GAO: Vietnamese fine dining South of Fifth on Miami Beach
At the helm of GAO is Cathy Arrighi, the owner of South of Fifth’s buzzy Italian hot spot, Call Me Gaby. Arrighi, whose roots trace back to Vietnam, grew up immersed in the vibrant culinary culture of her heritage. Born to a Vietnamese mother and a Corsican father, she honed her appreciation for international cooking through her parents, who operated acclaimed restaurants in Saigon and France.
Since GAO's opening last summer, Cathy has brought a delicious wave of authentic Vietnamese, Thai and Asian cuisine to Miami Beach. The restaurant’s culinary offerings feature a variety of dishes, such as the signature Saigonese Tamarind Soup, Traditional Crispy Spring Rolls, and a selection of delicious Dim Sum options.
When asked about her inspiration for GAO, Arrighi commented, “For years, I’ve felt that Miami’s dining scene needed more diversity in the ways people can experience Vietnamese cuisine,” “As the city’s culinary reputation continued to grow, I saw there was an opportunity for a fine-dining Vietnamese restaurant, and I knew it was the ideal moment to bring a truly unique concept to Miami Beach”.s.
As invited guests, we had the opportunity to explore not only the beautifully designed dining room and cozy bar inside, but also the garden like setting outside, with lush plantings, wood accents and plenty of seating allowing for private conversations or group dinners.
On our night, super model, Cindy Crawford was celebrating her birthday at a nearby table and we never felt for a minute that we were intruding.
The media tasting menu offered a delicious sampling of some key items that provided us a snapshot into the flavorful full menu.
Appetizers included both Crispy Shrimp and Pork Spring rolls, packed with filling and lightly fried and designed to be wrapped in fresh lettuce leaves, with mint and cucumber and dipped into spicy chili sauce.
The Spicy Salmon tartare over crispy rice offered a one bite lightly dotted with sesame seeds and soy.
But the table favorite was the Chicken Cabbage and Kale Salad, which was lightly dressed with a light peanut sauce, shredded carrot, cucumber and mint and parsley. It came with crispy shrimp crackers.
Main courses on the tasting menu included meaty Pork Baby Ribs in a sweet soy,
a chock full of shrimp and flavorful Shrimp Pad Thai and,
a colorful bowl of Green Curry Chicken, topped with hot red pepper and Japanese eggplant. We all requested extra bowls of rice, so we could continue to enjoy the curry and coconut soup over the jasmine rice.
Dessert was a spectacle with Banana flambe torched table side along with Patongo, a traditional Asian crispy and airy mini donut to be dipped in soy milk.
Cocktails and wine and beer are all available and the sake selection is most impressive if you choose to pair your meal with sake.
1 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33130
https://www.gaomiamibeach.com/