Columbia Restaurant of Celebration

User Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I'm cuban and I can tell you this is far away to be the best cuban food you can taste, if you want the real think and visit Miami go to the Versalles Restaurant in 8 St and compare you let me know, you can also try the Carreta Restaurant is near only the one in 8 St they have several but the one in 8 St is the best

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel

User Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

25 of us ate at the Celebration Columbia February 26, 2009. The Columbia is a Florida dining institution. The decor is beautiful, lots of high quality Spanish tile finishing wall, counter and floor surfaces, nice lighting, fresh flowers and a fountain. It is romantic, but not necessarily quiet. There's a nice gift store with Spanish pottery and porcelain items for sale.

The service was excellent at my table. Another of our three tables was not pleased. Someone felt forgotten.

Having never eaten Spanish/Cuban before I sampled across the menu. I had the signature soup, the foundation meal for the Columbia dining tradition. It was delicious at first taste, full of nicely cured ham and bacon. It seemed salty as my tastebuds got used to the flavors, but still delicious. I had the Empanadas de Picadillo, very flavorful with herbs, the crust browned, crispy amd delicious. I had a caesar salad, it was good. I forgot to have gazpacho, but had the less-ripened fried plantanos. They were good. Someone shared a sweet plantano with me, and I knew I should have ordered them too.

People shared small tastes of their La Completa Cubana, Salteado, and Tapeo de Mariscos. All very tasty. Being from the Southwest people expect pork and beef in sauces to tenderly fall apart. The meat dishes did not melt in my mouth. Others were not impressed and said so. It's a matter of region, tastes, and expectations.

I finished with key lime pie, since it originated in Florida. I had coffee with it. The pie was excellent to my taste, nice graham cracker crust and not-too-sweet filling. After being in business more than a century, a restaurant would tend to Americanize some of its menu. There was an expresso machine at the bar. I had house coffee. It was dependable American restaurant coffee.

My menu browse, dessert and coffee cost $35.00, gratuity included. This seemed to be the cost of most meals, except for those of us having Spanish beer, wine or cocktails.

Would I return? Yes. Especially with my wife.

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel

User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

spanish cuisine: best sangria
best cesar salad
very nice casual dining and music atmosphere

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel