Mutra – named for Executive Chef/Owner Raz Shabtai’s beloved grandmother and his culinary inspiration – is now open for limited reservations at 2188 NE 123 Street. Mutra, which translates to “rain of blessings,” is a dining concept from the Israeli-born chef featuring a farm-to-table ethos based on the chef’s reverence for local farmers and purveyors, Shabtai draws from great culinary traditions from around the globe, many of which can be found in his hometown of Jerusalem. One of the world’s true melting pots, Israel is also home to the flavors and traditions these immigrants brought with them – an eclectic hub for the spices, indigenous ingredients and Old World recipes. To that end, it’s no surprise that when pressed to asked to define his cuisine, Chef Shabtai credits Levantine, Galilean/North Israel, and Baladi influences.
Shabtai, whose mantra for Mutra is “food is holy,” is excited to bring these diverse flavors to Miami and add a twist to beloved dishes for savvy diners hungry for something different. Says the chef in a statement, “For Mutra, we’re taking the traditional dishes that we grew up on, food that my grandmother made and we ate as kids and making something new from it. For example, my grandmother grew up in Tunisia, where fricassee was a very popular sandwich, served on fried bread like a donut and stuffed with harissa, lemon, potatoes, tuna from the can, cooked carrots, and chopped salad. What we will do at Mutra is honor the past but cook forward, if you like. For my version of this dish, I sub in the fresh catch of the day, as we work with local fishermen, and will use special techniques to elevate it.”
Currently, Mutra is open nightly Sunday through Wednesday from 6PM to 10:30PM and until 11PM on Thursdays. Everything is made in-house in the scratch kitchen, with fresh ingredients sourced from local farms. Music is curated by Shabtai to match the cuisine, lending to an overall sensory experience. The dynamic menu is a glimpse into the chef’s creative and exuberant spirit featuring dishes such as Beet 3 Ways Salad with vegan tzatziki, pickled beets, grilled beets, ribbons of torched beets, Kalamata olives, chermoula salsa, B&W Farms tiny arugula, radish, “angel hair” scallion, black olive powder, and candied almonds; and 1 Perfect Falafel – Falafel croquette, Tahi-amba, tomato gel, Israeli salad, zaatar, pickled red onion, and micro cilantro. There is also the ethereal Chicken Liver Dreaming to Become Foie Gras: chicken liver pate, silan date honey, crunchy shallot, pistachio crumble, cornichon, and grilled bread; 1000 Layers Steak with Tahi-amba, burn salad, Anaheim hot pepper and grilled pita; and Uzbeki Seniya – lamb kebab, Har Bracha tahini, roasted red onion, sweet harissa, amba, tomato foam and Uzbeki apricot salad.
Desserts created by Pastry Chef Stav Stephanie Hayun transport diners straight to the evocative flavors of the Middle East with dishes such as Frishman Malabi – coconut custard with rose water, pistachio crumble, rose syrup, and coconut flakes – and Katayef, a deliciously refreshing taste of Issac’s lemon gelato, caramelized nuts, sumac and simple syrup.
Chef Shabtai plans to introduce new dishes as the restaurant finds its stride, sharing a new culinary masterpiece weekly.
Spanning 2,150 square feet, with seating for 60 in a spacious dining room surrounding a big open kitchen, guests get to enjoy the action whether seated at the bar, in the dining room, or at an elegant family-style captain’s table perfect for larger groups, nestled behind a wall.
Shabtai (40) has no formal kitchen education, learning his way by watching his grandmother – first, seated on the kitchen counter as a young boy inhaling the smells and watching her work, and then by her side as he got older – his love for her and the food and nourishment she provided one and the same. Starting as a young teenager, he has worked in every aspect of the restaurant industry, working his way up the ranks both front and back of house – dishwasher, busboy, server, cold line, hot line, bartender, and liquor salesman. That translated into high-level culinary positions in Israel and New York, – invited by Meir Adoni, a well-renowned Israeli chef, to open Nur, an instant sensation in the city’s Flatiron District in 2018, followed by stints at Alenbi, Basta, Raphael, Le Relais Jaffa and other cutting-edge restaurants between New York and Israel. A stint as a private chef, servicing well-known celebrities and high net-worth figures, followed and prompted a move to Miami, where Shabtai saw the food landscape as ripe for innovation. He spent a year searching for the perfect location and found it with the assistance of Noa Figari, a realtor who became so enthralled with Shabtai’s vision that she now runs the operation and business development of Gourmet Hospitality Group, Mutra’s parent company. Another integral piece of the puzzle is Michael Werzberger, a businessman from New York who initially hired Raz as a private chef and became such a fan of his culinary creations that he decided to invest. Michael is deeply passionate about transforming the kosher dining experience while redefining an upscale yet approachable hospitality environment.
Mutra aims to deliver an unparalleled dining experience with the freshest farm-to-table ingredients. With a focus on sustainability and creativity, Mutra is where the old meets the new, creating a truly unique dining atmosphere and redefining the concept of kosher as more about healthy eating than anything else.
The central image in the restaurant is that of Mutra herself from her wedding day. “By putting my grandmother’s name on this restaurant, I am ensuring that there is no compromise, and I must perform at my best to deliver the most incredible experience I can – to live up to her memory and her cooking.”
Mutra is located at 2188 NE 123 Street in North Miami. Reservations are encouraged and can be made through Resy.
