As a Cuban-American, food is a big part of my culture and my identity. Whenever I feel stressed, I crave Cuban food. Specifically, I crave my grandmother’s cooking. She always used to say, “Food is life. Food is love. What is life without food and love?” So take it from a true Cubana, Versailles is authentic Cuban cuisine.
Versailles has four locations: Encino, Downtown L.A., Culver City and Manhattan Beach. I usually go to the Encino location because it’s closest.
Now the question remains: What do I order?
I often stick with the classic Arroz con Pollo, which is chicken and rice. It may seem basic; however, it is anything but ordinary. The chicken has been slow-roasted in the kitchen for hours, and the skin and meat fall off the bone. The chicken is not just a boneless skinless chicken breast; all parts of the breast are included because that’s what adds all the flavor. Who wants flavorless chicken?
The chicken is served on a bed of perfect yellow rice with pimentos and peas. The sides not only add color to the dish, but help to balance out the starch and protein heavy meal. The perfect serving of chicken and yellow rice is definitely enough for two meals.
On Sunday night, I went back for the 100th time to Versailles to grab some dinner and ordered it to go. Hey, I had a speech, paper and reading to do; not everyone has time to sit and eat civilly. The portion was so large I had it for dinner Monday night, too. As a college student, if I can stretch my money on delicious, heart-warming food, I’m OK with that.
I can’t forget to mention the sticky and sweet plantains — imagine a potato and a banana had a baby and then fried it into deliciousness. This entire entree cost only $11.99.
Even after all that, the meal is not over. You must not forget about dessert. Since my stress levels were pretty high, I went traditional with my dessert: flan. For those of you who don’t know, flan is like a caramel custard. It contains sweetened condensed milk, sugar and vanilla. It is poured into a mold then refrigerated, like Jello. For only $4.50, flan never tasted so good. There are also other options like homemade rice pudding, Arroz Con Leche or a Tres Leches Cake. Most Cuban desserts have a very dense yet light and creamy flavor. You can’t go wrong with any of the choices.
The beauty of Cuban food is the price, the variety and the safety. By safety, I mean there are no snails or strange innards of an animal on your plate.
Well after that rather large meal, you are probably thirsty. Don’t just order a Coke or water. There is like a secret menu, only known by Cubans.
I’m going to let you in on a Cuban secret: If you want to seem like a true Cuban, order a Malta. Malta is like a Cuban root beer. It comes in a brown glass bottle, so don’t be alarmed if your waiter hands you what looks like a Bud Lite. There is no alcohol. I’ve been drinking them since I was three years old. Not only refreshing, Maltas are also perfect for a different spin on a root beer float.
Cuban food is unlike anything you’ve ever tasted. Its flavor is unique to that tiny island underneath Florida. It is a quick and cheap ethnic option that will leave an impression. For a quick trip to Cuba, check out Versailles for an authentic experience bound to open up your taste buds to new flavors. Take it from a Cubana: you won’t be disappointed.
Check out their website here.
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Follow Jacklyn Maza on Twitter: @jbizzmazzz
