• August 2011

How Is Ceviche Served Best? On Spoons, Insist the Owners of Miami's Jaguar

By Hope Katz Gibbs
Publisher
Be Inkandescent magazine

Miami restaurants are all about what’s hot, what’s new, and which celebs you might spot at the bar or in a secluded booth.

At Jaguar, you get all three—plus a heck of a meal that’ll keep you coming back for more.

The Men Behind the Menu

“We envisioned Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & Latam Grill as a restaurant that reflects Latin America through dishes inspired by the different cultures and tastes found throughout the different countries,” explains Jaguar’s executive chef, Oscar del Rivero. “We wanted to capture each country’s unique personality and deliver it to Miami.” He and his partner, restaurant veteran Eduardo Durazo, seem to have accomplished their mission.

Take one step inside this big, beautiful, bustling restaurant nestled in the heart of Coconut Grove, and you’ll immediately be impressed by the soft burgundy and yellow ceilings and walls that are painted with natural flower pigments from Oaxaca. It was created for the restaurant by artist Dionisio Ceballos, whose art was recognized at the Cannes Film Festival for the work he did on the 2002 film, “Frida,” starring Salma Hayek.

While the decor is enchanting, it is del Rivero’s menu that has hooked tourists and South Florida natives.

“I come here for dinner all the time, and when I can’t find the time to stay, I get meals to go,” says Peggy Benua, a Coconut Grove resident and general manager of the new Dreams South Hotel who knows a good meal when she tastes one. “My husband loves the grilled picanha, and I adore the ceviche. We can’t get enough.” [Be on the lookout for a review of Dreams in an upcoming issue.]

Focus on the Food: Ceviche Spoons

If you are a fan of ceviche, or have never tried this zesty, fresh fish dish, you’ll be bowled over by Jaguar’s devine Ceviche Spoons. For $12, you can sample six large tablespoons filled with six different flavors, or try just one spoonful for $2 each.

Options include:

  • Ceviche Los Cabos—Pacific swordfish, red onion, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, and olive oil
  • Ceviche Oriental—Tuna, ginger, soy, jalapeños, shallots, cilantro, lime, grape-seed oil, avocado, cucumber, and sesame seeds
  • Ceviche Nuevo—Aji amarillo, ginger, soy, lime, and grape-seed oil—order it with shrimp or calamari.
  • Ceviche Peruano—White fish, lime, red onion, rocoto chile, and corn
  • Ceviche Vuelve a la Vida—Swordfish, shrimp, calamari, tomato, lime, orange, onion, cilantro, habanero chile, and avocado
  • Ceviche Mar Rojo—Corvina, lime juice, celery, habanero chile, carrots, and rocoto chile sauce
  • Tiradito Nikei—Tuna, ginger, soy, shallots, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, grape-seed oil, cucumber, avocado, and sesame seeds
  • Shrimp or Calamari “Verde“—Orange, lemon, and lime juices with tomatillo, cilantro, jalapeños, avocado, and olive oil, topped with jicama, and guajillo chile oil

Latam Grille

Other menu items include grilled churrasco (12 oz) with house chimichurri and roasted garlic for $20; grilled picanha (10 oz) with house chimichurri and roasted garlic for $17; and filet mignon (10 oz) with house chimichurri and roasted garlic for $30.

For $18 to $21, there’s also a grilled organic chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and pico de gallo verde; a grilled tuna with an Asian vinaigrette; grilled salmon simply grilled with Chilean pebre; and a grilled mahi mahi rubbed with guajillo and served with cilantro pesto.

These dishes all come with your choice of a Caesar or Grove’s garden salad, sautéed or grilled veggies, rice and black beans, french fries, fried yuca, or fried onion rings.

Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & Latam Grill
3067 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove FL 33133
(305) 444-0216
www.jaguarspot.com