Piripi

Loved it!!! I had the pulpo and the mahi sandwich. Everything was wonderful. Fresh and delicious and the restaurant is beautiful and welcoming. A very pleasant surprise and unplanned. How did I not know about this place???

Plain and flavorless. Not sure why some people gave this place more stars. We love Spanish food but this doesn’t compare. Definitely won’t go back.

Walked in to try their tapas. The ham croquettes where fantastic, the cod fritters a little too oily. The pepito (steak sandwich) was excellent.
Service was very good and friendly. Our waiter, Frank was knowledgeable, and introduced me to a great draft beer from Spain, called Estrella.
The manager, Rene was outstanding.

So, as you follow my reviews, one knows that I am not the sugar coat kind of girl or, can you please make it a better for me so I can give you more stars than you deserve!
I went a while back to Piripi and the reason I do not critique an establishment I may first visit is because, I want to make sure and give it another try. First time I visited, they had just opened, so it totally was a cold card! This next time they actually had a poker hand!
We went earlier, as I shop early and hubby tends to meet me at the end of his day! As we got there it was not busy, but it was 7pm and for FYI this restaurant is next to Yard House towards Nordstrom, so it’s a little difficult to locate. It rained in Miami, as not a shocker. They, graciously asked if we wanted to sit at another table either inside or out. We were outside and they do allow your fur child in the outside patio.
The grilled octopus we had and the cheese platter were excellent! We also shared a Branzino. I never have sweets and we chose rice pudding & Toregas which are really french toast. They were both were excellent!
Only reason not an extra star is because, I know we are in Miami, but honestly, can people hire English speaking people? Our server was from Spain and she hardly spoke English. I have no problem, but when someone from my party does not speak Spanish and while she is still super sweet and was very good, my American/​Italian husband who yes, lives in Miami, but doesn’t speak Spanish fluently is a little difficult at times for him. The servers in Miami should speak English. Other than that, as I said, it was awesome and I will be back again! Great vibe, ambience and food!

Two stars given because location is nice. Food is mediocre. We ordered Huevos Rotos, Pork Belly, Ham & Swiss Cheese Croquettes and Druken Goat Cheese. Nothing we ate was like, «Wow! I need to come back again to this place.» Huevos Rotos was way too greasy and lacked some sort of flavor to complement its heaviness. Bulla makes a much better one that is explosive and makes you wanting to go back for more. Pork Belly was not an tender as you would expect that dish to be. It did have a nice caramelized concoction to eat with every bite. The Croquettes were good, but I can get them just as good at Ricky Bakery. Druken Goat Cheese wasn’t what I expected at all. The menu said it was cheese soaking in red wine. It was nothing like that. I expect goat cheese to be soft and what came out looked like Manchego with guava and large bagel chips. We asked our waiter if that was a mistake and he said no. Their goat cheese looks and tastes just like Manchego. Super weird.
All day I have been feeling nauseous, with heartburn and acid indigestion. It’s been hard to eat anything else because the food was so greasy and it didn’t look like high quality food, even though we had a $ 70 bill. Expensive and crap food. Skip it.

I went on a Tuesday evening with 7 coworkers. It was a company outing. The place was empty. There seemed to be only 1 waiter. She would come to us every 20 minutes and we often found ourselves feeling lonely and wanting to order more drinks or Tapas. The service was not very good. The food was ok. Image place is expensive too. I would not recommend this place.

Spanish Cobb Salad
Great flavor in the dressing… However a little disappointed in the salad itself… A whole lot of spinach… Delicate shavings of egg, some crispy ham or bacon and about 3 slices of avocado. Expected a little more from a Cobb. But again, overall flavor was great. Perfect portion not too small and not obscenely huge … Elegant salad. Just wished it were a little more exciting. Service snd everything else good as always.

I am usually not a «Miami» guy, but this great spanish restaurant in Coral Gables is great. The atmosphere is awesome, the staff is very friendly. I came for a beer and food pairing and couldn’t be any happier. They pairing one of my favorite beers, Islamorada Ale (a Citurs Ale, brewed with Key Lime, Lemon, and Oranges) with a Tomato based Cod «Tapa» on a crustini, it was amazing. They also had a great pairing of Wynwood’s «La Rubia» beer. I can’t wait to come back and have a big dinner!

After several months of wanting to try out Piripi we finally made it! The food was great, the cooks were a bit slow but the service was good. Our drink orders came out right away and our glasses were never empty before we got a second round. We tried several of the tapas, my 2 favorites where the cheese and ham croquetas and the chorizo empanadas. For entrée I had the Piripi Burger with manchego cheese and serrano ham and I was very pleased. I also tried the pork and chicken paella, as a rice lover it was very tasty. My one and only complaint being the biggest and most important is that the desserts SUCKED! The Churros & Chocolate were very doughy and not crispy. They definitely need pointers from the Palma. The Rice Pudding was very watery. The Crema Catalana was ok but not worth the calories. All in all we had a great lunch but make sure to come with plenty of time.

Excellent food. Superb Cappuccino light. Friendly, knowledgeable service. I should come here my often.

Excited about an upcoming trip to Spain this winter, we decided to enjoy Piripi in the Gables at Merrick Mall for a dinner night out. We ordered a variety of tapas and 2 beverages.
We hadn’t seen this restaurant before. The space in the past was occupied by a art gallery. Tiripi at the time was on its third month in business.
There weren’t many people at all in the restaurant. Maybe 10% of capacity, at most! The service was pretty awful… drinks for entirely TOO long to receive. On a drink re-​fill we had to ask 3 times for the drink. The food took FOREVER, which makes sense when I can see half-​a-​dozen workers in the kitchen just hanging out and shooting the breeze in the kitchen by a counter.
Nobody seems to be very interested in doing their jobs at this place. The guy cleaning up tables and re-​filling our water was the only worked hustling at that place.
If this place wants to be successful in Coral Gables, which has increasingly become a foodie heaven, they will have to work on their team members’ attitudes, their desire to be great, and especially improve their marketing to get people in the door for the first time and to repeat.
Visited September 2015

Attended a group function here and figured it would be a good chance to check this place out. If this was any indication I will not be back.
Ambience was meh: the open frontage to the street allowed us to hear garbage trucks and loud mufflers throughout the meal. Background music was Live, but too loud for comfortable conversations.
Started with the gazpacho. Really? A thin tomato purée with cherry tomato loading on it and a soggy long croûton. Not.
Grilled steak was a perfect medium rare though. Put two small cubes of potato confit (cold) and two small steamed asparagus tops, with a drizzle of sauce? Not.
Crema Catalana for dessert? Yes. A lovely bowl of sweet scrambled eggs under caramelized sugar. Texture made it inedible.
One scotch and water for 13; paid 20. Change: 6. Excuse me– do math much? That said service was average at best.
Too many places to choose from to choose this again. Live and learn!

Went last night with a good friend from out of town; the food was outstanding. We ordered the chorizo and cod fritters appetizers to start (sheer perfection, I could’ve eaten at least two servings by myself); my friend raved about the Branzino (sea bass) she ordered, while I had the Bacalao Pil Pil… what can I say? I’ve had cod prepared a dozen different ways but Chef Juan Aguero has created the best version of this delicate fish, by far. I’m hooked; will definitely be back for more!

We are so glad we came! The place has gone through big management changes and the service and food was great!
We will be back!

I was absolutely appalled at the service of this restaurant. I went for lunch and ended up telling them to cancel my order after waiting an hour and 20 minutes. We ordered mimosas to start and 30 minutes later they arrived to our table by the manager because the waiter couldn’t even handle his tables. For appetizers we ordered grilled octopus and a potato dish. It wasn’t bad but I lost my appetite after waiting for over an hour to get them. Let alone they only gave me one octopus tentacle. At that point I couldn’t wait any longer and we told them to cancel our entrees because of the horrendous service. It wasn’t even that busy, the restaurant was probably 60% full. No matter how busy a restaurant is they should have enough staff to wait on the tables. Completely unacceptable.
Quality– 6.2÷10
Atmosphere– ⁶⁄₁₀
Creativity– ⁵⁄₁₀
–A&R

Excelente opción en este lado de la ciudad. Además con el verdadero toque de buena comida española.
Atención de primera y lo mejor, los postres y carta de vinos.
Recommendado 100%

Wow! Just WOW!
This is a very nice and elegant restaurant in Merrick Park.
I took my husband for his birthday and we had the «todo Junto platter» as an appetizer and the tuna and the Bacalao for dinner.
The food was excellent!

3.5
With a marketing campaign all over town, I felt like I needed to support the opening of Piripi and «start living life piripi» or start living life with a slight intoxication where reality begins to seem like a dream…
I visited the restaurant on a Friday night and had to wait at the bar for 20 minutes after my reservation time where the huge casa tonic and gimlet cucumber cocktail made me a bit piripi.
Once at our table, the FOOD was not as creative as advertised:
Bread — Complementary but tasteless.
Croquetas — Alright but extremely greasy.
Coca Piperrada — Bland.
Chicken — Plentiful and full of flavor but tasted more Indian than Spanish.
Tuna — Paired with red sauce made me taste a very unique dish.
Mil Hojas — Very light with an incredibly soft catalan cream yet poorly executed — small bites would improve the edibility of this dessert.
Choco Planeta — This was the highlight of my night. I would come back just for this perfectly plated delicious combination of different chocolate forms and textures.
As for the décor, an alluring piece by Dale Chihuly hangs from the ceiling in the bar area and a mesmerizing wine cellar decorates the length of Piripi. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a restaurant located in the upscale Village of Merrick Park. Moreover, I liked seeing chef Najat Kaanache working in her open kitchen and the chef table visible to other patrons.
I see the potential but as it stands, Piripi offers a typical restaurant experience. After they work out their kinks, I’m willing to give them another chance.

4.5
Chef Najat Kaanache has arrived in South Florida. Her newest project sits pretty on the Coral Gables corner of San Lorenzo amongst the high-​end shops at Merrick Park. Piripi debuts modern and whimsical Spanish cuisine.
Piripi means tipsy. The playful name caught my attention almost immediately and the chef’s extensive background in Michelin starred kitchens sealed the deal for me; Alinea, French Laundry, Noma, El Bulli, and Per Se (one of my personal favorites) all have Kaanache in common. I needed to try this new restaurant as soon as possible. And try I did.
We found street parking directly across the restaurant: a rare feat in the area! No need to worry if you don’t find a spot, the restaurant also offers valet parking. My good luck stalled for a brief second when my request for seating away from the open sliding doors (no Miami heat for me, thank you) initially confused the hostess. Alas, she pioneered through and found us a much coveted table near the wine cellar. Score!
Our waiter arrived immediately and took great care of us the rest of the night. We were very specific about our wishes to have all the courses paced slowly. Our dinner ended up being nicely timed, and only the arroz (rice) took a little longer than expected.
To start, I ordered a Frodo’s Garden from the cocktail list. This mix of Bombay dry gin, heirloom tomatoes, broken basil, Spanish olive oil, and cracked peppercorn refreshed as the ideal companion for dinner. Later on, I also enjoyed the nicely chilled red sangria with a pleasant, sweeter than usual finish. The Seis Maneras charcuterie platter starter arrived first. Iberico ham, chorizo, and prosciutto paired with manchego slices and lightly grilled, olive oil topped bread all came beautifully displayed, so simple and enjoyable. Next, we received the Shishitos Fritos and Kaanache’s grandma’s Tortilla de Hadda. Prior to my dinner, I read several reviews where diners mentioned they expected a more traditional thick and solid tortilla instead of the much lighter version served. I will say this, I choose Pirirpi’s tortilla over any other. One bite and I knew it would rock. The potatoes and onion notably shined through while the garlic aioli provided the close-​your-​eyes-​and-​enjoy factor. Not to be left behind, the blistered shishitos with lightly melted cheese topping also tasted great.
We chose the Rodaballo Salvaje as one of our main courses. The snow-​white wild Spanish turbot (rodaballo) with crispy skin, served with a colorful medley of local micro-​greens and mini veggies, became the highlight of our dinner. Even nearby diners leaned over to comment on this delicate and delicious dish. Not that we had space for it, but we also ordered the Negre de Txpicón. All of the arroces are made from scratch and the menu cautions it takes 25 – 30 minutes before they can be served. There is a minimum of two per order and they are priced per person. After a little bit of a wait, the piping hot rice mixture of calamari with squid ink arrived. We were able to enjoy a small portion of this huge serving, but had to take the rest to go.
Lastly, of course we ordered dessert. How can I say no to the Popcorn Ice Cream with salted caramel and the Mil Hojas? Don’t answer that. Just go with it. I did. As it turns out, both had the right amount of sweetness and neither dessert made us feel overly full.
Overall, Piripi impressed me. Kaanache’s use of high quality ingredients is obvious. Dishes are not overly sauced nor salted. It’s amazing what happens when you let the flavors of a dish come through without standing in its way. I can appreciate the attention to detail given to every single course we had and truly enjoyed them thoroughly.
Service was attentive, on point, and without any unneeded hovering. The handmade pottery tableware used throughout the restaurant is rustic, yet exquisite. I had to practice self restraint to not take the espresso cups as a «souvenir.»
The restaurant’s distinct interior design fits in perfectly with the nearby ritzy area. There are elevated booths near the bar area, white table clothed tables center stage, and also rustic wooden tables near the displayed wine area towards the back. Lola’s Room, a separate private dining area, boasts floor to ceiling glass walls looking directly into the kitchen and perhaps the perfect room to take Piripi to a different level. I know I, for one, am eager to visit again and explore the large menu.
NOTE: ⁰⁷⁄₁₅ Chef Najat Kaanache is no longer there.

If there were half stars, I would give this place 3.5 — so I am going to round it to 3 stars because that means «A-​ok» and that’s really how I feel. I am not a 4 stars «Yeah I’m a fan!»
Piripi has not been opened long and my friend and I wanted to try it out so to Piripi we went!
The restaurant itself is beautiful. The bar has colorful glass sculptures hanging from the ceiling and towards the back; you can’t help but be impressed by the gorgeous wall to wall wine cellar. Encased in glass, it is eye-​catching!
I immediately (ehem — {cough, cough}) ordered a glass of wine — the Tempranillo to be exact. It was reasonably priced and delicious! My friend had the Gin & Tonic with a twist and she loved it! It comes in a very large glass (with very large ice cubes) and a very large price tag — $ 16. Oh, and on a side note — they do not have a Happy Hour.
Our server (Linda, very good server!) recommended the wild mushroom appetizer and it was very good. We then proceeded to order the «special» (beware of that word!) which consisted of a sample of their meats and 2 slices of cheese. What was not so special was the price tag — $ 38 for what I consider to be a small sampling and
I am pretty sure the 2 slices of cheese were the same cheese. They were supposed to be different but our server wasn’t sure.
We then had the steamed mussels in wine sauce. It also had clams, shrimp, fish, and chorizo. It was very good — reasonably priced.
It was a nice meal in a beautiful setting. Plenty of street parking and garages in the area (Merrick Park) and it is located next to Yardhouse towards the back. I would go back to sample some more of their dishes.

A very nice and elegant place, the attention from the entrance was excellent, we started connun wine tempranillo really good start with a bruchetas of tomato purée, roasted tomatoes and dried tomatoes which were very good, we continue with a ration of a Green Chile with some shrimp with roasted tomatoes and a cetas, then we ordered a rice with lobster was the best I’ve eaten in my life and shut ordered in ice pop corn that left me speechless, ice cream saffron and Plato choco calling planet that has chocolate in different forms and textures.
This restaurant really is one of those who want to visit and eat food from home but at a high level, coming back …

Valla decepción, tanta expectativa esperando este famoso restaurant, y no es más que un vulgar bar de tapas cutre de España o en realidad creo que no llega a chiringuito de playa, la comida mala la presentación pésima lo único bueno que tiene es el local, mi recomendación es que no pierdan su dinero.