A first class Nikkei restaurant certified by Kosher Miami, 26 Sushi & Tapas, or just 26, offers a unique kosher culinary experience. Stemming from its elegant design created by renowned architect Tom Telesco, this family friendly restaurant encompasses a main dining room, sushi bar, cocktail bar, patio dining and a private event area. The stylish décor sets the creative tone for coveted chef and co-owner Fernando Chang, who is a local celebrity chef with over a decade of experience conceiving dazzling kosher sushi and Japanese cuisine.
At 26 Sushi & Tapas, Chef Chang truly embraces the multi-cultural flavors of Miami, incorporating unique kosher tapas creations to the menu. The sushi and tapas dishes are all Chang creations, featuring Peruvian spices and tropical garnish. Complementing the sushi and tapas cuisine, there is a myriad of entrees to choose from, utilizing a wide variety of seasoned fish. 26 also offers unique sushirritos, sharing platters and gourmet desserts that are prepared daily. All cocktails at 26 were expertly matched and paired to complement all of the dishes.
“Creating a unique Kosher restaurant has been a dream of mine for a long time,” says Morris J. Kaplan, a Miami Beach resident and Real Estate Developer. “Moving to Miami exposed us to many Kosher restaurants, but my wife Sandra Kaplan had the vision to put Fernando and I together as partners. We both agreed that providing exceptional food and over-the-top customer service would be the key to a successful restaurant. We are very proud of our creation” says Kaplan.
The expression “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” is so appropriate for partner Fernando and his family. Fernando took his two children Fernando Jr and Valerie to his work for years and that experience helped guide Fernando’s children to grow up in the hospitality industry. Fernando Jr and Valerie are Sous Chefs in their father’s restaurant and complement their father’s unique sushi with brand new food creations highlighting the message that kosher food can taste as good as any world-class cuisine.
Being kosher and serving a community that firmly believes in the righteousness of kashrut, it is fair to say that 26 has a mission beyond simply providing culinary pleasure. The mission of 26 Sushi & Tapas is to provide spiritually motivated food, yet humanly inspired, within a peaceful atmosphere that cultivates community and family union.