Kyu Miami

My sister Sarah and I

This weekend I had the opportunity to dine at the infamous Kyu Miami (pronounced Q). All the hype around this restaurant got me really excited to experience the Asian-inspired cuisines that locals, travelers and celebrities seem to flock to for the experience and taste that can't be found anywhere else.

To prepare for this food-venture, I reviewed their website for menu options. I  was surprised to find that they list full menu details including their cocktails, wine list, and brunch menu. I paired their website menu with the food pictures that were posted on Yelp* by patrons of Kyu to navigate which were the most popular items and which were the least popular (for your curiosity - the tiger prawns seems to be the least chosen food on their menu). 

The Boxer

Getting to Wynwood for those who have never traveled to this area of Miami, can be a little daunting. Narrow streets, lots of cars, lots of walkers, and a lot of one way roads can be confusing. To make things easier on you - I'd recommend taking an Uber or Lyft. Plus it will allow you to enjoy a few of their signature cocktails without the worry of driving 😏. Once there, your greeted by a beautiful wall of green vines with stone tables and a metal sign #KYUmiami 💚. 

Soft Shell Crab Steam Buns

Our reservations were for 7pm on a Saturday. Quite the "rush hour" for food as I opened the door and found myself in a line that already had a few people awaiting for the hostess. So I took the opportunity while waiting in line to scope out the place. I've always loved decor that mixed natural elements with hard elements like wood and stone and that is definitely what you get at Kyu. Metal pipes with wooden shelves against grey washed concrete walls, stone counters, wood tables and metal chairs adorn the dining room. Greenery, glass and books decorate the restaurant while a projected image of a gold car is maximized on the wall as an artifact. 

Mussels

It didn't take long to be seated and once there a nice gentleman by the name of Marlon was quick to provide us with water service at our table. He introduced himself as the server's assistant and that our server would be Chris. It is a nice touch to have a tag team when dining out. 

When Chris arrived he provided us the details of the special that was available for that evening and an overview of the menu options. We ordered Mollydooker "The Boxer" to start as well as the Snacky Snack- Soft shell crab steam buns and Mussels.

Pork and Shitake Gyoza

This was my first time tasting Mollydooker. I'm not a wine connoisseur but my professional opinion is that the boxer is delicious 😜. 

I like the presentation of the soft shell crab steam buns. The steam buns were lighter than a traditional Chinese steam bun which for me, was better and the soft shell crab was seasoned well, crispy with a garlic citrus aioli. It could have used a little more of the aioli but all in all a very good dish. 

Beef Tenderloin with Fire Roasted Kimchi

The Mussels were also good. It had a broth at the bottom that was great to soak up with the grilled bruschetta bread. Server recommended to squeeze the lime over the entire dish and mix which we happily followed directions. 

Next up we had the Pork and Shitake Gyoza. It was topped with a dried fish which when added to steaming hot potstickers causing the dried fish  to "dance". You can see video of the dancing Gyoza online. While the Gyoza was tasty it is not something I'd order again. Living in a Chinese household where Chinese dumplings are easy to come by, there was nothing that signified it's worth. 

Thai rice in a stone pot with egg

Next up, the Beef Tenderloin with fire roasted kimchi. This is another that I won't order again. While good - there are other items on the menu that are much tastier. The beef was tender but ordinary and the Kimchi was too salty. 

Florida Red Snapper

My favorite dish of the night - the Thai fried rice in a stone pot with a fried egg. The presentation was spectacular. The server breaks the egg and scrapes the pot sides to release the sticky rice from the wall. The end result is crispy and soft rice with hints of lemongrass and thai spices. I can eat many pots of this rice... Line them up and I'd be one happy camper.😍

Next we had the Florida Red Snapper with brown butter and white miso. This fish was perfectly cooked and full of flavor.

Korean fried chicken

Last but not least the infamous Korean Fried Chicken. I've heard about this fried chicken from a number of sources as being the best. Had I not known about it prior my reaction to the fried chicken may have been different. My expectations of being the best was that it was going to be - well... THE BEST. It was very good but it was an Asian version of Popeyes chicken. 

For dessert we had the coconut cake and the dark chocolate smores cake. Of the two - coconut cake is hands down the best! It was a moist cake that wasn't too overpowering on the coconut side. If you're telling yourself you don't like coconut - I implore you to try this one. It may change your mind. In terms of places to eat desserts this is in my type three places to have dessert! 

Dark Chocolate Smores cake and Coconut cake

 One thing I forgot to mention and one that I think Kyu should emphasize during service is there work with planting trees. On the menu it states vow to plant trees for each tree they burn and you can help for $5. If the server would have reminded me, I would have added an additional $5 to the cause but I forgot and missed out on the opportunity to help. Great work though! 

Back to food :-)   All in all Kyu is definitely a place I'd revisit especially knowing that there are more things on the menu that I'd like to try.You can definitely find flavors of the Orient in each bite. They even have the option to have a dinner experience where the chef chooses the food for you and you can add wine pairing with it! That is definitely an option for the next time I go. 

Happy Eating 😋