The anonymous MICHELIN Guide inspectors today announced four restaurants will make their Bib Gourmand debut as part of the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Miami, Orlando and Tampa selection.
Bib Gourmand restaurants offer a meal of good quality at a good value.
The anonymous inspectors noted two restaurants in Orlando, one in Miami and one in Tampa. These new Bib Gourmand recipients will be honored on stage at the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony on Thursday, April 18, at the Tampa EDITION hotel. Attendance is by invitation only. Tune in to the Ceremony at the livestream link here at 7:30 pm ET.
“We are delighted to announce the addition of Streetlight Taco, Sushi Saint, Tam Tam and Zaru to the selection of Bib Gourmand restaurants in Florida,” said Gwendal Poullennec, the International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “These restaurant selections prepare bold specialties with precision and intentionality, all at an excellent value. Our inspectors delighted in the impressive flavors and are confident that foodies – both local and from afar – will too.”
Here’s the list of new Bib Gourmand restaurants, with excerpts of the inspector notes from each restaurant:
Orlando
Sushi Saint (Japanese Cuisine) – ORLANDO
Mike Collantes, Chef/owner of Soseki, has another hit on his hands with Sushi Saint. Attached to a brewery but with a separate entrance, this downtown temaki spot lures guests with its lounge-y vibe and contemporary design. The team take great care in sourcing high-quality rice and nori for their cone-shaped temaki, and while the hand rolls take center stage, their small plates, like Sichuan cucumbers with chili crunch, are worth trying. From the avocado with serrano lime miso to aburi-style scallop with brown butter to shredded snow crab with truffle, cucumber, and finger lime, the temaki offerings are impressive.
Zaru (Japanese Cuisine) – ORLANDO
This sleek Mills 50 eatery is located in the same strip as the Tien Hung Market. With an upbeat playlist and an attractive dining room, Chef William Shen specializes in chewy noodles made from wheat sourced from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture. Ikura, tempura and top-notch ingredients like Hokkaido uni and A5 Kagoshima wagyu pair with broths of wonderful smokiness and depth. Starters like tatsuta-age (fried chicken) and yaki gyoza (pork dumplings) are familiar and reliable, but consider opting for the ikura onsen, which features a softly poached egg crowned with crispy garlic. Either way, expect precision and intentionality across the board by the team that’s happy to guide you.
Miami
Tam Tam (Vietnamese Cuisine) – MIAMI
Husband-and-husband team Tam Pham and Harrison Ramhofer are throwing a party on their own terms. On the edge of downtown by the county courthouse, you won’t find a glamorous room, a DJ booth, or anybody in stilettos or designer sneakers. There is no bouncer by the door. Instead, come as you are for this celebration of Vietnamese cooking that started out as a supper club. Much of the food doesn’t require silverware: think wings glossed in fish sauce caramel, smoky lamb with lettuce wraps and banh hoi noodles, and tamarind-glazed pork ribs. Finish with a slice of cheesecake made with cultured cashew cream and topped with passionfruit gelee. Bold, funky and fun, the restaurant is a good time all around, down to the hidden karaoke machine.
Tampa
Streetlight Taco (Mexican Cuisine) – TAMPA
This South Tampa taqueria certainly ups the style quotient on the typical taqueria. From the black-painted, exposed ductwork to the tables lacquered with Mexican comics to the open kitchen, this fast casual spot delivers on contemporary flair, and Chef Michael Brannock’s food isn’t pulling any punches, either. Heirloom corn is nixtamalized in house for a menu featuring tacos, tostadas, salsas, sides and more. Don’t skip the Sunday snack tostada, an equal parts sweet-and-savory delight with two blue corn tostadas layered with cream cheese with lump crab, diced sweet mango and a mango habanero sauce. The Japanese eggplant taco with an heirloom bean puree and a chile onza salsa has just the right amount of kick. There’s a full bar, but a strawberry horchata goes down perfectly, too.
