This morning I asked myself the usual post weekend question:
Where did time go?!?!
It's like waking up after a high caused by expired mushroom. You kind of remember being chased by dragons and whatnot but even though you were gone for 48 hours straight, you only feel like you were gone for a few minutes.
Since hubby and I got our lease application approved and bought a spanking new 2015 Jeep Cherokee Latitude we decided we had to go out for dinner to pop a nice cork and toast over some yummy cuisine.
While I was online searching for the perfect mid-century table I bumped into the perfect mid-century spot: the Vagabond Motel. The iconic MiMo gem (Biscayne Boulevard Historic District) is located at 7301 BISCAYNE BOULEVARD. Vagabond Motel is again open for business under its starry-neon pylon sign.
The treasured exemplar of Miami Modern design is now probably far groovier than it ever was in its glory days in the ’50s and ’60s.
This updated version of the 1953 Vagabond is the result of a 1.9 million dollar restoration and has a decidedly grown-up vibe and a very very hipster quality.
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| Pool area. |
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| Happy Hour poolside. |
I tried to look up the restaurant website but their portal is not ready yet. Anyway I was fascinated enough to take the plunge and book a table for Saturday night to celebrate our new achievements. Listen to me, it sounds like I was going to walk on a red carpet and all...
I made a booking for 7.30 in the evening since I don't like having dinner in a bursting-with-people room. When we got there the place was already buzzing but with composure.
The lovely hostess (she looked like she had been styled to match the ambiance) took us to our table right in front of their window looking into the boulevard. Indeed a fortunate location where the light of the iconic Coppertone neon sign shined on us like a retro full moon.
We ordered a lovely bottle of champagne to toast and the very friendly staff gracefully introduced us to their menu without alienating us (nothing worse than a waiter with verbal diarrhea).
Since you can't find it on line here is a pic of their menu:
The lovely beverage director Jack Colombo brought us our bottle of bubbly and I sort of fell in love with this scruffy (but on purpose) guy.
I am officially stalking him on Face Book and Twitter.
I do hope he doesn't mind I stole this picture of him.
(Hubby was not amused)
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| Dreamy Jack. |
There is a myriad of articles about the reopening of the Vagabond Motel, I don't need to reiterate. Here is the one from the Miami Herald.
The restaurant is charming and it matches very well the spirit of the new Vagabond Motel.
Mid century decor, waiters chosen with a specific look in mind (a mix between Adam Levine from Maroon 5 and your hipster-next-door) and a cuisine that makes sure your taste is intrigued but not scared away.
The menu is by 25-Year-Old Chef Alex Chang who said "I just don't think there are restaurants that are super unique here .. like, oh this restaurant bleeds Miami".
He is quite right, but in order to make the Vagabond a very-Miami-thing he still needs to adjust the aim. Chef Alex wants it to "be a place where you can come and have a burger, some
vegetables and a little dish where you can spend $30 or a place where
you can go have like 24 oz sirloin and spend $100 per person".
The food was very good but it didn't blow off my out-on-a-date pretty underwear. Mind you I am not a fan of those molecular menus either (luckily Vagabond's was not one of them).
That being said, Alvaro Perez Miranda (the visionary behind the Vagabond restaurant and bar) in his trying to make food for the contemporary vagabond left us feeling like he focused primarily into making the establishment look the part rather than concentrating into making it taste like it.
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| The coasters. |
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| Open kitchen. |
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| Art on the wall. |
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| Bar area. |
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| Mid century lights. |
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| Random decorative bike. |
The whole operation is still at a very young stage so I am sure all it needs is a bit of on the road time.
After all nowadays, when we go to a restaurant we should take for granted that the food is going to be better than our own grilled cheese toast and the dishes at Vagabond were indeed delightful (but not balls-to-the-wall yet).
What makes the difference is the kind of experience it's been orchestrated to keep the buzz going and to tantalize the ever so fickle Miami urbanites. Vagabond really succeeded in doing that.
As it is written on the post-card you get with your bill:
A true Vagabond is a free spirited wanderluster who uses curiosity as their compass.
A Thinker, an Artist, a Bohemian, an Adventurer... An Original.
When I read that I fondly thought of dreamy beverage director Jack.
So I called him to our table to say goodbye (hubby was still not amused).
I asked Jack to sign my coaster in true stalker fashion...
I will be back Jack. I will.
Ciao for now.
Alvaro
Perez Miranda, the visionary behind Vagabond Restaurant and Bar, - See
more at:
http://www.miamiculinarytours.com/vagabond-restaurant-bar/#sthash.acasC1iS.dp
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