony, with the French dining guide bestowing some of the culinary world’s highest honors upon a few of the Sunshine State’s best restaurants.
This will be the third Michelin Guide for Florida, which covers only the cities of Tampa, Orlando, Winter Park, and Miami. The addition of Orlando's neighbor, Winter Park, has stirred controversy among restaurateurs in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach since these two cities are close neighbors to Miami with stellar restaurants worthy of Michelin inclusion.
As a prelude to the guide, Michelin teases the public with small previews of what fate has in store for Florida establishments. In February, Michelin announced that 19 new restaurants in the Sunshine State would be included in the Guide — but where would they land?
Today, Michelin revealed the placing of four restaurants announced in February. Each of these restaurants earned a Bib Gourmand.
Named after Bibendum (yes, that’s the Michelin Man’s proper name). the Bib Gourmand recognizes establishments that offer good fare at good prices. In the past, that meant a three-course meal or an entree, dessert, and wine for $50 or under, though Michelin has now relaxed those parameters, merely stating a restaurant is, “offering a three-course meal at a reasonable price – have been pointed out using a special award: the Bib Gourmand. The price limit for Bib Gourmand consideration varies from country to country, depending on the cost of living, but the inspectors are searching for the same high quality, wherever they happen to be in the world.”
In a statement, Gwendal Poullennec, the international director of the Michelin Guides, said of the four restaurants, “These restaurant selections prepare bold specialties with precision and intentionality, all at an excellent value. Our inspectors delighted in the impressive flavors and are confident that foodies – both local and from afar – will too.”
The new Florida Bib Gourmands (including Michelin’s notes) are as follows:
Orlando
Sushi Saint (Japanese Cuisine)
Mike Collantes, Chef/owner of Soseki, has another hit on his hands with Sushi Saint. Attached to a brewery but with a separate entrance, this downtown temaki spot lures guests with its lounge-y vibe and contemporary design. The team take great care in sourcing high-quality rice and nori for their cone-shaped temaki, and while the hand rolls take center stage, their small plates, like Sichuan cucumbers with chili crunch, are worth trying. From the avocado with serrano lime miso to aburi-style scallop with brown butter to shredded snow crab with truffle, cucumber, and finger lime, the temaki offerings are impressive.
Zaru (Japanese Cuisine)
This sleek Mills 50 eatery is located in the same strip as the Tien Hung Market. With an upbeat playlist and an attractive dining room, Chef William Shen specializes in chewy noodles made from wheat sourced from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture. Ikura, tempura and top-notch ingredients like Hokkaido uni and A5 Kagoshima wagyu pair with broths of wonderful smokiness and depth. Starters like tatsuta-age (fried chicken) and yaki gyoza (pork dumplings) are familiar and reliable, but consider opting for the ikura onsen, which features a softly poached egg crowned with crispy garlic. Either way, expect precision and intentionality across the board by the team that’s happy to guide you.
Miami
Tâm Tâm (Vietnamese Cuisine)
Husband-and-husband team Tam Pham and Harrison Ramhofer are throwing a party on their own terms. On the edge of downtown by the county courthouse, you won’t find a glamorous room, a DJ booth, or anybody in stilettos or designer sneakers. There is no bouncer by the door. Instead, come as you are for this celebration of Vietnamese cooking that started out as a supper club. Much of the food doesn’t require silverware: think wings glossed in fish sauce caramel, smoky lamb with lettuce wraps and banh hoi noodles, and tamarind-glazed pork ribs. Finish with a slice of cheesecake made with cultured cashew cream and topped with passionfruit gelee. Bold, funky and fun, the restaurant is a good time all around, down to the hidden karaoke machine.
Tampa
Streetlight Taco (Mexican Cuisine)
This South Tampa taqueria certainly ups the style quotient on the typical taqueria. From the black-painted, exposed ductwork to the tables lacquered with Mexican comics to the open kitchen, this fast casual spot delivers on contemporary flair, and Chef Michael Brannock’s food isn't pulling any punches, either. Heirloom corn is nixtamalized in house for a menu featuring tacos, tostadas, salsas, sides and more. Don't skip the Sunday snack tostada, an equal parts sweet-and-savory delight with two blue corn tostadas layered with cream cheese with lump crab, diced sweet mango and a mango habanero sauce. The Japanese eggplant taco with an heirloom bean puree and a chile onza salsa has just the right amount of kick. There's a full bar, but a strawberry horchata goes down perfectly, too.