The Grill at The Dorchester,
Photo Courtesy of The Dorchester Collection
A new crowd of restaurants has hit the scene, just in time to ruin your resolutions for the new year. Find tastes of the South in Las Vegas, sip on an Arnold Palmer while overlooking the links in Miami or explore more than 20,000 square feet of outdoor dining along the Riviera Maya. If you need an additional reason to indulge during the holiday season, look no further than these four new spots.
The Grill at The Dorchester, London
Established at Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Dorchester in 1931, The Grill and its menu have just undergone a complete and total overhaul. The London institution is now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The interior, designed by architect Bruno Moinard, contrasts classic and contemporary finishes, like copper and marble set against butterscotch leather and oak parquet flooring, not to mention the handblown Murano glass chandelier. But the new menu is just as dazzling as the comfortable and sleek décor. Designed by renowned French chef Alain Ducasse’s protégé, Christophe Marleix, the kitchen features new delicacies (hand-carved smoked salmon from fourth-generation Norwegian family, Hansen & Lydersen), old treats (The Grill’s signature lobster bisque) and pastry chef Ludovic Cuny’s decadent chocolate soufflé, served with homemade ice cream.
Yardbird’s Shrimp and Grits, Photo Courtesy of Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, Las Vegas
Originally a Miami Beach staple known for southern comfort food such as fried chicken served with watermelon and waffles, or the bread-crumb-topped macaroni and cheese, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar opens in Las Vegas this January, ready to take Sin City by storm. Located along the row of restaurants at Four-Star The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, Yardbird’s neighbors include Mario Batali’s Forbes Travel Guide Recommended B&B Ristorante, Thomas Keller’s Bouchon and some of the city’s most respected dining destinations. The acclaimed 50 Eggs, Inc. restaurant group spared no expense outfitting the new location. Expect 8,000 square feet of space, which includes two private dining rooms and an expansive bar, where mixologists will fashion cocktails with hand-cut ice blocks from the onsite ice room.
Corsair’s Roasted Vegetable Salad, Photo Courtesy of SC Ventures
Corsair by Scott Conant, Miami
Award-winning chef and TV personality Scott Conant opened Corsair on December 20, offering patrons a rustic menu of farmhouse American and Mediterranean dishes, inspired by the seasonal ingredients available in South Florida — a much different environment than his native Manhattan. Overlooking the links of Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Turnberry Isle Miami’s Miller Course, Corsair by Scott Conant features both indoor and outdoor seating for breakfast, lunch and dinner. After completing your 18th hole, order the porchetta sandwich served with broccoli rabe pesto and a sunny-side up egg, while sipping on an Arnold Palmer, made with ice cubes from tea and lemonade, so the drink never tastes watered down. Chances are you’ll want to return that evening, too.
La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen, Riviera Maya
If you need another excuse to escape the cold this winter, La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen should be it. Located at Rosewood Mayakoba, along the eastern coast of Mexico, near Mayan ruins and Caribbean blue waters, the eatery is a 20,000-square-foot concept for guests to enjoy outdoor dining, cooking classes and a unique array of Mexican fare, prepared over an open flame in accordance with Mayan tradition. The dishes on La Ceiba’s menu — octopus ceviche, duck tostadas with mole sauce — are enhanced by peppers, herbs, fruits and vegetables grown in the on-property garden. The popular cochinita pibil (suckling pig) is prepared in the restaurant’s underground pit, while the coffee-ancho-pepper-cured prime rib eye is served with pickled beet salad and green tomatoes. Finish the meal with a serving of churros and Mexican hot chocolate, or fruit cobbler.
