let me be honest - Brickell is not my favorite neighborhood. I just can't hold back an eye-roll or audible groan when I find out I have to go there, no matter the reason. But I electively and cheerfully accepted an invitation to Marion, a new restaurant in Brickell when I saw some photos of the interior decor. Had I read the menu at the time, I probably would have agreed to walk on my hands from my house in Coral Gables to Marion.

Let me jump forward a bit: they have a CHEESE CART. Order cheese and a cart is rolled over with generous hunks of white, orange, yellow, soft, hard, creamy, goats, sheep and cow cheese, glorious cheese are rolled over and cut infront of you for your cheese tray. I know I'm not the only one out there having a very serious cheese tray moment. At this point I expect I've convinced at least a handful of my fellow turophiles (that's cheese lovers for all you cheeseballs like me).

Marion was put together by a very clever team who brought in people who are good at what they do - the menu is by Chef Jean Paul Lourdes, who has Michelin chops and an international resume, the graphics are by Happy Menocal, an illustrator who's a Vogue favorite and pops up on all the fashion and design blogs I follow regularly, and the interiors are by the team behind the Surf Lodge in Montauk (another pretty thing that pops up on my feeds regularly), and the drinks by BarLab - oh and they brought Nicole Franzen in to shoot the space.

The space is just as nice as it looks as it does in these photos. I didn't bother to take any (besides what popped up on my Instagram - @miaminicemag) because I knew I'd get better "official" shots down the line, oh and I was busy stuffing my face with:

oysters

piquillo peppers stuffed with mahon cheese

the aforementioned cheese tray served with quince paste and local honeycomb

heirloom artichokes served with pink grapefruit and pine nuts

cacio e pepe

oh, plus a cappuccino and a pastry.

There were so many delicious things on the menu, a blend of European market with local ingredients (and lots of vegetarian options!), that I planned out what I would have next time I was there while I was eating my meal. I will definitely get a paella (they have 3 versions, for 2-3 people) and the pissaladiere with caramelized onion and anchovies (because I'm also having a major anchovy moment).

And I will be back for that soon. Plus another order from the cheese tray cart.

Photos by Nicole Franzen

1111 sw 1st ave

merci marion!