An exaggeration but still a follow up to the most recent post about the incredible dining offered at Hampton Social. I was so impressed with the Del Ray location that I had to visit the newly opened Miami Brickell one. A 5 minute walk from my apartment? Did I win the Friday-night-out-spot jackpot? I was still dreaming of the steak and pound cake from just last month and couldn’t wait to show it off to guests in from out of town.
I love to do a follow-up that still provides some helpful information. This time, while I still enjoyed the decor, colorful plates, music, wallpaper, and palm trees all giving Coastal Chic vibes, I was shocked at everyone’s lackluster meal experience. The “Miami Hampton Social not living up to the Del Ray location” was not the Friday night conclusion I expected.
Starting at the top, and on a high: Spinach Dip with a garlic parmesan crumble and bagel chips, served warm. We devoured this the second it came out. Only complaint is it is a small serving of the actual dip. With the crudite that comes and the amount of chips (not to mention the cost), you do expect more. We ate that up too quickly for a photo, but it’s a dip I recommend. Add it to the first post in terms of great choices here.
Rather than sticking with what I know, I opted to try some new things for the mains, starting with the Short Rib. Served with creamy sweet polenta, corn, and a demi-glace, it sounded like a hearty meal, and I already knew they knew how to do beef here.
The short rib is rich and savory. It’s cooked well, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is both tender and flavorful. Nestled on top of creamy sweet polenta that is an excellent accompaniment. It’s that comforting creaminess you crave to balance the richness of the meat. Plus it soaks up the glaze so not a drop goes to waste. The corn kernels sprinkled throughout add a bit of sweetness that is a lovely surprise each time. The glaze itself deserves a moment, it flowed all throughout the dish (another moment for how gorgeous the plates are). The polenta can’t even soak it all up. Perhaps too much for some, but I love a saucy dish.
Overall it’s very solid. I was not as impressed as I was with the steak, but I wasn’t mad about it. I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from getting this dish, but I did have a moment to think, “huh, maybe I overhyped it with that first visit.”
To round out the meal, we figured why not have some pizza? The Avocado Corn Pizza with avocado, corn, tomato, premium cheeses, garlic butter, and basil sounded like something we were bound to love, and it’s been a while since we ordered a pizza. This one is full of some of our favorite ingredients, you can’t lose.
Yet somehow, we felt like we did. The most lackluster pizza I can remember having in a long time. From the bottom up, a slightly burnt crust, almost stale and burnt. I can get past that with the generous amount of “premium cheeses.” I’m assuming mozzarella with its stretchiness and mild flavor, along with possibly Parmesan or a similar hard cheese for the depth and richness. This is the highlight of the pizza.
From there, I couldn’t speak to the garlic butter, as I couldn’t pinpoint it, while the herbs are visible but tasteless. The avocado and tomato, on the other hand, you can’t miss. Slapped on top, they tasted horrible. Mushy whole tomatoes with their terrible texture and unnecessary taste on top of a tomato sauce. The avocado slices were beyond disappointing. A unripened avocado sliced and almost random, even though they are meant to be the star. I don’t know what went wrong here, but this last impression was so unfortunate, as it’s formed the tone of this whole post.
Not to be too harsh, but I’d get rid of the pizza section on the menu. Coastal fare seems to be what they get perfectly, I’d focus the efforts there, or at least, the ordering efforts.
Does this mean skip on Hampton Social? Absolutely not. You’re going to soak in great vibes in a lovely setting. Company I’m sure makes the outing what it is but just note that some dishes are better than others. Leave the pizza to the specialists, and perhaps focus your ordering attention elsewhere.
