Anyone who has dined there knows: TUR Kitchen is not a traditional Mediterranean restaurant. Indeed, the menu, overseen and executed by Executive Chef Christian Chirino, travels throughout the region, drawing flavors, inspirations, textures and accents. But Chirino’s transportive culinary handiwork is anything but rustic with even the most commonplace Mediterranean menu staple menu – from lavash bread to roasted squid – elevated by masterful techniques and created almost exclusively with local-to-regionally sourced product. Offering Caviar Service, multiple tasting menus of various shapes, styles and sensibilities and a spirits menu that rivals the competition, TUR Kitchen can be defined as Mediterranean cuisine reflected through a pristine prism; equal parts fine dining and gastronomic adventure. Since it opened, the bar-facing Yin to the kitchen’s Yang has been overseen by General Manager Luca Delogu. A certified sommelier and master mixologist, Delogu works tirelessly to ensure that the beverage side of TUR Kitchen is as inspired, imaginative, and innovative as what emerges from Chirino’s kitchen.
Last month, Delogu and Chirino launched what is likely their most ambitious collaboration to date – the Yamas Cocktail Experience. Available exclusively at TUR’s recently refurbished bar, this nightly celebration of masterful mixology and culinary craft is available as a solo experience or a group expedition for up to four (4). The five-course cocktail and culinary pairing takes gastronomes on a region-hopping adventure that is as sophisticated and thoughtful as it is whimsical.
“Tasting experiences can sometimes be so serious that any sense of fun is lost in what should be an exciting adventure,” says Delogu, who holds a Masters of Culinary Arts from the Italian Chef Academy of Rome and is also a graduate of the British Bartending Institute. “We designed the Yamas Cocktail Experience to be lighthearted, interactive and, most of all, a great time. From the minute Chef and I started working together on the concept we took it seriously but wanted the actual experience to be anything but. In the end, it’s about great drinks and food and having a good time.”
Priced at $125 per person, excluding service and tax, an embarkation on the Yamas Cocktail Experience is one best reserved in advance. Upon arrival, guests are shown to their seats, greeted with a welcome sign that indicates Yamas is anything but stodgy or just smoke and mirrors – a woodcut of a hiking boot emblazoned with “Let the Adventure Begin.”
The actual drinks and dishes are slated to change, like TUR’s menu, along with the season. Below is an overview of the current offerings.
- Amuse-bouche of heirloom tomato gazpacho with watermelon, fresh mint, drizzled with spice-infused tequila
- The opening gambit is a celebration of seasonality with TUR Kitchen’s signature Temptress cocktail (local gin, elderflower, orange blossom and vermouth), accompanied by a gorgeous salad of seasonal root vegetables.
- From floral to smokey with the unveiling of Smoke 23 – Aged rum , smoked rhubarb amaro, oloroso sherry and house-made, thyme-infused simple syrup; served with roasted squid.
- Smokey intensity transitions to a gorgeous take on a pisco sour with Almondine – botanical vodka, pear, rose, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, coriander, citrus peel garnish and a spray of almond essence. Served with a filet of branzino with yellow turnip, truffled Marcona almonds, endive and mint. Like all courses, this one has a flair for the dramatic as it is served on a weathered wooden board resembling repurposed driftwood, complete with a wooden lighthouse.
- Lamb is a must at TUR Kitchen so it’s no surprise this cherished protein would make an appearance, served here with Nomad’s Paradise – Angel’s Envy bourbon aged in port casks cut with Moroccan hibiscus, Nigerian ginger and vanilla. This dish is served in a briefcase opened at presentation, the drink campfire-side style from a pitcher into a chilled metal mug.
- The last stop on the journey is, Way of Life. With this pairing, the campfire aesthetic, the last drink is a true symbiotic sensation. The Lost Explorer Tobalá Mezcal is combined with coffee, cocoa nectar, cardamom and black pepper for a luscious, chocolatey finish, served with marshmallows.
Spirit-centric excellence is in TUR Kitchen’s DNA. -\ A proud part of Delogu’s carefully-curated spirited offerings, The Spirit of Timefeatures two unique experiences. The “Three Centuries Vintage Armagnac” featuring Bhakta vintages from 1888, 1972 & 2001 are served tableside for the ultimate Armagnac experience.The Angel’s Envy Bon Bon Experience allows the adventurous imbibers the opportunity to “steal” from the Bon Bon (glass jar) the Angel’s Envy Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, and Private Cask
TUR Kitchen is located at 259 Giralda Avenue in Coral Gables. Lunch and dinner are served daily. Happy Hour is on offer from 5PM to 7PM as well. Telephone: (786) 483.8014; www.turkitchen.com.
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