Ethnic dining experience and cultural authenticity

Ethnic Dining Experience

Miami has been socially and culturally driven by its Cuban community for the better part of five decades. The community has been built in two major waves, one following the Communist takeover of the island and the other during the Mariel Boatlift in 1980. The community is focused on the Little Havana neighborhood and Versailles Restaurant is an embodiment of old Cuba in the heart of the Calle Ocho strip. The restaurant drips character, from its characterful building and staff to the musicians to the authentic Cuban food. This essay will discuss the experience of dining at Versailles, a rich experience in ethnic dining.

A visit to Miami a few years ago was mostly for non-cultural purposes but it also afforded an opportunity to explore Calle Ocho and to indulge in some of the more accessible trappings of Miami Cuban culture. Without having been to Cuba it is difficult to ascertain exactly how authentic the experience is, but the experience at Miami's most famous Cuban restaurant Versailles is certainly unique and very different from what one would experience at a more typical American restaurant.

The class of a bygone era is evident immediately upon entering Versailles. The restaurant is decorated with chandeliers and etched mirrors, delivering a time warp experience into what a Cuban working class in the 1950s would have viewed as high style. Yet the basic furniture belies the establishment's status as a working-class institution rather than a hall of fine dining. Diners -- the restaurant is typically packed -- are crowded into simple tables with cafeteria chairs. The attempts at sophistication in light of such obvious working-class leanings would in other situations seem tacky but at Versailles this is not the case as everything about the look and feel of the restaurant is genuine.

Upon entering, a table can be arranged by the host. The wait staff are all neat in appearance, clean and sharp. The men wear crisp white shirts with aprons and black pants and ties. Yet they are casual and open as well. Spanish is the language of choice, and although English will suffice it seemed evident that the staff are friendlier to those speaking Spanish, although this could simply be because the Spanish-speakers are from the same Cuban community.

The menu at Versailles is quintessential Cuban cuisine. Pork is the dish of the day, every day, and in every way. Cubans take their pork is sandwich format -- including the famous medianoche and Cubano sandwiches -- but they also eat a variety of roast pork dishes as well. Chicken is also available, as are beef "steaks" which is often pounded flat and cooked well done. Side dishes are uniquely Cuban as well, including salty black beans, fried plantains, bread pressed flat, rice (with or without beans) and boiled yucca.

Desserts and drinks also reflect the Cuban cultural heritage. Desserts are simple and sweet, including Latin American staples such as flan and tres leches. Drinks include a variety of rum beverages, sweet non-alcoholic fruit drink options and a small list of wine and beer, neither of which are especially popular among rum-drinking Cubans. There was a conspicuous lack of cigars, however, perhaps a nod to modern American views on smoking in restaurants.

To finish the meal, it is an essential part of the experience that one has Cuban coffee. This can be obtained at your table, but Versailles also has a coffee counter outside, which is a more authentic experience. The coffee counter is a take-out window at which Cuban coffee can be ordered. The intent is that it is consumed on the spot. If one watches the locals, there is an entire system and lingo for ordering Cuban coffee at Versailles that can be difficult to penetrate without a strong working knowledge of Spanish. However, a simple shot can be ordered. The cost is absurdly cheap compared with espresso in most coffee shops, but the coffee counter at Versailles has very low overhead and high turnover. The coffee is thick and very sweet, and is consumed very quickly. The strength of the coffee lingers for hours afterwards, making it perhaps more appropriate for morning than for after-dinner, but when in Little Havana, one must do as the local Cubans do.

At Versailles, entertainment is provided with the food. The restaurant is not a dinner theatre, but troubadours roam the restaurant, strumming ballads for each table. These entertainers take requests for tips, so can serenade your loved one with mid-20th century standards like Besame Mucho and other such fare. The music throughout the restaurants adds to the ambiance, providing a more boisterous atmosphere than is typically encountered with the evening meal.

The boisterous aspect is further accentuated by the large number of families. Versailles may attract the occasional couple or solo diner, but most of the customers were in families or other large groups. Dining out is a social occasion in many cultures, Cuban among them. Everyone from grandparents to children sit at the same table, swapping stories and dining on copious amounts of salty pork product.