Art of the Meal: Best Art Basel dining events, pop ups, must eats | Miami Herald

One of People Magazine’s Sexiest Chefs, José Mendín, is celebrating Art Basel at his newly opened Habitat, where a resurgence of Pubbelly Noodle Bar’s Late Night Ramen will be offered from midnight to 2 a.m. from December 3-9. Habitat’s mezzanine lounge will be active throughout the week with tapas and cocktails by mixologist Pedro Sanchez from 6 p.m. to midnight and live music nightly.

The free and open to the public four-day graffiti fest from Dec. 7-10 at the RC Cola Plant  in Wynwood will make you hungry, so in between tagging yourselves at the taggers’ masterpieces, stop by some of Miami’s best food trucks and a “zone of must” Instagram dessert vendors that are either visually artistic or gargantuan — anything from outrageous ice cream toppings, naughty cupcakes, giant milkshakes, hipster donuts and mouthwatering fillings.

Barton G. Miami practically built a brand on culinary theatrics and whimsy way before Instagram was even conceived. The restaurant will crank it up a few notches during the week of art.

Among the menu highlights:

Diamonds are Forever — accessorized with “diamonds,” this playful take on a lemon drop is brought to the table with a citrus vodka nitro-infused Popsicle.

Studio 54— An elevated pasta dish featuring the disco ball a, 12-ounce  ground Wagyu brisket and veal meatball with bucatini pasta.

Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all — A server brings out the dessert, wearing a welding mask and apron, and torches the white chocolate “gold bar” tableside that exposes the rich graham-cracker-crusted ganache tart with meringue, dulce de leche, and chocolate feuilletine golden nitro ice cream nuggets.

Got American Express Platinum? If so, lucky you.

Membership does, indeed, have its privileges because with it you can buy a $125 ticket to a fancy dinner on Dec. 8 with José Andrés at the SLS South Beach Hotel. Event proceeds will be donated to World Central Kitchen’s mission in Puerto Rico and other areas.

The Icon Brickell’s Mexican spot is not only offering a special Art Basel themed lunch on Dec. 3, but it will also feature the artwork of Spanish actor/artist Jordi Molla, whose works will be displayed during said lunch.

From Dec. 8-10, the works of assorted Mexican artists will also be exhibited on the restaurant’s scenic waterfront patio.

Pair your evening dinner from Top Chef Jeremy Ford with a three dimensional work from graffiti artist Ze Florist. Known for is signature spray-painted flowers seen throughout Miami, Ze Florist will begin painting at Stubborn Seed Friday. The piece will be unveiled Saturday with cocktails from Pernod Ricard.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar is hosting a $200-per-person, four-course truffle dinner, reminiscent of its midnight chefs table dinners of years past.

The fixed-price tasting menu (with wine!) focuses on delicacies truffle and caviar. Guests will enjoy dishes that include smoked stone crab and English pea ravioli, seared foie gras and a special rendition of Yardbird’s famous fried chicken.

Tickets include a welcome cocktail, wine pairings, tax and tip.

The jet setty supper club channels its best Basel starting Dec. 6 with L’Arc Paris, the Champs Elysees haute spot created by Lenny Kravitz.  No stranger to party benders, Villa Azur continues with its Thursday night dinner party featuring DJ Jack-E, followed by a Posh Brazil party with food by executive chef Philippe Ruiz.

Through the week, Villa Azur will showcase works of art by Catherine l’Empereur  and Antoine Verglas, who  introduced a new style of fashion photography with models Stephanie Seymour, Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford in a series of intimate, documentary-style photographs.

For those so fully committed during Art Week there’s no time to stop, consider this: the newly opened BLT Steak at the Iberostar Berkeley hotel is offering steak tartare tacos – to go.

Also available for the on the fly for Baselites: elote (Mexican corn). Just order with the restaurant hostess just inside the hotel entrance between 8-11 p.m.  Tacos $18, elote $7 or a combo for $20.

Following the quiet closing of their restaurant, Sarsaparilla Club, Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth bring a pop-up version of their New York City restaurant, Root & Bone, to The Shelborne.

They will be open daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. through March, serving deviled eggs, biscuits and sweet-tea-brined fried chicken, among other things.

Call this one a food hall pop up, smack in the middle of where it all happens, featuring a “curated tasting expedition of global flavors.”

In other words: food from Casablanca, Pinch Kitchen, Tacos and Tattoos, China Box and more.

There’s also a “circular mixology bar,” featuring boozy craftings from area bars. RSVP at hivewynwood.com for a complimentary Red Bull Cocktail.

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We just installed this fresh new deck at @ManaWynwood and can’t wait for all of you to fill it when @HiveWynwood takes over during @ArtBasel.  Join us for a culinary and cocktail experience you do not want to miss! RSVP now for a FREE @RedBull cocktail at hivewynwood.eventbrite.com

A post shared by HIVE Wynwood (@hivewynwood) on Nov 24, 2017 at 10:23am PST

Miami Beach will come alive with art, but South Beach has the added advantage of the ocean and Art Deco architecture as its backdrop. Drop into Sugar Factory on Ocean Drive for saccharine concoctions and hearty dishes. Reality TV star Scott Disick will be there.