The Pelican Hotel - 826 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139305.673.3373
I couldn't wait to return to this charming--designed by Diesel--hotel in Sobe. And though it's on the busy Ocean Drive and surrounded by tons of people, that's kind of what I like about it. It's stylish, casual and full of life!
Atmosphere:
Walking down Ocean Drive, you simply can't miss this place. It's never empty and has a large, welcoming outdoor patio restaurant. They play upbeat music that you could hear outside and the crowd is very Euro glam--as in very purrrty.
Aside from the patio, which is lovely for lunch, the inside seating is also fun. As I mentioned, the entire hotel is designed by Italian fashion house Diesel--so expect a lot of attitude and funk in the decor.
Food:
Given this is a trendy boutique hotel, you'd think it focuses more on atmosphere rather than food, right? Not the case at all, the chef is Italian--of course--and has constructed a friendly Mediterranean menu that's easy to choose from, the dishes truly speaking for themselves.
Our food selections veered on the safe side because we were so overfed from the holidays. For a starter, Dan and I ordered the tastiest and freshest crabcakes we've had in a long time. They were fried perfectly, providing a crispy crust on the outside and a creamy, zesty filling on the inside. The tartar sauce that came with this was also superb and we finished it to the last bite.
For the main course, I got orecchiette pasta, which I loved. It was very filling and so nicely flavored with bits of eggplant, ricotta cheese and basil--an easy combo for the tummy. Dan got the margherita pizza, which was just your standard sauce, fresh muzz and basil but he enjoyed it very much and ate all of it.
Service and Cost:
The service is wonderful and so quick--you won't get stuck waiting for the check here. The waitstaff is very international, which is pretty cool--I like hearing the inter-mingling of all the different accents.
Cost-wise, it really depends on what you get. Pasta will cost you in the neighborhood of $15, whereas meat dishes range more in the mid $20's. But the good news is, there is so much to choose from that you can either be frugal or splurge--depends on what you're up for.
The service is wonderful and so quick--you won't get stuck waiting for the check here. The waitstaff is very international, which is pretty cool--I like hearing the inter-mingling of all the different accents.
Cost-wise, it really depends on what you get. Pasta will cost you in the neighborhood of $15, whereas meat dishes range more in the mid $20's. But the good news is, there is so much to choose from that you can either be frugal or splurge--depends on what you're up for.
I had the orecchiete too and was extremely pleased. We also had the bruschetta as an appetizer which was a simple but savory starter.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I have to agree and say that this is definitely a place to check out.