AVIV

Aviv brings something rare to South Beach: reliability - Review - Miami - The Infatuation

"When it comes to well-known out-of-town spots (particularly in South Beach), we hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Not at Aviv. The Israeli restaurant from the same team behind Philly’s Zahav and Laser Wolf is a welcome addition to a neighborhood full of display window empanadas. It might not impress like some of its more famous siblings, but South Beach needs more upscale restaurants that don’t overcomplicate their food and care for you like a newborn puppy. That’s Aviv. video credit: Virginia Otazo video credit: Virginia Otazo video credit: Ryan Pfeffer photo credit: Michael Persico Pause Unmute This well-oiled machine is reliable for a big group dinner. The restaurant is huge, and the service is exceptionally smooth. You can safely meet tourists here to mingle at a big round table over hummus and kebabs. They make ordering for a group easy, too. Just do the $75 tasting menu. It includes hummus, a platter of salatim, one mezze, one grilled dish per person, and dessert. Food Rundown Kubbe Niya If you like tartare, order Aviv’s kubbe niya. The minced raw lamb mixed with warm allspice is a delicate dish with intense flavors. PlayMute video credit: Virginia Otazo Moroccan Cigars Spiced beef is packed so tightly inside the crispy, honey-glazed phyllo dough, you’d think the kitchen poached a professional cigar roller from Little Havana. PlayMute video credit: Ryan Pfeffer Lamb Merguez They say you should never see how the sausage is made, but we want to know how they get this coiled piece of meat so smoky. PlayMute video credit: Virginia Otazo Key Lime Knafe We’ve noticed a trend: out-of-town chefs trying to put a new spin on key lime pie. They usually flop. This not-too-sweet knaffe is a respectable effort—but we’re still ordering the soft serve over it. PlayMute video credit: Virginia Otazo" - Virginia Otazo