FOOD—any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth.

WINE–the fermented juice of grapes, made in many varieties, such as red, white, sweet, dry, still, and sparkling, for use as a beverage, in cooking, in religious rites, etc., and usually having an alcoholic content of 14 percent or less

I thought I knew what food and wine was prior to my Miami Spice dinner experience at the smartly decorated J & G Restaurant. They gave me a refresher course on both.

When I walked into the St Regis hotel lobby in Bal Harbour I was instantly taken aback by their modern take on elegance. The same can be said about the J & G Grill.. The J and G stands for Jean Georges. He is the uber chef extraordinaire behind his legendary namesake New York City 3 Michelin star restaurant. Most high end hotel restaurants are dark, stuffy and unwelcoming. This restaurant was the total opposite. Airy and bright. Ocean and pool views abound. Such a relaxing atmosphere for an unforgettable journey to foodie heaven. My friend and I were invited to J&G for their Miami Spice menu experience. I use the word “experience” to describe it due to the fact that referring to it as a “meal” can not possibly do it justice.

I became aware of J & G whilst attending the Miami Iron Fork event this year. They featured the crispy crab dish. Being from Baltimore, all things crab catch my immediate attention. I made a mental note to visit their restaurant for a review during Miami Spice month

http://www.miamiandbeaches.com/special-offers/monthly-deals/miami-spice-month/miami-spice-menu?Program=Spice&Id=110147&Type=Dinner.

Unlike some restaurants that take a decidedly low end approach for the Miami Spice items, J & G has actual dishes from their main menu. That alone was refreshing. One can only eat but so much roasted half chickens. Started with an incredibly good thirst quenching watermelon martini with cucumber. The evening only got better from there.

Our waiter asked if we would like to consider pairing each course with a wine. Great suggestion that we took to heart. We placed our appetizer orders of HAMACHI TARTAR w/jamon iberico, truffle-yuzu vinaigrette, tapioca and CRISPY BLUE CRAB w/aji amarillo, culantro relish, red curry and as if he was an apparition out of nowhere their charming Sommelier Luis Mejia appeared. Luis asked if we would be comfortable in letting him simply bring out what he thought goes best with each course. Oui we would! All of his choices were divine. From pink Pinot Grigio {VERY Rare} to Inglenook Cabernet and two flutes of the delightful Billecarte-Salmon Champagne. Each paired with the dishes as if they were kindred spirits.

For entrees we had the WAGYU TRI-TIP AU POIVRE w/ caramelized cauliflower, vadouvan, horseradish and the LOCAL SNAPPER WITH NUT AND SEED CRUST w/ sweet and sour jus. I ordered an add on of Langoustine with the snapper. Both dishes were mouth watering good. For dessert it was the CREMA CATALANA compressed apple, apple cider foam, cinnamon ice cream. Perfect ending for a perfect dining experience neither of us are sure to forget anytime soon. Join them for Miami Spice until SEPT 30 .