Restaurant Week: Sugarcane

Honestly, I had not even heard of Sugarcane until we walked passed it on our way to Chica. Apparently, it's been open since November. I completely glossed over the menu on Three Square's page too. Had I seen it, I definitely would've been intrigued. It turns out, Sugarcane is a miami-based restaurant by the same group that runs SushiSamba at the Grand Canal Shoppes. Menu items come from the raw bar, the grill or the kitchen. We received a sampling with the $40 Restaurant Week Menu. When our group of six arrived after having just walked out of Chica, Sugarcane's hostesses were friendly and accommodating despite having no reservations. We were seated at large table just off the grill. Our server was fantastic, she catered to our every need.



We began with dishes from the raw bar. First was the Snapper Ceviche. The flavors were clean and fresh, the sweet potato provided a bit of sweetness and the crispy maiz gave the dish a crunchy bite. Second was the Salmon Poke which was my favorite. It was light, citrusy and just the right amount of salty. I loved the texture of the puffed rice. The Hokkaido Scallop Crudo was a tasty bite with apple and hint of black truffle.



The kitchen prepared Brussels Sprouts that were positively addictive. So, much so we ordered an extra for the table to share. The Bacon Wrapped Date with linguca sausage was also a crowd pleaser. We enjoyed the meaty bite with the hint of sweetness. The Goat Cheese Croquettes were fried with a crispy exterior and a smooth creamy center. I have an aversion to goat cheese, but it looked so good I dug in to give it a try. However, I do no like goat cheese; no matter how well it's prepared or how often I try.

Next up were items from the grill. We sampled the Korean Short Ribs, Spanish Octopus and Chicken Breast with Yakitori sauce. I love octopus when it's done well. Unfortunately, the sauce was too assertive for such a delicate protein. The short ribs had good flavor, but it made me miss neighborhood Korean eateries. The chicken breast was the highlight. Great flavor, juicy and nice grill marks. It's quite rare when chicken is my favorite. They nailed it, though.



We had quite the spread already and dessert was yet to come. I was most excited for the Nutella Sundae, but it was the Torrejas that won me over. It is dulce de leche soaked french toast with carmelized apples and cinnamon ice cream. The french toast is truly outstanding. It's buttery rich and perfectly toasted with a soft center. It was a brioche to top all brioches. They soak it overnight and creme brulee the slices. A definite labor of love.

Sugarcane was such a delightful surprise. I'm happy we stumbled upon it. Restaurant Week ends today, but Sugarcane and a select Venetian restaurants will be honoring the menu until July 7, there's still time to check out this amazing deal.