Sunday, July 15, 2012

The Federal
Upper East Side, Miami

The Upper East Side has seen an influx of great new restaurants from established chefs to up-and-comers.  One notable restaurant producing their own take on modern American cuisine is The Federal [5132 Biscayne Blvd]. The team behind the downtown pop-up Phuc Yea is no stranger to producing good food; with Aniece Meinhold, Alejandro Ortiz, and Chef Cesar Zapata at the helm in the kitchen redefining American classics while keeping the comfort in comfort food. The Federal’s menu is seasonal; currently featuring the Summer Crush menu along with a Sunday Brunch menu including items like Johnny Cakes, Wahbit and Waffles, and Bottomless Mimosas. June 10th marked the start of the Federal’s Sunday Night Q menu, but you didn’t need anyone to tell you that if you were anywhere near the Upper East Side once that smoker was fired up. In the mood for some good barbeque, we decided to meet up with a couple friends and give the Q menu a try. The restaurant is tucked inside a small strip mall on Biscayne Boulevard, but stepping through the door that’s the last place you’d think you are. Inside the décor is rustic and homey with things like a mounted deer head over a faux fireplace, wood tables, and plaid fabric benches.

First up were drink orders. Instantly the Bucket-O-Brews caught my attention, but with a great selection of microbrews and the ability to mix-and-match your bucket we figured we’d start off with a Magic Hat #9 and some appetizers while we decided. We ordered a few Fed Classics: the Jar-O-Duck and the Cheese Biskits. The Jar-O-Duck is insane, a slow-cooked Hudson Valley duck prepared rillette style and stored in tiny mason jars accompanied with candied sweet potato and charred fluff on a toasted crostini. The combination of flavors in this dish conjures up images of thanksgiving dinner. The candied sweet potato and toasted marshmallow fluff, seemingly a twist on the classic sweet potato pie, is combined with a tender and flavorful duck making for the perfect marriage in a bite. The Cheese Biskits, called out as a must-have by a few of our friends, were soft, flaky, and didn’t disappoint. Ready for another beer, or five, we ordered a bucket including; Old Chub Scotch Ale, Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Stoudts American Pale Ale, Dogfish Head Saison du Buff, and Victory Golden Monkey. We sampled each one with the standouts being the Saison du Buff with its hints of rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley, and the refreshing and crisp Belgian ale Golden Monkey.

From the pit, we ordered a full rack of the St Louis Style Pork Ribs. With this you have your choice of Union Mops, homemade sauces including Ancho Chile Mop, Caramelized Onion Vinaigrette, and Yellow Lexington Dip; but we decided to try them au natural. They were fall off the bone juicy with a great balance of smoke and sweet from the glaze. Along with the ribs we ordered a few Fixins, the Grilled Corn and the Federal Potato Salad. The Grilled Corn is slightly charred and topped with a kumquat butter that was very tasty. The Federal Potato Salad was delicious, served warm with bacon, pickles, and scallions. Leslie is still checking her records (not quite sure if these are official), but she touted this potato salad as one of the best she’s ever eaten.

The Federal has a great vibe and fantastic service while the food is creative yet familiar. Pop-up or permanent the food and experience you’re getting from this trio is legit. From the moment you arrive you feel welcomed, as if stepping into a friend’s home and as soon as you leave, you’re thinking of your next visit.

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