Balloo Restaurant
Permanently Closed
Caribbean Indian Chinese dishes with spam fried rice, chili crab
Caribbean Indian Chinese dishes with spam fried rice, chili crab
"Timon Balloo from Balloo Restaurant uses yuzu kosho, a paste made from yuzu lime peel, chilis, and salt, to enhance dishes like oven-roasted snapper, providing a quick way to add flavor and elevate the dish."
"This Downtown Miami newcomer has transformed into a “jerk shack” during these unusual times. Think items like jerk plantains, sweet and sour cauliflower, oxtail stew, and pepper shrimp. Available for pick up and delivery daily from noon to 9 p.m." - Olee Fowler
"DOWNTOWN MIAMI — Less than a year after opening, Timon Balloo’s much-buzzed about namesake eatery, Balloo, has closed — for now. Balloo took to his Instagram today to confirm reports that the eatery had shuttered his Downtown Miami location, but also noted that he is looking for a new space for the restaurant and is “looking for a bigger and better space to share the Balloo vibes with you.” In the meantime, he is selling meal kits of some of the restaurant’s favorite dishes for delivery and pick up on certain days of the week. As for the space, Balloo’s partners Bar Lab confirmed that a new taqueria would be opening there spearheaded by Alex Chang, who once led the kitchen at the now defunct Vagabond Kitchen. The restaurant will debut sometime next month." - Olee Fowler
"Don’t let the title of this dish fool you, it’s much more complex and tasty than your average bowl of veggies. The tender cabbage, which is cooked until it almost melts-in-your mouth, boasts burnt-just-right charred edges and swims in a sea of crispy yet hearty pork chunks. The dish is then topped with peanuts and fresh herbs, which offer a nice counterbalance to the rich pork and cabbage. I’m pretty sure I attempted to lick that bowl that night, that’s how much I enjoyed it. — Olee Fowler" - Eater Staff
"Down a long fluorescent hallway in a Downtown office building, you’ll find Balloo and its dozen seats wedged into a corner. The dining room has old photos, an antique cabinet, and is doing its best to make you feel like you’re in a house somewhere in the Caribbean rather than a block away from a Walgreens. No matter where you sit, you’ll be able to see everyone in the restaurant as they eat from a small but wonderful menu of Indian, Trinidadian, Carribean, and Chinese dishes. The menu changes a lot, but we like the spam fried rice, Singaporean chili crab tteok-bokki (stir-fried rice cakes), and amazing cheung fun with dried shrimp and scallion rice crepes. We’ll happily keep coming back here, especially if their phenomenal Thai-style micheladas are involved. photo credit: Emily Schindler" - Ryan Pfeffer
