Can this gorgeous new restaurant kick-start Aventura’s upscale dining scene? Take a look

With the exception of Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak, Aventura isn’t usually known as a place for fine dining. And it’s definitely not known as a city with late-night options.

But the creators of the newest member of the Esplanade at Aventura hope to change all that.

From Eureka! Restaurant Group and Grupo Carolo Hospitality, The Amalfi Llama is the newest addition to the open-air retail-and-restaurant project next to the Aventura Mall, also home to the bowling-and-bocce spot Pinstripes and Joey restaurant from Canada.

The Amalfi Llama is aiming for a different, more upscale clientele than those spots, with its large front room taking on a late-night lounge atmosphere once the sun goes down.

The huge, glamorous restaurant, which serves dinner but plans to start lunch service eventually, highlights what it calls live-fire cooking. The technique employs smoke, coals and embers to cook meat, seafood and vegetables and is used by cultures that stretch from Patagonia in South America to the Mediterranean’s Italian coast. Hence the oddball name, llamas being a thing in Patagonia.

The menu strives to capture the rustic nature of Patagonia and at the same time evoke traditional Italian flavors. Eduardo Gomez, CEO of Eureka! and Grupo Carolo, calls the method of cooking a “timeless art form.”

“One of the earliest known innovations of humankind is harnessing the beauty of fire,” he said. “The Amalfi Llama’s spectacle of smoke in its live-fire cooking further flavors the food for an authentic farm-to-table approach unique to South Florida’s culinary scene.”

The restaurant features a luxurious dining room with 157 seats, two patios with fire pits and two separate bars, one with 11 seats, another with 30. A handful of booths are available in front of the parrilla grill, where the live-fire cooking is done.

The kitchen, led by Chef Jeffrey Mondaca, features a variety of choices prepared live-fire style and specializes in meat, with a 32-ounce Tomahawk steak, three- or six-ounce portions of wagyu, center cut filet and a Prime New York Strip. There’s also Patagonian roasted chicken, King Ora salmon and branzino.

Wood-fired pizzas are also on the menu, like the Alla Positano with salami, pepperoncini and a drizzle of spicy honey or roasted mushroom with white truffle oil.

But take your time with this menu, and come hungry. Start with the refreshing tuna tartar, served on avocado with ponzu, with bright chunks of fish, or wade right into what The Amalfi Llama excels at: the meat. The restaurant promises that the tender, salty proscuitto san Daniele, served with perfectly aged Parmigiano Reggiano, can only be found here. It’s so good it’s proof of the restaurant’s efforts to source the best products.

A good strategy for two — although the restaurant is well-equipped for large groups — is to order one of the dishes cooked on the live-fire grill and a pasta dish. That way, you sample the best of what the restaurant has to offer. The lobster arrabiata, with big chunks of shellfish and a modest heat, is a great choice, but you could also try the creamy cacio e pepe or a simple spaghetti pomodoro and remain happy.

The upscale cocktail program includes special drinks like the Sunkissed Martini with sun-dried tomatoes and white peppercorn; the Ube Puff with ube syrup and the Purple Orchid with butterfly pea tea-infused tequila. There’s also a delicious Kingston Negroni made with aged Appleton rum and pineapple cordial instead of gin that’s a riot of unforgettable complex flavors and a smooth espresso martini that you don’t have to wait for dessert to order.

The Aventura Amalfi Llama is a prototype for the brand: A second Amalfi Llama is scheduled to open in San Diego later this year. Eureka! Restaurant Group and Grupo Carolo operate 56 restaurants in the United States and Mexico.

The Amalfi Llama

Where: 19505 Biscayne Blvd., building D, suite 4150, Aventura

Hours: 5 p.m.-midnight Sunday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday

Reservations: Open Table

More information: www.amalfillama.com or 305-726-0226

This story was originally published January 29, 2024 at 4:30 AM.