El Bulli Veteran Najat Kaanache to Open Piripi

San Sebastian-born Najat Kaanache, a Spanish television actress/activist/chef whose impressive kitchen experience includes stints at the highly lauded Per Se, Alinea and El Bulli, is bringing her talents to Miami with a new restaurant called Piripi (opening at the Village of Merrick Park in Coral Gables).

She along with restaurant partner Gus Abalo plan to open the eatery, which is named after the Spanish slang word for "happy", "tipsy" or "feeling a little bit buzzed" (more romantically described on their website as a "sensation of slight intoxication where reality begins to seem like a dream"), sometime this fall. Kaanache will "moderate the molecular, presenting homespun, authentic Spanish cuisine in a spectacular setting that will seat 200 inside and out, with a marriage of rustic accents and sleek contemporary design from Candela & Partners," writes a press release, adding that Piripi's emphasis will be on seafood, as well as a selection of "lively" tapas and paellas.
· All Coverage of Coming Attractions [EMIA]
· Piripi [Official Website]
[Gustav Foto]