Dining Sampler: Buccan

By now, Coral Gables knows how to receive a big restaurant opening. There is the early rush, the crowded dining room, the predictable “have you been yet?” phase, and then, a few months later, the more useful question: Does the place still hold up once the opening buzz is no longer the story? At Buccan, the answer comes quickly.

 Buccan with a warm interior, wood floor, and large bright open kitchen

The restaurant opened earlier this year at 100 Miracle Mile, bringing Chef Clay Conley’s Palm Beach favorite to Coral Gables after more than a decade of building its reputation up north. The original Buccan opened in 2011 and became known for small plates, big flavors, and a style of New American cooking that pulls from international influences without making the menu feel scattered. In Coral Gables, that approach fits neatly into a dining scene that has become more classically grounded but still wants restaurants with energy.

Buccan has that. The dining room is elegant, but not stiff: warm lighting, copper-toned tables, arched walls, colorful artwork, and an open kitchen that gives the room some movement. It feels polished enough for a serious dinner but relaxed enough that you don’t have to treat the meal like a formal occasion.

The menu is built for sharing, which means it’s easy to order more than you want. The tuna crisp is a bright, clean first bite, layered with wonton, avocado, and fish vin. The hamachi tiradito, with Peruvian chile and lotus root, is one of the prettier dishes on the table, with enough heat and crunch to keep it interesting.

The steak tartare is one of the strongest dishes on the menu. Tartare can sometimes get lost under too many expensive accents but here it stays focused. The beef is well-seasoned, the crispy egg yolk adds texture, and the black truffle gives it depth. Spread over toast, it is rich, balanced, and exactly the kind of starter you want at a restaurant like this.

The hot dog panini, with kielbasa, sauerkraut, Gruyere, mustard, and chili, is the menu’s most playful move. It is crisp, salty, tangy, and memorable – a reminder that Buccan does not take itself too seriously, even when the cooking is serious.

The sweet corn agnolotti is another standout, filled with ricotta and finished with bacon and Espelette butter. It has a nice balance of sweetness, salt, and mild heat, making it an easy dish to return to over the course of dinner. The duck confit was the biggest surprise. Duck can be too rich or heavy, but Buccan’s version, served with sweet-andsour cherry, scallion pancake, and napa stir fry, is crisp, tender, and bright enough to keep the dish from feeling weighed down. Cocktails follow the same general idea: familiar but refined. A watermelon martini was refreshing without tasting too sweet, while a cucumber-and-basil drink was cool, herbal, and easy to finish. Dessert kept things simple, with petite chocolate chip cookies finished with Maldon Sea salt and Vida’s strawberry sundae with shortcake crumbs and strawberry ice cream.

Buccan
100 Miracle Mile
305.701.9912
BuccanCoralGables.com