Mother’s Day Miami style.

My daughter was in Florida recently and the two wild and crazy girls hit up Miami for an early Mother’s Day celebration.

We made the harrowing drive on I-95 and unintentionally synced it up with the qualifying round of the Formula One Miami race.

It felt as if we hit the checkered flag in Boca Raton and the 50 mile trek had us standing still at 80mph compared to all the others flying down the speedway  at 100mph.

We made it on time to our destination.

Boia De, the intimate Michelin-Star restaurant in Little Haiti/Buena Vista, uniquely located between a laundromat and medical center in a strip mall, is a hard to get reservation.

The food at the Italian inspired/seasonal new American restaurant is intoxicating, prepared by chef/owners Luciana Giangrandi (Scarpetta, NoMad, Carbone) and Alex Meyer (Animal, Son of a Gun, NoMad, Eleven Madison Park).

Boia De’s logo, a large pink neon exclamation point, signals you have arrived at the correct spot.

The restaurant is small (24 seats), but big on taste and character. Forest green paint and custom-designed wallpaper border the intimate dining room.

The staff is warm and welcoming and they even saved us a spot at the much in demand bar.

We started the Mother of all celebrations with sparkling rose and a Venetian Organic Orange Contact wine, Cargenega & Pinot Bianco ($18).

We watched the chef and staff effortlessly create tantalizing dishes.

We kicked things off with Luci’s Chopped Salad made with the freshest, chilled ingredients including perfectly dressed radicchio, lettuce, cannellini beans, peperoncini, and provolone cheese. ($20). We  ordered  a  half salad  and  it  was  just  right.

The Baby Artichokes, the newest menu item, were sautéed in brown butter with a lighter than air Hollandaise sauce and garnished with pinenuts ($19).

The Veal Sweetbreads were to die for served in a magically ingenuous carrot reduction with escarole and a hint of cumin ($23).

The Lamb Ribs Fra Diavola were prepared just right with a yogurt dipping sauce and spicy cucumber pickles ($30).

The pasta, Saffron Tagliatelle Alla Vongole, was perfection and unbelievably, it was gluten free, a process worked long and hard on to master the taste. The clams were divine and the leeks added a richness ($27).

The desserts were off the charts.

I am still fantasizing about the Chocolate Budino with hazelnut, salted caramel and creme fraiche. It was rich and beyond delicious ($12).

Our fabulous server, Blake, had a mini Crispy Tiramisu whipped up for us. Another fantasy flight. What makes the tiramisu crispy are the layers of Pavesini biscuits instead of soaked ladyfingers ($12).

Boia De is an unassuming gem in an unpretentious locale and a must for anyone desiring incredibly creative, superb food.

What exactly does Boia De mean? Well, it seems it’s an Italian phrase used to express surprise, along the lines of “Oh my!” and Oh my!, it is worthy!

Thanks to my fabulous daughter for a memorable Mother’s Day celebration.

Boia De 5205 NE 2nd Avenue Miami, Florida. Open daily 5:30-10:30pm. Reservations on Resy. Ample parking.