Hubby wasn’t coming home for lunch on Friday, and I decided to “broaden my culinary horizons” on a solo adventure. So I walked out the back door of our condo, and I walked less than a block. And suddenly found myself in…HAVANA?
We’ve lived in our Fort Lauderdale neighborhood for at least six years, and we must have walked past this restaurant on Oakland Park Blvd a thousand times, but I’d never set foot in the Las Vegas Cuban Restaurant…until today.
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| By the time I left the restaurant…there were NO empty tables. |
The story of the Las Vegas “chain” of Cuban restaurants reads like a novel, so be sure to click on this link to their website for the amazing story of Antonio and Nilda Vilarino and their FIVE daughters!
My first impression? The place was spotless…and all the servers looked very professional in their starched white shirts and black neckties. I heard very little English spoken by the customers or the waitstaff, although the staff DID speak fluent English to me. It was like a trip to Cuba…no passport required!
I was seated immediately, and before I could open the menu, a smiling waiter appeared with a basket of warm, fresh, buttered Cuban bread.
Another server arrived to fill my water glass, and to take my order and answer any questions I might have. Since it was Friday, and it’s the Lenten season, I wanted to find a fish dish on the menu. I was happy to see one of their daily lunch specials was a fish fillet, served with rice and black beans, and fried plantains. BINGO! Order placed.
I was blown away by the quality of the food. And although the fish tasted better than ANY tilapia I’ve had…I could only assume the fish was tilapia since the meal price was so low. So imagine my shock and delight to be told the delicious fish was actually GROUPER…served with a fresh tropical slaw and a wedge of lime.
My ENTIRE LUNCH was $8.95!!!
A grouper fillet of this size would cost almost that much by itself at our local fish market…And I would have to cook it, and create side dishes to accompany it. So, for once, I was glad to have someone else do the cooking…and I did the eating. Gladly!
The seasoning in the beans was delicious, and the beans and sauce blended beautifully with the white rice.
And who needs dessert when these fried plantains tasted as sweet as sugar!
A perfect end to a perfect lunch. But don’t be surprised if NEXT time I try their flan…and maybe a Cafe con Leche. And I expect there WILL be a NEXT time. Maybe as soon as next Friday.
What an awesome trip…only steps away from our condo.
Who KNEW!?
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