Combining Florentine flavor with Miami’s vibrant flare, Erba brings Italy to the heart of Coral Gables. Why voyage to Europe when you can experience authentic Italian food minutes from campus? Erba combines the traditional with the trendy under one roof, assuring a new wave of Italian food.
“Erba is going to bring a different light to what Italian cuisine can be,” said Braden Soristo, chef de cuisine — or head chef — of Erba. “We try to bring in influences from the farms that are around us, from fishermen we use, as well as our own farm, and then just doing fun twists on classics.”
Chef Niven Patel and Mohamed Alkassar, founders of Alpareno Restaurant Group and owners of restaurants Ghee, Orno and NiMo, own Erba as well. It started as a pop-up in Dadeland but now has its permanent location in the LifeTime building.
Caroline Yarbrough, a junior majoring in history and art, visited Erba with her friend for dinner. As a Coral Gables Lifetime Living complex resident, Erba’s location in the LifeTime building is practically at her doorstep.
“It is really convenient to have such a nice restaurant below my apartment because now you can stay local for a good meal,” said Yarbrough. “The customer service is very attentive and they actually seem to care if you like the food.”
A fine dining scene, Erba takes pride in its service and atmosphere. With red walls and hints of bold colors echoing throughout the seating area and walls, Erba has a slight retro feel that brings out a classic Italian vibe. The attention to unique details transports diners to Patel’s Italian inspiration.
Take, for instance, a wall showcasing an extensive wine display, antique serving plates with decorative trim, and a prosciutto slicer strategically placed in the open — impeccable Italian decor.
The restaurant is influenced by Patel’s time in Florence, but also focuses on the culture here in Florida. Specifically, Erba translates to herb from Italian, and the restaurant has its own farm called Rancho Patel, which is the primary source of produce under FEAL Hospitality in Homestead.
“It actually used to be Chef Niven’s backyard,” said Soristo. “We don’t like to use the term farm to table, but talk about dirt to table.”
Soristo was executive sous chef for the THesis Hotel before joining Patel and Alkassar in the development of Erba.
“It took me and Chef Niven about two weeks and about eight menus to finally get the menu down to what we wanted it to be,” said Soristo. “It’s funny to look back on the menus and see how they develop from one point to the next and see when we finally found our identity.”
Once the Erba identity was created, it was time for the grand opening, which took place on Oct. 5, 2023.
Soristo took full control of Erba’s opening, with experience on a team that had opened restaurants in the past. This time it was his turn to take the driver’s seat.
“It was a smooth opening. A lot of people came, including friends and family, and they said they would have believed we had been open for a couple years,” said Soristo. “It was definitely a different experience and kind of an eye opening moment to see it all come together and see how the staff just flowed right in.”
Anthony Ponzio, a sophomore majoring in nursing, said he noticed the flow of the staff and the big impact from Erba’s focus on service.
“The attentiveness was unlike any other Miami restaurant I’ve been to,” said Ponzio. “I was slightly shivering and the waiter asked if I was cold and brought me a scarf; I have never experienced service like that. They were so on top of their stuff with the customers and making sure everything went smoothly.”
Soristo says he and his staff prioritize ensuring everything goes smoothly from start to finish.
“We are really good at handling stressful situations. We like to say ‘be a swan,’ because a swan on top of the water just glides, but what you don’t see is underneath the water their feet are paddling like hell,” said Soristo.
All the work the Erba staff puts in is displayed through the service and food.
“The customer service and the food was 10 out-of-10. It was literally delicious,” said Ponzio. “I got the rigatoni to start and I shared the lamb which was my favorite.”
Yarbrough said she had a similar dining experience.
“Erba just had great Italian food, I had the mozzarella arancini which was really good, and the ravioli which had a delicious truffle sauce that was so flavorful,” said Yarbrough.
Erba focuses on bridging the old world of Italian dishes into the new world.
“We don’t like to do everything the same and we think about how we can change dishes and break the mold and be different,” said Soristo.
Erba does exactly that. The focaccia bread that is served in the beginning of each dining experience is accompanied with what looks like a normal candle, but is actually rosemary butter that turns into a melting pool to dip the bread in. In a similar unconventional manner, many dishes on the menu are accompanied with fresno chilis and fresh garnishes, elevating what might be considered classic Italian dishes into something unique.
“Chef Niven’s background is Indian, so his flavors are out of this world to me,” said Soristo. “Actually seeing how to build those flavors, how to layer flavors on top of each other and create what we call flavor bombs is really cool to see.”
Patel’s knowledge of building flavors paid off and he ended up winning Miami New Times Best Chef of Miami 2024.
Erba is on the expensive side, but because of its location, it is a great option for Miami students to eat locally for a special occasion or with family.
“We do see a decent amount of students from University of Miami with family, not too many on their own,” said Soristo. “It’s kind of intimidating going to a restaurant of high caliber and it’s expensive, but we have options for students to dine.”
One of these options is Miami Spice which is going on right now until Sept. 31, where Erba offers a $60 menu for three courses.
“I just want people to enjoy themselves, all we ever do in a restaurant is throw a party everyday. The main thing is for our guests to leave happy and fulfilled and want to return,” said Soristo.
Author’s Taste Test
Mozzarella Arancini ($22)
The perfect small starter bite. It’s a simple cheesy risotto on the inside with a golden-brown, crispy exterior. The texture is insanely satisfying and it is paired with a tomato sauce before being topped with a mountain of prosciutto that is shaved freshly in front of you. The bite was simple, but all the ingredients worked harmoniously together, highlighting the quality of the dish.
Cacio E Pepe Pave ($18)
The cacio e pepe pave is potato dish I have never seen before. Erba transformed a classic pasta dish into an updated form with thinly sliced potatoes, layered and fried to make a crunchy bite. While I liked the peppery flavor of the sauce, I needed a little more of it to appropriately dip each piece of potato in it.
Sweet Corn Ravioli (Special Offer)
The sweet corn ravioli has a creamy truffle ricotta filling that blends perfectly with the sweetness of the sauce and corn. This pasta has a distinctive flavor with garnishes of lime zest and a kick of Calabrian chili, adding that kick to what would normally be a standard ravioli. The cherry tomatoes burst in your mouth and I think the dish has elements of sweetness, acidity and a bit of spiciness that makes it well rounded.
Maine Lobster Chitarra ($68)
The Maine lobster chitarra is a flavor-packed pasta dish with fresh elements to balance it. The pasta has a great texture and is coated with a creamy lobster-flavored sauce. The fennel on top adds a hint of licorice taste, combined with the kick of the Calabrian chili and the lime zest, which cuts the creaminess and brings some acidity. The lobster was cooked perfectly and this dish felt elevated with layers of flavor.
Pistachio Gelato ($14)
The pistachio gelato is made in-house and packed with pistachio flavor. Unfortunately, for me, the flavor was a little too much. The gelato is a tad grainy because of how much pistachio it contains, so I would skip it the next time. However, if you truly love pistachio, you will love this dessert.
Olive Oil Cake ($18)
The olive oil cake is the dessert that ended my experience at Erba perfectly. It is an insanely moist cake with hints of olive oil and nutmeg in every bite. The caramelized plum adds a nice sweetness and the juice makes the cake even more moist. Then the mascarpone gelato on top makes the perfect bite with its creaminess and tartness. The cake tastes like a warm cozy hug. I would go back just for this dessert alone.
Menu
You can find Erba’s menu on their website: erbamiami.com/menus. They have dinner, cocktail, beverage and dessert menus posted.
Hours
Monday-Thursday 5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 5:30 p.m.- 11 p.m.
Sunday 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Reservations
Erba has a page on Open Table to manage their reservations. You can book as late as a day in advance.
words_clare lanscioni. photo_ethan dosa. design_andres alessandro.
This article was published in Distraction’s Fall 2024 print issue.
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