Ocean Social by Chef Tristen Epps Launches at Eden Roc Miami Beach

Rising Star Chef Brings Global and Caribbean Flavor to Oceanfront Dining
OCEAN SOCIAL BY TRISTEN EPPS LAUNCHES AT EDEN ROC MIAMI BEACH
Photo: Official

Eden Roc Miami Beach has unveiled a newly updated signature restaurant with a talented young chef at the helm. A short stroll through the property’s lobby and out the doors past the pools leads to the waterfront Ocean Social by Tristen Epps. The location seats 142 indoor and mostly out, along with a 28-seat bar lounge.

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Epps, an award-winning chef whose Trinidadian roots and global travels inform the restaurant’s seafood-forward menu, boasts a culinary pedigree equal parts Caribbean roots, classical training and global influences. His menu at Ocean Social is defined by quality ingredients from local farmers and producers.

Ocean Social’s menu, appropriate to its name, encourages sharing with offerings including Social Snacks, Social Starters, Surf, Turf, and Harvested. The Fire to Table section offers woodfired, sharable entrees. It varies nightly but comes with three different types of cultured butter such as seaweed, honey, and traditional; served with fresh house-made bread including activated-charcoal rolls, sourdough focaccia and crispy flatbread crackers. “To me, bread service is like a handshake to everyone at the table. It’s an introduction to the evening, the warm welcome that foretells what’s to come,” said Chef Epps in a statement.

From there it’s on to other Social Snacks and Starters including Crispy Chicken “Oyster”, an optical illusion of a dish – a lightly breaded grown-up version of a chicken nugget, served in an oyster shell with nori green goddess dressing and pickled chili; Key West Shrimp Toast, a snack made with aji amarillo, garlic honey and dashi mustard espuma; and Baby Boniato, boniato fries in a guava mojo, served with a spiced yogurt dipping sauce and candied pistachio. Several items showcase the restaurant’s relationship with uber local purveyors – a Mushroom Ceviche made with king trumpet mushrooms from Marvelous Mushroom, almond leche de tigre, hearts of palm and onions; and the Garden of Eden Salad featuring locally gathered lettuces and shaved vegetables, served with two dressings – green goddess and Florida citronette.

Main plates include the unconventional Turf as with the Dry-Aged Swordfish T-Bone, swordfish steak which has been aged 14-16 days in Ocean Social’s dry-aging locker; cut on the bone and topped with a glorious mix of braised brisket, local maitake mushrooms, brassica and Szechuan peppercorn; what Chef Epps refers to as “unpredictable surf and turf.” Other seafood specialties include a Floridian Day Boat Local Snapper served with grilled gai lan, baby farm turnips and apple red curry sauce, and Fire to Table plates including a Hearth Roast Whole Local Fish wrapped in banana leaf with an epis (Haitian green pepper) marinade and served with maduros. Turf offerings include a Mishima American Wagyu Strip with bone marrow croqueta, heirloom confit carrot and tamarind red wine sauce; and the woodfired shareable C.A.B Short Rib which is prepared “lomo saltado” style and features a 26-hour short rib complemented by umami potatoes, miso butter rice and cumin soy jus.

Desserts at Ocean Social are created by executive pastry chef Antonia Grandberry. They include the Popcorn Cheesecake – dulce cremeux, popcorn dust and banana brown butter ice cream. A variation on the traditional Key lime pie is the Calamansi Meringue Tart, an updated version of the old standard featuring calamansi which is slightly more acidic than lime. It’s served with pistachio praline, calamansi “caviar” and pistachio ice cream. Additional desserts include a Valrhona Chocolate Torte offered with manjari mousse, praline, gianduja and toasted milk ice cream; and a Winter Citrus & Strawberry Pavlova made with Swank Farms strawberries, blood orange coconut creme, cara cara and butterfly pea sorbet.

The wine list is comprehensive with a selection of wines by the glass and specialty cocktails range from tropical concoctions like the Ocean’s Roc – Plantation pineapple rum, Aperol, pineapple juice, lime juice and agave – to the whimsical Pink Bikini – Casamigos Blanco tequila, cranberry juice and agave topped with prosecco – to sophisticated as in the Slice of Life – Basil Hayden bourbon, Courvoisier, Giffard apricot demerara, orange juice, lemon juice and angostura bitters.

The restaurant itself features neutral tone furniture that extends the feeling of the sand onto the terrace – with banquettes and oceanfront tables. A retractable roof makes outdoor dining possible regardless of the weather or time of day.

Ocean Social by Tristen Epps is located at 4525 Collins Avenue at the Eden Roc Miami Beach.

Lisa Hay

Lisa Hay

Lisa is a staff reporter for What Now Media Group. She covers new restaurant, retail, and real estate openings across all of our markets. A true foodie, this Air Force veteran has lived all over the world — from Aviano, Italy to Nairobi, Kenya — but her favorite spot is NOLA for its rich history, architecture, culture, and of course, its good eats.
Lisa Hay

Lisa Hay

Lisa is a staff reporter for What Now Media Group. She covers new restaurant, retail, and real estate openings across all of our markets. A true foodie, this Air Force veteran has lived all over the world — from Aviano, Italy to Nairobi, Kenya — but her favorite spot is NOLA for its rich history, architecture, culture, and of course, its good eats.
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