By Ryan Yablonski
Framed by warm sea breezes and palm fronds on the very southern point of South Beach, you can find Santorini by Georgios. It is among the very best of our staff-picked restaurants – a hidden portal to the Islands of Northern Greece that owner Georgios Vogiatzis once called home. Mediterranean cuisine is trending very strongly in Miami, building upon previously vogue trends with Asian and Peruvian influence. What is hot now is very healthy and modern, yet circles back to the classics.
Our meal began with big bold rustic hunks of Hullumi which pairs wonderfully with bubbles such as Prosecco or Spanish Cava. This unique sheep’s milk cheese does not melt in the heat, and is prepared in the ancient Greek tradition where it is ignited table side in a tower of flames and shouts of Opa! Fire renders a sweet crust and texture over the savory cheese and lets guests as well as everyone else know the pageantry has begun.
The Seafood courses followed and the theme of Santorini came through clearly. Big bold generous portions of wild caught Panama Shrimp and grilled octopus were prepared in a rustic style on large skewers -tastefully spiced and drizzled in a lemon vinaigrette and olive oil in the tradition of great fishermen from the Florida Keys to the Greek Isles. Our Seafood dishes had the most complexly layered tasting notes yet were refreshingly authentic, presenting the quality of ingredients and allowing the fish to “pop” visually and on the palette without any distractions.
Each ingredient has a story. Geogios told us his produce is grown special to order and personally inspected. He ensures that his peppers and tomatoes are ripened on the vine from local Florida farms, thereby giving them an extra sweetness and freshness not found in conventional vegetables which ripen in dark trucks in transit. The shrimp is wild caught and vibrant. The lamb is sourced from one farm in New Zealand where they still employ shepherds to run the sheep up the mountainsides. Our mains featured this lamb in chops and gyro grilled to perfection with Tzatziki. This Greek yogurt sauce is made with cucumber, dill, and has natural notes of vanilla. When matched with the sweetness and tenderness of grass fed lamb, the tzatziki is the perfect pairing of decadent richness on top of richness. The exclusive and reserved neighborhood of South Pointe is the only location on South Beach we truly refer our New York traveling audience to. It is a world apart from the stereotypical Deco Drive weekend. Pleasantly elevated yet with a deeply human and local vibe, there is a special balance to be experienced here and in particular at Santorini. The live band on Saturday night played Sinatra classics at our request. Belly dancers and Geogios himself visited the tables and of course in Greek tradition plates were smashed in celebration of special occasions. You can go anywhere in the world for classic Mediterranean or fine dining, however Santorini by Georgios is one of the very few venues where strangers from New York can truly come and feel like part of the family.