33 – New Peruvian Restaurant in Coconut Grove

Causa limena – purple potato, seared tuna, avocado and aji amarillo sauce

Tuesday night, I had the honor of being included in a sneak preview of 33, the new Peruvian influenced restaurant in Coconut Grove.

Chef Sebastian Fernandez, former food and beverage director of Coral Reef Yacht Club, served up beautiful plates of Causa Limena, Seared Scallops and Ceviche de corvina.

Chef’s philosophy centers on incorporating no more than five ingredients in any dish so that flavors are distinct, recognizable and not masked by overwhelming sauces. It’s a small plate concept with a changing menu based on the availability of fresh ingredients.

My favorite of the night – the scallops – cooked perfectly, nice balance of flavor and a great  representation of Fernandez’s style.

Seared Scallops – corn puree, purple cabbage and miso brown butter

Ceviche de corvina – lime, ginger, aji amarillo, red onion, cilantro

Chef Fernandez and his wife Leslie transformed the old Bombay Darbar Restaurant at 3195 Commodore Plaza into a brighter and more open space.  Embracing the green movement, they re-purposed old wood and copper for the bar.  When asked about the number 33, Chef provided many references to its significance in his life.  In Numerology, it is one of three Master Numbers, 33 being the Master Teacher, the humanitarian.

Linda and Harold Gassenheimer and Allison Riley

Chef Fernandez

33 just opened and will be serving dinner every night but Tuesdays from 6-11pm. In addition to wine, they will offer craft beer including several from local Florida breweries.

If you would like to read some of my other restaurant reviews, you can check them all out within my RESTAURANT category. If you have ever been to this restaurant, please share with us your own experience by leaving a comment below. I would love to know what you thought about it.