Photo by Alona Abbady Martinez
If ever there was a spot where art and food meet, it would be, quite literally, at Leku.
Arroz de Mariscos a la Brasa
Photo Courtesy of Leku
The restaurant, located inside the Rubell Museum in Miami, offers a revolving and exceptional array of dishes, so beautifully plated, they easily compete with the contemporary art displayed in the exhibits nearby.
Leku pays homage to the Basque region of Spain, found in the northwestern tip of the Iberian Peninsula next to France. It is an autonomous community with unique cultural traditions which includes its own ancient language (Euskera) and a celebrated cuisine. Leku, in fact, means “the place” in Basque, a word quite fitting for a meal here, both for the food and the ambiance.
For South Floridians croquetas are as commonplace as apple pie, but bite into Leku’s rendition, the Croquetas De Ibérico 5 Jotas and you’ll find yourself gasping in newfound delight. The creamy croquette comes unabashedly packed with savory morsels of 5 Jotas Iberian ham, a legendary Spanish delicacy originating from acorn-fed pigs. Make a 180-degree shift and order the Tartar De Remolacha, or beet tartare. Not only does it arrive looking like a miniature art sculpture that you might have missed in the museum, but the combination of flavors — robust beets, bright chive sauce and briny caviar, mirrors the complexity of beef so authentically that even the most headstrong carnivore will succumb.
My guest and I followed with Gambas al Ajillo, or garlic shrimp — a dish Spaniards are practically raised on from birth. A generous serving of Key West pink shrimp dotted with garlic sauce was served, chaperoned by slices of artisanal bread.
Tarta de Queso Vasca
Photo by Alona Abbady Martinez
Ask most folks to name a Spanish dish and they’ll likely say paella. Leku ups the rice-based meal with their “Arroces” (rice), which includes a seafood-based interpretation along with a robust wild mushroom version. My table opted for the mushroom rendition, which made its debut in a “paellera,” a shallow, circular pan still bubbling hot from the grill. Food connoisseurs toss the word “umami” around a lot — a rich, savory taste profile Japanese for “essence of deliciousness’ — and this dish got the umami just right.
Main courses cater to every taste, from the popular Lubina con Emulsion de Bilbaína (branzino with a garlic sauce typical to the Basque city of Bilbao) to Carré de Cordero a Baja Temperatura, slow-cooked rack of lamb au jus. Whatever you are craving, the expert hand of Executive Chef Mikel Goikolea delivers.
At Leku, you’ll be tempted to overeat, but be sure to save room for dessert.
The Tarta de Queso Vasca (Basque Cheesecake) is so creamy and decadent, it will quickly become the baseline for which other cheesecakes will be compared. Inevitably, they will fall short.
Leku is located inside the Rubell Museum at 1100 NW 23rd St., Miami. For more information, call 786-464-0615 or visitlekumiami.com.
