Some stars shine on stage. Well, tonight\u2019s headliner grows bright in a garden. One South Florida dinner is turning a humble tomato into a feast. Our very own saucy guy, Alex Miranda, has more!<\/p>\n
What is a tomato\u2019s favorite dance? The salsa! At \u201cMad Arts,\u201d the tomato is taking center plate in an immersive dinner that\u2019s ripe for the picking. Forks up!<\/p>\n
Guest: \u201cI love tomatoes, but I\u2019ve never had tomatoes like this. I have a different relationship with tomatoes now because of tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
The folks at \u201cMad Arts\u201d in Dania Beach are taking a plump fruit and turning it into dinner\u2019s leading star.<\/p>\n
Amanda Deroxtra, events and community coordinator at Mad Arts: \u201cMad Arts is a little bit of everything. It is a community hub; it is an immersive and interactive art space. Currently, Mad Arts has 21 exhibits that you can come and explore. But that\u2019s constantly changing; we always have new and exciting things that are happening both locally and internationally.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yes, like, \u201cOde to Tomato.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amanda Deroxtra: \u201cWe have this incredibly exciting immersive dinner series that\u2019s happening in conjunction with Dine Out. It\u2019s really a nod to tomatoes, to the tomato season, but it even goes further because Dania Beach actually once was the largest tomato farm here in all of the southern United States.\u201d<\/p>\n
This six-course meal is complete with sensory experiences, and for three nights, guests can take in the creation of artists breaking into the scene\u2014like Mark Espinosa, who created the digital displays all around.<\/p>\n
Mark Espinosa, artist: \u201cWe had a lot of creative freedom with how we wanted to draw the tomatoes. We illustrated them in ways that we as artists can express ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark Espinosa: \u201cAs the guests are coming in, the bread would already be there. Then it transitions to salad; you\u2019ll see blooming flowers. You\u2019ll see foliage through these frames. I think it enhances the experience in general. I mean, food is, in my opinion, one of the most important art forms there is because it serves a lot of purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chef Sam Diaz has a lot planned for these juicy crops.<\/p>\n
Sam Diaz, chef at Mad Arts: \u201cI\u2019ve always held a special place in my heart with tomatoes. I\u2019m mad I get to eat them three months of a year when they\u2019re really good, and might as well highlight them and show my love for them. There\u2019s just a huge amount you can do with them, pastry-wise, pasta, everything; it\u2019s such a versatile fruit.\u201d<\/p>\n
And building a real tomato town around the dinner table is the expertise of Astrid Marie.<\/p>\n
Astrid Marie: \u201cI felt like it was very important to bring in physical assets into rooms that are kind of digital. And just incorporating the idea of this town. It\u2019s anthropomorphic tomatoes that live in these houses, and they all have little jobs and their own life. So the houses and the design of the room kind of reflects that. It follows no logic really, and I think that\u2019s one of the best things about this experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guest: \u201cIt\u2019s such a fun experience, definitely different from just going out to a random restaurant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOde To Tomato\u201d dining experience starts at $100. There are three special nights to choose from with the first one this Friday.<\/p>\n
FOR MORE INFO:
MAD ARTS: Ode to Tomato: An Immersive Seasonal Dinner Experience
Ode to Tomato: An Immersive Seasonal Dinner Experience<\/p>\n
Friday, August 7 | 7:00\u20139:00 PM
Friday, August 21 | 7:00\u20139:00 PM
Friday, August 28 | 7:00\u20139:00 PM<\/p>\n