Revitalized urban hotspot Downtown Dadeland in Pinecrest, Florida, continues solidifying its place as a culinary destination with the launch of Ghee Indian Kitchen, a chef-driven restaurant concept expected to open in December. Owned and operated by Chef Niven Patel and wife Shivani Patel, the farm-to-table establishment will encompass traditional Indian home cooking while using locally sourced ingredients from artisan purveyors along with a variety of fresh produce from the couple’s 2-acre Homestead farm.
“Ghee means pure and has a symbolic meaning both spiritually and in the kitchen of an Indian home,” says Chef Niven Patel. “I want to share with my guests true Indian cuisine with dishes that incorporate modern techniques with traditional Indian-style cooking.”
The restaurant will feature a seasonal menu printed daily depending on what crops are ripe and ready to be picked. Among the ingredients that will frequent Ghee’s menu are Indian vegetables such as: colocasia leaves (elephant ears), purple potato, ivy gourd, fenugreek leaf, curry leaf and a variety of homegrown herb blends and spices. One of the restaurant’s signature staples will be Patra, a vegetarian dish made with elephant ears, chick pea paste, lemon juice, dried chilies, sesame seeds and a variety of other spices, which are then rolled and fried.
Ghee will also feature a beverage program in which handcrafted sodas are made by blending fresh pressed sugar cane through a circular cylinder press with a variety of other ingredients creating a diverse selection of flavors.
“We want our guests to walk into Ghee with the sense of entering our home, and we want them to feel at home,” adds Shivani Patel, co-owner of Ghee. “We want them to smell the aromas and spices and get more engaged in their meal. Niven always encourages our cooks to ask questions and to be inquisitive if there is something that they don’t know, and we want our guests to do the same.”
Ghee is the newest establishment to be added to Downtown Dadeland’s culinary lineup through a joint venture between Pebb Capital and Duncan Hillsley Capital established in 2014.
“Ghee is going to bring something fresh and unique to Downtown Dadeland by further expanding our culinary offerings and attracting a more diverse demographic,” says Shane Hillsley, managing director of Duncan Hillsley Capital. “Authentic Indian food is hard to find in Miami. Niven has an impressive work portfolio, which includes serving as the executive chef at the famous Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink for three years. We are confident that he is going to make this restaurant a hit.”
Rafael Romero, CCIM, and Steven Henenfeld of Continental Real Estate Companies (CREC) represented the landlord Downtown Dadeland in the transaction.
“With the continued revitalization of Downtown Dadeland, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on bringing chef-driven restaurant concepts to the area to create a long-awaited escape near home for residents of Pinecrest, Kendall, Coral Gables and South Miami,” says Rafael Romero, CCIM, vice president of CREC. “Ghee fits in with our vision of creating a culinary and lifestyle destination at Downtown Dadeland, and we are excited to see how it will continue to reshape the area.”
Downtown Dadeland is in the process of adding a number of new retailers to its 127,635 square feet of retail space with the most recent additions including: The Brick, Faith & Pizza, Barley an American Brasserie, Nanndi Frozen Cream & Pastry Shop and Orangetheory Fitness. Downtown Dadeland provides a vibrant urban destination with its diverse roster of dining, shopping, and health, and fitness tenants.
