Miami has so many dining options and finding the unique with great food and ambience is what I strive for. I recently ate at Amara at Paraiso and the restaurant met all my expectations and more.

Located at Paraiso, a new development at Edgewater, Amara is the creation of James Beard Chef Michael Schwartz who owns Michaels Genuine in the design district.

Amara sits right on Biscayne Bay with an expansive view towards downtown, South Beach and Miami Beach. The restaurant has indoor dining with floor to ceiling large glass windows and doors which open to the vast outdoor dining space which has an upscale beach vibe. It is a serene setting with fantastic fresh local food and a relaxing ambience where one can savor the water views. I felt totally decompressed once I walked into the restaurant and gazed onto the mesmerizing view.

The food brings together Latin American favors and flair with an emphasis on the flame grill. The menu incorporates Latin and coastal ingredients to bring to fruition great tastes.

We started with the corn salad, house mixed salad and the smoked fish dip served with fried plantains. For our main courses we had flame grilled whole seabass served with the most delicious trio of side sauces, grilled grouper and the succulent chicken.

To end our meal, we had the pineapple upside down cake with homemade ice cream. Amara is a total dining experience from the Latin infused food, the off the charts view and the chic laid back ambience.