South Beach Dining: Tap Tap

Slightly off the beaten path of South Beach, Tap Tap serves up delicious Haitian cuisine, and if you're lucky, great live music. Live music begins at 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Saturdays, making Tap Tap especially popular on these evenings. Don't worry about the wait though -- you can have a seat at the bar and enjoy tasty mojitos($5.50), cocktails and beers while you let your appetite grow. The walls are brightly painted, and it was encouraging that we were seated next to an American Airlines employee from Haiti -- how's that for an endorsement?

Our server was friendly and happy to make suggestions -- which we appreciated since we were unfamiliar with Haitian cuisine. When Dan asked about a couple of the whole fish dishes, she recommended an off-the-menu favorite: the fried whole yellowtail($15). We saw another table with the spinach in coconut milk($4) and she confirmed that this was a good choice. The conch creole($15) was tender and flavorful and a nice contrast to the crispy yellowtail. All main courses were served with rice and beans and fried sweet plaintains and portions were very generous. It was too bad we had eagerly devoured some fried acras and conch fritters for appetizers -- while tasty, they left too little room for the more delicious food that arrived after. Despite having to take a lot of our food to go, we couldn't resist a piece of sweet potato pie($6), which had a delicious earthy flavor and firm texture clearly distinguishing it from instipid American versions we've tried.

The crowd is a bit older (and wearing more clothing) than the typical South Beach folks, but the restaurant is located only 2 blocks from the popular Washington Avenue, making it a good choice for a reasonably priced meal before a night out.

Tap Tap
819 5th Street
South Beach
Miami, Florida
305- 672-2898