Chef Phil Bryant Announces the Launch of His New Menu

THE LOCAL CRAFT FOOD & DRINK EMBARKS ON YEAR FOUR
WITH THE BEST INCARNATION
OF THE CORAL GABLES GASTROPUB TO DATE

The refined, albeit fun, Dinner menu changes frequently and begins with Snacks ($3-$7), delightful noshes such as Boiled Peanuts with house celery salt and chives; Country Fried Potatoes smothered with pimento cheese and buttermilk emulsion; housemade Beef Jerky with scallion and BBQ spice; and Cornmeal Hushpuppies, sprinkled with sea salt and served alongside Bryant’s spicy Mississippi Comeback Sauce. Shareable Plates ($10-$17) include signature mainstays such as the chef’s coveted Steak Tartare with deviled egg, roasted garlic and pickled mustard; Florida Rock Shrimp over Charleston Rice Grits, with charred onions, peppers, country ham, and red eye broth; and house cured Lamb Belly Pastrami with cucumber and fennel salad and sauce gribiche. Other menu items rotate based on what comes in fresh from local farmers, purveyors – and sometimes even regulars – including Crudo of Florida Flounder with charred tomatoes, kohlrabi slaw and benne seed rice broth; Grilled Chayote Squash – lardo, couscous de maiz (corn couscous) and curried crème; Spiny Lobster “Ya Ka Mein” over udon noodles, leeks, oyster mushrooms, ‘shroom “bushi” miso broth, and sweet tea egg; Housemade Ricotta Gnudi with roasted and pickled cauliflower, buttered bread crumbs and smoked cauliflower; and fall off the bone Braised & Grilled Spareribs with bread and butter pickles, crushed peanuts and Papi’s BBQ.Evening entrees ($17-MP) include Fish & Chips – thin fried catfish, dill tartar, house hot sauce and house fries; Blackened Grouper Cheeks served over boiled peanut succotash, smoked tomatoes, ragged jack kale, and a pimento vinaigrette; and Fried Georgia Chicken Leg with bacon and cornbread dressing with split pea and country ham reduction. Not-to-miss Sides ($7-$8) include Disco Fries with foie gras Sawmill gravy and housemade American ‘Cheese Whiz’; Pan Roasted Greens with pickled peppers; Charleston Rice Grits with homemade butter and bay leaf salt; and Glazed Homestead Carrots with vegetable chicory ash.

Designed as methodically and creatively as his dinner menu, Bryant revamped Lunch to cater to the bustling Coral Gables work force, showcasing Snacks ($3-$10) such as the Mc’Disco – creamy housemade pimento cheese on a pressed potato roll; Bread & Butter – sweet and savory southern corn bread, Zak the Baker whole grain and cultured butter, made in house; and Pulled Hen & Buttermilk Dumplings with Vidalia onions, fresh greens and Parmesan gravy. From the Salad Bar ($13-$14) is the satisfying Romaine & Short Rib Vaca Frita Caesar with white anchovy and bacon Caesar dressing; and a Grilled Wedge Salad – crisp Romaine with radish, celery, apple, spiced peanuts, blue cheese, country ham and brown butter. Bryant’s rotating Sandwich Shop ($11-$17) menu allows his talent to shine with choices that run the gamut from jazzed-up bar basics such as The Burger – a bacon and brisket blend, topped with housemade American cheese, hot fried onions, sweet relish and Papi’s BBQ sauce; the Fried Rock Shrimp Po’ Boy – Romaine, grilled green tomatoes, red onion, country ham reduction and dill tartar; Filet O’ Crispy Catfish – perfectly hot and crunchy with fennel tartar, pickles, lettuce and tomato on a soft roll; and Uncle Phil’s Steak ‘n’ Cheese – marinated flank steak, oyster mushrooms, grilled onions and “da whiz” on an Amoroso’s Roll; to innovative twists on various classics including Pulled Hen ‘n’ Bacon Hot Brown – juicy braised and shredded hen and crispy bacon with grilled green tomatoes, housemade American cheese and foie gras sawmill gravy, served open-faced; and the Egg Salad Sandwich with deviled egg, sauce gribiche, radish and celery on Zak the Baker bread. Big Plates ($18-$21) also delight with the Fried Georgia Chicken Basket served alongside hand cut fries, house hot sauce, Southern cornbread and country ham reduction; and a Butcher’s Cut of the Day with potato and oyster mushrooms and foie gras sawmill gravy.

Desserts ($7-$10), created by Pastry Chef Michelle Munne, will take diners back to their childhoods with rotating choices including an Orange Dream Jar (reminiscent of an orange Creamsicle) – a creamy vanilla panna cotta topped with orange gelée and served with a tiny wooden ice cream spon; Chocolate and Preserves – a plate of delicacies showcasing The Local’s housemade preserves and chocolate: doughnuts, one chocolate glazed and one filled with guava marmalade, and cookies, chocolate shortbread with strawberry preserves and chocolate cremeux. Also gracing the menu from time to time are the pastry chef’s divine Chocolate Layer Cake with citrus caramel sauce, chocolate butter cream, and spiced peanut brittle; and the Baker’s Choice – a sampler plate of Munne’s favorites including Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Blondies and Handmade Snickerdoodles, among others.

Led by Bar Manager Danny Chiappy, The Local Craft Food & Drink’s bar program has undergone a sexy overhaul as well, with a modest list of expertly crafted Cocktails ($14) launching April 30, 2015. Whiskey Favorites include the Old Fashioned – Old Forrester and Angostura Bitters; Boulevardier – High West Double Rye, Antica Sweet Vermouth, and Campari; Rob Roy – Monkey Shoulder, Antica Sweet Vermouth, and Fee Brother’s Orange Bitters. Local ‘Tails, such as The Simple – Dos Maderas P.X. Double Aged Rum, Fresh Lemon Juice, Pedro Ximenez Sherry Port, and Fever Tree Ginger Beer; Mindy 123 – Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin, Gran Gala Liqueur, Fresh Lemon Juice, Agave Syrup, and Albott’s Bitters; and Mexican Old Fashioned – Herradura Reposado, and Fidencio Mezcal, Agave Syrup, Angostura & Orange Bitters, also delight.

Situated on restaurant row in the heart of Coral Gables, even the design at The Local Craft Food & Drink is all Miami. Housed within the brick-lined walls of the former landmark Coral Gables restaurant Randazzo’s Little Italy (which has since moved to a bigger location on Miracle Mile), The Local’s original designers pulled inspiration – and actual artifact – from all over the city, mixing it in with modern day design elements. Over the last four years, simple elements have been added to complete the look and feel of a great local pub. Oversized black and white photographs of 1940s Gables’ line the walls along with equally large chalkboards listing the current line-up of rare craft beers and wines, as well as charcuterie and cheese on offer. Light wooden tables with contrasting black chairs are accented by black wooden paneling on the lower half of the walls. A single crimson leather booth, harvested from the now defunct Waxy O’Connors, sits at the back of the room offering a bold pop of color.  A striking 12-15 seat vintage mahogany bar, hailing from the now-closed Miami Beach watering hole Michael Collins, is the room’s focal point, while knickknacks such as bourbon barrels, unique beer taps, and farm gadgets decorate the room. Lining the hallway leading to the kitchen is a whimsical black and white mural of cartoon-esque cookbooks and other kitchen equipment, painted by local artists Cinthia Santos and Ben Levy of Wynwood Sign Painting Company who were commissioned by Bryant and his team for the job.

The Local Craft Food & Drink, located at 150 Giralda Avenue in Coral Gables, serves lunch Monday through Friday from noon-3 p.m. Dinner is served Sundays from 4 p.m.-10 p.m., Monday through Wednesday from 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m.-1 a.m. An extended Happy Hour with half-off select beers, wines and spirits is offered Monday through Friday from noon-7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 4p.m.-7p.m. A menu of light bites between lunch and dinner service during the week is also offered. Phone: (305) 648-5687. Website: www.thelocal150.com