A Respite in Miami

I always love visiting Herbert and feeding off his energy. He has already made some changes to Villa Moderne since our last visit, and his home is even more gorgeous than before. He chauffeured me around to complete a few remaining errands, and then we picked up Tim and headed for lunch.

Herbert and Villa Moderne

We may have already started our visits to foreign countries, since we had lunch in "North Cuba," at Versailles Restaurant. The restaurant’s website describes this institution perfectly:

Versailles Restaurant, known as the World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant, has been serving Cuban cuisine and culture to the local and international community for over five decades. Soon after it opened its doors in 1971, Versailles became the gathering place and unofficial town square for Miami’s Cuban exile. . . . The restaurant is a favorite amongst celebrities and politicians to garner support from the Hispanic community, and the media for gathering commentary and footage on social and political issues.

Versailles Restaurant

Herbert arrived in Miami from Cuba when he was seven years old, and I stayed with his parents when I first moved to Miami in 1981. I fell in love with Cuban food then, and it’s one of the things I miss about this city.

Tim and I had typical Cuban dishes, including Plantain Chips, a traditional Cuban sandwich for me, and a Croquetas Preparada sandwich for Tim, with Flan de Queso and Tres Leches cake for dessert. It was all delicious. I even finished my meal with a Café Cubano, a sweet and strong coffee made by mixing sugar with espresso to create a thick, sweet foam

It was so nice to mostly relax today, complete a few last-minute items, and prepare to board our ship tomorrow.