AMERICA’S TOP-RATED

RESTAURANTS & CHEFS 2008
These restaurants were selected by John Mariani as America’s Top 20 Restaurants 2008
(not in order of preference). The content of this overview was written by the editorial
staff of the Chefs In America Awards Foundation.

SAMPLE MENU

Appetizers
Japanese Hamachi “Tiradito”

Peruvian chilies, ginger,

soy vinaigrette, crispy

lotus root salad

“A Study in Tuna”

raw tuna, Maine crabmeat,

tempura avocado, Asian

sauces, paddlefish caviar

“Rainbow of Oysters”

crispy oysters wrapped in

beef, tuna, hamachi

& salmon carpaccio

New England Style

Clam Chowder

confit pork belly, crispy

Ipswich clams, malt

vinegar aioli

Main Courses

Moroccan Inspired Lamb

harrisa marinated loin, shank

bastilla, raita, grilled chop,

pepper salad

Pan Seared Florida Snapper

corn silk, crispy polenta,

sherried clam sauce

Bacon Wrapped King Salmon

sweet 100 sauce, crispy

hoecake, summer corn

puree, spinach

Crispy Confit Duck Leg

seared breast, baby turnip,

bok choy, duck fried rice,

sweet nectarine glaze

AZUL

Azul at Mandarin Oriental, Miami, is one of Miami’s most acclaimed high-end dining destinations. The intimate, elegant waterfront restaurant was named “Best New Restaurant in America” by Esquire magazine when it opened in 2001. After an international search in 2005, Chef Clay Conley took over the helm of the kitchen. Since then, he has won raves for his creative take on contemporary cuisine. Conley works with the finest ingredients flown in fresh daily from all over the world, in a style that balances the robust flavors of his New England childhood with the sophistication of Asian cuisine and the rustic allure of the Mediterranean. Conley unveils an inspired new menu as fresh, modern and provocative as the restaurant itself, using primarily organic meat and fish, and his fastidiousness with ingredients, and smart sourcing, are evident in the menu.

CHEF CLAY CONLEY
A native of Maine, Clay Conley passionately pursued his calling, eventually becoming a protégé of renowned Chef Todd English at Olives restaurant in Boston. Working with the celebrity chef for almost a decade at various temples of haute cuisine,

including Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas, he became a vital member of English’s celebrated culinary team, opening restaurants in Washington D.C., Las Vegas and Tokyo. Named culinary director for English’s 17-restaurant empire at 29, he was tapped by Mandarin Oriental, Miami in 2005 to be chef at the award-winning Azul. Conley has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and Fox and Friends, and has been featured in a slew of high-profile national publications, including Gourmet.

Restaurant: AZUL

Chef: Clay Conley

Reservations: 305-913-8358

Address: 500 Brickell Key Drive

Miami, FL 33131

Web: www.azul-miami.com

Cuisine: Mediterranean with Asian influences