'Eating House' Serves Up Cool Dishes Along With Redefined Classics

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - There's a lot of eager eating going on in Eating House, a funky and charming neighborhood spot right on Ponce de Leon Boulevard in Coral Gables.

Owner and Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli started Eating House as a pop-up shop. Five years ago he made it a permanent restaurant.

"When we first opened there was not a theme or style of food. We kind of had a motto, 'If cooking is an art, we're making graffiti'. That's why there's graffiti all over the walls and we play classic hip hop. We try to funk it up, yeah, and I think the people realize that," said Rapicavoli.

Rapicavoli is a former "Chopped" winner and a few years ago was a listed on Forbes Magazine's prestigious "30 under 30" for chefs. Now at age 31, he is a chef who loves to mix things up.

"We have staples here that the guests come back for. They know and want it and that's part of being a neighborhood joint, giving guests what they want. But then we have fun and cook for ourselves and make cool dishes and use fun techniques," said Rapicavoli.

Rapicavoli enjoys playing with flavors and textures; whether it's the nitrogen coconut milk on the heirloom tomatoes or the cured egg yolks on the Angus beef tartar.

As for the Angus beef tartar, or carni crudo.

"Shut the front door. This is an explosion of flavors, there's a crunch, a freshness of the meat, the veggies. This guy thinks outside the box and it works," said CBS4's Lisa Petrillo after tasting a sample.

Next up were heirloom tomatoes with Thai fish sauce, peanuts, ginger and coconut milk nitrogen.

"The tomatoes are incredibly fresh and sweet, there's tang with the fish sauce and then the coconut frozen nitrogen stuff on top is a surprise. It's Florida, totally refreshing and totally unique," said Petrillo.

Finally, Petrillo checked out the pasta carbonara with black truffle, applewood bacon, egg yolk, and pepper.

"There's bacon, cream, a crunch and a delicate flavor. The sad thing is I could probably finish this humongous bowl and that would not be good," Petrillo joked.

Eating House - where the food is as cool and different as the place itself.

The restaurant is open seven days a week, brunch is available on Sundays.