Looking for best Cuban & best Tapas in Miami

[gritshunter]

We'll be visiting our son at the University of Miami next weekend and want to take him to some first rate Cuban retaurants. Also, we'd love to locate a great tapas place. We heard there is one in Coral Gables, near the campus, in a gas station???

[Frodnesor]

Best Cuban in Miami
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/132580

Best Tapas in Miami
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/454654

List of "Best" / "Tops" List
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/477263

The tapas place you're thinking of is El Carajo which is in the back of the Citgo gas station at 17th Ave. & US1. It has been one of my favorites but I heard rumors recently that the chef had left and some of my favorite dishes (i.e. the piquillo peppers stuffed w/ bacalao & topped w/ a squid ink sauce) were no longer available. There's another location on Red Road near intersection w/ Flagler.

[taiga]

Xixon.

[tarepanda]

I miss that dish too. I was there last week, saw the word pepper and ordered a similar dish, which was a total disappointment. My husband ordered a pork dish with sth wine in it that was so bad he didn't finish it. And that never happened with the previous chef.

Las Culabrinas in Coconut Grove is a good choice too.

[Frodnesor]

There's another El Carajo on Red Road which I'm going to try sometime to see if it's any good. I'm crushed to hear the one at the Citgo has declined.

[karmalaw]

to look for either -- just look using the search this forum feature.. both have been discussed extensively in this forum.

Best Cuban: Habana Vieja, 3622 Coral Way