THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Social Miami

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Social Miami Restaurant Review:

Set in the lobby and garden of South Beach’s stylishly minimalist Sagamore Hotel, Social has been a hit since opening in 2006. Admittedly the space has been less of a draw for foodies than for chic club-goers, who love to revel amidst changing exhibitions of paintings, photos, sculpture, and video art from the hip collection of hotel owners Cricket and Marty Taplin. In fact, the brains behind the operation, China Grill Management, describes Social as a “culinary lounge experience” rather than a restaurant. But the globally-influenced (though mostly Mediterranean) dinner menu, masterminded by celeb consulting chef Michelle Bernstein and executed by executive chef Sean Mohammed, has considerable charm. Many items, fittingly, are designed to be shared over drinks and chat: inventive designer pizzas, or platters ranging from urbane (fruits de mer) to playful (Kobe beef sliders with caramelized onions and Gruyère; DIY soft tacos with guacamole, salsa verde, and a choice of inventive main ingredients like braised pork belly or lobster with achiote). And while cooking can be hit or miss, some items are so delectably unique when the kitchen’s on---notably creamy-centered lump crab meat-scallop mousse cakes, with Cajun-spiced fried green tomatoes and harissa mayonnaise---that sharing is unthinkable.