NeoPatrick

This next week I need to take something over to Hialeah (not far north of the airport) to be worked on for a few hours, before returning home to Naples in the late afternoon. Any suggestions for where to go for a great Cuban lunch? We've actually never been to Versailles -- which wouldn't be too far. Should we do that? Do want a little more atmosphere than the many great "hole-in-the-wall" places. Any other ideas?

amcc

Versailles definitely has more atmosphere. My husband works in Hialeah and he loves Las Delicias in the vicinity of W 49 st. and 4th Ave. Very typical and great "mariquitas" (plantain chips) he's telling me. I also like Larios, especially the one in South Miami. Excellent mojitos, nice patio, but it might be a bit too far just to grab some food.

My husband is also mentioning one called Chico's - he says it is the Versailles of Hialeah. Hialeah is one of the most Cuban areas of Miami.

NeoPatrick

Thanks, amcc. We're actually headed to Hialeah, but the eastern part --SE 11th Avenue, not that close to Chico's. I'm leaning towards Versailles, just because it's so famous and we've never been there.

I've been to Lario's on South Beach. Fun, but not so "authentic" as I think I'd like to do.

amcc

Although the South Beach one has its own vibe which caters to the South Beach atmosphere, the other Larios are "authentic" Cuban restaurants. But, I do think tht Versailles is closer to the airport and just as authentic, with a unique atmosphere. Just this past week, Fred Thompson and the anchors from a morning show were at Versailles sipping coffee at the coffee window. I recommend you do that if you want authentic - great coffee, lively conversation.

Peruvian is a food that is gaining ground here - I'd vote for Francesco, a Peruvian restaurant, as one of the best Gables restaurants right now. Maybe on another trip, you could check this genre out.

NeoPatrick

amcc, you'll appreciate this. My great niece graduated from Barry University in Miami two years ago and has stayed there. She is a private tutor of English as a foreign language for a corporation. Mainly she meets with South American businessmen, teaching one on one how to deal with business situations in English. She loves the job and much of it is being taken to wonderful lunches by all these South American businessmen. So I emailed her asking about this question -- thinking she'd know all the great South American spots. But she replied that they all only want to go to very American places, so she doesn't have a clue about the ethnic restaurants!

I don't think I'm allowed to drink Cuban coffee, however. I don't do sugar, and they seem to think it's a forbidden sin to omit sugar when drinking Cuban coffee. LOL

amcc

Coffee without sugar:

Un cafe sin azucar (espresso without sugar)

I like the following:

un cortadito sin azucar (espresso with a touch of milk, maybe evaporated milk)

They do it all the time without sugar - my boss and my dad always drink it like this.

LLindaC

I saw this post and had to answer. A couple years ago, we stayed at the Days Inn Miami Airport. It was the worst hotel I've ever seen in my life and not a great neighborhood either. We were just there awaiting a redeye flight. There was a Cuban restaurant 2 blocks away still on the main drag. It was the best Cuban food I've ever had in a very friendly fun restaurant. Worth trying to find.

NeoPatrick

Well, we had a great two hour lunch yesterday at Versailles. The place is fun. It was like a big party. So many locals would arrive and know other diners. Two people would get up and move to join friends who came in and spotted them. One party of four was already eating when friends came by. The waiters picked everything up and moved them all to a larger table.

I had a half boneless chicken marinated in mojo with a butter/lemon/shallot sauce. Lee did the "bolito"(?), beef potroast slices stuffed with chorizo and a thick gravy over it with oven browned potatoes. Both came with black beans and rice and plantains, as well as the wonderful garlic bread. And both dinners -- huge -- were $10.95.

The only bad part of the day was having to drive LeJeune Road past the airport FOUR times -- once to drop off at the workroom, then past it to get to Versailles, then back past it to pick up the material, then back past it again to go home! There were wrecks two of the four times almost completely blocking traffic, and slow moving traffic the other two times as well. Also got hung up by wrecks both coming and going along the south side of the airport!

But the stop at the Clyde Butcher gallery in the Everglades half way between Naples and Miami along with the lunch made it ALL worth it.

amcc

Glad you enjoyed it. It's one of those places "where the locals eat" that people on these boards always ask about where they travel. You saw a good slice of Cuban Miami. Lee had "boliche". I'm driving LeJeune this afternoon too, hope to have better luck than you. Thanks for the reminder about Clyde Butcher. We'll probably wait for the weather to cool off a little and do a trip out there one weekend.