“It all starts with the king crab,” says Phil Campbell, executive chef at Klaw. It’s certainly an understandable place to start given that Campbell and the team fly crabs in from Norway and keep them alive in an on-site facility right up to the point where it lands on your plate. “It’s the freshest product you’re ever gonna try.”
Occupying the landmark Women’s Club building in Miami, the temple to sea and land is the brainchild of Misha Zelman, the London restauranteur behind Burger and Lobster, Beast London, and Zelman Meats. Spread across three floors, hospitality maestros Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (Surf Club Restaurant, Mother Wolf) spearheaded the refresh of the interiors. Outfitted with rich woods, colonial-arched windows, and minimalist chandeliers attached to the soaring ceiling, the main dining room is a throwback to the building’s former grandeur. “It reminds me of a cruise ship from the 1920s,” Campbell says.
Along with the crab program, beef is a central pillar of the menu. Campbell has long championed heritage beef in the U.K. and, though it’s much more difficult to source in the U.S., he’s managed to cultivate relationships that give him access to Florida Cracker Cattle—one of the oldest and rarest breeds in the United States that traces back to 1521. The cuts, which also include USDA Black Angus from Nebraska, are dry-aged and displayed artfully in a case near the entrance.
Upstairs, the rooftop bar overlooking Biscayne Bay is one of the city’s special spaces. Restoring the original Spanish Renaissance design and festooning the room with greenery and pastel hues, Brudnizki fashioned a vibrant backdrop for beverage director James MacInnes’ imaginative cocktail experience. A highlight is the Mignonette Martini, which comes with an oyster sidecar dressed in herb oil, aromatic vinaigrette, and grated pink peppercorn.
