JOEY Aventura

A great restaurant and bar to highlight the Esplanade complex that has opened (but is not fully complete) next to Aventura Mall. There is a valet at the entrance of the restaurant, but you honestly shouldn't have to use it if you can walk 100 feet from the Esplanade garage or the open air lot.

The restaurant interior is beautiful, with a soaring ceiling above a second floor balcony (where the restrooms---single person---also are). It appeared adequately staffed, with 1 or 2 hostesses at the front stand, 3 bartenders at the bar and at least 2-3 floor managers checking on diner tables periodically. This led to a great service experience despite our being a group of 15 people. Our server Eddie was present, attentive and always available to take additional orders or napkin/utensil/straw requests.

There is a large drink list; the cocktails are pretty and clearly carefully crafted, when you see the bartenders making them. The wine list ranges from $15 to $33 a glass and is generously arranged by flavor profiles to suit the reader. Wine bottles start at $60. I had a dry, medium bodied Sancerre ($21) that held its own with the seafood dishes I got. The food offerings are wide in variety and high in quality, but as we all agreed, very expensive. I had the Jumbo Crab Cake ($26), which as an appetizer can be questionably shared if you're feeling nice. The crab meat was plentiful and plump and accompanied by a genuine pesto and tartar and a crisp apple fennel salad. The salad's seasoning was restrained enough to pair well with the heavier seasoning of the crab cake. I had the Sake Glazed Chilean Seabass ($49) for a main dish, and it was beautifully put together. A thick cut of fleshy seabass with that sear and mirin like glimmer, surrounded by stir fried napa cabbage, colored peppers, shimeji mushrooms and pan seared small potatoes looked like a small work of art. I respected that the vegetables were not over seasoned to accommodate for the dashi that came separately to be poured over to taste. The dashi gave that comfort element that I didn't realize I wanted in the dish. I had a bite of the Prime New York Strip ($68), perfectly grilled to medium rare and flavorful with the least salt, the way it was ordered.

Is the pricing worth the food? I can't say for sure that it is. The meal was wonderful, but the portions are normal sized for oversized pricing. If you ask me whether I'm in a rush to bring people there or return really soon, I can wait. I'll save up a little before making my way back lol, although I know it would be a good experience.