French 27 moves into Miami Beach

French 27

850 Commerce St., Miami Beach, 305-764-3948, French27.com

A contemporary French restaurant, representing all 27 regions of France with imported specialty ingredients, has moved into the former Porfirio’s in the South of Fifth district.

“We pride ourselves on making sure everythingwe have is always fresh and never frozen,” general manager Amin Noorzai says.“We receive shipments all day long, and you can taste the difference.”

Highlights include escargots tartiflette with Camembert and blue cheese in a puff pastry ($21), duo duck confit ($39) and Chilean sea bass with tomato confit ($39). Four steaks ($39-$53) are topped with Café de Paris butter. The French onion soup recipewith brie and Emmental cheese ($15) has been handed down through three family generations of master chefs.

Dessert includes vanilla ice cream with Krispy Kreme pudding and baked apple pizzette (both $15).

Veuve Clicquot stars in several cocktails, such as the 27 with Bombay Sapphire ($21). They also offer eleven types of absinthe, which hail fromFrance or Switzerland ($11-$17).

Dinner is served nightly amid an elegant, romantic, open-air ambiance with red roses and candles punctuating the red, black and gold décor with white linens and a grand piano. Candles and rose petals float in a central fountain with a tree. ADJ spins on most nights.

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