This luxury hotel on Miami Beach is opening a glamorous new restaurant. Here’s a look
One of Miami Beach’s most luxurious hotels is getting a swanky new restaurant.
Already home to the Asian hot spot Jaya and the breezy outdoor Ocean Grill, The Setai, a Forbes Five-Star hotel that was voted the favorite resort in Miami by Travel + Leisure readers, is opening the new Japanese restaurant Japón in October.
Led by executive chef Vijayudu Veena, who’s also the force behind Jaya, and executive sous chef Iván Monzón, Japón focuses on creating an air of luxury, with dishes that showcase Japan’s cultural history.
The restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating, a beautiful sushi bar and an exclusive private dining space called The Kyoto Room, with its own private bar and hidden entrance.
Veena said that the restaurant, which opens Oct. 1, will offer “more than a meal.”
“It’s an experience that immerses guests in the rich cultural tapestry of Japan,” he said. “Our offerings are designed to evoke the traditional flavors of Japan while embracing a modern culinary twist.”
Designed by Saladino Design Studios, the space reflects to traditional aesthetics and modern luxury and features “one-of-a-kind elements you won’t find anywhere else in Miami,” according to the firm’s co-founder Sean Saladino.
The atmosphere is Asian luxury. Art is everywhere. In the courtyard, you’ll find murals covered in moss, a Japanese Torii gate (a structure commonly found at the entrance or inside a Shinto temple) that frames the restaurant and a water feature as a centerpiece. The Kyoto Room features some Japanese artwork that dates back to the mid-1800s.
Much like the space, which formerly housed a seasonal steakhouse called The Grill that closed in 2017, the menu will be elevated. You’ll find versions of familiar Japanese cuisine, with sushi and sashimi selections as well as skewers, tempura and a variety of meat (ribeye, filet mignon, wagyu). Hand rolls are also available and run from $21 for a vegetable roll to $42 for a King crab roll.
One of the standouts for Veena is the Chilean sea bass with charred tomato miso ($54). Other specialties include a truffle hot pot with mushrooms with sushi rice and poached egg ($45); chicken karaage ($42) and Faroe Island salmon with Yuzu Nori butter sauce, served with crispy spinach.
There’s also a gorgeous Japanase wagyu katsu (sandwich) with spicy tomato teriyaki and chive ($92) that looks like a work of art all on its own.
Japón also has sake pairings for each dish and a specialty cocktail menu, with drinks like the wasabi martini (vodka, cucumber, citrus and wasabi); the Fuji Blossom (Fuji-apple infused vodka, Joto Yuzu sake, citrus and egg whites); and the Suntory Sour (Toki whiskey, Midori, Choya plum, citrus, saline and egg whites).
For Veena, the opening of the new restaurant is an important moment for the hotel.
Japón “rounds out our Asian offerings at The Setai,” he said.
Japón
Where: The Setai, 2001 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
Hours: 6-11 p.m. Sunday and Monday-Thursday, 6-11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Opening: Oct. 1
Reservations: OpenTable
More information: 855-923-7899
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