Wood-Fired Wonderful

Tucked far away from the glitz, glamour and beautiful crowds found in Miami’s hottest destinations lies one of South Florida’s newest — and tastiest — dinner experiences.

We’re talking about Walrus Rodeo, the brainchild of husband-and-wife culinary maestros Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer (owners of Michelin Star winner Boia De) and chef/partner Jeff Maxfield (former corporate chef for Brad Kilgore Culinary and the magic behind eateries like Ironside Pizza and Toscana Divino). The restaurant, which opened Dec. 8, embraces a casual, playful, yet wholly dedicated philosophy to the exceptional food and dining experience all three owners have built a reputation on.

Set in a neglected Little Haiti strip mall (the same one that houses Boia De), entering Walrus Rodeo is akin to stumbling upon fresh water after wandering the desert for days.

The 32-seat space is fun and unpretentious, with wood floors, a hammered tin ceiling, white brick walls and colorful art. There’s a bar by the entrance buzzing with people enjoying signature cocktails like Toasted Tommy (vermouth, tomato and sake) and Día De Los Delinquentes (Deliquente bitters, Americano vermouth and bubbles) and a Chef’s Counter towards the back boasting five front row seats to the heartbeat of the restaurant: the behemoth pizza oven, where practically every dish, in one way or another, pays a visit before heading to a lucky diner. It’s hard to pinpoint the cuisine, which could be defined as Italian-ish (there are several pasta dishes), but much in tune with the ethos of the place, there’s no real drive to apply a label, opting instead the opportunity to explore the myriad of flavors provided.

With that in mind, diners are encouraged to share — a strategy I highly suggest as you’ll want to sample as much from the varied menu as you can. Upon the suggestion of our affable and knowledgeable server/sommelier, my guest and I started off with an extraordinary trio of Carrot Tartare, Charbroiled Oysters and Charred Bone Marrow.

The Carrot Tartare, inspired by traditional beef tartare, arrived as a bright orange disc of chopped carrot crowned with carrot top salsa verde, mustard seed and espuma.

We were instructed to mix everything then scoop it up with the rectangular slabs of dehydrated carrot crisps served alongside. It’ll make a carrot fan out of even the most skeptical veggie eater, and those carrot chips are so good they should be selling them next to the blue tortilla chips at Whole Foods. Next, lightly charbroiled Island Creek oysters embellished with Franciacorta (Italian sparkling wine) and a subdued spiciness from jalapeños, before being blanketed with breadcrumbs were a refreshing spin on overcooked grilled oysters oftentimes found elsewhere. The bone marrow — roasted and served topped with crispy capers, bagna cauda (a cream sauce made with anchovies and garlic) and grilled sourdough was utterly divine.

While it will be a challenge not to order every main dish, you will not want to skip the Mustard Green Lasagna. Marrying lamb ragu with grana padena and stracchino (both Italian cheeses), this humble-looking green rectangular combines the comfort food favorite’s warm, nourishing notes with a crispy, crunchy top (courtesy of the pizza oven) and rich, buttery lamb rendering you useless with awe. Potato Gnocchi, served with celery root, charred leeks and black truffle is another top contender as is the Cabbage Carbonara, whose pancetta, pecorino and fermented hollandaise combination is a successful adaptation of the traditional pasta dish. The Wood Oven Quail arrives charred on the outside and succulent on the inside and is balanced by bright flavors from fermented pineapple, pickliz (Haitian pickled vegetables) and lemon.

There are two pizzas on the menu, both of which would make any Italian proud. My guest and I opted for the Fugazi Za, a cylindrical celebration of hearty, charred crust, thin dough and toppings of smokey country ham, local greens and stracciatella cheese.

You could end things there — after all, I trust you will have taken advantage of the carefully calibrated wine list adept at celebrating every dish. But with so many home runs hit, passing on dessert would be a mistake, particularly with the unique and diverse sweet treats offered like the Want S’more (chocolate mole, toasted fluff and graham churro). 

And if you’re wondering about the restaurant’s whimsical name (how could one not?) here is how the partners sum it up:

“Rodeos are places for fun, gathering and celebration and Walrus Rodeo is just a fun place! We didn’t want people to come in with any expectations and with a name like Walrus Rodeo, what could you possibly expect? That being said, we think it’s a great fit for the rest of the restaurant’s iconography – from country western wallpaper with punk rockers and surfers and our current sticker with a duck riding a skateboard. The name is whatever you want it to be!”

Walrus Rodeo is located at  5143 N.E. 2nd Ave., Miami. For more information, call 305-967-8866 or visit walrusrodeo.com.