Crazy About You

Victoria Pesce Elliott11/17/2010

Fans of the wonderfully quirky downtown Dolores But You can Call me Lolita will find it easy to fall for a similar concept from the same owners in the space that briefly housed the avant-garde La Broche. Crazy About You in The Mark Condo overlooking Biscayne Bay is even prettier than her big sister.

The menu, like Dolores’, includes a complimentary appetizer with every entree. And with main courses priced no higher than $19.75 for items like Thai churrascco or pork ossobuco, it’s easy to keep the tab down. With decades of experience both here and in Madrid, partners Carlos Galan and Joaquin Chamizo know a thing or two about running restaurants. They seem to have figured out that the Miami formula for success involves a gorgeous setting, low prices, big portions, a casual setting, friendly staff, good-enough food and a sense of humor. Crazy’s ever-so-gently fusioned menu ere is uncomplicated if a bit unfocused. The general theme seems to be Italian with Caribbean and Asian accents.

Ambience: The rambling space is at once glossy and rustic, with glass walls, floor-to-ceiling wine racks, chocolate-colored floors and sexy drum lighting. It retains some of its original flair with sumptuous white leatherette chairs and, of course, the view.

What Worked

• A dozen bar-snacky appetizers,
• Nice, fresh salads including a hefty Caesar
• A flavorful lentil soup served in stainless-steel measuring cups - the soup had a nice smoky flavor with tidbits of bacon and chunks of fresh tomato
• Creamy ham croquettes
• Crispy, golden cod empanadas
• The carb-less bolognese made with “noodles” of lovely blanched zucchini sauced with a cheesy ground beef.
• Tasty broiled cod served with a lovely tomato confit and gently seared broccolini (sans the melted streaks of cheese)
• Good, although a bit too ambitious calamari dish with sliced avocado, tomato and red onion
• A fine Key West fried dolphin mini-sandwich
• A hot cone of toothpick-thin fries
• An easy-to-cozy-up-to wine list split about evenly between the Old and New Worlds  The $4 per glass/$14 bottle house wine- a drinkable Sonoma BV Century
• Message in a Bottle dessert - a fudgy brownie and a basket of additions — chocolate sauce, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, cocoa — with which to customize it. Write a note on the attached slip of paper, put it in the bottle and you’re entered in a monthly drawing for a free dinner

What Didn’t Work

• The Mexican Caprese salad
• Insipid eggplant cylinders dotted with mozzarella, pesto & a watery marinera
• Nice, but overzealous servers that crowd diners