Giralda Plaza, Costazul, and The Burrow
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DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE ON A FIRST FRIDAY
The first Friday of the month in Coral Gables goes by the moniker Gallery Night, and it reflects what amounts to a nascent resurgence of art galleries in the city. A half dozen participating galleries, along with the Coral Gables Museum, now open their doors from 6 to 10 pm. The event is further anchored by Giralda Live, which comprises live music, popup vendors, and the outdoor cafes of Giralda Plaza.
For the First Friday in May, the unveiling of Cielo Tejido (“A Woven Sky”) brought new spectacle to the plaza. The canopy, handwoven by artisan women from Etzatlán, Mexico (in collaboration with the Consulate of Mexico) stretched overhead across the length of the street in a pattern of pinks, golds, deep blues, and greens. With the sun still shining until 8 pm, the patterns shifted, drawing people to stop, look up, and snap photos. Meanwhile, a line formed at the Zacapa Rum kiosk, where free cocktails were being poured for anyone willing to wait. Most people were.
Strolling the plaza, we passed the folks from Bliss Imprints – owners Eddy and Marilyn Martinez – who had set up a large version of their Gables-Opoly, a Coral Gables version of the classic board game with every square mapped to a local street or landmark. Eddy guided a group of kids through the game while parents watched, some finally stepping in to join.
We had reservations at Costazul Peruvian Cuisine, known for its fresh ceviche and mar y tierra dishes. Despite the humidity we sat outside to enjoy the parade of people stopping to photograph the canopy overhead. We started with a lime mojito and glass of cold Chardonnay and settled on the Lomo Costazul, beef loin with portobello mushrooms, soy sauce, and fresh cilantro, served over risotto in red pepper sauce. From our table, we could listen to the Mariachi Mexico Internacional band play a steady set of classics, eventually drawing a few from the crowd into dancing.
Lime Mojito, Cold Chardonnay, and Lomo Costazul at Costazul
Giralda Live runs until 11 pm but we had tickets to visit The Burrow, a new semi-private club two blocks south on Miracle Mile. Founded by Omar Yunes Marquez, The Burrow (motto: “Follow the Rabbit”) works like a speakeasy; guests who have purchased tickets ahead of time online receive a code they use to get through the door.
The Burrow holds events almost randomly, Wednesday to Saturday nights, with different themes. One night will be a scotch tasting with a live band, another will be an omakase and sake event, another cocktails and disco. The theme for the evening we went was Vinyl & Cocktails, with old vinyl records filling the background with classic jazz and blues.
The Burrow Semi-Private Club With Themed Evenings
Inside, a long marble bar runs the length of the room, bottles lined up on wooden shelves behind it, glass pendant lights hanging above. Small tables with candle lamps are scattered across the room, creating a cozy atmosphere. We settled in with some friends and ordered dirty martinis along with the octopus in olive oil.
Evenings at The Burrow are priced at $65, with all house beer, sake, wine, spirits, and cocktails included. They also offer memberships ($225 to $425 per month) for those looking to make it a regular stop. While we waited for our Uber home, we reflected on how Coral Gables always surprises you with something new.
Discover more Night on the Town stories and see where our next Coral Gables adventure takes us.