Miami is like a second home to us. As many of you know, JuanCarlos and I met there, got engaged there, honeymooned there and have an apartment there. So, naturally we like to visit there. Of late, instead of cooking at home as much we have been testing out Miami's restaurant scene, which is really upping its game.

On our last visit to the sunny city while my parents were visiting at the same time, one of our intentions was to show them a few new restaurants to try. I immediately thought of Prohibition, a vibe-y hot spot in the Midtown district of Miami. Don't let the name fool you. The only thing prohibited here is to not have a good time. I thought they might enjoy it too. It's a throw back to the Speakeasy lounges of the Prohibition days, hence the name and offering all the energy of that era. It's interior decor is moody yet inviting. It's a mix of Hollywood glam and Miami chic. The crowd is a cool combo of both young and old alike, where everyone feels right at home.

This was not my first visit. The first two times I frequented this cool hangout was for drinks and snacks at the bar. Both times I thoroughly enjoyed the food, drink and atmosphere. This time we were there to check out the joint for a sit down, relaxed dinner. We were hoping for a good meal and good vibe. And it didn't disappoint.

The menu seems to follow a new style of offerings. Small and large plates for sharing. What I do love about this concept is that with so many interesting items on the menu you don't have to just choose just one entree and hope you chose wisely. You can choose several, share them and enjoy the tastes of all.

We started off with the fresh Sea Bass Ceviche and Shrimp Cocktail. The ceviche was fresh indeed, beautiful balance of Sriracha sauce and citrus, served with a generous portion of plantain chips. The shrimp cocktail was classic and good.

Sea Bass Ceviche with the right amount of heat and citrus. And a generous amount of crunchy plantains.

Then came the homemade Spicy Meatballs with parmesan crostini. The meatballs, made of beef and veal, were tender and flavorful. The sauce had a sweet note provided by the caramelized onions followed by a spicy hit. Both team Perri and Casas enjoyed them, however given the traditional Italian roots of the former, felt that the sauce was a bit too spicy, yet ate them up just the same.

On to the larger plates. We ordered two from this category to share. Out came two stunning dishes.

Lamb Chops, which my mom loves, were tasty and tender. A smooth red wine reduction pooled around a heaping helping of chunky mashed potatoes scented with a bouquet of rosemary. Just the bones were left.

Pan Roasted Salmon was cooked perfectly and set atop a bed of warm potato and crab salad. The salmon had a gorgeous crust of spice rub. The salad was flavor power-packed with a well balanced combo of potatoes, crab, grape tomatoes, scallions and herbs. I really enjoyed this unique salad mix.

As we settled in and were enjoying all our selections, we chatted it up with the manager Amin, who is Iranian. JuanCarlos immediately perked up to tell him how much he loves making Iranian rice dishes. To which Amin then informed us that the chef is also Iranian and one of his specialities is the Cilantro Rice dish. He graciously offered us a plate to try. As we each took forkfuls of the fluffy herb scented rice, we tried to figure out all the flavors but were told that the chef is secretive about the ingredients. That said, I am pretty sure there was dill, and of course, as the name aptly states, cilantro.

Although we were all stuffed and completely content, Amin said we couldn't leave without a dessert. Bring on the Tres Leches Cake that was lovingly soaked in 3 milks. Some versions of this cake can be very sweet due to the condensed milk addition but this one was not. It was just the right amount of sweet topped with bananas and toasted marshmallow for an extra special touch. Even though we thought we couldn't eat another bite after our magnificent meal, we polished off the entire thing.

As our meal came to a close, we sat back to enjoy the some soulful sax tunes while sipping on Port 20, a fortified wine of tawny, nutty flavors. I noticed the table next to us had a large group that seemed to be equally enjoying themselves. I asked the woman what she thought of her meal. As expected, her group thoroughly savored all their choices. And although she doesn't normally eat octopus she ordered it. Much to her pleasant surprise, she absolutely loved it. Now that says a lot.

The days of prohibition may be a thing of the past, but visiting Prohibition Restaurant & Speakeasy should be high on your list to enjoy the great, food, drink and cool atmosphere of this happening addition to the Miami restaurant scene.

For more info on all that Prohibition has to offer visit them at:

3404 N Miami Ave
Midtown Miami 33127
(305) 438-9199
info@prohibitionmiami.com