The 10 Miami meals that got us through 2020

2020 was the year of fried chicken in Miami. Nearly every restaurant in the city seemed to have a bird special at one point in the year, but Phuc Yea’s was hands-down our favorite. Sold as a gut-busting meal for two—exclusively on Thursdays and in limited quantities—the Viet-Cajun chicken was marinated in buttermilk and spiced with lemongrass and loads of Cajun seasonings. With it came two perfectly baked biscuits and a side of Chinese sausage butter, plus creamy slaw and a gooey croissant bread pudding for dessert. It was just enough food for a weekday but still special to make it feel like an early weekend treat. Sadly, the special isn’t around anymore but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a comeback in 2021.

Before the world imploded, Hillstone at the Bal Harbour Shops (or sister restaurant, Houston’s) was my go-to date spot. My guy and I would head there on a random Saturday, no reservations, and hover near the entrance until a spot at the bar freed up. I’d order the emerald kale salad with a side of french fries and a dirty gin martini (balance) and he’d waffle over what to get, finally settling on the cheeseburger. We’d sit side by side and watch the crowd swell around us without a care or concern for our shrinking personal space. It was the experience I missed the most during lockdown and so when Hillstone began offering takeout and delivery for the first time ever, I jumped at the chance to order. I had to make my own martini (I so missed Houston’s goat-cheese-stuffed olives) and reheat my fries to get them to optimal in-room dining crispiness but it was just the meal I needed to hold me over until the restaurant reopened. And for a brief moment, while huddled at our kitchen counter, it felt like we were back at the busy bar.

What a treat it was to experience LPM at home this year. The high-end Brickell restaurant went all out with its takeout meal, serving it in a handpainted canvas tote (drawn by one of its talented staff members no less) and including a Spotify playlist of lively French tunes to remind you of the Nice-inspired space. If you’re dropping cash on food from LPM, you have to make sure it’s special: duck à l'orange with a side of charred broccolini and a slice of cheesecake for dessert. I even put on real pants to eat this meal at home—anything less would’ve been completely inappropriate.

Most food was available during the lockdown, even sushi, but what you couldn’t get was omakase. The delicious, chef’s-choice experience was pretty much a nonstarter when avoiding human contact and dining indoors was everyone’s MO. Wynwood restaurant Omakai helped change that with their beautiful sushi boxes that were portioned and labeled with instructions on what to eat and in what order, plus how to dress each piece as the chef would if he were rolling it up in front of you.

Comfort food takes many forms but soup is pretty universal when it comes to feel-good eats. What Soup Miami, a delivery-only concept launched during lockdown, was my go-to on cold days, sick days and any day I just needed something delicious and homemade. The menu changes weekly and features soups from all over the world, which is a nice touch when most of us are craving far-away flavors. 

The Instagram pizza sensation began in Greg’s home kitchen as a small operation for friends and family and grew to one of the year’s most successful pop-ups. Its naturally leavened sourdough crust was light and crispy and topped with mostly local ingredients. Our favorite was the O.G. pepperoni drizzled with hot honey. I’m a small person who managed to eat half of a whole pizza on her own. It was a feat but also a credit to how airy the crust truly was. Old Greg’s is temporarily closed but keep an eye on its Instagram for updates.

It was a sad day when Miami’s best Chinese restaurant, No Name Chinese, closed its doors. But all of that turned around when its chef, Pablo Zitzmann, launched his at-home namesake restaurant at the height of lockdown. Zitz Sum’s angry dumplings were maybe one of the only things I cooked this year (they came with instructions to pan-fry before serving) and I don’t regret a second I spent in the kitchen. They were better than I remembered them and the fact that you could order as many dipping sauces as you wanted was worth the extra effort of making them yourself.

The intrepid duo behind the Lazy Oyster came in clutch when the oyster cravings hit. The Instagram pop-up made the rounds at several Miami restaurants as well as offered delivery throughout lockdown. With a fresh selection of east and west coast bivalves, the Lazy Oyster was my go-to for at-home happy hours and taking living room celebrations to the next level.

La Mar’s was late to join the takeout and delivery game but they swooped in with style. Chef Diego Oka and his team provided a full restaurant-quality experience at home with personalized boxes timestamped for ultimate freshness. I love that the box included a menu (I’m a sucker for well-planned courses) and a Spotify playlist with trippy Peruvian tunes to listen to while you dined. I’d been missing fresh ceviche and having Oka’s tiradito bachiche at home (my favorite dish at the restaurant) really hit the spot.

By now, I’m an expert at making cocktails at home but that wasn’t always the case. Back in April, I needed help and, thankfully, Bar Lab was there to save the day. The local craft-cocktail pioneers created affordable, pre-batched cocktail kits with everything you need to make their yummy drinks yourself. Each one was $35 and included four mixer pouches and adorable garnishes for each. They saved me from glass of wine number 2948 and gave me something to do at home that wasn’t cooking.