![]() Think a lot of fat, carbs, and proteins served in large portions. With an education from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami and the Culinary Association of the Republic of Cuba and time spent in the kitchens of Scarpetta at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Pubbelly Sushi, and Zuma, Porben was tasked with creating new dishes that tapped into his Cuban roots but emerged lighter and brighter on the plate. Significantly, the partners brought aboard Alejandro Porben as executive chef. ![]() Says Mena: "Through it, we saw a chance to elevate everything at Sala’o and reopen stronger than ever.” Mena tells New Times that, although the shutdown was "a difficult time for everyone in the restaurant and hospitality business," it did present an opportunity for a positive change. The restaurant closed for two months in the spring, then reopened in June with an expanded outdoor patio and a new food-and-beverage program. ![]() When COVID-19 brought dining-room closures and a precipitous drop in tourism, the ownership at Sala'o decided to revamp. Sala'o drew a lively crowd of tourists who flocked to Little Havana to visit Domino Park and sip daiquiris. The result, Sala'o Cuban Restaurant & Bar, opened in the summer of 2019 with a menu of fresh seafood, daiquiris, and a Hemingwayesque theme. Most recently, Earl Campos Devine, Oscar Rodriguez, and Eliesteban Mena, partners at Old's Havana Cuban Bar & Cocina, set out to open a restaurant that offered a more contemporary turn on Cuban fare. The past few years, however, have brought an influx of more adventurous and wide-ranging establishments, from chef-driven kitchens like Michelle Bernstein's at Cafe La Trova to tacos and tequila at El Santo and a curated beer selection at Union Beer Store. ![]() But until recently, the neighborhood was mostly filled with small cafés that specialized in basic Cuban comfort food. For decades, Calle Ocho has been known as the heart of Miami's Cuban culture. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |