Celebrated chef and restaurateur, “Gypsy Chef” David Myers has his sights set on Miami and is preparing to launch his latest culinary experience this summer in the heart of Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. Drawing inspiration from Myers’ worldly travels, ADRIFT Mare, which is slated to open to the public July 2023, will artfully meld the chicness of the French Riviera, the relaxed vibe of the Balearic Islands, warm Levant hospitality and the gentle rhythms of the Greek Isles. The restaurant will deliver a captivating culinary experience that offers a taste of a spirited life along the Mediterranean coastline. To complement Myers’ gastronomic offerings, the restaurant has partnered with internationally renowned cocktail masters, Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy. Located on the 25th floor of the luxurious Hotel AKA Brickell, this will be Chef Myers’ first-ever East coast concept under the global ADRIFT brand.
“I am thrilled to be working alongside the Hotel AKA team to bring my vision for ADRIFT Mare to life in Brickell,” says Chef Myers. “Miami has such a vibrant dining scene and I believe that we have something incredibly exciting to bring to the table. Travel has always been my greatest inspiration and most important tool when developing unique culinary experiences. With ADRIFT Mare, I look forward to sharing some of my personal travel memories from the Mediterranean Sea with Miami when we open our doors this summer.”
His first restaurant, Sona in Los Angeles, was famously awarded a coveted Michelin star for three consecutive years. Myers later went on to adopt Asia as his new culinary epicenter in the 2010s with restaurants in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore before expanding his bar and restaurant footprint to the Middle East in 2017. ADRIFT Mare, like his other global restaurants, is inspired by the cuisine and cultures that Myers has come across during his numerous travels around the world. The restaurant and bar will showcase the ADRIFT’s signature DNA that is prevalent through its lively and seductive ambience, strong focus on design and details, a world class cocktail program and the brand’s trademark “tight but loose” service ethos.
Taking cues from the ingredients and techniques Chef Myers’ encountered on his journeys throughout the region, the menu was composed with warm summer seaside evenings at heart, highlighting culinary influences from Italy, Spain, Greece and Levant. Guests can expect vibrant dishes featuring fresh fish, crustaceans and grilled meats alongside light pastas and seasonal, thoughtfully prepared vegetable dishes. The menu will feature starting plates such as house made Parker Rolls served with fava bean spread, tahini butter and mixed olives and raw selections including Yellowfin Tuna with shallots, caviar and buckwheat crackers. Signature main dish highlights include Whole Grilled Seabass with braised fennel and harissa aioli; Grilled King Crab Legs in a brown sumac butter with capers; and Mixed Shish Kebabs featuring chicken thigh, lamb leg and prime beef filet, served with picked vegetables, red cabbage salad, chili sauce and flatbread. To complement the cuisine, ADRIFT Mare will offer an exquisite wine list concentrating on the best terroirs from in and around the Mediterranean Sea, including Ancient World labels from Greece and Lebanon, Super Tuscans and Provençal rosés.
“David Myers’ portfolio of authentic, organic, and ethereal concepts are well aligned with my vision for the AKA brand and our presence in the heart of Brickell,” said Larry Korman, CEO of AKA. “It’s a priority for AKA to partner with brands that not only elevate our guests’ stays on property, but also enhance the surrounding neighborhood for residents and visitors. We are confident that David Myers’ culinary expertise and concept for ADRIFT Mare complement both the hotel and its location in Brickell’s center.”
Overseeing the creation of the restaurant’s sure-to-be dazzling cocktail program are award-winning mixologists Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy. Their collective legacy spans top ranking bars including Le Syndicat and Himkok, but the duo is perhaps best known for their world class bar program at Two Schmucks, Barcelona which peaked at #7 in The World’s 50 Best Bars last year. Last year, Moe also placed #10 in Drinks International Bar World’s Top 100 Most Influential Figures. For ADRIFT Mare, Moe and Juliette are creating a drink list spotlighting elevated Mediterranean ingredients in cocktails that embrace elegant minimalism aesthetically yet deliver defined, bold flavors. Comments the duo, “We’re excited about our collaboration with ADRIFT Mare as it not only brings us to Miami, a city we love, but also gives us an opportunity to work with David Myers and focus on flavors and regions of the world that mean a lot to us. It’s a program that’s right up our alley and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on.”
Located at 1395 Brickell Avenue, the 2,413-square-foot space is being reimagined by the talented Michael Gabellini of Gabellini Sheppard Associates into an airy and stylish restaurant with dramatic design features. Ascend from the newly renovated lobby level to the 25th floor restaurant set within an 11-story atrium of floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase dynamic views of the city skyline and Biscayne Bay and an abundance of natural sunlight. Incorporating decorative elements that bring the South Florida outdoors in – wave patterned stone floors of varying color evoke the movement of sand after a wave recedes on the beach and lush greenery is featured prominently throughout the indoor and exterior spaces. Through the use of artisanal materials including light-oak wood, hammered silver nickel, bronze mirror, marble and stone, textured glass panels, and silk, linen and velvet fabrics, the restaurant design reflects the breezy, fun-loving and chic ambiance of the Mediterranean. In addition, the concept’s design will feature a gorgeous stone top, reflective metal bar and an intimate private dining room with luxe accents. The restaurant will boast plentiful seating – 65 indoors including 12 in the bar and lounge and 41 in the private dining room.
Says Gabellini, “The restaurant is envisioned as a ‘Nautical Palm Court’ with tall and lush plants, and will feel airy and light. To complement the overall design vision, we worked with a light and refined material palette with distinct textures and patterns. The space, through its revealing nature, embodies the spirit of this unique and sophisticated hospitality environment.”
The restaurant will soon begin accepting pre-reservations ahead of its opening. For more details visit www.instagram.com/adriftmare_miami
ADRIFT Mare is located at 1395 Brickell Avenue on the 25th floor of Hotel AKA Brickell. For more information, visit www.adriftmare.com/miami