Much to my embarrassment I'll admit that sheerly due to its proximity, I had mentally lumped Sustain in with the over-priced and disappointing restaurants of Mercadito and Sugarcane. Both of which boasted a lovely ambiance but never seemed to really impress me with the actual cuisine. Hence, a completely undeserved bias was born and it took far too long for me to finally make my way over to this charming little Midtown spot. In spite of my hesitance, the lure of checking out the restaurant with it's rotating menu that uses quality ingredients and supports local farmers proved too hard to resist. Accordingly, I managed to convince a friend to join me on a Monday night for dinner.
Sleek and streamlined, it looks like a modern day deconstructed forest (sans the dirt), with a leafy metal canopy and bare wooden stems adorning the walls and sprouting out of the floor. While there is a cozy and intimate looking seating area outside we opted to grab seats near the kitchen. Perusing the beer list I was delighted to see a fair amount of unique offerings including Stone's "More Brown than Black" IPA, Great Divide "Hercules" 2xIPA, Cigar City "Florida Cracker," Lagunitas "Little Sumpin" Ale, among others. Now I do love a refreshing glass of wine with a meal (and Sustain had amble offerings from around the World), but it is so hard to find restaurants that really stray outside the standard options (BudLight, Heinekin, etc. with maybe Monk in the Trunk, Purple Haze or Cigar City Maduro Brown if they are trying to claim to carry craft beers) that when I see some slightly more rare selections I jump at the opportunity. Throughout the meal I enjoying a Unibroue Maudite (initially tastes like cherries, plums, and figs, with hints of cinnamon, pepper and clove spice to it as well that emerges later on) and a Left hand Brewing Co.'s Sawtooth Ale ESP on tap (the nitro made it surprisingly creamy, with minimal hoppy flavor and a bit of caramel, malt and just a touch of citrus). As a Belgian beer addict, I tended to lean towards the Maudite, but I can't deny that both worked well with the food.
As for the menu? Divided up in your standard starters, mains, and "for the table" (sides to share), there was also a selection of favorites which included a duck poutine and a Hudson valley foie gras vanilla-braised pineapple/challah toast . I can be immediately seduced with the words "foie gras" and vanilla," so accordingly, that was our first choice (the menu was filled with delicious sounding dishes). I was a bit concerned the challah toast might overwhelm the other flavors and muting the luscious foie gras, but luckily it didn't compromise the other tastes and instead was every bit the crisp needed to provide a nice contrast for the creamy richness. The vanilla flavor was a bit more subtle than I would have liked but thankfully, the pineapple was far less cloying than I had imagined. Together, the entire dish culminated in one perfect symphony of flavor.
Next up we had decided to share the calabaza soup with ginger and maple glazed pecans. Thick and hearty, it was like tasting Fall in a bowl, and they generously split it into two portions for us! I didn't try the pecans till after they had been immersed in the soup for a bit, so I didn't really notice the maple flavor, but the roasted pecans added a nice bit of crunch. It was the kind of soup that coats your insides and manages to maintain a bit of originality over your typical gourd variety.
For the entree we went with the Broken Arrow Ranch Antelope with crushed chickpeas, spinach and mushrooms. The presentation was simple, letting the huge slabs of antelope take the stage. With two giant chunks, it looked similar in presentation to a filet mignon, and further dissection revealed it had been prepared medium rare. While I can be very picky about the meat I receive, there was no fat to be seen and the hint of oozing red that emerged with each cut left me more tantalized than turned off. It was juicy and incredibly tender. The chickpeas and spinach really highlighted the strengths of the meat, bringing out it's earthy flavor.
The dessert menu proffered several interesting choices. We let the waiter select for us and he returned with a play on Smores unlike any I've ever experienced. A giant fluffy cinnamon bun style roll, stuffed with melted chocolate and topped with roasted marshmallows. The little, fluffy clouds were piled on top and had been singed a lovely golden shade that brought me back to Girl Scout camp-outs of my youth. Served alongside this confectionery monstrosity was a teensy cup of silky chocolate ice cream. While the dessert tended to have a bit more doughy flavor than I would have liked (and this is just an odd personal predilection for an emphasis on other flavors rather than bread), I can't deny the creativity and the use of quality chocolate that wasn't too sweet, which kept the dish from being too cloying.
Even after the consumption of all that food, my dining partner was still seriously lusting after the "wet" fries with bone marrow gravy. Since she'll be leaving the country soon (possibly for good) we decided we should go for it because hey, why leave wondering? Even though they were drenched in the hedonistic sauce they managed to maintain a rather crispy fry. This is not for the healthfully conscious and without a fork you've sure to make a colossal mess, but those may be the best fries a restaurant has put forth, anywhere and ever. Served in a rustic looking little cast iron dish, they are utterly decadent and irresistible.
Overall it was a great meal, with some very friendly, helpful and efficient staff and some really great food. I look forward to returning to make my way through as much of the menu as possible before they change it for the next season! If you'd like to check it out, you can find Sustain at :
3252 Northeast 1st Avenue Miami, FL 33137
www.sustainmiami.com
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