Three Guys From Miami: Cuban Food - Travel - Culture - Cookbooks

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August 2006

"(This) hearty band of bon vivants offer a delicious array of Cuban-inspired foods accompanied by cultural anecdotes and off-the-wall humor. In the midst of dazzling photography capturing street scenes and food styling, the Three Guys tender 100 recipes. Each recipe comes with some entertaining banter between the three guys"

Many non-Cuban Americans tell us that they're planning a trip to some Mexican border town, like Tijuana. They want their kids to experience a foreign culture and practice their high school Spanish at the same time.

But why travel "south of the border" when south Florida offers all of that and more? Traveling to Miami is like going to another country -- without ever leaving the good old USA. We have a rich and diverse Cuban and Latin American-influenced culture with many people speaking Spanish as their primary language.

Miamians have their own customs and way of life, traditions brought here from Cuba and a dozen other Latin American countries. And you don't have to worry about drinking the water in Miami!

If you're traveling to Miami, check out our "Miami Insiders Guide" to the hottest city in Florida!

You can't come to Miami without enjoying the beach. Miami Beach, and in particular South Beach, offers a unique combination of swimming, sunbathing, entertainment, dining, exercise, and people watching.

Miami beaches stretch several miles from Haulover Beach to South Beach. If you are interested in swimming and sunbathing, take your pick of one of the many beaches. If you'd like to combine some sightseeing with your sunbathing, choose a Beach that's closer to the South Beach area.

There are many places along the beach where you can rent chairs and little tents that offer some shade when you get too hot. There are also several locations where you can rent wave runners for a little ocean fun.

South Beach has something extra: a dazzling array of restaurants, shops and clubs that line Ocean Drive. During the day, it is a people watcher's paradise. You will see many beautiful guys and girls skating by on rollerblades. There is also an endless stream of cars cruising the boulevard. Many people come to South Beach without a bathing suit.

You can take a walk along the beach, eat dinner at a great restaurant, and then spend the evening at one of South Beach's many clubs. There are many restaurants all along South Beach, offering everything from seafood to hamburgers and milkshakes. All offer sidewalk dining, and in South Beach, that's the best place to be.

The club scene is ever changing. However, long-time Ocean Drive hotspots include Mango's, the bar at the Clevelander, and one of our favorites, Nikki Beach.

Nikki Beach not only has a great restaurant, but the club scene at night is fantastic. It is the only club/restaurant that is right on the beach.

By day you'll see some of the hottest girls in Miami sunning on the hot sand. At night, there's music and dancing. The best day of the week is Sunday, when they host a weekly afternoon beach party.

There are several places in Miami that serve delicious fresh-squeezed juices. At the Palacio de los Jugos (Palace of Juices) they squeeze it to order right in front of your eyes. The juice is always fresh and very sweet at this funky little restaurant and market. Don't even think about coming to Miami without making a trip to the Palace of Juices!

On any Sunday in Miami the after-church crowds fill El Palacio de los Jugos. Outside at the walk-up window, everyone sips on tiny cups of hot Cuban coffee. Inside, in the front of the store, customers order freshly squeezed juices -- orange, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, mamey, and guanabana.

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Behind the counter in the front of the store, a heated glass cabinet is stacked with crispy fried chunks of pork and chicharrones, slices of pork belly. Like bacon, each slice includes a layer of skin, fat, and meat.

The meat is slow cooked, roasted, and lightly fried in the oil from the pig. You eat the entire chicharrón, and it's best to get all of the layers in every bite.

The Palace of Juices has another treat right next to the cash register -- a huge steaming caldron of freshly made Cuban tamales.

If you're thinking "hot tamales," you've got the wrong country. These are Cuban tamales and they are NOT spicy hot, just delicious!

Step to the rear of the store and you will find some great sandwiches and many hot dishes available for take-out.

There is nothing fancy, just good, solid country-style Cuban food, like picadillo, with ground beef, tomato, onions, green peppers and spices. Or vaca frita, tender beef shredded and fried and served swimming in a rich tomato-based sauce.

Or lechón asado, a pork leg marinated in mojo and slow roasted until the meat is literally falling off of the bone. The Palace of Juices is famous for delicious mariquitas -- thinly sliced plantain deep fried into crispy chips.

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Summers in Miami can be very, very hot! In July and August especially, the beaches are packed and quite frankly, the water is warm -- like bathwater! However, there is a great place to cool off in Miami. When it gets really hot in the summer you'll see many people at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables.

Part of the great architectural history of Coral Gables, the Venetian Pool was created from a rock quarry. The developers used the natural coral limestone from the quarry to build many of the fine homes along Coral Way in Coral Gables, and when they were done, they were left with one BIG hole in the ground.

The resulting pool holds more than 820,000 gallons of water that flows from a natural spring so it is always cool and refreshing (about 76 to 78 degrees year 'round). It's also very clean and chemical free. The water is so clean it looks emerald colored in the sunlight.

The pool area features great landscaping including ferns, tropical flowers, vines, bamboo, and some majestic royal and coconut palms.

There is also a nice white sand beach for sunbathing and the kids love exploring the caves at the edge of the pool and two waterfalls. The Venetian Pool also has a small café where you can choose from a selection of appetizers, salads, main dishes, and desserts.

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Calle Ocho is starting to come alive again with new developments that are revitalizing the area and making it more interesting and attractive for tourists and locals alike.

Just 25 years ago Calle Ocho was still vibrant and alive with the sights and sounds of Cuban culture. There were many restaurants, little shops, Cuban meat markets, and fruit stores. There were places to buy Cuban music, herbs and miracle cures (botánicas) and of course, several cigar factories.

Most impressive was the energy and the activity all along the street. Cubans rightfully view Little Havana with pride -- it is where many started their new lives in the United States.

However, over the years, the street lost a lot of its energy. Many Cubans moved out to Hialeah, Kendall, and Westchester. With the exodus, some of the life blood was drained from Little Havana. Shops and restaurants closed. Historic buildings were torn down and replaced with fast food restaurants. Much of what should have been preserved is now lost.

Over the years Calle Ocho has seen an influx of other Latin cultures. There are a lot of people and businesses from Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. They even started calling part of the Calle Ocho the "Latin Quarter" to reflect these changes. The mingling of cultures is very much a Miami thing. It's a great opportunity to taste some of the great foods from other Latin American cultures. You'll find several places in Little Havana now serving Nicaraguan and Salvadoran food. It's a wonderful melting pot of various cuisines.

What's the best way to see Little Havana? Why not start with breakfast or lunch in one of many excellent restaurants? It's a great start to a morning or afternoon of visiting nearby places such as Domino Park, the art galleries, souvenir stores, or a cigar factory.

Los Pinareños Frutería serves the best guarapo (sugar cane juice) in Little Havana. There's a small table inside where you can sit down and eat some great tamales and salsa, or the ever-changing lunch special, a bargain at around $3.00. Or just step up to the walk-up window for a cafecito at only 60 cents a cup.

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Every Saturday and Sunday, the parking lot at the Flagler Dog Track is filled with row upon row of people selling interesting things at bargain prices. You'll usually find more than 400 booths here. The market at Flagler is the largest flea market in Dade County.

You can get everything from a parakeet, to a "genuine" Gucci belt, to a complete set of cookware. The Flagler Flea Market also has a large farmer's market with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Even if you're just visiting Miami, some fresh fruit can make a delicious snack.

If you are really hungry, you can pick up treats like arepas from the Arepa Queen stand, seafood cocktails, and food from several other vendors. Many times you'll find live entertainment here to spice up your shopping.

Sometimes you just want to stop someplace where you don't have to get dressed up, the service and décor are casual, and the food is served quickly. We know, it sounds exactly like fast food! However, the there is a place in Miami that puts the American fast food goliaths to shame.

The place is called El Rey de las Fritas (The King of the Fritas) and it is a great place to stop in for a quick lunch or dinner. If you are in Little Havana and stop at that place with the Golden Arches, shame on you! You can eat plenty of McBurgers at home. Instead, why not try a Cuban hamburger?

The Cuban hamburger, called a frita, is a delicious spiced hamburger patty served on a bun covered with lettuce, onion, shoestring potatoes, and plenty of secret sauce.

El Rey de las Fritas makes just about the best frita in Miami. The meat is tender and juicy, the fries are hot and crispy, and their secret sauce is out of this world!

El Rey de las Fritas is a place that anyone can walk into and feel welcome. All of the menu items are presented in both Spanish and English with pictures.

Wash down that frita and fries with a delicious batido -- a Cuban shake. They make them here in the most typical flavors -- try mango!

If you can't make it to Little Havana, El Rey de las Fritas has two other convenient Miami locations.

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The first advance copies of our new book arrived on July 17. This first small delivery of books was immediately sent out to key media people and to several people who have supported our efforts over the years.

The rest of the books are on their way to the United States with an expected delivery date of August 25. If you have been waiting for your copy, the wait is slowly drawing to a close. Somehow we managed to be a month ahead of schedule on this book.

Our Kick-Off Weekend is scheduled for the last weekend in September:

September 30 -- Saturday

2:00 PM: Book Signing at Sentir Cubano

3100 SW 8th St.
Miami, FL 33135
Four blocks east of Versailles Restaurant.

October 1 -- Sunday

CBS 4 Sunday Morning with Eliott Rodriguez

11:00 AM on Miami CBS 4

October 2 -- Monday

11:00 a.m. to NOON

Live interview on FOOD & WINE TALK
with Carole Kotkin and Simone Diament on 88.9 FM WDNA Radio Miami.

Listen to the webcast at: http://www.wdna.org!

Tony Mendoza is one of the premier Cuban artists in Miami. His simple, vibrant style captures the essence of Cuban culture. Visit his website: TonyMendozaArt.com.