James Beard Award winner Chef Andrew Carmellini's latest venture in Miami has proven to be a major success with locals and tourists, alike, since it's inception in November of last year. Located in the W South Beach, The Dutch has become Miami Beach's go-to spot for local, farm-to-table fare showcasing the unique produce and plentiful seafood that we have in South Florida.  It's a little hard developing seasonal menus when there really are no seasons in Miami (except, perhaps, for hurricane season and tourist season), and Chef Carmellini admits to having to adjust to the region's unique seasons.  “The seasons are basically opposite from what we have going on up in New York right now, it’s wild; I still can’t get over the beautiful heirloom tomatoes we were getting all winter long in Miami, so I’m really excited for spring," states Carmellini.

Chef Carmellini and chef de cuisine, Conor Hanlon, have been working closely with local producers and growers to offer new menu items that are reflective of what Miami has to offer around this time of year.  As many South florida natives may know, warmer weather means mangos, avocados, and lychees among many other exotic and tropical fruit.  Anyone who has ever visited Robert is Here in Homestead knows that the iconic fruit stand is at its most interesting during the summer months.  A poached lobster salad with hearts of palm, Florida mango and Swank Farms cilantro is a perfect example of the summer produce that most people are used to in Miami.  Diners might be introduced to some different seasonal produce in dishes like crispy soft-shell crab with crushed Yukon Gold potato and house-pickeled spring ramps and an entrée of homemade tagliatelle with sugarsnaps, morel mushrooms and ramps that both feature a vegetable not generally seen in South Florida markets but pretty well-known throughout much of the world.  That's one of the beautiful things about Chef Carmellini bringing his farm-to-table concept to Miami: you become aware of  all the wonderful foods that we produce locally in South Florida, such as ramps, a vegetable related to the leak.

Although Chef Carmellini might be amazed at the availability of tomatoes during the winter, it's no big deal to the majority of locals and is a constant on many tables, The Dutch not excluded.  That being said, their appetizer of Teena's tomatoes with burrata, a menu staple since day one, continues as such on their spring menu.  Chef Carmellini's and Chef Hanlon's celebration of local tomatoes continues in their new lunch offerings that include a B.E.L.T. - house-smoked pork belly, sunny-side up quail egg, lettuce, and heirloom tomato served on an English muffin with lime aioli - and a soft-shell crab kuroyaki sandwich with yuzu and tomato.  Pastry chef Josh Gripper has add some seasonal Miami touches to the dessert menu, as well, with a salted lime and sour cherry pie,  and dark rum donuts with vanilla cream and raspberry jam.

Not to be outdone, The Dutch's beverage director, Josh Nadel, will be offering a series of barrel aged cocktails exclusive to the Miami location.  According to Nadel, "we are only offering these barrel aged cocktails in Miami, as it requires a large amount of space which we don't have in NYC, and time to age the drinks properly."  The Barrel-Aged Cocktail #3 is a concoction of Original Moonshine, Pimms #1, Dolin dry vermouth, Spanish brandy and Mandarine Napoleon aged in old whiskey barrels from Tutthilltown for 4-6 weeks and served neat with a dash of bitters or on the rocks with an orange twist.  Also new to the cocktail menu is The Indigo Smash that blends Banks 5 Island rum, smashed local blueberries, citrus and an absinthe rinse.  The First Word cocktail follows the trend of the spicy libation with a jalapeño-infused Vida mezcal, Chartreuse, Maraschino liqueur and lime juice.

The Dutch is located W South Beach Hotel & Residences, 2201 Collins Avenue, in Miami Beach, Florida, 33139.  For reservations, call  (305) 938-3111 or book online via www.thedutchmiami.com.