Ola

Ola Restaurant Review:

When chef Douglas Rodriguez moved back to Miami after a decade of building his reputation internationally as “The Godfather of Nuevo Latino Cuisine” he opened Ola (Of Latin America) in mainland Miami, then relocated to South Beach. Rodriguez no longer has even a business connection to Ola. While cooking can be inconsistent these days, signature Rodriguez recipes do remain, and the best strategy for diners seeking a true sampling of his modern pan-Latin dishes is the same: put together a small-plates meal starting with creative new-style ceviches. Must-haves are Fire & Ice (cobia in a tart, slightly spicy sour orange/onion/jalapeño/cilantro mojo, with pear granita). Recommended cooked items include foie gras with figs in an evocatively Caribbean anise-dough empanada, accompanied by duck prosciutto slices plus a trumpet mushroom-spiked frisée salad, and fried Ola oysters, sort of a rich, complex Latin-fusion take on oysters Rockefeller. Entrées are largely fancified but not necessarily improved classic Latin dishes, like a churrasco with filet mignon replacing more flavorful vacio.