Nikki Beach is a beautiful oasis and the food's a delight too

It had been a long time since I'd been to Nikki Beach but once I arrived for the Miami Spice lunch preview it was just as beautiful as I remembered it. Gleaming in off white with plenty of areas to lounge and several bars to grab a cocktail, the proximity to the beach made it all even better. Grabbing a table outside, even though it was very hot, was the only option because they're under quite a bit of construction inside but the strategically placed fans really did the trick. Honestly though, the view was pretty spectacular so we managed to survive the heat thanks to those fans.Looking over the Spice menu, it included all the classics, with simple and non-complicated food that really shined. It was a welcome change to the oftentimes repetitive food at other trendier restaurants.I hadn't had a rum runner in ages so went ahead and ordered that as my cocktail. They're as power packed as I remember and refreshing too on such a hot day. The color was like summer in a glass. The choice of appetizers was nice, my daughter and I ordered different ones so we could do a little sampling. She went with the fish tacos, in a light tempura batter topped with lime aiol, lettuce, tomato and avocado in a flour tortilla topped. They were light and crispy. I went with the chicken satay, a very generous portion of sesame marinated chicken strips served with Asian vegetables, a spicy peanut sauce and steamed Jasmine rice. The chicken was tender and flavorful but seriously, this could've been my entree. However for those, we chose Koh Samui Thai beef salad with tender marinated beef, Asian vegetables, hearty mixed greens, citrus, roasted cashew nuts and Thai dressing. It was tangy, zippy and crunchy. I went with the Mediterranean Branzino topped with a light beurre blanc sauce and served with grilled farm veggies and more of the steamed Jasmine rice. It was a nice light option for the hot day. Definitely took some of the rice home as there was plenty. Dessert was pretty straight forward, I had the vanilla infused creme brulee which was very nice and my daughter opted for the chocolate ganache cake. Can't go wrong with either of those classic choices.Nikki Beach, 1 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach (305) 538-1111