However Contessa, which opens within the Design District on Friday, pulls its affect from a totally totally different area than Carbone, says MFG associate, Mario Carbone. “I believe they’re as totally different as they are often whereas nonetheless being Italian. Carbone celebrates the Italian meals that was born in America, with roots in Southern Italy. Contessa may be very a lot inverse, with a menu that celebrates Northern Italy,” says Carbone.
That is the second Contessa for MFG. The unique opened contained in the Newbury Boston resort in June 2021. Carbone says that when the restaurant opened in Boston they determined it might have the identical experiential and high quality degree of Carbone and “the Main Meals Group theatrical factor,” however would even be open your entire day, in contrast to Carbone, which is open just for dinner. “The menu is basically well-rounded,” says Carbone. “You may discover antipasti, a salumi part of things indigenous to the Emilia-Romagna area of Italy, pizzas, and pastas.” The pizzas and pastas additionally will mirror the northern areas of Italy with loads of egg noodles, handmade pastas, and skinny, crisp pizzas.
Essential dishes will supply a number of meats and fishes together with Florentine-style beef choices. Carbone describes a rosemary-scented steal charred over a wood-burning grill and a ribeye, thinly sliced and served with a salad of arugula, tomato, and parmigiana cheese.
Desserts, says Carbone are easy. “There is a home made gelato program, a crostata del giorno, and a chocolate hazelnut cake,” he says.
The restaurant’s wine program, created by MFG’s wine director John Slover will concentrate on wines from Northern and Central Italy. Bar director Nathan McCarley O’Neill has developed a cocktail record of basic spritzes, bellinis, negronis, and martinis.
Carbone says Contessa is designed to be an integral a part of the Design District expertise, and the MFG cofounder envisions the restaurant as a part of an ideal Miami day. “The concept is that you just’re purchasing within the District and stopping for lunch. We would like Contessa to be that anchor. An all-day trattoria.” Evenings, says Carbone, will doubtless imply that reservations are needed. “I see individuals popping into Contessa for an emergency Aperol spritz, however at night time there may should be planning upfront.”
This is not the primary Design District restaurant for Main Meals Group — however it’s the first one the place everybody can dine. The restaurant group owns ZZ’s Membership, a non-public lounge and sushi restaurant in the identical plaza. Main Meals Group has been on a progress spurt in South Florida, opening excessive profile institutions equivalent to Carbone, Sadelle’s, HaSalon, ZZ’s Membership, Soiled French steakhouse, and several other eating places on the Boca Raton resort, together with the Japanese Bocce Membership, in lower than two years.
Carbone says that Miami’s response to the eating places has been “overwhelming” to the restaurateurs. “We have been comparatively acquainted with Miami from being right here in our 20s and 30s, however the positivity has been palpable. It makes Miami really feel very very similar to our dwelling.”
Contessa. 111 NE forty first St., Miami; contessatratoria.com. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Opens Friday, October 28.
