Can Chef Kilgore do it again? These amazing dishes at his new Wynwood restaurant say yes

2023-03-02 - BY CONNIE OGLE cogle@miamiherald.com

There are not many chefs in Miami who can make you think lovingly about fennel, but Brad Kilgore is one of them.

Fennel? you say, puzzled. The lowly cousin to the carrot? But in Kilgore’s hands — in his Caesar salad, to be specific — fennel transforms an almost-too-familiar menu item into the Rihanna of salads, a salad so bold and unforgettable it could perform at the Super Bowl halftime show if only it had two legs and more attitude.

It’s not every pile of greens that leaves such a strong impression. But Kilgore was the creator of Alter, the restaurant that opened in 2015 and helped redefine Miami dining, placing Wynwood squarely on the foodie map. Tragically, Alter closed permanently in 2020, along with Kilgore’s other restaurants, Ember and Kaido.

But now we have MaryGold’s Florida Brasserie, which opened last fall on the ground floor of the Arlo Wynwood, the neighborhood’s first hotel. Kilgore opened the restaurant in collaboration with cocktail wizards Bar Lab, the group behind Broken Shaker, which was named one of the best 50 bars in

North America in 2022.

The food at Alter was surreal, sometimes unidentifiable, always interesting. The menu at MaryGold’s, which leans heavily on the tastes of Florida, is more accessible without sacrificing the inventive spirit that made Kilgore a James Beard Award finalist. He’s a ninja with flavor, whipping up combinations that are simultaneously comforting and unique, tastes you roll over in your mind long after they have left your tongue.

The best way to approach MaryGold’s may be to order one of the two tasting menus ($90 or $140), which offer a wide view of Kilgore’s talent. And if the allure of pre- or post-dinner cocktails is strong, head upstairs to Higher Ground, a courtyard bar on the Arlo’s third floor, where you can sample the best of Bar Lab. We’re intrigued by the Tomato & Strawberry ($18; Ilegal mezcal, cocchi americano, martini ambrato, strawberry and tomato soda) and the Apricot & Soursop ($20; Appleton and Brugal

1888, apricot, bergamot, soursop and sparkling wine).

Here’s what we tried at MaryGold’s and what we thought, with the a la carte menu prices:

LAYERED BRIOCHE BREAD ($11)

It goes without saying you should order the bread whenever you set foot in a Kilgore joint, but we’re going to say it anyway. Do you remember the bread at Alter? Then you know why you must order it.

WAFFLE AND CAVIAR ($26)

Caviar is always welcome, but caviar served atop an adorable sweet potato waffle, with chive and parmesan aged creme fraiche, is now a requirement.

FENNEL POLLEN CAESAR ($19)

Normally we wouldn’t suggest a salad at a swanky restaurant — go for the appetizers, which tend to be more impressive — but this fennel-infused salad with buttermilkpeppercorn vinaigrette and trout roe agromato (citrus olive oil) is a game-changer.

LINE CAUGHT SASHIMI ($25)

Seems like everybody is serving some sort of sashimi or tiradito these days, and we applaud this trend, especially in this case, when the succulent fish is drizzled with sour orange and served with aguachile, Scotch bonnet kosho, mustard seed oil and radish.

RIBIOLINA TORTELLINI ($26)

You may not be the type to order pasta due to an unholy fear of carbs. You may not be the type to order escargot because snails. But trust us when we tell you that this is a donot-miss dish drizzled with pistachio bourguignon.

CHICKEN AND THE EGG ($72)

If you see the word “egg” on a Brad Kilgore menu, don’t hesitate. Many Miami diners still dream about the frothy egg he served at Alter. Order this shareable combo, even if you generally shy away from ordering chicken. The smoky eggs (not pictured) are served first, rich and creamy with a touch of pesto, then comes the chicken, with umami butter, yukon potato puree, chive, whole roasted celery root jus and stuffed with dark meat and mushrooms.