Whisking Up Some Southern Comfort

Our Rating: A+

There is no denying that southern cuisine is absolutely unparalleled in the way it blends comfort and flavor. However (ironically enough), it is surprisingly difficult to find good southern food in Miami. Fortunately for all of us who may or may not have a slight dependency on cornbread and grits, Whisk exists. From their takes on classic southern meals to their own unique culinary creations, Whisk reminds us how a little southern flair can go a long way.

When it comes to the menu, Whisk has absolutely everything that a southern restaurant should have and more. Almost every classic southern food is offered: warm cornbread, buttermilk fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, mac ‘n’ cheese, etc. Each of these dishes are made to order with such attention to detail that it is arguably even better than getting a home cooked meal. However, the best item on the menu has to be the shrimp and grits. An astounding homage to traditional southern cooking, Whisk’s shrimp and grits stir up feelings of comfort and extreme satisfaction from the first bite. The grits are cooked to perfection, achieving a buttery and silky texture that is a sign of grits-cooking mastery. Carefully layered on top are the shrimp, a key component that not only brings a lighter side to the dish, but also carries so much flavor. The shrimp and grits owe its smokiness to the crumbled bacon, and the shrimp themselves have just the right spice blend and are never overcooked. Finally, the mushrooms and scallions in the gravy bring the dish together as they are poured over everything- the finishing touch to the work of art that is Whisk’s shrimp and grits.

“I’ve been to the South and I still firmly believe that Whisk makes the best grits,” senior Catherine Healy said.

However, the beauty of Whisk is that it doesn’t strictly serve southern cuisine. Whisk provides a menu filled with other dishes and sides that don’t necessarily fall under the category of “southern,” but are nevertheless absolutely incredible. A perfect example is Whisk’s Pulled Pork Burrito. Even though burritos are typically considered Tex-Mex, to this day there are few other restaurants that have been able to create a burrito nearly as delicious; house-made pulled pork, black beans, jasmine rice, muenster cheese, peppadew cream, pico de gallo and avocado are perfectly swaddled in a warm tortilla, and then the whole thing is toasted to perfection. The burrito is served with a freshly made batch of tortilla chips and avocado salsa. In my personal opinion, this burrito beats out Chipotle’s any day of the week, and I adore Chipotle.

The lunch and dinner menus should be more than enough reasons to go, but one can not simply talk about Whisk without acknowledging the brunch menu. Nowadays, brunch has become a sort of fad that has lead restaurants to hastily create brunch menus that are mediocre at best and rely on the appearance of the food instead of the quality; that way, the restaurants gain the popularity that they so covet across social media platforms. Whisk is a notable exception: they never sacrifice taste for looks. Their finely crafted brunch menu features items such as Papa’s Buttermilk Pancakes (which are sweet, nutty, fluffy and more or less the size of your plate), the Gnarly Biscuit B.E.C. “Sandwich” (a  buttery freshly baked biscuit served warm, smothered in sausage gravy and topped with an egg), and Huevos Rancheros (crispy tortillas layered with black beans, avocado salsa, pickled onions, pico de gallo and two eggs). The menus change seasonally and there are always daily specials, making the dining experience unique each visit.

“I love brunch and everything about brunch and the pancakes are definitely worth waiting for,” junior Karina Wu said.

It is hard to believe that Whisk started off as a tiny hole-in-the-wall catering company, only offering a few seats in the tight space. Now, Whisk is located behind a small strip mall in South Miami right near Sunset Place and is a full-fledged restaurant. The ambiance is casual and the friendly waiters always go out of their way to ensure that you are satisfied with your dining experience. When it comes to price, Whisk may be a little over the average high school student’s budget, but definitely not over priced when considering the quality of the food. Whisk also proudly uses local and organic ingredients in everything they make.

Overall, Whisk is an excellent dining experience for both those of us who are southern food aficionados and those of us who happen to just enjoy it occasionally. The next time you are undecided on where to go eat, do yourself a favor and go to Whisk- it is worth every penny. Side note: go on Fridays for the burger special- the burger changes every Friday and will be the best burger you have ever had every time (get the Parmesan house made chips on the side for the complete experience).