Basque Restaurant Leku to Debut as Leku Fish & Garden at Rubell Museum

In recent years, Basque cuisine has been all the rage in Miami, with eateries popping up all over town. Nestled within the Rubell Museum in Allapattah, Leku was one of the first restaurants to bring Basque flavors to our city, serving simple yet refined fare cooked over charcoal, and Miamians loved it. Now, after four years of Basque food taking Miami by storm, the folks at Leku figured it was time to shake things up and stand out from the crowd.

Enter Leku Fish and Garden, the latest transformation of the restaurant, set to debut this Friday, April 5. "We wanted to build on the reputation we've established with Leku and start a new chapter, with a greater emphasis on seafood and vegetables," cofounder Terry Zarikian shares with New Times.

Zarikian and his team noticed a gap in Miami's dining landscape: a scarcity of restaurants offering pescatarian and vegetarian options. "Despite Miami's coastal location and abundant seafood, there aren't many upscale seafood spots," Zarikian notes. "We want to offer an elevated seafood experience that blends Spanish culinary traditions with the dynamic flavors of the Magic City and the inventive pairings unique to Leku."

Renowned chef Carlos Garcia, who has worked at celebrated Spanish restaurants El Bulli and El Celler de Can Roca, now leads the kitchen. He infuses the menu with bold flavors, unique combinations, and creativity.
Must-try small plates include the tartare de vieira with scallops gently cured in salt and tossed in a vibrant vinaigrette with piquillo peppers, tomato, olive oil, and sherry vinegar. A mix of flavors and textures unfolds as the acidity interlaces with sweetness, smokiness, and brininess, all crowned with the satisfying crunch of tobiko and the richness of sea urchin.

Another highlight is the tuna loin with coffee. It's a tender tuna filet bathed in a seafood sauce infused with espresso and a touch of blue cheese, topped with toasted pine nuts — a surprisingly balanced fusion of flavors.

The "Whole Fish Carlito's Way" offers guests a bespoke experience. Patrons select a fish — whole snapper, grouper, Dover sole, among others — which the chef prepares in four distinct iterations: tartare, escabeche, grilled, and al pil pil.

In this seafood-centric menu, vegetables make thrilling cameos, with dishes like tartare-style smoked mushroom and a chive emulsion, as well as a multi-colored cauliflower dish adorned with dehydrated tomatoes and pesto crafted from pistachios and fresh herbs.

Despite the changes to the menu, aficionados of Leku's famed cheesecake need not fret. Zarikian reassures, "While 90 percent of the menu is new, we've retained perennial favorites such as Iberian ham, croquetas, and, of course, creamy Basque cheesecake — cherished by our patrons."
While the restaurant's ambiance remains unchanged, an expansion of outdoor seating into the museum's garden adds to the allure of the dining experience.

Looking ahead, the owners plan to introduce prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus catering to a broader range of budgets to appeal to the surrounding community.

In Zarikian's words, "Change is essential to keep things fresh and exciting for both us and our guests. We're thrilled with the new direction of Leku Fish and Garden and can't wait to share it with the community."

Leku Fish & Garden. 1100 NW 23rd St., Miami; 786-464-0615; lekumiami.com. Wednesday through Saturday noon to 3 p.m. and 6 to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8 p.m.