Cuban Food and Latin Food Restaurants: Las Palmeras Restaurant, Atlanta, Georgia

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"Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban" and "Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban"

Glenn: There are many Cubans who settled in this capitol of the south. The first time you hear an Atlanta Cuban speaking perfectly accented Cuban Spanish, and then turn around and speak English with a Southern twang -- well, for a Northerner like me, it was quite a shock.

Jorge: We know of a great Cuban restaurant in Atlanta. They serve the same delicious Cuban dishes we enjoy in Miami.

Raúl: In fact, their cooking reminds me a lot of the Cuba of my youth.

Jorge: The reason the cooking is so famiiar to us? The restaurant, Las Palmeras, is run by our cousins.

Glenn: This tiny little gem is a favorite of local Cubans and the general public.

Raúl: Las Palmeras is a very popular spot for outdoor dining. When the weather is nice, get there early for a table outside.

Jorge: My cousin, Felipe Alvarez and his wife have been running Las Palmeras for several years. Maida does all of the cooking and she received her training from some of the best abuelitas in Cuba.

Glenn: We often judge Cuban restaurants by the quality of their lechón asado. The lechón at Las Palmeras is cooked to perfection with just the right infusion of mojito for that wonderful garlic-citrus flavor.

Jorge: Try their boliche. They slow-cook a beef roast stuffed with chorizo and spices until it is fork tender.

Glenn: Las Palmeras Restaurant makes a great Cuban sandwich with a generous serving of meat and a little mojo sprinkled on the meat for extra flavor.

Jorge: In the summer, the batidos are a big seller. There is nothing like a cold batido on a hot summer day.

Raúl: I always enjoy good masitas de puerco and Maida does a wonderful job with these, they are very tender a flavorful.

Glenn: Of course, every entrée includes your choice of frijoles negros, rice, maduros, or yuca.

Jorge: They wouldn't be a true Cuban restaurant if they didn't. Las Palmeras serve a dessert that my wife Mary just can't get enough of: arroz con leche (rice pudding). Served warm with cinnamon and packed with juicy raisins, the arroz con leche at Las Palmeras is the perfect ending to your meal. It is a true Cuban comfort food.

Raúl: If you are Cuban, I guarantee that the food at Las Palmeras Cuban Restaurant will bring back some fond memories.