What do artists eat -- at least the ones who aren't starving in freezing garrets? It's hard to generalize but seafood is one answer, especially oysters for libidinous types. A Surrealist like Salvador Dali liked lobster. The question of art-food makes the Standard Miami's Lido Restaurant and Bayside Grill a natural fit for visitors to Art Basel Miami Beach this week.
"People basically come here to decompress -- even the ones who come to the art fair -- and they'd rather be here than in one of the classic party hotels," says Chef Mark Zeitouni. Whether you are relaxing in The Standard Spa or hustling art deals, artistic flair is always on the menu. "We like to keep it Mediterranean, like the spa. Lots of clean foods, lots of grilling, lots of salads. More juices, than smoothies, more olive oil than dairy." But what about the fish, much of which is locally-sourced? And what would Picasso eat?
Watch our Chef Mark in Action! (And learn more about his food philosophies)
Chef Mark Zeitouni at The Standard Spa and Grill from The Standard on Vimeo.
Cuttle Fish à la Plancha, certainly, and the Cuban-inflected Blue Crab Croquettas. Most likely the Peruvian Shrimp Salad on the lunch menu and the Mediterranean Branzini, a signature dish of The Standard, the Stone Crab Claws or the Grilled Swordfish Sandwich "Reuben Style." Then there's the Tuna Crudo and the Whole Grilled Yellowtail Snapper. The Lido's menu tends toward the health-conscious, and visitors tend to know what's good for them, but it's not pious.
"We want people to be able to find what they need," says Zeitouni. "You can take the tuna tartare and grilled asparagus one day and the cheeseburger the next. We're not here to judge..."
(We do know what artist José Parlá likes to eat)
