Maison Ostrow Kosher French Restaurant Rewrites Fine Dining Rules

Maison Ostrow kosher French restaurant in North Bay Village is proving that French and kosher can go together. Paris born chef Olivia Ostrow opened it last year. She and her French trained staff work full time on kosher versions of classic dishes. Her rule is simple. If it does not taste like a Paris restaurant that is not kosher, she does not want it on the table.

Maison Ostrow Kosher French Restaurant Takes On a Culinary Minefield

French cuisine relies on bacon, ham, lard, oysters, shrimp and crab. It also mixes meat and dairy in steaks basted in butter and sauces built on cream. Those habits clash with kosher rules. Kosher restaurants separate meat and milk and avoid pork and shellfish. They also close on Jewish holidays and the Sabbath.

Nothing at Maison Ostrow contains dairy or any non kosher ingredient. The Orthodox Rabbinical Board of Broward and Palm Beach Counties certifies the restaurant. The menu features Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Cordon Bleu, French onion soup and Canard à l'Orange.

Dairy Free Butters and Kosher Fine Dining South Florida

Ostrow says her authentic flavors come from dairy free butters and cheeses. She declined to share the ingredients. She also uses duck fat to fry, brown and sear. She calls it a fine ingredient with centuries of culinary history, not just a stand in for lard.

Elan Kornblum, publisher of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine, praised dishes such as Veal Chop Provençale. He noted that the kitchen makes its own veal ham. That lets it serve a French ham and butter sandwich. He called the six flavors of non dairy butter already legendary.

The Challenge of Kosher French Desserts

Desserts are hard because eclairs, mousses and tarts usually need butter or cream. Ostrow said you cannot simply swap in margarine and expect the same result. It takes technique, creativity and a lot of testing. Recent offerings included a Signature Chocolate Mousse and a Financier made with almond butter cake and strawberry coulis.

Olivia Ostrow Chef Background

Ostrow, 51, has lived and cooked in the United States, France and Israel. Her father, Daniel Binn, ran a French restaurant in Greensboro, North Carolina. She settled in Miami more than 20 years ago. In 2023 she opened Ostrow Brasserie in Buena Vista. She closed it to build a more refined restaurant. She opened Maison Ostrow three months after finding the North Bay Village space.

New Ventures and a Growing Kosher Scene

Ostrow Privé supplies kosher food for yachts, jets and private events. Maison Baguette is expected to open in Aventura in November. In May, Mutra in North Miami became the first kosher restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star. Together, these projects show kosher cuisine is far from restrictive.

Maison Ostrow is at 1666 79th St. Causeway, Suite 102, North Bay Village. Readers can find more restaurant news on our site. To see the menu, visit the official Maison Ostrow website.