Commonwealth Miami Dinner Review
Commonwealth Miami is a laid back whiskey and bourbon bar with a serious chef, Daniel Roy, in the kitchen. After working alongside Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford at The Matador Room by Jean-Georges, Chef Roy busted out on his own to create Commonwealth Miami’s upscale Farm-to-Table menu.
We were invited to savor the passion Chef Roy lavishes into his dishes. Every beautiful plate is prepared with ingredients sourced from local farms, such as Swank and Paradise.
We enjoyed three fresh salads that ranged from savory to sweet. Starting with in-season, juicy Florida strawberries and sweet Baby White beets tossed with delicate Frilly mustard greens. The bitterness of the greens as well as crunchy walnuts and tangy goat cheese added contrasting flavors.
Next, carrots, roasted to perfection, over a thick yogurt dressing peppered with smoky cumin. Lastly, creamy House Made Burrata over roasted acorn squash, with truffle dressing and crowned with a thin toasted crostini. The salad plate was also adorned with slightly tart Pink Lady apples and butternut squash puree.
From the starter menu, we were presented with an unbelievably tender Octopus A La Plancha, which was braised, then pan seared with garlic. The dish was served over a zesty olive tapenade, and accompanied by a salad with crumbled goat feta cheese.
As a main entrée, we feasted on Chef Roy’s soon-to-be famous homemade Pappardelle pasta. The soft wide noodles were topped with San Marzano tomato sauce and exquisite 24-month aged Parmesan cheese. This unassuming, but sumptuous, dish arrived with two thick, butter-grilled slices of ciabatta bread to wipe the bowl clean.
In addition to wonderful cuisine, Commonwealth Miami carries over 100 whiskeys, scotches and bourbons from around the world as well as local craft beers, wines and an innovative craft cocktail menu.
The night we visited for dinner, the bar was hosting Whiskey Wednesdays, and offering a selection from their extensive menu for $7. After recently discovering the world of Japanese whiskey, I could not resist sampling a neat glass of Suntory Toki, a silky whisky with a subtle sweet and-spicy finish.
With several Old Fashioneds offered on the curated cocktail menu, I settled on A Pig Named Maple. This sweet, yet bold cocktail is made with Tap 357 Canadian Maple Whisky, and mixed with Angustora bitters and maple syrup. Poured over a single, over-sized ice cube, the drink came garnished with a tasty salty treat, a dehydrated slice of Benton’s bacon.
My dinner companion, gushed over a more elaborate cocktail called Irish Clover. This beautiful drink, presented in a dainty Prohibition-era Nick & Nora cocktail glass, is made with potent, triple distilled Paddy’s Irish whiskey. This specialty whisky sour features housemade blackberry shrub, and a healthy head of egg white foam.
Commonwealth Miami is located at 1216 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139