I initially stumbled upon Bachour Bakery and Bistro before it was opened to the public. Chef Antonio Bachour saw me peering inside and invited me in even though he was hosting a friends and family lunch. He showed me his lovely space and sent me home with the most artfully designed and stunning pastries. I couldn’t wait to return to come for lunch. Fast forward a few months, I came back to Miami and made a b-line directly to Bachour Bakery and Bistro located at 600 Brickell Avenue.
Photo: miamicitysocial.com
Nationally renowned pastry Chef Antonio Bachour and his partner Henry Hane, formally of my favourite restaurant, Eating House, have collaborated to open this delightful seventy seat space, decorated in neutral colours, with high ceilings and stone walls with bits of green moss. There is also an outdoor patio. Call it, “industrial chic”, if you will, but I think it is more beautiful than that. Maybe it is the display of wondrous rows of delicate and beautiful pastries in the front, with rainbows of macaroons and bonbons, or the warmth of the two men who run and own it.
Chef Henry Hane runs the savoury aspect, the “Bistro”. It was so nice to see how packed they were for lunch mid-week. The menu is divided into soups, salads, small plates, tartines and sandwiches. We started with some rosé and a strawberry bellini. The Brussel Sprout Caesar salad with parmesan, toasted cashews, croutons, and a snowed egg on the top was a new take on a Caesar. I loved it! If you want something light, I suggest the La Causa salad, it came with crab, gulf shrimp, anticucho aioli, avocado and cebolla criolla. Don’t ask me what is in that, it has the texture of a thick hummus, but that wasn’t it. Various proteins can be added to the salads at an extra cost. The crispy salmon in a sesame pea broth with grain fried rice – that actually looked like Israeli couscous and barley to me, topped with pickled watermelon – was a standout dish, bursting with flavours. The spicy tuna tartine with pickled cucumber and scallion, sesame, and a grilled nori purée was a beautiful dish. By the way, all the breads for the sandwiches are made in-house, you can see them making the dough in the open kitchen, carrying it to the back and rolling it out in these impressive machines. Chef Hane’s menu meets Bachour’s high standards.
Speaking of, be sure to leave room for one of Bachour’s breathtaking creations. After all, he was a 2016 James Beard Awards Outstanding Pastry Chef semifinalist. The chef travels extensively, he teaches worldwide, meeting fellow culinary folk at home and abroad. He is big on social media, I am a fan and a follower. He has also written many cookbooks. The pastries are a work of art, and the daily selection is forever changing. There is a dessert menu but I suggest going up to the counter. It is difficult to choose only one, I can tell you that. The good news is, there is takeout where you can select from croissants, cookies, cakes, brioche, eclairs, brownies, bonbons and pastries.
Today, “farm-to-table”, and, “organic”, are no longer just buzzwords, they are the standard now, and chefs can’t get away with riding on the coattails of a famous name or stunning decor anymore to ensure success in this city.
I think Bachour Bakery and Bistro is great for breakfast, lunch or brunch. I wish they were open for dinner too.
My only gripe is why are all the good places opening down in Brickell? The people of Bal Harbour, Surfside, Adventura and Sunny Isles doth protest!
Although I will travel anywhere for a good meal, I can’t say the same for my fellow diners. Fingers crossed, I heard from someone in the know told me they are scouting for a new spot … possibly in Adventura. A girl can dream!
Highly recommended.
Happy dining,
Shanea