China Grill is Back. Does It Live Up To Our Memories?
Shadow Lounge later?
A quick history lesson for people who don’t remember The Old Beach:
Before every food license in Miami came with a live DJ, before every menu called itself “Asian fusion,” and before “clubstaurant” was even a word, there was China Grill.
It was Miami’s first “it” restaurant, the place you’d see Aerosmith having dinner while they recorded and album down the street. Or Lenny Kravitz pre-gaming his party at the Florida Room.
They had a DJ in the dining room, and though DJ Cassidy wasn’t exactly Mark Leventhal or even Ivano Bellini, he did inspire a promoter at Tantra named Dave to do the same when he opened his own restaurant years later.
It was the first stop on a night that would run from the Marlin bar to Liquid to Living Room to The Mix. Maybe you’d go to BED. Maybe you wouldn’t.
It was South Beach’s first taste of real, celebrity glam since the Rat Pack left town, and for those who spent hungover mornings watching The Beach Channel and debating whether to go to Penrod’s, it was an icon.
That was a different Beach, one that’s been eroded and washed away and replaced with stuff shipped in from other places. But the Old Beach is having a rebirth this year, and after the Delano reopened in May, China Grill followed suit in June.
Of course, you can’t go home again. And this matured China Grill has grown up and moved from the pastel light tower on 5th Street to Bal Harbour. We went back into the time machine to see if the new China Grill lived up to our memories.
So is China Grill still as good as we remember?
Well, yes. But not in the way you’d expect. China Grill was in a tough spot here: Bring in a whole new menu of avant garde cuisine, and the people who spent their Mondays at Back Door Bamby would be crying for the lobster pancakes. Play the hits, and people would say the food is “dated.” The dishes you remember are still around. The drunken chicken and its cohorts taste exactly as you remember. But if you’ve been dining out for the last 20 years you might not be as blown away as the first time you tasted wasabi mashed potatoes.
The scene: Like going back to your childhood bedroom, this China Grill is a lot smaller than you remember. Except this time, it’s not just memory of scale: The Bal Harbour digs are literally about a fifth the size of the old dining room in South Beach.
The crowd is, well, many of the same people who ate at the old China Grill, which is to say they were in their 30s 30 years ago. Sly Stallone and Mickey Rourke would look right at home in this bunch, as would Madonna and Ingrid Casares. There’s no DJ, though the server mentioned they’re planning to bring one in. China Grill, please don’t. This crowd isn’t going to after hours at The Mix, so read the room.
What to eat and drink:
People who never held a Crobar Community card might look at this menu and say, “I’ve seen all this stuff at a dozen other upscale Asian fusion restaurants. What’s the big deal?” But what people who never looked for a picture of themselves in Ego Trip don’t understand is that China Grill did it first, and by that definition set the standard. And if that is the Standard, then this new iteration of China Grill holds up like Paul Oakenfold’s live set at Shadow Lounge.
Gone is the sushi menu, but you can still kick off your meal with lobster pancakes like you kicked off the week at Fat Black Pussycat. The spicy beef dumplings with soy ginger sauce reminded me of the first time I tried elevated Asian food, and reflexively had me asking if Massimo was working the door at Level.
The grilled Szechuan beef paired with the wasabi mashed potatoes as well as Gilbert Stafford paired his shoes with his jacket. The banana box dessert was the perfect finisher, capping off a meal like Church at Groove Jet capped off your Sunday, and good enough it would bring Frankie Morales back from the dead.
Don’t miss: The new stuff. While the Old Beach in you might gravitate towards stuff that reminds you of going to parties at Michael Capponi’s, stuff like the lamb merguez potstickers and seared tuna au poivre are worth branching out for.
Perfect for: Naming South Beach stuff from 30 years ago for two hours over dinner.
Expect to pay: $150-$200 per person. But can you really put a price on recapturing your youth?
How’s the parking: Parking at Bal Harbour right now is a nightmare up there with trying to find street parking near Amnesia that didn’t require a Zone 1 decal. You’ll have to go all the way to the roof of the garage and circle for a while. And pay $15-20 for the privilege.
@chinagrillbalharbour // 9700 Collins Ave. D-135, Bal Harbour
I can vouch for all of this.