Style Spotlight: Red The Steakhouse Sizzles on South Beach

Tucked in a rather-quiet-for-South-Beach street, exists a carnivorous wonderland that is sure to entice any foodie's fickle palette. Weeks later, my husband and I are still reliving and re-tasting our dining experience at Red The Steakhouse. Some count sheep, I count Alaskan King Crab. Some dream of island getaways, I dream of aged porterhouse and rib-eye. We came, we gorged, and we rolled out of that restaurant like two stuffed butterballs. It was a feast fit for a king and Executive Chef and Partner, Peter Vauthy, had a constant flow of dishes and specials come to our table and we 'ooohed and 'ahhhed' at every bite. A 'foodgasm' is the best way to describe it. 

Whenever I'm invited to check out and dine at a new restaurant, I always say a little prayer to the food gods that the experience be a good one. Nothing sucks more than bad food or bad service- two biggies that never make for a good write up. Thankfully, I've been on a dining roll. Service was above average, presentation was stellar, and quality was unmatchable. These are three elements that Chef Peter delivers when you walk through his doors. He works directly with fisheries and farms to guarantee that only the highest quality ingredients are used in his kitchen. From the creamy burrata and the stuffed hot peppers to the amazingly delicious Red Alaskan King Crab Cake, there was no shortage of richness or taste. Don't even get me started on the meat. 

I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Peter during our Red dining adventures and he's just as likable as he is talented. And he apparently has a Deadliest Catch connection you won't want to miss out on reading!  I got the scoop on what really happens in the kitchen from the Chef himself and I'm bringing it to you right here! 

Read the full interview after the jump! 

FSF: Red is a sexy addition to the Miami dining scene and it can surely hold its own amongst some other notable establishments in the area. What is it that makes this place so desirable?

RED: It all starts with our commitment to source the finest quality ingredients - even though we lack the definitive seasons in Miami. 

FSF: It's safe to say that there isn't anything mediocre on this menu. Every dish is a stand alone winner. What's the process in the kitchen like - from picking out what goes on the menu, to the execution. Walk me through it.

RED: It will start with an idea or inspiration from me or one of the other chef or cooks. It can be as simple as updating a classic dish, improving on a dish that was poorly executed, or the inspiration can come from a seasonal ingredient that we feature while at its peak. We will then begin with the dish, and over trial and error and many taste tests, we will review what it needs, and make it again and again until we feel it is perfected. For the dish to be perfected it needs to be visually appealing first and foremost, as we always eat with our eyes first, then make sure it is balanced, seasoned and has our signature RED style. Viola! We have a dish that makes the menu or a long term special.   

FSF: You have to tell everybody about your famous Alaskan Red King Crab at the restaurant. I'm still dreaming about it! Many people don't realize just how short this particular season is and why the Red King Crab is so lucrative when it comes to taste and size. Why don't more people know about this?  

RED: First of all, most fishing seasons aren't all year and this applies to King Crab as well. When I became a chef I knew that fresh crab was available but the quest for this became a mission.  Now that I know how to bring it in, it's something that I anxiously wait for each year. My guests are all aware of it but most people can't even begin to understand how good the fresh Red King Crab can possibly be. It goes back to my drive to get the best products in from around the world. The season for Red King Crab is so short that if you aren't aware of it you might miss out on the experience. I try to convey to all of my guests that seasonality of ingredients and having them at their peak will always increase the beauty of these ingredients. 

FSF: What's the most popular item on the menu that guests can't get enough of?  

RED: It has to be our Lobster Mac N Cheese. The combination of parmigiano reggiano, pecorino romano, fontina val d'aosta, raclette and a fresh shelled main lobster is an instant classic and something you won't want to pass up.  

FSF: And now I'm going to put you on the spot and share with all my readers your own adventures on those Deadliest Catch boats! Were you ready for that kind of action?  

RED: Nothing can prepare you for the ruggedness and natural beauty of Alaska.  Everyone should go and see its majesty. When you are up there before the season starts they read off all the fisherman who passed the last season as they bless the fleet. It gives you some perspective of what you are about to get into. The sheer magnitude of the amount of seafood that is available to be caught is beyond belief - if you are not careful you can catch so much it might actually sink the boat! The rivers are so full of salmon during the season that you can walk across the rivers without ever getting wet.  

FSF: What's your favorite thing to cook?  

RED: It's so hard to have just one thing as I just love to cook, but there is a great satisfaction that comes with making the perfect Risotto.  It's so versatile and the things that can be done with it are spectacular.   

FSF: My husband and I barely made it to dessert but we just couldn't turn down red velvet fried Oreos!  The dessert menu is something else! What kind of pastry chef are you hiding back there?  

RED: Talented pastry chefs are hard to come by and I have been blessed with some great ones. My current Pastry Chef, Andrew Moss, has moved up to take the top toque here at Red, the Steakhouse South Beach. I work closely with him as I have a personal fascination with pastry and almost took the path to pastry chef myself. 

FSF: I'm sure after cooking all day the last thing you want to do when you get home is cook some more. So what's comfort food for you?  

RED: I don't cook at home very often if at all, but comfort food to me is a plate of perfect fried chicken, a plate of BBQ baby back ribs or some certified angus beef pastrami which we make at the restaurant and just makes me happy. 

Make your reservations now. 

http://redthesteakhouse.com/

Follow Red on Instagram: @redsteakhouse

Red, The Steakhouse

119 Washington Ave

Miami Beach, Fl 33139

In Style, 

Kat 

Style Spotlight: F1RST Surf Shop is Making a Splash in the South Florida Community

Steps from the breathtaking beaches of South Beach, there sits a store with that 'Cheers' familiarity where everyone knows your name. It's the kind of place where both locals and tourists alike speak that universal language of the sea and first quality service is always the attitude du jour. 

Alright, I might be getting a bit hokey in my spotlight introduction but the verse fits. I'm talking about FIRST Surf Shop, a one of a kind surfers' paradise, specializing in providing top of the line merchandise in a laid back atmosphere. The shop also offers lessons for anyone who dares to enter the South Florida swells! Who knew Miami had a wave pool?!

The shop was launched in 2008 by two avid surfers and friends, Mark Gamez and Christian De La Iglesia, who wanted to offer a more personable and passionate experience to riders of all levels. 

I consider this style spotlight my surfer for dummies tutorial and after interviewing one half of F1RST for this style spotlight (thank you, Mark!), I'm ready to suit up and get on a board. But I'm going to need a life jacket first. 

Surf's up, fashionistas! 

Co-owners and friends, Mark Gamez and Christian De La Iglesia, hang ten at the remodel of F1RST Surf Shop

FSF: Opening the shop in 2008 seems like a natural progression for you. How did the idea to make it happen come about?

FSS: Christian De La Iglesia approached me in 2008 after collaborating on a pop up shop called UNIV. Chris liked what I was doing and came from a surf retail background. There were no other surf shops in South Beach so we created F1RST. We've been at it for a little over five years now and have doubled in size and added South Beach's only VIP SUP storage lockers as well as a satellite location at the Marriott where we offer SUP and Surf clinics on Saturday mornings. 

FSF: The shop has become a vital part of the South Florida community. What makes this surf shop different from the other shops out there in the market? 

FSS: Authenticity. We built this shop with our bare hands. Every piece of furniture, wood, stain, along with every single artifact that we have in our shop has been hand picked and curated- from the decor to the merchandise- and I believe it shows. Our patrons can appreciate that authenticity and the added unique touch and appeal and they identify with it. You can't pay someone to do that for you. You gotta get your hands dirty.

FSF: There's a big skating and surfing culture in Miami that most people do not know about. How did you become part of its landscape? 

FSS: Thank you for noticing! I wish the City of Miami Beach and the politicians would finally realize that! I am very vocal when it comes to the issue of skateboarding in Miami and Miami Beach and it's a sad fact that it is the year 2014 and Miami, one of the most forward thinking and progressive major metropolitan cities in America, does not have one single skate park to call it's own. It's pathetic. I have been to my fair share of city meetings regarding skate parks and have seen, firsthand, the level of political bullshit and it is overwhelming. I'll spare the blog one of my long-winded rants about skate parks and try to get back to the point. 

I have been skateboarding and surfing in Miami for over 25 years. Being born and raised in Miami makes me part of the landscape, but I’m a dinosaur. The crew at MIA skate shop does an excellent job of holding the Miami skate scene down and they are more the landscape than I am. They keep the skate culture alive and well and I like to think we do the same for surfing.

FSF:  The shop itself is almost like your way of giving back to the community and to its customers. What are customers looking for when they come into your store? 

FSS: We built the shop with the idea of accepting the fact that we are a place of social gathering. That's why our main counter space looks like your local bar retrofitted with barstools and all. When there is surf (which is not often) we are ground zero for surfers to have a place to hang out and celebrate and talk story while waiting for the conditions to improve. In the era of online shopping, you can't replace what a locally owned and operated retail shop offers, which is local knowledge. Try to find out what bars or nightclub to hang out at or where the real South Beach hangs out at on a forum or blog and see how your night ends up. Good luck with that! 

Our merchandise selection is what separates us from the pack. You won’t find a lot of our brands anywhere else but at F1RST. We carry a limited amount of individual items and pieces from our vendors. When it's gone its gone. We like to keep it moving and fresh.

FSF: Call me a rookie or whatever is categorized below that, but are there good waves in Miami?

FSS: Yes! South Beach does get good. Our season is November to March (Winter) and we do see classic surf conditions down here that accompany the Nor'easters and cold fronts throughout our winter season. We'll see a handful of classic surf conditions. In the Summer, things get sketchy--we need to have a hurricane swing right by us and make a u-turn at the very last second. Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Frances are two classic examples.

FSF: You also happen to be an avid surfer and you used to be a professional skater. Is there one you like more than the other? 

FSS: Thank you for the compliments, but no, I never went pro for skateboarding. I was a local hero at best who moved to California and got humbled--quickly. Most of my friends out on the West Coast are professional surfers and skateboarders so maybe people sometimes think I was pro. I would say I was bro-fessional. My friends know that I am an elitist skate-snob and I do not hide it. I bleed 7-ply maple and I talk, act, dress and think like a skateboarder. Skateboarding is and will always be my first true love. Surfing on the other hand is my favorite. It is way more satisfying and way easier on the body at this age -- There's a reason why surfers are so laid back and on their own trip. You know the slogan "Only a Surfer Knows The Feeling" by Billabong? Yea, well as cliche as that may sound -- it's true. Surfing is a one of a kind feeling that cannot be emulated by any other water sport. 

FSF: Do you have a favorite place to surf? If so, describe what that looks and feels like for you. 

FSS: Believe it or not. South Beach! I've traveled the globe and have surfed the Caribbean, Central America, Baja California, The West Coast, Hawaii and Indonesia and there is simply nothing that can compare to catching South Beach in its classic form.

FSF: I know the shop takes up a lot of your time, but when do have some downtime, what does your perfect day in Miami look like? 

FSS: I keep it local. If I do venture out its to visit Gabe and Elad at The Broken Shaker, or Flip and Paulo at Radio Bar. My wife and I are huge fans of Red The Steakhouse. Peter Vauthy is the best!!!

FSF: We have to talk about your style. You have a laid back, yet distinct sense of style that you carry off really well without falling into that whole stereotypical surfer look. How would you describe your everyday. go to look? 

FSS: Thank you! I definitely try to break that surfer/stoner mold of wearing a huge logo/brand names on your chest lookin' like you are a walking billboard. I try to keep my personal style up with the times without going overboard on any particular trend. You won't catch me running a mustache (mostly because i can’t grow one!) or sailor tattoos any time soon. Remember, I was a skateboarder in the early 90's, which meant you rocked the huge baggy jeans. I'm thankful Instagram and Social media weren’t around for those days but I am indeed haunted by those memories. I try to keep my style safe and current. I add some flair on the proper occasion to let the people know I can still run it when the time calls for it.   

Visit F1RST Surf Shop at:

https://www.facebook.com/F1RSTSURFSHOP 

Follow them on Instagram at: 

@F1RSTSURFSHOP

Located at: 

40 S Pointe Dr #107, Miami Beach, FL 33139

(305) 397-8103

In Style, 

Kat