Buena Vista Bistro

4582 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-456-5909. Dinner Monday 5 p.m. to midnight. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday 11:30 a.m. to midnight

 “… it looks like fancy feast.”

This is what my friend Frances said of the picture of my tuna tatare, that I posted to Facebook today. That it does, and nuh feel no way, I wax it off jus like di Persian kitty in the commercial. Semi-gross references to cat food aside, this little place is one of my favorite Miami spots for so many reasons. Parisian expat owned, the décor is simple, and unpretentious. Ambiance is relaxed and laid back – of course. The wait staff is super pleasant, friendly, and obliging. The wine, ample – even if you can’t decide, tell your waiter what you like and he/she will come back with something perfect. Today we had an exquisite sparking white wine, not too dry, slightly sweet. Just the way I like it. It sweet me so much mi figat fi ask di name! Most importantly though, is the food. For the uber-sophisticated among us, this place has none of the flash and polish of some of its more ritzy (and pricey) counterparts. I know Kevin and Devina were thinking, “wha da place ya Sheri a carry we come eat?”

Back up a little bit to our first time at the Buena Vista Bistro though– and by our, I mean Lisa and I. Lisa is my tutor in all things fabulous. She has guided me in the infusion of fabulousity in all areas of my life, from closet to palate. Thanks to the Tanya plan, most of this fabulousity occurs on a budget. But I digress. Back to Buena Vista Bistro. We stumbled on it a little under two years ago when we decided to have dinner at the French/Caribbean place that used to be in the same location (really delicious too but alas, now very gone). It was quite the disappointment to find that this place was no longer there, but always up for a food adventure (one day I will tell you about the hunt for the 441 pan chicken man), we decided to stay and have dinner at this new place. Head a gather wata inna mi old age, so I don’t remember what our main courses were exactly  – but the homemade duck pâté with cornichons has left an indelible mark on the food center of my brain. You just have to try it. Fast-forward to today, everything is as it was on our first visit. Delightful and delicious. The only difference was on our first night there, Lisa and I were the only diners, and there was another gentleman drinking wine and chatting with the owners, who also kick in with the service from time to time. Today, as the clock wound past 5pm, little “reserved” cards kept popping up on tables. By the time we left, ours was the only table that was not already reserved. Translation – after 6, you might be hard-pressed to get immediate seating.  This is a popular little spot.

My favorite thing today – the fancy feast-esque tuna tartare, which was topped with a seaweed salad and even had a likkle touch of balsamic vinegar splashed on the plate. I crave super fresh seafood when I am in Missouri (I think it’s the whole landlocked thing) and dis likkle plate hit da spot. Everything is made fresh to order, and the menu specials change depending on what they decide to cook that day. There are a couple staples like the aforementioned pâté and the Lisa recommended curry chicken. If super delicious appetizers and main courses aren’t enticing enough, the dessert is also homemade. Today we had chocolate mousse and apple pie (we even ordered seconds of the pie with another round of that very delicious wine).

Price? Reasonable. I didn’t see anything on the board today that was over $20. Give it a try, it will eat good. Trust me.