The Bazaar for Dummies

So let's say you want to eat at Bazaar South Beach, but you don't have the patience to wade through 4,000 words and 19 footnotes to figure out what to order. Here's my version of "The Bazaar for Dummies" - a simplified (and opinionated) guide to the 60+ item menu. For more details, consult the long-playing version.

Must Have:^[1]

Papas a la Huancaina - Peruvian potatoes, sea urchin
Baby Japanese Peaches - fresh burrata, hazelnuts, arugula
Black Rossejat - paella-style pasta, squid ink, shrimp, aioli

Really, Really Good:

Kueh Pai Ti - Singapore's favorite street food - shrimp, peanuts, chili sauce
"Colada Cubana" Yogurt - coffee with foie gras
Almond Yogurt - tomato granite, fresh almonds
Smoked Oysters - ice and smoke, apple mignonette
Jamon de Toro - salt-cured fatty tuna like Spanish jamón with picas
Yuca "Churros" - with peanut butter and honey
Ajo Blanco - mango, sherry ravioli, king crab, fresh almonds
Butifarra Flauta - piquillo peppers, aioli, piparra
Frozen Blue Cheese Sandwich - lemon marmalade, walnut bread
Mediterranean Mussels - olive oil, sherry vinegar, pimentón
Sautéed Catalan Spinach - apples, pine nuts, raisins
Pa amb Tomaquet - Catalan-style toasted bread, tomato
Patatas Bravas - fried potatoes, spicy tomato sauce, aioli
Escalivada with Blue Cheese - Asturias meets Catalonia, José's two loves!
Sea Urchin - butter, black pepper, toasted bread
José's Taco - caviar, jamón Ibérico
Banana Mojito - mojito sorbet, mint and caramelized bananas
Key Lime Pie - José's way

(continued ...)


Worth a Try:

Bao con Lechon - Chinese bun, pork belly
"Bagels and Lox" - salmon roe, dill cream cheese
Japanese Taco - grilled eel, shiso, cucumber, wasabi, pork chicharrones
Cuban Escabeche "Estefan's Way" - hamachi, pickled onions, sour orange
Liquid Mango Nigiri - sea urchin, shiso, pickled sansho pepper
Brussels Sprouts - lemon purée, apricots, grapes, lemon air, banana
Bone Marrow - Hamakua Farms hearts of palm, Florida citrus, capers
"Cubano" - secreto de Ibérico, Ibérico ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles
Aceitunas Rellenas - piquillo pepper, anchovy, olive oil
Papas Canarias - salty wrinkled potatoes, mojo verde, mojo rojo
"The Ultimate Spanish Tapa!" Ensaladilla Rusa - potatoes, carros, mayo, tuna
Sautéed Shrimp - garlic, parsley, lemon, guindilla pepper
Chistorra - patatas fritas, quince aioli
Traditional Spanish Flan
Pastel Chocolate "Café con Leche" - Cuban coffee ice cream, dark chocolate mousse cake

Needs Improvement:

Dragon Fruit Ceviche - tuna, pecans, lime, hibiscus
Pimientos del Piquillo con Platano - Iberico chicharrones
Cuban Coffee Rubbed Churrasco - passion fruit

^[1] I'm trying to be conservative here and not put too many items in the "Must Have" category. I could easily put the "Jose's Taco" there but for the price tag; I could just as easily put the escalivada there, except that I could see some people wondering what's to get so excited over some roasted vegetables (I thought they were fantastic). There's also plenty of room to argue over whether some dishes belong in the "Really, Really Good" category or the "Worth a Try" category (which is not intended as a slight, I'd happily eat 90% of those dishes many times over). And some in the "Worth a Try" category might "Need Improvement" to get to the next level. But if you've already given it that much thought, you're probably not a dummy after all.