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The Versailles Restaurant Cookbook

“One sip of their Cuban coffee will keep you up for a week, which is perfect—that way you can have their delicioso desayuno every day.”—Sunny Anderson, Food Network “Now—finally—this wonderful collection of insightful stories and priceless recipes . . . Qué maravilla!”—John Quiñones, ABC News “If you haven’t tasted Versailles, you don’t know Miami.”—Pamela Silva Conde, Univision “How brilliant to be able to take Versailles home!”—Daisy Olivera, former Miami Herald columnist “What is a trip to Miami without a Cuban sandwich from this Little Havana landmark?”—Chef Art Smith Featured on the Food Network, the Travel Channel, and CNN and named by Time as one of the top ten places to visit in Miami, Versailles Restaurant has been at the heart of the Cuban-American community for decades. Presidents, politicians, and pop stars routinely stop in for a meal and a photo op.In 1971, Felipe Valls Sr. opened Versailles in Miami’s Little Havana, fulfilling his vision to create a Cuban hub—a place where friends and families could get together to enjoy high quality food at affordable prices. The restaurant’s success still hinges on this premise.The Versailles Restaurant Cookbook features some of the most beloved recipes from this Miami institution, including fried yuca, vaca frita (shredded beef with onions), lechón asado (roast pork), ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce), guava pie, and, of course, the one, the only, the original Cuban sandwich. The simplicity of Cuban cuisine makes it surprisingly easy to prepare these bold and savory dishes for which the restaurant is renowned.           Ask the die-hard patrons of Versailles why it is their favorite restaurant for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a post-party snack at 2 a.m., and they’ll tell you they keep coming back for the tortilla (potato omelet), the plantain chips with mojo, the croquettes, the moros (mixed black beans and rice), and the rabo encendido (oxtail stew). These flavorful recipes have been passed down through the Valls family for generations; they are the traditional dishes abuela used to make.Versailles is indeed more than just a celebrated restaurant. For many it is a home away from home—a place where people from all backgrounds congregate to enjoy great food while discussing work, politics, and daily life. This amazing cookbook helps amateur chefs everywhere re-create that same warm feeling right at their own dinner tables.  

Hardcover: 192 pages

Publisher: University Press of Florida (September 9, 2014)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0813049784

ISBN-13: 978-0813049786

Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.8 x 10 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #132,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #18 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Caribbean & West Indian #29 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > European > Spanish #1980 in Books > History > Americas > United States > State & Local

When I heard that Versailles Restaurant, the de facto epicenter of Cuban Cuisine & Culture in South Florida was publishing a cookbook of its famous, home-style recipes, I admit that I became a little giddy. I live about 20 minutes away from Versailles. With traffic. In the 40+ years that I’ve lived in South Florida, I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve indulged myself in, and dragged out of town visitors to Versailles. You want a taste of the real Miami? Skip South Beach – trek to Little Havana and Calle Ocho!Which is not to say that I didn’t have one major bone to pick with the cookbook. While there are many classic and famous desserts represented, there is not a single pastry recipe in the entire book. In fact, whenever a pastry crust is required for something like an empanada, you are instructed to purchase refrigerated pie dough. The caption under the photograph for the Santiago-Style Chicken Pie on Page 37 explains it: “This recipe is a little different… in that it uses refrigerated pie crust. The pastry made at the bakery is too labor intensive to include here...” [emphasis added by me]. Personally, I find that statement to be a bit disingenuous and condescending. It assumes that the reader is either too lazy or incapable of making a pastry crust. Perhaps it’s a secret recipe. That’s fine, but my feeling is, either give us the complete recipe, or don’t include it in the book and insult the reader/cook simultaneously.Overall, I prepared at least 6 or 7 recipes from the cookbook, and while (for my own personal taste) I might cut back a bit on the oil and salt, I was very happy with the results. I found the instructions clear and logical. Before long, I had a taste of Versailles coming out of my own kitchen!

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