At last, love has come along...my taste buds have found their counterpart. My lonely days of good…read morebut heartless food are over and culinary life is like a song. Again. At Last.
Ive heard many things about Chef Raz Shabtai before, and when after one year of opening his restaurant in Miami and already receiving his First Michelin Star ( for the first ever Kosher Restaurant, mind you- A serious accomplishment by itself) I knew I must get in and experience the magic.
Well- in four words- Creativity, perfection, grace and Home. At Last!. Every dish was created from scratch with the freshest best ingredients, flavor, beautifully nestled in a one of a kind plate ( Each plate is hand chosen by the. chef), and felt like a perfect balance of comfort, creativity unusual bearing and fused to one. The appetizers were brilliant- Mutaki Mushroom cooked to sublime experience of an alliance between a fresh mushroom bite with a steak consistency hiding delicious sauce, surprising the palate in every bite, again and again. The Harisa sauce was cooked to perfection, combining old school grandma cooking with a 3 Michelin Star accuracy , presentation, plated like a picture perfect of deliciousness. The fish was cooked with so much love it melted in our mouth. The Lachuch Taco Like Cots of Moist Well seasoned Beef, The Mountain Hearty Bread was so wonderful that even when it slightly cooled down from it original straight from the oven perfection, it still tasted slightly crunch from the outside and moist on the inside. My gluten sensitive guts forgot sensitivity and accepted Open-heartedly that gift of love with joy and lucking any after-bit heartburn. I guess, indeed - All you need is Love. even my normal gut flora knew it instantly. The service was professional, friendly, attentive, knowledgable and provided with a beautiful smile from everyone, like our waiter - Michael and the Head Prep Chef- Nahum was running the show with the Sous Chef like a well trained orchestra, with "Yes Chef" calls from all the busy bees chef playing the perfect music in unison- all made the experience even better. All waiters, bus boys and girls, and chefs worked in perfect harmony, that seemed smooth, floating from one happy customer to another, that seemed like a well rehearsed dance. Chef Raz, came to out to our table, treated us ( Like he treated everyone- customers, and his staff) - like family. Relaxed, , knowledgeable, professional, and yet so down to earth and happy. That infected attitude of gratitude, wisdom, kindness and love for his craft, cooking, his staff and his customers, truly elevated his warm memory of his grandmother love for cooking and love for him, affecting his staff and customers alike. It's easy to see why Mutra became the first kosher restaurant to earn a Michelin star. ( Which Im sure many more stars will come). Whether you are a foodie (Ive been a past Sous Chef in a Michelin Restaurant in CA years ago), a simple lover of the good food, good vibe and good company, or a visitor to Miami for one night only. Whether you keep kosher or not, you'll find your mother's, grandmothers cooking love inspired cooking packed with flavors, colors, ancient scents, worldly perfect professional cooking techniques and presentation, and sounded by staff who makes you feel, happy, loved, at home. At Last!
