Latin Cafe

My friend nearly collapsed in a fit of despair when she realized that the La Carreta Restaurant in the Miami International Airport had been moved into the terminal beyond the security checkpoints. The Cuban restaurant had been the thing about the trip she was most excited about. Not the trip to Curacao. Not the six days scuba diving exploring unusual underwater sights. No, it was the Cuban restaurant in the Miami airport.

You can see the priorities of my friends are a little food-centric, to say the least.

Luckily, since I had to share a bed with this grumpy and hungry pal, the Latin Cafe was across the street from our hotel, where we would be staying for an overnight layover in Miami from Curacao en route to New York.

Their Yuquita Frita con Salsa de Cilantro (Yucca Fries with a Cilantro Aioli) matched La Carreta's in deliciousness, and soon my friend and myself (there may have been a rumble of discontent from yours truly as well) began to settle down from the feast of food that started to appear, plate after plate.


The Churrasco con Chimichurri was nicely charred on the outside yet still juicy inside. We all got shakes, and you can see W finished his in record time.

The Tronchos de Pescado a la Criolla was way way way too large. The portion for one could have served a family of four. My friend thought the fish was delicious and tender. I thought it tender but lacking in flavor and generally boring, but the only time I really order fish is at the amazing fish and chips joint in the West Village or at fancy restaurants like Aquavit or Blue Hill.


I had the Masas de Puerco Fritas. I can't believe the waitress said this was one of the most popular dishes, it was so incredibly boring. It tasted like boiled pork chunks that are then briefly flash fried with no real seasoning. Is this home cooking? Because if it is, my Cuban friends, I think you have far better options to claim as home cooking than this dish.

The fried sweet plantains were a bit too sweet for me, and the rice and beans were good but not mind blowing.

The food was good, but if I were to go back I'd focus on the appetizers. The restaurant salvaged our evening, and for that I'm grateful, and by the time I discovered "Dhani Jones Tackles the Globe" on the hotel television later that night, I felt doubly blessed.

Latin Cafe, 875 N.W. Le Jeune Road, Miami, Florida, 305-642-4700