Holiday Feasts to Remember

Eat, drink, and be merry this holiday season by leaving the entertaining to us. Spend the holidays dining on decadent culinary treasures at Faena’s two world-class restaurants, Pao and Los Fuegos.

HOLIDAYS AT LOS FUEGOS BY FRANCIS MALLMANN & PAO BY PAUL QUI 

“The holidays are all about family, celebrating and sharing joy,” said Kaiwen Chen, Pao’s executive chef. “Here at Pao, we are a family-style restaurant with modern Asian cuisine that adds a unique touch to spending quality time with loved ones.”

For Thanksgiving, gather round a table at Pao for an exciting spin on a traditional feast. Roasted squash velouté with Ossetra Caviar tops the multicourse menu. Larger plates of fried turkey seasoned with black truffle adobo, roasted turkey leg rice with foie gras, caramelized vegetables and golden raisins come accompanied by sides of crispy brussels sprouts tossed with shiitake bacon and Thai herbs, as well as irresistible Japanese sweet potato puree. At Los Fuegos Miami Beach, delight in flavorful asado dishes fresh from the garden, land or sea. Hearty Thanksgiving fare includes a starter of wood-fired leeks and Romesco sauce, burrata and pecan praline; a second course of slow-cooked lamb shank with tomato chutney, sweet potato puree and a fresh mint salad; and a wood-fired turkey “Pamplona” as the show stopping entrée with potato puree, charred brussels sprouts and black truffle gravy. 

"I try to touch people in a different way, in a more complete way. Food and wine are hopefully delicious, but I like to think that guests have been touched by a lifestyle experience”
- Francis Mallmann

For Christmas, give your family the gift of an unforgettable culinary adventure. “Our holiday menus are specifically curated for the season,” notes Chen. Pao’s truffle risotto is a robust delicacy 
of crispy Iberian ham, shaved truffles, burrata, and pan-seared wild mushrooms. You’ll also find its signature Uni Tostada on the menu featuring sea urchin as its star ingredient, seasoned with avocado cream, tomato jam, red onion and sprinkled with furikake, a crunchy Japanese seasoning. For smokier fare, Los Fuegos offers a  decadent starter of prime tenderloin tartare with shaved foie gras and organic egg yolk followed by fresh-from-the-sea Branzino, encrusted in salt and served with a Bouillabaisse sauce and root vegetables tournée. Leave room for the main event: a slow-cooked Wagyu beef cheek with Yukon potato puree drizzled with black truffle beef jus. 

"Food is about memories, familiarity, and comfort”
- Paul Qui

Savoring the meal of your life is one fine way to start the new year. Chef Chen recommends marking the special occasion with one of Pao’s unique dishes like the roasted fish with chili patis sauce, served with fragrant jasmine rice and cooked in a garlic and ginger oil. “It’s one of my favorite dishes. It carries a slightly spicy, savory, sweet, bold and herby flavor,” he said. Pair the meal with one of Pao’s crafted cocktails such as the “Elixir Gin and Tonic” or the “Cucumber Mez” to toast the New Year. Los Fuegos will have two menus on offer, including one specifically designed for vegans. “Conscious cuisine is a big focus for us—from where we source our ingredients to what we’re offering on the menu,” says Los Fuegos Chef de Cuisine, Sebastian Benitez.

The New Year’s Eve menu features a wide-array of gourmet dishes from Chilean Seabass confit and Périgord black truffle to wood-fired beet velvets with black truffle, Marcona almond cream and avocado mousse. The entrees are equally exceptional. There’s a prime cut of hanging A5 Wagyu tenderloin or a charred cauliflower steak with black truffle, wild mushroom jus and cauliflower puree sprinkled with garlic chips. Benitez notes, “The world is changing, and our kitchen is changing with it.”

Article from Faena Journal Issue #46