15 Steps at the Eden Roc
WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING EVERY FOOD LOVER SEEKS WHEN eating abroad? A sense of place. Pizza in Naples, sushi in Tokyo, mole in Oaxaca. We all want to eat food typical of whatever corner of the world we may find ourselves in. That pursuit fuels taste travellers everywhere.
There’s no need to go to the furthest reaches of the planet to experience a sense of a place. I recently found a splendid version of it in Miami, while staying at the Eden Roc, Florida’s grandest hotel. Not only does the Eden Roc boast the pool of every snowbird’s dreams — plus sumptuous suites, glorious oceanside views, and a 22,000-square-foot Elle spa offering everything from chakra alignment rooms to animal healing treatments — but the restaurant itself, 15 Steps, is like a macrocosm of Miami Beach’s best flavours in one centralized location.
The name, a reference to the fifteen steps it takes to get a perfectly fresh fish caught and plated, is a clue to how seriously they take their fresh seafood. And it would be crazy to visit here without tasting the perfect octopus ceviche or the branzini. But just as interesting as their understanding of seafood is the way they’ve embraced the South American flavours — everything from yucca to dulce de leche — that make Miami such a tasty destination. “My inspiration is usually seasonal ingredients from local farms like Teena’s Pride,” chef Jeremy Ford told me. “But there are also some really typical dishes you can get in Miami that we’ve recreated on our menus.”
It is these dishes — and the places that inspired them — that make 15 Steps so emblematic of Miami cuisine today.
Salchipapa
The unassumingly named potato hash at 15 Steps isn’t something most out-of-towners would know to order, but it’s a take on a quintessential South American dish called salchipapa available all over Miami (the dish is Peruvian in origin, but you can find it in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Columbia — all countries which have significant population in South Florida). The 15 Steps version, served with chorizo and quail, is more refined than most versions, which happen to be particularly satisfying after a night out partying. In fact, the closest parallel would be to think of the dish as a kind of South
American version of a poutine — not all that surprising given the fondness Quebecers have for Florida. Ford recommends the version of salchipapa served at Los Perros, a late-night restaurant with several outlets in Miami.
…15 Steps is like a macrocosm of Miami Beach’s best flavours…
Mofongo Tots
Besides having one of the most euphonious names in international gastronomy, mofongo is also, when done right, one of the most satisfying dishes in the world. Puerto Rican in origin, it’s a dish of mashed plantains best served with chicharron or other braised porky tidbits. 15 Steps’ sous chef is Sergio Rivera, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico and has spent the past decade working in Miami. The Mofongo Tots served at Eden Roc showcase Rivera’s influence in the kitchen. He himself, however, swears by the classic old school version of mofongo served at a bright, airy place called Jimmy’z Kitchen. The one to get is the Churrasco Mofongo with Chimichurri Sauce.
Empanadas
The Cuban influence in Miami cannot be emphasized enough. After all, if you had to settle on a single local must-try specialty, it would have to be a Cuban sandwich, or its soulmate, the media noche. (The staff at 15 Steps highly recommend the iteration at Puerto Sagua in South Beach, a traditional Cuban café which also does a mean batido de mamey and old school cortaditos.) One of the pillars of Cuban gastronomy is ropa vieja — a succulent dish of braised beef. The Eden Roc takes their ropa vieja and stuffs it into empanadas (that Venezualan handheld classic), which are the thing to get at Cabana Beach Club, the hotel’s more informal beachside kitchen. Their version consists of flour masa stuffed with the ropa vieja and manchego and served with truffle chimichurri sauce. Rivera told me that their inspiration comes from the ropa vieja empanadas served at Wynwood Kitchen and Bar, in the happening Wynwood art district.