Kiki On The River Puts A Modern Spin On Traditional Greek Cuisine

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Welcome to Kiki on the River, the new Greek Goddess to the new, and thriving, food scene on the Miami River.

Romantic and contemporary, the waterfront restaurant has seating both inside and out - all framed by a waterfront garden.

"When I come out into the restaurant, I think of really actually relaxing, tranquility minutes away from the city, kind of like of an oasis," said Executive Chef Steven Rhee.

The vibe is elegant with a relaxed feel and it's about the water.

"Obviously the river is the lifeline of Miami and so we see a variety of different luxury yachts to fishing boats to cargo boats. There's a lot of personality," said Rhee.

Rhee has prepared modern Greek food in top kitchens from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to Miami Beach.

"So the secret of really good classic Greek food is ingredients. We use olive oil, oregano, salt because Greek food is ingredient driven rather than technique driven. We don't use butter, it's mostly olive oil. It's clean food," said Rhee.

Back in the kitchen Chef Rhee prepared CBS4's Lisa Petrillo several tasting dishes. First up, a classic Greek Salad made with chopped, chunky tomatoes, celery, onions, imported Feta cheese and Kalamata olives.

"Eating on the river is what this is all about," said Petrillo as she dined outside. "It's a refreshing summer salad. There's the richness of the cheese but it's not heavy, a crunch with the cucumber and then you have to have Greek olives. This is one of my favorite salads. I love a good Greek salad."

Next up - grilled octopus braised in olive oil with red onions, fried capers, olive oil, lemon, and parsley.

"It's got a wonderful sear. It's super tender but not mushy. You can't have mushy octopus and this is seasoned beautifully," said Petrillo.

Finally, a whole Mediterranean Sea Bass, also known as Branzino, finished with lemon juice olive oil, Greek oregano, parsley and capers

"It is wonderful, you feel like you're in the Greek Islands when you're having it. There is something really unique about it. The tenderness of the meat, the flavor, and the simplicity is really what this is all about," said Petrillo.

Kiki on the River is a modern spin on old world traditional Greek cuisine set in a tropical oasis. It's located at 450 NW North River Drive.

Kiki on the River is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Click Here to check out the menu.