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As I wrote about here, we’re in Miami for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF®). We went to A Taste of Italy on the first night. Tickets to Fontainebleau Miami Beach presents Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best were also part of a Marriott Bonvoy Moments™ package. This was a huge tasting with lots of caviar, crudo, tartare, and more luxurious bites. Dishes were decadent and plentiful.
Golden Era glamour meets heavenly haute cuisine at this Festival mainstay, which pairs over 60 of the nation’s most acclaimed chefs with more than 65 first-rate wineries from around the globe. The Fontainebleau Miami Beach sets the perfect stage for this swanky walkaround tasting spotlighting a superb roster of James Beard Award winners, Food & Wine Best New Chefs, and Michelin-starred restaurants alongside some of the world’s most renowned winemakers. Sample a decadent array of cuisines and varietals before making your way to the event’s expertly curated Wine Wall, which gives attendees the chance to take the Best of the Best experience home with them, one coveted bottle at a time. When it comes to this SOBEWFF® favorite, the event name says it all!”
Our tickets granted us entry 30 minutes early, which was nice because it became really crowded later on.
As you entered, you were given a glass for all of the wine tastings.
One of the sponsors above stood out to us. We toured Sandeman Cellars in Porto and sampled their delicious port. My husband was thrilled to taste 30, 40, and even 50-year-old ports at this event.
There was a DJ and a live trombone player providing tunes throughout the event.
There was a game in the far, front corner called the Wine Wall. For $100, you got to pick a number and would win the prize associated with it in that slot.
I had fun playing and won five bottles of wine plus two tickets to Tacos & Tequila presented by Tequila Cazadores. Unfortunately, we have a dinner at the same time. I am going to give them away to someone that can go.
The wine I won includes:
- Post & Beam Chardonnay (2021 | Napa Valley)
- McPrice Myers Beautiful Earth (2020 | Paso Robles)
- Alfred Gratien Brut Rosé (2021 | Champagne)
- Ultimate Provence Rosé (2021 | Provence)
- Caro (2019 | Mendoza)
We sampled a ton of dishes. This article would be miles long if I posted every photo. Here is a recap of the dishes we tried:
Pictured (left to right, across): Château Magnol’s Royal Foie Gras from Barton & Guestier in Bordeaux, France; Chilled Rock Shrimp Salad with Plantain Chips from Burlock Coast in Fort Lauderdale, FL; Turkish Sigara Boregi from Byblos in Miami Beach, FL, Beef Tataki from the Charlie Palmer Collective in New York, NY; Carrots from Galit Restaurant in Chicago, IL; Wood-Fired Mushroom Pâté from Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann in Miami Beach, FL; Tamarind Short Rib Hummus from Aba in Bal Harbour, FL; Duo of Sous Vide Beef from Cuisine Solutions; Kampachi Temaki from Pao by Paul Qui in Miami Beach, FL.
Pictured (left to right, across): Wagyu Tartare from Makoto in Miami Beach, FL; Akami Tiradito from Osaka Cocina Nikkei in Miami, FL; Prosciutto e Parmigiano Doppio Tortello from Rezdôra in New York, NY; Wagyu Pastrami from Papi Steak in Miami Beach, FL; Masitas de Puerco from Cafe Bernie in Miami Beach, FL; Ravioli Cacio e Pepe from Dolce Italian in Miami Beach, FL; Tuna Crudo from Rose Mary in Chicago, IL; Wood-Fired Grilled Chicken with Mint from Alta Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA; Pan-Fried Organic Chicken Dumplings with Foie Gras from Hakkasan in Miami Beach, FL.
Pictured (left to right, across): Clams Jimbaran from Wayan in New York, NY; Scallop Mi Cuit from Bresca I Jônt in Washington DC; Donatella’s Meatballs with Spicy Ragu from Noma Beach at Redfish in Miami, FL; 48-hour Sous Vide Strip Loin from Casa Mariano in Miami, FL; Chicken Wontons and Salsa Macha from Zitz Sum in Miami, FL; Wood Grilled Carrots from Buccan in Palm Beach, FL; Lobster Dumplings from Jaya at the Setai in Miami Beach, FL; Butter-Poached King Crab from Knife & Spoon in Orlando, FL; Papa al Pomodoro from Luca Osteria in Coral Gables, FL.
Pictured (left to right, across): Pan-Seared Lamb Lollipop from Diplomat Prime in Hollywood, FL; Sea Bass Chowder from Edge Steak & Bar in Miami, FL; Udon All’Amatriciana from Pasta Ramen in Montclair, NJ.
If all of that food wasn’t enough, there was an entire dessert wing with some amazing bites.
Gummi Bear Cake
The pastry team at the Fontainbleu created all of these amazing bites.
There were also a few restaurants providing dessert (below).
One of my favorites was the Campfire S’more from The Miami Beach Edition. The Toasted Marshmallow ice cream was amazing.
Anthony’s Take: This was one of the best events I have attended in the dozens of festivals I have gone to through the years. Decadent bites from fantastic restaurants is a hit any day.
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
