QP Tapas

"It’s almost impossible to leave QP without making friends with the folks who run this Coconut Grove pop-up. You’ll bond with them as they drop off dishes like cool ranch shishito peppers and wood roasted lamb belly. But if you really want to branch out, the Spanish/Japanese concept throws fun parties every few months at various locations around South Florida, which they always announce on their Instagram. The events feel like mini food festivals, where people move freely from table to table in search of tapas and second helpings of paella straight from a giant pan. But what sets these events apart are the hosts, who like to introduce you to all of their friends and make sure no one is ever left out. " - virginia otazo, ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino

"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

"The Basel madness doesn’t quite extend all the way to Coral Gables, so if you’re willing to make the drive down there, keep QP Tapas in mind for a great weekend dinner. The menu here is an izakaya/Spanish tapas mashup. That may sound a little busy, but this place pulls it off. QP isn’t technically its own restaurant. The team takes over the casual Coral Gables lunch spot MKT Kitchen Fridays and Saturdays for dinner service. Order the uni risotto, which is exactly what it sounds like (and exactly as good as it sounds), and the excellent okonomiyaki made with your choice of mushroom escabeche or chorizo. Alcohol options include wine and sake by the glass or bottle as well as a lovely frozen sangria.  " - ryan pfeffer

"QP Tapas was one of the best new restaurants of 2022, even though it was technically just a pop-up. But it has popped up once again in Coconut Grove—and it’s still one of the best restaurants in Miami. QP’s new space is a little more date-night-appropriate (it's a wine shop during the day), and has a lovely patio. But the big draw is still the menu, an exciting, creative blend of Spanish tapas and izakaya dishes. The massive okonomiyaki, gorgeous paellas, and uni risotto are still (thank god) on the menu. But now there’s also a phenomenal cocktail menu developed by Kaiju, one of the best bars in Miami. If you missed QP the first time around, your new priority in life is to make sure that doesn’t happen again. " - Ryan Pfeffer, Virginia Otazo

"QP Tapas called their own New Year’s Eve dinner “chill” when they posted about it on Instagram. Don’t expect an over-the-top prix fixe menu. Just the same phenomenal food and great service as always—probably in a slightly more celebratory mood than usual. Load the table up with paella, uni risotto, charred lamb belly, okonomiyaki, and you’ll probably be full until February. Also, if you haven’t checked out the new cocktail program here (created by Kaiju), this is a great opportunity to change that. " - Ryan Pfeffer, Virginia Otazo