LA Meets Miami: Apple Restaurant & Lounge Miami

Miami

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apple lounge, bar, cooljunkie, drinks, exclusive, los angeles, marcos colón, miami, michael saladino, restaurant

home > nightlife&clubs > LA Meets Miami: Apple Restaurant & Lounge Miami

July 20, 2009 12:01 PM
by Marcos Colón

What are the similarities between Miami and Los Angeles? Well, first of all there’s the weather, which really doesn’t give us much to complain about throughout the year. Then there are the natural disasters, they have earthquakes, we have hurricanes. But what about nightlife? While Miami’s huge on the mega-club circuit, Los Angeles seems to focus more on exclusivity with a loungy feel. Both are great, but what happens when you take an LA based nightlife venue and bring it over to Miami? A perfect fit is what we think.

First opening up shop in Los Angeles, Apple Restaurant & Lounge had one distinct purpose, to combine exclusivity, fine dining, and VIP treatment. This venue is sure to give The Forge a run for its money, seeing that they offer both fine dining and events to follow it up. The executive chef in Los Angeles is Bryan Ogden, and his style is extremely unique and strikes appetite at the mere description, so expect Apple Miami’s kitchen to follow suit.

The menu at Apple is superb. Offering a shellfish/ceviche bar that includes Alaskan King Crab legs and Maine lobster tail, these are both delicacies that are tough to find in the area. But it’s the entrees that should really be getting you attention. They have it all here, from grilled line caught swordfish to a 22oz. bone in rib-eye (we suggest getting this one with the black truffle mac and cheese). Their goal is to provide a menu that “maintains the highest level of quality to reflect the best of South Florida’s bounty.” So they’ll definitely be specializing in fish from the area.

It isn’t entirely clear what the event formatting will be like, we think that right now they’re looking for the right promoter to host it. The vibe will definitely be a cross between The Forge and Hed Kandi Lounge, so expect to bring your A-game and swagger. As soon as the events start, you can be sure that Cooljunkie will be there to soak in the atmosphere and make clear distinctions between this venue and the one in Los Angeles. Michael and Sean Saladino (of Groovejet and Crobar) are responsible for Apple coming to Miami, which will be located where Snatch used to be on Washington Avenue. The brothers will also be opening up Kore Ultralounge, which will be located upstairs from Apple, and will put an emphasis on theatrics and décor.

Although this new restaurant/lounge isn’t one of a kind in Miami, by the looks of their menu and the message that they’re trying to get across with their cuisine and venue aesthetics, it looks like the only other city that Apple Restaurant & Lounge could be in other than LA is definitely Miami.