The pop-up restaurant was created by Bill Spector, a local restaurateur known for his career in Miami's nightlife scene, who teamed up with Sushi Chef Amir Reza Anvari (also known as @toropapi on Instagram) to create fresh sushi and nigiri dishes with fish flown straight from Japan. Spector said he got into restaurants after not wanting to be "the old man in the club." Plus, he has always loved food. Soon, his love for omakase translated into what would soon be known as Gold Standard. Before the pop-up restaurant made its way to Wynwood, Gold Standard popped up at Soho Beach House, Ritz Carlton Bal Harbor, and St. Regis Bal Harbor for a few months.
When Spector found himself in between jobs, he contacted Chef Anvari and together they decided to bring Gold Standard to Wynwood.
With Each Bite Comes Meticulous Detail
The hidden door was not as hard to locate as it sounds — just look for a bookcase in the far left corner of Whitmans (once you push it, a hostess will be waiting to check you in for the reservation). However, if you get slightly lost like I did, Whitmans' bar staff will be kind enough to point out the hidden door for you.The sushi counter allows for eight people per seating and reservations include a 7 or 9 p.m. experience. As people began to arrive for the 7 p.m. slot, movement behind the chef's counter had already begun with Anvari and Hill preparing for the first group of the night. The menu, which is written right on a black chalkboard behind the sushi chefs, served as a guide for guests as they listened to incredibly detailed explanations about each piece of sushi placed in front of them. Each explanation includes details about the fish used, where exactly the fish could be found, and some notes on its taste compared to other cuts. During the reservation, if at any moment guests had questions, both chefs were more than happy to answer them.
The 16-course omakase started with a delicious shitake miso soup. As we moved on to the zensai sashimi with amadai and kampachi, the chef explained that almost all of the fish used was sourced from Japan and flown directly to Miami. The omakase experience continued with a nigiri portion where each chef meticulously sliced the fish and hand-mixed the sushi rice in red vinegar before handing out each nigiri portion to the guests. Some highlights during this part of the meal included the nodoguro, ora king salmon, otoro (the belly cut of tuna), uni, and the A5 Wagyu, which was torched in front of us by Anvari.
"We don't have as many toppings as other places, but I wanted to make sure the fundamentals were perfect," says Anvari as he prepared the nigiri.
After the last course, all guests were presented with the opportunity to repeat any course à la carte with the guarantee that there were no rules on how many pieces you could order; the only rule was to enjoy it. Dinner ended with a scoop of GoNanas banana bread with strawberry jam ice cream from neighboor Salt & Straw.
An Intimate and Private Sushi Lesson in Wynwood
The omakase experience was a solid one as Gold Standard has a high standard for its ingredients, which was noticeable upon every bite of fresh sushi-grade fish. But upon ending the meal, what truly stood out were the chefs' attention to how each piece was served and their dedication to teaching each guest. From beginning to end, all guests were tended to individually. On the specific Thursday night I was there, the hostess had an amazing playlist, and a couple seated by me continuously expressed how much they loved it. By the end of the reservation, the hostess kindly offered to share the playlist with them, and the couple looked just as happy with the offer as they did while murmuring a bunch of "Ohs" and "Ahs" during the tasting.While the service never lacked the elegance of a high-end restaurant, those small and casual interactions made the space much more approachable and welcoming. Conversations between both chefs and guests led to pleasant communication among guests themselves and while I dined alone, I never once felt uncomfortable. "I know it sounds cliché, but we really want to make people feel like it's their house," says Spector. "I eat in the most expensive restaurants and the cheapest restaurants, and as long as the food's good and somebody makes me feel very comfortable, I will go there every day. I want to give my customer that same feeling."
It's no wonder the restaurant has repeating reservations from regulars who have been dining at the pop-up from the beginning. "We know we are not the cheapest guys in town, but we will give you the same quality as the much more expensive experiences because Amir won't take it any other way. In truth, he forced me to step up my game because he cares about offering that expensive omakase at a cheaper price."
Gold Standard has been in Whitmans for three months, and although its contract is coming to an end, they have no plans of moving immediately and tell New Times they will have a permanent location soon.
In a city where omakase experiences can range in price, Gold Standard aims to be somewhat in the middle without compromising its quality. Therefore, if you are willing to pay a little more for a high-end omakase experience, this spot will make it onto your Miami hit list. However, if the cost of $165 per person is too much, but you still want to try Gold Standard, Spector is opening Gold Standard Market as an alternative to the full omakase experience. The market will be focused on a chef's selection of nigiri and hand rolls. wWile the location and opening date are not confirmed yet for the market, he tells New Times it's coming very soon.
Gold Standard. 242 NW 25th St., Miami, inside of Whitmans; resy.com. $165 per person, eight people per seating with seatings at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
