A Taste of Coral Gables. Paola Mendez
Ceviche Chalaco, a mussels ceviche with spicy rocoto, a Peruvian pepper.
Aromas del Peru is a good choice for any type of gathering, from a family or group of friends to a romantic dinner for two. The restaurant has a rustic feel with white walls, dark wooden furniture and beams, and wrought-iron accents. The terracotta floors and entrance and dark red chairs add a hint of color.
The space is separated into two rooms. The smaller, more intimate room features a bar and several tables, while the main room has a projection screen where soccer matches are televised.
Lomo Saltado
1/2 pound steak
1 onion, cut into strips
1 tomato, cut into small chunks
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup cooking oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons red wine
French-fried potatoes
1.Cut the steak in long pieces.
2.Add oil to a medium skillet over medium heat and fry the meat until seared.
3.After the meat has browned, add the onion, tomato, salt, pepper, and garlic and stir until warmed through.
4.Add the wine, vinegar, and soy sauce and continue stirring until blended in.
5.Remove the beef mixture to serving plates. Garnish with cilantro and serve over French fries. Serves 2.
Bangkok Bangkok II is an authentic Thai restaurant on Giralda Avenue serving traditional and delicious Thai favorites. Their menu also offers a variety of vegetarian and vegan options.
The restaurant’s walls are covered in dark wood paneling highlighted by ornate golden statues and other accents. The restaurant offers four different seating options. The most adventurous option is to sit on the floor on woven pillows around low tables with intricately carved edges. You must remove your shoes to enter this dining area. Definitely try this for the most authentic experience. There is a back room with decorative umbrellas on the ceiling and a front room with a view of Giralda Avenue. Located on Restaurant Row, Bangkok Bangkok II also offers gorgeous outside seating on the stone-paved, pedestrian-only street.
As you walk into Bangkok Bangkok II, you immediately experience the aroma of sizzling grilled chicken satay and peanut sauce. Start your meal with spring rolls served with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce. Order one of their popular specialties: pad Thai, fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, or red curry vegetables. If you still have room, cap off your meal with tempura ice cream and Thai donuts.
Classic Pad Thai
8 ounces flat rice noodles, cooked
1 pound shrimp
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
Tamarind concentrate
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 fresh scallions, thinly sliced
Bean sprouts
1.Extract the tamarind concentrate. Infuse it with fresh lime juice, cayenne pepper, and fish sauce to form the base sauce for the dish.
2.Heat a large skillet on high to pan-sear the shrimp. Set aside.
3.Fluff the egg mixture in the heated skillet, then add the rice noodles.
4.Sauté the remaining ingredients with the base sauce.
5.Top with bean sprouts.
Serves 4.
Bellmont Spanish Restaurant serves authentic dishes from Spain made from scratch with the very best ingredients. Originally a restaurant and bakery, Bellmont Spanish Restaurant switched out its bakery for a bar. Now, there’s a great selection of wines from various Spanish regions.
The restaurant has a modern-meets-rustic Spanish atmosphere. The lamps and furniture feature sleek, straight lines, and the tables are covered with white linens. In contrast, the bar is made from weathered, dark wood with small trellis details. There are piles of chopped firewood for the oven and a large collection of wine corks, giving the modern décor a warm ambiance while maintaining a level of elegance.
Enjoy a true Spanish feast by starting with delicious tapas. Fried garbanzo beans with a fried egg and chorizo, a Manchego cheese tray, and hand-cut, imported Jamon Iberico and chorizo are the bestsellers. The paella is cooked to order and made with the finest Calasparras rice. Make sure to order it at the same time as you place your appetizer order, as it takes 25 minutes to cook.
Bellmont also hosts flamenco nights with live entertainment and talented flamenco dancers. It’s a show not to be missed.
Fideuá
2 pounds thin fideo noodles
1 pound white onions, diced in small brunoise
1 pound green lamuyo pepper, diced in small brunoise
2 ounces smashed fresh garlic
1 pound chicken breast, cut in small pieces
1 pound Ibérico pork loin, cut in small pieces
1 pound fresh Spanish sausage
8 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
2 bottles mild Spanish beer
1 gallon chicken stew
Fresh saffron (una pizca)
Salt and white pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Spanish sherry wine (vino de Jerez)
1.This dish is best prepared in a large paella pan.
2.Fry the fideo noodles in plenty of oil until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3.Add the garlic, onions, and green lamuyo pepper to the oil in the paella pan in intervals of 1 minute over medium heat. Continue with the chicken, pork loin, and Spanish sausage.
4.Once all the meats added are halfway cooked (approximately 12 to 14 minutes), add the Spanish beer. Stir gently and wait until the beer reaches the boiling point.
5.Add the fried fideos and start adding the warmed chicken stew, little by little, keeping the fideos loose, smooth, and tender and not stuck together or to the paella pan.
6.Add salt and white pepper to taste. The fideos are properly cooked once they start curving shapes in the paella pan. Lower the heat to the minimum to eliminate any excess of stew.
7.Let the paella pan rest for 4 to 6 minutes, then add a generous portion of Spanish sherry wine.
Serves 10-12.
Note: Seafood and peppers may be added a few minutes after the stew is added and placed atop the final dish. Recommended additions: 1/2 pound shrimp,