Mall Dining Is So Back At This Stunning Mexican Spot
Try and resist the urge to call your mom from a pay phone
Remember going to the mall? Like, just to hang out on a weekend because you knew if you stayed around your house too long your mom was going to make you clean something? You didn’t really need anything, but at worst it was an excuse to pick up a CD at Specs. And the highlight was always seeing what kind of ragtag meal you could put together between Sbarro, the Steak Escape, and Manchu Wok.
In most of the country, those mall-going glory days are gone. But lucky us, we still live in South Florida, where the mall experience is still going strong. What’s better, beyond food courts, malls now have legitimately good restaurants that don’t have locations in 47 states and the UAE. So you can cap off your afternoon of retail therapy with some brisket tacos, and maybe a margarita. Oddly specific? Maybe. But enjoy a lunch at Jacinta – the new spot from the Talavera/Bakan/Koko folks – and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Is this going to make me think twice about automatically going to the Cheesecake Factory after I’m done shopping?
Good lord I hope so, or why are you reading a Substack devoted to discovering new restaurants? The food here at Jacinta is similar to Bakan and Koko, with a little more focus on tropical flavors and wood-fired meats. Its patio is also the most welcoming you’ll find anywhere in the Aventura entertainment complex, and begs for leisurely, multi-margarita lunches.
The space: Is a downright stunner, designed by Hurle and Martin. If you can name one other thing Hurle and Martin designed, go ahead and give yourself a bonus point. They did a spectacular job here, mixing light colors, wood, and a touch of tropical foliage to give it, I hate myself for saying this, a little bit of Tulum vibes…. I CAN’T DO IT! Let’s say “a beachier version of Bakan.” The move here is to sit on the patio, though, because it’s got plenty of shade and enough sunlight to remind you why you live in Miami.
What to eat and drink: The dish I’ll be thinking about for weeks was the wood-smoked beef brisket with Mexican rub, which combined spicy and savory better than almost any dish I had last year. You really can’t go wrong with any of the wood-fired meats though, and while they’re required by Dade County Code to tell you “the Octopus is great,” they actually mean it at Jacinta.
The insect menu is intriguing for the adventurous – the chapulines are a fun bar snack if you want a switch from the traditional guacamole. Like its sister restaurants, Jacinta won’t stuff you with chips and salsa before your meal. Though if you do order them, make sure to get the spiciest sauce.
Other winners were the ceviche la sirena, which is especially refreshing when paired with a margarita on a warm afternoon.
Don’t miss: That brisket. It ain’t your traditional BBQ, but in many ways it’s better.
Perfect for: Long lunches; Pre-movie or after-shopping meals at Aventura Mall
Expect to pay: About $100 per person. Because skipping the margaritas would be criminal.
How’s the parking: It’s Aventura Mall. You’ll find a space. It just might be on Broward County line if you go on a weekend/the week before Christmas.
@jacintaaventura // 195001 Biscayne Blvd., Aventura
Love how mall dining has evolved beyond food courts. The wood-smoked beef brisket with Mexican rub sounds incredible, especially that balance of spicy and savory. I had similiar smoked brisket at a taqueria in Austin once and that combo of BBQ technique with Mexican spices just works so wel. The patio setup for leisurely margarita lunches after shopping is kinda genius tbh.