Clarke's
840 First St., Miami Beach
South Beach
305-538-9885
Clarke's has the big-city neighborhood pub look down pat: mahogany bar, voluminous display of wine and liquor, cozy pub accouterments of brick, wood, and mirrors. In the kitchen, chef Seth Lowenstein cooks expected tavern specialties like fish and chips, shepherd's pie, and hamburgers along with more elaborate entrées such as seared ahi tuna, double-cut pork chops, and filet mignon. What's totally unexpected is how delicious the dishes are -- easily the best pub fare in Miami-Dade County. We were captivated from the beginning by a rousing rendition of popcorn shrimp. Juices flowed freely from a nine-ounce Black Angus hamburger; shepherd's pie pleased with a minced, mildly seasoned mix of beef and lamb; and even duck, a tricky bird to roast right, arrived with crisped skin, moist meat, and an orange demi-glace exuding depth rather than sweetness. An eclectic wine selection encompasses more than 100 reasonably priced bottles, 17 of which are poured by the glass.
