The Early Word on Piripi

At the very end of March, the much-anticipated Piripi finally opened its doors inside Merrick Park. The restaurant helmed by Moroccan-Basque chef — and El Bulli alum — Najat Kaanache serves a variety of "whimsical" Spanish and Basque dishes. Here is what what diners and food journalists have had to say so far.

The Artsy: Miami.com's writer Sara Liss was impressed by Kaanache artful plating of dishes saying, "salads like “Hobbit on the Shire” are a visual feast" and its approachable pricing that, "are reasonable given the posh setting with starters $8-$16 and mains $26-$39." All in all Liss concludes by stating that the, "exuberant chef’s colorful imagination informs much of the menu at this Merrick Park newcomer." [Miami.com]

The Impressed: Over at the Miami New Times, writer Carla Torres seemed to be wow-ed by her dinner and the attention the table received noting, "service was impeccable and the overall dining experience pleasant." Some of the highlights of her meal included the "magical" wild mushrooms, the "succulent sea crustaceans that have been seared in garlic and are chockfull of flavor," and the paella that, "was hands down the best dish of the night and possibly even one of the best paella's in town." [Miami New Times]

The Praise: On everyone's favorite review site, Yelp, one reviewer in particular was more than impressed with the restaurant and Kaanache saying, "if I have one thing to report (other than the excellent service) its that the Executive Chef is a special, magical person" and adds, "this has quickly become a "must do" for Miami foodies." [Yelp]

The Not-So-Great: Not everyone on Yelp was blown away, however. With one reviewer saying that, "service was mediocre, slow, waiter was not familiar with the restaurant menu," and another adding, "I expected way more from the food, service and overall experience." [Yelp]