Vagabond - Miami

Cauliflower 

I moved back to NYC from Miami in September and haven't been back for a few months now. Upon my most recent trip, I had to get the 411 from many friends on what new restaurants opened while I was away. Vagabond was one name that kept coming up so of course I had to check it out. My girlfriend and I went on a Friday night and it was packed. We didn't have to wait long for a table and scored one right in the window.

AMBIANCE 
The atmosphere is unlike any other restaurant in Miami. It's a modern spin on the retro vibe. I absolutely loved it. The layout was awesome as well as you could see almost every table from wherever you are seated. Lastly, the kitchen is a part of the open layout, so you can see everything going on (and even sit at the counter by the kitchen to really get a closer look). 

The staff was on point and we didn't have to wait long for anything (water especially, which is a pet peeve of mine). He was quick and attentive and recommended some great dishes.

FOOD
+ Chicken wings - I'm from Buffalo so trust me, I KNOW what's up! I'm always skeptical to order wings anywhere because yes, the rumors are true, they are the best in Buffalo! I was advised that these were not just your ordinary wings, they are smoked over allspice leaves. The flavor really shined through as these were seasoned to perfection. They had a really unique taste that made these a favorite.

+ Blistered Cauliflower with grilled goats milk and smoked trout roe - I am obsessed with cauliflower, like, obsessed. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch & dinner. The presentation of this dish made me not even want to touch it, as it was that well presented (see photo). This was like something out of a 3-Michelin starred restaurant. The flavor was even better than the presentation. Seriously delicious.  A MUST-ORDER. 

+ Octopus - Another thing that I'm obsessed with is octopus. Melanie and octopus are side by side in the dictionary. If there is octopus on the menu, I am compelled to order it. It's like an unspoken rule. All of my friends know this and so as soon as we saw this on the menu, my girlfriend was like I know what you're ordering...yup! It had rancho gordo bean, epazote, and hojasanta. Don't know what those are? Neither do I! What I do know was that the octopus was so tender it melted in my mouth. It's seared then braised then baked. What a process.

The food is really unique and not your traditional Miami restaurant with a wonderful scene and shitty food. This place doesn't disappoint. It's on par with some Michelin restaurants and is definitely making a splash in the culinary world in Miami.

COCKTAILS
I'm a wine drinker. Me and vodka don't get along (well we do but it's a love/hate relationship). We went to the pool beforehand to check out the vibe (with dj spinning and all) and I was talked into ordering a Vagabond Collins. It's with vodka, lemon, lime, angostura bitters, and topped with rekorderlig pear cider. Another MUST-ORDER. Stop by the pool before dinner and definitely order this. I could have drank those like water all night. Inside at dinner, I had another type of cocktail and of course after a few of those, I forgot what I had (oops). They have mixologists that can serve up a mean cocktail. 

Definitely check this place out and be prepared for an experience.