Unparalleled service and a sleek dining experience define an evening on the scene at COTE Miami
For Simon Kim, proprietor of COTE NYC, the decision to bring one of America’s loftiest restaurants to South Florida began in the same way many great stories do—with love at first sight. “I fell in love with Miami. I loved the people, the lifestyle, and the weather,” he says, “and I was determined to open COTE here; so our opening nearly two years later is a dream come true.”
Considered America’s first Korean Steakhouse™, COTE Miami has become the city’s most coveted (and hard to snag) reservation. The Miami Design District location, which officially opened on February 12th, is a sprawling and lavish 5,892-square-foot concept designed by acclaimed architecture studio MNDPC, boasting elevated experiences like the brand’s quintessentially impeccable service and a show-stopping beverage program amidst a buzzy, elegant atmosphere—a distinct methodology that has earned COTE several James Beard Award nominations and a Michelin-star each year since opening, the only star awarded to a Korean steakhouse in the world.
Guests can “see and be seen” in the sleek, 100-plus seat dining room, where each table is inlaid with bespoke, state-of-the-art charcoal grills for cuts to be cooked to perfection by COTE’s experienced servers. The sexy and swanky space is adorned blue chip modern art pieces for added visual inspiration, an oval-shaped bar, and a red light dry-aging room. Those looking for a more intimate dining experience can opt for COTE Miami’s private dining space, the PK Room—an ode to the developer T.V. Moore. Fun fact: Moore was nicknamed the “Pineapple King”, and renowned locally for turning his pineapple farm in the 1920s into the neighborhood known today as the Miami Design District.
And then there’s the food. Executive chef David Shim’s signature menu spotlights COTE’s Beef & Leaf® philosophy of serving light and brightly colored pickled vegetables (preserved on-site in the restaurant’s “Vegetable Fermentation Lab”) instead of heavier steakhouse sides. Diners can decide between two tasting experiences: the Butcher’s Feast® ($58 per person), a tour of the restaurant’s finest plates, including four selected cuts of COTE’s most notable USDA Prime and American Wagyu Beef, fresh Red Leaf Lettuce with Ssaam-jang, fluffy Savory Egg Soufflé, and Two Stews with Rice; and a 10-course Steak Omakase™ ($165 per person) for the true connoisseur looking to beef up their food game, with necessary safety-protocols in place.
“We have taken the most extreme measures to ensure we create a safe dining experience,” says Kim. “Guests can take in the simple yet fine pleasures of good food, great drink and a fun atmosphere.”
COTE Miami is located at 3900 NE 2nd Avenue and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to midnight. For more information, please visit www.cotemiami.com.
This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 1:45 PM.