The lawyers from Solowsky Allen are finally full. They've flipped over the "Si Por Favor" card on their table at Toro Toro to the "No Gracias" on the back.
The roving pasadors, or meat servers, who patrol the restaurant carrying slabs of steak, lamb, sausage and chicken seem disappointed when they spot the card but quickly move to the next table, their knives poised to start carving.
"The meat was excellent," partner Jay Solowsky pronounced. "It was very well done. We work next door, and we've been waiting for this place to open."
Toro Toro opened last month at the InterContinental Miami, replacing the lavish, all-you-can-eat Indigo buffet that occupied much of the hotel lobby for 15 years.
The new restaurant, a "pan Latin" steakhouse, is part of a $30 million facelift at one of downtown Miami's iconic hotels.
"It was getting tired," hotel manager Robert Hill said. "We needed to do something new and fresh."
The hotel chain chose international chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval to recreate his Dubai Toro Toro in Miami. The restaurant features small plates classically found at rodizio restaurants, such as arepas (crispy corn cake pockets filled with shredded short rib, guacamole and crema fresca); a wild mushroom coca flatbread topped with arugula, goat cheese, carmelized shallots and truffle oil; and snapper sashimi.
The $27 executive lunch is the big draw. Served in an artisanal lunch box is salad (Caesar or baby greens), rice, beans, sauteed vegetables and dessert (key lime, dark chocolate pie or pumpkin cheesecake paletas). The meal includes unlimited churrasco from the pasadors.
"The executive lunch is our most popular dish because it's quick, and we know most of our guests want to get in and out in 45 minutes," general manager Michael Savitt noted.
That's what our friends at Solowsky Allen had.
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