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Restaurant |
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Clarke's Miami Beach |
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Address |
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840 First Street, Miami Beach, Florida 33139
Phone (305) 538-9885 |
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With its neon green shamrock sign, it’s easy to mistake Clarke’s for
yet another Irish burger-and-beer joint or a Cheers wannabe.
The mistake, however, would be in not moving beyond the signage—and
missing the inviting interior and genuine conviviality of this South
of Fifth local favorite. Open since September 2005, and located
within spitting distance of Joe’s Stone Crab, Clarke’s embodies the
restaurant’s motto Céad míle fáilte, an Irish greeting
meaning "a hundred thousand welcomes." Of course, owner Laura
Cullen is a woman raised in her father’s Greenwich Village landmark
restaurant Sazerac House, so it’s perhaps not surprising that
Clarke’s looks to linger in the nabe’s embrace as long as Joe’s.
Not unlike one of those British Empire outposts (such as the Hog
Penny in Hamilton, Bermuda, for example) Clarke’s has the requisite
mahogany bar and mirrors—as well as upholstered benches and black
and white prints of old Miami. It’s a linen napkin pub, with
charming floral arrangements by local florist Flower Bazaar on every
table. There are also television screens above the bar—and between
the animated conversations of sports fans and chairs scraping across
the stone floor, the acoustics can be daunting. Give in to the din,
however, and order a pint of Guinness—as well as an order of
Parmesan truffle fries that arrive piping hot in a folded linen
napkin.
The food at Clarke’s might be called Irish-American comfort;
appetizers include mac-and-cheese, corn chowder, a wedge salad and a
chopped salad, all of them done better even than you might remember
your mother’s versions, or those served at the local country club.
Sides include the aforementioned fries (also available in
traditional or curry) as well as garlicky wilted spinach, and just
about the best oven roasted Brussels sprouts you’ll find in South
Beach. For dessert, there’s Clarke’s bread pudding soufflé, with
Jameson Irish Whiskey sauce—a deliciously light ending to a meal
that might have you thinking about another Guinness, or perhaps a
wee bit of that Jameson’s on the side. Here’s to the Irish in
South Beach—and to the luck of all of us who find ourselves dining
at Clarke’s.
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