Miami Beach has certainly gone through many changes in the past few years.  Hotels change owners and names, restaurants come and go and while The Art Deco hotels and restaurants on Ocean Drive in South Beach have lost much of their luster, new hotels and restaurants have opened further North in what is now called Mid Beach.  Beginning around 20th Street and Collins, the W Hotel, 1 Hotel , EDITION, and Faena have attracted a more upscale visitor and a more discerning diner.

Just North of Faena and South of The Fontainebleau sits The Confidante, an upscale boutique hotel in the Hyatt Hotel group, that was formerly owned and operated as The Thompson.  The rebranding of the hotel includes the addition of Bird & Bone, Miami Chef Richard Hales first foray onto Miami Beach with some Southern and very American home cooking.

Chef Hales, who is best known for his Sakaya Kitchen and Blackbrick Chinese in Midtown, has embraced the Southern roots of American cuisine, bringing authentic down home cooking and supporting local fisherman, farms and artisans including Zak The Baker,  Swank Farms, local cheeses from Winter Park, Florida and even ice cream from Azucar in Little Havana.

In chatting with Chef Hales, he expressed his excitement about having a place on Miami Beach that he hopes both locals and visitors will frequent.

“Developing the Bird & Bone concept has allowed me to explore the roots of American cuisine, and I’m excited to share my discoveries at The Confidante. When guests enter Bird & Bone, I want them to feel like they’re entering my weekend farmhouse that features a comfortable, inviting dining experience,”

The Dinner menu is well priced, especially for a Miami Beach hotel, with starters and salads at $12- 18 and offers a wide variety of very tasty dishes including, aged Ham and Cheese boards, Shellfish, our favorite, a creamy locally caught smoked Kingfish dip with crusty grilled Zak country bread, and salads including a Deviled Kale Caesar.

Entrees range from $18 for Double Angus beef patty Bird & Bone cheddar burger and fries to $32 for Roast Duck, with most dishes in the $22-24 range.

Our favorites included special dishes like a crispy Nashville Hot Fried Chicken with Florida honey, House Mustard, Cucumber pickle and perched on top of a thick slice of Zak The Baker bread, classic Shrimp & Grits, and Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Heirloom red-eyed peas.

Also featured as an entrée is the daily Bird of The Day, which was a Buttermilk Fried Hot Quail with Sweet Potato Mash, or Bone of The Day, a HUGE Roasted Pork Shank with Blackberry BBQ sauce and charred Swank Farms vegetables.  We opted for the Pork Shank, which came crispy and perfectly cooked in an oval silver pan with the colorful veggies arrayed along the side. Easy enough for two to share.

The veggie sides are colorful and flavorful and include charred carrots, beets, crispy kale, corn, Brussels sprouts, onions, and new potatoes. Sides of white corn grits, biscuits, sweet potato mash and skillet corn bread with ham bits and chive butter round out the menu.

Seating is indoors or outdoors in what felt like a Southern picnic area with bleached wood tables and colorful throw pillows on bench seating.

Bird & Bone is also open for breakfast and lunch with Chef Hales Southern specialties playing a pivotal role at each meal.  Locals get valet parking for $5-, and are welcome to stay after dining to use the pool and beach service. Another bargain for a Miami Beach hotel.

Bird & Bone

The Confidante Hotel

4041 Collins Ave.

Miami Beach FL

305 424 1234