"QP Tapas started as a pop-up in Coral Gables. After that lease ended, the izakaya/Spanish tapas bar reappeared for a few months at a wine shop. And now, its latest reincarnation is inside the Mayfair House Hotel and Garden’s fountain lounge, an atrium surrounded by a cascade of tropical plants that looks like (we imagine) the Hanging Gardens Of Babylon. But QP Tapas thrives in its ability to adjust, which is why, even if their next residency takes place on the surface of Mars, we'll probably be singing the praises of the pan-galactic gargle blasters before our ship even breaks through Earth's atmosphere on the way home. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc If you’re new to QP, know that this place is one of Miami’s most creative restaurants, where Spanish and Japanese flavors work better together than a fresh divorce and new gym membership. But if you’re one of their many loyal followers who feels personally attacked by the paella’s disappearance (along with the okonomiyaki and uni risotto) from the menu, please understand they’re currently cooking in a kitchen without a single burner. The workhorse at this restaurant is now a wood-fired oven. Where others might let working out of a shared, partial kitchen get in their way, QP is agile in the face of a challenge. The flavors from that paella now exist in dishes like the smoked heritage chicken and pork tonkatsu. The paella spice is rubbed and dry brined into the very fibers of the meat, turning the skin golden. That’s the magic of QP Tapas, a pop-up so exceptional, it deserves a residency inside a place that looks like one of the seven wonders of the world. If you missed them the first two times around, your new priority in life is to make sure that doesn’t happen again—especially while they’re still at The Mayfair House. Food Rundown photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Yellowfin Tuna Crudo We’ve eaten more crudos than anyone in Miami. So believe us when we say this one is unlike any other. It’s savory from the burnt shallots and rich yet slightly sweet from black garlic. The fish itself is sliced thick but cuts like silk. This crudo isn’t always on the menu, but if you see it, waste no time ordering it. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings Charred Lamb Belly We sometimes get a little nervous when we read the word “belly” on a menu, because it’s a cut of meat that can sometimes be overwhelmingly fatty. But not with these skewers. The salty fish sauce and sweet date teriyaki glaze balances out the richness of the lamb belly. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings Matrimonio We probably don’t have to explain the joy that a perfectly executed (and intensely garlicky) pan con tomate will bring to you. But do you know what happens when you add white and black anchovies with little dollops of aioli to the equation. Order this to find out. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Smoked Heritage Farm Chicken This chicken looks like a South Beach grandma who doesn’t believe in UV protection—but at least it did get rubbed down with a generous amount of paella spice before meeting the heat of a thousand suns. The result is a smokey, saffron-infused bird that’s juicy. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Berkshire Pork Tonkatsu If there is one dish you must order at QP Tapas, it’s the pork tonkatsu. When it’s sliced, you can see a golden ring of paella spice between the tender pork and the crunchy breading. Dunk it in a tangy tonkatsu sauce and watch this pig fly. photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc Flan Here’s a flan big enough to share—but you won’t want to. It’s thick, draped in a sweet orange sauce, and topped with crushed coffee beans—a dessert and post-meal espresso in one." - Virginia Otazo & Ryan Pfeffer
