gigi restaurant addictive for the palate
photo: Chef Jeff McInnis, Courtesy, 944.com
By CAMERON O’CONNOR
His long flowing blonde locks, sensual smile and carefree attitude forced many a gay man and straight woman to swoon over Chef Jeff McInnis when he appeared on season five of “Top Chef.” But it turns out this craftsman from the kitchen is more than just a pretty face. McInnis, along with several successful restaurant partners, opened his own joint in Miami’s finally arrived Design District.
Just like it’s executive chef, gigi, 3470 North Miami Avenue, looks amazing but it’s the substance of the food that’s been driving drones of people to this fast casual noodles, BBQ and beer joint.
McInnis toiled away for several years at the Dilido Beach Club inside The Ritz- Carlton, South Beach, before opening gigi, which offers cutting-edge, high-performance, communal comfort food for the discerning palate.
Earth-conscious, stark and whimsical, a handpicked team is committed to making gigi’s signature dishes–impeccably executed noodles, buns, dumplings, BBQ, & salads–totally fun and astronomically addictive.
Begin with a nice draft beer ($2-12), a fine bottle of sake ($5-32) or a smooth bottle of wine ($18-22). These prices are not a misprint, as you’ll see a theme of frugality throughout the entire menu. Amazing culinary creations don’t have to cost the same as a mortgage in Cleveland; they can be had for the same price as a night of parking in South Beach.
To begin, a not to be missed appetizer sensation is the gigi buns ($7), which come in roasted pork, pulled chicken or shitake mushroom flavors. Try all three, it’s worth it.
If in the mood for exotic, try the BLT ($9) with pork belly as the B and a slight hint of pickles. It is pure genius to put the soft stomach of the pig in this all too familiar diner dish.
McInnis and his sous chefs focus on finding local ingredients, so its not a surprise that on the snack menu the sweet local corn with tofu shmeer ($3) screams of freshness, while homemade avocado and tomato salad featuring citrus, hearts of palm and crunchy rice ($9) was most likely grown in one of the small co-op warms in the Wynwood area.
For a little fried comforting goodness, the crispy chicken skin with Asian romesco ($3) hails as a southern delight and the chicken drumsticks fried in mustard seed and honey ($5) feels like a marriage between the culture of miso and Mason-Dixon.
For the main entrée’s gigi offers several selections of noodle and rice bowls. For the spicier palate, check out the Caribbean shrimp pad Thai noodle bowl with bean sprouts, omelet and peanuts ($15) or the slow braised curry duck leg rice bowl with coconut risotto ($12). Both dishes really put a wallop into your nasal cavity and clear up any sinus issues in a hurry. Mix it with the spicy mayo aioli that sits on the table, and you may need to call 911, because shortly after you will have a fire burning in your mouth.
For those looking for more substance and less spice, order the steak chow fun noodle bowl with mushroom, eggplant and cabbage broth ($16). The steak is a highquality meat that comes out tender and juicy, while the mushroom shitake variety provides a nice flavor of rare earth.
Open till 3 a.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. on weekends, serving fresh artisanal dishes that start at $2, gigi’s mission is to explode the food landscape of Miami. Whether you leave with an orgasmic feeling in your stomach, or a hard-on in your crotch from staring into McInnis’s eyes for too long, gigi will do all it can to make sure you leave satisfied.
