La Piaggia Beach Club
1000 South Pointe Drive
South Beach Florida 33139
Tel. 1 (305) 674 0647
Website: www.lapiaggiabeach.com
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am – 5pm, Sat 11:30am – 6pm, Sun 11:30am – 7pm Bar open until 6 p.m. weekdays, 8 p.m.
Reservations: Required
Parking: Valet
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive
La Piaggia may have an Italian name but it is French down to the core due to the influence of Robert Pascal, French restaurateur who brought St. Tropez’s La Voile Rouge to Miami. Although, VR didn’t cut it, this new operation is definitely the trendy spot to be seen these days.
It is situated at the end of Miami Beach, facing Fisher Island; the popular beach club is below the towering Murano Grande condos complex. A St. Tropez style bar and outdoor restaurant with brightly colored yellow-and-orange canopies, yellow beach furniture interspersed with white to calm it down and flashy orange umbrellas to heat it up. There are plenty of knockout model-types strutting around the sandy floor and lots of male celebrities ogling them, including an appearance by Bill Clinton, who was certainly not there to hunt for truffles.
Speaking of food, the menu here is very interesting aside from the obligatory pasta choices you can find some very authentic and well prepared French dishes. Especially interesting; Les Moules Marinières $ 21.50; Fresh Mussels, White Wine and Cream, served with French Fries; La Nicoise $ 17.50 Boston Lettuce, Tuna, Potato, Egg, Olive, Cucumber, Green Pepper, Green Beans With Fresh Tuna $ 24.50; La Salade de Lentilles $ 9.00 Lentils with Onion, Parsley, Pancetta and Vinaigrette; La Chin Chin Salade $ 16.50; Famous Chinese Chicken Salad; La Paillarde de Poulet Romana $16.50; Grilled Escalope of Chicken and French Fries; Le Tartare du Gorille $19.50; Traditional Tartar Steak with French Fries; L’Onglet aux Echalottes $23.50; Hanger Steak with Shallots and French Fries; La Tropezienne $ 10.00 The Famous Tart from St. Tropez
I have included prices, which usually I do not because of upward fluctuation, only to show that there are some items that are moderately priced, but please note that they will change as time goes on.
This is a strange mélange; a restaurant hidden in the back of fur-coat shops serving hearty but mediocre Russian and Chinese dishes followed later in the evening, by a risqué dancing show in a red-walled, smoky room with small tables. The Elephant Russian Restaurant/Nightclub is not everyone’s cup-of-tea but it certainly makes for an interesting evening! Russian pop music and videos are fun. Try the Elephant fish or Ukrainian stew accompanied by Gold Anto Vodka for only 10 Yuan.
