Kaori

Kaori is one of our favorite Brickell safe spaces. Exiting the chaos of Mary Brickell Village and walking up the stairs to its peaceful dining room is akin to stepping out of a blizzard and into a hot bath. Kaori has a broad, modern Asian menu—a slightly vague style of cuisine you’ll find butchered throughout Brickell. But Kaori pulls it off. Start with the sashimi or any of the seasonal vegetable dishes. And if you’re here with a group and want a showstopper entree, get the kurobuta kan-kan pork chop. The huge slab of pork has a nice mix of fatty and lean pieces, and comes with bao buns, lettuce wraps, and more tasty construction materials. The downstairs bar is a good place to linger if you don’t feel like facing the athleisure hordes of Brickell yet. 

photo credit: Courtesy Kaori