TALDE Miami Beach, FL

Dale Talde may never have won Top Chef, but he has easily risen to the upper echelons of "Celebrity Chef"-dom, with his impressive resume and a solid point of view. This is Asian comfort food, hearty and, well, comforting, yet with a professional sheen. Talde's eponymous Miami Beach outpost is open late, so a few friends and I popped by for a post-show nosh one evening. 

The decor is dark and a little playful, like a Deco tavern, with a DJ spinning great music (is having a DJ a Miami Beach thing, or a Talde thing? Too tough to tell.) Expect to see noodles (lots of noodles,) ribs, dumplings, and so on, but with a twist. The wine and cocktail list isn't huge, but solid, and matches the cuisine. 

Of course we had to have the famous Kung Pao Chicken Wings, with their delectable glaze. I could also nom-nom dumplings all day, and the Pretzel Pork and Chive Dumplings with their spicy mustard dip were gobbled up in minutes. 

The Lobster Tom Kha was packed with flavor, and -- though difficult to share -- was slurped up gleefully, and the rosetta of Chow Fun with braised pork shank was very tasty as well (if a bit disjointed; the clever presentation made combining the noodles with the rest of the dish a little difficult.)

As a bit of a Charles Smith junkie and a rosé advocate, (especially with hearty Asian food,) I jumped on the Charles & Charles rosé, while my friends each had a Lychee Martini and a Plum Basil Margarita, both of which sips' were delish. 

Talde Miami Beach was a solid choice, especially in Miami Beach, where good food can be a little finicky and overpriced. My only regret was that I didn't get to go back (I mean, it was only two blocks from our hotel!) but the food is so scrumptious and filling, I'd have likely gained 10 pounds there alone. 

Bon appétit!

Talde

Inside the Thompson Miami Beach hotel 
4041 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140 
T: (786) 605-4094