Miami has a large population of traditional Jewish people who will only eat in a Kosher restaurant. There are many of these establishments but none are worthy of my attention … until now. This past October 2021, a new upscale eatery has opened called Asiatiko which is a kosher game changer. You don’t even have to be Jewish to enjoy it. Located at 2906 NE 207th Avenue in Aventura. It is in the same new plaza as Casa di Angelo.
It is an attractive, modern spot, with wood tables and floors, wrap-around windows, and a cool contemporary lighting fixture. The square bar is the focal point when you enter, with a large decorative tree in its center, and it is a popular hang-out for good reason. There is an extensive cocktail list and the mixologist is making some of Miami’s most innovative cocktails. I enjoyed a drink called Autumn Japan, which had pomegranate, lychee, dry vermouth, and Roku gin, and was reminiscent of a Pisco Sour, with a beautiful presentation. My friend had a show-stopping Singapore Gardens, made with lychee, elderflower tonic, Sichuan pepper, and gin, and was topped with candy floss, and was sprayed with a fragrant rose scent. The wine list is strictly kosher with some decent labels but I think I would stick to a mixed drink. I would even come here before or after dinner, sidle up to the bar, and order one of their creative concoctions and maybe a hot or cold appetizer.
The menu is large and overwhelming and a bit tricky to navigate, but I found the waitstaff to be friendly and helpful (unusual for a Miami establishment) and they helped us with some of the signature dishes. The sushi selection was surprisingly more than decent, as I went with low expectations. The yellowtail hamachi maki, the Alaska Nikkei, and the crunchy spicy tuna were all crowd pleasers. Our vegan companion was satisfied with his Kani bowl, which was chock full of fresh crisp veggies. From the hot appetizer list we savored the turkey-wrapped dates, the turkey was slightly smoked and the dish included beef, sesame oil, truffle oil, and tofu sauce. I tend to stay away from kosher steaks (sorry) that aren’t as tender or flavourful, but a friend recommended the beef sliders and they were actually delicious with a really dynamic flavour. They grill prime ground beef, add teriyaki sauce, wasabi, truffle ketchup and crispy wontons. They serve up these burgers ordered to your desired temperature, and on pretzel buns which would always be my preferred choice.
The menu is Asian-inspired, plus there is a robata grill too where they grill up vegetables, burgers, steak, and lamb chops. We never tried a main dish but they offer salmon, branzino, sea bass, and Peking duck. Maki’s, Niguri’s, and sashimi are also listed on the menu. The presentations are well done.
There are a few desserts offered. Their version of baked Alaska was torched tableside. Because there is no dairy served at the restaurant, they used sponge cake for the filling instead of ice cream. I found the meringue was too soft and didn’t taste like a typical topping. Maybe it needed more sugar to be incorporated into the egg whites. The flourless chocolate cake was good considering it was made without butter or cream.
They play a club-like music soundtrack that gets rather loud in the evening, but if that is not for you, you can opt to sit in their ample outdoor space.
Who knew, a cool, tasty, kosher spot is in Aventura. I guess you must expect the unexpected. Well done.
Happy dining,
Shanea
