With traditional Central and South American dishes, Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar and Latam Grill continues to fuel Miami’s flourishing Latin food scene. Set in Coconut Grove, Jaguar’s ambiance is that of contemporary meets sophistication. Owner Eduardo Durazo and executive chef/partner Oscar Del Rivero have created a diverse menu consisting of fresh Latin favorites, and innovative ceviche spoons. Try one of their six original selections from the ceviche spoon bar or one of their traditional dishes such as the popular Argentinean Churrasco.
The 2-month-old Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & Latam (as in Latin American) Grill could be a welcome, sophisticated addition to the teeny-bopper-oriented Grove dining scene, but first it needs to figure out what it wants to be.
On one visit, our bouncy, head-scarfed young waitress was confused by an order for nonalcoholic beer and didn't know how to pronounce Tempranillo and Nebiola, two bottles from the wallet-friendly wine list. After all, she giggled, her previous jobs were at sports bars, and there's not much call for that kind of stuff there.
One thing's for sure: Jaguar is not a sports bar. It is a beautiful and inviting space with stone floors, tropical murals and hand-carved wooden butterflies suspended from the soaring ceiling. The stunning marble bar has a full menu of Latin American beers and specialty drinks including mojitos, caipirinhas, margaritas and pisco sours, all made from scratch.
But it was ceviches we came for. The idea is great: You order any of six varieties or get a sampler with one of each, and generous tasting portions arrive on large white ceramic spoons.
Unfortunately, only two were at all impressive: buttery, Asian-style tuna with soy, ginger and a hint of coconut and sesame and snappy diced tiger shrimp in a thick, amber liquid like traditional ají amarillo but with more bite.
The others, including classic Peruvian corvina in lime and salmon fino with tarragon and chervil, were well-seasoned but not as scrupulously fresh as fine ceviche needs to be. Perhaps demand will improve the supply when the place gets more customers.
For now, the regular menu is a better bet. The offerings are enticing: large tropical salads, a variety of seafood, eight cuts of beef, organic chicken, quesadillas, tacos, empanadas, burgers and sandwiches including a Krest chicken sandwich named for the five & dime that occupied the building for more than 50 years.
Shrimp three ways was an ideal treat with a dozen chubby fingers fried to a golden crisp, sautéed with aji amarillo and grilled. Generous portions of a fine adobo-black bean sauce and house-made salsa made it even better.
Exceptionally good sauces elevated some otherwise mediocre dishes. An oregano-heavy chimichurri, for example, was a bright complement to a scrawny, 10-ounce rib-eye that was flavorful but tough to cut and shot through with gristle.
Snapper Jarocho, baked in tomato sauce with garlic, onions, capers, green olives and jalapeños, was tasty but a bit oily and again, not sufficiently fresh.
Mexican dishes were especially appealing. Mini swordfish tacos on soft corn tortillas came with excellent salsa verde and sweet pineapple salsa.
Tortilla lasagne with smoky tomato sauce, zucchini, corn and tender hunks of chicken breast was a dense and delicious indulgence with flavors that were at once distinct and complex.
Pork-filled empanadas were flaky and moist with a nice kick -- and our request for half a four-piece order was cheerfully accommodated.
Sweet finales include a recommendable palomas de cajeta, a crepe stuff with banana and whipped cream, smothered in a thick, dulce de leche-like sauce, dotted with crisp walnuts and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Coffees and teas are the ubiquitous Starbucks, but you can get herbal teas and Argentine mates, too.
The young servers may not know their stuff, but the management team, including Mexico City restaurateur Eduardo Durazo and his nephew and chef Oscar del Rivero, have a firm leash on this wild cat. Dishes arrive promptly, correctly and hot. Even when they come with a gratuitous side of youthful gum smacking, they are worth stalking.
