If you have never been to a Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine restaurant or are just unfamiliar with their American dream come true story, read up on it on their website. To sum it up: The Vilariño family was among the fortunate 126,000 to come to the U.S. through the Mariel Boat Lift in 1980. In 1984, Antonio, his wife Nilda, and their five daughters bought their first restaurant, Las Vegas in Hollywood and the rest is history!

I have been to other Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine locations in Miami but this one, located in Downtown Doral, was the most impressive. We went for a special occasion, my great-uncle’s 83rd birthday and had a blast.

Downtown Doral is fairly new and has become a trendy place to live, dine, and shop. This Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine location goes perfectly with the aesthetic of Miami’s new premier town center.

The place was beautifully and tastefully decorated. It had a Cuban feel without being too cheesy or loud. I loved the lantern-like lamps, flower decorations, and artwork.

To drink, I tried their house-made Sangria and it was divine. Only con was that I drank it rather quickly and was sad when it ended.

As a starter, we ordered mariquitas (green plantains) and they were nice and crunchy. The garlic mixture sauce (used for dipping) was perfect! The consistency and taste paired well with the crispy green plantain chips.

For dinner, I had the Chimichurri Chicken (Pollo al Chimichurri) with rice, beans, and fried sweet plantains. The chicken was great – juicy with great flavor! It was so good that I ate all of my food and had no leftovers for the next day:(

For once, everyone loved his or her dishes. Typically when we go to a Cuban restaurant, we find something to complain about (i.e. the steak was cooked wrong, the breading falls off the meat, the chicken is dry, the tostones are soggy, etc.). This time, we were all content. My Dad loved his Churrasco (Skirt Steak); my Mom enjoyed her Bistec Empanizado (Breaded Steak) a fair amount considering it was not made at home; my Sister devoured her Pollo a la Milanesa (Chicken Milanese). For those of you who love tostones, Las Vegas makes their own and they are great (thin & crunchy).

After eating our meals, we sang Happy Birthday to my adorable Great-Uncle. Can you believe he is 83-years-old? He looks incredible. I mean, look at his skin!

Until next time,

Caylin