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REVIEW
1
"Versailles feels much like any number of Miami restaurants
that cater to the Cuban community..."
REVIEW
2
"The garlic chicken alone is reason enough to come here,
and is indeed what most diners set out for..."
REVIEW
3
"A casual eatery where splashy, colorful decor and long
waits go hand-in-hand, Versailles -- which makes historical
reference to the period of Cuban prosperity following the
1763 signing of the Treaty of Versailles..."
REVIEW
4
"Versailles is only a heartbeat away from the way Cuba
used to be..."
REVIEW
5
"L.A.'s best, jammed with those who come for the best
broiled garlic chicken imaginable..."
REVIEW
6
"You see, the food here is great, and the portions are
enormous..."
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REVIEW
4
Daily Bruin, 1999
Online
Link
Versailles
combines delightful atmosphere, affordable prices RESTAURANT:
Patrons will love large portions, flavorful Cuban cuisine
By
Megan Dickerson
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
These
days it seems like a hungry person can get Cuban food anywhere
but Cuba. So what can a conscientious eater do?
Eat
at Versailles Restaurant on Venice Boulevard, one in a chain
of four Southern California Cuban restaurants.
Face
it - you're not going to Cuba, no matter what the musical
"Guys and Dolls" may tell you. Those born in Cuba aren't even
going to Cuba. Unless you're Madonna and can gain a private
audience with Commandante Castro himself, the closest you'll
get to Cuba is Versailles.
The
spacious dining room at the Venice Boulevard Cuban restaurant
is a little bit of Havana. The music recalls the Buena Vista
Social Club, while the bustling setting will make you want
to order two dulce du leches.
All
that you see at Versailles is well within a college student's
budget, with prices rivaling any quality sit-down establishment.
In fact, dorm residents have been known to escape the dining
halls by obtaining a take-out meal of the restaurant's famous
garlic chicken. When the music's jumping and the prices won't
drain your pockets, you know that a restaurant's a keeper.
Versailles
is Cuba in a very L.A. way. Sure, much of the ambiance whispers
the isle - waiters wear crisp white guayaberras, there's a
jug of grated coconut behind the bar and the smell of bananas
wafts from every plate. But look up and you'll see that the
wood-paneled walls are covered with photos of celebrities,
some Latino or Latina, some seemingly chosen at random. Versailles
is Jerry's Deli with a twist of lime, the Formosa Cafe con
platanos.
Granted,
the celebrities smiling in black and white from Versailles'
L-shaped dining room aren't always on the A-list (Los Mismos,
anyone?), but the familiarity only makes it better. For a
good Cuban meal, you want a comfortable atmosphere, attentive
service and a photo of Jimmy Smits staring at your red-checkered
table. Versailles gives diners that, and more.
Take
the dorm residents at their word -- the garlic chicken is
why diners come to Versailles. The meat is tangy but not too
strong, moist but never greasy. At $6.95, it comes accompanied
by a bed of white rice, fried bananas and a bowl of black
beans. Pair it with an appetizer of pleasing ham croquettes
(two for $2) and a sweet banana milkshake, and there's no
turning back.
For
dessert, the flan ($1.95) is the best bet; those who try the
guava or coconut dishes had better have a strong sweet tooth.
Like
every culinary mix, not all the food is astounding -- the
bistec empanizado (breaded steak, $7.95), for instance, is
tender but lacking in flavor. The fried bananas, too, could
be a little sweeter. But with an inexpensive menu that samples
both Cuban and Spanish foods, there is room for experimentation
-- go ahead and try the paella ($15) one night, a side of
Cuban tamale the next ($2.50). Hell, you can even try a plantain
banana omelette, called a tortilla in Spain ($5.25).
Suddenly,
as you enjoy your Ironbeer soda, the lights will dim and a
crowd of waiters will rally around a table. It's the normal
"Happy Birthday" courtesy operation, but it seems to envelope
the whole restaurant. Get used to it -- the "Happy Birthday
Pepito" ritual may occur three or four times for different
patrons during a single meal. It's all in the family. Friends
pose for pictures, servers joke around at the bar, and the
rest of the patrons try to figure out why a Cuban restaurant
named itself after a palace in France. This thought process
involves neglecting your steaming plate of black beans and
garlic chicken to think back to the Spanish occupation of
Cuba.
Following
the 1763 Treaty of Paris, signed in the palace of Versailles,
everything got a little better for the Cubans -- the population
grew five times its size, new rules encouraged cultural activity,
and Spain loosened its firm grip on trade. In other words,
these were happy times in Cuba -- or so the history books
say.
Hence,
the restaurants of Versailles. This era of good feeling makes
diners forget about the current hardships in Cuba, eat camarones
and enjoy the best pollo azado.
And
for a moment, Versailles is only a heartbeat away from the
way Cuba used to be.
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