Jaya at The Setai: Spirits of the season take center stage at the exquisite modern Asian restaurant inside The Setai (2001 Collins Ave.) on Miami Beach. Now through Nov. 30, guests can savor the flavors of fall as part of a specialty cocktail program. Among the featured drinks: the Autumn Cobbler with Daylight rum, port wine, pomegranate, ginger and citrus; the Spiced Lychee Martini with ALB vodka, St-Gerain, lychee, pumpkin spice, citrus and pumpkin ginger; and the Pumpkin Old Fashioned with Buffalo Trace bourbon, pumpkin spice and bitters.
Additional adult beverages are flowing on weekends at Jaya. On Saturdays, the Rosé Brunch (11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. with DJ music, $105 per person) includes limitless pours of Louis Roederer Champagne and refreshing sips at the Spritz Bar (don’t miss the Rumor Rose Spritz). The Sunday Jazz Brunch—a chef-driven ode to flavors from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan and more (11:15 a.m. to 3 p.m.; $105 per person)—boasts bottomless mimosas, bloody marys and mojitos to go with unlimited pours of Louis Roederer bubbly and, of course, live jazz. (thesetaihotel.com)
Swan: The Design District brasserie concept courtesy of Pharrell Williams and David Grutman (90 NE 39th St., Miami) recently unveiled a new menu that emphasizes shared plates and light, healthy fare.
Highlights include: Charred octopus with cured Italian sausage, crispy potato and pickled onions; bluefin tuna roses with Osetra caviar; lemon garlic chicken; miso salmon with yuzu Brussels sprouts; an 8-ounce blueberry filet mignon. For those concerned about wholesale changes, don’t fret: House favorites from Groot Hospitality—chips and caviar, Hamachi crudo and Parker house rolls with Everything Bagel seasoning are still on the menu. (swanmiami.com)
Ortanique: Fans of Cindy Hutson and Delius Shirley’s beloved restaurant, a culinary mainstay for 21 years in South Florida, are buzzing over the return of the concept—even if it’s an abbreviated pop-up run.
The space that once housed QP Tapas in Coral Gables (1831 Ponce de Leon) serves as the pop-up backdrop from now through Dec. 16. Guests can choose from two nightly seatings (each with a maximum of 40 guests) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations for the first seating can be made between 6 and 6:30 p.m.; the second seating between 8:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Meals have a two-hour time limit.
Expect a prix-fixe menu ($98 per person) with a complimentary amuse-bouche and a three-course meal. Each weekend will feature different dishes on a menu with four appetizer choices, five entrees and three desserts. Among the dishes being considered for the late September debut: Red Stripe steamed Mediterranean mussels; West Indian Cornish game hen with Jamaican rice and peas; and butterflied yellowtail snapper with malanga mash. (call 305.458.8422 for reservations)
Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival: The 16th annual incarnation of the festival, set for Dec. 7-10, promises 26 culinary events, more than 60 wine tables and a never-ending array of gourmet bites.
Several of the private dinners with wine pairings already are sold out, but tickets remained at press time for more than a dozen events, including a walk-around tasting at The Breakers (Friday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.) and the Grand Tasting (Sunday, Dec. 10; 2 to 6 p.m.) at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Visit pbfoodwinefest.com for the complete rundown of events.
