Miami - October 16, 2009

Lemon Drop

Lemon Twist Bistro Opens

You roll your eyes at Hammer pants. And would never watch the new Melrose Place (okay, maybe once). Because everyone knows the second incarnation is never as good as the original.

In the case of Lemon Twist, it’s quite possibly better.

After years away from the resto game, the cozy Normandy Isle spot is back — well, its name is at least. New owner Alain Suissa decided to keep the moniker, because the original was so well liked. But everything else is shiny and new.

The concept is traditional French bistro: warm, classic, neighborhoody. Lace curtains cover the front windows, soft lighting illuminates deep garnet walls, and a tin ceiling hangs over a handsome bar. The food, cooked by a chef from Lyon, France, is equally comforting: authentic dishes such as loup de mer. Though, you can call it sea bass.

Just don’t call it a comeback.

Lemon Twist, 908 71st Street, North Miami Beach (305-865-6465).

Photo: Courtesy of Lemon Twist

  Cozy, Neighborhood Gem